“Eclat, you mentioned there were two pieces of completely surprising news,” I said, using the sound of the rain and the friction of the wheels as a backdrop to ask Eclat.
“Yes, Miss.”
“One was about the book, what’s the other?”
“Oh, that.”
Was it because I thought I could find a way?
Feeling a bit more at ease, I became curious about the story Eclat had started earlier.
“Miss, you wore that strange dress to the last ball, didn’t you?”
Not that story again?
“Eclat, was my outfit that day so strange? Is everyone still talking about it?”
I felt really wronged.
Isn’t everyone being too harsh? What’s the big deal about what I wore that they’re still chewing it over?
I wore it to not stand out, but if I had known this would happen, I would have worn a brightly colored dress!
“Hahaha, Miss, you’re funny. No, that’s not it.”
Eclat laughed until her cheeks turned red and then continued.
“I can’t think of the difficult words, but following your lead, the noble ladies have started wearing subdued dresses. Especially avoiding colors like yellow or pink that are hard to produce.”
“What?”
“In the midst of this, Lady Aristae wore a glaringly yellow dress and got a lot of flak for being a woman without concepts.”
“…”
“Miss?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Isn’t it amazing? You’ve created a significant trend, Miss.”
“…”
I didn’t know what expression to make and just pursed my lips.
What kind of situation is this?
“Miss, you’re really cool. I think I’ve misunderstood you all this time.”
“Huh?”
“Everyone is praising you as a warrior standing against injustice. They say you’re really cool and amazing.”
“…”
“Where does such courage come from?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
If possible, I wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
How did I become such a person when that wasn’t my intention?
“And until just recently, I thought you were a cold and scary person. But now you’re so kind and warm. I’ll really do better.”
“Ah, thank you for saying that. You’re already doing really well, Eclat.”
Eclat looked at me with a face full of emotion.
I really dislike such ticklish atmospheres.
“Are we still far from the bookstore?”
“We’re almost there. And you know about the tea party at the Schrein estate on the 10th, right?”
“Tea party?”
“Yes, according to Elome, Lady Grania has made thorough preparations.”
This is also something I’ve never experienced in nineteen regressions.
I’ve heard a lot about Elome because she works at the Schrein estate and is friends with Eclat. Of course, I had no acquaintance with her.
“But why was I invited to the tea party?”
“Maybe because you’re the talk of the town, Miss?”
Ugh, the world.
“We’re almost there, right?”
Embarrassed, I just looked out the car window.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
The bell tinkled as I hurried inside before the sound even finished. From inside the house, it seemed like a steady drizzle, but the rain was getting heavier. Just a few steps from the carriage, and the hem of my dress was soaked through.
“Hello there.” As I entered, an elderly man greeted me with a nod. It was my first time in the bookstore, and it was much larger inside than I had expected. The winding aisles looked almost maze-like in their complexity.
‘Is this really a bookstore? It feels like stepping into that corner would drop me into a completely different dimension.’
The rain seemed to be intensifying. I needed to find the book quickly and get home.
“I’m looking for a book,” I said without hesitation.
The owner, without saying much, slowly lifted his head.
“It’s called ‘The Turbulent Life of Renata.’”
“Miss,” Eclat suddenly nudged me in the ribs.
“Yes?”
“Clem can’t hear you. He can’t speak either.”
Realizing my mistake and feeling a cold sweat on my forehead, I asked in a lower voice, even though I knew he couldn’t hear me. The old man bowed his head and, very slowly, like a tortoise, opened a drawer and took out a small, worn piece of paper.
‘Ah, I need to write it down.’
But instead of handing me the pen, he opened another drawer with slow movements.
‘Impatient people wouldn’t even be able to watch this.’
Yes, he was talking about me.
I closed my eyes tightly once and then opened them, pressing my lips together firmly. I didn’t want to blurt out something rude or rush him.
Meanwhile, the old man pulled out an incredibly thick ledger from below.
“What’s this?” I asked reflexively, then swallowed my words.
The old man pushed a piece of paper and a pen towards me. I wrote “The Turbulent Life of Renata” on the paper and politely handed it to him. He began to turn the pages with silent, delicate movements.
Only then did I realize that the contents of this vast bookstore were contained within that ledger.
Out of curiosity, I glanced at the area where the old man was sitting, and there were piles of books, similar in thickness to the one he had just opened.
‘It’s some sort of index.’
I admired his meticulous manual work and decided to wait quietly.
After a long wait, the old man scribbled something on the paper and handed it to me.
Section L, shelf 24, number 398. Only one copy, not for sale.
“Can’t I buy it?” I asked, looking down at the old man with a face full of disappointment, and then wrote my question on the paper.
The old man nodded once and then closed the thick ledger.
Sir, I really need this book.
I wrote with a pleading face, but he shook his head.
I’ll pay double, no, triple the price. I don’t know how thick it is, but it’s really important to me.
It was truly urgent for me.
Who knows what the content is, how to do it, maybe the answer is in there.
Please, sir.
Sell me that book, will you?
As I begged, the old man slowly opened the drawer again.
His movements seemed three or four times slower than before.
He scribbled something on a small piece of paper and handed it to me again.
Read it here. As much as you like.
“But how am I supposed to read a novel here and go?”
I muttered in complaint, but the old man, with fingers as thin as twigs, pointed somewhere.
There were half a dozen cushy cushions in the direction he pointed.
It seems many people must grumble like this.
Even though he can’t hear, he knows what I’m saying.
“…”
What can I do?
As I picked up one of them, the old man tapped on the phrase written in front of me.
Fire hazard, no lamps allowed. Nightstones permitted.
“Oh, I have that, of course. But is it that dark inside?”
I realized how silly my question was after I asked it.
Ah, this is going to be quite a long fight.
“Eclat, I’m sorry, but you go back first.”
“What? No, Miss. Let’s go together.”
“I can’t buy it, so I have to read it here, and it might take a while.”
“I’ll wait anyway.”
“No, we went out in the morning, and there’s work piling up.”
“But still.”
“I’ll be here for about two or three hours, so come back when the sun starts to set. Okay?”
Eclat looked at me with a somewhat worried face, but I gave her a hearty smile.
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
After she left, I scanned the interior of the bookstore with the note the old man had given me.
Every now and then, I could hear the sound of pages turning and footsteps plodding.
It seemed there were several fellow travelers wandering through this world.
Alright, I’m joining them.
Series info ː Previous ː Next
Tags:
LMONV