Chapter 7
Homebody, But I Possessed a Dark Confinement Novel
Episode 7
The room was changed.
Before pushing me into the new room, Liam warned me with a cold expression.
"You will pay the price for confessing lies in front of His Excellency the Grand Duke."
Honestly, I was terrified. I was incredibly scared.
If he was speaking with such intensity, I couldn't even imagine what kind of terrible prison they would lock me in.
But the reality that befell me completely defied my expectations.
“Do they really not know what a bad environment is?”
Thump.
I flopped down onto the plush mattress and rolled around.
The window had iron bars, and the direction had changed, so light didn't even come in properly.
At first, I was a little tense due to the gloomy atmosphere of the room, but after spending just one night, all my worries disappeared.
‘It doesn't let in much light even in the morning, so I can sleep soundly!’
Honestly, if I had to pick one thing I was disappointed with in this mansion, it was the absence of blackout curtains.
But now that it was naturally resolved, I couldn't be more satisfied.
Of course, perhaps the terrifying word 'price' wasn't wrong, as the room's area had become quite small. So small that there was no space to move around once a bed was placed inside.
But even that wasn't a problem for me, who could do everything from my bed.
The simple and plain diet was comfortable for my stomach, and since I could eat it in bed, I liked it even more.
‘When I played games for 13 hours a day, I survived for a week on energy drinks and sandwiches.’
Fools.
They didn't even know I was a homebody who had come from hell.
Choose between: Receive 1 billion won and live at home for 10 years with no external contact VS Just live.
If you asked me to choose one, I would unhesitatingly choose to receive 1 billion won and live at home for 10 years.
By that logic, the money I haven't received must be over 15 billion won….
‘This is my constitution.’
Since I intended to be confined anyway under the guise of punishment, this was actually a better outcome than I had hoped for.
No one would bother me for a while.
“Ah, this is nice….”
They said they were locking me up in prison, yet they changed the bedsheets every other day.
Because of that, it smelled like soft sunlight, and I quickly felt better.
As I buried my nose in the fluffy duvet and was about to drift off to sleep.
“It’s Liam.”
Liam’s voice was heard at the exact right moment.
‘Why again? What is it?’
As I, feeling reluctant, didn't answer, he asked again.
“May I come in?”
“Yes, please do.”
I sat on the edge of the bed, clearly showing how tired I was.
Liam, who opened the door and entered, unnecessarily pushed up his glasses with his middle finger.
What is this? This feeling that he's constantly giving me the middle finger. Of course, it's just my imagination… but still.
“What is it?”
“It's a message from His Excellency the Grand Duke.”
“…A message?”
A hint of embarrassment flickered across his usually solemn face, but he soon said shamelessly.
“His Excellency the Grand Duke is providing Princess April of the Kingdom of Salt with luxurious accommodation and meals under strict guard at the Grand Duke's residence, treating her as a distinguished guest. Therefore, he wishes to receive a commensurate price for it.”
What?
Since when did kidnapping become treating someone as a distinguished guest? And when did surveillance become guarding?
Moreover, when did this imprisonment(?), which is perfect for me but would be detested by ordinary people, become luxurious accommodation?
I looked up at Liam, not hiding my suspicious gaze.
Anyway, even if I were to argue about that later, I first needed to figure out what he wanted from me.
“A… price? What is it?”
“The dam construction in the Grand Duchy has been delayed recently.”
“Don't tell me you want me to help with the construction, as a price for this grand accommodation…?”
Liam shook his head with a look of bewilderment at my question.
“No. Princess, you are to find the cause of the construction delay and devise a solution.”
“And… if it is difficult?”
“If so…”
Liam replied stiffly with his usual businesslike expression.
“What you are imagining will likely happen.”
I wasn't imagining anything specific right now, but I could tell it was a warning that something serious would occur.
I touched my forehead with the most tired and weary expression in the world.
‘I can't avoid it anyway.’
Even if I tried to deny it, the Grand Duke would soon find out that I had worked as Rumeia's proxy.
If so, wouldn't it be better to prove myself a useful slave and preserve my life rather than endure and meet a miserable death?
If it's something I can't avoid or refuse, it might be better to get it over with quickly and rest.
Besides, I had already said something.
“I don't even expect you to send me back, and honestly, I'm someone who works incredibly hard. If you just spare my life, I'll dedicate myself to you for free!”
I had blurted out anything back then because I wanted to live….
But the Grand Duke actually listened to those words. He put me in this dark paradise instead of sending me back.
Sigh, well, there's nothing I can do.
“Do you have the relevant documents?”
“Here they are. If necessary, you can also go out for an on-site inspection accompanied by guards…”
“That’s fine.”
Since I didn't want to go out of my way to suffer, I first took the documents Liam handed me and read them carefully.
‘Hmm.’
The content was exactly as the Grand Duke had conveyed. The construction of the dam, which was nearing completion, was inexplicably dragging on.
Usually, such large-scale construction projects involved mobilizing the territory's residents, but the problem was that it was late summer, just before the harvest season.
If it couldn't be finished quickly, there was a high possibility of disrupting the livelihoods and food production of the Grand Duchy's residents.
“Before that, there is something additional to mention.”
“What else?”
I asked while keeping my eyes fixed on the text, and an answer came back quickly.
“The deadline is two weeks.”
“What if it's not finished by then…?”
“You know what will happen without me having to say it. What you're imagining…”
“Understood.”
I nodded obediently.
What else could I do? If they told me to jump, I had to jump. I was already accustomed to labor brought on by such fierce threats(?).
I should be satisfied that at least here, they provide me with a place to sleep and food while making me work.
I tried to maintain a positive outlook and turned the page.
\ \ *
The Grand Duke had certainly expected something from April. Liam agreed with this sentiment.
Immediately after April was kidnapped, the food import order was passed, and basic mistakes occurred that everyone knew Princess Rumeia would never make.
But that was it.
“That alone is insufficient grounds to judge April Solt.”
So, he thought of asking for advice on the dam construction.
The solution was simple: deploy personnel who could complete the work in a short period.
But the method was the problem. With all the territories of the Empire facing harvest season, where could additional personnel be drawn from?
Even if they hired a specialized group to perform the task, the time it would take from signing a new contract to moving to the Grand Duchy would be long, ultimately leading to a direct loss.
“In the end, no matter how hard we try, the solution is bound to be incomplete.”
The Grand Duke, who was perched on his office desk, said in a calm tone during Liam's report after conveying the details to April.
“However, just in case, I will arrange for the existing budget to be usable.”
“What if she comes up with a proper solution?”
Liam asked. The Grand Duke chuckled.
“We are doing this troublesome deed precisely to see that possibility, so it would be a welcome development.”
“I still don't understand, no matter how I look at it…”
“It’s not too late to talk about everything after the work is done.”
“…Understood.”
The given time was only two weeks.
Liam expected April to propose a solution that would result in some loss.
He still thought that way until that evening, when a knight guarding April's quarters came to him while he was working.
“Uh, Assistant Liam.”
“What is it?”
“The guest is asking for you, Assistant.”
Liam immediately stood up and headed to the room where the Princess was staying.
‘Does she intend to give up?’
It was a natural question, as a solution on the same day would be difficult unless a miracle occurred.
“What did you call me for?”
“You're still working at this hour?”
“An aide to His Excellency the Grand Duke must always be on standby.”
“…That's tough.”
There was no tension whatsoever from the Princess, who said she was surprised because he had come too quickly, even though she had asked him to call her tomorrow because it was late.
“So, what is it? Are you perhaps going to say you've given up…”
“No, please send this over.”
As countless thoughts raced through his mind, April handed him a thin letter.
