I Thought It Was a Common Transmigration - Chapter 90

“Moonlight Bookstore has the fastest turnaround on new releases of popular romance novels, Fiancée sells really pretty bonnets and lots of couture, and Pink Cake sells a lot of cute accessories……”

Lizé was surprisingly knowledgeable about Le-Belle Marie Street. I assumed she had been there a lot, and then she told me something surprising.

“Every three months, Le-Belle Marie Magazine comes out, and I’m memorizing the names of the shops there. One day, when I have a friend, I’ll definitely go there together……”

My heart ached.

Anyone who goes out in social circles under the Duchess or Cliff’s aegis speaks highly of Lizé. The older ladies, in particular, can be quite generous with her.

But not the ladies her own age.

To them, she is just a lowly illegitimate child who has Cliff and Killian hooked.

‘How desperately she wanted a friend that she brought me here.’

Even if it was at the Duke of Ludwig’s request, I was the one who had ‘stolen’ the second male lead.

As I had sensed, Lizé seemed to have given up on getting Killian back. In fact, I’m not even sure if the things she did that seemed to seduce Killian were her own ideas or the author’s.

“Lizé, let’s go over there.”

I grabbed Lizé’s hand and together we headed to Fiancée.

She looked a little confused, but I helped her try on a few things to find the best bonnet for her, and even spread out a parasol in front of her and twirled it around.

Lizé’s expression gradually softened, and later she was clinging to my arm and laughing in a clear voice.

‘It’s kinda…… nice, isn’t it?’

Thinking about it, I couldn’t remember ever having a friend my own age.

Sure, I had them in college, but as I got into the workforce, I lost them one by one.

I couldn’t help it. Unlike my school days, when I could just go to school and see them, after graduation, I needed money to see them, and I didn’t have it.

But now, with Lizé, I could spend money to my heart’s content. That too with the Duke’s money!

‘Once again, long live the noble possession!’

While I was happily enjoying my life with money and a friend, Lizé whispered, “Edith, by any chance, do you like romance novels that are a little smutty?”

“Oh, well, I’ve read Madam Graham’s Secret Flirtation?”

“Oh, yes! Have you read that one?”

“Anna recommended it to me. It was very hot, wasn’t it?”

Lizé and I giggled again.

“Actually, the Moonlight Bookstore I mentioned earlier is famous for romance novels, but the Millane Bookstore is more famous for smutty ones, so why don’t you come with me?”

I nodded, trying not to burst out laughing. “That’s very helpful information, Lizé. I can’t wait to go.”

In fact, the last book I read, Madam Graham’s Secret Flirtation, was such a fun erotic romance novel that I thought it would be a hit if it were published in 21st-century Korea.

The scenes were very, very hot because there was no R-rating rule in this era.

“It’d be a little embarrassing if the maids knew…… so let’s just go by ourselves, because if Cliff finds out, I’ll be in trouble,” said Lizé, clasping her hands together.

What the hell, Cliff, for a character who’s supposed to be so possessive and clingy, is he jealous that his girlfriend reads erotic romance novels?

It would be just plain mean that noblewomen, stuck in the house all day, couldn’t even read erotic romance novels!

“Okay, I’ll tell Anna.”

I called Anna over and gave her some pocket money, saying, “I’m going to go buy some interesting books, so stay nearby with Lizé’s maid.”

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous?”

“It’s a bookstore a little way down the alley, so what’s the danger? Lizé’s in a bit of a bind, so please, Anna, give her a little time.”

“Okay, just don’t go anywhere too dark.”

“Yeah, okay.”

With that, Lizé and I walked toward the Millane Bookstore, just the two of us.

The Millane Bookstore is not located on the main street of Le-Belle Marie, but in an alley off to the side.

“The books they sell are a bit……”

Lizé winked, and I nodded and stepped inside.

Inside the bookstore, several young ladies in scarves were carefully selecting books.

‘A love for the erotic genre is timeless.’

If they saw the e-book market in 21st-century South Korea, they would probably be shocked. If I wasn’t on a budget, I’d be up all night for days.

“Well, let’s take a tour of the bookstore, and when we’ve picked out what we want to buy, I’ll meet you at the checkout,” Lizé asked, looking shy.

“Okay.”

It’s probably not a good idea to share your erotic novel preferences with someone you’ve just become friends with.

I understood Lizé’s shyness.

I watched her back as she walked away, and I scanned the shelves, my heart pounding with excitement.

‘There’s no keyword system here. It’s all organized by author’s name.’

Frowning, I pulled out the book in front of me and flipped through it, glancing around a bit before lowering my gaze.

– ……Erphea’s body felt hot and she couldn’t stand it.

“Ah, just a little more……!”

“You look so innocent, Princess, and yet you love to be roughed up.”

The escort knight Raphael teasingly mocked Erphea, then grabbed her waist and thrust her even faster……

“Whoa……”

Having read that far, I swallowed hard.

‘I need to buy this one.’

I sensed my destiny from the first book I picked up.

I pulled out “Rebel Series 3 – The Princess and the Escort Knight” and held it to my side.

‘Let’s see what else there is.’

I scanned the shelves, looking for a title I liked, and pulled out another, “The Secret Service of Sarah the Maid.”

‘As expected, it’s a story about a maid and her master’s nightly affairs.’

It was a little clichéd, but I liked it because the male lead was portrayed so sexily.

Plus, it was a single volume, so it was easy to read.

I put the book aside and slowly circled the shelves again.

An hour or so passed.

‘If I stay here too long, I’ll get Anna in trouble. Shall I go back?’

I held four books by my side with embarrassing titles. I wanted to buy more because I liked them, but I didn’t want to catch Killian or anyone else’s eye.

I walked up to the counter with the books and put them on the table, then scanned the store for Lizé.

‘Huh? Where is she?’

The bookstore was a maze of shelves, but not so much that I couldn’t find a single person.

But no matter where I looked, I couldn’t find her.

‘What? Where is she?’

The bookstore owner gave me a strange look as I wandered around the store and asked, “Are you going to buy all of this?”

“Oh, yeah, give me the price for all that. By the way, did the young lady who came with me pay first and leave?”

“Who was the young lady who came with you?”

“Uh…… a very beautiful young lady, blond hair, blue eyes. Anyway, she’s beautiful.”

“Hmm…… none of the people who’ve bought books in the last hour have been that strikingly beautiful.”

If Lizé had paid for the book, there’s no way the blunt owner wouldn’t have remembered her. She’s the most beautiful woman in the world.

‘I’m guessing she went back first, but why didn’t she say anything?’

Maybe Cliff showed up on Le-Belle Marie Street, so Lizé’s maid rushed to find her, and Lizé left without me because I was too focused.

Anyway, it didn’t matter, because Anna would be waiting for me.

I paid for the four books and left the somewhat dimly lit Millane Bookstore.

It was a little gloomy outside the bookstore.

‘I didn’t realize it was so dingy when I came here with Lizé earlier……’

The weather was overcast, which made the streets look even more dreary, so I walked a little faster toward the main street of Le-Belle Marie.

I was just about to reach the end of the alley when a man suddenly appeared in front of me, blocking my path.

“Oh my God…… you are really here.”

The man looked to be in his mid-to-late twenties, with a lean build, a pale, greasy face, and dark brown hair…… he seemed to be a nobleman.

“W- what?”

“It’s been a while, Edith.”

At first glance, he looked a little shabby, but he seemed to know me.

“Who……?”

“Heh…… heh…… You must have forgotten me, despite how broken I am for you.”

“What? No, I mean, who are you?”

There were people walking by a few steps away, so I got a little bold.

I calculated that if I raised my voice, someone would look my way.

But the man didn’t seem to have the presence of mind to realize that.

“Fred Sicily, son of Viscount Sicily, the man you dumped as soon as you’d gotten all the information you could out of him about building a railroad in the Armov estate.”

“……what?”

I frantically racked my brain, searching for Fred Sicily in Edith’s memory.

‘Oh, my God.’

Fortunately, I could find him in her memory, but it wasn’t a very hopeful memory for me.

As I see it now, Fred Sicily was not a very attractive man, and he had a timid personality.

There’s no way such a man could have been popular with the ladies.