Erika's thoughts tangled the moment she stepped inside the bookstore with her.
Oh gods, what am I doing here? Of all places, why am I walking into a bookstore with Lady Green at my side?
This feels like some elaborate joke the world is playing on me. My palms are sweating—I never sweat! Not unless Jean forces me into sewing for hours in that stuffy shop…
She swallowed hard, pretending to be calm, though her eyes betrayed her. At the corner of her vision, she could see Lady Green a few steps away, drifting between shelves with an easy curiosity. The noblewoman's copper-brown hair caught the warm light of the sun streaming through the bookstore windows as she leaned forward, studying titles with the faintest smile on her lips.
…She looks so natural here. Like she belongs in every room she walks into.
Damn it, Erika, stop staring!
Before she could rein herself in, Lady Green's sharp green eyes flicked to her way—and caught her peeking.
Erika's heart slammed against her ribs. Shit—she saw!
Her gaze snapped away so fast her neck nearly cracked, and she glued her eyes onto a random spine in front of her. Her breath caught in her throat as her face burned.
Okay, okay. Calm down. You survived Jean's dramatics, the glares of southerners, and even worse things back home. You can handle one noblewoman smiling at books. God, why does this feel harder than facing a debt collector?
She exhaled slowly, forcing her shoulders to relax, trying to look casual. Still, in her chest, her nerves buzzed like a thousand hornets.
If I were Heather, this would be easier.
Heather could grin, bluff, throw a teasing line without flinching. Heather was untouchable. But me… standing here as myself, with a noble like her two steps away? I feel like I'm about to collapse into a puddle of awkwardness.
To hide her jittering nerves, Erika began trailing her fingers along the spines of books as if browsing intently. Her eyes landed on a familiar title, and suddenly her heart skipped again.
Wait—no way…!
There it was. The latest volume of her favorite romance series, finally released after months of impatient waiting. She had nearly given up hope of seeing it stocked in the south.
It's here! Oh gods, it's finally here! I've been waiting for this since forever. Her lips curled into the faintest smile, her nerves forgotten for one blissful heartbeat.
She moved quickly toward the shelf, only to stop short. The book rested high—far too high—above her reach.
Erika stretched up on her booted toes, straining. Her fingertips brushed nothing but air. Even with her heels adding a few inches, she was nowhere close.
A groan slipped from her. Why are all the good books always placed on the cursed top shelf? She clenched her fists against her sides, glaring up at it.
Ugh. This is humiliating. Why couldn't I have been born taller? Just once, just one single advantage would be nice. Instead I'm stuck looking like a sulking child in front of—
A sudden shadow fell over her.
Her pulse skipped as a tall figure stepped into her space. A slender hand reached upward with no effort at all, plucking the book from the shelf as if it weighed nothing.
Erika froze, already ready to mutter a quick thanks—Until she turned her head.
Lady Green stood right beside her.
Erika's breath caught. So close, so tall, her frame blocking out the golden sunlight pouring through the window. For a moment, Erika could only stare, every coherent thought melting away.
So tall… so close… it's unfair how someone can make the air feel warmer just by leaning in.
She's close enough that I can catch the faintest scent of her…
Lady Green's scent—faint leather and something sharp, clean, like it was natural, like wildflowers caught in the wind. Sweet, fleeting, but addictive. She held the book casually in one hand, her other brushing lightly against the shelf, steadying her balance.
Lady Green's scent—like being bathed in sunlight and lavender…
Erika froze.
A rush of warmth climbed her neck, making her all too aware of how close Lady Green stood. Erika jerked her gaze downward, her fingers tugging restlessly at her cloak to mask the tremor there.
Lavender…? Why am I even noticing that?
And yet, even as she tried to steady herself, the nervous thrum in her chest wouldn't go away.
Lady Green turned the book in her hand, brushing off a speck of dust before lowering it toward Erika.
"Here," she said smoothly, her voice low but carrying an ease that made Erika's nerves spike even higher. "You nearly climbed the shelf for this one, didn't you?"
Erika stiffened.
She snatched the book quickly, hugging it to her chest as if it were some scandalous secret she couldn't let anyone else see. Heat prickled at the back of her neck.
"I—I was just… reaching. That's all," she muttered, voice breaking awkwardly.
Lady Green's sharp green eyes lingered on her, unreadable, before they flicked briefly to the cover of the book Erika was so desperately trying to hide. Her lips curved ever so slightly.
"A romance novel," she noted, not mocking, simply observing—yet the weight of her tone made Erika want to melt into the floor.
Erika's inner voice shrieked.
Shit. Of all books, why this one?! I could've grabbed history, war tactics, even a cookbook—but nooo, it had to be the sappy love story I've been waiting months for.
Jean would never let me live this down if he saw me like this. God just kill me now.
She tightened her grip on the book and avoided Lady Green's gaze, pretending to examine the rows of shelves beside them. Anything, anywhere else—just not her. And yet she could feel it: that warm, unshakable presence standing beside her, sunlight pooling against her tall frame as if the world itself bent just slightly to her shape.
"Romance has its charms," Lady Green said suddenly, her voice carrying the faintest hum of thought, as though she were speaking more to herself than to Erika.
She turned her gaze back to Erika. "Tell me—what would you recommend? Something not too heavy. A book that's easy to read."
Erika blinked, the tension in her shoulders loosening by a thread. She's… asking me? Relief trickled in, washing away the worst of her panic. At least this wasn't about the book she was hiding.
"O-oh. Um. Well…"
She stepped quickly toward a nearby shelf, grateful to have something to do with her hands besides clutching her own cloak.
Scanning the spines, she pulled out a worn copy—nothing thick, just a light, common favorite among northern readers.
She held it out, a little awkwardly, to Lady Green. "This one. It's… easy to get into. Not too many pages, but the story's… good."
Lady Green accepted it with a faint smile, her gloved fingers brushing against Erika's for the briefest moment.
"Thank you."
"Well, I should… um, get going," Erika said quickly, clutching the wrapped bundle of her own purchase to her chest as if it might shield her nerves.
"Jean's waiting for me back at the shop. I was supposed to pick up supplies for him."
"Of course. I won't keep you, then. Thank you for the recommendation." Her voice was calm, almost gentle—and hearing it directed at her made Erika's stomach twist all over again.
"Y-yeah. Anytime."
She hesitated, then added in a rush, "Oh—and if you're ever looking for certain streets or places around this part of the city, you can always ask this shop's owner. She's a kind old lady, knows just about everything there is to know here."
Lady Green's eyes softened, that faint smile curving her lips again. "I'll remember that. Thank you."
Her gaze lingered for a moment longer—warm, unreadable—before she inclined her head in farewell.
"Until next time, then."
Erika nearly forgot how to breathe as she dipped a quick, awkward nod.
"R-right. Until next time."
She darted to the counter, paid hastily, and slipped out of the shop as if the sunlight outside might cool the heat burning in her cheeks.
By the time she pushed open the tailor's door, Jean was already perched on his stool, one leg crossed dramatically over the other, needles and thread strewn across his worktable. His eyes flicked up at once, narrowing.
"Took you long enough," he said, voice dripping with mock patience. "Don't tell me buying plain thread and buttons turned into some epic adventure."
refusing to meet his gaze. "Shut up, Jean."
Which, of course, only made his grin sharpen.
"Oh-ho," Jean drawled, tossing his needle down and leaning his chin into his palm.
"That tone. That's not the sound of someone who went straight to the shop and came straight back. That's the sound of someone who… Let me guess."
His eyes glittered. "Tell me, Erika. Who was it?"
"No one," she snapped too fast. "It was no one."
Jean arched a brow. "Mm-hmm. Then why are your ears red?"
"They're not red!" Erika hissed, spinning to dump the parcels onto his worktable. "Here, your stupid buttons. Your thread. Mission accomplished. Now quit asking ridiculous—"
But Jean was already circling her like a hawk, eyes narrowed with wicked delight. "Oh my Erika," he said, drawing out her name like an accusation.
"You met someone. Don't even try to lie. A traveling bard who swept you off your feet? Gods, please say it was a bard."
Her stomach lurched. If I say anything—if he finds out it was Lady Green—he'll never let me live it down. Worse, he'll faint on the spot.
Erika forced a laugh, awkward and high-pitched. "You really have the wildest imagination. I was alone. Completely, utterly, boringly alone."
Jean narrowed his eyes, lips twitching. "Alone, she says. Then why do you look guilty?"
Her stomach sank. Of course he'd guess that.
Jean's eyes narrowed knowingly, sing-song slipping into his tone. "You're a terrible liar."
He started walking, tossing her a side glance. "But fine. Keep your secrets—for now. Just don't expect me to stop prying forever."
"But what book did you buy this time? Let me guess—another one of those sappy volumes you hoard under your bed?"
"Shut it," Erika hissed, walking faster to avoid his gaze. "And I don't hoard them."
Jean barked a laugh, keeping pace easily. "You hoard them like a magpie hoards shiny trinkets. Don't bother denying it."
He tilted his head at her. "So, what is it this time? Lovers defying their families? A tragic elopement? Both?"
Erika groaned, pressing her free hand to her temple. "Why do I put up with you?"
"Because without me, you'd have no one to mock your terrible taste in literature."
She snapped her eyes to him, cheeks burning hotter. "It's not terrible."
"Mhm. Whatever you say." Jean's smirk softened, though, as he added lightly, "Can you imagine if a normal person saw you reading that?" he chuckled under his breath.
"What do you mean normal? You're just the same as me, which I don't know if I should be glad about it." Erika said from that annoying statement Jean said about being normal.
Jean grinned, unbothered. "Glad? Oh, you should be honored, Erika. I'm a rare treasure."
She rolled her eyes so hard it nearly hurt, shoving the last of the parcels at him. "More like a cursed nuisance."
Still, as Jean turned back to his sewing, humming smugly, Erika slipped the wrapped book tighter beneath her cloak. His words gnawed at her, and though she'd never admit it aloud, he wasn't wrong.
If anyone else ever saw what she read—or worse, if Lady Green saw—she thought she might die on the spot.