Chapter 7 -The Lady Librarian’s Disaster

There was always something that came more surely when you wished it wouldn’t—tomorrow.

“My Lady, why are you so slow today?”

The maid shook Aisha awake, who refused to get out of bed. The words, “You have to go to work,” were not welcome at all.

“Ten minutes… No, just five more…”

“You’re always so punctual, what’s gotten into you?”

That was because going to work had always been a joy.

She always looked forward to what new books would be waiting for her. That anticipation alone made mornings happy. But this time was different. There was something else waiting for her besides books.

‘How am I supposed to face him…!’

He had said they’d meet again, so he would visit the library.

What kind of conversation would they have?

‘What do you say to someone who returned your underwear ribbon? Thank you? Sorry? What a shameless…’

“Ugh!”

“Oh my, you scared me. What’s wrong?”

“I mean—! Ah… never mind…”

Aisha sat up abruptly, then weakly crawled back under the covers. The maid watched her curiously. She was always a bit unusual, but today was especially bad.

“Aisha, if you’re not feeling well, why not rest another day? I’ll send a message to the palace.”

“No, no, I have to go to work…”

When even her mother came to check, Aisha had no choice but to get up. She desperately wanted to rest, but taking an unannounced day off could cause trouble later.

‘And you only get a bonus for perfect attendance.’

She cheered herself up by recalling the list of new releases she was determined to buy.

So, with unusually heavy steps, she went to work.

Should she call it luck? During her morning shift, Raymore didn’t show up at all. Still, she couldn’t relax, and kept glancing at the entrance, making her coworkers look at her oddly.

“Why are you so distracted today?”

“Ah, sorry.”

Even the director, who usually wandered the library aimlessly, commented on her lack of focus. Aisha pressed her throbbing temples.

‘Focus. Focus.’

No matter how quiet the job, work was work. She had to keep personal and professional matters separate.

“Isn’t something off with today?”

“Ah, yes. I’ll be careful…”

“No, not you.”

Another librarian gestured toward a different direction. Aisha, thinking they were talking about her, turned to follow his gaze.

A woman dressed in a luxurious, deep purple gown was strolling through the shelves. She appeared to be simply browsing, but if you looked closely, she seemed to be searching for something.

Her glossy red hair was pinned up, revealing a sensual, pale back. Her style was more suited to a party than this dull library.

She was so striking that she had already walked around the spacious library twice, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Right? If she’s looking for a book, she could just ask here.”

No sooner had Aisha said this than the director, who had been watching the woman closely, approached her.

“Ahem. If you’re looking for a book, please let me know. I’d hate for such a beautiful lady’s legs to tire.”

‘Ugh.’

The director’s unusually polite attitude was so oily it was uncomfortable.

Aisha, almost making a disgusted face, quickly composed herself. With so many eyes watching, she couldn’t afford to act rashly.

‘…No, it’s fine.’

But she soon realized there was no need to be careful. The expressions of the other librarians nearby were even more exaggerated than hers.

The director’s behavior shocked everyone, but the woman in front didn’t seem fazed. In fact, she smiled as if she was used to it.

“You’re very kind. Hmm…”

“Oh, pardon me. I am Viscount Broman and director of this Imperial Library, Madam Heila.”

The director greeted her loudly, enough for her name to reach Aisha’s ears. Seeing this usually unmotivated man act so differently, Aisha found herself curious about Madam Heila, who held a feather fan.

“Is she someone important?”

At that moment, a librarian whispered in awe after hearing ‘Madam Heila.’

“That’s Madam Heila. The flower of society…! She’s a widow who inherited a huge fortune after losing her husband, and every man who meets her falls in love.”

‘Wow, she’s famous…’

Surrounded by colleagues who had stopped working to stare at Madam Heila, Aisha could only admire soullessly. There was a reason the director was trying so hard to please her. She was a big shot rarely seen in the Imperial Library, which had so few visitors.

‘But the real big shot comes at other times…’

Before everyone else comes in or after they’ve left, the man who quietly visits the library when only she is there…

Thump…

“What, what’s wrong?”

Aisha suddenly slammed her head onto her desk, making her colleague grimace.

But Aisha couldn’t answer. She had shown her most humiliating moment to someone even more important than the woman over there.

“Miss Lindberg!”

“…Yes?”

At that moment, the director, who had been flattering Madam Heila, suddenly called out to her.

Startled, Aisha quickly straightened up. The director approached with more dignity than ever, and Madam Heila followed elegantly behind.

‘Uh…?’

The moment she saw the woman’s face head-on, Aisha felt déjà vu. The sly curve of her eyes and the charming beauty mark below—she didn’t think she’d ever met this woman, but her face looked familiar.

“A few days ago, Madam’s friend visited and seems to have lost something important. You were the last one here that day, weren’t you?”

“Ah, yes… I was.”

She was always the last one there. Aisha swallowed her retort and forced a smile.

“What did they lose?”

“Perfume. It’s very precious, so I must find it.”

Madam Heila answered in a slow, arrogant voice. Her chin lifted, she looked down at Aisha as if giving orders.

No noble who could enter the palace was ever humble. So Aisha let it pass. But what bothered her more was the sense of déjà vu.

‘I’m sure I’ve never seen her before…’

Why did she seem so familiar?

Tilting her head, Aisha brought out the basket of lost items. Few people came here, but there were quite a few lost items. Most people didn’t bother coming back for them. But she couldn’t just throw them away, so she kept stacking them up.

“Is it here?”

She placed the basket within reach, but the Madam didn’t touch it, only scanned with her eyes. Then she fanned herself, clearly dissatisfied.

“Is this all?”

Her expression alone told the director the answer, and he urged Aisha to help.

Aisha tilted her head. There were several perfume bottles in the basket. She thought one of them must be it…

“Yes, that’s all. If it’s not here, maybe it was lost somewhere else?”

“Hey, shh!”

‘What? Why?’

Someone tried to stop her quietly, but Aisha was confident. If it wasn’t here, what else could she do?

Lost items were the owner’s mistake, not hers.

The Madam, watching Aisha who showed no intention of pleasing anyone, finally spoke.

“Is it possible it was stolen?”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s a valuable item. Someone might have taken it.”

Aisha looked incredulous. The meaningful look directed at her was unpleasant.

“Ahem! Madam, everyone here is a palace employee. No one would ever do anything to harm the Imperial Family…”

“Oh, of course… I don’t mean the ‘gentlemen’ here would want it. It’s not something they’d ever need.”

The Madam responded leisurely to the director’s excuses, but her words were anything but. Aisha realized she was being suspected.

‘What’s with this woman, accusing someone she’s just met of theft…’

Suddenly, something flashed through Aisha’s mind. She remembered the problematic aphrodisiac perfume she’d spilled two days ago.

‘No way?’

Aisha stared straight into the Madam’s eyes. Her elegant face framed by red hair reminded her of another face she’d seen.

“Can you tell me when your friend visited?”

The Madam’s eyes narrowed at Aisha’s unflinching question.

“I heard it was two days ago.”

“Two days ago…”

No doubt. Aisha ground her teeth inside.

‘It was you. That aphrodisiac.’

Her hair was red now, but back then it was a pale pink. The style, the dress, the atmosphere were all different, so she hadn’t recognized her. On the day Aisha was affected by the aphrodisiac, this woman had come to the library for a secret rendezvous with another man.

Anger flared inside, but Aisha spoke calmly.

“Ah…! If it was that day, I remember there were only two female visitors. Princess Aliya’s maid and another woman… I’d have to check the name, but that must be your friend, Madam?”

The Madam’s eyes hardened slightly at Aisha’s words. She hid behind her fan, but she was clearly flustered.

Unless it was ages ago, it wasn’t hard to remember visitors in this quiet library.

Aisha added kindly,

“You have a point, Madam. Normally, our library isn’t responsible for lost items, but since it’s valuable, we can contact the maid in the Princess’s palace. Right, Director?”

“P-Princess’s maid…? Are you sure?”

“Of course. She comes on errands for the Princess two or three times a month, so I remember her clearly.”

“Ahem.”

Viscount Broman wiped cold sweat, glancing at the Madam.