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

The story I intended to make brief ended up stretching out.

What was supposed to be just a recount of the facts became mixed with emotions, and unnecessary details were added to the long-winded speech.

And so, as Kayan finished speaking, he wandered for a moment, unsure where to direct his gaze.

It was something that had never happened before.

He had never shared his past with anyone.

Nor had he ever talked about what his emotions had been like back then.

And then…

“Ah.”

The anxious feeling of waiting to hear how the listener would react, hoping they would say something, was also new to him.

“That’s…”

It was a feeling he had never experienced with anyone before, and the difficulty that came with it.

As he tried to unravel the strangeness of it, April suddenly spoke up.

“It’s only natural.”

“…What?”

“A child who has a high need for communication learns to speak quickly. So, in Salt… the children of royal families who have servants attending to them and getting whatever they want right away, were notably slower to learn how to speak.”

“…”

“There’s nothing to ask for first, so it’s only natural. So, the Young Master’s actions weren’t wrong.”

It was an unexpected answer.

Kayan, without realizing it, turned his head and met April’s eyes.

Her face was twisted with frowns. It almost seemed like she was on the verge of tears. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what kind of expression it was.

But there was something certain as well. Despite being emotionally numb himself, and thus often indifferent to others’ feelings, this certainty was strangely something he could feel.

“…Why is the princess upset?”

His unfortunate past was his own, already gone, and it was something that couldn’t be undone. Wasting emotions on it now would be pointless.

But why was this little woman… why was she unnecessarily concerned about him?

“Well, I just… while listening to the Young Master’s story, I thought, if I could, I would want to meet the Young Master as a child and give him a hug.”

“…”

“I want to comfort him. Make sure he eats well, sleeps well, and plays well. Just having a healthy childhood. A child who didn’t deserve to go through things like that, and I’m thankful he’s alive.”

“…”

“It must have been so hard for him.”

…It wasn’t the first time Kayan had received such comfort.

The Blaire Duke’s estate had been a place that had warmly embraced the lonely child, and his maternal grandfather, though gruff, had been kind.

He never opened up about his feelings, but he could still be comforted.

However, no one, nothing, had ever made Kayan Blaire feel this way.

The overwhelming emotion that surged from deep within him was unfamiliar.

Why, when he saw this woman carefully choosing her words, worried that she might accidentally hurt him with something she said, did his chest feel tight in such a strange way?

It felt as though the blood in his body was boiling.

Why did he want to embrace those small shoulders? Why did he want to bury his face in her white neck and quietly exhale?

Why, why…

‘Have I… held feelings for her?’

April’s figure reflected in the silver moonlight, glowing faintly.

Though the season was cold winter, standing before him, she seemed like the spring of April.

* * *

The morning in Blaire, which was usually overcast, was surprisingly bright today.

“Ugh…”

Trying to avoid the sunlight piercing through my eyelids, I turned my head, but I couldn’t resist and finally opened my eyes.

Last night, I had left the window open and fell asleep by mistake, so I hadn’t closed the blackout curtains.

Because I had stayed up late and woke up early, my body felt heavy as if it were weighed down.

“Ugh.”

Perhaps because I had gone to bed with a restless mind, my dreams had also been unsettled.

It was probably because of the Duke’s story I had heard yesterday.

‘Is it okay for me to hear such things?’

I shook off the grogginess as I poured myself a glass of water from the kettle, and as I gazed out the window, I heard the sound of shouting coming from below.

Despite the early hour, I could see the knights, who had already begun their training, and among them, the Duke, who had been speaking with me until late last night.

Why did he, who always seemed reliable and impressive, look so pitiful today?

The man who had seemed so distant and emotionless, like an AI handling tasks with cold efficiency, now strangely appeared like a wounded, young animal.

In truth, I had always thought of Kayan Blaire as someone noble, and different from me.

So I had often referred to him as the “perfect male lead,” thinking of him as a separate entity from myself.

Although I knew from the original story that the Empress had used all sorts of schemes to make Raiden the Crown Prince, strangely, I had never connected that to the Duke, treating it as a vague part of the story that I barely remembered.

But after hearing his past from his own lips yesterday, I finally understood why I had never connected the Duke with the original story.

The Kayan Blaire I had met had never once seemed like a man who had been driven into an unfortunate position due to the Empress’s schemes.

In fact, he was someone so radiant and brilliant that it made it hard to connect him with the story I had read.

He was someone used to being revered and respected, a person who had grown accustomed to ruling over others.

No, he was someone who deserved that naturally.

That’s why…

I never thought the Duke had lived a life similar to mine in South Korea, where I competed with others for everything from childhood to adulthood, and lived a life always in competition until the day I died.

But in some ways, he had lived a life very similar to mine. No, in fact, he had probably lived a life with even less protection than mine.

‘I… I just avoided things when they were difficult.’

I had never once tried to change or even make use of the situation I was given.

So, I went to university by competing as my parents wanted.

Then I got a job by competing again.

I worked in a job, competing all the way.

Just trying not to stand out in society.

Living a life that looked like everyone else’s was the best I could do.

Spending every day in a rut, working at least eight hours a day and commuting two hours each way, it was all too predictable.

‘Death by overwork.’

In contrast, Duke Blaire was different. Despite having gone through such a tough childhood, he had grown up with dignity and ruled the harsh Duchy excellently.

He worked more diligently than anyone, earning the respect of all, and he knew how to take care of and consider his people.

…Could it be because I couldn’t do that?

I had admired Duke Blaire’s impressive appearance before, but that was all. Now, though, he seemed like a different person to me.

No, I think I’m finally starting to understand what kind of person Kayan Blaire is.

“Miss, are you already awake?”

At Bonita’s lively voice, I finally turned my head.

“Huh? You’re here?”

“I knocked, but when there was no answer, I thought you were still sleeping. I was just going to leave a snack and go…”

“It’s probably because I left the window open, so I didn’t hear you.”

Since the sounds of the knights shouting still echoed from the training grounds outside, Bonita seemed to understand my response.

“I see. Then, shall I prepare the washing water for you?”

“Yes, please. Somehow, I feel like a guest will arrive early today.”

“A guest?”

Bonita looked at me with a puzzled expression, but after thinking about it all night, I had a hunch.

The Marquis of Stephan.

If there were people who would use the trust of a friend as a stepping stone for their own benefit…

People like that wouldn’t stop at something as minor as this.

‘Why they did it no longer matters.’

What was more important was that I wouldn’t just sit back and let this happen.

Maybe my intuition was right.

“Ah, Miss. Lady Ashley really has come to visit!”

A guest arrived early in the morning.