Chapter 10

The library break room was noisier than usual. The librarians from upstairs had gathered there and were listening intently to Julia.

Even the male civil servants listened carefully to Julia’s story, saying they wondered what difference there could really be between them and the soldiers.

“He was much nicer than I expected. I mean Major Lance. Before I could even say that I was cold, he took off his outer coat and draped it over me.”

Julia went on and on about their dinner the previous evening. Even though there was barely enough time during breaks, she continued chatting during working hours behind the director’s back.

“I thought he was from a noble family because he behaved so formally, but apparently he isn’t. Isn’t that amazing? It means he rose to that position entirely through his own efforts.”

The senior librarians listening to Julia were envious of her.

Julia wasn’t the only one who had enjoyed the atmosphere last night. Stories from Georgia and Katrina, who worked in the administrative office, had spread as well.

Lieutenant Finn was young but responsible and mature, while Captain Elvin was friendly and humorous, so they said there was never a dull moment around him.

Everyone had enjoyed their dinner.

Everyone except one person.

“Vivy, how was it for you?”

“I heard you were alone with Lord Costance.”

The senior librarians had been curious from the beginning about the day I had been alone with Lord Costance. The reason they hadn’t approached me first was probably because of my gloomy expression.

Another reason was that Lord Costance, who had visited the library almost every day, hadn’t come today.

For those two reasons, the senior librarians had guessed that things between Lord Costance and me hadn’t gone well last night.

“It was just so-so.”

When I answered curtly, the senior librarians’ curious gazes became even more intense. They seemed eager to know what had been wrong with Lord Costance, who appeared perfect in every way.

“Why? Was he the type who acted arrogant just because of his face? Did he brag about himself all the time? Well, he is the heir to a marquisate, so I suppose he has plenty to be proud of.”

“……It wasn’t that.”

“Then was he cold and aloof? Did he think ordinary citizens weren’t good enough for him?”

“That wasn’t it either.”

Since I couldn’t give them a satisfying answer, the senior librarians began making their own guesses.

But every single one was wrong.

Lord Costance was someone capable of lowering himself, and he was a man who spoke only the truth.

He was somewhat cold and blunt, but it wasn’t intentional. When I thought about it, Lord Costance had actually been gentle and considerate toward me.

Unless that personality had been something he had deliberately created to seduce me, he was a remarkably decent man.

“Then? S-surely he wasn’t violent?”

“What? Why would you suddenly say something like that?”

I had momentarily lost myself in thought when I heard something alarming.

Startled, I asked what they meant, and the senior librarians pointed toward my elbow.

“You injured your other elbow. It wasn’t there when you left work yesterday.”

“What? I’m injured? Where?”

“Here. You even treated it, so why are you pretending you don’t know?”

At their words, I raised my arm and looked at my elbow.

The arm that had been completely unblemished until last night now had a large piece of gauze and a cleanly applied bandage.

Judging from its size, it wasn’t a small wound.

Yet I couldn’t remember how I had gotten injured.

“Huh? Wh-why are you peeling that off, Vivy!”

When I pulled off the bandage, the senior librarians around me gasped in horror.

The pad I had removed revealed a wound that had not yet healed, with blood still pooled inside it.

“Ah! That must hurt. Are you okay?”

“That wound is pretty bad. I told you not to pull it off.”

Just as they said, the wound was much worse than I had expected.

It wasn’t merely a scratch.

Something sharp had apparently pierced deeply into my flesh, leaving a torn wound.

I must have lost quite a lot of blood, but the area around it was clean, as though it had been disinfected.

“……It hurts.”

When I muttered softly, the senior librarians looked at me strangely.

I hadn’t known I was injured.

Only after seeing the wound did I begin to feel the pain.

“Go to the hospital later. You might need stitches.”

“I think I should.”

I answered instinctively.

But it wasn’t the wound that was tearing apart my thoughts.

It was Lord Costance.

I had been drunk, so my memories of what had happened yesterday were hazy. I couldn’t even remember how I had been taken to the hotel.

But after seeing the wound, the events that had happened while I was asleep came back to me like a picture.

So the blood on the bedsheet was from my elbow.

Lord Costance had taken me to the hotel because he couldn’t leave me alone while I was drunk.

And he had also taken me there so he could treat me after I was injured.

The luxury hotel had been a little excessive, but it was the closest hotel to the jazz café.

As for why my skirt had been removed…… that could have been because of my sleeping habits.

“Anyway, tell us about Lord Costance, Vivy.”

The senior librarians seemed tireless as they continued questioning me.

The moment I realized that nothing had actually happened between Lord Costance and me, my heart became confused.

First, I remembered how I had misunderstood everything that morning and behaved awkwardly.

My face naturally flushed with embarrassment.

Is that why Lord Costance didn’t come to the library?

I got drunk on my own, injured myself, and then, after he went through the trouble of treating my wound, I left without even thanking him.

I’m the one at fault.

“Vivy?”

“……He probably just doesn’t like me anymore.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

“Wh-why are you saying that?”

“Lord Costance isn’t suited for me in the first place, just like you seniors said.”

What was I even saying?

Lord Costance, who had bothered me so much, had finally kept his distance on his own.

Yet, strangely enough, my heart felt bitter.

The self-loathing caused by my contradictory feelings made my shoulders feel even heavier.

“L-let’s get back to work now. It’s almost lunchtime, and there’s still so much to do.”

Julia lightly tapped the senior librarians on their shoulders.

The senior librarians returned to their seats, but they kept glancing at me.

“……”

Pretending not to care about their gazes, I quietly sorted through the piles of miscellaneous work.

I’m no different from anyone else.

Perhaps I had enjoyed it a little because someone as famous as him had shown an interest in me.

Finally, I had returned to reality.

Even now, I needed to come to my senses and steel my heart so that something like this wouldn’t happen again.

Yes.

I would take this experience as a lesson and never make the same mistake again.

Never again……

I should go to the hospital later.

My elbow continued to sting, and it hurt.

I endured the pain and picked up my pen so I could continue working.

Then the reading room door opened.

For some reason, my head naturally turned toward the door as though it had been drawn there by a magnet.

“……”

Lord Costance was standing there.

Th-this can’t be.

I was completely stunned.

I had thought he wouldn’t come here again after yesterday.

Lord Costance appeared wearing even neater clothes than before.

And when he noticed me, he gave me a small smile.

I clearly saw that brief smile.

Lord Costance brought a book with him and sat in his usual seat.

Why…… why did he come here?

“Vivy. Are you really saying nothing happened between you and Lord Costance yesterday?”

Julia poked me lightly in the waist as she asked.

“……Nothing happened.”

“Don’t lie. Just tell me quietly.”

“It’s true. I made a fool of myself. I said all sorts of things to Lord Costance while I was drunk.”

“What?”

Julia was flustered by my excessive honesty.

“I think I also fell down in front of Lord Costance in a ridiculous way. I might even have thrown up.”

“What on earth happened to you yesterday?”

“That’s really all that happened.”

“Al-all right. I won’t ask anymore, so relax your expression.”

Julia watched my face carefully before returning to her seat.

There wasn’t a single lie in anything I had just said.

But then why had Lord Costance come here?

I headed to the restroom to clear my thoughts.

Just as Julia had said, my reflection in the mirror had an extremely serious expression.

If I didn’t wash my face right now, it felt as though it might catch fire.

I splashed cold water onto my face several times.

My cheeks had quickly turned red, and it bothered me.

Don’t think about it too deeply.

Lord Costance could have come here simply to read a book.

This was the largest library in town, after all……

Once I had collected myself, I opened the reading room door.

Lord Costance was standing directly in front of it.

My startled body stiffened completely.

“I-I’m sorry.”

I quietly turned my body to the side.

“Vivy.”

“Yes? ……Oh. Is there something I can help you with? Please tell me anything.”

I didn’t want to talk about anything personal.

“Could you find a book for me?”

Lord Costance didn’t bring up anything personal either.

Feeling relieved, I gave a small nod.

“Of, of course. What book is it?”

Lord Costance named one of the philosophy books, and I immediately went to the appropriate bookshelf and checked the third shelf.

Finding the book was easy.

“Here.”

I found the book immediately and handed it to him.

Lord Costance looked slightly dissatisfied.

“Ah…… Is this not the book you wanted?”

“You find books remarkably quickly.”

“Well, I read this philosophy book quite often myself.”

“Could you find some other books for me?”

“Of, of course.”

Without hesitation, Lord Costance gave me the names of three books.

All three were different genres.

One was a famous mystery novel, another was a history book.

The remaining book had an absurdly long title, so it was probably a book related to mechanics.

“Where was that book again……?”

I pretended to be busy searching for the book while secretly glancing at Lord Costance’s face.

He was staring intently at me.

“Are you feeling all right?”

My hand stopped in midair.

Lord Costance had brought up what had happened that morning.