9. The mysterious car accident
The moment the cart flipped over and hit the ground, a bright white curtain spread out from the fountain pen in my hand.
The huge magic curtain wrapped us around as if to protect us from harm.
When I woke up, the place around me was a complete mess of scattered vehicle debris, interspersed with thick soil dust.
“Did...did I survive?”
I stared at the fountain pen I still held in my hand in amazement.
Oh my God, I thought it was just an expensive pen, but it was a real magical tool!
When I return to the Royal Library, I must bow my head in thanks to the director a hundred times.
“Oh, my head hurts...”
Michael, who was in my arms, groaned as he frowned.
From the outside it looked like he wasn't hurt much, so I was reassured.
From behind the shimmering silver-colored magic shield, soothing voices rose:
Carlex screamed, and an impromptu scream from the Shadow Knights who suddenly appeared.
"Michael! Erica!"
“The cart overturned!”
“Save Young Master!”
In the distance, Shadow Knights and Carlex were rushing towards us on horseback.
Only then did my heart feel at ease, but suddenly strangers appeared in front of the magic shield.
Three suspicious men, covering their faces with a black cloth, rushed towards us with their swords drawn.
My whole body froze in fear and dread.
They were brazenly attacking the shield even though they knew that Carlex and the Shadow Knights were on their way to save us.
shock!
The suspicious people tried to destroy the shield with their sword strikes, but their swords broke instead.
"Damn! It's not breaking!"
“We don't have time, where's the compass?”
“The armor makes approaching difficult, let’s withdraw before they arrive!”
When their attacks were unsuccessful, they became confused and immediately began to flee.
Meanwhile, one of the Shadow Knights shot an arrow at one of the suspicious people.
"Yes!"
The suspicious person who was injured in the shoulder screamed painfully.
As he limped, clutching his shoulder, he fled into the forest.
"Michael! Are you okay? Answer me!"
Calling his little brother's name, the Duke approached anxiously towards the magic shield.
When Carlex pointed his sword, the shield melted like snow and vanished.
“Brother...I'm fine.”
Michael, who was in my arms, raised his head weakly.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
فحص كارليكس وجه مايكل بقلق وهو يمسح خده، متأكدًا من عدم وجود جروح.
Michael shook his head weakly, then looked at my forehead with startled eyes.
“Sister, doesn’t it hurt? There is blood on your forehead...”
"What? I'm fine..."
When I unconsciously placed my hand on my forehead, I felt the warmth and stickiness of the blood.
So, my forehead was hurting and feeling hot.
It must have been hurt from my impact when the cart overturned.
Carlex quickly took off his coat and then tore off part of the sleeve of his shirt.
He tore off a long piece of the shirt and then, with dexterity and quick movements, wiped the blood from my forehead.
Then wrap the shirt like a bandage and tie it tightly around the wound.
He was silently focusing on treating my wound.
As for me, I was in an embarrassing situation.
Because the distance between us was so close, I could even feel the movement of his long eyelashes, and his breathing, which became a little ragged.
Oh, I feel dizzy.
He's like an unnecessarily handsome protagonist.
If I were the heroine of the novel, my wounds would be healed just by seeing his face.
“When we get to the library, you should get immediate treatment from William, Erica, are you okay?”
He asked me quietly as he carefully removed my blood-clinging hair and my sweaty forehead.
In his cobalt blue eyes staring into mine, there was genuine warmth and concern.
So, he gave me the illusion that I had become someone dear to him.
When he suddenly began to show concern - he was always sarcastic - I felt so strange and embarrassed that I turned away.
“Ah, yes, I am fine now. Thank you for the treatment, Sir Duke.”
The Four Knights who had been scanning the area in case of another attack returned to Carlex.
“Shall we go after them, Sir Duke?”
“Continue the pursuer, I will send reinforcements immediately, Commander Liam, take Michael, Gilbert, take the wounded driver Roy, take care of protection, you must arrive at the ducal palace before sunset and call for a doctor.”
“As you command!”
As soon as Carlex issued his orders, the group of knights moved in unison.
When Commander Liam tried to put Michael on his horse, Michael asked him anxiously:
“Who will take Sister Librarian? You should get treatment quickly too.”
'I will accompany Miss Dale to the Royal Library myself.'
"What?"
“My brother would do that?”
“Mr. Duke, will you personally accompany the lady?”
With Carlex's words, Michael, I, and the Shadow Knights all screamed in shock at the same time.
What? Wait.
I'm surprised that the Duke himself would accompany me, but why would the Shadow Knights be surprised?
They looked at us and at Carlex with astonished eyes, and in their glances at me there was admiration and respect.
Especially Commander Liam and the knights like Roy, they were looking at us and Carlex with satisfied smiles as if they were parents looking at their adult children.
Why do they do that?
Carlex frowned and shouted to the knights:
"This is not the time to hesitate! Go now!"
“Yes, sir!”
Because of his shout, the Shadow Knights quickly shouted and then carried Michael and the driver onto the horses.
“Sister, thank you very much. I will come to the library later. Please take care of yourself.”
Michael said as he kept looking at me while he was on Commander Liam's horse, worried.
Seeing the child thank me with big eyes shining with tears made my heart break.
Just saving a handsome boy makes life without regret.
I have no regrets.
Maybe feelings were formed while we were together.
I'm sad that I won't see my sweet Michael anymore.
I stared sadly at Michael as he walked away, while Carlex led his horse towards me.
“Librarian Erica, let’s go too.”
“Yes, what am I riding on?”
Carlex looked at me with narrowed eyes like someone who had been asked the most stupid questions in the world.
“Isn’t it normal for you to ride in front of me?”
Carlex placed his hand lightly on my waist and said softly:
“Excuse me.”
He lifted me lightly and sat me on the horse's saddle.
I stifled my sudden scream.
I tried to hold on to the horse's neck to maintain my balance and not fall.
Carlex jumped lightly on the horse, then grabbed the reins as if hugging me from behind.
I was disturbed by the feeling of him touching my back, so I moved forward to get as far away as possible, but Carlex stopped me firmly.
“If you don't want to fall, you should be closer to me.”
“This is my first time riding a horse so I feel uncomfortable.”
“I hope you can bear the discomfort. It’s also my first time riding a horse with a lady.”
Carlex kicked the horse's flank.
Due to the sudden and rapid movement of the horse that suddenly increased its speed, I found myself almost hugging its body.
I had to hope to quickly reach the Royal Library, pretending not to feel the heat of his body and his breath surrounding me.
While galloping on the horse, Carlex did not speak.
At first I was very nervous, but after being on the horse for a while, my nervousness eased, my forehead wound was sore and I was tired.
I could not resist the creeping sleepiness, so I closed my eyes as if I had fainted.
***
How much time has passed?
When I opened my eyes, I found that we had already arrived in front of the main gate of the library headquarters.
The sun was setting, and the sky was quickly becoming dark.
The evening was a mixture of fiery red twilight and inky darkness.
"Did you sleep well, Erica? You seem to be the first person to sleep on a running horse."
Carlex's deep voice echoed beside my ear.
Because I was in his arms, my body shook with an itch every time he spoke.
I hurriedly turned away from him.
“I fell asleep. Have we reached the library?”
“Yes, we are in front of the headquarters.”
Carlex jumped lightly from the horse.
Then he carefully grabbed my waist and put me on the ground.
After sitting for a long time on the shaking horse, when I suddenly stepped on the ground, my legs faltered.
He caught me quickly when I swayed.
"Are you well?"
“Oh, yes, my legs are numb...”
I was in a position as if I was being embraced in his arms.
This formality is where the heroine stumbles and hugs the hero.
When I saw such a scene in a drama or novel, I used to laugh at the heroine because she couldn't walk, but now when it happened to me, I was so embarrassed that I couldn't raise my head.
I quickly moved away from Carlex and arranged my clothes.
As she moved away from the warmth of his body, she finally felt the cool night air.
Carlex took a step toward me, then bowed in a polite but respectful gesture.
“Miss Dale, you saved my brother. I sincerely thank you.”
It was strange and a little scary that he was speaking to me politely for the first time.
Why is Mr. Duke doing this suddenly?
“No, I didn’t do anything. I survived thanks to the magic pen the director gave me.”
"both."
Carlex's gaze lingered on the bandage covering my forehead for a long time.
“You protected my brother even when you were injured. I have my sincere respect for your courage.”
His gaze changed as he looked at me with a gentle look.
An expression I had never seen before, nor did I expect to see.
Could he have smiled like that?
The corners of his thin, aristocratic lips drew a strange arc.
As I looked at that smile, I had to suppress my rapidly beating heart.
“Miss Erica, are you okay?”
At that moment, William's worried voice interrupted the moment between Carlex and me.
I turned around and saw William rushing from the entrance hall of the headquarters.
“I was waiting after receiving the message. Are you okay, Miss Erica? Where were you injured?”
Unusually calm, he was panicked and grabbed my shoulders and quickly checked to see if I was injured.
His expression changed when he discovered the bandage on my forehead.
Feelings of guilt and suffering fell upon him like a heavy burden.
“This is all my fault. I should have taken responsibility as a manager. I sent you without thinking...”
I was trying to console William who was blaming himself by saying I was fine, but Carlex spoke first.
“Director William, I’m sorry. It’s entirely my fault and my negligence that I couldn’t protect Librarian Erica to the end.”
Carlex sincerely apologized to William with a short bow.
William tried to suppress his wild emotions by regulating his breathing, then returned to his usual calm expression.
“I understood the general situation from the message sent by the Shadow Knights. We will discuss the matter with you, Sir Duke, after treating Miss Erica.”
“Okay, I'll wait.”
***
When we entered the residence, the servants and ladies-in-waiting were waiting in the entrance hall.
Carlex was shown to a room, while I went to the reception room and showed my wound to the waiting doctor.
Fortunately, it was just a superficial abrasion and only needed medication.
After the doctor left, William lifted his sleeve and put his hand on my forehead.
I quickly shook my head.
“Wait a minute, Mr. Director, there is no need to use magic treatment. I heard that you regularly use magic in the royal palace, so don’t overexert yourself.”
William looked at me with a tormented look.
He said in a low voice, sighing deeply:
“Let me at least do this for you.”
I couldn't say anything because of his looks.
She leaned quietly in the comfortable chair.
A warm light like the spring sun streamed from William's hand.
The heat gradually disappeared from the wound on my forehead.
Only then did my tense nerves relax, and a breath of relief came out of me without my knowing it.
I have returned safely to the Royal Library, Sorna, my home.
[To be continued in the next chapter]
Loving translation
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