LFDD 04

Chapter : 4

Until now, Hiazelki had never gone near the library.

That was because it was within Kael’s usual range of movement.

‘But if the Dragon isn’t there right now, then it should be okay, right?’

Excited, Hiazelki followed Albert with light bouncing steps.

Seeing how excited she was, Albert somehow felt a little guilty, but he forced himself to ignore it and tightly gripped the paper in his hand.

“He probably still hasn’t approached the child even once, has he? Knowing his personality, I won’t say more since he at least left her alone peacefully… but the two of you should help things move along at least once.

That fool definitely won’t make the first move because he’s too awkward.

If Kael goes mad with anger, tell him it was my order.”

It was a letter Ciel had sent through a messenger bird.

When they entered the library, Lisa was already waiting there.

Yuri was nowhere to be seen.

“There, comfortable, right?”

Lisa smiled brightly after sitting Hiazelki down on a huge cushion.

“Yes.”

Buried inside the soft cushion, Hiazelki thought she might fall asleep if she stayed here too long.

“Now then, these are for you.”

Meanwhile, Albert brought over several picture books and placed them beside the cushion.

Then he picked up the book on top and handed it to Hiazelki.

“Try reading this first. We’re bringing in more books for children, so there will soon be even more.”

‘More books?’

Hiazelki looked up at Albert with confusion before glancing at the pile of books beside her.

‘This is already more than enough…….’

She had never even had the chance to read this many books before, so she already felt grateful.

There were probably more books here than she had read across all three of her previous lives combined.

“Thank you.”

Holding the book, Hiazelki smiled brightly and thanked Albert.

The butler lightly covered his mouth with an emotional expression before laughing softly.

“Then, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Yes.”

“Oh dear, look at me forgetting. Young lady, I’ll go bring some snacks, so please stay here for a moment.”

“Yes.”

After exchanging looks with Albert, Lisa quickly followed the butler out.

The two of them looked strangely hurried, yet neither bothered checking whether Hiazelki could actually read.

It seemed the thought never even crossed their minds.

Left alone, Hiazelki sat quietly and looked around the library.

Tall bookshelves stretched endlessly, filled completely with books.

Just being in that space full of the smell of books made her feel peaceful.

Taking a deep breath, Hiazelki opened the book Albert had handed her.

The colorful picture book did not contain many words.

‘……At what age do children usually learn how to read?’

She had never received a proper education before, so there were many things she did not know.

Hiazelki roughly looked through the pictures as she turned the pages.

Rustle.

The sound of paper turning made her feel oddly happy.

It was not difficult to understand the content since she was not completely illiterate.

Though after living three lives already, it felt funny that this was the extent of her reading ability.

‘This is fun.’

It was when she had become absorbed in the books and already read several of them—

Click.

A small sound echoed, followed by the sound of someone walking closer step by step.

Still holding the book, Hiazelki froze and only moved her eyes.

The footsteps paused briefly, then continued again, slowly drawing closer.

‘Who is it?’

Using the book to hide her face, Hiazelki peeked over it with wide eyes while holding her breath.

If it had been Lisa returning with snacks, she would have walked straight over immediately.

The footsteps wandered between the bookshelves before finally emerging from between them.

Long black hair loosely tied back, with many strands falling freely.

Yet instead of looking messy, he looked noble because of his unique atmosphere.

Kael stared at Hiazelki with round red eyes, looking briefly startled.

He had not expected her to be there at all.

“……What is going on here……?”

Since she had never once been in the library before, Kael was completely caught off guard by the situation.

His moment of surprise did not last long.

Frowning deeply, he clicked his tongue softly and turned around.

But at that exact moment, the bookshelf standing in front suddenly tilted forward.

Kael immediately noticed the bookshelf shaking.

And he also noticed the black energy causing it.

His expression turned dangerous as he reached toward the black energy—

But it succeeded in pushing the bookshelf over first.

Someone sharply inhaled nearby.

Hiazelki, who had been quietly staring at Kael, froze completely.

She could only stare with shocked eyes as the huge bookshelf slowly collapsed toward her.

“Hey……!”

Reacting instinctively, Kael caught the falling bookshelf before it could crush Hiazelki.

Meanwhile, the black energy shaking the shelf disappeared.

His face hardened dangerously as he tried to push the bookshelf back upright—

But the books stored on it suddenly poured down toward the child.

After shoving the shelf upright with one hand, Kael rushed toward Hiazelki in a single movement.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

He knocked away every single book falling toward her.

Watching those movements that looked almost like martial arts, Hiazelki stared at him blankly.

Not a single book touched her before falling harmlessly onto the floor.

“Phew……”

After confirming she was not hurt, Kael finally let out a breath.

“……”

Then their eyes met.

Only then did Kael realize how close he was standing to Hiazelki.

Startled, he immediately stepped far away from her.

‘……I felt this last time too, but why does it keep feeling like he’s running away from me……?’

The child stared blankly at him.

‘Ah, I should thank him.’

After all, he had protected her from the falling books.

“Um…….”

But it seemed Kael did not even hear her.

Staring at the bookshelf with several books missing from it, he sharply turned his back on her.

Hiazelki quietly closed her mouth with a disappointed face.

Just as Kael was about to leave, he suddenly seemed to remember something and turned back toward her.

Stretching out his hand, something transparent flashed briefly around the child.

“……”

Then, without saying a single word, Kael turned away again and left the library.

‘What was that?’

Not knowing what that brief flash had been, Hiazelki tilted her head while looking around.

After leaving the library, Kael let out another long sigh.

Because he had been standing far too close to Hiazelki.

‘Damn it.’

He felt as though he should not get close to that tiny creature.

That white, small, pure existence—

It felt as though even approaching her would stain her with impurity.

He had seen too much after facing countless sinners.

“……”

Yet even after getting close to Hiazelki, nothing had happened to her.

He knew himself that the thought of someone becoming tainted by merely approaching him was ridiculous.

“That child. It is God’s will, so protect her well. Raise her as though she were your daughter.”

Remembering Ciel’s words, Kael frowned deeply.

Especially the part about treating her like a daughter.

That kind of relationship existed only among humans.

What did it have to do with him?

“Damn it.”

Shaking his head to push the thoughts away, Kael began walking again.

Not long after, he spotted Albert.

Kael’s gaze turned cold.

“……Albert.”

Standing nervously in a corner, the butler jumped at his master’s low voice.

“Yes, Master.”

Albert hurried over immediately, only to be met by Kael’s cold stare.

“The child was in the library.”

“……”

The lack of an immediate answer made it obvious that Albert already knew.

There was no way they would dare do something that displeased him on their own.

‘That white-haired fool must have planned this.’

Letting out a deep sigh, Kael placed a hand heavily on Albert’s trembling shoulder.

“Take the child back to her room. Then report to me afterward. From now on, if she needs books, bring them directly to her room.”

“……Yes, Master.”

Albert answered with drooping brows.

After hearing the response, Kael walked past the butler without another word.

“What would you do if the sinful humans you hate so much were tormenting that innocent child?”

Remembering Ciel’s words again, Kael’s eyes grew colder.

“……Lady Lisa, I don’t think this can be solved with a bonus anymore.”

After everything settled down, Yuri stepped out of the library while the maids cleaned up the fallen bookshelves and spoke with a dazed face.

“What happened?”

Albert and Lisa truly could not leave Hiazelki alone in the library, so they had hidden Yuri inside beforehand.

Among the maids, she was the best at hiding her presence.

“A perfectly normal bookshelf suddenly fell toward the young lady, and books started pouring down too…….”

“What?”

Lisa cried out in shock.

“But Master held up the bookshelf and knocked away all the falling books…… It was my first time seeing Master move around that much.”

“Oh my, really?”

At Yuri’s continued explanation, Lisa soon smiled with satisfaction.

The expression on her face looked quite pleased.

“That’s good. Then there’s no problem.”

“There is a problem.”

“What problem?”

“Master might have realized I was hiding in the library.”

“What? Why?”

“When the bookshelf fell, I got startled and accidentally made a sound…….”

“Ah…….”

Looking at Yuri sympathetically, Lisa lightly patted her shoulder.

“Don’t worry. Lord Ciel told us to say it was all done under his orders if Master became angry.”

“Lord Ciel said that?”

“Of course.”

At Lisa’s nodding reply, Yuri let out a relieved sigh.

“Now then, let’s hurry and bring these books to the young lady.”

“Yes, Lady Lisa.”

They gathered the books Albert had originally placed beside Hiazelki in the library, along with several others.

Carrying the books in their arms, the two women happily headed toward Hiazelki’s room.

Wearing a bright yellow dress, Hiazelki wandered through the castle halls.

Normally, she would carefully choose only places Kael was unlikely to pass through.

But today was different.

‘If someone helps you, you should thank them. I’m a woman who understands proper manners.’

Nodding to herself as if agreeing with her own reasoning, Hiazelki looked up at Yuri, who was walking beside her.

“Where do I go if I want to meet Master?”

In her tiny hand, she held a smooth pebble she had found in the garden.

Yuri, who had been smiling fondly at Hiazelki, widened her eyes.

“Master? You’re going to see Master right now?”

“Yes!”

At Hiazelki’s energetic answer, Yuri made a complicated expression.