Chapter 12

“Vivi, aren’t you leaving work?”

Julia asked. It was already 6 o’clock sharp. The remaining seniors were tidying up their clothes, and only Julia was dealing with the remaining tasks with slumped shoulders.

“Is it your turn to lock up today?”

“Yes.”

“In that case, should I lock up instead?”

“What? Really?”

When Vivi nodded, Julia smiled brightly.

“You’re the best, Vivi!”

Julia hurriedly handed over the keys to Vivi. The way Julia put on her coat and grabbed her bag was more hurried than ever. She was undoubtedly rushing, afraid Vivi might change her mind.

“……That was fast.”

And so, Julia disappeared in a flash. Left alone in the library again today, Vivi tidied up and cleaned. Only after sweeping away the dust wedged in every corner of the bookshelves did she turn off the hallway lights.

Before she knew it, it was 7 o’clock. The library’s closing time was 6 o’clock, but she had already spent an hour.

When she locked the door and stepped out, the day had already darkened. The wind was chilly.

In her pocket was the bill Sir Costance had left behind. As she walked, fiddling with the bill, she once again turned her steps to the left path, away from Atlantis.

‘It’s cold…’

One of the streetlights on the road kept flickering, possibly broken.

Beneath it were people sitting in restaurants for dinner, families, and couples. Laughter could be heard from all around. It was a relaxed atmosphere.

“Alright, alright! We’ll offer a prize to whoever can remember more of the card faces than this young man!”

Vivi stopped and looked at a vendor surrounded by people. In front of him was a table with playing cards.

A total of 52 cards.

“The rules are simple! I’ll show you the cards for one minute, and you just have to memorize them! If you can correctly guess the suit and number of the flipped cards more than this young man, you win! You can take the prize!”

The clown, pressing down on the young man’s shoulder, said. It was a game she often played when she was young.

“So, is there anyone who wants to challenge?”

“Me!”

“Oh, a lovely lady!”

A short lady raised her hand high. The people watching applauded her courage.

The lady sat at the table and handed over the participation fee. The clown skillfully shuffled the cards and quickly laid out 52 of them.

“Alright, one minute!”

Everyone, including the lady, focused on the cards.

〈Alright, little miss. Let’s shorten the time a bit. How about 20 seconds? Can you memorize all the cards by then?〉

Rene’s voice echoed in her mind.

By now, a crowd had gathered behind her. Vivi clutched her bag tightly, fearing someone might snatch it.

“One minute is up! I’ll flip the cards over.”

The clown flipped the cards with quick hands. The game had begun.

〈Senior. Forget 20 seconds, I think 10 seconds would be enough. Isn’t that right, little miss?〉

Ten seconds were enough.

She remembered all the suits of the flipped cards in front of her. Starting from the 4 of Spades, then the 2 of Hearts, 10 of Clubs…

“Alright, lady. You can call out the first card.”

“4 of Spades.”

“2 of Hearts.”

The lady and the young man took turns calling out the suits and numbers of the cards. The lady boldly called out the cards at first, but by the tenth card, her pace slowed.

“Hmm.”

“Are you giving up?”

The clown said teasingly.

“No. ……Jack of Clubs.”

“Shall we check?”

The clown picked up the card. It wasn’t the Club Jack but the 4 of Clubs.

“Oh dear! That’s unfortunate. This card is the 4 of Clubs. Now, the young man will continue naming the cards.”

The young man named the suits one by one. Each was correct, and expressions of disbelief came from the surrounding crowd.

〈Wow! You got them all right. And so quickly too. You’re amazing, little miss.〉

She turned her back. She needed to return home before it got dark.

“I heard Sir Costance is at ‘Atlantis’!”

She flinched at the voice from beside her.

“Constance?”

“Not Constance, but Costance! That Sir Costance!”

“Oh, the famous Marquis’s eldest son?”

“Yeah! I heard he’s been sitting alone for two hours.”

“Is he waiting for someone? Maybe a lover…”

“No way. Which woman would keep Sir Costance waiting for two hours?”

Vivi’s conscience pricked her.

“I heard all the women in town went to ‘Atlantis’ after hearing the rumor. He must be really handsome, as they say.”

“Let’s go see him right away.”

It was a different voice from before. Vivi watched five women head towards the café.

…Sir Costance is still there? What is going on?

Sir Costance had become a spectacle for the women.

‘How long does he plan to wait?’

She was anxious that he might wait for her until the end. Hesitating, she eventually turned her steps. She would just check if Sir Costance was there and then leave.

‘Just checking!’

She had no intention of talking to him. Her steps quickened as she moved. As the dazzling blue sign of ‘Atlantis’ came into view, she ran.

There were many women in front of the café. It made her uneasy.

“…Ha.”

She exhaled a rough breath. Instead of approaching the café recklessly, she moved to the flowerbed in front of it.

And as she peeked her head out… As expected, a familiar man immediately caught her eye.

The man sitting quietly.

That man, who only kept checking the time despite the women’s gazes, was undoubtedly Costance Orsi.

‘This is crazy…’

Why is he still waiting!

‘Please go home. Go home!’

She sensed someone behind her. Soon, an inexplicable shadow covered her body. Her head turned back.

“…Excuse me, Miss?”

“Yes?”

A young man in a suit looked at her and smiled awkwardly. 

Did my actions look suspicious? 

She slightly straightened her bent waist.

“Um, if you’re uncomfortable, may I help you?”

This kind young man extended his hand to her.

“You seemed to have a back pain.”

His excessive kindness nearly brought tears to her eyes.

“No, I’m fine.”

“…Ah.”

At her firm refusal, the man’s hand awkwardly retracted. Vivi and the man exchanged glances silently.

Now, she wished more for this man in front of her to go away than Sir Costance.

However, the man seemed to be a busybody and was overly eager to help her.

“Are you really okay?”

“Really, I’m really fine.”

She nodded quickly in response to his question.

The man cleared his throat a few times. Even after being refused twice, he didn’t leave.

Was he perhaps wanting to sit on the flowerbed, but I was in his way? 

She cautiously stepped back.

“Um……. Actually, I know who you are. You work at the National Library, Vivi Ferren, right?”

The man blushed and glanced at her.

“You know me?”

Had I seen this man before? 

No, if she had, she wouldn’t forget.

“Oh. It’s… Don’t misunderstand. I happened to pass by the library a few times and saw you through the window.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I work at the newspaper office next to the National Library.”

Without a response from her, the man, perhaps embarrassed, cleared his throat again.

“Well, um. You’re quite… famous at our newspaper office.”

“Who… is?”

“You, Miss.”

What? 

The man continued without knowing her heart skipped a beat.

“There’s no one at our newspaper office who doesn’t know you… Miss!”

Her legs lost strength. As she staggered, the man hurriedly grabbed her arm.

“Are you really okay?”

Everyone at the newspaper office knows me? Why?

“……Everyone knows me?”

At her trembling voice, the man opened his mouth, realizing his mistake.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand! It’s not because you did anything wrong, but because you’re so beautiful! You’re known as the beautiful librarian.”

“…”

“Miss. If you’re really not feeling well, I have a place nearby where you can rest… Huh!”

The man’s face turned pale. She also froze at the refreshing scent wafting from behind. People around her glanced at her.

‘Please. Please.’

She turned her head with a sense of dread.

“…Sir Costance.”

Behind her stood Sir Costance, looking bewildered.