In My Second Life, I Became Someone Worth Loving

Chapter 7 — Something Has Changed

The morning after their outing, Josephine Richter discovered a rather inconvenient truth.

She could not concentrate on her book.

She had been sitting in the library for nearly half an hour, a book open neatly in her lap, a cup of jasmine tea resting beside her.

She had turned exactly one page.

And she had not read a single word.

Her thoughts kept returning to yesterday.

The quiet bookstore.

The riverside promenade.

The flowers.

Lucien carrying her books as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

And, most embarrassingly—

His hand around hers.

Josephine slowly lifted her fingers and stared at them.

Why did she still remember the warmth?

She had held hands with Lucien before.

They had been children. They had run through gardens together, played games, exchanged letters, and occasionally wandered around the palace grounds.

That should have been nothing unusual.

Yet yesterday had felt different.

Perhaps it was because she had known it was him.

Perhaps it was because he had asked whether she wanted him to let go.

And she had said no.

Josephine covered her face with both hands.

"...What is wrong with me?"

A soft laugh came from across the room.

Josephine immediately lowered her hands.

Estelle was standing by the bookshelf, watching her with an expression that was far too pleased. "Nothing."

"Estelle."

"What?"

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough."

Josephine narrowed her eyes. "How long is 'long enough'?"

Estelle smiled. "Long enough to watch you stare at your hand for an entire minute."

Josephine's face warmed. "I was not staring at my hand."

"You were."

"I was thinking."

"About Lucien?"

Silence.

Estelle's smile widened. "Ah."

Josephine immediately reached for her tea. "I was simply thinking about yesterday."

"Yesterday involved Lucien."

"It also involved books."

"Did you hold the books' hands too?"

Josephine nearly choked on her tea. "Estelle!"

Estelle laughed. "Finally!"

"Finally what?"

"You're embarrassed."

Josephine stared at her twin. "I am not."

"You absolutely are."

Josephine looked away.

Estelle walked over and dropped into the chair opposite her.

For a moment, her teasing expression softened. "Do you like him?"

Josephine froze. The question was simple. Yet somehow, answering it felt much more difficult than it should have.

She lowered her gaze to her tea. "I don't know."

Estelle said nothing.

Josephine slowly continued. "I've known Lucien for so long. He has always been kind to me. He remembers everything I tell him. He writes to me even when he is far away."

She paused. "But yesterday..." Her fingers curled slightly around the teacup. "It felt different."

Estelle's expression softened into something almost fond. "Then perhaps something has changed."

Josephine looked at her. "What?"

Estelle smiled. "Perhaps you have."

Before Josephine could respond, footsteps approached from the corridor.

A maid entered carrying a silver tray. "My lady."

Josephine looked up. "Yes?"

"This arrived for you this morning." The maid placed an envelope beside her tea.

Josephine immediately recognized the handwriting.

Lucien.

Her heart gave an unexpected little flutter.

Estelle noticed. Of course she noticed. She leaned forward. "Oh?"

Josephine ignored her. She carefully opened the letter.

The message was shorter than his usual letters.

Good morning, Josie.

I hope you slept well after yesterday.

I enjoyed our time together more than I expected.

I would like to see you again soon.

— Lucien

Josephine read it twice. Then a third time.

Estelle leaned across the table. "Well?"

Josephine quickly folded the letter. "He says he enjoyed yesterday."

"And?"

"And he would like to see me again."

Estelle's eyes sparkled. "And?"

Josephine frowned. "There is no 'and.'"

Estelle leaned back. "You're smiling."

Josephine's hand immediately rose to her cheek. "I am not."

"You are."

Josephine lowered her hand. She was. Just slightly. But she was.

After breakfast, Josephine spent an unreasonable amount of time deciding how to answer. She had never had difficulty writing to Lucien before.

Their letters had been part of her life for years.

She could write about books.

The weather.

Estelle's latest mischief.

The garden.

Anything.

But this time, every sentence seemed too meaningful.

Finally, after several discarded drafts, she wrote:

Dear Lucien,

I slept well.

I also enjoyed yesterday.

The bookstore was wonderful, and I liked the flowers very much.

If you would like to go somewhere again, I would be happy to accompany you.

— Josie

Josephine stared at the final sentence. Her heart beat slightly faster. She had never written anything like that to him before.

She folded the letter before she could change her mind.

At the royal palace, Lucien Aurelian received the letter shortly before noon.

He read it once.

Then again.

Then once more.

A smile slowly appeared on his face.

Elias Veridian, who happened to be sitting nearby with several documents, looked up. "That expression."

Lucien looked at him. "What expression?"

"The one you get whenever Josephine writes to you."

"I don't have an expression."

"You absolutely do."

Lucien folded the letter carefully.

Elias sighed. "Let me guess. She agreed to see you again."

Lucien smiled. "She did."

Elias stared at him. "You are hopeless."

"I am aware."

There was a brief silence. Then Elias noticed something. "Wait."

Lucien glanced over.

"You said she would be happy to accompany you."

"Yes."

"And you're smiling like you've just conquered a kingdom."

Lucien's smile became slightly wider. "I think she is beginning to see me differently."

Elias blinked. "...Finally."

Lucien gave him an unimpressed look. "I heard that."

"You were supposed to."

Unfortunately, happiness rarely remained private among the nobility. Within days, whispers had begun.

The Crown Prince had been seen visiting the Richter estate.

The Crown Prince had been spending more time with Lady Josephine.

The Crown Prince had apparently taken Lady Josephine into the central city.

Some rumors were harmless. Others were considerably less so.

Josephine first heard them from a visiting noblewoman during an afternoon gathering.

She had been standing beside Estelle when the woman smiled politely. "Lady Josephine, you seem to have become quite close to His Highness recently."

Josephine blinked. "We have known each other since childhood."

"Of course." The woman's smile remained. "But childhood friendships do change with age."

Josephine understood the implication immediately. Before she could answer, Estelle stepped forward. "Is there a question?"

The noblewoman's smile stiffened. "No. I was merely making conversation."

"Then you should choose a better topic."

Josephine gently touched Estelle's arm. "Estelle."

Estelle smiled innocently. "What? Mother always said we should encourage pleasant conversation."

Josephine almost laughed.

Almost.

The noblewoman excused herself shortly afterward.

When she was gone, Josephine sighed. "They're talking about us."

"They are."

"Does that bother you?"

Estelle shrugged. "People talk when they have nothing better to do."

Josephine looked down. "I don't want Lucien to become a source of trouble for our family."

Estelle's expression became serious. "He won't."

Josephine looked at her. "How do you know?"

"Because he isn't ashamed of being seen with you."

That answer stayed with Josephine.

That evening, another letter arrived.

This one was longer.

Josie,

I heard there have been some unpleasant rumors.

I hope they have not made you uncomfortable.

If they have, tell me.

I do not want you to feel pressured because of me.

But I also do not intend to stop seeing you simply because other people have decided to discuss it.

I enjoy your company.

I want to spend more time with you.

And I hope you will allow me to continue doing so.

— Lucien

Josephine read the letter slowly. Then she smiled. For the first time, she realized something important.

Lucien was not asking her to hide. He was not treating their friendship as something embarrassing. He was choosing her openly.

And somehow...

She wanted to choose him too. Josephine picked up her pen. This time, she did not hesitate.

Dear Lucien,

The rumors do not bother me as much as I thought they would.

And you do not need to worry.

I would still like to see you again.

In fact, there is a new book exhibition opening in the central city next week.

Perhaps we could go together?

— Josie

She stared at the final sentence. Then smiled. Perhaps something really had changed.

And for the first time in her second life, Josephine found herself looking forward to discovering exactly what that change meant.