Please Don't Propose! - Chapter 3
Translator and Editor: Hue and Tea
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 3
My grip on the book stopped in midair.
‘He’ll be upset?’
It’s dangerous?
Is the library in danger? Is it the country? Or perhaps the world?
No. No.
He said he was upset that I might get hurt.
His voice was low, and he said something I didn’t quite catch.
For a moment I doubted my ears, but the way those dark eyes locked onto mine and refused to let go, I didn’t think I’d misheard.
My lips didn’t part. I didn’t dare turn my head because we were too close to look away.
We exchanged glances for a while without saying a word.
Seeing him so close to me made my mind go blank. All my suspicions and nervousness were gone.
It was not the first time I’d seen him, but I was fascinated by his features. As his deep eyes bore into my face, my heart almost sank.
I knew it was a crazy thought, but did he like me?
‘I don’t believe he does. Why would he…’
That’s just ridiculous. Still, this conclusion made Costas’ suspicions perfectly reasonable.
But it really didn’t make sense.
He and I had never met outside of the library.
There were never any circumstances under which we could have fallen in love, not even enough for him to have fallen in love with me.
Though there were a few men and nobles who had flirted with me occasionally based on my appearance……. But the man before me couldn’t possibly be in love with me.
So why was this aristocrat always in my way?
“Bibi.”
My breath caught in my throat. That was it.
“Ban the development of NOK! Ban it!”
“No second war! No more Second Nergal!”
I was interrupted by the voices of protesters shouting through bullhorns from outside the library.
“Hey, it’s really loud in the library these days, isn’t it?”
I quickly took the book and held it in my arms.
“Uh, it reminds me of something I need to do.”
It was an obvious lie.
“I’m sorry, but could you put the book in one of the storage rooms over there for me, p-please?”
I knew I seemed a bit presumptuous, but I had to act in a hurry.
“Thank you in advance. Please excuse me…”
And with that, I bolted out the door.
I could not concentrate on my work. One distraction was Lord Costas, who had returned to his post after he graciously complied with my request, and the other was…….
“Bibi, go drive them away.”
“What?”
I followed his gaze to the window, where a group of shouting protesters with excited faces were holding signs. There had been protests everywhere against the city’s current state of rust, but this one in front of the library was out of line.
“Move it somewhere else or have a silent protest. Tell them to stop, please.”
“M-me?”
“Yes, you.”
The director pointed at me. No, why would you give this to me…. I was just moving that heavy box.
I swallowed hard as I spoke.
“So what about those guards…”
“They’re in the middle of a major construction project due to a basement leak, so it won’t be a mess.”
“…… the guards?”
“Didn’t I tell you the mayor got rid of the library guards to emphasize the ‘Safe Kennery’ slogan? But don’t worry, Bibi. Kennery is a safe city, with a large naval command center, and I’m only going to tell you this once, and then you can call the authorities yourself when you’ve had enough.”
He added when I hesitated.
“Chief, why don’t you just call the police in the first place…”
“Bibi.”
He said my name again.
“In this goddamn country, no one listens to you when you call the police out of the blue. You try to talk it out first, and if you still have a problem, you call the police.”
So you better do something about it.
I did not answer. He just went on and on and on and on about how I should go and speak to people I knew I couldn’t communicate with, and because I am the youngest one in the library.
It’s not the protesters who I should report to the police, it’s the bullying director who’s bossing the youngest staff member around.
“What are you doing? Are you just going to stand there?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m leaving now.”
I hesitated before getting up.
As I left the reading room, I could hear the voices of the protesters shouting, banging drums, and blowing trumpets. Standing behind a sign that read “Victims” and causing harm to others.
It was a mess.
“…….”
I looked at the protesters in front of me. All seven were large men.
NOK is the way to world destruction!
No to the Second Nergal!
“Ban the NOK development!”
“Ban it! Ban it!”
“No more Second Nergals, no more treacherous Nergals!”
“No! No!”
The people screaming at the top of their lungs watched me as I approached. I forced a smile.
“Um…”
They looked at me in disbelief. They had already discerned my intentions in approaching them.
“What is it?”
“I just wanted to ask if you could move your protest because it’s getting too loud and disturbing the citizens who are reading.”
Their faces hardened at my request. Ignoring me, they continued to protest at the top of their lungs, so loudly my ears were ringing.
“Excuse me!”
The protesters completely ignored me.
“Hey! If you continue to do this, we’ll have no choice but to call the authorities…”
“Miss.”
As soon as I said “police,” they reacted. Their voices squeaked as they called me.
“Are you saying that reading is more important than peace?”
I shook my head at their question.
“But it’s disturbing the library.”
“Miss, are you in favor of the development of the Nok, do you want the world to die in war once again?”
They demanded in a very aggressive way.
“Then if you could at least lower your voices a little…”
“If we lower our voices, is that a protest? We have to be loud so that the city hall in front of us can hear us.”
But why is he taking it out on me?
“So you’re protesting in front of City Hall …….”
“If you’re going to protest, why are you doing it here? Is it because there are a bunch of cops in front of City Hall and this is the closest place to City Hall?”
The protesters didn’t seem to hear me.
“Miss, listen to me.”
They tried to lecture me by listing the problems of the country.
I realized I had made a mistake. They had been protesting for a long time, and a seemingly clueless woman like me was just what they needed. Who better to indoctrinate with their ideas.
I turned my head to see if the director was watching. But it wasn’t the director, it was the good Lord Costas coming out of the library.
“But why is he looking at me…”
I realized. He was now walking toward me.
“Well, then I have to go…….”
“Where are you going?”
One of the protesters grabbed my arm, startling me, and I swatted him away.
“Ouch!”
I lost my balance.
“Bibi!”
I could have sworn I heard a voice. I fell to the ground, unable to regain my balance, and grimaced at my sore arm.
It burned and hurt.
“W-what…”
The panicked voices of the protesters came from above. They hadn’t seen me fall and quickly hid the hand gripping my arm.
“Why did you fall alone? …….”
I became the one who fell for no reason in my dazed state.
“Bibi, are you alright?”
He held out his hand to me. When I hesitated, he gently grabbed my waist and pulled me up.
“I’m fine,” I said.
“You’re hurt.”
He helped me to my feet and examined my wounds. When he saw my elbow, his face stiffened in fear.
“It’s okay, really.”
Not wanting to make a big deal of it, I looked at him. He stared at my arm silently, then turned back to the protesters.
“I-I didn’t do anything!”
“Bibi’s wounds run deep.”
“…….”
They were afraid of the Lord, who was bigger than them and had a higher rank. A totally different attitude than when I was there alone.
“W-we didn’t do anything wrong!”
I was disillusioned.
“First of all, stop these violent protests and come with me to ……..”
“Sir!”
I quickly clutched his arm.
“Just a moment, please.”
I grabbed at his arm that had been blocking my way.
“Bibi?”
I stood in front of the protesters who glared at me venomously.
“War is …… a failure to give in to each other, so the stronger side uses force to enforce understanding.”
“…….”
“That’s why the NOK was invented. So other nations don’t rush in with guns blazing and invade like you who are weak before God.”
The protesters frowned.
“What?”
“I mean, if you really want peace, please!”
“…….”
“Please…… protest quietly.”
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Join our discord to receive the latest update as soon as possible!
Comments for chapter "Chapter 3"
MANGA DISCUSSION
What Are Pilot Novels?
Pilot novels are novels that will only have a few chapters released from our group. We hope that someone else can continue these novels for the enjoyment of everyone!