His hands were awkward, extremely delicate and cautious.
'Don't do that!'
The bandage beneath my sleeve was revealed before I could stop it, and the wrinkles between Carlex's eyebrows deepened.
“Who hurt you?”
His calm question seemed to hold a promise of pursuing him to hell and taking revenge on whoever had done this.
“An accidental injury. I collided with a shelf while helping a visitor. I’m fine now. The manager also used a healing spell.”
He stared at me scrutinizingly, clenching his jaw, his blue eyes filled with a mixture of worry and anger.
"Why would you do something dangerous? Didn't I tell you that you were precious? Don't hurt yourself out of my sight."
Carlex whispered in my ears, as if someone was issuing a serious command, or as if someone was eagerly pleading.
When I woke up, I found myself trapped in his arms.
As soon as I looked up a little, I saw his strong, beautiful chin and his full lips.
I cautiously touched the steel wrist that was holding my hand, and his gaze wavered.
Under his soft skin, I felt a living, beating pulse, and the faster its pulse became, the calmer, stronger, and cooler my soul became.
“Erica.”
His voice burned with thirst and extreme thirst.
As if he would leave a fiery mark on my wrist and my heart.
Instead of responding, I turned my face away from his blazing gaze.
At the end of my lost, blurry gaze, shining strands of platinum hair swayed, a beautiful fairy appeared emerging from the rows of shelves.
Ah.. Freesia, the eternal heroine of the novel.
She is my compass, a polar star in my night sky as a stranger in this world.
Did I appear because I hesitated and lost my way?
But you shouldn't be under a shadow like this, your real place...
At that moment, I suddenly woke up.
Why is she here? Did she come to borrow books?
My faltering heart slowly disappeared.
Carlex's pulse was still pounding, but my heart had returned to its normal pace, and the heat I had been inundated with had cooled and froze.
“Thank you for your concern, Duke, but will you allow me to withdraw my hand?”
His hand relaxed when he heard my firm voice, so I took the opportunity and got out of his embrace.
Before he could catch me, I grabbed the hem of my dress and ran like a fugitive.
Our story should never begin, let these rushing feelings be forgotten on the shelves like a book hundreds of years old, covered in gray dust.
When I came out from among the shelves, I met Freesia, who was turning around like a deer searching for her mother. She smiled like a sunny spring, and my feet stopped on their own.
I wanted to escape, but I couldn't ignore her.
“Ah, Lady Erica, here you are! I have been looking for you for a long time.”
“Yes, did you return safely yesterday? Did you come to borrow books today as well?”
“No, I wanted to give you something.”
She handed me a circular bowl decorated with flowers.
“This is an ointment that helps heal wounds. It should not leave scars on your smooth skin. Apply it daily.”
“Ah, thank you, you didn't have to bother.”
“You hurt yourself because I was protecting me. I was so worried that I didn’t sleep last night. Are you okay now?”
Freesia looked at me with teary eyes and clenched her hands
“Thanks to your concern, after the director’s healing spell, my wound has completely healed.”
“Really? This is great, I feel great now.”
She rubbed the corners of her moist eyes and let out a sigh of relief. I felt like I should hug her to comfort her.
When I patted her on the shoulder, she calmed down a little and asked me carefully:
“Ms. Erica, are you available to eat today?”
“Sorry, today a high-ranking person from the Royal Palace is here to inspect.”
“Oh, you are in the middle of work and I disturbed you, I will send an official message next time.”
I apologized in confusion. I had to do some professional innovation, because interacting more with the heroine of the novel would be difficult.
“I'm always in the library, you can visit me when you have time.”
“Erica.”
I knew I had to get away early.
Confident, heavy footsteps echoed on the quiet floor of the shelves. Freesia looked over my shoulder curiously.
“That person...”
In her crystal violet eyes, astonishment and admiration appeared upon recognizing the person opposite,
Her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings,
Her little white cheeks were flushed like the petals of flowers gaining color. I completely felt the excitement and trembling of a woman who had met the lover of her destiny, as if I could hear her trembling heartbeat if I listened.
The steps finally stopped behind me. Freesia's fingertips holding the hem of my dress trembled slightly.
As if to hide her trembling, she leaned towards him with the elegance of a dancer.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Friesia Rubel.”
A meeting of fate between the hero and heroine. It is time for the secondary character to leave the stage.
I wanted to quickly retreat, but Carlex blocked my way from behind and there was no way out. I had to stand, glued to the shelf. His gaze was persistently following me, but I avoided looking and tried to look normal.
“Don't worry about me, keep talking, I'm just a breathing bookshelf.”
Accepting the lady's greeting was noble etiquette. Finally, Carlex's gaze turned from me to Freesia.
A slight wrinkle appeared between his eyebrows as he looked at her. It's his habit when he's thinking deeply.
“Miss Frisia of the family of Count Rubel.”
Freesia bowed down, smiling shyly.
Beautiful as a violet forget-me-not blossoming under the morning sun, the quiet shelves were brightened only by the presence of the two.
I leaned on the shelf and watched in amazement their meeting.
According to the original text, they actually met between the shelves of the library,
Details may vary, but everything is according to fate.
The moment I saw the hero and heroine, I realized:
This world, “An Affair in the Royal Library,” began and will end for them.
I felt a dangerous instinct saying I shouldn't be here.
As I carefully backed away, Carlex suddenly extended his arm to block my path.
At that moment, Freesia said in a bright, joyful voice:
“Is Countess Demeter in good health? When I saw her at the tea party, she was still beautiful.”
When he heard the Countess's name, Carlex's expression changed,
“I didn't know you had a special relationship with my Aunt Emma, Miss Rubell.”
“I met her at a poetry reading, she was kind enough to invite me to a tea party, and we still keep in touch through letters.”
Carlex looked at Freesia directly for the first time,
Countess Emma Demeter is Carlex's great-aunt.
Carlex's mother died of illness when Michael was young.
After that, the countess cared for the brothers as her own children,
Usually a bad mother-in-law who oppresses the heroine is a common theme, but here, on the contrary, the Countess treats Frisia lovingly as her own daughter, strongly supports their love, sometimes scolds Carlex and completely sides with Frisia.
When he heard the name of his aunt whom he respected as his mother, because Carlex's expression was a little harsh, the arm that was blocking my way slowly lowered.
I took advantage of the opportunity and quietly withdrew from the place.
I ignored the conversation between them that reached my ears from behind.
Now the story of Carlex and Frisia has begun, a story that ended here, and my role as a secondary character ended here as well.
I fled into the deepest, most hidden corner of the library like a lost child, and did not stop until I reached my own secret place.
I stupidly remembered that the Crown Prince was occupying my place,
The Crown Prince was sleeping at the bright window, covering his face with a book. When he heard my steps, he woke up and removed the book from his face.
He rose slowly like a lion enjoying a nap in the meadow.
“Did something happen, Secretary?”
The Crown Prince's voice was so serious that I thought he was really worried about me.
This was the first serious expression I had seen on him since I met him.
I quickly hid my face with a bow.
“No, Your Highness the Crown Prince, it’s time for you to go.”
Ludving propped his chin and thought for a moment, then he got up and walked towards the shelves, but after a few steps, his feet stopped,
Behind the shelves, Carlex and Freesia stand like a distant dream.
Their expressions could not be seen clearly, nor could their conversation be heard.
But the Crown Prince's gaze was fixed on them like a nail.
His blue-green eyes turned dark.
I was terrified and my back shivered,
What if the Crown Prince falls in love with Freesia upon seeing her? What if he gets jealous of Carlex?
He shouldn't be here, we must leave immediately.
I spoke to him anxiously:
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, it’s time to go to the director…”
Before I could finish speaking, I tripped over something under my feet.
When I leaned down to see him, it was too late,
I lost my balance and fell forward.
“Erica, watch out!”
A solid arm quickly grabbed my waist,
I suddenly found myself in the arms of the Crown Prince,
We were so close that we could feel each other's breaths.
When I looked at the floor, I saw a pile of books clearly arranged, in a very clear place.
See, I dropped it because I didn't see it?
My face turned red with embarrassment at the absurdity of the situation. I feared that I would be accused of insulting the royal family and go to prison.
“Oh, are you okay?”
She quickly withdrew from the Crown Prince's embrace and bowed apologetically.
“Sorry! Your Highness the Crown Prince, I really made a mistake!”
“You take this bold initiative. I wish this place wasn’t a library.”
Ludving brushed his red hair back and smiled suggestively.
“I swear on my honor that I tripped, of course! It's not what you think, it's a misunderstanding.”
I said seriously and firmly, as if cutting with a sword.
If I let my guard down for a moment, I'll turn into a victim,
In front of the Crown Prince who might turn evil at any moment, I must be careful.
Instead of responding, the Crown Prince raised the corner of his mouth,
It was a smile like a child who found something interesting after a while, and that made it even more sinister.
“Let's go to the director's room now, he's waiting for you.”
“Here, I'll lend you this.”
I looked at Ludwig as he handed me the book indifferently, without understanding.
It was the book he used to cover his face with while he slept.
“Why are you giving it to me...?”
“A perfect book for sleeping. Reading just the first page makes the eyes feel heavy. Also good for covering the face. I forgot my handkerchief at the palace.”
After hearing this, I felt like crying and covering my face. I don't even know why I want to cry. What triggers these feelings in me?
According to the original text, the hero and heroine only met,
When they meet, fall in love, and become happy, the novel ends. If I cooperate with the rebel forces during this time and live quietly as a librarian, I might be safe.
If the end of the original text's story was a condition for returning, I might be able to return home.
But why is my heart like a lost child walking around barefoot?
Feelings I shouldn't feel swell and fill to the brink of explosion.
Instead of opening the book and covering my face, I bit my lip hard.
Stay cool, stay calm,
These are feelings I shouldn't have in the first place.
I wiped the corners of my eyes with my sleeve and returned the book to the Crown Prince.
“Thank you for your concern, but I will return it. Let’s go now, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Ludving took the book, looked at me carefully, and then smiled kindly.
“You are a strong person.”
What does it mean suddenly?
While I was trying to respond.
“Your Highness the Prince.”
Footsteps echo behind my back.
Before I could turn around, a familiar scent passed past my nose.
“To be continued in the next chapter”
Loving translation