A Practical Guide to Ending a One-Sided Love - Chapter 34

At the completely unexpected development once again, Bjorn barely stopped himself from clapping in a daze.

A bookstore she ran herself? He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea.

“This is your bookstore… you say?”

“Yes, that’s right. From selecting and bringing in books to serving customers, I do everything myself. I also sell small accessories together with the books. It’s still small scale and the sales aren’t much, but it’s enough to make a living.”

To Bjorn, who still looked dazed, Leila continued casually with a shrug, as if this situation were completely normal.

But he knew. For a noble lady like Leila to run such a shop, not even a luxury store dealing in expensive goods but a bookstore little better than a hole in the wall, was extremely abnormal.

True to its nickname ‘the land of peace and freedom’, the Principality of Rimasoth had fairly liberal customs, yet nobles still followed strict traditions.

As in any country, the nobles of Rimasoth despised physical labor. Aside from running businesses or investments based on large capital, it was an unspoken rule not to hold any particular occupation.

So why would this woman…

“Of course, I thought you would find it strange. It would have been difficult to explain everything there… I apologize for suddenly bringing you all the way here.”

“It’s fine. However, I find it somewhat difficult to understand that you personally operate this place, Miss Leila.”

Did she originally have a strong desire to become a bookstore owner? He couldn’t know that far. In truth, aside from her name and age, Bjorn knew almost nothing about Leila. That made it all the more puzzling.

“Well…”

Leila hesitated briefly at his question, then awkwardly continued.

“I can’t explain the details, but I’m practically estranged from my parents. I did have inheritance money I received in advance. I used it all to set up the shop.”

The more he heard, the more surprising and incomprehensible it became. Saying estranged was surely a roundabout way of saying she had been cast out of the family. He had heard stories of sons expelled for reckless behavior, but never of a daughter driven out that way.

Was that why she asked him to call her by name instead of title at the last meal? Even while making that connection, it still did not fully make sense.

“Why on earth…”

Though he knew it was rude, the words slipped out. More than anything, Bjorn began to sincerely worry about Leila’s circumstances.

Why had a well-raised noble lady ended up like this? Such a development had never existed in his imagination.

“Well, there are many reasons… but the decisive one was probably refusing marriage. I really didn’t want a marriage without feelings. So I just ran away. I was already the family troublemaker, so Father may have even felt relieved. You don’t have to look at me like that. I truly like my life now.”

At her embarrassed words Bjorn hastily corrected his expression. He must have been listening with too shocked a face.

But he couldn’t help being shocked. Running away from home just to avoid marriage… did that not mean it was ultimately because of him as well?

Startled yet somehow swelling with satisfaction, Bjorn quickly punched down the feeling and suppressed it.

“The first floor is the bookstore and the second floor is my living space. The maid is away at the moment, but I do have one. I’m living quite happily.”

Continuing her explanation, Leila proudly showed him around the interior and soon guided him to a small table. Sitting as she suggested, Bjorn looked around the shop, still in a daze.

Apart from the initial surprise, the bookstore was certainly small, cozy, and prettily decorated. Though the space was narrow, the books and trinkets arranged within matched well together. Above all, a floral scent similar to the fragrance from Leila herself filled the place. He would probably never come again, yet Bjorn found himself liking this space at first sight.