Chapter 23
Chapter 23. While the count was away from the mansion
Sure enough, Henelone, who had been cutting down the weeds a few times with the long scythe, collapsed on the grass. She was complaining of excruciating pain in her arm. In the first place, there was no way that a well-bred young lady could do something like this.
As he had expected, Heinz glanced down at her and swung the scythe again. Swoosh, swoosh. The tough weeds were cut down in an instant with a sharp sound.
“Y-you’re good at it….”
Henelone, impressed by his skill, muttered sheepishly and picked up the small scythe. She felt bad sitting next to him while he was working hard. Henelone, squatting down on the floor, grabbed handfuls of the weeds and cut them down with her scythe. At that time, Heinz’s voice was heard above her head.
“Because I’m used to it.”
“Yes?”
“It’s something I’ve done.”
“…Ah, you aren’t…. a Knight?”
Heinz laughed at Henelone’s voice, asking hesitantly, wondering if it would be rude. Knight. He was just a knight. He was also clearly a nobleman with a title. However, his title was new.
“…Well, that’s right.”
Seeing Heinz answer indifferently, she kept her mouth shut. It seemed like it was rude. Henelone, who was rolling her eyes in the heavy atmosphere, made an effort to raise her voice cheerfully.
“When we’re done weeding, shall we go downtown for a meal? I also have to go to the bookstore!”
“……”
Heinz’s heavy gaze scanned the garden at Henelone’s words. He thought it was a very small garden, but when they started weeding, it felt like a vast, endless meadow. Henelone followed his gaze, faced the lush weeds, and muttered sullenly.
“…Ah, it’s never going to end…?”
***
In the end, they weren’t able to finish weeding. The two people gave up because they felt like they wouldn’t be able to finish even if they stayed up all night. They walked towards the city, feeling extremely hungry.
Still, they cleared quite a few areas. They’ll probably be able to finish it tomorrow. She looked at Heinz, who was walking next to her and wiping away beads of sweat.
You look more handsome when you sweat.
The sweat that had beaded on the tanned skin, which was shiny like smooth silk, could not have looked so good. Henelone’s mouth fell open as she stared blankly at his large hand sliding down his thick neck.
“Why are you going to the bookstore?”
“…Heuk! Yes?”
“Bookstore.”
“Ah! I’m going to buy a book.”
“Buy a book?”
“Library users purchase the books they want and stock them in the library.”
Although the old library was virtually abandoned, the budget was fully funded anyway. However, the budget was so small that, excluding the salaries of the librarian and security guard, there was at most enough money left to buy a few books. That was also the reason why the two people started weeding themselves. There was no money to hire staff.
“There are no servants.”
“Huh? You and I are together, right?”
Heinz smiled as her eyes widened and her fingers pointed alternately at him and her. At first glance, this seemed correct since the only thing to do in a library where no one visits is mostly reading.
Ring-ding.
As she opened the bookstore door, a cheerful bell rang. Henelone took a deep breath at the smell of heavy paper wafting through the open door and smiled with satisfaction. It was a smell that she never got tired of smelling.
“Welcome!”
As she entered the bookstore, a young employee wearing an old apron greeted her cheerfully. With her faded wheat-colored hair and her freckled face, she looked like a very mischievous girl. Henelone bowed her head in response to the employee’s greeting and stepped in front of her to offer her greeting.
“Hello. I’m from the Sorint Library. I’d like to buy some new books.”
“Oh my! The old library?”
The employee’s subtle eyes examined Henelone. Is there something wrong? Henelone hesitated in confusion, but soon the woman nodded, as if she had convinced herself of something.
“I guess the previous librarian quit?”
“Yes? Oh, yes.”
“Of course! She’s getting married. I didn’t know she’d quit right away. Hoho! But you’re the new librarian, so I was a bit surprised because it was so unexpected!”
“Ahahaha…….”
Although she was drenched in sweat and a little dirty, her outfit itself was enough to shock the staff since she was a noble lady. Ordinary noble ladies don’t work, especially as a librarian at such an old-fashioned library.
Henelone laughed nervously, and the employee who slapped her mouth led her away as she hurriedly walked away.
“You said you were buying a new book, right? Is it okay if I buy about 20 books this time?”
The amount was exactly within the budget. As she nodded, thinking that she had definitely done business for a long time. The employee, whose eyes were shining meaningfully, sneaked up next to Henelone and whispered to her.
“Aside from this, there’s a new book that came out… Would you like to check it out?”
“Yes?”
But why do you speak in a whisper? As Henelone tilted her head to look at her blankly, the staff member with a sinister smile waved her hand at Heinz and led Henelone up her stairs.
“Gentlemen, please wait a moment~ Hoho, librarian, this way!”
***
When she followed the staff up to the second floor of the bookstore, there were a lot of books on display that looked quite old.
‘I heard it’s a new book?’
