Chapter 10
I'm a Homebody, But I Possessed a Dark Imprisonment Novel
Episode 10
“How could you have trusted that woman?”
Liam was bewildered.
In fact, on the very day April asked him to send a letter.
Liam went to see the Grand Duke that evening to report the situation and urged him to prepare an alternative plan.
But.
“It would be better to watch a little longer.”
“Yes? If things go wrong, the territorial residents will strongly oppose it.”
“Patience is a virtue.”
Kaiyan appeared very relaxed that day and did not listen to him any further.
Liam felt his own insides burning as he directly saw and heard the growing indignation of the mobilized territorial residents.
But after facing such a twist, he felt as if he had been fooled all by himself.
No one had backstabbed Liam, yet he felt a dizzying sensation as if his head was spinning.
“…By any chance, Your Highness, did you already know what that woman would do?”
“Well, roughly.”
“Yes? How…?”
“Wasn’t there only one way?”
In fact, it was obvious if you looked at the forest instead of the trees.
Kaiyan thought April was likely Rumeia’s proxy, but he needed cross-verification regardless.
And he thought mobilizing them for the current dam construction problem was a good method to verify it.
It would have been a familiar aspect if she had worked in the Kingdom of Salt.
The Empire takes a conservative stance on hiring foreigners, so it does not use mercenaries.
On the other hand, the Kingdom of Salt, which is always short on manpower, was proactive in using mercenaries.
And it is a well-known fact that the intelligent Princess Rumeia, to fill the Queen’s vacant position, not only oversees internal affairs but also assists with diplomacy and administration.
Therefore, compiling this leads to the following conclusion.
If April Solt was Rumeia’s proxy as he expected, she would immediately find a mercenary group that could be mobilized and deploy them without delay.
As expected, April directly contacted the contracting representative of a suitable mercenary group and succeeded in deploying them to the site very swiftly.
“It was a windfall. Honestly, I didn’t expect her to handle it perfectly.”
The Imperial family of the Empire was fueling public opinion for the revival of the slave system that had existed in the past.
For that purpose, the Empire restricted external personnel and controlled related information, and revoked business permits for employment agencies.
Of course, it wasn’t impossible if one set their mind to it, but it was true that April had shortened a task that would have taken a long time.
“Honestly, I was also impressed. Coming up with measures to employ the extremely poor… is a thought that someone who only does superficial work cannot have. She is fundamentally excellent at her job.”
In fact, Liam didn’t want to admit that April, who lounged around like a sloth in her room every day, was excellent.
Was it madness that rejoiced in imprisonment, or was it laziness?
Whichever it was, seeing her appearance, which didn’t seem good, he even thought that the speculation of her being Rumeia’s proxy might just be a simultaneous delusion of many people.
However, the way April handled the work, which he witnessed with his own eyes, was truly astonishing.
The way she handed over duties to the administrators was efficient and flawless, making him want to learn from her.
If it weren’t for April’s characteristic ‘Please leave me alone’ expression, Liam would have asked her how she did it and so on long ago.
“Honestly… I wondered if she was getting advice from someone unseen, perhaps from her room.”
“Are you saying she receives divine revelation?”
“If there’s a god in the corner of the room.”
The Grand Duke burst into laughter at Liam’s grumpy retort.
“In any case, the Princess has proven her usefulness directly.”
What kind of reward should be given?
Kaiyan stroked his smooth chin with his index finger.
Normally, it would be polite to show courtesy to a distinguished guest who helped the Grand Duchy with a difficult problem, escorting her safely home.
However, unfortunately for April, Kaiyan had long ago thrown such politeness to the dogs and did not know it.
Instead, perhaps he could grant one wish?
“It would be best to hear directly what she needs. Bring the Princess here.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
Liam bowed his head.
About three days later, the dam construction in the Grand Duchy began to run smoothly.
It seemed the people of the Grand Duchy had safely returned to their livelihoods, so I thought they wouldn’t look for me anymore.
“The Grand Duke is looking for you.”
Liam, as if to prove my assumption wrong, came to find me himself.
“Um, right now?”
“Yes, he is looking for you right now.”
“But….”
I had just come back inside after basking in the sun for about five minutes to prevent vitamin D deficiency, and had just washed my feet.
If only he had come a little earlier.
“It’s fine.”
It was fortunate that I hadn’t changed from my outdoor clothes into pajamas.
“Let’s go.”
Thump, thump.
With somewhat listless steps, I entered the Grand Duke’s study, which now felt familiar.
“You’re here.”
The setting sun poured into the room through the window.
Thinking it was a bit too bright to look at him, I greeted him politely.
“Hello. It’s been a while. How have you been?”
At my greeting, the Grand Duke gave me a strange look without a word.
Hmm, was that not it? It shouldn’t be that different according to Imperial etiquette.
As I felt puzzled and reviewed my recent words and actions, he suddenly burst into laughter.
“How amusing.”
“…What?”
“You left glaring at me last time, and today you’re asking about my well-being.”
“Ah.”
It was then that I recalled our last conversation was about that fraudulent trade contract.
But well. That matter had already passed, and I had concluded long ago that it was not my concern.
As if the Grand Duke felt the same, he quickly changed the subject.
“You resolved the dam construction issue cleanly this time.”
“Ah, thank…”
“Considering you claimed to know nothing, I think it was excellent work. What is the Princess’s opinion?”
I immediately pursed my lips.
With the Grand Duke’s information network, even if King Salt had tried his best to hide it, he would have obtained information about Rumeia’s eccentric intelligence!
But before I could say anything, the Grand Duke continued.
“I mentioned it before, didn’t I? The Empire imposes harsh punishments on liars. Do you remember?”
Harsh punishment, like tearing a liar’s mouth open?
In an instant, my courage shriveled like a bean.
“I remember… but why are you suddenly bringing that up…?”
“Didn’t I say earlier? That your work was excellent.”
“……?”
“It means I will overlook it. I won’t pry into the circumstances. Though finding out behind the scenes is a separate matter.”
It wasn’t bad news. It meant I wouldn’t be threatened with having my mouth torn open, at least.
Besides, even if he tried to find out behind the scenes, he wouldn’t know I was a transmigrator even if he took an MRI of my brain, so it was irrelevant.
I nodded with a peculiar expression.
“Thank you. Then, may I leave now?”
“No.”
The Grand Duke lightly refused my words with a smile.
“I still have business to attend to.”
“What?”
Is this perhaps a scenario where a slave who narrowly escaped hard labor, after proving their abilities, is forced into another labor camp and works until they die of old age?
I felt my future becoming bleak and asked the Grand Duke with a dejected expression.
“Is there… more work?”
“If you have something you want, tell me.”
Suddenly?
As I looked at the Grand Duke with a puzzled expression, he seemed to feel he hadn’t explained enough and added belatedly.
“Overlooking the Princess’s lie is a kind of bonus. I want to pay you for helping the Grand Duchy with this matter. With whatever the Princess desires.”
Hmm. A normal person would probably ask to be sent away from this Grand Duchy.
However.
‘Three meals a day are provided. Warm water is provided. I can sleep soundly in a soft bed without any disturbance. I don’t have to do anything. And if I have to work, the work-life balance is this good? I must endure.’
From my perspective, there was no place more comfortable than here.
If I left the Grand Duchy and returned to Salt, the same cycle of slave life would await me.
Moreover, if I were unlucky, I might even face the fate of being beheaded by boarding the royal family’s bus, which was heading for ruin.
If that’s the case, it’s unconditionally beneficial to stick close to the Grand Duke, who was a person of great power even in the original work.
I looked at the Grand Duke again.
His handsome face shone dazzlingly, and his broad shoulders seemed like they could easily support dozens of my heads.
Looking again, the Grand Duke, with his appearance, background, and slightly deranged personality, had all the makings of a male lead.
‘Isn’t this an opportunity?’
In many novels, when you stick close to such a powerful man and are asked what you wish for, they sometimes end up in a contract marriage or engagement.
Then, by chance, they fall in love and head towards a smooth happy ending.
“Can I have anything?”
“Except for being allowed to leave this place.”
At the Grand Duke’s answer, I became certain of what I wanted to say.
Yes. It was time for me to become the protagonist of my own life and do everything I had dreamed of.
“W-well then…”
With firm resolve, I opened my trembling heart.
“I want to live in a room full of manga!”
