"I can't say I recommend him warmly. If necessary, you can fire him. Consider him a merchant of high standing. I will bear full responsibility."
"What? Is this permissible? It's His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Isn't this an infringement on the monarchy? The level of his statements is extremely excessive!
“Ah, because His Highness the Crown Prince also owes me, so it’s okay.”
William smiled his usual sea smile, but his eyes did not smile at all, which made it even more terrifying.
For God's sake, what did the Crown Prince do on these tours?
For example, do you play gambling? Why does he have debts everywhere?
***
I left the director's room and went downstairs as directed.
It is said that if you mention the cat, he will come, and then the Crown Prince enters, strutting with all dignity.
He walked the carpet like a model, waving his red hair, wearing a purple velvet coat.
However, he was smiling noblely, exchanging glances with the young ladies or waving his hand at them enthusiastically.
Each time, the young ladies would scream with joy like fans greeting their favorite star, or faint with emotion.
There were also polite young ladies hiding their reddened faces with fans.
“You're still playing that loud blues tune today, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“This is a venerable library, not a meeting place for your fans.”
I forcibly hid my stony expression and focused on organizing the book lending register.
As directed, he came looking around the inner library with a cheerful face.
“The library is quiet today and the books smell as nice as usual, Secretary Erica.”
“It was like that before, but the atmosphere has changed a lot recently.”
She looked at the Crown Prince momentarily obligingly, then immediately focused on the record and responded with routine answers.
Perhaps my behavior disturbed his mood, so Ludwig asked in a sarcastic tone:
“Isn’t it the crown prince’s greeting first? Secretary Erica.”
“Ah, yes, it is an endless honor to have you visit the library today as well, Your Highness Crown Prince Ludving.”
My vile compliment seemed to please him, as the Crown Prince responded with a joyful smile.
Through my repeated encounters with the Crown Prince recently, I felt that, contrary to expectations, he was tolerant and simple.
In the original story, he was a cruel and ruthless character who cracked down with whips for the slightest mistake by his subordinates.
Contrary to what I had read, Ludwig did not care much about my direct words.
After laughing a little, he looked around cautiously and lowered his voice to ask:
“Did Director William show up for work?”
“Mr. Director has gone to the palace to participate in the State Council meeting.”
“Really? You came just in time.”
Why do I feel secretly upset when I see the Crown Prince rejoicing like a student who misses class?
“Ah, by the way, Mr. Director instructed me to give you books on imperial statecraft, where are they...”
When I pretended to look for books, Ludving hurriedly grabbed my wrist.
“Forget those books, Librarian Erica.”
“Let's leave this wrist first, shall we?”
As I said that, she forcefully snatched my wrist from the Crown Prince's grip.
At that moment, I felt a threat to life behind me, almost a sense of murder.
They must be the young ladies who occupied the first floor of the library?
Rose even looks at me curiously now.
The Crown Prince's gaze at me became deep, as if tempting me.
“Have you heard the community rumors lately? There is a story that I fell in love with a very beautiful library employee. What do you think?”
Ah, that rumor that is currently spreading in fashionable society.
Its content is that the lewd Crown Prince, who visits the Royal Library every day, is in fact enjoying a fiery love story with a very beautiful library employee.
Ludving adopted a serious expression, placed his chin on his palm, and lost himself in thought.
"I don't understand that rumor. It doesn't match reality at all! Where is that captivating beauty?! If there were such beauties, I wouldn't forget her!"
The Crown Prince assumed a dramatic pose like a stage actor and looked around the library.
His statement seemed to disappoint Rose, and she fell into despair and her face darkened.
I told him with a cold and serious face:
“Quiet in the library please.”
The Crown Prince realized that his statement was likely to be misunderstood, so he made an effort to cheer up.
“I certainly don't mean that you're not beautiful, you're all attractive ladies.”
“Excuse me, I will leave first. Have a comfortable visit to the library, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
I greeted politely and flashed my eyes at Rose, saying, “I leave you to handle the rest.”
She showed an eye look full of determination and preparation and nodded her head.
When I was about to leave the reception desk, Ludwig stood in my way.
“Where are you going and leaving me? Without my employee, I will be like a sheep lost in this vast library.”
He whispered to me lowly with a look in his eyes that was poetic and longing for love.
Another exhale almost came out of me, so I stifled it again.
This fucking Crown Prince has bad taste in coldly making emotional statements.
My back has been hurting for a while.
Doesn't the fact that the Crown Prince and the employee are too close to each other arouses discontent?
The envious, jealous glances of the young ladies stick into my back like arrows!
If I stay here any longer, I feel like I will be exposed to a real threat to my personal safety.
For example, a poisoned letter, or shards of glass stuck in a chair...or a broken knife blade between books.
At that moment, my attention was caught by a box of love letters that flew towards the Crown Prince.
I smiled cheerfully and handed him the box as it was in Ludving's arms.
“Letters have arrived to His Highness the Crown Prince. They are the feelings of young ladies who are passionately concerned for the prosperity of the kingdom and the health and safety of Your Highness. Will you not read them? It will be a meaningful time. So I will leave now.”
“Love letters for me, that pleases me but...”
While Ludving was happily examining the box, I quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor.
On the morning shift, I have to hide among the shelves and organize the books.
If I meet the Crown Prince, he will obviously send all kinds of hints like inviting me to tea or asking to read a book to using me for trivial tasks.
I'm at my workplace and I have to work hidden! What an annoying crown prince!
I held my anger and checked the label of the book that needed to be arranged.
A book that should be placed on the top shelf of the closet.
Due to the need to store a large amount of books, the cabinets reached the ceiling.
I'm going to need a ladder.
I looked around and found a ladder leaning against another bookcase.
I carried him on my shoulder and when I returned, I met Carlex right up to the second floor shelves.
His green wool coat embroidered with gold and silver coordinates well with his neatly arranged hair, giving an elegant and refined impression.
Carlex was looking at the ladder over my shoulder with a surprised face.
He came quickly and snatched the ladder from me, then asked in a tone full of concern and rebuke:
“Erica, why are you carrying something so dangerous?”
“Because I have to arrange the books, it's my job.”
“...Okay. Where do I put this?”
I pointed to the bookcase without thinking, and he placed the ladder there.
I felt guilty for using a hero nicknamed “Ruberia Sword” to move a simple ladder.
I was afraid he would offer to help me arrange the books, so I quickly climbed the stairs.
I climbed up and put the book back in its original place.
“Do you even do tasks like this?”
Carlex was holding the ladder tightly as if he was afraid it would swing.
For some reason, he was staring at the ground.
“Being a librarian, it is natural for me to organize books.”
“I mean, that…climbing the stairs in uniform…it's a bit dangerous. You'd better be careful in front of others.”
I didn't understand what he meant for a moment.
I was looking at him from above, and for some reason his cheeks seemed to turn a little red.
I finally understood what he meant.
He was worried that what was under the skirt would be seen by others.
But I wear multi-layer panties and underskirts? This is tightly closed.
Carlex still turned and extended his hand to me.
I took his hand and slowly went down the stairs.
In a sense, this is truly amazing.
This man.
To have such complete beauty and such a perfect body, and yet be so cold and innocent.
“Did you also come today as a bodyguard for His Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness the Duke?”
“No. Today I came to borrow some books.”
“What book are you looking for? I will help you.”
“I need books on the history of the continent’s wars.”
"Follow me, please."
I took him to the shelves where the books on politics and diplomacy were.
In silent shelves where countless books remained silent, only the sound of my steps and his echoed.
The smallness of his presence following me in silence was stifling to the point of suffocating the soul.
“I am glad that you are adapting well to the work of the secretary.”
"What?"
I was surprised by his deep, soft voice that suddenly came from behind me.
He unconsciously turned around and bumped into him because he wouldn't stop walking.
My forehead touched his solid chest.
The scent of his body wafted into my nose and I felt dizzy for a moment.
Carlex carefully grabbed my shoulder.
"Are you well?"
“Ah, yes. I'm fine.”
She quickly moved away from his embrace.
His gaze lingers on my forehead.
Why is he staring at me like that? Like it's going to put a hole in my forehead.
I couldn't stand the awkward atmosphere, so I changed the subject first.
“Well, is the little prince okay?”
“Michael is fine. Aunt Emma has come to visit us. The palace is lively after a long time.”
“Perhaps your visit to the Royal Library is an asylum because staying in the palace is difficult...”
Carlex responded with a stern and resolute face to my sharp prediction:
“I came because of the matter of guarding His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“As I expected.”
I nodded to be polite.
I remembered what William said during breakfast:
“The Countess of Demeter is very active in the matter of Duke Carlix's marriage, sending threatening letters every day to attend her tea-parties and to make acquaintances with young ladies. “My friend said he would rather go to the battlefield.”
Although his tone was worried, William's eyes looked pleased.
It seems that meeting the Countess over the matter of marriage was really stressful.
If he falls in love with Freesia, everything will be solved, poor employee.
Carlex stopped at the Politics and Diplomacy shelves and ran his long, beautiful fingers over the backs of the books one by one.
His hand carefully and gently caressing the backs of the books was somehow attractive.
Am I inhabited by a demon? I repeated “calm” in my heart many times.
As I tried to shake off the distracted avatars, the surroundings calmed and Carlex soon advanced.
His clear blue eyes stared at me calmly.
“Guarding the Crown Prince is a noble excuse, but the truth is that I wanted to see you.”
"What?"
My shoulders stiffened and my face stiffened in knee-jerk reaction to the hero's bold statement.
He smiled a little bitterly when he noticed my change.
“I came to meet a dear friend, is there a problem with that?”
“Oh, I forgot. His Highness the Duke and I are friends.”
I got so busy living that I forgot.
We became friends involuntarily.
Carlex wordlessly took a step forward, and she stepped back in response.
I was stuck in the bookcase unable to move, and his hand came close to my cheek.
I closed my eyes tightly at the feeling of his long, smooth fingers caressing my face.
The sound of his deep, low breathing echoing next to my ear tickled me.
My body trembled.
This is dangerous. My heart is about to explode.
I made an effort to maintain my composure.
“Erica, actually I…”
“To be continued in the next chapter”
Loving translation