DP 04

Chapter 04

“Ah…”

I sat on a bench by the lake. It was quieter and more relaxing than the library.

“Is it too painful?”

Lord Costance stopped moving his hands. He had been applying medicine to my arm but paused to look at me.

“It’s… bearable.”

“Tell me if it hurts.”

Lord Costance moved his hands again. The way he touched my wound was more careful than ever. Anyone watching might think he was handling explosives. I couldn’t help but smile at the frown of concentration on Lord Costance’s face.

“Ah.”

Still, it hurt.

After applying the ointment, Lord Costance wrapped my wound with a pad and medical tape. His movements were practiced and precise. I silently admired the neatly applied pad.

“Thank you, Lord Costance.”

“Apply the medicine from time to time, and go to the hospital if it hurts. Deep wounds could leave scars.”

“Yes. I won’t forget to apply it.”

I looked over the medicines Lord Costance had brought: antiseptic disinfectant, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide…

“Also, let me know if those guys come again.”

Was he talking about the protesters?

“To you, Lord Costance?”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Isn’t that usually the police’s job?”

“The military handles it too.”

I wanted to ask then what the police were for, but I held back.

I looked out at the wide lake. My schedule had always been so busy that I never had time to sit leisurely and enjoy the view. How long had it been since I had a moment like this?

By now, the director would probably be in the library, biting her nails while waiting for me… but was that my concern? If she asked where I had been, I could just say I went to the police station.

“Please, make sure to tell me.”

I nodded at Lord Costance’s firm words. Only then did his stern expression soften.

“I’m indebted to you.”

“You were splendid, Vivi.”

“…”

“I liked seeing a new side of you, Vivi. Though I’m angry about your injury.”

The conversation ended there. How long had silence passed?

“Please… forget about today.”

Thinking back, it was all so embarrassing. I had fallen in front of Lord Costance and, to make matters worse, raised my voice.

“It feels like I’ll remember it for a lifetime.”

There was a trace of laughter in Lord Costance’s voice. When I glared at him, he outright laughed. The sound was surprisingly clear and pleasant; the little anger I had felt vanished instantly.

“Vivi.”

Lord Costance only smiled, but it was striking. I marveled again at his good looks.

His black hair was neatly arranged, and his gray eyes were deep. Because both were dark, his features looked even sharper. His long, slender hands were more delicate than a woman’s.

He seemed to take care of his body—his shoulders were the broadest I had ever seen on a man. And beyond his shoulders, his chest, hidden under his clothes, drew my attention.

I could guess how impressive Lord Costance’s chest was. His shirt didn’t fully contain his torso and seemed slightly strained.

“…Vivi.”

“Ah. I-I’m sorry… This is… you probably hear it often, but Lord Costance, you’re really handsome.”

I wondered if I had just said something obvious.

When Lord Costance didn’t react, I slowly lifted my head. His usually calm expression looked oddly tense.

“Um, Lord Costance?”

Noticing his unusual state, I leaned closer. My face approaching caused Lord Costance to abruptly turn his head aside. Then I saw his earlobe, completely flushed.

“Vivi, you—”

Lord Costance’s lips parted slightly.

“You have always been beautiful.”

At those words, heat surged through my face and body. Like Lord Costance, I was too stunned to respond and could only stammer.

“I’ve always thought so while looking at you. Truly beautiful.”

“…”

“Your light brown hair, your blue eyes…”

Lord Costance drove the point home. I recalled the gaze he had given me in the library. Had such thoughts been mixed in his straight, direct eyes all along?

This was… unusual.

I had often been called beautiful for politeness, though not by Lord Costance.

But the voice and gaze he now directed at me made me feel, even if only momentarily, that I might be the most beautiful person in the world. Even knowing it wasn’t true, it was intoxicating.

Ding.

The clocktower chimed the hour.

“Sh-should we get up now?”

I collected my medicine and stood. Lord Costance followed behind.

“Are you going to the library too, Lord Costance?”

He nodded. I hesitated, then spoke again.

“You’ve been coming to the library a lot recently. Do you like books?”

I asked the question I’d been wanting to ask, carefully phrased, but really it was asking why he came every day. I waited calmly for his answer.

“I do.”

Lord Costance answered after a short pause. His reply was brief but firm, making me hold my breath.

Since earlier, my heart had been heating up gradually. With my pulse quickening, breathing became difficult.

My body tensed naturally, making walking hard. I inwardly blamed the sunny weather while forcing a small smile.

“You mean books?”

Lord Costance spoke a beat later.

“Ah… yes… books.”

So Lord Costance really, really, truly loved books.

I gave an awkward smile, and Lord Costance smiled back at me.

Was he teasing me now? He always smiled, yet walked with a serious face as if nothing had happened.

“But I don’t come to the library just for books.”

“Huh?”

“But aren’t we late?”

Ah, he was teasing me.

I sighed, all the tension leaving my body. Lord Costance, seeing this, said casually:

“You’d better walk faster, Vivi.”

Three days later, the library was still busy.

As the youngest, I handled the assigned work along with all sorts of errands.

For example, making coffee for the director every morning, or, if lunch was busy, taking everyone’s orders and packaging sandwiches or simple bread.

But those were relatively easy tasks. The hardest was carrying heavy books to the storage once in a while to organize them.

“Vivi.”

No sooner had I carried a box out of the reading room than Lord Costance appeared.

Not only did he come to the library every day, but he also seemed to know all the work I was doing. He had helped me carry a box yesterday, and today he appeared again, immediately taking my box.

It was convenient, but I felt self-conscious about being watched. I glanced down the quiet corridor and naturally followed behind Lord Costance toward the storage.

“You don’t have to help!”

I had said this yesterday too. Maybe the day before as well.

“It’s fine.”

Lord Costance had said this yesterday as well.

“It’s not fine!”

“This box is too heavy for you, Vivi.”

“…True, but…”

I couldn’t always rely on Lord Costance.

Even if he took the box, I still had to remove some books to carry myself. I couldn’t just do nothing like now.

“Ah!”

Lord Costance, reading my thoughts, raised the box higher.

“Lord Costance.”

“Vivi.”

Neither of us would yield.

Determined, I stretched out my arms as far as I could, and the more I did, the higher Lord Costance raised the box. The longer this struggle lasted, the closer our bodies got. Lord Costance turned his back to avoid losing the box to me, which let me hug his back tightly.

When we realized it at the same time, our eyes met. Anyone else might have mistaken it for a couple in a tender love quarrel.

Knock. Knock.

Then it happened.

Someone tapped the nearby window. Our gazes naturally turned toward the sound.

Three men I hadn’t seen before were smiling at us from the window.

“Oh!”

“Lord Costance!”

Startled, he dropped the box he was carrying. It made a loud noise. Luckily, it didn’t seem to reach the reading room, as no one came out to check.

“Lord Costance, are you hurt? Huh?”

I was more surprised at the unexpected men than anything, but I also worried that the books scattered on the floor might have injured his feet.

But Lord Costance was looking at the men waving their hands enthusiastically outside the window. Did he know them?

He furrowed his brows.

“…Damn it.”

I couldn’t believe the harsh words I had just heard from him. Lord Costance glared at the men as if they were a serious nuisance.