* * *
Not long after returning from Mount Burden with Cedric, my father called me into his office.
It had been about a day since I handed over the rare herbs we had gathered—through the butler, of course.
“You brought them back in excellent condition. Well done.”
My father smiled as he praised me.
When I first got his not-so-subtle order to take Cedric to Mount Burden and gather herbs, I’d honestly thought it was absurd.
Still, hearing praise now, I couldn’t help but feel a little proud.
‘Thanks to that, things got a lot less awkward between me and Cedy too…’
Then my father asked, with a hint of slyness in his voice:
“So, did you and Cedy talk a lot?”
For a moment, I wondered if he could read minds.
I flinched, surprised, and he smiled knowingly, as if he’d gotten confirmation.
“You know, it’s best to resolve things through honest conversation.”
…Figures. That ridiculous errand was just a setup.
He must’ve sensed the rift between Cedric and me and concocted the whole thing to help us reconcile.
Well, it worked, so I guess I owed him.
I laughed awkwardly and nodded.
“You were right, Father.”
He relaxed and smiled warmly.
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Yes.”
“Ahem. Thanks to both you and Cedy, I was finally able to obtain the underground usage rights from Count Lounier. I’ve been wanting that for a long time—to build an inn with special herbal baths, I needed that land.”
“I see. I hope it works out well.”
“Thanks. By the way… have you chosen your dance partner yet?”
“Hmm. I’m still thinking about it.”
“Really? That’s surprising.”
“What is?”
“I thought you’d ask Lett right away.”
I could only give a weak smile.
If I told him this world was based on a novel, and I was the second male lead who had already given up on love—he’d think I’d lost it.
“I trust you’ll choose wisely. That’ll be all, you may go.”
He must’ve sensed I didn’t want to talk about the dance.
By telling me to leave, he gave me a graceful way out.
I took it without hesitation.
“…Sigh.”
What was I supposed to do?
At the previous birthday banquet for Lady Melanica, I’d met a number of people and started to get acquainted, but I still hadn’t decided who to ask.
If someone was going to keep pushing me, I would’ve preferred they just introduced a good partner directly—but Cedric had been completely silent on the matter.
‘Lady Viola…’
“I—I’ll wait for you.”
…That’s what she’d said.
“……”
For some reason, my chest felt heavy.
With all those thoughts swirling in my head, I trudged up to my room and flopped onto the bed.
Then, all of a sudden, I remembered something I’d forgotten.
‘Ah. Come to think of it—’
I sprang up and opened my desk drawer.
Just as I thought.
There was a book I had borrowed just before my birthday—and completely forgotten to return.
“Guess I should swing by the library.”
The Eastern Imperial Library, located in Orden Territory—a small directly governed region nestled between the Lowell and Soliwen territories.
It was relatively close to Lowell, and since I’ve always liked reading, I’d occasionally go there to borrow books.
But after my birthday, when I regained memories of my past life, things got hectic, and returning the book kept slipping my mind.
‘…Before that, I should finish the one I left half-read.’
It was a romance novel written by a famous anonymous author—I’d borrowed it because the bold and open-minded plot intrigued me.
There were even rumors that the author was a noble, though who knows if that’s true.
I sat down for the first time in a while and opened the book.
I had always liked these kinds of fantastical stories, and before I knew it, I was absorbed—time flew by, and I fully enjoyed my time reading.
The next day, at the Eastern Imperial Library in Orden Territory.
I went straight to the librarian to apologize.
“I’m sorry for the delay.”
“It’s alright. Just try to be mindful next time.”
He jotted down the returned book in his ledger and gave me a kind smile.
Luckily, it was just a general circulation book, not one of the important restricted ones, so there didn’t seem to be any consequences.
“Whew.”
Relieved to have taken care of that, I looked around the quiet library.
Since only nobles had access, it wasn’t crowded—making it all the more peaceful.
‘Hm?’
That’s when I spotted a familiar figure standing by one of the shelves.
As he turned to the side, I confirmed what I suspected.
It was definitely Cedric.
He must’ve felt my gaze, because he turned and blinked in surprise when he saw me.
“Eddy.”
Of all places… I didn’t expect to run into him here.
“What are you doing here?”
I approached him, keeping my voice low.
Cedric’s eyes didn’t leave me for even a second as he watched me walk over.
“Looking for a book. You?”
“Ah… I came to return one I forgot about.”
Suddenly, Cedric let out a small laugh through his nose.
I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow.
“Don’t laugh.”
“You’re so scatterbrained.”
“It only happened this once.”
“Still, it’s not like you.”
He knew I rarely missed deadlines or broke promises—it was a quick, confident response that left me a bit embarrassed.
I recalled Cedric’s frustrated expression once, saying he knew everything I liked, disliked, was good at, and wasn’t good at.
I brushed a hand against my cheek, feeling a little awkward, and decided to change the subject.
Now that the initial tension had eased, I figured I might as well ask something I’d been curious about.
“So, did you ever find a lady to introduce me to as a dance partner?”
I was still thinking about that, after all.
But Cedric didn’t answer.
Surely he heard me… Was he ignoring me?
“If not, I’ll just ask Miss Viola…”
Before I could finish, Cedric shot me a sharp look—as if to say, ‘How dare you pretend I didn’t hear that?’
I quickly closed my mouth.
‘Geez, can’t even talk around him.’
“Here. Carry these.”
He suddenly handed me the books he was holding.
Without thinking, I took them—two or three hefty volumes stacked into my arms.
I’d unwittingly become his book porter.
Glancing at the titles on the spines, I read:
‘The Covenant of the Waning Moon’,’*Where Human Longings Go’, ‘Temples Built Upon Forgotten Names’
… They looked like scholarly works on ancient temples.
“I didn’t know you were into reading.”
“What do you think?”
“…Didn’t exactly strike me as the bookish type.”
“Correct.”
Cedric pulled another thick volume from the shelf, smirked, and started walking.
My view blocked by books, I tottered after him.
We entered the reading room tucked deeper into the library—quiet, furnished with desks and chairs for comfortable study.
I placed the heavy books on a desk and pulled out a chair to sit when Cedric asked:
“Will you stay with me a little longer?”
“Why? Should I leave?”
“No. Don’t go.”
He shook his head firmly before I could even finish the sentence.
It still felt unfamiliar, being alone with him like this, but I tried to play it cool as I leafed through a book.
“So why the sudden interest in these?”
“Just got curious, I guess.”
Peeking at the last book he grabbed, it looked like another tome about ancient temples.
‘He’s actually into this stuff?’
Since I wasn’t that interested, I skimmed at first—but before I realized it, I’d gotten hooked and started reading more carefully.
The academic text I was reading listed various ancient temples that had been excavated, along with details about the gods still known to exist and their attributes.
That’s when it happened.
Cedric’s hand quietly brushed against the back of mine.
Tap, tap…
He tapped, then lightly played with it, eventually flipping my palm upward.
I let him, relaxing my hand.
When I didn’t resist, he slowly traced the lines of my palm with his fingertips—then intertwined our fingers together.
His warmer hand pressed against mine, breaking my focus entirely.
I squeezed his hand slightly and gave it a little shake.
“What are you doing?”
“Your hands are really pretty.”
That’s what you’re commenting on? I stared, dumbfounded.
“Excuse me, didn’t we come here to read?”
“Yeah, but now that I’m trying to read, it’s kind of boring. Still, having someone here makes it better. I’m glad you’re next to me.”
“You sound like those students who pile up books pretending to study, then just nap.”
“That’s awfully specific. You’ve done that before, haven’t you?”
“……”
Tried to tease him, and it backfired.
I changed the topic again.
“Honestly, Lett was the best at studying.”
“Yeah.”
“You were decent at almost everything.”
“Eddy, you’re good at singing and playing instruments too.”
“Eh, I guess.”
“And it’s not like I’m great at everything. You overestimate me.”
Cedric rested his head on one arm, casually lying on the desk. T
he sunlight from the window caught in his eyes, making them appear even bluer than usual.
“Is there anything you can’t do?”
His eyes rolled sideways.
“…I can’t sing.”
“Liar.”
With a voice like that?
“Seriously. Don’t make me feel worse.”
He frowned deeply, clearly not joking.
So even he had something he wasn’t good at.
“Now that you mention it, I’ve never actually heard you sing. Sing something now. I’ll believe you.”
Cedric’s expression soured further.
His reaction was so amusing I burst out laughing—and only then did I realize the awkwardness I’d felt earlier had completely vanished.
And I felt something else too.
‘Friend.’
Step by step, we were becoming something that made that word feel real.
The walls I’d built around my heart… they were starting to come down.
Maybe that’s why.
Even my mood felt strangely soft and warm.
* * *
