Carlex, wearing a graceful blue-green fur coat, was staring at Guilibert with a cold stare.
Gilbert froze like a stone under his master's sharp, sword-blade gaze.
From behind Carlex's shoulder, Ludwig looked up casually.
"Hey, I can't allow that either. If you want to become Erica's knight, you have to wait your turn."
With the appearance of the Crown Prince, everyone immediately rose, showed respect and saluted.
As the office owner, I had to receive these two uninvited guests.
“Let me be clear, I can protect myself by myself. So, please stop harassing Mr. Gilbert and come in.”
Without knowing it, my office had become as narrow and cramped as a crowded market.
On the sofa meant for two, the two large adult men, William and Gilbert, sat with their knees facing each other.
Lloyd sat leaning against the arm of the sofa, committing the sin of leaning all his weight on Gilbert's shoulder.
Freesia, the Crown Prince, and Carlex all sat in the three remaining chairs.
There was no room for me, so I stopped for a moment and thought...
Ludving gently tapped his knee, smiling charmingly.
“Come and sit here. I guarantee you will be comfortable.”
As soon as the Crown Prince finished speaking, William quietly got up and sat on his knees.
“Then excuse me. Your Highness.”
“Oh! William! Why are you sitting? You’re heavy, go away!”
Those around looked on with shocked faces, while Ludving vehemently protested the weight.
As for William himself, he did not blink an eyelid and remained calm.
“Librarian Erica, please take my seat. Don’t mind me.”
It's impossible not to care and feel pressured.
The manager is elegantly sitting on the Crown Prince's lap. It's a rare sight that I wouldn't be able to see even if I paid the money.
As if he couldn't bear to see this shameful scene, Carlex lifted the office chair and placed it in front of me.
“Sit here, Erica.”
“Thank you, Your Highness the Duke.”
The commotion subsided and the guests sat in their seats, regaining peace as they drank warm tea.
I noticed Freesia shyly raising her tea cup and glancing warily at Carlex.
At that moment, Ludving looked around the tea table and whistled.
“I have to send more chairs. A lot of guests come and there is no room for them.”
“Your Highness, this is a place of business, not a salon. Do you plan to make my office your headquarters?”
“Mmm, this is possible depending on the circumstances.”
The Crown Prince smiled casually, looking away.
For a moment, a desire to kill flared up. Of course, I should be the leader of the rebel forces, not Franz.
“The furniture I chose fits well with the office.”
The Crown Prince seemed satisfied with his taste, as he wiped his chin with a satisfied smile.
Carlex, who sat next to me, asked me discreetly:
“Is the office comfortable to use?”
“Yes. I use it gratefully. By the way, why is there an iron plate installed on the inside of it?”
I remembered a question that occurred to me while tidying up the office, when I saw a thick iron plate fixed at the bottom.
“To protect the body under the desk if the enemy attacks. There is also a secret storage compartment at the bottom to hide weapons.”
“This is really… comfortable.”
A typical gift from Carlex.
The problem is that I shouldn't need to use it for the rest of my life.
As Ludving joined in for tea time, the atmosphere became lively and noisy.
He told hidden stories about the world of social circles and secret tales of the nobility.
Lloyd, who was very excited, shook the bottle of wine he had brought as a gift.
“Since Your Highness is here too, shouldn’t we have a toast on such a beautiful day?”
The Crown Prince gave his approval as if he had been waiting for it.
“Indeed! Mr. Lloyd understands my heart well.”
“No drinking inside the establishment, Your Highness.”
William stopped him decisively with a cold expression.
Ludving, who was feeling sorry for not being able to drink, grumbled and then looked at me.
“By the way, Librarian Erica, how do you feel about your promotion?”
Everyone's eyes turned to me at once, eager to know my response to the Crown Prince's question.
“What? Is there something to say, okay...”
I paused for a moment, meeting the warm, trusting gaze that trusted me.
I suddenly remembered what Director William said to me when I first came to the Royal Library.
“May the Royal Library be your fence.”
William was right.
The people here are truly my solid fence.
“I will work hard with the aim of leaving at the official dismissal time.”
I felt embarrassed to reveal what was inside me, so I smiled awkwardly and said something unexpected.
Lloyd and Gilbert, standing on the same side as employees, clapped in agreement.
I drank my tea embarrassed, watching Freesia's expression.
Her violet eyes, filled with the twinkle and trembling of a girl in a one-sided love story, were turning towards Carlex.
For Freesia, this must be the first time she's seen Carlex since the equestrian competition.
As I watched her dreamy gaze, a part of my heart ached.
Carlex turned his head towards Freesia.
Her shoulders stiffened slightly as if she was nervous.
Her pretty little hands gripped the tea cup tightly.
Carlex's calm gaze passed indifferently over Freesia and stopped at me sitting next to her.
“…nice.”
My heart trembled for a moment.
I could not believe the impudence of the hero who says such a word so seriously and in front of everyone.
The first thing I noticed was Freesia's look, before the surprised looks from those around her.
It was difficult to face her trembling violet eyes, so she coughed deliberately.
“Uhm, what are you saying suddenly?”
Carlex lowered his gaze and examined my armband.
"What's that on your arm? It fits you well."
Such unnecessarily delicate.
He had to use his keen insight elsewhere.
I grumbled internally for no reason and replied:
“This is an arm sleeve that I use while working. I made it to prevent ink from getting onto the sleeve.”
Ludving leaned toward us discreetly and intervened.
“Mmm, I agree with Duke Carlex. It suits your kind and lively atmosphere, Librarian Erica.”
William, who was quietly drinking tea, added his words.
“I also think Librarian Erica looks cute wearing the armband, but I'm one step behind.”
Carlex didn't seem to like something, and he furrowed his eyebrows slightly.
He suddenly tried to remove my forearm.
“Looking back, it's rustic and you don't wear it in front of others.”
“What? Don’t be stubborn. This is my work uniform.”
He acted like a gentleman for a while, so I thought he had changed a lot, but it seems that personality doesn't change that easily.
When did he say he was cute? Why is he criticized now?
While I was arguing with Carlex about the forearm, I gathered myself and looked around.
كان الجميع ينظر إلينا بنظرات كما لو كانوا يشاهدون مشاجرة لطيفة بين أطفال.
Behind them, Freesia was sitting quietly, and the image of that pierced my retinas painfully.
There was the girl with the sad, wet eyes and the heart that couldn't tell.
Reflexively, I tried to talk to her, but William coughed politely.
“Unfortunately, we have to finish tea time here. We have to start the business meeting.”
As if he had been waiting for this, the Shadow Knight got up first.
“Yes. We will go now.”
“Thank you for the tea, Miss Erica. There was a lot of disrespect today.”
Gilbert bowed in shame and turned away.
“Next time, I'll serve celebratory wine at the bar,” Lloyd whispered, winking with one eye.
Now I also had to say goodbye to Freesia.
My anxiety was reluctant to bring her back alone.
She asked William for some time and apologized.
“I will take Miss Rubel to the entrance hall and then come back. Can we postpone the meeting for a moment?”
“Sure. Go and come back.”
Friesia paid an elegant tribute to the Crown Prince and Duke Carlex.
Her gaze following Carlex seemed to be burning with the fever of love, but she also seemed lonely.
As we were leaving the office and going down the stairs, Freesia, who was walking in front, turned to me with a sorry face.
“There's no need to accompany me. You're probably busy.”
“I can't send you alone. Besides, you came specifically to congratulate me today. Thank you.”
Freesia stopped walking.
She sent me an affectionate smile.
There was no trace of the image of the injured girl.
“If we are friends, of course we should rejoice in the good. I also enjoyed today thanks to Erica, because I had a good time with good people.”
Were the words “friend” you uttered that heavy?
When we reached the entrance hall of the library, I unconsciously grabbed Freesia's hand.
I felt deep guilt towards her clear eyes that looked at me with wonder.
“Friesia, come and visit me in my office anytime you can relax here.”
“It's okay. I'll be a hindrance while you work.”
“Obstacle? Impossible. In addition, I have an important request from you. Can I send an official letter?”
It was because of the book club plan that she told the Queen about.
If I wanted to create a curriculum to teach young women, it would be very difficult for me on my own.
I was also thinking of Freesia as one of the people qualified to help me with this.
Freesia closed her eyes happily and smiled gently.
“If it's Erica's request, I'm willing to do anything.”
My guilt stabbed me again like a needle because of her smile.
Why don't I do anything for Freesia?
I have to help her, the original heroine, to be with Carlex.
But unfortunately, I was not in a position to act as cupid for the main characters and get busy here and there.
I've been promoted to head librarian, but, because of that, I must solve the problem of magic books and discover Franz's conspiracy.
I can't do anything now.
All I hope is that the two of them will solve the matter themselves.
This is none of my business, I'm the secondary character.
As if to cut through the deeply rooted guilt a little, I drew a line in my heart.
***
When I returned to the office, there was a heavy, solemn silence.
The three men were silently drinking tea with serious expressions.
Even the Crown Prince, who loved a noisy atmosphere, was tasting the tea with a stern expression.
Why is it so serious, did something happen?
I passed them and sat at my desk.
The sturdiness of the fine mahogany desk and the comfort of the comfy leather chair seemed to give me strength.
Is this the authority of the main librarian with horse privileges?
I put my elbows on the desk, clasped my fingers, and spoke in a grave and serious tone:
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, what is the matter? Is it the destruction of the continent?”
I've always wanted to try this.
The scene where the evil plot is discussed seriously and sternly after she becomes the ultimate villain.
I'm going to ignore for a moment Carlex and William's weird facial expressions due to my sudden evil costumes.
There was an awkward silence in the office.
William was the first to break the silence.
He coughed with an embarrassed expression.
“Hm, hm, it seems that Librarian Erica… is having difficulties these days.”
Carlex looked at William with an angry look.
“William, how much work do you make Erica do? She is mentally tired from exhaustion.”
Ludving seemed lost in thought, placing his hand on his forehead.
Under his low forehead, there was dense darkness.
"Hahahahahaha."
A low, evil laugh came from him.
“Great, Amenti, it seems you knew what we were going to discuss.”
“To be continued in the next chapter”
Loving translation