My Darling I am no More

chapter 26 Unspoken Words

While Arthur walked towards the library, he kept assuring himself he was only there to study, not because of Eliza. Sure, she made him curious, but that didn't mean he had to think about her all the time. This justification satisfied him, making his walk to the library more relaxed.

Entering the library, he noticed Eliza at the front desk. She seemed busy, reading a book with her head down. Arthur looked away, muttering to himself that he wasn't there for Eliza, just to read. Even though the library was vast with many floors, Arthur found a seat on the first floor. From his angle, he couldn't see Eliza, but they were on the same floor.

On the other hand, Eliza was so absorbed in her novel that she didn't notice Arthur. Even if she did, she might not have reacted much. This was a library, and anyone could come here. In the past, Eliza had sometimes followed Arthur to the library, so his presence wouldn't have been a big deal. As she read the novel, Eliza's thoughts drifted to the library itself. It seemed grand, like a royal family's personal library from old times, with books from various places. Recently, she'd noticed many science professors coming to borrow books, and the head librarian personally handled their requests, assigning them book lists.

While Eliza was lost in thought, Arthur unconsciously glanced at the front desk occasionally. His view only allowed him to see glimpses of Eliza's face or hands when she handed books to students. He picked up a law book, but his focus kept shifting. He was confused by how Eliza's presence affected him. Why was he acting foolishly, following a girl to the library out of curiosity? If she ignored him, then it was better for him to do the same. However, it felt like more than just ignoring her. It seemed like Eliza had no interest in acknowledging him, and this strange feeling made him think he was missing something, but he had no idea what.

Arthur wanted to leave the library quietly, but again, he did something out of character. He picked up a book and walked towards the front desk. Reaching it, he took a deep breath, unsure why he was nervous. "I want to borrow this book," he said.

Eliza didn't look up. "Your card and the book, please," she replied professionally.

As she took the book and card, Arthur found himself staring at her while her head remained down. When she saw the picture and name on the card, she was momentarily shocked. However, she quickly brushed it aside and wrote down Arthur's name and the book title. The book itself seemed strange – not a law book, but a tragic romance from the literature section. Eliza didn't know Arthur had this kind of taste; she'd never seen him read a love novel in their past life. Still, since Arthur hadn't shown any interest in her back then, there was a lot she didn't know about him. And in this life, she didn't care about his preferences. It had nothing to do with her.

After finishing the transaction, Eliza looked up at Arthur with a professional smile. "Enjoy," she said, handing him back his card and the book. This was the first time Arthur had heard Eliza speak. In fact, she hadn't even spoken to him since their first encounter.

Arthur felt a strange sensation upon hearing her voice. Eliza then nodded, signaling that he was free to leave. Without waiting for a response, she buried herself back into her novel. Arthur walked away.