Chapter 14
When she was young, whenever she felt her eldest sister disliked her, she would whine to her second sister. And every time she did, she got scolded even more. Eventually, Free closed the door to her heart.
Still, she never came to hate her family. They’d scold her with a whip, then give her a carrot—embracing her afterward and saying they loved her.
And each time, Free would feel like a prisoner won over by kindness, relaxing her heart and giving a bashful smile.
That was how she grew up.
Lonely, yet not lonely.
“So at first, I found it quite strange.”
Lost in thought, Free snapped back to reality. Ian was now gently guiding her somewhere.
“Strange? What do you mean?”
“Because His Majesty, who never cared for anyone, paid attention to you. That was the first time.”
“He pays attention to me…?”
She wanted to ask—does he really care about her, or is it just because she’s a guest, someone of interest? But every time she asked things like that, Ian would always evade the question. So she gave up quickly.
It was clear to her that the Emperor didn’t like her.
“We’re almost at the library.”
Only then did Free look around her.
The library wasn’t located in the main palace. It was in a building just past it—a curved blue tower. That was the library. It was so tall and vast, it was hard to take in all at once.
Its walls were so high they didn’t even need guards, and yet the black-uniformed knights who usually accompanied Argent were stationed there.
“You’ve arrived. We’ve been expecting you.”
The two knights, who had been standing stiffly moments ago, bowed deeply as they greeted Free. The library was guarded in rotation by Argent’s closest knights, so she recognized their faces. Knights she’d probably seen in passing. They were among those who had invaded the Ezan Empire with Argent not long ago.
“Ah… yes.”
The heavy iron door, which seemed like it would never open, creaked slowly as it swung wide. Ian held Free’s hand and led her inside.
She gave a slight nod of greeting to the courteous knights, then stepped in—and couldn’t help but be amazed by the massive collection of books and the pristine condition of the library.
“Wow…”
The Ezan Kingdom’s library had been purely for show.
It may have had more books than this place, but it was poorly maintained.
New books aside, old ones had long lost their value. The older the book, the worse its condition.
Covers bound over the paper had often fallen off.
The place even reeked of mold.
But not here.
Here, it smelled only of books—perhaps because of proper ventilation and sunlight.
A beautiful stained-glass ceiling, like a dome, let in soft, warm rays of sunlight. It wasn’t too cold or too hot, and a gentle smile spread over Free’s face.
“It’s lovely.”
“Do you like it?”
As she expected, he asked. Free responded with a smile.
“Very much.”
“I’m glad. Not many people have been allowed in here, so there may be some shortcomings.”
“…To show such a place to me…”
Once again, Free couldn’t hide her surprise.
Was she really someone so special? Why did he keep doing things that could be misunderstood?
“Would you like to look around inside? I only came here once with my mother when I was young, so I don’t know the place very well myself.”
His eyes smiled gently as he looked around the library with her.
“It’s warm and beautiful.”
“It really is different from other libraries. Very different from the one in Ezan.”
“Do you know this country’s history?”
“No. It’s always been such a mysterious place.”
“Then allow me to explain briefly. Just before His Majesty came here, this country was in total disarray—chaotic, like a land of barbarians.”
Free blinked at the unexpected story, and Ian gently seated her in a nearby chair.
“There was no such thing as a library, of course. But when His Majesty arrived here at the age of ten, he conquered the surrounding minor states and founded a strong nation. And the very first thing he built was this library.”
“It used to be a land of barbarians?”
“Yes. It didn’t even have a name. In just over ten years, it advanced this far. It’s no exaggeration to say His Majesty built it all on his own. And interestingly, from that time on, he began preparing—for the bride who might come someday.”
Free’s eyes glistened with unshed tears and slowly drifted.
Hearing about Argent—about this country—from Ian somehow pressed heavily on her heart.
A pain she’d never felt before surged inside her.
Why does my chest hurt like this? Why…
The first wave of pain was a light throbbing. The second felt like someone was poking her heart with a needle. Biting her lip, Free abruptly stood up.
“I see. Then… shall we look at the books now?”
“Yes, of course.”
Even though Free’s expression had suddenly changed as if she were someone else, Ian said nothing. As if he understood everything, as if he accepted everything about her.
“I’m not sure what kind of books you like.”
“I’d like to choose myself… Is that okay?”
“Of course. You’re welcome to look through any and all books here.”
She moved lightly. The shelves reached up to the tall ceiling, packed with books. Curiously, the rare, old books she usually struggled to find were right at eye level. The ones higher up—out of reach—were the common ones she had already read.
The pain that had weighed on her chest moments ago was already forgotten as she eagerly began selecting books.
“There’s too many to read in one day.”
Free pouted at the stack of books piled as high as her head. She wanted to read them all.
“You can come here every day. I won’t let anyone move your books until you’ve read them all.”
“Every day… I can come?”
“Of course. And if it’s not an important book, you can even take it out with you.”
“Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank me. Now, please enjoy reading at your leisure.”
Ian smiled warmly and sat her in a nearby plush armchair. The soft fur-covered chair embraced Free’s body gently.
“I’ll bring you some tea. I hope you have a pleasant time.”
“Thank you.”
With her heart fluttering, Free turned the pages one by one. The book told the story of the long-lost Empire of Luheltka—an irreplaceable, rare volume she could never find elsewhere.
“This is wonderful.”
For the first time, she felt coming here was the right decision. No one would scold her for reading as much as she wanted. Here, it felt like she could do anything.
It was almost funny—how comfortable she felt in this place.
Why does it feel so peaceful?
Was it the warmth of the sun, or the calming presence of the library?
Free slowly turned each page.
Meanwhile, Ian returned with tea. Sipping the fragrant brew, Free spent a long, peaceful time in the library. Perhaps because the room maintained the perfect temperature, she felt no discomfort despite staying there so long.
As a result, it was late in the evening when she returned to her room.
As usual, she took a bath with Seth’s help. But as she stepped out, her eyes caught sight of a flower.
“Seth. What kind of flower is that? Is it a common one?”
She had never noticed it before, but today it stood out.
It had been placed on the dining table she shared with Argent, and wherever she went, it was there. In every corner of the library. Even her room now had one.
Free, who had returned in high spirits after a satisfying day of reading, naturally asked about the flower.
“It’s a marigold.”
“Is it a common flower here?”
“Well… it blooms when it’s warmer than now, so I wouldn’t say it’s common.”
Looking at the yellow chrysanthemum-like blossom, a warm feeling bloomed inside her, like spring.
“‘Happiness that will surely come.’”
“Pardon?”
“The flower’s meaning. Marigold’s flower language.”
“‘Happiness that will surely come’… What a beautiful blessing.”
It doesn’t suit me, Free thought, gazing wistfully at the flower.
“Do you like it?”
Instead of answering, her sorrowful eyes quietly stayed fixed on the flower.
She didn’t express her feelings. Like someone who desired nothing, Free just looked at it.
Seth could only watch her with a pang of pity.
She doesn’t seem used to expressing her heart. Why is that?
She often said thank you and smiled. But that was all. Like someone who kept others at a distance, Free never crossed a certain line. As if she believed she mustn’t grow attached.
So Seth quietly watched her gaze at the flower for a long time.
Maybe it’s because she came to a foreign land at such a young age. Maybe she needs a friend.
Reaching a silent conclusion, Seth clenched her fists.
The next day, the flowers were no longer placed around. Instead, marigolds now filled flowerpots lined up on Free’s windowsill.
Surprised by the change, Free gently touched the blooming petals.
“Should I say it’s cute? Or that they’re doing their best for me?”
Had anyone ever cared this much about what she said when she was in Ezan?
To remove the flowers entirely just because she disliked them…
Even while knowing, Free glanced at Seth, who was helping her prepare for the day.
“But… where did all the flowers go?”
“You seemed not to like them, so we removed them all, Your Grace.”
