Chapter 32
I felt excited as I walked through the bookstore.
The first goal of coming to Kennith Bookstore had gone smoothly. Now it was time for my second goal.
That was to buy the newest Noble Directory.
The directory was a book that listed important noble families, their members, and short information about them.
Titles were very important in noble society. For example, the eldest daughter was called Lady + Family Name, while younger daughters were Lady + First Name. The eldest son was addressed as Family Name + Young Lord.
Knowing who the eldest son was mattered a lot—it was connected to inheritance rights.
Getting a title wrong could be seen as a serious insult to the entire family.
Before my return, I never needed the directory. I had memorized the family trees of all the major nobles, updating my memory whenever new information appeared.
But now, my memories were of the future. Which meant I needed to relearn the current family relationships.
I scanned the shelves, looking for the right book. Owen noticed and asked:
“Are you looking for the Noble Directory?”
“ Yes. With the Empress’s birthday banquet coming up, I can’t afford to make mistakes.”
There were several editions of the directory. I planned to buy the most detailed one, which included everything—from dukes, marquises, and counts down to lower-ranking houses.
I spotted it high up on a shelf. If I stretched, I might reach it, but my low-heeled shoes made it impossible. I sighed in frustration.
Just as I was about to call for a clerk, Owen reached out his long arm. Effortlessly, he plucked the book from the shelf and handed it to me.
“Here it is.”
“Ah… thank you.”
He hadn’t even stretched fully. I was reminded again how tall he was. His arm, holding the book, was strong and muscular. His hand was large, with long, elegant fingers.
I found myself staring blankly.
“Is that the right one?”
“Ah—yes, yes, it is.”
I answered without even checking the cover, clutching the book tightly. Then Owen reached for it again.
“Let me hold it. It’s heavy.”
The thick book slid from my arms into his. Despite already holding several volumes, he didn’t seem tired at all.
I tilted my head.
“Now that I think about it… I’ve never seen you at the Empress’s birthday banquet before.”
I was sure. If a man like him had appeared at such an event, I would never have forgotten. At the very least, the gossip papers would have written about it.
“Yes, Sophia. This will be my first time. Around this season every year, I was usually at my mother’s estate.”
“Helping her with work?”
“Something like that. To be exact—I was sent there. But it wasn’t bad.”
What did he mean by “sent”? I wondered.
Still, the thought that this was his first banquet surprised me.
For me, attending official events always made me nervous.
After all, my mother was the First Princess, which made the current Emperor her brother. That meant the Empress was technically my aunt.
But in the Imperial family, things were complicated. Unless you were the Crown Prince—the heir—other royal siblings usually married into noble families. Once married, they were no longer seen as royals, but as part of their spouse’s house. My mother, for instance, went from being a princess to becoming the Marchioness of Bartoli.
Still, I felt a lot of pressure whenever I attended Imperial events. One wrong move would shame my mother’s name.
And the Empress’s birthday banquet was the grandest ball of the season, marking the beginning of the social calendar. It wasn’t overly formal, but that almost made it trickier—there were countless social rules to follow.
I unconsciously clenched and unclenched my fists.
…It’s fine. We’ll return from meeting the Grand Duchess with plenty of time to prepare. I can always stay up all night beforehand if I have to.
As I maneuvered between shelves, Owen said casually:
“In the end, it’s just someone else’s birthday party. Eat some good food, greet some people, and you’re done.”
“Someone else’s birthday party?”
I almost laughed. No one had ever described the Empress’s banquet that way.
“Well, the Imperial Palace isn’t our house, is it?”
“Of course not.”
“Exactly. And if you forget someone’s name, just tell them to change it.”
“Excuse me?”
I suddenly pictured myself at the banquet, telling a nobleman:
‘From now on, your name is Charles. Nice to meet you, Charles.’
Or confusing a woman’s name and saying with regret:
‘Oh dear, your name is Lily? No, you look much more like a Jamie.’
The thought made me burst out laughing.
Owen glanced at me, then smiled softly in relief.
That’s when I realized something.
I stopped walking. Owen stopped too, waiting silently.
I wanted to clutch the directory to my chest, like a shield. If Owen weren’t already carrying everything, I probably would have.
He stood patiently, just watching me. I couldn’t bring myself to look at his face. Instead, I fixed my eyes on the knot of his cravat.
Then, in as calm a tone as possible, I asked:
“…How did you know? I never said anything.”
“What do you mean, Sophia?”
“That I… was nervous. About the banquet.”
I hadn’t said a word. But he had known—and even cracked jokes to ease my tension.
It was the same as earlier. I hadn’t told him I needed the Noble Directory, or which one I wanted, yet he had reached for it right away.
He tilted his head slightly, then answered easily, as if it were obvious.
“I just knew. Besides, you did mention at breakfast that we couldn’t be late for that event.”
“…Ah. That’s right.”
I’d forgotten myself.
…He’s a strange man.
A truly strange man.
He didn’t even seem to realize it—how carefully he listened to every word I said. How much attention he paid to me.
He sat there with such a calm, indifferent face… yet it was like a puppy whose wagging tail gave away its feelings completely.
Sometimes, he accidentally revealed his heart like this.
It made me want to bite my lip, and my chest felt hot, my heart pounding so loud I thought it would burst.
Owen gave a short laugh, then leaned closer and teased:
“Why are you looking at me like that? Am I allowed to feel fluttered?”
Ugh.
“Do as you please.”
“Very good. In fact, why don’t you say you’ve fallen for me all over again?”
“…Well. Sure.”
“!”
Even I was shocked by my own answer, but I didn’t show it. I just couldn’t look him in the eye.
Owen suddenly bowed his head low. When he lifted it again, half his face was hidden by his large hand.
His eyes still watched me, though, and I felt heat rushing to my face.
I looked away, then slowly glanced back.
Behind his hand, his voice slipped out softly:
“May I kiss you?”
“Absolutely not!”
My loud voice startled even me. I quickly ducked my head and added in a smaller tone:
“…We’re in public.”
Owen lowered his voice too, whispering:
“Too many people watching?”
“…Yes.”
“So if no one was watching—it would be fine?”
Answering that question took more courage than I expected. The air felt warmer, like he was teasing me on purpose.
I nodded.
The moment I moved my head, Owen lifted his hand again and looked around quickly, as though searching for a hidden corner.
Meanwhile, I hesitated, then added quietly:
“Actually… even if a few people were around, it would still be okay.”
“So—a little is fine.”
“…Yes. Because… it’s hard to avoid people completely.”
“True enough.”
At that moment—crash!
Somewhere across the store, a tall stack of books collapsed. The loud noise drew everyone’s attention.
And in that instant—
“!”
A quick, stolen kiss brushed my lips. Gone before I could react.
The only trace it had happened was that the stack of books Owen was carrying had shifted slightly.
“Shall we go now?”
The “thief,” speaking in the calmest voice, offered me his arm.
“Wait.”
I grabbed the arm he lowered, then rose on my toes for support.
He bent toward me right away, as if he had expected it.
With his other arm, Owen lifted the pile of books high—blocking the view of anyone nearby.
And he held it there, steady and strong, for quite a while.
I WILL SCREAM!