Chapter 43
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I possessed the body of a homebody villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 43
Clop, clop, clop.
The rhythmic sound of horse hooves echoed in my ears.
My body swayed in time with each steady beat.
Right... I'm lying down somewhere.
The moment that realization struck me, my eyes flew open.
"Mmm..."
I was inside the carriage I'd been traveling in with the Grand Duke.
But why did my body feel so strange?
As I struggled to clear my blurred vision and sit up, my head throbbed as though I were suffering from a terrible hangover.
The blackout curtains on the small window cast the interior in a comfortable darkness.
"Yawn..."
"You're awake?"
As I stretched my sluggish body, a deep voice came from right beside me.
"...Ah!"
The Grand Duke was sitting across from me, having made no sound whatsoever.
Only then did I realize I hadn't been alone in the carriage. I awkwardly wiped my mouth and nodded.
Though he did seem a bit tired for some reason. Had he not slept well?
'Hmm?'
Our eyes met, and I stiffened awkwardly.
'Why is his gaze so gentle?'
Had he always looked at me with such kindness?
It didn't seem like someone capable of wearing such a tender expression...
Having only ever seen his twisted smirk or contemptuous gaze, this was a difficult adjustment for me.
When the Grand Duke sensed my confusion and stared at him intently, he suddenly grew flustered and turned his head away.
...Perhaps I should just ask what's going on?
"Um... why am I here? We were definitely in Traga Village..."
Ah, that's right.
My memories were becoming clearer.
I vividly remembered washing up after the duck incident at the Dining Hall and falling asleep peacefully.
But the space I was in now was unmistakably a moving carriage.
So where did the time in between go?
The answer came not long after.
"It seems you don't remember. Well, you did inhale a fragrance that induces mental confusion."
What on earth was he talking about?
"...A fragrance that induces mental confusion?"
"It should have been written in the instructions. You were supposed to open the window before sleeping."
"Hmm..."
Now that he mentioned it, I seemed to recall something like that.
4. Secure the door thoroughly, but do not lock the windows completely—leave them slightly ajar.
Given the age of this inn, dust accumulates readily, so continuous ventilation is necessary.
Oh.
As I searched my memory, I stood there with my mouth hanging open.
"Ah, I forgot. But I thought it was simply because of the dust...."
Hearing my flustered response, the Grand Duke exhaled softly.
"The Imperial Palace issued orders to apprehend a gang that lures innocent travelers with invitations and commits kidnapping and robbery. That's why I've been conducting this operation."
"Is that so...?"
"The princess encountered some minor complications in the process."
As I listened to the explanation, the scattered puzzle pieces finally seemed to fit together.
In any case, all of this had been planned.
I pressed him with a lingering doubt.
"But why would you hide such important instructions in a guidebook for me?"
"I thought you enjoyed that sort of thing. Was I wrong?"
What was he talking about?
So he'd hidden clues about this crucial operation in the guidebook simply because I enjoyed ghost stories?
I couldn't help but gape at the absurdity.
"Ah, no. I do enjoy them, but this seemed like an incredibly important operation, didn't it?"
"Princess."
A light chuckle escaped his lips.
The Grand Duke's mouth curved upward with amusement.
"Of course, I didn't consider only your preferences."
"Well...."
Then what was it?
The Grand Duke wore an amused expression as he watched me struggle for words.
"In any case, this is a confidential order from the Crown Prince, and while you're disguised as my distant relative, you're actually the princess of Salt. And as you well know, the Crown Prince intends to subjugate Salt."
Every word rang true.
Salt, which currently maintained a peculiar adversarial relationship with the Cletan Empire.
If it were discovered that the Grand Duke had shared the Crown Prince's confidential orders with me—the princess of Salt—he would face punishment regardless of his rank.
Only then did I understand why he'd resorted to such a cumbersome method.
The Grand Duke didn't stop there, rubbing his brow as he continued his reproach.
"Yet you deliberately acted in a way that caught the gang's attention and did exactly what you were told not to do."
"Well, that's...."
In other words.
I wasn't naturally the type to thrust myself forward, but somehow I'd ended up doing just that.
Worried that I might have become an obstacle to the Grand Duke's operation, I grew increasingly apologetic toward him.
But feeling too awkward to offer a proper apology, I laughed uncomfortably and grasped at a ridiculous excuse.
"Haha. Isn't it true that stories need people like that to move forward?"
....
....
The silence stretched out, hanging on his words.
"Are you serious?"
"No, I'm sorry!"
Abandoning my evasion, I lowered my eyes obediently and apologized. After all, it was true that I'd nearly ruined an important operation.
Fortunately, the Grand Duke didn't seem to hold it against me, responding in a gentle tone.
"In the end, we captured all of them and transported them to the Imperial Palace."
"Really? That's a relief. And I'm even more relieved that I didn't botch things."
"I wasn't particularly worried from the start. I thought that if you were a princess, you'd find a way out of any situation."
Huh...?
As I processed his words, something caught my attention.
What? Why does he trust me like that?
But the Grand Duke's deep green eyes, which I was staring at in surprise, were nothing but utterly serious.
"Huh?"
Wait a moment.
Deep green eyes?
What is this... why does it feel like I'm remembering something?
Along with a sudden surge of anxiety, memories buried in the depths of my consciousness surfaced.
"You're so handsome that I just lost my mind..."
"What?"
"I've rarely seen anyone this handsome. That... that seems to be my type."
As the embarrassing memory surfaced, I consciously shook my head to dispel it.
'This is a false memory.'
There's no way something like this actually happened.
The fact that I'd opened my romantic eyes and praised the Grand Duke's appearance, or confessed something like that to him—it all had to be distorted memories. But...
"...If you look at me like that, my heart races too much? Could you... look somewhere else...?"
When the words I'd actually spoken came vividly back to mind, I was seized with the urge to throw open the carriage door and jump out immediately.
'Insane, insane!'
As shame washed over me like a tidal wave, making it impossible to lift my head.
I closed my eyes, trying to feign sleep instead.
So I didn't notice.
That the Grand Duke's eyes watching me were unusually warm.
* * *
―Cletan Empire, Crown Prince's Residence.
A man emerged from his bath, still wearing his robe, and stopped upon catching sight of a shadow cast against the dim light.
Though obscured by the darkness of the night, the loosely draped hair was a vivid gold.
Simultaneously, water droplets rolled down beneath the sculpted abdominal muscles—carved with the devotion of a master sculptor.
"Your Highness. The wolf from the north has arrived in the Imperial Capital."
Sharp eyes turned toward the prostrate figure.
"Is that so?"
The man chuckled softly and continued walking, humming as if singing.
"It's been a while since I've seen your face. So, how did that matter turn out?"
"...It failed, Your Majesty. My apologies."
"And the cleanup?"
"I've sent everything to 'them.'"
"Well done."
Flawless and rigid fingers reached toward the bottles of liquor displayed on the shelf.
The man, Lyden, savored the fragrant aroma of the spirits for a moment before pouring himself a glass with a relaxed demeanor and continuing.
"I never expected it to succeed in the first place. If I'd fallen for the schemes of such small-time operatives, I would have been disappointed instead."
This was merely a gift for that half-blooded vermin.
It was also a warning to send each time Kaian Blaire—who should remain hidden far from my sight—came to the Imperial Capital.
Clink.
I drained the potent liquor in one gulp, the kind that burned all the way down, and set the empty glass aside.
"They say insects grow more resilient in harsh environments. I wonder how that creature has changed."
A sneer sat uneasily upon the beautiful Crown Prince's face.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org