If it’s something like this, no problem! Once Elena saw that the librarian was going through the small characters on the list, she relaxed and looked around.
The library, which she thought would be empty, surprisingly had quite a lot of people using it. People who appeared to be nobles were stacking books of their choice, scribbling down notes, or reading leisurely.
It was difficult to find a well-conditioned scriptural book in the temple. Each time this happened, she keenly felt how enormous the difference in social status was.
“Well, Sister. It’s all done.”
Elena stood in a daze as she received Rosaline’s presented list, and an additional explanation followed.
“I wrote down the sections and shelf numbers where each book is located. You just need to find them as written. I also posted the list of books available for borrowing in advance.”
Of course. The task wouldn’t be resolved so smoothly.
Elena’s feet were already hurting walking around this expansive library, but she still thanked the librarian who had helped her and made a plan based on the library’s map to establish the most efficient route.
“Look at me, I have several years of experience at the National Assembly Library.”
Elena rolled up her sleeves as she thought about her past experiences at the National Assembly Library.
The plan was successful, to some extent. She succeeded in diligently collecting books by roaming around the library like an ant, but there was an unexpected obstacle.
“I’m sorry, but all the book carts are currently in use. It seems you’ll have to carry them.”
“Carry them?”
The books Rosaline had chosen were each as thick as an encyclopedia. It was evident that she had selected these books based on how much difficulty they could cause Elena.
“Hah… There’s no other choice. I have to carry it up to the carriage at least.”
I considered carrying it on two trips, but I’ve already wasted a lot of time. If I delay any further, I don’t know what kind of words I’ll hear from Rosaline.
Looking at her own arm, which barely revealed any muscles despite rolling up the sleeves, Elena spoke.
“My arms, let’s endure a little more…”
With a deep breath, Elena, who had just taken her last breath, lifted the book with a sound. She had prepared herself for the tremendous weight. But there was something strange. The book made a flash as she lifted it.
Elena opened her eyes, which she’d closed tightly as she’d been trying to summon her strength, and a man stood before her.
“Let me help you, Sister.”
He was a man with brown hair clad not in armor but in a simplified knight’s attire. But his appearance was far from ordinary. He instantly turned the surrounding people into black and white and only his figure stood, radiating vibrant colors.
When Rosaline saw the emperor from a distance, she felt a strong aura. Elena, who felt the same aura, opened her eyes narrowly and observed the man.
He had dark brown hair like chocolate, gently covering his ears, and his leaf-colored eyes were filled with a glimmer of laughter as he looked at her.
‘A knight with brown hair, deep green eyes, and a glamorous appearance… Could it be?’
Finally recognizing the man in front of her, Elena shouted in surprise.
“Me, Meina… Huh!”
She almost called out the man’s name instead of his title. Elena quickly covered her own mouth and managed to squeeze out a word.
“Uh, Sir Ernest.”
He was none other than Meinard von Ernest, one of Rosaline’s three men.
“Do you know me?”
Elena was shocked at Meinard’s smiling, yet slightly surprised face. It felt as if her heart had been thrown to the ground.
‘Why is it so dangerous.’
Elena summed up Meinard’s appearance in one word: ‘fatal.’
Meinard has a pretty face. The combination of his sparkling and slightly round eyes, like a well-behaved puppy, and delightful curly hair, was enough to make one speechless.
However, his real charm lay in his physique. Beneath that handsome face were broad shoulders like those of a knight, a tall stature, and legs that seemed to go on forever, as if ignoring the concept of a waist. His body looked perfectly toned and muscular, lacking any excess fat.
Furthermore, despite Elena’s attempt to summon all her strength to lift the pile of books she had been struggling with, Meinard effortlessly picked them up. His arms, concealed beneath his rolled-up sleeves, revealed sinewy muscles that seemed to have no end. In any case, there was not a single non-lethal aspect to his appearance.
In fact, Meinard’s appearance was something that had always piqued Elena’s curiosity while reading books. The cold and expressionless depiction of the emperor and the possibly fascinating appearance of the Marquis Warner gave her a rough idea, but Meinard’s appearance was difficult to pin down.
“Y-You’re so famous….”
Elena barely managed to speak while rubbing her neck, which was throbbing from excitement.
“Me?”
He pointed to himself with a finger and widened his eyes, a gesture that was equally charming. Elena, who had experienced a heart-stopping accident where something thumped and lodged in her heart, hastily added.
“Because I’m a fan….”
Clearly, Meinard was highly popular among women even in this place. No, all of Rosaline’s three men were. Lucky bastard. Elena grumbled inwardly.
“Um… the books seem to be quite heavy. Let me help you.”
Meinard turned her words around awkwardly.
“Y-You don’t have to… really….”
“It’s okay. I just stopped by to borrow a book on my way home. Is your carriage waiting outside?”
“Yes? Yes, it is.”
“Then let’s go. Oh, by the way, could you also give me those two books?”
Meinard pointed to the two remaining books in Elena’s arms and spoke. Startled, Elena quickly hugged the books and turned her body.
“Oh, no! I can carry these myself!”
As if finding her lighthearted and refreshing demeanor amusing, Meinard laughed and, while effortlessly carrying several thick and heavy books, opened the door, escorting Elena.
“Please, after you, Sister.”
“T-Thank you.”
Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Elena couldn’t decide where to put her body and occasionally followed behind Meinard with a flushed face. Meinard burst into a small laugh again, as if finding her cute like a younger sister.
“Wh-why?”
Elena asked, thinking if she had made a mistake in front of this fatal man.
“It’s nothing. Are you really going to read all these books?”
“Oh, this isn’t for me. It’s reference material for Duke Levi’s class, on behalf of someone else.”
Maybe it won’t be used that way, but Meinard was delighted at Elena’s words.
“You must be the new teacher!”
“Um, to be called a teacher… If it were Lady Francis, who teaches multiple subjects, maybe, but I’m just a theology tutor.”
“But still, you’re a teacher.”
Saying that Meinard looked at Elena again.
He heard from Hugo that the priest coming to teach theology this time was twenty years old. But Elena looked much younger than that, perhaps because of her small size. Meinard, who turned twenty-four last month, suddenly thought how cute and nice it would be to have such a little sister.
While sharing stories, the two suddenly arrived at the entrance of the library. Now they had to part ways, which made Meinard feel very regretful, and he thought that Elena’s beauty would probably appear in his dreams tonight. But Elena smiled and said with effort,
“I’m fine now. The carriage that was supposed to take me here… uh, the carriage?”
Sure enough, the carriage that should have been waiting quietly for Elena on one side was nowhere to be seen. There were several carriages waiting for other people, but the one with the pattern of the Palace of Dawn on the side was not among them.
“Uh, what should I do…”
One or two books would have been understandable. It was impossible to personally carry all ten books to the Palace of Dawn. Somehow, Marbu’s response was unsatisfactory. It seemed like they had left without waiting for the morning.
“Oh, I have our family carriage. I can take you to the Palace of Dawn.”
Meinard comforted Elena, who was confused.
“I don’t want to be such a bother…”
“It’s just a little detour, really.”
The sub-male lead said that he needed to turn back on his way home from work. Of course, if she had any shame, it would have been right to refuse, but she had no other options now.
“Then please do me a favor.”
“Yes, of course.”
With a swift lift of the books, which probably weighed as much as she did, Meinard carried them to the carriage and held out a hand to help Elena into the carriage. Sitting on the plush cushioned carriage, Elena recalled the fact that Meinard was the heir to Count Ernest, known as the Empire’s Sword.
Count Ernest, High Lord of the South, the Sword of the Empire, had sent his eldest son to Vakran I as soon as he reached his seventeenth birthday, the age of maturity according to the Imperial law. In the midst of a war of conquest, he ordered his son to ‘take the swords and arrows that fly at His Majesty.’ Such was the absolute loyalty of Count Ernest.
