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Chapter : 10
Midnight Emergency Meeting
Back in my room, I soaked myself in the warm bath prepared by the maid.
The aching pain all over my body eased considerably.
After washing up, I changed into a white nightdress and checked my injury in the mirror.
A thin, about 2-centimeter-long cut remained on one side of my forehead.
Thanks to the magic treatment, it had healed quite a bit. If I covered it with my bangs, it wouldn’t be visible—but it didn’t seem like it would leave a scar anyway.
I lay down in bed and tried to fall asleep, but my mind only became clearer. The fear from the carriage accident I had momentarily forgotten now crawled back up my spine.
I really almost died.
If it weren’t for the magic fountain pen, Mikael and I would have already been crushed like the carriage wheel and no longer be in this world.
Anxiety and fear tangled together, making it impossible to sleep.
After tossing and turning several times, I eventually got up. Sitting on the bed, I calmly replayed what happened during the carriage accident.
I clearly heard it then—the conversation of the attackers trying to seize the Book Finder.
From the very beginning, they had caused the carriage accident to steal the compass.
If they were bold enough to commit such an attack knowing that a blood relative of Grand Duke Calix was inside the carriage, they might strike again at any time.
At that thought, chills ran down my neck and arms.
I realized a very real threat was lurking behind my back.
What exactly did they want so badly that they were willing to steal the Book Finder?
A late returned library book had somehow turned into a life-threatening mission… What on earth is going on?
Chief William had strictly told me to rest for the night, but that was never going to happen.
I should stop pretending to be a fragile lady who fainted in fear after getting hurt.
I need to see it with my own eyes, hear it with my own ears, and decide for myself.
I put on indoor shoes and a robe, lit a lamp, and went downstairs.
At the end of the long corridor on the first floor, light spilled out from the reception room. The butler stood guard in front of the door with a stiff expression.
Noticing me, he tried to hide his surprise and greeted me.
“Lady Erica, it is late at night. Do you need something?”
Holding the lamp, I looked straight at him and declared,
“Please inform the Chief. I will be attending the meeting as well.”
The butler lowered his head deeply in distress.
“The master has ordered that no one is to enter the room. I am sorry.”
“I have the right to attend as a party involved. I will speak to the Chief myself.”
At that moment, the reception room door opened and William came out.
He was wearing a comfortable tunic shirt and looked at me calmly.
“Lady Erica is correct. Please come in.”
Following William inside, the reception room was warmly lit with lamps placed throughout.
The fireplace burned softly, and only the occasional crackle of wood broke the peaceful silence.
In the center of the room, Calix was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, drinking wine.
A wine bottle and a half-empty glass sat on the table—likely William’s.
He had removed his coat and changed into a tunic shirt, looking slightly tired.
A shadow lay beneath his lowered long eyelashes.
His shirt, unbuttoned down to his chest, contrasted sharply with his bronze skin, making it look even paler.
As he lifted the elegant glass to his alluring lips, he glanced at me with interest.
“What is it? At this late hour. Is something urgent?”
“I thought this was an emergency meeting, but it seems you two are enjoying yourselves instead. Am I interrupting?”
Hmm. During the day he acts like a childish rival, but it seems Calix and Chief William are actually quite close.
Suppressing the smile trying to escape, I looked at Calix expressionlessly.
“Calix, don’t be rude to Lady Erica. You’re making her uncomfortable.”
“I hope you remember I haven’t done anything yet.”
Perhaps because it wasn’t an official setting, William spoke casually with Calix. Calix didn’t seem to mind either.
William guided me to a chair and explained again.
“We were discussing the carriage accident. We must officially report it to the palace tomorrow.”
Calix sneered.
“It’s been decided that you’ll write the report. You’re quite skilled at producing polished, overly formal palace reports full of unnecessary embellishment.”
“You want me to write it? You were the one at the scene. As the responsible party, you should write it.”
Calix smiled faintly and stared at William.
“Do you remember which noble house contributes the most funding to the Royal Library, Chief?”
William raised both hands in surrender with a tolerant expression, like an older brother dealing with a stubborn younger one.
I looked back and forth between them in disbelief.
“Wait… are you seriously discussing who will write the report right now?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
Calix answered nonchalantly.
Seriously… are you children avoiding homework or what?
Though speechless, I figured I might as well get some compensation.
My eyes drifted toward the wine bottle on the table.
“Pour me a glass too. I think I’ll sleep better if I drink something.”
“Wouldn’t alcohol be bad for your injury, Lady Erica?”
That was a very William-like concern. I quickly composed myself and made a tired, frightened expression.
“Actually, I can’t sleep because of the shock from the carriage accident. I thought a little wine might help me relax.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie—I really did want a drink.
Since arriving in this world, I hadn’t had a single drop of alcohol, and I barely remembered what it even tasted like.
Honestly, I wanted to drink the whole bottle out of frustration the moment I got possessed into a villainess side character.
The kind-hearted William looked genuinely sympathetic.
“I didn’t consider that. It must have been a difficult day for you as well. Please wait a moment.”
He immediately called a servant to bring a glass.
As the servant poured wine into my glass, Calix watched silently.
“Drinking because you shed blood… quite a knight-like action.”
His blue eyes shimmered in the firelight.
From the beginning, he seemed displeased with my presence in the room.
“Thank you. Let’s just consider this a toast between comrades who survived the same crisis, Your Grace.”
His blue eyes fixed on me steadily.
A staring contest, huh?
I stared right back.
William, sitting between us, tried to mediate awkwardly, but Calix suddenly stood up.
He took his long frock coat from the sofa and walked over to me, draping it over my shoulders.
I was startled by how close his face suddenly came, but his gaze deliberately avoided mine.
Curious as always, I asked immediately.
“Why are you giving me your coat all of a sudden?”
“You’ll freeze to death dressed like that.”
What? Freeze to death in this weather?
I looked down at my outfit—nightdress with a robe on top. More than enough.
When I looked up at him in confusion, our eyes met again.
He was looking at me seriously. What was even more absurd was that his expression seemed genuinely worried.
Even William nodded slightly and added more firewood to the fireplace.
What’s wrong with these two today?
When I tried to return the coat, Calix refused firmly.
“I’d prefer it if you just wear it. I find it uncomfortable otherwise.”
“…Alright then.”
I gave in and wrapped it around myself like a blanket.
The scent and warmth of Calix lingered in the coat, making me feel like I was still in his arms during the carriage ride.
My face was already heating up even though I hadn’t even finished the wine yet.
“Let’s toast to the safe return of both of you.”
William smiled warmly and raised his glass first.
Three glasses clinked together with a clear sound.
After a few sips of wine, the fear and anger in my mind finally calmed.
When I looked up, both men were watching me with concerned eyes.
Only then did I truly feel safe.
“The attackers during the carriage accident… I think they were targeting me. They were trying to steal the Book Finder.”
As I spoke carefully, Calix replied in a low voice.
“My knights reported it. They said the attackers caused the accident and attempted to break the magic barrier to steal the Book Finder.”
William nodded seriously.
“Lady Erica, I heard the Book Finder stopped working at the Hamilton estate. That happens when the tracking spell on a magic book is destroyed—something only a highly skilled mage can do.”
“A high-level mage?”
“Yes. It seems they planned everything carefully. They knew the Book Reader carrying the Book Finder would come to retrieve the book and staged the accident to steal it.”
“Why would they go that far?”
My voice trembled despite myself.
Calix looked at me seriously, concern evident in his eyes.
“The important question is… how did they know you were the Book Reader?”
William agreed gravely.
“He’s right. Only a few people in the Royal Library knew that you were the Book Reader. It hasn’t even been reported to the palace yet.”
“That’s proof the Royal Library’s security is lacking.”
Calix sneered coldly, but William only sighed deeply.
“How is the pursuit going?”
“My knights are tracking them now.”
“Don’t kill them all like last time. We need at least one alive for interrogation.”
“You worry too much. This time I’ll interrogate them myself. Anyone who dared attack the next head of the Reinhardt Duke family deserves a proper judgment.”
Calix smiled dangerously, unable to hide his anger.
The wine in his glass looked almost like blood for a moment.
A chill ran down my spine.
William clasped his hands as if praying.
“What’s certain is that they know Lady Erica’s identity and may attack again to seize the Book Finder.”
“You mean I could be attacked again just because I’m the Book Reader?”
Both Calix and William stared at me.
Being the center of attention suddenly felt awkward.
“I still don’t understand. The Book Reader just uses the Book Finder to locate books. Why go this far?”
William’s expression hardened further.
“If the Book Finder is gone, no one can trace stolen magic books. No one.”
His gaze turned to Calix.
Calix gave a short nod, and William continued.
“This is classified information. But since you are the Book Reader, you must know. You must never reveal it to anyone outside. Can you promise that?”
