1. Asking Estranged Parents For a False Address Registration VS. Requesting Adult Books at the Workplace Library

“Professor! Someone requested, um, indecent books in the sacred library!” 

“…What kind of books did you say?”

“You’ll know just by looking at the covers! It’s a relief that the head librarian is a woman. If not, I would have burned these books as soon as I received them!” 

The librarian handed the books to Delphinel, barely touching them with her sleeve as if she didn’t want to handle them. Five bright red books with not a hint of elegance. 

The titles, written in vibrant letters, were as follows: 

『There is a Horse in the Countess’s Stable That Only One Person Can Ride』 

『Not Any Deeper, Young Master!』 

『The Blessing That Descends Only at Night for the Saintess』 

『The Only Thing to Teach the Private Tutor』 

『How to Share a Childhood Friend Fairly』

The librarian fanned her flushed face with her hand. 

“Oh, really. I should have realized when the wholesaler mentioned ‘there are some strange books.’” 

“I see.” 

“It must be a delivery mistake, right? I want to throw them all out. I don’t want these vulgar books in the library even for a second!” 

“No. These are relatively tame titles…” 

“…Pardon?” 

“…Oh.” 

“…Professor. Surely, you didn’t request these books, did you?” 

The librarian was not a fool. 

Nor was Delphinel foolish enough to lie in vain. 

Delphinel lowered her head deeply. Even through the brown curls covering her glasses, her face was visibly red. 

“…Yes. I requested these books. All five of them.” 

“Professor, why on earth?” 

“Uh, uh… they’re research materials!” 

“……” 

“Y-Yes! They are necessary for my research on magical dynamics! I’m studying how the focus of magic can be maximized through traditional peripheral sensory stimuli, inspired by the extremely low stimulus intensity of typographic media used as conventional peripheral sensory stimulants—” 

The librarian cut off her excuse with a refreshing laugh. 

“Shall I wrap them up for you?” 

“…I’d appreciate it if you put them in an envelope.” 

“Understood.” 

The librarian pulled out a paper bag with a professional smile. Delphinel also tried to maintain a look that said these were research materials and she was not embarrassed at all. Even so, when the librarian wrapped each of the five indecent books in paper, Delphinel couldn’t help but blush. 

“Take care, Professor.” 

“Thank you, as always, Librarian…” 

Delphinel carried the heavy bag and headed toward the professor’s dormitory. 

She hoped the librarian would consider today’s event as nothing more than a midday nightmare.

* * *

Delphinel Redermoon. The youngest professor in the Basic Magic Department at the Central Academy. 

She had never been ashamed of anything in her 29 years of life. 

Born as the second daughter of a baron’s family, she studied with the dust-gathering books in the family library. Freed from her parents’ pressure with the evaluation that she was ‘useless in social circles,’ she severed ties with her family upon securing a professorship. 

The professor’s salary was decent. The professor’s dormitory was nice. Research was enjoyable. 

She thought only a path of roses lay ahead. 

‘…That was a misconception.’ 

She had no problem carrying ten academic books, yet these five thin indecent books felt so heavy. Perhaps ordering all five at once to finish in one go was the issue. 

‘The problem was ordering these books in the first place. How am I supposed to face the librarian now?’ 

As usual, she made the mistake of requesting a proxy purchase from the library. 

‘Next time, I should order separately… No. There won’t be a ‘next time.’ I’ll finish my study with these five books!’ 

Crossing the massive hill behind the central library, passing the unnecessarily long-standing, shabby undergraduate dormitory, entering the newly remodeled professor’s dormitory building… 

At the very end, there’s a special dormitory building for professors with families. It even has two rooms, a storage space, and a veranda. 

Delphinel thought once again that applying for this dormitory was the best decision she had made in her 29 years as she tried to open the door. However, the person inside reacted faster. 

“Welcome back, Madam!” 

Beyond the wooden door, a large man looked down at Delphinel. 

Through his tousled golden hair, his innocent green eyes sparkled. 

Delphinel’s legal husband, Red. 

His demeanor and speech didn’t match his name or his large build. It felt like raising a big child. He was twenty-two, certainly old enough to be an adult. 

“Madam, you’re home early today! Was everything alright?”

“…More importantly, you’re calling me ‘Madam’ again.” 

“Oh, sorry!”

“When at home alone, feel free to—” 

Delphinel adjusted her glasses and said, 

“Please call me Professor Redermoon, or Lady Redermoon.” 

“Oh, understood!” 

“Calling me Delphinel is also acceptable. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” 

“Yes! And the books must be heavy, so let me—” 

“No!” 

Delphinel urgently hugged the books. Red was startled by her rough resistance. 

“Ah… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to touch your belongings, Professor.” 

“No, it’s just…” 

“Then have a good study… I’ll be quiet.” 

Red drooped his broad shoulders and headed to his room, which was really a space roughly converted from the veranda. For some reason, his retreating figure looked like a scolded dog being chased away, and Delphinel felt a deep pang of conscience. 

‘I feel like I’ve done something really bad!’ 

But not knowing how to cheer someone up, she just stared at the veranda for a while before taking the five books and going into her room. 

All two rooms and the storage space in this house were Delphinel’s domain. They were filled with basic magical theory books, experimental tools, papers, and reference materials. Even now, she had to stack several books on top of others just to sit on a chair. 

A pyramid of knowledge that filled her with pride every time she saw it. 

…However, today, the top of the elegant pyramid was adorned with indecent books. 

Delphinel buried her head in her desk in great self-reproach. 

* * * 

On the day she got her professorship and left home, she thought life would only get better. 

But soon, she hit the wall of reality. The books she excitedly bought as soon as she became independent quickly cramped her living space. She didn’t have enough money for a bigger place, and the competition for dormitories was extremely high. The only noticeable option was the staff family dormitory. Delphinel applied without hesitation and luckily got in. 

Of course, the school requested proof of family relations, and Delphinel solved this issue simply. 

She proposed to a male blacksmith she met while gathering research materials, who was barely getting paid and living at the forge. 

“Would you become my legal spouse? I will provide you with a place to sleep and food. You must earn your own living expenses. I will divorce you when I want.” 

The people at the forge were dumbfounded by this insane proposal, but the blacksmith’s green eyes sparkled. 

“A place to sleep? Can I stretch my legs out? No one will kick me awake at dawn?” 

“Yes. I will set up a bed on the veranda for you.” 

“A bed! I’ll do it!” 

“What’s your name?” 

“Red!” 

“Write it on the document here.” 

The marriage was over in five minutes. 

When she showed Red, who came with a small bundle of belongings, the room converted from the veranda, she felt a bit guilty. When Red said, “This room has such a big window! Thank you!” she felt very guilty. Anyway, he seemed to think it was heaven compared to the floor of the forge.