Chapter 22
I Thought It Was Just Love Letters
“You seem to enjoy being alone, my lady,” El said gently. “But at parties or balls, being alone can feel… lonely, can’t it? That’s when you subtly reveal the handkerchief. And when other young ladies see the daffodil embroidery, they’ll think, ‘Oh, she’s read The Wizard Pilate, just like us.’ And just like that, they’ll feel more comfortable with you. It’s a shared interest—a starting point. After that, everything becomes easier.”
She had sensed it from the moment the lady walked into the shop.
This woman was alone.
The commanding aura that surrounded her made it clear—this was not someone who welcomed others easily.
She was the kind of person who, without a word, built invisible walls that kept everyone at arm’s length.
But who truly likes being alone?
There’s a world of difference between wanting solitude every now and then, and choosing to live behind walls, always alone.
El understood that feeling far too well.
After her father passed away and her family fell into ruin, loneliness had crept into her life without asking permission.
Her mother, half-lost to grief, couldn’t offer comfort. And no one else reached out.
So El had made the first move—approaching kind old Mr. John next door, Lara’s mother, and even her distant cousin Brina.
It was terrifying, and her hands trembled each time she reached out.
Some rejected her.
But others—bless them—had taken her hand.
That’s all it takes to begin.
With a gentle smile, El continued, “It really can help when connecting with others.”
“I don’t require that kind of help,” Ruena cut in, her tone clipped and final.
She turned away, walking to another corner of the shop, leaving El with a pang of regret.
She must’ve touched a place the lady had hoped to keep hidden.
It felt intrusive to say anything more, so El quietly stepped back and returned to her seat.
Though she had read the book before, she reopened it and let herself be drawn in once more.
From the corner of her eye, Ruena glanced at El—just a passing look at first, but then her gaze lingered.
The girl who had been speaking to her moments ago now had her lips slightly puckered, fully immersed in her reading.
Her sapphire-blue eyes shimmered with focus. Luena’s curiosity stirred.
She stepped a little closer to see the cover.
The Wizard Pilate.
Ruena murmured the title under her breath, and El looked up—startled.
She had just reached the scene where Sisily calls out Pilate’s name, and hearing it spoken aloud so suddenly, as if from Sisily herself, had made her jump.
Seeing El’s surprised expression, Ruena raised an eyebrow.
El gave a sheepish smile.
“Wow… I seriously thought Sisily had come to life for a second.”
“Sisily?”
“She’s the woman Pilate loves. The latest volume’s all the rage because—well—it finally reveals who his true love is. I was just at the part where he confesses to her, and she says his name…”
“So it’s a romance?”
“Well, yes, but it’s also a grand, spectacular epic—with all the drama and suspense you could want.”
“Hmm.”
“Do you want to know what it’s about?”
Ruena’s intrigued expression lit a spark in El, and she dove into the story.
Despite being four volumes long, she summarized the plot with breathless energy, even throwing in some dramatic impressions.
“In the end, Pilate’s heart belongs to Sisily,” El concluded.
“Is it finished?”
“Oh no, not yet! No one knows when the next book is coming out. That makes it even more exciting.”
“You’re curious about what happens next?”
“Of course! How could I not be? It’s such an incredible story.”
Clutching the book to her chest, El’s eyes grew dreamy.
Tales of thrilling adventures, brave heroes, and dazzling heroines always made her heart flutter—always made her dream.
Just as Ruena opened her mouth to speak, the shop door swung open and Catherine walked in.
El rushed to her side, concern lacing her voice. “Is she alright? The young lady who fainted?”
“She regained consciousness, fortunately.”
“Was she ill?”
“No, it was from an extreme diet.”
“A diet?”
El, who had feared some serious illness, blinked in disbelief.
Catherine, ever composed, explained with a dry tone.
“She wanted to slim her waist for an upcoming party. Apparently, she’s been eating nothing but lettuce for a week.”
“Just lettuce?! She must’ve been starving!”
El looked genuinely distressed, her face a picture of concern.
A faint curve appeared at the edge of Catherine’s lips.
El, who could never imagine depriving herself like that—who saw food as something deeply meaningful—would never understand.
***
“Thank you for watching the shop.”
“It just happened to be the right time. I’ll be going now.”
Gathering her basket, El gave Ruena a small, polite bow.
“Hope you find something you like.”
As El walked out, Ruena turned back toward the display counter.
“Show me some gloves.”
“Of course. These two are the most popular styles lately.”
Ruena studied the gloves Catherine laid out for her, her gaze calm and unwavering, before she finally selected a white pair.
“I’ll take this fan as well. And that handkerchief.”
“Would you like to take them with you, or shall we send them to your estate later?”
“Now.”
“Just a moment, please.”
As Catherine began wrapping the items, Ruena muttered under her breath, almost as if speaking to herself.
“She didn’t seem like a clerk.”
“Who? Oh, you mean the baron’s daughter?”
“Baron’s daughter?”
“She’s a noble, though her family’s fallen now. But yes, she used to be.”
A noble? That was unexpected.
Ruena had assumed she was just a particularly clever commoner.
After loading her purchases onto the carriage, Ruena didn’t wait for Celia to return.
She headed straight for the café where Leo would be.
She had no intention of dancing to anyone else’s rhythm.
***
At the library, El returned a book before weaving her way back into the stacks.
“Hmm… what should I read this time? I need to find something that’ll help His Grace.”
Wandering between shelves, she suddenly stopped, her eyes lighting up with a smile.
“The Language of a Lady.”
“Wow! This is perfect for the Duke.”
A book he definitely needed.
Glancing beside it, she saw a few more volumes lined up—books about romance.
“I guess you really can learn about love through books.”
Romance had never been something El allowed herself to think about—her life simply hadn’t allowed room for it.
But now, curiosity stirred.
She picked out a few interesting-looking titles.
There was still time before her meeting with John, so she decided to sit and read a little while.
As she carried the stack of books to a table, a sudden glimmer of light caught her eye.
There, bathed in sunlight, stood a man with platinum blond hair—so striking it nearly sparkled.
He was reading a book.
“Where have I seen him before…?”
El tilted her head, trying to remember, then her eyes widened in realization.
“Oh! Pilate!”
The man looked up at the sound of her voice.
“…Ah.”
“I’m so glad I ran into you!”
El beamed brightly, recognizing him right away.
Leo, on the other hand, grew subtly wary. She greeted him like an old acquaintance, but he couldn’t for the life of him remember who she was.
Judging by her modest clothes, she was probably running errands for some noble household.
But even then, why would she be this happy to see him?
Still, he didn’t let it show.
His public image was that of a gentleman, after all.
“I just returned the latest volume of The Wizard Pilate a few minutes ago. It probably hasn’t been shelved yet, so if you go to the return desk now, you should be able to borrow it.”
She looked at him with eyes shining like she’d just shared a priceless secret.
She even gestured toward the desk, encouraging him to hurry before someone else got to it.
There was something so pure in her gaze that Leo let out a soft laugh before he even realized it.
And just like that, it clicked—she was the girl who’d run off last time with the Wizard Pilate book in hand.
He felt foolish for having been so wary of someone so harmless.
El blinked at his sudden laughter, confused.
Leo waved it off casually.
“Forgive me. I just remembered something. But I don’t need that book anymore.”
“Why not? Aren’t you going to read it?”
“I’ve already got the new volume. It’s at home.”
“Oh, I see.”
Of course. He was a nobleman—and judging by the cut and fabric of his clothes, from a very wealthy house at that.
For someone like him, getting a book was no big deal.
He didn’t have to wait anxiously at the library the way she did.
“I’m glad you got to read it,” she said sincerely.
That simple, genuine happiness in her voice caught Leo off guard.
She was honestly pleased—for his sake.
Despite her modest dress, the way she spoke, the grace in her movements—it all suggested noble upbringing.
But there was something unusual about her.
She approached others with no sense of hesitation, no trace of calculation.
Even now, she was speaking to someone of much higher rank with complete sincerity and ease.
It was… refreshing.
Leo had never met a lady quite like her.
“Well then, enjoy your book,” he said.
El murmured a quiet thank you and finally sat down to read. As she opened the cover, Leo caught a glimpse of the title—and smiled.
“A romance novel, huh?”
“Oh. It’s not for me,” she whispered, still keeping her voice low.
Watching her fluster slightly, Leo leaned forward and took the seat across from her.
“Then who’s it for?”
“It’s just… something I’m looking into.”
El tugged the book closer, avoiding his eyes.
She didn’t want to accidentally say too much about Kalen.
Honestly, she hoped Leo would take the hint and leave.
She’d only approached him because of the Pilate book, and now that that was sorted, there was no more reason to talk.
A flicker of discomfort crossed her face.
But instead of pulling away, her reaction only piqued Leo’s curiosity further.
She had been so open moments ago—yet the moment the subject shifted to her own affairs, she shut down.
For some reason, he felt a playful spark of challenge light up inside him.
“I happen to know a thing or two about romance,” he said with a smirk. “Need any help?”
“No, thank you. I’m perfectly fine on my own.”
El angled her body away and shielded her book, trying to make her dismissal clear.
But Leo showed no sign of leaving, his gaze still fixed on her with obvious interest.
‘I shouldn’t have said anything,’ she thought with a flicker of regret.
She’d only spoken out of guilt for borrowing the book before he could.
Now, she was starting to regret it.
As she peeked up at him with a wary glance, Leo leaned in slightly and said with a low, charming smile:
“Leo Healy. Baron.”
“I’ll be sure to ask your name next time we meet, my lady.”
.
