Chapter 19
I'm a Homebody, But I Possessed a Dark, Captive Romance
Episode 19
Lemeia Solt had to be Salt's most radiant jewel. She couldn't let anyone see her in such a pathetic, pitiable state.
That was why Lemeia quickly covered her face.
Her eyes, swollen from crying, suddenly filled with fear that they might look unsightly.
“Princess, it's me, me.”
“Count Ravioli…?”
Mason Ravioli.
The man who had recently received his title as Count for his meritorious service in eradicating the pirates rampant along the coast, and…
“Are you alright?”
Lemeia Solt's fiancé.
His tone and expression were incredibly kind, but Lemeia couldn't easily lift her head.
No, in fact, she didn't welcome meeting Mason at all.
“Yes, Princess?”
A puzzled call reached her, but Lemeia remained silent.
“Did I come at a bad time?”
“……”
In truth, he had a reputation for being quite a decent person.
Not only was he well-respected, but he was also wealthy, thanks to the considerable fortune left by his late father, the former Viscount Ravioli.
Furthermore, rumors abounded in high society that he was a gentle gentleman who respected women, so it was only natural that Verga had personally designated him as Lemeia's groom.
However, he had a flaw. A fatal one that overshadowed all his previously mentioned advantages.
“I’m fine.”
Slowly wiping away her tears, Lemeia finally met Mason’s gaze.
Reflected in her now clearer eyes, he was, by Lemeia’s standards, the ugliest man in the world.
For one thing, he was almost the same height as Lemeia. Considering Lemeia was taller than average, this was unacceptable. His hair was a dull, dark brown, and his facial features were arranged far too unpleasantly.
As if his outstretched hand for escort was in vain, Lemeia stood up on her own, leaning on a tree.
“I’ve been very busy with administrative duties lately and have been stressed… Why have you come to see me, Count?”
Her demeanor was gentle, yet it felt distant, as if a thin veil had been placed over it.
Mason retracted his awkwardly left hand and gave a sheepish smile.
“Ah, well… It’s been quite some time since we had our informal engagement ceremony, so I thought it was time we discussed the marriage.”
As he spoke, his cheeks flushed a light red, and Lemeia naturally averted her gaze.
What good was it if a person was kind? She could barely stand to look at his face.
Taking a moment to catch her breath, Lemeia managed a smile and replied,
“Um, I fully understand what you mean, but… I believe it’s still too soon.”
“Ah…”
“Today, I just finished a long meeting regarding diplomatic matters with Cletan and was about to take a break. If my marriage were to be brought up in such a situation, my father would have even more to worry about, so I think it’s best to postpone it for now. You understand, don’t you, Count?”
Of course, this postponement was intended to be extended indefinitely at her discretion.
Moreover, if Lemeia were to fall in love with Raiden, this sort of engagement could be called off at any time… but there was no need to explain that much.
Lemeia quickly calculated and glanced at him.
Count Ravioli, who had visited without even making an appointment, was more displeasing than ever today.
“Ah, I see. I always respect the Princess’s wishes.”
As expected, this naive and good-hearted man could never refuse Lemeia’s persuasion, and the outcome was no different this time.
Looking at the broad bridge of Mason’s nose as he forced a smile, maintaining his polite demeanor, Lemeia simply bowed her head.
“Then, I have many remaining tasks… I must be going.”
As Lemeia turned away haughtily, her mind was filled only with the letter she had yet to write.
She was determined to complain to Raiden about this unreasonable and unfair situation.
\ \ *
Thump, thump.
Thump, thump, thump.
…What was that sound?
It was the sound of my tiny heart pounding wildly.
‘What should I do?’
The Grand Duke, who had been silently reading a comic book for ten minutes, was like a beautiful work of art.
I was human, after all, and had aesthetic standards, so I didn’t dislike enjoying the sight of him, who was a pleasure to behold.
However, every time he remained silent, my heart would pound as if I had fallen in love.
…Have you ever heard of the suspension bridge effect?
Although my first impression was terrible, as time went on, my perception of Kayan Bleil had gradually changed.
He had even intervened in a dispute among the apprentice painters at my request. (Though the condition was a trap.)
Thinking about it, he assigned me a capable and cheerful maid, and he faithfully provides me with delicious desserts as promised…
‘No, no.’
I almost revised my assessment of Grand Duke Bleil in a positive direction. He might have intended to lull me into a false sense of security from the start!
The more my heart softened, the more I had to maintain my guard against that handsome man.
With a firm resolve, I cautiously began to speak as I watched the Grand Duke turn a page.
“Um…”
“So…”
Argh! Why did our words have to overlap at such a moment?
Speaking simultaneously, like a scene from a third-rate drama, I quickly lowered my gaze before his eyes could meet mine.
“You speak first.”
“No, Princess, you go ahead.”
“No, it’s just something trivial I was going to say.”
“Now I’m curious about what that trivial thing was.”
“No, it’s really trivial…”
Despite my earnest attempts to back down, it was no use with the Grand Duke.
He maintained his firm stance and began to fall silent.
And naturally, I was the one who always lost in such situations.
“Um… Your Highness, don’t you think this could be profitable?”
“Are you talking about this comic book?”
“Y-yes.”
I nodded, looking at the first volume of <Safety Guidelines for the Gothic Castle of Ghost Stories> in the Grand Duke’s hand.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you see…”
It felt a bit awkward to explain such an important plan verbally, without even a single page of a business proposal.
But who was I? I was a veteran slave who had scraped by even in the wild, Salt Kingdom, where I had no one on my side.
Taking a deep breath and straightening my hunched back, I began to state my opinion clearly.
“As far as I know, less than 50% of the commoners in the Cletan Empire are literate.”
The Grand Duke listened silently, his expression unreadable. Since there was no sign of rejection, it seemed there was no change in his stance.
“But this comic book can be understood through its illustrations, even by those who aren’t well-versed in reading, and it’s even fun.”
The standard of fun might differ from person to person, but the very concept of ‘comics’ would surely be received as something novel.
Moreover, with a little advertising, given the overflowing population of the Empire, I was confident that we could at least break even, even if it failed.
“Once we capture people’s attention, it will quickly become a trend. Perhaps it could even have a positive impact on the illiteracy rate, as people might start learning to read to understand the content…”
One step, two steps.
Approaching the desk where the Grand Duke was seated, I clenched my fists and spoke passionately.
Finally, a slow voice emerged from the Grand Duke.
“How do you plan to distribute it?”
Of course, I had thought of that too.
“What about publishing it in the Imperial Newspaper, which is currently being distributed?”
“In the Imperial Newspaper?”
“Even if we have to pay to secure space at first, after a few times, they will start paying us to publish the comic. Then, wouldn’t it be possible to settle the resulting profits with the artists?”
“Do you really think you can generate significant revenue with just that?”
The Grand Duke’s doubt was valid. People’s general reaction to unfamiliar things is usually passive.
I answered, conscious of my slightly flushed cheeks.
“What we expect from the newspaper is promotional effect rather than revenue. Later, we should aim to publish and sell the comic books ourselves.”
“How?”
“Since the Imperial Newspaper’s printing system is handled by the Magic Tower, we could also…”
Before I could finish, the Grand Duke shook his head.
“The Magic Tower is currently facing significant problems. While their partnership with the Imperial Newspaper is solid, they have no reason to extend that to us, who have never done business with them before.”
“Th-that’s not something you can know for sure.”
Running into obstacles before even starting was a common occurrence.
As I was about to rack my brain for another approach, I suddenly caught onto something in the Grand Duke’s words and looked at him.
The Magic Tower is having problems?
Wait a minute…
Could it be?
“Excuse me, Your Highness?”
“What is it?”
“Could I possibly know what kind of problem the Magic Tower is facing?”
