“Rune Royal Library?”
When Harvey said that, he’d just blurted it out off the top of his head.
He’d originally thought Veronica would rather go to a theater, a garden, or some noble’s salon—
Spend a handsome sum of money to enjoy relaxed, elegant time under careful service.
A library that was neither glamorous nor a bit stuffy… didn’t really suit her.
But to his surprise—
There was even a hint of barely concealed anticipation in Veronica’s eyes.
“Alright.”
She didn’t hesitate at all, waving a hand at him.
“You lead the way… and I’ll just go take a look, I suppose.”
Her tone sounded like an offhand agreement, but her slightly eager movements said otherwise.
‘Something was off.’
Harvey furrowed his brow, his gaze falling on her back as she quickly walked away.
‘Would a noble girl be this interested in a library?’
‘And of all people, Princess Veronica, who I’ve always known as hot-tempered.’
‘Even Miss Lavia never showed this kind of reaction to books.’
‘Even though her upbringing had long accustomed her to reading.’
Before he could figure it out—
The two maids beside him were already snickering quietly.
Harvey turned to them and whispered, “What’s wrong?”
The maid of the count’s lady lowered her voice. “Her Highness once funded the expansion of that library.”
Harvey blinked.
“…Princess Veronica?”
He couldn’t help but confirm again.
He’d heard it clearly, yet still found it hard to believe.
It just didn’t seem like something she would do.
The maid nodded, her tone tinged with amusement.
“When Her Highness was little, she hated reading. One day she ran to ask His Majesty—why did she have to read so many books while others outside didn’t.”
“His Majesty said it was because many people didn’t have the means.”
“Her Highness retorted, ‘Then let them be able to read too; I shouldn’t be the only one suffering through books.'”
“His Majesty laughed on the spot, and later expanded that library in Her Highness’s name.”
Recalling the scene, it seemed as vivid as if it had just happened.
The maid sighed. “From then on, every New Moon Day, the library opens to all subjects.”
“This matter is quite famous within the court.”
“Everyone says it’s Her Highness’s rare ‘act of kindness.'”
Harvey nodded and didn’t say more.
Up ahead, Veronica suddenly stopped and looked back.
Her eyes swept over the three of them.
“What are you talking about?”
All three shook their heads simultaneously.
“Nothing.”
Like a rehearsed movement, perfectly in sync.
Veronica wanted to ask further, but in the end just snorted.
“Boring.”
She turned and continued walking, as if nothing had happened.
The group quickly crossed the wide streets of the North District.
By the time Veronica stepped down from the carriage, the flow of people ahead had thinned.
What replaced it was a spacious and solemn stone plaza.
And at the far end of the plaza—
The Rune Royal Library stood before them.
It wasn’t as stern and oppressive as the Academy; it felt more like a public building open to everyone.
Simple, yet still retaining the grandeur unique to Rune.
People came and went on the broad steps; a few benches were scattered under the portico at the entrance.
Someone sat there flipping through a book, while another leaned against a stone pillar to rest.
It wasn’t quiet.
But compared to the streets earlier, it wasn’t noisy either.
Large crystal windows were set high on the walls, channeling light inside, and the faint outlines of towering bookshelves were visible.
Harvey looked up at the massive building, his eyes unable to hide his shock.
And a trace of uncontrollable joy.
But Veronica curled her lip.
“So small.”
Harvey snapped back to reality and looked at her incredulously. “This is small?”
Seeing his expression, Veronica proudly lifted her rounded chin.
“Of course it’s small!”
She stated matter-of-factly, “This library was expanded in my name—how can it let all the people of Rune use it if it’s only this big?”
“All… all the people?”
Harvey froze, then gave a wry smile.
He hadn’t expected Veronica to think so grandly.
Though it was quite in line with this princess’s personality.
“How could that be possible, Princess Veronica?”
Harvey explained helplessly, “It’s already amazing to let people from one street or one district come in to read, even for free.”
“But everyone…”
He trailed off, shaking his head.
Whether space, cost, or even the nobles’ attitudes—none of it could be easily resolved.
Even the King of Rune would find it hard to push through.
Veronica didn’t refute immediately.
She looked at the library, silent for a moment.
Then she let out a light snort.
“That’s because they have no ability.”
She gazed at the towering doorway, her tone still arrogant but with a bit more seriousness than before.
“Anyway—”
“I will accomplish what I’ve said, sooner or later.”
“…”
Harvey couldn’t help asking, “Why? Why would Your Highness do such a thing?”
He truly couldn’t understand.
There was a princess in Rune determined to send people into libraries.
‘This was really… everyone’s happiness.’
Harvey knew very well what books meant to commoners like them.
Not to mention things far away—
Within the Duke’s mansion, the hostility from the servants toward him largely stemmed from his ability to freely enter Lavia’s private library and rarely do physical labor.
In Rune, reading was a privilege of the nobility.
The high cost of papermaking meant books almost never circulated in the market.
Many nobles were even hoarding and auctioning parchment and scrolls as valuable assets.
Veronica turned her head and glanced at him.
As if thinking whether the question was worth answering.
“Because everyone is too stupid.”
“They can’t even understand the basics, nor tell good from bad.”
She crossed her arms. “If they don’t read more—”
“They won’t even know how noble I am.”
Harvey was taken aback; he hadn’t expected such an answer at all.
But Veronica had already looked into the distance.
Below the steps, someone sat on the ground flipping through pages, while others whispered about newly borrowed texts.
Her gaze fell on those people, her tone dripping with undisguised contempt.
“If the people are ignorant, they won’t understand how noble and worthy of respect the royal family is.”
“That kind of thing—”
She said discontentedly, “I won’t just let it slide.”
Wind blew down from above.
She stood on the steps, her dress billowing slightly, making her appear taller than usual.
Her originally somewhat plump figure no longer looked heavy at that moment.
Instead, it seemed lifted by some aura.
Even her face, usually full of willfulness and impatience, rarely appeared clear.
‘He didn’t understand. Wasn’t it obvious that the royal family deserved respect? If so, why did she have to do so much for it?’
Harvey couldn’t articulate it.
‘He just felt that her logic… was a bit strange, but deep down, he kept acknowledging her.’
‘Looking at Veronica’s round face, he even felt his heart stir.’
‘She truly was the princess of Rune.’
After a moment of silence.
“…I understand.”
Harvey looked at Veronica ahead and said solemnly, “I sincerely hope Your Highness will fulfill her ideals.”
Veronica’s expression paused; the corner of her mouth lifted in a smile as she gave him a contemptuous look.
She didn’t speak.
She just turned and walked toward the library.
The two maids stood behind, exchanging glances.
Neither of them said a word.
But their gazes toward Veronica held a complexity that hadn’t been there before.
The group ascended the steps together and stepped through the library doors.
Inside, the space was even more expansive than it appeared from outside.
The number of people coming and going wasn’t large, but they were clearly different from those on the street.
When Veronica and her party entered—
Quite a few eyes instinctively turned toward them.
No matter how you looked at it, they didn’t seem like people who would appear in a library.
Harvey also noticed the glances.
He subconsciously scanned the surroundings.
The people here were noticeably different from the pedestrians outside.
Their clothes were neat, and they didn’t have the same worldly feel as the earlier crowd.
He frowned slightly.
He vaguely sensed something, but before he could think about it, he noticed Veronica had stopped.
“What’s wrong?”
Harvey followed her gaze forward.
A statue of a young girl stood in the center of the hall.
The figure was slender and well-proportioned, her layered dress falling like petals lifted by the wind.
The girl looked down, gazing at those entering the hall.
Light fell from above, spilling over her hair and the side of her face.
Beneath her serene expression, the corner of her lips curved in an almost imperceptible smile.
For a moment, it was as if a princess from a fairy tale had stepped out, impossible to look away from.
Harvey unconsciously stared a bit longer.
Until his gaze landed on the statue’s base.
There, engraved in clear letters—
“Veronica Rune”