Chapter 39

After finishing the duck, I thought about ordering more, but I was already thoroughly satisfied with that one dish, so I decided to pick at the salted nuts.

Walnuts, almonds, pistachios. The different shapes and colors of the nuts in the small dish looked rather cute.

I sipped the white wine I had refilled and ate a pistachio. The rich flavor and nuttiness reminded me of a cake I had eaten the other day. That roll cake was so delicious, I should go back and have it again while it’s still available.

“Apparently, my ex-fiancé has returned to his territory.”

Noah, picking an almond from the shared small dish, said this.

It seems to be a well-known story in high society, so it’s not strange that Noah knows about it. Perhaps this is where the nobility shines, or maybe he has other sources of information.

“You know a lot about it.”

“He might try to cause trouble for you again. I was just worried about that.”

“Thank you for caring. …He came to apologize before returning to his territory. He had a very relieved look on his face.”

“Did you meet him directly? When?”

“In the morning on the day we went to the café.”

At my words, Noah looked up to the sky and sighed deeply. When he raised his face, his bangs moved, making his black-rimmed glasses more visible.

I watched Noah as he munched on almonds.

“Is that why your family had such stern faces?”

“They might have.”

Noah, returning his face, gently swayed his wine glass before bringing it to his lips. The light shimmered on the rippling surface, looking very beautiful.

“Still, it’s surprising that he gave up so easily. From what I saw, he seemed determined to get you no matter what.”

“Seeing you and me together made him give up.”

“Then we should have shown it to him earlier.”

Noah laughed softly, and I sighed in exasperation.

Wiping my mouth, which had salt on it, with a handkerchief, I glared at him playfully, but Noah just laughed without any concern.

“That would have been impossible. You didn’t even show your face to me.”

“True. But there were various reasons why I didn’t reveal myself.”

“I understand the reasons for wanting to hide, so I won’t ask.”

“No, you should ask.”

“You want me to ask? Then why?”

With a smile still on his lips, Noah reached out to me. He slowly entangled his fingers in the ends of my hair. Just that touch made my heart feel strange.

I even had the illusion that the touched hair was hot.

“I’ve known you since you started working at the library. The way you treated me the same as other customers, even though you saw my face, made me think you were truly fit to work at a library. Your colleagues and superiors also didn’t change their attitudes.”

“Visitors to the library are all equal, seeking knowledge and entertainment. There is no distinction of rank or superiority. That’s the way of the library I was taught before I started working.”

“But being able to act on that is impressive. People often say they believe in equality, but they don’t act on it.”

With his good looks, the evening star knight who is admired by the women of the capital, that’s probably true. And it’s likely that Noah doesn’t want that.

He might have had a harder time than I can imagine.

“So, I originally had a good impression of the library staff. Meeting you here was a coincidence, and even though I hid my true identity, you didn’t push, which made me feel very comfortable.”

Noah’s soft tone is unique to him. His rounded back and the way he rests his cheek on his hand are things you wouldn’t see when he’s a knight.

His hand, which had been touching my hair, fell away. I already missed its warmth.

“I didn’t want to ruin that. I’ve said before that I’m cowardly and cunning.”

I feel the same way.

Being with you makes me feel at ease, but it also makes my heart ache. Only Noah can give me this contradiction.

I nodded slightly, listening to Noah’s words. The laughter of Emma and the master faded into the background.

“So, I couldn’t reveal myself. But if being together with you could keep the pests away, maybe I should have revealed myself sooner.”

“Pests? Could you choose your words more carefully?”

“It’s fine, really. …Ah, if you’re by my side, maybe the intense gazes directed at me will decrease. Maybe we should get married sooner.”

“Maybe. I don’t know if they’ll decrease, but…”

I agreed with his usual light-hearted banter, which was different from my usual response.

I sipped the wine from the glass, but it had slightly warmed, and the floral scent had faded.

“…Alicia?”

At the hoarse voice, I turned to Noah, who was frozen with a pistachio in his fingers. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could tell his gentle purple eyes were probably wide open.

Is it that strange for me to agree?

I asked myself and answered that it was. I hadn’t properly expressed my feelings, so it’s understandable that he was surprised.

I had intended to properly express my feelings.

But when he responded with his usual light-hearted banter, I realized he was giving me an escape route. Who else could crush that escape route but me?

“What’s wrong? You’ve said such things countless times before, so don’t tell me now that it was a joke.”

“I won’t, but hold on, hold on, so you’re serious? You’re going to marry me?”

“Yes, I’m going to marry you.”

“That is, in other words…?”

Noah, unusually flustered, was fidgeting with the pistachio in his fingers, his gaze wandering.

It was funny, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit of superiority for making him act this way.

So, it was only natural that my feelings overflowed from my mouth.

“I’m going to marry you. I like you, Noah, and I want to spend my life with you.”

The pistachio fell to the table.

His hand caught mine. His long, beautiful fingers gripped mine tightly, as if he would never let go.

“I can’t let go now, but is that okay?”

“That’s what I wanted to say. But… wouldn’t it be a bit extravagant to ask for a more romantic proposal?”

“Understood. I’ll kneel in my knight’s uniform.”

“Sorry, I’ll pass on that.”

We both burst out laughing at the light-hearted banter.

After all, making him kneel would be too much. It would make him look like a fairy tale prince.

“I’ll write a letter to your family asking for their consent to our engagement. Once I get their permission to visit, I’ll go immediately, so be prepared.”

“Understood. …Hey, Noah. Thank you for choosing me.”

Expressing my feelings in words is a bit embarrassing. But there are things that won’t be conveyed unless I say them, and I don’t want to do anything sad like that.

Thinking that, I spoke the words, but Noah face-planted on the table.

“You… don’t suddenly become so honest. My heart can’t take it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Weird Noah.”

I knew his cursing was just a cover for his embarrassment. Proof of this was his red ears.

I teased him, but I wasn’t exactly composed myself.

Noah slowly raised his face and lifted the arm of his glasses. His bangs floated up, revealing the shimmering evening star. His eyes, darker than usual, caught mine straight on.

“I love you, Alicia. I love you.”

Struck by his passionate words and gaze, I could do nothing but face-plant on the table.