Beauty and her Beast (Nokto)

A Story That Starts In A Bookstore

Once upon a time, there lived eight princes... Are you ready to meet them?

Have you ever dreamed of a love as sweet and delectable as candy? What about a love as bitter as unsweetened tea? Or as tangy and sharp as citrus fruit? The world has always been full of love stories, each one a little different in its own way. I'd read so many of them, but each time, I was reminded that I've never known what it's like to love someone like that. Most people my age had already fallen in love, gotten married, and started their own families. And sometimes I envied that. Sometimes I wondered if it was time to stop dreaming about the sort of desperate love that makes you want to sacrifice everything. 

(And yet...) 

I was spending another day reading, another day yearning for a love so all-consuming you'd risk your life to hold onto it. 

Veronica: ...Ahh, that was so amazing!

The bookstore was quieter than usual that afternoon, and I sighed happily as I closed the book I'd been reading. 

(And there's no customers, either-I mean, having no customers is kind of a problem, but it means I get to read more of-)

???: Did you finish your book, Ver?

Veronica: Waaah! 

I jumped a mile as a sudden shadow fell across the counter in front of me. 

Veronica: Wait-Rio?! What are you doing here? 

Rio: Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you! I wanted to see you, so here I am. 

Veronica: That's okay, I don't mind, but... shouldn't you be at work?

Rio: Oh, that. Yeah, I quit the day before yesterday. 

Veronica: Right, of course, you-wait, you quit?!

Rio: Yep. So now I'm searching for an even better job! 

Veronica: Right. Again... 

We'd had a similar conversation a few months earlier, and a few months before that, and I had to admit, I was a little worried. (I just don't get it. You're good with your hands, you learn fast, and you're so friendly. Sure, you're clumsy sometimes, but-)

Veronica: So why did you quit this time? 

Rio: Isn't it obvious? Because I belong to you! 

Veronica: Since when? 

Rio: Ever since the day you saved me, I decided to devote myself to you, body and soul! But that means I can't really work for anyone else. 

Veronica: So what you're really saying is, you don't want to tell me why you quit. 

I'd never forget that day three years earlier, when I'd found Rio passed out on the street in the pouring rain, and taken him in. (And I'll never regret it. You're a good friend. But sometimes it feels like a big, cuddly puppy dog imprinted on me that day.)

Rio: Hey. I'm a hundred percent serious here! Which reminds me, is the owner here today? I wanted to talk to him directly about letting me work here with you-I'm sure I can convince him this time!

Veronica: I hate to tell you this, but he left yesterday on another trip to get more stock. He's not gonna be back for ages. 

Rio: Oh no! Now what am I going to do? 

I knew I should suggest he find a different job, but he looked like a puppy who'd just been kicked, and I couldn't do it. 

Veronica: Okay, so maybe you can't talk to him directly right now, but why don't we write him a letter about it? 

Rio: What? Really?! 

Veronica: Yes, really. Honestly, I could do with the extra help, especially when he comes back with boxed and boxes of new books!

Rio: Veronica... thank you! You do so much for me, and-that settles it, I'm going to call you 'Mistress' from now on!

Veronica: Okay, now you're taking it too- 

I cut myself off mid-sentence... or rather, my stomach cut me off by loudly announcing how empty it was. 

Veronica: ...You didn't hear that, did you? 

Rio: Loud and clear, I'm afraid! But don't worry, I know you better than you know yourself sometimes. 

Rio's smile was triumphant as he began to wheel a small cart across the room. (Wait, is that one of the book carts? When did you manage to-) 

Rio: I thought this might happen, so... ta-dah!

There was a cloth covering the cart, and Rio lifted it away with a dramatic flourish. 

Veronica: Oh, wow! 

There were fresh truffade oozing with cheese, rose-shaped pastries, candied fruits, apple beignets, honey cakes, and more. They were all foods I was used to seeing at festivals, but I'd never been offered so many of them all at once before. 

Rio: It's lunchtime for me, too, but I kind of bought too much, and I don't know what to do with it all. So I was hoping you'd share it with me, so it doesn't go to waste! 

Veronica: Well, if you're going to offer, I'm not going to say no! Thanks, Rio, you're a lifesaver! 

He handed me one of the rose-shaped pastries, and as soon as I bit into it, I was beaming at him. 

Veronica: This is SO GOOD! Although this is all festival food, right? Is there a festival on today or something? 

Rio: You bet there is! Don't tell me you forgot? It's Rhodolite Foundation Day today!