Nieal knocked the door twice before it revealed Irina with a cup of tea in her hand, Irina smiled at him. She let him in.
"Are you sure you can spend your day to accompany me?" Irina went to the kitchen with Nieal in her tail.
"I'm a busy man, you know. So, you better made my day."
Irina roller her eyes and saw Nieal took his seat at the square table. She put a cup in between his open hands and poured the tea in it.
"Do you want me to go to the library with you or do you want me to go on your behalf?" he asked.
"I want to pick the book myself." She said with blank expression.
"Then pick. I'll go with you."
"He will be there."
"Who?"
"The thief."
"Are you serious? We need to report to the deputy then!"
Irina's mouth wide open. She forgot that Nieal was a soldier, he could not stand injustice or any form act of crime.
She quickly waved her hand. "Noooo.. He was meant to be there. It was just me. I don't like him."
"why?"
"You'll know."
Nieal frowned but make no further question. He changed the topic. "The Bonniques will have the summer ball the day after tomorrow."
"I don't care."
"I know you don't. How about we go this time? The three of us. You, your father, and me." Said Nieal with his persuaded tone and make a grin in his face.
Irina put her bag on make no sound and her lips made a thin line. She moved her head signaling him to follow her out. She smiled inside saw Nieal pouting.
They walked in the town. Everyone greeted Nieal and Irina, they knew Mr. Danieal was always around Irina and that he didn't like it if they were ignoring her. He was furious once and made those who ignoring Irina living a hard life, he made them apologize to her. But Irina didn't like him doing that because of her, she was angry towards Nieal for doing that. They had a huge argue that time, in the end it was Nieal who apologize to Irina. To Nieal, their friendship was too precious over silly fight like that.
Irina was telling Nieal about the poor people condition when she and her father delivered the food yesterday. When they reached the library, it was silent again like the way it used to be. She moved her head to her left and right like measuring her surrounding.
"Who are you looking for? The thief?" Nieal asked when he saw what Irina was doing.
"No. The girls. They're not here."
"What are you talking about?"
"The thief is attracting the girls here."
"Ha??" His patience running thin. "You're keeping secret too long. Spill!" He said narrowing his eyes to her, and received nothing from her. He walked inside, made Irina tailing him.
"I can't tell you now, and not here especially."
"Fine."
They stopped talking when they reached the end of the aisle. They saw Mrs. Letty sits behind the table, she gave them her smile when she saw them enter the heart of the library.
"Mr. Danieal, good to see you back." She greeted Nieal.
"Good to be back." Said Nieal returning her smile. He was not regularly visiting the library, but whenever he did, he was always with Irina. So, the present of Mrs. Letty was perfectly normal to him.
Mrs. Letty nodded hearing what Nieal said, and turned her head towards Irina, still wore her smiling face.
"Miss Irina, I see you've met Lucas yesterday. He told me you return the book. Do you here to borrow another book I presume."
Hearing what Mrs. Letty had just said make Nieal narrowed his eyes to Irina.
"Yes." To whatever it was, said Irina inside. She avoided Nieal's narrowing eyes to her.
They registered their name while hearing Mrs. Letty continuous chats, she told them that Lucas draws many female visitors and how Lucas trying hard to ignore them. She laughed when she described what happened. She found that funny. They just smiled at the story.