Chapter 14
Chapter 14. Let’s Role Play
Heinz’s eyes turned to the garden outside the window at Henelone’s words. It was definitely exceptionally nice weather. Heinz’s gaze returned to Henelone. The way he fiddled with his hands and hesitated seemed to have something to say.
“…Right.”
“A nap… It’s nice weather, right?! Ahaha!”
It feels like he’s being kicked out somehow. Heinz’s eyebrows rose slightly for a moment.
“Hmm. Let’s go out.”
“…!”
Henelone’s face lit up. Seeing him nodding his head, Heinz put back the book he was reading and turned around leisurely. Henelone’s bright voice came from behind him as he headed out of the library.
“I’ll wake you up in time for lunch! I brought you some meat!”
Heinz waved his hand without answering.
***
As soon as Henelone saw Heinz leave the garden and lie down beneath the willow tree, she hurried to the secret room. Her nerves buzzed for no clear reason—Heinz was a man acutely aware of his surroundings. Letting out a small whimper, she forced open the stiff bookshelf and, without bothering to choose carefully, grabbed the first book her hands could find.
‘…How do I carry it out?’
If she carries it in her hand for no reason and runs into him, she will be in trouble. But there was no room in her tight-fitting dress to hide the book.
I can’t do it.
Henelone lifted up her skirt and slipped a book into it. When she pulled the ribbon that was tight under her chest, inserted the top of the book into the gap, and lowered the skirt, it looked quite comfortable. However, it was not firmly fixed, so she was a little uneasy.
‘I need to put it in my bag quickly.’
Henelone walked out of the room, hugging the book that was touching her bare skin over her dress. As she put the stiff bookshelf back to its original state and took a deep breath as she started to walk, a very familiar bass sound rang in her ears.
“What are you doing here?”
“Nhnk!”
She was stunned. She had made sure he was lying down in the garden with his eyes closed! How had he returned so quickly? Flustered, Henelone turned away, clutching the book tightly beneath her dress.
“Oh, you didn’t sleep…?”
“I can’t sleep.”
“I see… Why couldn’t you sleep? Haha, ahaha……….”
“What was the young lady doing here?”
Heinz’s eyes turned to the bookshelf that covered the secret room. Henelone, who felt cold sweat running down her back, hurriedly stepped in front of him. But there was nothing to say. Heinz’s eyes narrowed with growing suspicion as he looked at Henelone’s hesitation.
‘Well, what can I say…..’
As Henelone furiously shook her head in confusion, an old ladder opposite her bookshelf caught her eye.
“Ladder!”
“…ladder?”
“I… need help! Haha! Ah, the book I’m looking for is too high up. I-I came here to look for this.”
Henelone, who was covering her stomach with one hand, clucked and dragged the ladder with her free hand. She placed it in front of a random bookshelf and pretended to climb up, but Heinz was still standing there.
“…Why aren’t you going?”
“What if you fall?”
“Well, that can’t be right. How sturdy this thing is! Haha, don’t worry, just do what you need to do.”
But Heinz seemed to have no intention of going at all. Henelone smiled awkwardly as he stood awkwardly, looking at her with his arms crossed.
...It’ll be sturdy, right? In fact, she had never climbed a ladder before. Moreover, because she was covering her stomach with one hand, her body was shaking uneasily as she climbed the ladder.
‘Uhh, I’m scared…’
First, let’s quickly take out any book. As she climbed a few steps and reached out to pick up a book that was out of reach, the ladder suddenly shook, making a noise.
“Uwak!”
Henelone quickly grasped the ladder with both hands and barely managed to keep her balance. Before she knew it, Heinz had come close to her and was also holding on to the ladder. Her face looked a little surprised as she came closer, so Henelone smiled awkwardly and opened her mouth.
“Ah, thank you….”
Drop.
A book hidden between her dress and stomach landed on the ladder with a small noise. Heinz’s red eyes moved slowly down the ladder, as if time had stopped. Henelone’s back felt cold.
“…<The Lady’s Guard Knight>.”
A heavy bass sound penetrated Henelone’s heart. Panting, her heart pounding as if she had been struck hard, Henelone opened her mouth in a panic and babbled as she could.
“An escort knight! How to become… well, something like that.”
“How to become an escort knight…”
Heinz’s large hand picked up the book. Henelone was anxious if he opened the book, so she reached out her hand and he held his hand.
“I suddenly became curious! Hey, isn’t an escort knight cool? Ahaha…! Well, please give it to me quickly.”
Heinz stared at Henelone’s hand touching him, and a bitter smile slowly appeared on his lips. How to become an escort knight. He couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of her blushing and rolling her eyes. Although this old library, which no one visits, is peaceful, it is extremely boring, so Heinz was reading extensively for the first time in a long time.
Mainly the books in that room.
“I already read it, so I know it well.”
“…What…?”
“How to become an escort knight.”
“What……?”
You read what? That book? How to become an escort knight? She couldn’t follow the pulse of the conversation at all, so things were spinning before her eyes. She thought that she should get the book back as soon as possible. However, when she quickly took it back, Heinz’s big hand came up to her and squeezed her hand tightly.
