A Distant Reverie

Chapter 13

The afternoon sun was unrelenting. Vesper groaned. His pale appearance—a consequence of his occupation as a shut-in librarian, did him no favors under the blazing sun. Scowling, he wiped off the sweat coalescing on his forehead with the sleeves of his new clothes. At Marine's insistence, he had replaced the drab librarian coat that he always wore with a set leather breastplate and shoulder protectors. Armor for protection, the pirate had explained. Vesper unwillingly complied, if only to preserve the integrity of his beloved coat.

I think I'm regretting it now.

The leather armor weighted down on his chest, tightly adhering to his body. He felt constricted. The armor lacked breathability and under the harsh glare of the sun, it clung uncomfortably to his skin as he sweated profusely. Nonetheless, Vesper tried to maintain a neutral expression. The ladies beside him weren't complaining, so naturally he felt compelled to endure in silence, though he suspected he wasn't the only one becoming fed up with the heat.

The three of them had finished their preparations and were now making their way towards the southern gates. Noel had scheduled two soldiers to accompany them for this job through the Azure Woods.

The thought of returning to the forest gave him headaches. It had only been a few days since they narrowly escaped from the horde of monsters. Vesper's body hadn't yet fully recovered from that ordeal. A subtle pain occasionally pricked at his chest when he breathed and a soreness lingered in his limps. They were harsh reminders of the abuse he subjected his body through over casting multiple spells in quick succession. Frankly, he was near his limits. He wanted nothing more than to crawl into the comfort of his room and hermit there in peace. Maybe sit down and indulge in a book.

I miss it.

A wave of sentimentality gripped his heart. Vesper suddenly yearned to be home, back in the library of Great Alexandria, where he was surrounded by books. The dull, incandescent lighting of the chandeliers. The fragrant scent of fresh ink on parchment. Even the meals—the bland, unpalatable meals that would be delivered to his desk by his assistant. He missed it all. He desperately wanted to go back to his life as a librarian—dull and boring, but absent of dangers and unpleasantness.

"Vesper?"

"Huh, yes?"

"Are you okay?" Suisei asked him suddenly, tilting her head as she tried to sneak a glance at his face. Embarrassed, Vesper quickly turned away. Realizing his eyes were moist, he quickly wiped them clean.

"Just sand in my eyes."

Suisei gave him a knowing grin and then left him be. Vesper was thankful that the young lady had some tact.

Come on! This isn't the time to get sentimental!

He reprimanded himself silently. Before he can recompose himself, however, he felt a hand on his back.

"Oh? Not bad, Mr. Noir. You fill out these clothes quite well," Marine suddenly said with an inquisitive eye. Her hands gently traced the curvature of his body, making him shudder uncomfortably. "Maybe it was the coat, but you're actually more fit than I thought. Quite easy on the eyes, I must admit."

"Um? Excuse me?" Vesper felt his face starting to heat up.

"Hehe, my apologies," Marine said mischievously, "I just wanted to liven up the mood. Unfortunately, we pirates only know how to make vulgar remarks."

Were they trying to cheer me up?

Vesper sighed. Strangely enough, the heaviness on his chest had lightened just a bit. For the first time in this world, he found himself smiling just ever so slightly.