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It had been three days since I had begun visiting the Duchy in order to study for good grades.
The library of the Duchy was a good space optimized for learning, but I could hardly concentrate.
It was because of a certain someone with dazzling blond hair who had been wandering around for days.
He should have known that he would always garner attention.
His presence couldn’t be hidden no matter what.
I finally made a decision after being troubled by the owner of the golden hair, who busily wandered around me. That day, on the third day, I called his name.
“Orion.”
“Yes?”
Sticking his head out from behind the pillar, his eyes sparkled as if he had been waiting.
I raised my hand and pointed to the bookshelf farthest from where I was.
“Could you please organize the bookshelf over there?”
“Hm?”
“Organize the materials. The materials are out of order, so I kept getting confused.”
Orion nodded his head before pausing.
Then he asked while tilting his head.
“Isn’t organizing the material the librarian’s task?”
“That’s right.”
“Then why are you asking me . . . ?”
“Because you look like you want to do something.”
Orion closed his mouth.
The librarian who had already been organizing the bookshelf in the distance covered his mouth.
Sir Rune watched the scene leisurely as if he had already gotten used to it.
“Am I that disturbing?”
“It’s not that bad, but you can say it that way.”
“. . .”
It was even more amazing that he hadn’t known.
With his wavering gaze as though he were shocked, he pointed to Sir Rune.
“Hey, isn’t Bayhan also there?”
“Sir Rune isn’t disturbing.”
He was more of a help.
Orion stepped back with an angry face.
His eyes, which were looking at the vice-captain who was his best friend and right-hand man, were filled with murderous intent.
Although this wasn’t a matter of winning or losing, he was wearing a very angry expression.
It seemed as though he had a pretty strong desire to win.
I don’t need this kind of information.
Every day, unnecessary information was accumulating.
Despite that, the reason I kept visiting here was because the library was splendid, and Sir Rune’s experience vast.
The value of hearing real-life experiences that couldn’t be absorbed through print and paper was beyond describing.
Sir Rune approached me after Orion had turned around and bit his lips in anger before heading to the end of the bookshelf.
“Today is the last.”
“Yes, because tomorrow is the second round of the exam.”
I smiled and nodded with mixed feelings.
Eyeing Orion who was glancing at us both, Sir Rune pretended to help the librarian before asking me.
“Don’t you have any intention to treat him more generously?”
“He said to be honest.”
In terms of status and standing, my actions were indeed rude.
Nevertheless, Orion never pointed that out to me.
Sometimes, it was to the point of me forgetting the fact that he was a Young Duke.
Sir Rune shrugged with regret.
“Now I have to find another excuse to invite you to the Duke.”
“It’s nothing like that.”
I grinned.
If I entered the dormitory after I advanced, I would also have to leave my house.
In addition, because my mother and Sir Duke left the Duchy to enjoy their honeymoon, I had no reason to visit this mansion.
He smiled.
“Orion will be very sad.”
“We can meet again when the time comes.”
Before I knew it, I could no longer see the grumbling Orion organizing the bookshelf.
Maybe he went to see the knights in the drill hall.
“Now, then.”
I organized the materials that had been spread out on the desk and held them in my arms.
“I think I have to go before Orion returns.”
If I didn’t go home quickly, I was sure that I would be held by Orion, his teary eyes expressing “Want to have dinner first . . . ?”, “Do you want some tea?”, “There are also snacks”.
Sir Rune, who looked softly at me, chuckled.
“Since you have an important exam tomorrow, I’ll let you go for today.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
When I arrived at the gate where the carriage stood by, I gave a formal goodbye to Sir Rune, who had followed me out to see me off.
“It was a short time, but thank you, Sir. You’ve helped me a lot.”
“Haven’t I told you before, My Lady? If you are thankful to me, I asked you to treat Orion nicely.”
“You two really are true friends.”
Sir Rune smiled widely.
I gazed up at him and spoke.
“In fact, you don’t like me that much, right, Sir Rune?”
He was always kind, but he never crossed the line.
Our conversation was mostly about learning topics or talking about Orion.
It meant that I had never looked into his private life in my conversation with him.
“So you were thinking like that.”
He didn’t deny that, while still smiling widely.
I wasn’t particularly upset because he being this respectful meant he respected me enough.
“I’m sorry if I made you feel that way.”
“It’s fine. That’s why I am more comfortable with you, Sir.”
He smiled bitterly.
“Oh God. If our captain hears that, he will annoy me again.”
“If you don’t talk about this, the young Duke won’t know.”
“Well, that’s true.”
He lowered his eyes and took a moment before moving his lips—muttering in a low voice.
“Being comfortable with me since you think I have no interest, that is a bit hurting my pride.”
Then he bent over in a perfect posture that would only appear in the textbook and pulled my hand close to him.
When I looked at him with a questioning gaze, he slowly closed his eyes as he brought the back of my hand to his lips.
“. . . !”
The sensation of lips touching the back of my hand without gloves made me freeze in an instant—I couldn’t say anything.