When did he get there? Kisa patted her startled chest.
The first thing that caught her eye was the color red. A man with hair the color of the sunset approached with a leisurely gait, causing Kisa to ask in a flustered tone.
“Who are you?”
As tall as Daniel, he blinked a couple of times in response to her question.
“Seyard.”
“What?”
“My name. Seyard. And you?”
“Kisa… Kisa.”
She hastily cut off her sentence, habitually about to reveal her surname. It didn’t matter; he only gave his name. She didn’t want news of the Count Vansfelt’s daughter crying in a place like this spreading.
Kisa quickly scanned Seyard’s attire.
A simple white athletic shirt and black cotton pants, yet the material was clearly high-quality. And his aristocratic speech and intonation. He was most likely from the upper class.
Thinking this, she felt a sense of familiarity, but no clear person came to mind; it was like a fog in her head.
In any case, he wasn’t someone she knew, but it was best to be cautious, as there was a possibility of encountering him again.
While Kisa was wary of him, Seyard approached and offered a handkerchief. A gesture of goodwill to wipe her tears.
Kisa reflexively turned her head and picked up her handbag, which she had placed beside her.
“It’s alright. I have one.”
Seyard put the handkerchief in his pocket and sat on the desk next to her, silently watching Kisa wipe the remaining moisture from her face with her own handkerchief. A suffocating silence hung in the air.
Kisa, constantly aware of the man’s presence, hurriedly tried to get up. But his words stopped her.
“May I ask which part of this book made you sad?”
As he looked down at the book Kisa had been reading with an intrigued expression, shame welled up inside her.
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. I just…”
She was about to offer a flimsy excuse, something about a sad story coming to mind while reading. But then, in a small voice, she confessed the truth.
“Actually, I couldn’t understand the book, and that’s why I was crying. I reread the same passage several times, and I still didn’t get it.”
Why was she telling such an embarrassing thing to a man she had just met? Or perhaps, because it was a first meeting, she could.
Because he didn’t know Kisa Vansfelt. The judgment, whatever it might be, would be less shocking than hearing it from someone who knew her.
“I’m really not very bright, am I?”
Despite throwing out a statement that would be difficult for the other person to respond to, Kisa was tense, waiting for Seyard to speak.
“Kisa.”
He called the name of the woman he had met for the first time today in a low, gentle voice. As if they were close friends.
“Have you ever studied philosophy?”
“…No.”
“Have you read any of Barth’s other works besides Barth’s Doctrine?”
“No.”
“Then isn’t it natural that you wouldn’t understand?”
Kisa was taken aback and asked, “What?”
With one hand in his pocket, Seyard picked up the book in front of Kisa with the other.
“Barth’s Doctrine deals with difficult and complex concepts. Moreover, it’s his masterpiece, synthesizing themes from his other works.”
His reddish-brown eyes curved gently.
“Unless you’re a genius, it’s impossible to understand this book without the necessary background knowledge.”
“Is… is that so?”
“Yes, Barth’s Doctrine is a book that makes even students who come to study philosophy curse upon first glance. Usually, people start by reading an explanatory book that simplifies the content to get a general overview.”
“…I didn’t know.”
Kisa had impulsively come to the library and simply picked up the book while browsing the shelves. Because Daniel had mentioned Barth’s Doctrine.
Even though they had only exchanged a few words, he seemed quite intelligent.
Probably a student at a nearby prestigious university? Staying in the library this late suggested a diligent personality.
So, it didn’t seem likely that he would have made up a story to make Kisa feel better. What he said seemed believable.
“Thank you for telling me.”
Kisa offered her thanks, a genuine expression of gratitude, and met Seyard’s gaze. For the first time, she took a good look at his features.
“You’re welcome.”
She then realized that he was quite handsome. His slightly upturned almond-shaped eyes were elegant, and his smooth facial features possessed a refined yet strong appeal.
He resembled a young, exotic king’s statue she had seen at the Royal Art Museum long ago. She remembered hearing that a master sculptor, who had received a large sum from the king, had sculpted it according to the golden ratio.
She had a fleeting sense of déjà vu, but it quickly vanished. If she had seen such striking beauty, even with red hair, she wouldn’t have forgotten it.
Actually, she had a tendency to avoid people with red hair since she was young.
Her nanny explained that the reason for Kisa’s aversion was the red-haired physician who had treated the deceased Countess Vansfelt. The memory of losing her mother as a child had become a trauma.
While she wasn’t sure if that was the exact reason, Kisa felt a slight chill and avoided eye contact whenever she saw red hair. It wasn’t a serious condition; over time, with familiarity, it gradually improved.
However, this was the first time she had become accustomed to someone with red hair so quickly. Kisa no longer turned away.
Seyard’s words echoed in her mind. According to him, her inability to understand Barth’s Doctrine didn’t make her particularly stupid.
“Excuse me, but could you recommend a commentary that I could read?”
She mustered the courage to ask. For her, this man was practically the only person she could ask such a question.
Her choice seemed correct, as he thoughtfully stroked his sharp chin.
“Studying Barth’s Doctrine with a commentary isn’t bad. But personally, I think you should start with Barth’s other works. Barth’s Doctrine assumes the reader has already read his other books.”
“I see.”
“Ah, how about ‘Theory of Possession’ first? It deals with relatively easy-to-understand themes for his works. It focuses on clarifying the ontological existence of humans based on whether they possess property or not.”
“Ah.”
Even though she didn’t actually understand, Kisa nodded as if she did, when suddenly—
“Miss?”
A familiar voice called from outside the door.
“Miss? Are you in there?”
It was a maid calling for Kisa. She must have come looking for her after Kisa had been in the library for a while without returning.
Kisa could picture the maid, unable to dare enter the noble-only reading room, pacing outside.
She wanted to tell her to wait, but that was impossible. Darkness had already fallen outside.
Even with a plausible excuse, if Count Vansfelt found out that his daughter was alone in a public place at this hour… She felt dizzy.
“I think I should go now.”
Kisa said her farewells to Seyard, a hint of regret in her voice.
“Please be careful going home.”
As Kisa headed for the door, she looked back at him.
“Thank you for today. I’ll definitely read ‘Theory of Possession’ if I get the chance.”
“If you need more recommendations, feel free to ask. I’ll do my best to recommend something within my knowledge.”
Seyard said this as if it were natural, but Kisa thought it unlikely. If they hadn’t met until now in the same capital city, the chances of meeting again were probably slim.
Furthermore, Kisa didn’t have many opportunities to interact with men her age. Seeing Seyard was probably a first and last encounter.
“Okay.”
But Kisa didn’t say that aloud; she grasped the doorknob.
He maintained a faint smile until Kisa opened the door and left the reading room.
As soon as she stepped outside, she saw the maid’s worried and anxious face.
“Goodness, Miss! Do you know what time it is? What if the Count finds out?”
“I know. Let’s go now.”
It was time to end her brief escapade.
****
After Kisa left, Seyard, alone in the reading room, reread Barth’s Doctrine, a book whose contents he already knew perfectly, for amusement.
Then, he closed the book with a snap, took it to the librarian, and requested to borrow it.
By the time he left the library building, there was only one carriage nearby. An elderly man waiting in front of a completely black carriage, bearing no family crest, spotted him.
“Mr. Seyard.”
The man opened the carriage door to greet Seyard.
“Have you finished your business?”
“No, Gilliam.”
“What?”
“Wasn’t the last remaining succession procedure completed this morning?”
Gilliam, with a look of realization, addressed his master by a different title.
“Have you finished your business, Your Grace?”
Seyard approached the carriage, a relaxed smile on his lips.
“Yes, it’s nice to visit the library sometimes. It brings back old memories.”
“It must be quite nostalgic, as it’s been a while since your last visit to the capital.”
“Well, yes. I plan to take my time and explore various places, starting with the library.”
Before getting into the carriage, he looked around the Royal Library and murmured,
“I’ll be staying in the capital from now on.”
The door closed, and the grand carriage, pulled by powerful horses, departed.
Its destination was the townhouse of the Hillan ducal family, a prominent family second to none in the Empire.
