Chapter 11
I'm a Homebody, But I Possessed a Dark Captivity Novel
Episode 11
“Com…ic books?”
The Grand Duke wore a very strange expression. To his ambiguous reaction, neither confirming nor denying, I awkwardly nodded.
Surely he wasn't going to say no now? I mean, I hadn't even proposed a contract marriage or anything.
But the question that followed beautifully missed my expectations.
“What is that?”
“What?”
No, without even getting to a yes or no, he didn't even know what comic books were!?
Countless comic books I had seen flashed before my eyes, but when I tried to define what a comic book was, my words got stuck.
“Ah, um, well… normal books are made up of only text, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Yes, but comic books, as the name suggests, can be seen as expressing the content of a book through pictures.”
“Hmm.”
A brief silence fell.
But I saw it. In that short moment, the Grand Duke’s expression, which always maintained a poker face, faltered ever so slightly. It quickly returned to normal, as if it had been my imagination.
I carefully opened my mouth again.
“Did you perhaps understand?”
“Yes, but….”
The Grand Duke, who had been sitting with an arrogant posture, crossed his legs the other way.
Distracted by the movement of his endlessly long legs, I couldn't properly hear his next words.
“Is that all you want?”
“…What?”
“Comic books, is that all the Princess wants?”
“…Ah, if it’s alright, I do have a wish for about one meal’s worth of snacks.”
As the saying goes, food should have a good balance of sweet and salty.
But my recent meals had generally been simple, healthy fare.
I felt grateful that I didn't have to prepare it myself, but it’s human nature to want to sit when you’re standing, and want to lie down when you’re sitting…
“Something sweet would be nice, and something salty wouldn’t be bad either… Hahaha.”
But as soon as I finished speaking, the faint smile that had been on the Grand Duke’s face vanished.
“Princess, I believe I offered to pay you for your assistance with the Grand Duchy’s affairs.”
“Y-you did.”
“And yet, all you want are comic books and snacks?”
“Yes. Is, is something wrong…?”
As his expression changed, I felt as if the temperature around me had dropped slightly.
What, what exactly is the problem?
Judging by the word ‘all,’ it doesn’t seem like an excessive request.
“Ha.”
The Grand Duke lowered his head. I stiffened, wondering if he was angry, but then I heard a small chuckle, kuk-kuk.
He covered his mouth with a straight hand and raised his head again, his face filled with a laugh mixed with bewilderment.
“…It’s truly fascinating.”
It was a handsome smile from a handsome man, but I couldn't understand why my mood grew increasingly uneasy.
As I stared at him, bewildered, the Grand Duke seemed to make up his mind and nodded.
“Alright, comic books. I will grant your wish.”
I watched him with suspicious eyes until the very end, and only when I stepped out of the study could I relax my gaze.
Liam, who had been waiting by the door, bowed his head.
“I will escort you to your room.”
Thump-thump.
Pitter-patter.
The footsteps of Liam and I echoed particularly loudly in the empty hallway.
Liam, who had remained silent, spoke when I was just about to get lost in my own thoughts.
“As you instructed, I have offered employment to those on the selected list. Of course, all have accepted.”
I stared intently at Liam, who was reporting as if he were recounting past events.
Why is he telling me this?
But as always, his eyes behind his single-lens glasses showed no particular reaction.
Since there was nothing to find fault with, I could only nod perfunctorily.
“Yes, I see.”
“I will take care to assign less difficult tasks to those with chronic illnesses or the elderly, among others.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Ah, the Black Eagle Corps tends to prefer simpler meals, so we should be able to procure the ingredients within the territory ourselves.”
“Yep.”
My voice lacked any soul, but Liam was undeterred.
‘Please, couldn’t you talk to someone else?’
It was a very awkward situation for me.
I had only helped with the dam construction issue this one time; I had no intention of doing anything further.
“…In conclusion, the morale of the territory’s residents has greatly increased.”
“That’s wonderful news.”
I tried my best to craft the most insincere response, hoping he would somehow understand my feelings.
“Thank you, though it’s late.”
I shook my head at the softly added words.
“I merely did as I was asked.”
Actually, it was half-forced.
He should remember that he had made me do it, yet he was offering thanks like this.
I couldn’t even begin to guess how thick Liam’s skin was.
“It wasn’t just that; you also paid attention to the welfare of the underprivileged, didn’t you?”
“…Um.”
I stubbornly stared straight ahead. It felt strange to receive undue praise for something obvious.
Putting that aside, this hopeless world had a severe lack of human rights awareness.
Even though I, who am young and healthy(?) and know the future, have such a hard time making a living, how much harder must it be for others?
However, instead of revealing my true feelings, I replied jokingly.
“Then, could you stop watching me?”
Liam’s index finger, which had risen without fail, pushed his glasses up.
“That is difficult. Neglecting one’s duties is dereliction of duty.”
“Sigh…”
As we lightly bickered, we soon reached my room.
Before opening the door, I looked up at Liam one last time.
“You worked hard.”
Meaning, please stop bothering me now.
As I bowed my head out of courtesy and was about to close the door, a soft voice was heard again.
“I will see you again tomorrow.”
…See me again tomorrow?
Why? For what reason? You’re just being polite, right?
It was clearly a normal greeting, but my heart began to pound wildly with an inexplicable sense of unease.
\ \ \
Against my worst fears, Liam’s words became reality.
No, it happened in just a few hours. From early morning, a loud knocking sound reached my ears as I slept soundly.
Still half-asleep, I washed up and checked the clock; it was only 6 AM.
Normally, I would be in dreamland at this hour, but…
“What is this at the crack of dawn? Aren’t you sleeping?”
“My motto is that you can sleep when you’re dead.”
Why are you doing this to me…
“…I have nothing more to say.”
I grumbled in a sullen voice, but it had no effect on Liam.
He led me, full of displeasure, to a large door.
Hearing faint murmurs from inside, it seemed someone was there.
“Where is this…?”
“You will know soon.”
Creeeeak.*
As the large double doors opened, I felt more lost than ever.
Many people were gathered in the vast hall.
“Who are all these people…?”
“They are artists. Ah, to be precise, they are the artists who will draw the ‘comic books’ you requested.”
I scanned the people gathered in a circle with a stunned gaze.
Some were elderly, middle-aged or older, and among them was someone still in slippers, as if they had been dragged here in a hurry.
And they, too, seemed just as bewildered by the situation, their glances at me and Liam filled with undisguised confusion.
Liam, who strode confidently to the center, began introducing the people to me.
“This is Sir Brown, a former court painter. In order, this is Sir Cedric, who taught art classes at the academy, and Sir Rovid.”
Then who are the people crowded behind them…?
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Brown. And these are my apprentices.”
Ah, I see.
I, who had been completely frozen, numbly took the wrinkled hand extended to me and bowed my head while shaking hands with Sir Brown, who had a long white beard.
“Yes, i-it’s a pleasure to meet you….”
My head already throbbed.
To draw comic books, they brought a former court painter, and even someone with so many apprentices?
Liam, leaving me stunned, declared confidently.
“I hope you will create excellent comic books with the support of His Highness Grand Duke Blale.”
…Is this right?
Is it right for such high-caliber individuals to be mobilized to create comic books for me alone to read!?
