Though I’m a Homebody, I Found Myself in a Dark Captive Genre

I had thought that it might have some degree of impact.

After all, that was the purpose of the advertisement.

But.

But…

“All the stock is gone?”

“Y-yes, my lady.”

Seriously? Really?

No matter how many times I asked, the answer remained the same.

Lady Lainey and I, seated across from each other with a cool cup of tea between us as usual, fell into a brief but synchronized moment of contemplation.

“All that Polleta leather lying around the territory…?”

“It’s all being processed, but it’s nowhere near enough to meet the flood of incoming orders.”

At this rate, the soonest we could ship anything would be in a month.

‘This is bad.’

I clutched my head in silent agony.

I had assumed that even if every noble in the empire placed an order, there would be more than enough stock, given that the product was only meant to cover a few bedroom windows—at most, half a dozen per room.

The problem was that I had completely underestimated the sheer size of noble estates and, more importantly, the extent of their vanity.

‘I had no idea either….’

And, to be honest, I hadn’t even wanted to know.

I thought that once nobles read the book and started using blackout curtains, the trend would pass like a fleeting fad in high society.

I never expected every noble to rush to replace all the curtains in their homes.

Let alone that wealthy commoners and even ordinary citizens would want them too!

“Actually, overseas orders have been pouring in as well… I’ve never had to deal with something like this before.”

Lady Lainey’s tone, caught between laughter and exasperation, mirrored my own dilemma. I had no idea how to handle this situation.

‘I never imagined my readership was this global.’

This Special edition of ‘< Safety Rules for Writing Horror Stories>’ had been produced independently, separate from the main story and without a traditional magazine publisher.

Even though we had prepared a generous stock based on the previous sales performance, unexpected international demand forced us to print several additional editions.

Of course, it was a good thing.

Seeing formerly unknown artists, who had once relied solely on patronage, finally earning a stable income made me feel genuinely happy.

But… this was far beyond the level of influence I had anticipated.

‘No, I should be happy.’

I shook off my growing anxiety and shifted my perspective.

The truth was, I was now sitting on a mountain of wealth. Rather than worrying, I should first enjoy the success that had come my way!

I had gotten into the habit of stressing out over good things because every success had always come with more responsibilities, leaving me physically and mentally drained.

“My lady?”

“…Ah.”

Lady Lainey’s concerned voice snapped me back to reality.

“Sorry. I’ll ask His Highness the Grand Duke about the Polleta leather supply.”

My reaction must have been a bit off, as Lady Lainey still looked worried.

I spoke calmly, hoping to reassure her.

“Other nearby territories should also have excess Polleta leather, so we could consider purchasing from them.”

“Hmm, that’s a good alternative.”

“Yes. And I also heard rumors that there’s an upcoming Polleta hunting campaign.”

Which meant that, in time, the leather shortage would be resolved.

At that moment, Lady Lainey spoke again.

“By the way, my lady, since we’re on the topic… I wanted to tell you that the artisans in the workshop are all very happy.”

“Huh? Why? Isn’t all this work exhausting for them…?”

Happy?

Weren’t we just discussing the overwhelming number of orders?

I looked at her in confusion, but Lady Lainey simply chuckled and answered.

“That’s precisely why. The fact that they have steady, reliable work is a huge relief for them.”

“Oh.”

“Seasonal workers often struggle with unstable income. If they lose out on competition, they sometimes go without food for days. But thanks to this, many of them are considering staying in the Grand Duchy of Blaire permanently instead of moving elsewhere.”

Her voice carried nothing but goodwill.

For some reason, my chest felt warm and fuzzy.

“…I see.”

I didn’t want to admit it, but I must have felt a reflexive sense of pride.

Whenever I started a new venture, I usually ended up exhausted—both physically and mentally.

Creating manga had simply been a way to continue my past life’s hobbies. The blackout curtains? Just a way for me to sleep better.

And yet, somehow, these things ended up helping people.

As I quietly wrestled with my embarrassment, Lady Lainey’s bright gaze met mine as she continued.

“It’s all thanks to you, my lady. Everyone is deeply grateful.”

“M-me? But I haven’t really done anything….”

“Oh my! How could you say something so disheartening?”

Lady Lainey firmly denied my words as I hesitated, stepping back slightly.

I didn’t need this kind of praise prison….

As I lowered my head like a ripened ear of rice, Bonita chimed in.

“I also help the artists, so I know. They’re all grateful to you, my lady.”

“M-me?”

A benefactor? Me? Why?

I pointed at myself in disbelief, and Bonita placed her hands on her hips as she replied.

“You helped artists like Ashley secure a livelihood. And while I don’t know the details, there are rumors that you played a big role in the Mage Tower as well.”

“That… that just happened by chance….”

“Even if we set all of that aside, you gave everyone blackout curtains as gifts! I’ve been in noble households since childhood, and I can tell you that it’s extremely rare for a master to personally gift something to their servants.”

Bonita smiled lightly as she finished speaking.

Even so, calling me a benefactor felt a bit embarrassing.

After all, from my perspective, I had only done what was necessary.

“Everyone appreciates your kindness, my lady.”

“Thank you for saying that, but…”

How did the conversation take this turn all of a sudden?

Caught between Lady Lainey and Bonita, I eventually felt my cheeks heat up and lowered my head.

“Hoho, in any case, that concludes my report for today. I’ll look into any emergency supply sources and let you know if I find anything.”

“…Yes, ma’am. I’ll also check with His Highness the Grand Duke….”

As Lady Lainey bowed and exited the room, silence briefly settled over the space.

I touched my cheeks, still feeling the lingering warmth.

Thinking back, it was true that my actions had a positive impact on people.

‘They really do look healthier.’

Most of all, what pleased me was the change in those closest to me.

Since installing the blackout curtains, the people in the Grand Duke’s household visibly looked more well-rested.

Even Bonita, standing beside me now, had much lighter dark circles under her eyes.

“Um… my lady.”

“Hm?”

Bonita cautiously spoke as our eyes met.

“When do you think Sir Ian will stop standing like that…?”

“Ah!”

Only then did I snap back to attention.

The man recently hired as my bodyguard—Ian—was still standing by the door, completely motionless.

“Did you think about my offer? I got His Highness’s approval!”

At my words, Ian hesitated briefly before responding firmly.

“I considered it, but it will be difficult.”

“Oh… really? But last time, you said you’d think about it….”

“…I hadn’t realized it at the time, but I have another job. I don’t have the time.”

A firm refusal.

But unwilling to give up, I carefully asked,

“May I ask what your other job is?”

“It’s a personal matter, so it’s difficult to disclose…”

“In that case, I can adjust my schedule as much as possible! So please reconsider. Okay?”

“…Three hours a day. I can’t spare more than that. And the minimum working hours for a bodyguard are usually eight hours…”

“Three hours is actually perfect for me?!”

I eagerly latched onto Ian’s words, which he had seemingly thrown out to completely refuse my offer.

“I’m mostly stuck in my room anyway, so three hours is more than enough!”

“…I can’t set aside three consecutive hours. An hour and a half in the morning, an hour and a half in the afternoon. And the working hours must be flexible according to my schedule.”

“I’m fine with that. Honestly, I barely spend more than an hour and a half outside on any given day.”

“I absolutely cannot go on trips.”

“I don’t travel either, so that’s no problem!”

“There may be times when I’m too busy and need to take several days off.”

“I probably only go out three or four times a month at most. Hehe.”

As someone born to be a homebody, having a full-time bodyguard actually felt more burdensome.

In other words, Ian’s part-time arrangement was ideal for me!

Plus, only having him accompany me for necessary outings was even better. It meant my privacy would remain intact.

In the end, I successfully broke through Ian’s ironclad defenses and managed to hire him.

He looked utterly taken aback, as if he had never expected me to accept his terms so readily, but—

Regardless, with our employment contract now in place, Bonita wasted no time in setting him straight.

“Since you’re now the Lady’s employee, you should address her with proper respect as her bodyguard!”

“…I will do so.”

However, once he officially took on the role, Ian was exceptionally diligent, even during his short shifts.

He absolutely refused to slack off. Sometimes, his dedication even felt a bit excessive.

“Um, Ian! You can sit down here! There’s no one around, and nothing is likely to happen here anyway…”

“As a bodyguard, I cannot sit at the same table as my employer… I believe. I must decline.”

“Ah…”

Faced with his polite yet firm refusal, I could only offer an awkward smile.

Well, I do appreciate him taking his job seriously, but isn’t this a bit too much?

“You know, there’s no rule saying a bodyguard has to stay standing at all times, Ian.”

“……!”

I can’t lose this battle.

As I delivered my final remark, his expression subtly shifted, making me laugh out loud.

Knock, knock!

A heavy, unmistakably serious knock echoed through the room.