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I possessed the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter ‌7
My room had been changed.
Before shoving me into the new quarters, Liam had warned me with a cold expression.
"You will pay the price for uttering ‌‌‌falsehoods before the Grand Duke."
Honestly, I was terrified. Absolutely petrified.
The way he said it with such gravity left me completely clueless about what kind of wretched dungeon awaited me.
But the reality that actually befell me diverged spectacularly from my expectations.
"Do these people truly not understand what a terrible environment actually is?"
Thump.
I sprawled across ‌the plush mattress, rolling about contentedly.
Iron bars covered the window, and the room's orientation prevented proper sunlight from streaming in.
I'll admit ‌‌‌‌I felt slightly uneasy about the damp atmosphere at first, but ‌‌after ‌‌‌‌just one night, all my worries evaporated.
'The light won't come ‌‌in well in the morning either, so I can sleep soundly!'
If I had to name one ‌‌thing I'd been missing in this mansion, it would be blackout curtains.
Yet that problem had naturally resolved itself, so I ‌‌found myself thoroughly satisfied.
Of course, the ominous word "price" wasn't entirely unfounded—the room's area had shrunk considerably. So much so that once a bed was placed inside, there was nowhere left to move around.
But even that posed no problem for someone like me who could accomplish everything from bed.
The simplified, austere meals were easy on my stomach, and since I could eat them in bed, I found them all the more delightful.
'Back when I played games for 13 hours a day, I'd survive entire weeks on energy drinks and sandwiches.'
Fools.
They had no idea I was a shut-in who'd crawled up from hell itself.
Receive 1 billion won and live at home ‌‌for 10 years with zero outside contact VS just living normally
If forced to choose between the two, I would unhesitatingly pick receiving 1 billion won and living at home for 10 years.
By that logic, I'd be owed at least 15 billion won....
'This is simply my nature.'
Since I'd been planning to use punishment as an excuse to remain ‌‌confined anyway, this outcome was actually better than what I'd hoped for.
For the foreseeable future, no one would bother me.
"Ah, ‌‌‌this is wonderful...."
Even though they claimed to be locking me away as a prisoner, they changed the bed sheets ‌‌once every two days.
Because of that, the soft scent of sun-dried linens lifted my ‌‌spirits instantly. ‌‌‌‌
Just as ‌‌I buried my nose in those ‌‌‌fluffy blankets and was about to drift into a light sleep. ‌‌
"It's Liam."
His voice reached me at precisely the worst moment.
'What now? What is it?'
As I lay there ‌without responding, my irritation mounting, he spoke again.
"May I enter?"
"Yes, please do."
I made a show of my exhaustion, sitting up on the bed with obvious reluctance.
Liam opened the door and stepped inside, deliberately adjusting his glasses with his middle finger once more.
What is this feeling? This sense that he's been testing ‌‌‌me all along. Though it's probably just my imagination.
"Is something the matter?"
"A message from the Grand Duke."
"...A message?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed his usually solemn face, but he soon spoke with shameless composure.
"The Grand Duke holds Princess April Salt of the Salt Kingdom in high regard as a distinguished guest and has graciously provided her with secure lodging and luxurious accommodations at the Grand Duchy. In return, he wishes ‌‌to receive appropriate compensation." ‌‌
What?
Since when did abduction become honoring a guest? And when did ‌‌surveillance become protection?
Moreover, this confinement—which suits me well enough, but would horrify most people—when did that become luxurious accommodations?
I ‌‌‌looked up at Liam without bothering to hide my skepticism.
In any case, before I could protest later, I needed to understand what he wanted from me first.
"Compensation? What kind?"
"The Dam construction in the Grand Duchy has recently fallen behind schedule."
"Surely you're not asking me to roll up my sleeves and help with construction as payment for these supposedly luxurious accommodations?"
Liam shook his head with an incredulous expression at my question.
"No. You need ‌‌‌only identify the cause of the delay and devise a solution."
"And... if that proves difficult?"
"Then..."
Liam answered in his ‌‌usual businesslike ‌‌‌tone, clipped and precise.
"Something unpleasant will likely occur."
I couldn't imagine anything specific ‌‌‌at the moment, but I understood well enough that this was a warning of something dire. ‌
I pressed my forehead with the most exhausted expression I could muster.
'There's no escaping this, is there.'
Even if I tried to deny it, the Grand Duke would discover soon enough that I had worked as Lemeia's proxy. ‌‌‌‌
So wouldn't it be better to prove myself useful and preserve my life than to resist and meet a miserable end?
If this was something I couldn't escape or refuse, perhaps it was wiser to finish it quickly and rest.
Besides, I had already made certain promises.
"I don't even ask to be ‌sent home. The truth is, I'm someone who works incredibly hard. If you'll just let me live, I'll grind my bones to dust in ‌your service without wages!" ‌‌‌
Back then, I was desperate to survive and said whatever came to mind.
And the Grand Duke actually listened. He didn't send me back—he locked me away in this dark paradise instead.
Well, I suppose there's no ‌‌‌‌helping it.
"Do you have the relevant documents?"
"I do. If necessary, ‌‌I can also arrange for you to conduct ‌‌an on-site inspection with surveillance personnel..."
"That won't be necessary."
I had no ‌‌‌desire to invite unnecessary trouble, so I took the documents Liam offered and began reading through them carefully.
'Hmm.'
The contents matched exactly what the Grand Duke had said. The ‌Dam construction, which ‌should have been nearing completion, was stalled and progressing sluggishly.
Large-scale construction projects typically mobilized the local population, but the problem was that it was late summer, just before ‌‌‌‌the harvest season.
If the work wasn't completed quickly, there was a significant risk of disrupting ‌‌the livelihood and food production of ‌‌the Grand Duchy's residents.
"Before that, there's something else I should mention."
"What else is there?"
I asked while keeping my gaze fixed on the document, and a prompt answer came back. ‌‌‌‌
"You have two weeks."
"And if I can't finish before then...?"
"You needn't ask—you already know what will happen. I'm sure your imagination is quite vivid."
"Understood."
I nodded obediently.
What choice did I have? When ordered, I obeyed. By now, I'd grown all too accustomed to labor extracted through such brutal coercion.
At ‌‌least here they provided me with sleep and meals while working me—I should be grateful for that much.
I turned the page, trying ‌‌‌‌to maintain a positive outlook.
* * *
The Grand Duke had certainly anticipated that April Salt possessed something of value. Liam shared this assessment.
The moment April Salt was abducted, the grain import matter was expedited through, and a basic error—one that Princess Lemeia would ‌‌never commit—had occurred. This much was clear to everyone.
But that was all.
"There isn't enough evidence to judge April Salt based on that alone."
So he'd conceived of consulting her on the Dam construction project.
The ‌‌solution was simple: deploy enough personnel to complete ‌‌the work in a short timeframe.
But the method was problematic. With every territory in The Empire preparing for the harvest, where would additional workers even come from?
Even if they sought out ‌‌a professional organization to handle it, the time required to negotiate new contracts and transport them to the Grand Duchy would be considerable—ultimately translating to ‌‌‌direct losses.
"No matter how hard one tries, any solution will inevitably be imperfect."
The Grand Duke, seated casually on the edge of his office desk as Liam delivered his report on what he'd told April Salt, spoke in an even tone.
"Still, just ‌in case, ‌‌I've arranged for the existing budget to be made ‌‌‌‌‌available."
"And if she presents a truly viable solution?"
At Liam's question, the Grand Duke let out a soft laugh.
"I'm undertaking this tedious task precisely to glimpse that possibility. If it happens, it would be most welcome."
"I confess I don't see it, no matter how I look at it."
"We can discuss everything after the work is done."
"...Very well."
The time given was merely two weeks.
Liam expected April Salt would present a solution that resulted in moderate losses.
That evening, while he attended to his duties, he still believed this—until the knight guarding April Salt's quarters came to find him.
"Pardon me, Advisor."
"What is it?"
"The lady wishes to ‌‌‌‌see ‌‌‌you."
Liam rose at once and made his way to ‌‌‌the princess's chambers.
'Is she giving up already?'
Unless a miracle occurred, completing it by today was impossible—a reasonable assumption.
"What did you wish to see me about?"
"You've been working this late?"
"As the Grand Duke's advisor, I must remain at his disposal at all times."
"...This is quite demanding."
The princess, who mentioned she'd asked me to call her tomorrow because it was late, yet arrived so quickly, showed no sign of nervousness whatsoever.
"So what is this about? Surely you're not going to say you've given up..."
"No, please send this for me."
As ‌‌‌countless thoughts crossed through his mind, April Salt handed him a single thin letter.

‌‌‌‌
---------------
Brought to you ‌‌‌by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official ‌‌‌‌site: valirscans.org
---------------