3. I will definitely return the debt, so please stay away from me!
Lady Marian looked at me with a look full of skepticism and surprise.
“How could a foreigner enter the magic library?! There is a magical barrier that hides the door from view, so how could you?!”
Carlex glanced at me, then proceeded to explain the matter very gently:
“She was arrested on charges of theft.”
Oh, how unwanted this kindness was!
When she heard his words, Lady Marian turned to me with a stern look.
"A thief? So, she was trying to steal a magic book?"
“No! It's not like that!”
I tried to quickly clear myself, but Carlex cut me off.
He approached Lady Marian and whispered to her words that I did not hear, then he walked away.
“It seems she came to meet Director William.”
"Oh, my God…!"
But I made it easier for me to know that the conversation was about me; Lady Marian's face was moved when she looked at me and my hand.
I went down the stairs carrying the book compass.
Lady Marian's gaze was fixed on the compass as if fixed upon it.
When she saw the compass needle moving, her eyes filled with tears from the intensity of emotion.
millimeter? Was the function of searching for books that effective?!
"Oh my God! The book compass is working again! It's been too long since a new book reader has appeared."
Lady Marian whispered in a voice mixed with emotion, and then she approached me with the cheerful face of a little girl.
“Excuse me, ma'am, may I know your name?”
“Sorry, I'll tell you later, I have something urgent right now.”
I felt sorry for her, but now I have more important things to know.
I gave her an apologetic smile, and quickly headed towards Verdi's henchman.
The vassal seemed to be greatly hurt by the Duke's attack; He was sitting like a sick chicken, breathing hard.
I asked him with absolute frankness:
“Where is Count Verdi now?”
The subordinate - who was coughing and red in the face - looked at me with a spiteful look.
He did not seem willing to answer; He ignored my question and tried to spit his saliva on the ground.
At that moment, the blood boiled in my veins.
How dare he take this direction after trying to destroy someone else's life?!
I grabbed the henchman by the neck and pushed him against the wall.
“Cough...! Cough...!”
He looked at me with wondering eyes.
“You must keep the peace in the library. I will repeat my question: Did that scoundrel, Ferdi, come here?”
“Kh… Ah… He… is outside… the library…”
The subordinate managed to get the words out while coughing.
I released his neck as if I had thrown him away.
I looked behind me to see Madame Marian with her hand over her mouth, and an employee furtively avoiding looking at me.
I believe in the principle of “non-violence”!
My behavior has veered a little towards violence just because of the possession!
But... who wouldn't get angry in such a situation?!
Carlex was the only one watching my movements with eager eyes, as if he had found someone like him.
This is not welcome at all.
“Miss Erica, what order are you going to give me now?”
Carlex asked me, raising the corner of his mouth sarcastically.
“It is enough for me to remain as still as a wall. That is all I want.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“You'll know when you see.”
***
I feel like the back of my head is stinging badly.
This is normal, as the venerable Duke is following me from behind now!
As soon as we left the Royal Library, all eyes were on us.
The beautiful girls in particular were screaming silent screams and giving Carlex hot, jealous looks in extreme preoccupation.
Why is the face of that noble standing to the side red?
I was a little afraid of people's attention, but it was a completely unnecessary fear.
Even though I walked beside the Duke, they seemed to regard me as a servant or a mere passer-by.
At such moments, I appreciate my good fortune to have a secondary character.
After walking a little, we saw a carriage waiting quietly in the distance.
And next to her, stands that vile Verdi, who cannot satisfy a person's greed even if he eats it, and he frowns at him.
Ferdi, who was anxiously scanning his surroundings, looked at me and stared at me with an angry look.
“Erica, how dare you run away?!”
But he shut his mouth immediately after that; He discovered that the Duke was with me.
He is truly a cunning and quick-witted scoundrel.
“Dear sir...what brings you here...?”
Ferdi approached me, smiling like a salesman's smile, and then gently pulled me to his side as if he were accompanying his beloved little sister.
“Get into the carriage.”
He whispered to me in a low voice, gritting his teeth and smiling softly at me with his eyes.
Before I could say a word, Ferdi took a step forward and greeted Carlex.
His greeting was so polite that his head almost touched the ground.
“It is a great honor for me to meet my honorable master, Duke Carlex Reinhardt, Count Ferdi Diel.”
Carlex didn't even look at Ferdi, but kept watching me in silence.
His looks suggested that he was wondering: “What are you going to do now?”
I walked up to Verdi and said to him calmly:
“Stop, I'm not going anywhere.”
Ferdi turned to me and made a horrified expression on his face.
“How many times have I taught you to address me as Count, Erica? Have you forgotten that my hand rules your life?”
Ferdi grabbed my wrist tightly and whispered threateningly in a shaky voice.
“Don't test my patience any further, Erica. If you don't want to suffer any more, get into the car immediately.”
I shook his hand violently with all my might.
Then I slapped him on the cheek harshly.
Ferdi's cheeks turned red, and the hand he was trying to catch me with stopped in the air.
Then he started shaking.
“You... crazy person...”
He could not restrain his anger; Then his hand fell toward my face.
“Do you see me pampering you to this extent?!”
I didn't even bat an eyelid, I just kept staring at Ferdi with intense looks.
I slapped him, so I'll take a slap from him.
And then...either you die or I die!
At that moment, Carlex grabbed Ferdi's arm.
“How dare you raise your hand in front of me?”
“This...this is a family matter of mine...”
“It doesn't matter to me, so shut up. Is that what you want from me now?”
Carlex looked at Ferdi with cold eyes.
Even though it was just looks, Ferdi was immediately humbled and began to wait for his reaction.
"Ah... No. How dare I do that to you? But... Why are you with Erica...?"
Instead of answering, Carlex turned his gaze to me.
It's time for the fox to enjoy the protection of a tiger that borrows its prestige.
“Your Eminence, Count Verdi, allow me to introduce you formally: This is my noble lord Duke Reinhardt, who will be my guardian from now on.”
Ferdi opened his eyes wide as if he couldn't believe it.
“Is this true? Has your lordship become Erica’s guardian?”
Carlex looked at me once, then lifted his chin slightly.
“Are you saying I'm lying now?”
Fortunately, the protagonist is quick-witted.
When Carlex asked him coldly, Ferdi hurriedly bowed down.
“Ah… No, I was just puzzled. If my honorable master would accept to be her guardian, it would be an honor for our family.”
I lifted the hem of my dress and walked towards Ferdi, smiling elegantly.
“Then the problem is solved, there is no need for marriage, His Lordship will take very good care of me...”
I pretended to brush the dust off the shoulder of his uniform.
His uniform was expensive, decorated with luxurious gold embroidery.
He has already begun to waste the family's wealth! I got angry.
I held tightly to his scarf, which was full of luxurious lace.
As if I were tightening a noose around his neck.
“What… are you doing… cough…!”
Ferdi, whose neck was clenched and unable to move, trembled and coughed.
“Disappear from me now and never try to look for me again. Shouldn’t you enjoy your hard-earned title of Lordship for at least a day?”
I raised the corner of my mouth in sarcasm.
“I'll go get it back soon.”
Ferdi's face turned pale.
I let go of his scarf as if I was getting rid of something dirty.
Verdi, who had relaxed on the ground, fell on his back and began breathing violently.
I wanted to strangle him to death, but now was not the time.
Verdi quickly ran to the carriage with a face withered with fear and quickly left.
Even though he is of the same blood as Erica, he is truly pitiful.
I looked at the rapidly moving carriage and rolled my eyes.
Carlex was watching me as if it were interesting.
“Miss Dale, why didn't you give the order to kill Verdi?”
Duke, are you enjoying this situation?
Why do you always ask me to give orders?
“Because I do not want to disturb your ladyship.”
“If you find me the magic book, it will be of no consequence to me.”
When Carlex said that with a calm smile, I felt a strange feeling.
“Do you want to kill Ferdi?”
“It's not impossible. Didn't that bastard inherit your father's estate? If he dies, you'll keep the county to yourself for a while, because there will be no head of household, at least until a new heir is appointed.”
Is the protagonist allowed to kill people?
Moreover, if I got involved with him like this, I would feel uncomfortable.
I feel as if I forced myself to take advantage of a usurious loan.
“I will solve my family’s problems myself. If you are upset about the lie of being my guardian, I am sorry. I will find the magic book as we agreed. I will definitely keep my promise.”
I didn't thank him.
It was a deal, after all.
Carlex suddenly stopped in front of me.
His blue eyes were looking at me as if he were examining me, and there were flashes of interest in them.
“This is amazing. There have been many who sought to take advantage of my power, but you are the first to refuse to help me. I wonder how you became so bold.”
At that moment, my tongue became blocked.
Is this one of those romantic moments: “You are the first girl to slap me?”
both! I don't want to get involved any further with someone who almost sent me to the death row! The previous situation was urgent.
Please...return to the protagonist, please!
At that moment, a squad of royal guards on horses quickly stopped in front of the royal library.
They immediately dismounted and ran towards Carlex, then saluted respectfully.
“Commander, you have summoned us.”
“Some suspicious people broke into the royal library and caused chaos. They investigated the matter carefully and discovered who was behind them.”
“As you command!”
The royal guards quickly brought out Verdi's followers, who were unconscious and tied with ropes.
I looked at them for a moment, then stared at Carlex quietly.
“Did you issue a background check to check on Ferdi?”
“It is just a normal investigative procedure. The mere fact that bandits broke into the royal library, which is only accessible to nobles, is a violation of the law, and we may catch an insolent mouse during the investigation.”
Carlex, noticing my gaze, turned and looked away with a dry cough.
Oh, he has more chivalry than I expected!
The smile spilled from my mouth unconsciously.
Carlex looked at me like this and paused for a moment.
He narrowed his eyes and sent me a suspicious look.
“Why are you doing that?”
In novels, the hero of the story falls in love as soon as the heroine smiles at him, but this does not seem to apply to secondary characters.
At that moment, an old-fashioned carriage stopped in front of us.
The cart had the same logo on the library entrance.
A young man wearing a silver robe came down.
He had long brown hair tied back, wore glasses, and looked smart and gentle.
He looks familiar... where do I know him from?
"Yes."
that it…!
[To be continued in the next chapter]