I looked around and imagined the library that would be in the main building. Somehow, I didn’t think it would feel much different from this place. The central ceiling of the library was domed, so it didn’t feel cramped, and the arched stairs led to the second floor. The bookshelves up there were also packed tightly.

The books filling the library were as diverse in genre as they were vast in number. Politics, economics, history, and of course, the literary genres I mainly read were all there.

But I didn’t think that such a grand library would contain the romance novels I casually read.

“Even if I read all day, every day, I wouldn’t be able to finish them all before I die.”

With such a wide range of choices, I couldn’t figure out where to start or how. As I stood in the middle of the library, looking around in bewilderment, Angela leaned towards me slightly.

“You’d better go to the second floor.”

“The second floor?”

She nodded slightly, as if conveying some secret information.

“How was the book you read last time?”

“Which book?”

“The Flower That Falls at Twilight.”

As soon as I heard the title, I shook my head in admiration.

“Ah, it’s a masterpiece. It was really the best.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Yes, I heard it’s the most popular book these days, and it was really interesting.”

I said as I climbed to the second floor, looking around.

The Flower That Falls at Twilight was a novel about three daughters of a fallen noble family pursuing their dreams. It was said to be the most popular book these days, with its fast-paced plot and elegant writing style.

“I enjoyed reading it, but somehow it doesn’t seem to fit with such a grand library. Are there really such books here?”

“Don’t worry about that. The Rochester ducal family buys almost all the books that come out on the market. And I heard they review all those books. To prevent banned books or those with subversive ideas from entering the library.”

As if to prove her words, the bookshelves on the second floor were also full of books.

“And I heard that… too suggestive ones are also excluded.”

“Ah…”

That’s a bit disappointing.

“The duchess once said something like this. Some books aren’t recognized in their time. So we shouldn’t view any writing with prejudice. The duchess is really an amazing person.”

Although I hadn’t stayed at the ducal residence for long, from what I’d seen so far, the servants here unanimously believed in and served their masters. With sincere respect.

It wasn’t an easy thing.

When Count Pennel was alive, he claimed until his last moment that the Duke of Rochester had abandoned Ricardo. I didn’t fully believe what he said to survive, but I thought it was true that the ducal couple hadn’t been able to protect him safely.

But when I saw people’s attitudes towards the ducal couple like this, it was hard to believe that they had left Ricardo in danger for so long.

“So how was that book?”

I snapped out of my thoughts at Angela’s whispered words. Even though it was clear no one else was around, we lowered our voices as if by agreement, because it was a library.

“Which book?”

“The Flower That Blooms on the Cliff.”

“Ah, that was interesting too, but I… didn’t like the ending much.”

“Why?”

“Because the protagonist doesn’t become the emperor.”

“That’s right.”

Not just Angela, but the other maid also nodded and giggled. Saying that tastes should be respected.

“The ending must always be the emperor. The ending is the emperor ending. I absolutely love the emperor ending.”

“Me too!”

Even the young maid who had been quiet until now chimed in agreement with my words. As I was saying this, it occurred to me that maybe the book I couldn’t buy before because it was too expensive might be here.

‘It was about a male protagonist who was the eighth prince of the emperor becoming the emperor with the help of the female protagonist…’

The books were well arranged in alphabetical order, so it didn’t seem difficult to find if it was here.

‘I wonder if it’s not here because it was said to be quite… suggestive?’

I focused on finding the book, tracing the letters with my finger.

‘Found it!’

The book was at an awkwardly high place. I stood on tiptoe and stretched my arm as far as I could, but it was just out of reach. The maids were all shorter than me, so it seemed difficult for them to pull out the book too.

“Angela, I’m sorry, but could you bring me a ladder? I don’t know where it is.”

I concentrated all my attention on getting the book out. Just a little more, just a little more stretch and I could reach it… Just as the book was about to touch my hand and I pulled it out a bit, I felt something heavy approaching from behind. Immediately, a low, moist voice flowed into my ear.

“Is this it?”

“Gasp.”

I turned around abruptly, making an unsightly sound out of surprise. Then I came face to face with the black eyes of the man looking down at me. I froze, unable to move or breathe. Between his lips and mine, there was only enough space for a moderately thick hardcover book.

While Ricardo blinked for a moment, I came to my senses as if I had been frozen and thawed. I lowered my gaze under his arm and looked around, but the maids were nowhere to be seen, not even on the second floor.

When did they disappear so quickly?

Feeling a bit betrayed, I brought my gaze back to the front. That’s when Ricardo casually pulled out the book I was trying to get and read the title softly.

“How to Make a Kind Savior into an Emperor?”

My face suddenly turned red, even though I wasn’t the one who made the male protagonist the emperor.

“Gi-give it to me.”

I reached out to take the book from him, but somehow the book seemed to be getting further away from me. Trying not to touch his chest, I straightened up, making my movements unnatural.

“I don’t want to…”

“Then please move aside a little.”

Despite my request, Ricardo pressed even closer. As if he was trying to crush me between the bookshelves.

“I don’t want to do that either.”

Ha, a sigh escaped involuntarily.

“I’m not asking you to get engaged, or to give me a share of the ducal family’s fortune, but you don’t want to do even this?”

“No, I don’t want to.”

He said he didn’t want to while handing me the book with a polite attitude. I couldn’t help but chuckle at his childlike behavior wrapped in a gentleman’s shell.

“You really haven’t changed.”

At the mention of the past, his chest seemed to stiffen for a moment, but he showed no intention of stopping his close proximity behind me. Rather, it seemed like a good thing. It would be better than looking into his eyes.

“What have you been doing?”

“You mean since the day you met with the Crown Princess?”

“…”

“I’ve been waiting to die, today or tomorrow. What else could I do here?”

I could feel him laughing softly behind my back. He must have already received reports, so he probably wasn’t really curious about what I had been doing.

“I heard your food intake has decreased. Is the food not to your liking?”

“It’s natural for food intake to decrease when labor decreases.”

That wasn’t actually true. I never left anything from my portion when I ate dinner at Bluehill. It was just that everything in this luxurious mansion didn’t suit me well. Even the cutlery.

“But why do you keep standing behind me?”

“Because this is the only way I can’t see your face wanting to run away.”

I closed my mouth, having nothing to say. It was true that I wanted to run away even now because he made me uncomfortable.

Why doesn’t Ricardo want to see my face like that? I wanted to ask, but also never wanted to know.

“How long have you been here?”

“Since last night…”

I was surprised and tried to look at him, but I could still only see his thick arm.

“Why?”

“Couldn’t… sleep.”

Even though there was no way that could be true, somehow it sounded like he was whining. Like a nameless child from the orphanage in his childhood.

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

I slowly moved to turn around and face him. As I moved, Ricardo gave me a little space to turn comfortably.

Trying not to meet his eyes, I fixed my gaze on his cheeks and forehead. Was his jaw looking sharper than a few days ago because he was throwing a tantrum now?

“Shall I stay by your side?”

“Why?”

“You said you get hungry when you see me.”

Ricardo chuckled and slowly rested his forehead on my shoulder. That natural action took my breath away.

In contrast to my stopped breathing, my heart was beating uncontrollably. All I could do was hope that the sound of my frivolous heartbeat wasn’t transmitted to his forehead touching my shoulder.

“Sleep.”

“What?”

“Right now, I need sleep more urgently.”

“Ah…”

“I was resting after a week, but you have an uncanny talent for interrupting my rest.”

He gestured with his eyes to where he had been lying. The second floor was a bit darker than the first, so I hadn’t noticed the long sofa against the bookshelf in the corner.

Suddenly, I felt urgent.

I hastily grabbed his wrist. It was an instinctive thought to take this large man, who was smiling faintly as if he might collapse at any moment, to the sofa and put him to sleep.

But was I too hasty? As I grabbed his arm and stepped forward, I lost my footing.

“Ah!”