Chapter 23: Chapter 23

However, I can always give him money if he needs it. How much should I give you?

Vivian swallowed the impulse of letting her filthy lust pass through her mouth. It would be best if she neatly gave up, but a person’s heart didn’t always move as they wanted

She hadn’t even confessed but felt tortured by the feeling of having been rejected.

“But…….”

Just then, those lips that had dragged the ends of his sentences leisurely suddenly started to move.

“I don’t really feel like marrying. I don’t know anything about love, and there aren’t many women who would want to marry me, so I’ll have to marry into an arranged marriage.”

You have me. I’m someone with lots of time, money, and interest.

Vivian sat on the edge of her seat and wanted to lift her hand high and yell out those words, but her eyes touched the chastity ring bound to her finger and she bit down on her lips.

F……. Why can’t I be happy, too….

Ray seemed to be forced into a marriage that he didn’t wish for as well. If he had to marry, or even date given that they would marry, then he would find that spending time with Vivian was a waste.

What has the Royal Palace ever done for me!

Vivian took a deep breath as she calmed the anger that bubbled inside of her. She had to sincerely advise Ray without her personal feelings interfering with her opinions.

“No matter how cute the younger brother and his grumblings may be, don’t let him force things into your life. There’s no need for you to marry if you don’t want to.”

After Vivian had met Carden last night, she had said the same words to her. It was sincere advice that came from her own experience.

“Regardless of what others do or say, what I’m telling you to do is to think about yourself first.”

Her eyes folded into half-moons as she smiled. As Ray watched her smile, he tapped the book in his hands with a finger. It seemed like he was deep in thought.

“I’ll take your advice into stride.”

“Great!”

“Separately from that issue, if you won’t lend me this book, I’ll just sit here and read it.”

“Ah, then let’s read together!”

Just like that Vivian took hold of a book that laid about on the messy counter and followed after him.

“They say that if you share your happiness, it grows two-fold. Since Ray likes to read books and I also like to read books, each of our happiness will increase four-fold.”

“It looks as though you need more rest than you need happiness.”

He meant it not to be bothersome.

Ray didn’t yell at her in anger or curse at her, even though he truly was annoyed. However, if he had truly expressed his distaste, Vivian would have given up and retreated. But he didn’t express any distaste and continued to generously accommodate while beating around the bushes.

As expected, sweet.

That was why Vivian couldn’t afford to lose Ray. He was a man that was worth all the love in her heart. She resolved herself as she followed behind the scholar who walked forward with large strides.

***

Ray’s eyes were fixed on his book as though his entire focus concentrated on his book. Vivian sat in the chair across from him and swayed her legs before asking, “Now that I think about it, Ray doesn’t have to necessarily come to the library to borrow books.”

Vivian asked why he bothered to walk all the way here when he could get a servant to borrow it for him. To be honest, she was a little expectant in that he might have wanted to see her.

“Vivian also knows how the library smells, right?”

The smell of the library…….

“The smell of old books, or fallen leaves. The stale smell of dust and fungi…. Is this what you’re talking about?”

“Very expressive.”

Of course. I’m an author.

Vivian felt proud of Ray’s habitual praise. She knew it was honey-coated words, but she still felt great!

“I like that smell. It feels as though I’ve found a jewel after wandering about the lofty towers of books in the library.”