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

“S-Sir, you’re saying it’s on your mind?”

“…I’m simply paying for my stay with proper lodging fees, am I not? It’s only natural to be concerned about the princess.”

Oh. Is that how it works?

I ran a hand over the area near my rapidly beating heart and fixed my gaze on the teacup before me.

If I looked up now, he’d surely notice my flushed face.

The atmosphere was growing increasingly strange, almost beyond control. Unable to endure it any longer, I forced out a laugh as if nothing was wrong.

“B-But you don’t need to worry about the dessert too!”

…Wait, was it just my imagination, or did his face seem a little red as well?

The duke ran a hand over his face briefly before regaining his usual composed expression.

It happened so quickly that I wondered if I had only imagined seeing his flushed cheeks.

He shook his head, his calm demeanor restored.

“That was the attendants. They personally made a heartfelt request to the pâtissier, asking them to put in extra effort.”

“Huh?”

His next words left my mouth hanging open in shock.

Apparently, ever since I collapsed, everyone had been paying close attention to every little thing—from the temperature of my bathwater to the ingredients used in my meals.

…It was complete and utter overprotection!

“…And yet, the princess was still thinking about work.”

I flinched at his remark, feeling like a guilty thief caught red-handed.

“Oh, that was just— I happened to be reading a letter, and…”

“I suppose I’ll have to order that all reading materials in the princess’s room be removed.”

“No way!”

I couldn’t help but raise my voice in protest at such an absurd suggestion. Honestly, I had already put up with so much!

I had only wanted to take a quick look at the progress of the comic book production out of curiosity, but the moment I showed up, everyone had insisted that the new story writer, Baroness Pavron, shouldn’t dirty her hands and practically chased me away.

It was the same whenever I tried to poke around anywhere—people would startle and scurry away as if I were some kind of terrifying presence.

Thanks to that, I had been spending my entire rest period experiencing what could only be described as a royal version of social exile.

I had too many responsibilities now to go back to those happy days where I could just laze around!

“My apologies,”

The duke replied in a firm tone, seemingly oblivious to my inner turmoil.

“But isn’t it strange that reading a letter led you to think about the duchy’s fortress wall construction project?”

“Uhh…”

Okay, when put that way, I had to admit my brain’s thought process might be a little… flawed.

But still…

Perhaps taking my silence as agreement, the duke nodded with a satisfied look.

“I see you acknowledge it as well. That’s a relief.”

“That’s not what I meant…!”

“Liam.”

At the duke’s call, Liam, who had been standing nearby, promptly stepped forward.

“Yes, Master.”

“Remove all reading materials from the princess’s room at once.”

Liam adjusted his glasses and shot me a glance.

“Understood. I’m sure the head maid and everyone else will be pleased.”

…Even if he didn’t intend it, that smug look on his face was beyond infuriating. I clenched my teeth.

Why was everyone so happy about this?!

There was a limit to how unjustly I could be treated!

Taking deep, frustrated breaths, I pushed myself up from my seat.

“I’m getting up now!”

“That won’t do.”

“Huh?”

“While the attendants clean your room, it would only be proper etiquette to finish the vanilla flan the pâtissier worked so hard on.”

Oh. Right.

That was something I had often said to the duke myself.

That delicious desserts should be finished completely—even licking the plate clean was good manners.

“Princess, you’re not one to go back on your own words, are you?”

“W-Well…”

I had no counterargument. Defeated by his flawless logic, I slumped back into my seat.

Then, reluctantly, I scooped up the remaining flan and placed it into my mouth.

…It was so unbelievably delicious that I felt even more wronged.

The duke spoke just as I was nearly finished with my plate.

“I recently allocated a 30% increase in the kitchen’s budget.”

I paused, my spoon still in my mouth, and turned my gaze from my plate to him.

Why was he bringing that up now?

“The head chef has been using the extra funds to purchase all kinds of ingredients for nutritional dishes.”

Clatter.

My spoon fell onto my plate as a realization struck me.

“W-Wait, don’t tell me… because of me?”

He wasn’t saying this just to make me feel pressured, was he?

They had already given me discounted lodging, and now they were offering premium service on top of that?

Thankfully, the duke seemed to anticipate my concerns and immediately denied them.

“It wasn’t my order.”

“…?”

“The head chef requested a 30% budget increase. I simply reviewed the request with my aides and approved it.”

So all these efforts—nutrient-rich meals, special attention—weren’t directly mandated by the duke, but rather something everyone had done on their own?

“Everyone is concerned about you, Princess.”

I had noticed, to some extent.

Bonita had been fussing over me more than usual. Even the aides, whom I had only spoken to a few times, would offer me words of encouragement whenever we crossed paths.

Lady Lainey had even personally knitted a blanket for me, saying it was to help me recover.

The overworked artists, struggling to meet their deadlines, had painted an enormous landscape mural as a gift, hoping for my swift recovery.

And then there was Ian.

Usually too busy with his main duties to be around, he had been stationed almost permanently outside my room lately, always standing guard.

Even someone completely oblivious would be able to tell that everyone was worried about me.

But what truly surprised me was how even people I had barely spoken to were quietly looking after me.

I had thought only those closest to me—like Bonita—would care.

“I hear there’s not a single person in this household who hasn’t been indebted to you in some way.”

“M-Me? But I haven’t really done anything… I don’t even know all their names…”

“Perhaps you’ve helped their families in some way. For example…”

The farmers who had been stranded at the dam construction site, terrified they’d miss the harvest season.

The women who had struggled to find employment and suffered the judgment of society.

The seasonal laborers who had wandered across the vast continent in search of work.

…People who had been directly or indirectly aided by the duchy’s improving economy.

The duke added a final remark after his brief but weighty explanation.

“And I, too, consider you important, Princess.”

At those words, I could have blushed, raised my voice in embarrassment, or responded with some playful remark.

But for some reason…

Was it because of his ridiculously handsome face?

In that moment, I could feel his words sinking deep into my heart.

* * *

Late at night, the royal castle of Salt was shrouded in an eerie silence.

Berga, nursing a drink in a dimly lit hall with only a few candles burning, finally broke the heavy atmosphere with a troubled expression.

“Lemeia?”

“She still refuses to leave her chambers.”

“Tsk.”

She was probably still whining, begging him to call off the engagement.

But right now, he had no energy left to pacify his foolish daughter.

The marriage he had tried to push forward as quickly as possible was now indefinitely postponed.

“Is the situation… dire?”

“I’m afraid so, Your Majesty. Already, hundreds among the border citizens have fled.”

It all began with Lemeia’s mistake.

At first, he thought it was just a minor issue—something that could be resolved with a little loss.

But contrary to his expectations, the food shortage spiraled out of control, reaching a point where even emptying Salt’s treasury wouldn’t be enough to provide relief.

To make matters worse, a plague broke out, further accelerating the crisis.

“Khh….”

A bitter chuckle finally escaped Berga’s lips.

And in the midst of this catastrophe, the neighboring nations had all adopted a passive stance regarding grain trade.

It didn’t take long for the suspicion he had desperately tried to deny to become a reality.

“How could we have been so blind…? How did we not see this coming until the Kletan Empire’s cavalry was right at our doorstep?”

Crown Prince Raiden had set his sights on consuming Salt, solidifying his power even further.

The king’s hand trembled as he gripped his wine glass.

“If we send Lemeia… do you think it could sway the crown prince?”

“It is an attempt worth making, Your Majesty.”

“…Send an envoy.”

Like a lone boat caught in a raging storm, Salt’s fate teetered on the brink, while ominous war clouds loomed over its skies.