# 67
---
During the festival, they actually received a lot of alms, so it was a great time for the ar children.
“Of course, that could have been a problem for the academy.”
“Brother, don’t cry, Diana will come to see you soon.”
At that time, I heard Diana's gentle voice next to me.
I think it's my turn to say hello to Diana after Allen.
Lucio tilted his head slightly as if he didn't quite understand what his younger sister was saying, but then smiled and patted her head.
When I saw this scene, I expected Lucio to turn around and get into the carriage.
However, as if it were obvious, Lucio turned his gaze to me next to Diana and took another step closer.
“Do you have anything you want to say about the library?”
I blinked and looked up, and suddenly he spoke.
“Treat it like your home.”
“Because I really like having you here.”
As I froze at the unexpected words, the wind blew and my hair blew a little.
Lucio slowly raised his hand and pushed a stray hair behind his ear.
“Study hard... No, don’t work hard, just stay calm.”
"answer."
“Oh, yes!”
I was in a daze, but when Lucio urged me to continue, I felt embarrassed and responded out loud.
Lucio smiled as if satisfied with my answer, and patted my head lightly as he had done with Diana.
For some reason, my toes felt itchy, so I quickly lowered my head.
However, I felt a hot gaze as if it was going to pierce my cheek, so I raised my head again and made eye contact with Allen, who had a face that looked like I had seen a ghost.
Somehow I felt a sense of déjà vu. It was similar to the last time Tice took me to my new room.
This time, even the Duchess was looking at me with a surprised expression, which made me even more embarrassed.
However, Lucio had already boarded the carriage with an indifferent expression.
Soon the carriage began to move, and I stood there empty-handed until it disappeared.
* * *
"i don't get it."
After saying their goodbyes, Diana and Aline went to class and the Duchess left, so I headed to the main library alone.
Maybe it was because it was Lucio's place, or maybe it was because the last thing he said to me was weird, but I kept thinking about it.
“This feels like home...”
I don't know when he rejects me so firmly, and why he says such kind words to people who make me feel embarrassed.
I grumbled and walked past Lucio's carefully organized desk.
I think it's because he stayed a short time ago. There is still a faint smell remaining.
It had a cool, fresh minty smell, like the tea Lucio always drank.
Smelling that scent seemed to calm me down, so it was time to inhale deeply and run my fingertips along the smooth wooden desk.
“Huh?”
There was a note in the middle of the desk that made me wonder why I hadn't noticed it before.
I listened to it without thinking and saw that the titles of the books that nobles should know ranged from basic culture books to imperial etiquette and noble encyclopedia.
It was that time when Lucio was reading the list, and he was puzzled by the books that seemed so simple and easy in his eyes.
Read them all.
I burst out laughing when I saw the sentence written in sharp handwriting at the end of the note.
“That's why I told you to study hard.”
I answered without even knowing what he was saying, but now I understand.
Since I had nothing to do anyway, I found one of the books written on the note and took it out.
Then a small piece of paper fell from the book.
“What is this again...”
Lucio's handwriting on the courtesy note was all over the paper.
It was only then that I carefully opened the book on my desk and realized that there were detailed additions to parts that were difficult or that I thought I would not understand.
There were some parts I didn't really know and some I knew a little about, even though I only skimmed through them, it was easy to understand thanks to Lucio's explanation.
“No way, right?”
There are more than one or two books written on the note.
“There is no need to do this...”
I quickly found the books and took them out, but I was speechless.
I couldn't believe it, but every book had an appendix.
Among them is the book of etiquette, which excluded me as an informant, and it contained the most additions.
When she looked at the paper detailing the etiquette of dealing with members of the imperial family, she finally understood Lucio's unknown intentions.
Not long ago, the Empress had a tea party with the Princess at the Imperial Palace, and it happened to be the day after I caused the mana to escape.
We later discovered that the Duchess had not attended, using the excuse that Diana was ill.
Even though the Emperor trusted Duke Elad so much that he crossed him, it was enough for the other nobles to say something.
Since I couldn't come this time, I'm sure I will come again, and there's a good chance I'll follow Diana into the palace.
At that time, it was clear that she would have to learn royal etiquette well so that she could act like Diana's maid.
“You really love your little sister.”
Of course, it may be for Duke Elade's honor, but the fact that Diana loves and follows me is probably the biggest reason why she cares so much.
“Well, even if it were me, I think if Diana were my sister, I would hold her every day and do whatever she asked.”
In fact, it appears that is still the case.
To meet my expectations, I smiled a little and started reading the book from the first page.
* * *
“Hello...Aren't you tired all day?”
". …no?"
“That's it, that's enough.”
Allen shook his head as he looked at Leah, who was so engrossed in a book that she couldn't even answer properly.
Allen, whose training had been canceled due to the rain in the morning, came to the library and was watching Leah while browsing through books he hadn't read.
Maybe it was because of something I heard a while ago, but I felt a little uncomfortable.
It was even more so because when she arrived, Leia was reading a book about kingdoms that were close to the Empire.
“You're not really going to the Principality of Pylos, are you?”
If I had known this would happen, I would not have praised the emirate and said it was wonderful or amazing.
Allen wasn't good at making subtle remarks, so he resisted the urge to directly ask Leia if she had any plans to leave the duchy several times.
If she asked that, she thought Leia might have something else on her mind, even though she didn't even think about it.
Finally, Allen, who was mumbling and muffling what he wanted to say, looked at Leah, who seemed to be reading all the books in the library. There were many books that Leah read, but the genres were also varied.
This was because not only the mages who usually did not go to the main building, but also the council members found out that Leia was staying in the main library and brought books related to their domains as if they were competing with each other.
In fact, on the table where Leia was sitting, there were books that all citizens of the empire would learn, including “Basic Understanding of Magic and Magic,” “Origin of Mana,” “Magic Circle and Advanced Magic,” and “Classification.”
“Magic by Characteristic and Series.” There were books on magic that were not well understood, as well as medical books such as the “Basic Medical Dictionary” and the “Workbook of Pharmacy and Herbal Medicine.”
“Are you sure you understand and read this correctly?”
Allen suddenly became suspicious, picked up a book from the table, flipped through a few pages, and then put it aside again.
I couldn't even see there were no pictures and it was just full of letters.
But considering how interested he is in reading, it doesn't seem like he reads without knowing anything.
“Oh, I hope tomorrow will come soon.”
Tomorrow was the day the long-awaited Academy Festival began.
Since he was living in the palace, Allen did not attend the Gifted Academy where other nobles of his time attended, but he was planning to apply to the knight section of the academy soon.
Although I felt heavy for my older brother who never missed the grand prize in the Political Science department every year, I was still confident in my sword skill.
Allen was excited to tour everything from the dormitories where the academy's students lived to the buildings where they attended lectures and the training hall.
“Are you excited to go out tomorrow and see a lot of things?”
Since coming to the capital, I have never left the Duke's residence, let alone seen the capital, so of course I will be excited.
However, Leia looked thoughtful for a moment and only nodded slightly.
“Huh, it's not fun.”
I didn't really like the fact that he always acted like an adult when he was two years younger than me.
“Just because you're friends with Jack, doesn't that mean you see me as a friend too?”
It was a weird feeling that I didn't love Leia like a younger sister, but I also wanted her to look at me as an older brother.
Allen, who had never dreamed that Leah would consider him like a brother, made a loud noise and jumped off the sofa.
While looking at Leah, who was still not paying attention to me, she frowned and left. …
Instead of going out, I walked around the couch and started looking around the library.
There may not be a children's book that Diana loves, but there is probably one that she loves to read.
Alan felt overwhelmed by the shelves full of huge books, so he hit the floor and climbed the stairs.
then.
"Huh? What's the wind?"
The library was large, but it was crowded with bookshelves on all sides, and the windows were closed because of the rain.
However, even though it was only for a moment, I could definitely feel the wind blowing.
Allen, who was looking around by shaking his head left and right, finally turned his body in the direction from which a light wind was blowing.
Jingle-!
Allen froze and blinked.
Leah, who had been sitting on the sofa motionless like a statue reading a book just a moment ago, suddenly stood in front of me.
She also pushed me against the bookshelf and surrounded me with one arm.