༺The Bookworm with a Bun Hairstyle and the Protagonist Inside a Fanfic༻
“Miss, why are you eating so little today?”
Just as the night air began to clear in the early morning, with one hour left until the grand duchy’s library opened, Ariel was having her breakfast.
At the maid’s question, Ariel replied with an apologetic expression.
“I forgot to tell you earlier. From now on, just prepare a simple breakfast for me. Sorry.”
“What? Why?”
“Hehe, I don’t need to eat until I burst anymore.”
“Really?”
“Actually, I met a classmate from the academy in the library yesterday.”
“Oh my, really?”
The maid, appearing to be about Ariel’s age, widened her eyes in surprise and quickly sat across from her.
Eyes sparkling with curiosity.
A burning desire to hear an interesting story began to fill those eyes.
If it was a classmate from the academy met at the grand duchy’s library, it must be one of the final candidates of the engagement battle.
“Who, who did you meet?”
“I met Elden Rapellion.”
“Ye-Yes?”
The maid was as shocked as if she had seen a ghost.
It was inevitable.
Unlike the three candidates who had a not-so-bad public reputation, Elden Rapellion’s reputation was literally at rock bottom.
Unlike others who hid their malice and stank behind their backs, Elden was a villain who had lived blatantly displaying his villainy, so it was natural for the maid to be more shocked than impressed.
Among the maids who would discuss the winner of the engagement battle at every opportunity, Elden Rapellion had never been mentioned even once.
The maid asked worriedly.
“Are, are you okay? Didn’t you have some horrible experience that shocked you into not being able to eat properly….”
“No, no. Thanks to Elden, I don’t have to stuff myself at breakfast anymore.”
“What?”
“Elden asked me to have lunch together. In the great hall of the grand duchy, no less!”
“Why?”
“It seems he’ll be eating alone anyway, so he suggested we eat together? And he asked for recommendations on pure literature, so I gave him a bunch!”
The maid was dumbfounded.
It was a story hard to believe for another reason.
Even if his chance of winning was close to zero, he was still participating in the engagement battle to be chosen by the third grand duchess.
It didn’t make sense for him to have a private meal, especially in the bustling space of the great hall, with another woman.
Moreover, such an action could inadvertently start a scandal, potentially causing the third grand duchess to frown.
“Hmm, I think it might be better not to have a meal with Master Elden…”
“Why? Because I have to eat a lot for breakfast?”
“No, no. It’s not that. I’m just worried you might hear something unpleasant from the third grand duchess if you have a meal with a final candidate.”
The maid’s sincere concern.
Ariel smiled brightly upon hearing it.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Huh?”
“Elden has withdrawn. That’s why he asked to have a meal together.”
“Wha—t?!”
This morning, the maid was about to burst with shocking news.
“Ah, it’s almost time for the library to open. I’ll be back!”
Ariel, who had risen briskly from her seat, began to hurriedly leave the dormitory with the books she had borrowed.
Her steps were unusually brisk and fast today, likely due to not feeling bloated from overeating and the anticipation of hearing the thoughts on the novel she recommended for the first time.
She was excited.
About what those thoughts would be.
She was worried.
About what those thoughts would be.
A mix of anticipation and anxiety embroidered her steps on the damp ground of the northern command.
Tap-tap.
Ariel’s golden bun hairstyle began to flutter in the fresh morning breeze.
**
Ariel, who had arrived at the library 5 minutes before it opened and was the first in line, returned the books she had read overnight.
Then she picked out new ones to read and sat down.
It was the spot she had promised with Elden.
Worried that someone else might take the spot, Ariel moved even faster today.
“Hehe~”
Humming softly and wiggling the tips of her crossed legs, Ariel began to read.
Peek.
Swoosh.
Peek.
Swoosh.
Peek.
Turning the pages, her gaze kept drifting towards the entrance, making it hard to concentrate on reading.
Considering she had spent a sleepless night, it was no wonder she was struggling to meet her planned reading quota, slapping her cheeks to regain focus.
Slap-slap.
There was no specific time agreed upon.
Since they planned to have lunch together, he would come before that, she thought.
With that in mind, Ariel began to focus on her reading and was soon engrossed in an exciting story. Then, suddenly, she lifted her head.
“…….”
The once silent reading room was now bustling with activity.
Engrossed in the novel, she had just realized that it was lunchtime, and people were gathering.
Yet, there was no sign of Elden.
Had he forgotten?
Or had something happened?
‘Sigh……. He promised he would come.’
The upper part of her stomach, which had been concave due to skipping breakfast, had sunk in.
The stomach that hadn’t been filled to bursting was quickly deflating.
Sighing while rubbing her now-empty stomach, Ariel fortunately had two buns in her pocket, prepared by the maid just before leaving the dormitory, just in case.
Although it was far from enough to fill her, it was a daily ration that could slightly alleviate her hunger.
‘Something must have happened….’
With Elden nowhere to be seen even at mealtime, Ariel reached into her pocket.
Quickly glancing around, she covered her mouth with her outside hand and inserted a small bun.
Then she began to chew quietly.
Although simple eating was allowed in the reading room, she felt embarrassed about eating alone.
Munch-munch.
Indeed, the buns made by Miya were delicious.
Nobody saw, right?
Proud of her swift and perfect stealth eating, Ariel looked around with a sense of pride.
Her skills, honed since the academy days, had not rusted, evident from her proud gaze.
Then, she caught sight of Elden, with his black hair fluttering as he approached.
“Oh! Eld…!”
Plop!
Ariel hastily covered her mouth with both hands.
She almost let the chewed bun fly out.
She almost broke into a wide smile.
She almost showed how eagerly she had been waiting.
Knowing that showing such eagerness could burden the other person, Ariel, who had hurriedly swallowed the
bun, had to quietly wave her hand as a greeting.
“You, you came?”
“Yeah. I finished reading the book you recommended yesterday and came a bit late.”
What he had finally arrived for had come.
The novel he promised to finish reading was “The Great Great Knights.”
Among the recommended works, it was notably one of the top picks.
“…How was it?”
Ariel nervously asked.
Her heart thudded.
She was more delighted at having a meal companion than at sharing thoughts on the read book with a reading companion.
Thus, with a face like a rain-soaked puppy, she awaited an answer and, fortunately, had to be relieved by the unchanged review from yesterday.
“It was really interesting? Actually, I was late because I was doing a thorough re-read of the last volume.”
“Really!?”
Plop!
In a space where silence is golden.
A space where loud voices are a nuisance.
Ariel, whose voice had inadvertently risen, had to cover her mouth again.
Today, more than ever, it was hard for her to control her instincts.
Elden laughed and shared the scenes that had deeply moved him.
“Especially at the end, when Lancelot says to the grand duchess, ‘I will go ahead. Please take your time,’ and heads into the enemy lines alone. It almost brought me to tears. It soaked my romantic soul.”
Ariel nodded vigorously in fervent agreement and tried to express her joy in a lowered voice.
“Ah! I remember that scene. I cried my eyes out then. I knew you’d like it too.”
“Do you have another novel similar to that?”
“Of course, of course! Shall I recommend some more?”
If joy could take form, it would be Ariel’s face.
As if a bud of a bright flower was blooming, Ariel, with a radiant smile, began to recall the recommendation list in her head, which was exploding with fireworks.
Then, she noticed a woman standing next to Elden.
“Huh?”
The woman standing diagonally behind Elden’s right side.
A woman standing in the same spot as hers during academy times, wearing a knight’s uniform.
Her shoulder adorned with a black leather epaulet, a crest in the center of her chest indicating she was a noble’s personal knight, and dressed in long brown leather boots and a brown hooded cloak reaching her waist, giving her an overall dark appearance.
The woman, with eyes as deep as black stones contrasting with her striking purplish hair, was standing diagonally behind Elden.
Knowing her as a personal knight, Ariel hadn’t seen her accompany him yesterday, prompting Ariel to ask.
“But, who…?”
“Ah, she’s my personal knight.”
“Personal knight?”
“Yeah. Rachel? Say hello. This is Miss Ariel from the Elrond Count’s family.”
Following Elden’s introduction, Rachel stepped forward and bowed her head.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Rachel.”
“Ah… I’m also pleased to meet you. But…?”
Ariel had always met personal knights who were, of course, all men.
Burly, with rough beards, or a musky scent.
Although there were some female knights, they were just as sturdy and rigid as the men.
Some even shaved their heads or drew beards to pass as men.
Ariel had never seen a personal knight like Rachel before, and at the same time, she was reminded of a character from a novel.
The protagonist of “The Path Walked by the Purple Knight,” Rachel.
It belonged to a sub-genre, a [fanfic] of the modern era, with the same name as the character.
From the description of her appearance to her name, everything matched.
Especially popular among female readers, it was the saga of a female knight, deeply moving to Ariel, akin to meeting a celebrity(?).
“Are, are you perhaps… the Purple Knight, Rachel?”
Surprised by Ariel’s question, Elden responded.
“Hm? Do you know each other?”
“No. It’s our first meeting. No, have we met before? No, it’s ‘really’ our first time.”
Rachel, looking at Ariel who was smiling ear to ear, asked in confusion.
“Do you… know me? I believe we’re meeting for the first time today.”
“Of course I know you! The Purple Knight, Rachel! The brave female warrior, the genius of demon swordsmanship, a master of all weapons, a beauty in every aspect, the hope and hero of women who rose to the top in a biased world, Rachel! I’ve read the novel where Knight Rachel appears three times~”
“…Excuse me? There’s a… book about that?”
“Of course! Although it was published only recently and is difficult to find in the market due to being tabooed as a female knight’s praise song.”
“…….”
Rachel, who had unwittingly become the protagonist of her own saga, was stunned by the news.
And for Elden Rapellion, a rising black horse, this was extremely valuable information.
A fanfic from another world with his personal knight as the protagonist.
This was an irresistible source.
“Ariel, is that book here by any chance?”
“Yep! It’s in the pure literature corner. Want to read it?”
“That would be nice.”
“Then I’ll go get it-!”
Ariel dashed towards the pure literature corner, her skirt fluttering.
There was no stopping her, leaving Rachel with no choice but to watch her go.
“Ah, why would you….”
And then.
Zap.
Rachel was greatly looking forward to the afternoon training.
