Episode 73: Normalisation of depressing romance fantasy #4
‘…Boring.’
Yohan spun his pen idly before letting it drop onto the desk. He sighed as he watched the clouds drift lazily outside the window. The ticking of the clock's second hand felt unusually loud.
Even though his vacation had ended and he was back to work, there wasn’t much to do since the Special Department for the Sealing of Demonic Lairs hadn’t been officially established yet.
Paperwork was handled by other officers, and minor dispatch assignments weren’t the responsibility of a Special-Class mage like him…
“Yohan, it seems you have nothing to do either?”
Francia, who was sitting next to him, asked. She, too, had nothing to do. It was practically confirmed that she would join the Special Department for the Sealing of Demonic Lair as well.
“Yes. Honestly, having no work makes time pass even more slowly.”
Having too much work was better than having none. At least then, time would fly by because of the focus it required.
Having nothing to do at work is an excruciatingly dull and tedious experience. You can’t play around, and yet there’s nothing productive to occupy your time either.
“What were you doing, Francia?”
“Me? Oh, just reading a book.”
“Oh? What book?”
“Um… Just a romance novel?”
Francia smiled faintly and squinted one eye. Judging by her reaction, it seemed she didn’t want to share the title.
“If you have nothing to do, how about reading with me? There’s a lot of interesting stuff out these days.”
“I don’t really read novels… I’ve never been particularly interested in them.”
“You’re not interested in novels? That’s a serious problem!”
Francia widened her eyes and pretended to look shocked.
“There’s so much fun stuff out there! Once you start, you’ll probably end up looking for books nonstop!”
“Is that so?”
“Absolutely!”
Francia placed her hands on her hips and wrinkled her nose playfully.
‘Novels, huh…’
Yohan blinked and scratched his chin.
Ever since his reincarnation, he had barely touched novels. The historical setting of this world didn’t really lend itself to entertaining literature.
Compared to dopamine-filled modern novels, everything here felt bland.
‘Romance is mostly about noble-commoner love stories pursuing idealized romance, and epics usually revolve around the first emperor’s life…’
Just from the themes, the stories seemed predictable and dull. For someone like Yohan, who had consumed thrilling modern novels and webtoons, it was hard to find anything engaging here.
“This won’t do. After work today, I’ll recommend a few for you!”
However, unaware of Yohan’s thoughts, Francia grinned triumphantly.
“Hmm, what kind of book are you reading?”
“Oh… me?”
“Yes. Your book seems intriguing.”
Yohan smiled faintly and looked at Francia intently. She, seemingly embarrassed, turned her gaze away and hugged her book tightly, hiding the title.
“Ahem, this is a secret!”
“…Is that so?”
“Yep. It’s still too early for you to read something like this.”
“Hmm.”
Though suspicious, Yohan decided to let it slide. There wasn’t much benefit in prying into something she clearly wanted to keep hidden.
Still, her reaction was so blatant that his curiosity only grew.
‘What kind of book is it?’
Feigning disinterest, Yohan began tidying up his desk while subtly glancing in her direction. Only then did Francia relax and turn her book back around to continue reading.
“…”
Stealthily, Yohan shifted his gaze to catch a glimpse of the book’s cover.
‘The Count’s Forceful Training, Conducted in Secret’?
Yohan’s eyes widened in shock. The pen slipped from his fingers and rolled across the desk.
‘Isn’t that… an erotic novel?’
Not that there was anything inherently wrong with reading erotic novels. It was a genre with a demand, expressing human desires, after all.
The issue was that Francia was reading such a book at work—in a public office with other officers around. It struck Yohan how bold she was.
‘So… that’s her taste?’
Yohan had an inkling about Francia’s preferences. She seemed more excited during forceful moments than at any other time.
But training?
Forceful play might be manageable, but training? That was a different story. Not only did he not know where to begin, and his inherently gentle personality made anything sadistic out of the question.
‘Still… I should at least make an effort.’
Francia would likely be satisfied without him catering to such specific preferences, but Yohan wanted to fulfill her desires as much as possible.
‘…Guess I should read it first.’
As Yohan rubbed his chin, lost in deep thought, Francia beamed as she continued to immerse herself in ‘The Count’s Forceful Training, Conducted in Secret.’
***
The chandelier hanging from the high ceiling illuminated the space, while a large magical device in the center played soothing classical music to calm the mind.
In this space, where endless bookshelves met the soft glow of light, the distinct scent of books lingered in the air, blending with the elegant wooden décor.
Rustle.
The only sounds were the quiet whispers of conversation and the turning of pages. Scattered throughout the room, people sat on chairs, absorbed in their reading.
“…I didn’t know there was a place like this in the capital.” Yohan remarked.
“Yes, I come here occasionally myself,” Francia replied.
After work, instead of heading back to the mansion, Yohan and Francia visited the largest bookstore in the capital, renowned for its size.
Although the mansion in Fervache’s capital also had a library, they came here specifically to look for novels Yohan might be interested in reading.
“Do you have a preferred genre?”
As they strolled through the aisles lined with bookshelves resembling tree-lined roads, Francia asked him.
“A preferred genre…”
Yohan stroked his chin and furrowed his brow, lost in thought.
In his previous life, Yohan had been an avid reader who primarily enjoyed genre fiction because of its focus on “pure entertainment.”
Of all the genres he had explored, the one he had delved into the most was…
‘Romance fantasy.’
Although it was primarily aimed at women, there were a handful of male readers, too.
In fact, the world Yohan had reincarnated into was based on a romance fantasy novel he’d once read.
‘But I doubt anything here feels like a proper romance fantasy.’
The setting might be similar, but the atmosphere was likely very different. People’s thoughts and the times themselves were distinct.
“Well… I don’t have a particular preference. I just read whatever piques my interest.” Yohan replied casually. It wasn’t a lie—if something seemed fun, he was willing to read it, regardless of genre.
“Hmm. Then what should we pick…”
Francia bent down slightly, scanning a section dedicated to popular authors.
“Maybe starting with something well-known would be good. How about this one?”
She held out a romance novel.
The title was For the One Who Never Dies.
It had a distinctly emotional feel to it.
“Normally, I wouldn’t even glance at a title like this, but…”
To his surprise, it caught his interest.
“Not bad. I’ll give it a try.”
Yohan smiled lightly and accepted the book.
“Hehe, I hope you enjoy it. I’ve wanted to read the same book as you and share our thoughts. Reading is such a great hobby, after all.”
Sharing hobbies could deepen the bond between a couple. Having common ground meant more things to talk about.
“Thinking about it that way makes it even more interesting. We can even have library dates.” Yohan said.
“Hehe, exactly! You’re thinking the same thing as me.”
Francia beamed, tilting her head slightly. Her jet-black hair, glossy and smooth, cascaded over her shoulders.
“Getting just one book feels a bit lacking. Shall we look around for more?”
“Sure. It’s important to explore different genres for now.”
Yohan and Francia wandered the bookstore, browsing various books. It had been a while since they had enjoyed such a leisurely date, and their smiles never seemed to fade.
As they strolled leisurely through the aisles, taking in the shelves, Yohan finally broke the silence after some deliberation.
“…By the way, Francia.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“Are you… into training?”
“…Pardon?”
Hearing the word “training” come from Yohan, Francia blinked her large eyes in stunned confusion.
“T-Training? What are you talking about?”
“Hm.”
Yohan gazed at Francia steadily, his deep blue eyes looking as though they could see straight through her.
“Don’t play dumb. I saw the title of the book you were reading at the office.”
“…”
Francia couldn’t meet his gaze, lowering her head deeply. The tips of her ears, peeking out through her dark hair, flushed bright red.
“Although sadistic things might be difficult for me… I’ll try my best.”
“W-What?”
“So that Francia can be satisfied.”
“H-Huh? No, it’s fine! Really!”
Francia frantically waved her hands, her face turning completed red. From her actions and expression alone, it was clear how embarrassed she was.
“Haha, no need to be so shy. It’s a husband’s duty to accommodate his wife’s preferences, isn’t it?”
“Ugh…!”
Letting out a groan that was almost a whimper, Francia covered her face with both hands.
However…
‘It worked…!’
Behind her hands, a small smile spread across her lips. That’s right. The truth was, this had all been part of Francia’s plan.
Reading such an embarrassing book in the office, bringing up the topic, and continuing the conversation…
Deliberately not sharing the title of the book to pique his curiosity…
Intentionally showing him the cover, ensuring Yohan would read it…!
It was a request too embarrassing to voice outright. So, this was the only way to subtly let him know, prompting Yohan to approach her on his own.
‘But it worked perfectly.’
Her eyes glinted sharply, even as her expression remained bashful.
“Shall we head back now? It’s getting quite late.”
Yohan let out a soft chuckle and gently patted her head.
“Yes…”
Francia maintained her shy demeanor, nodding her head slowly.
***
As Yohan dined with Francia and browsed through the books they’d bought from the bookstore…
Knock, knock, knock!
Three urgent knocks echoed sharply through the air.
“My lord! It’s an emergency!”
A trembling voice called from outside. It was the head butler, and his tone made it clear that the situation was grave.
“Come in.”
As soon as the door opened, the butler burst in, panting heavily. His face was pale, his forehead glistening with sweat, and his expression was filled with shock and fear.
“What’s the matter?”
Yohan’s voice dropped, steady and low.
“A guest has arrived in a collapsed state! Their condition is critical!”
“…What did you say?”
Yohan’s eyes widened in shock, the room suddenly heavy with tension.
“I’ll go at once.”
Sensing the urgency, Yohan quickly rose from his seat. Following the butler to the mansion’s lobby, he saw a woman lying there, covered in blood.
“…Vera?”
The woman was none other than Vera, Rudella’s aide.
“Aah… My lord…!”
Vera, barely clinging to life, looked up at Yohan with trembling eyes.
“First, get her treated─”
“No…!”
Before Yohan could finish, Vera grabbed the hem of his coat with a trembling hand and cried out, her face deathly pale.
“The lady is in danger…!”
“Lady? Do you mean Lady Bismarck?”
“Yes, there’s no time to waste!”
Vera’s voice quivered with desperate urgency.
“The Crown Prince has imprisoned the lady…!”