"Who is this?"
The question did not take long.
“It's Liam.”
I was actually intending to ask him about Pauletta's skin, so my eyes lit up and I stood up.
"Hey Liam! I was about to ask you something—"
But something was wrong.
He stood in the middle of the doorway, leaning against the frame, rubbing his forehead as if he was exhausted.
Hmm, he seems to be thinking about a lot of things. But why?
"If he has something to say, he usually says it right away. Is something wrong?"
“Liam?”
When our eyes met, he looked worried.
Even though he didn't respond right away, my instincts were already screaming at me – something was definitely going on.
“I need a private talk. And make sure the ‘bodyguards’ leave the room.”
"oh well."
Upon this unusual request, I asked both Bonita and Ian to leave the room.
After it got quiet, Liam finally got to the point.
“An invitation has arrived from the royal palace.”
“For His Highness the Grand Duke?”
This makes sense.
I nodded to myself. For someone like Grand Duke Blair, it was not uncommon for him to be summoned to the palace from time to time.
But why was Liam telling me this?
I firmly ignored my growing sense of anxiety and asked again. The answer came much faster than I expected, and it completely surprised me.
“No. All participants in the comic book project are invited.”
“Uh...really?”
My voice wavered slightly.
Surely, they don't mean me either...?
I wanted to deny reality, but Liam's silence forced me to ask again.
“Wait… am I included?”
Sometimes, when people are traumatized, they repeat themselves without realizing it. I think this was one of those times.
And it wasn't as if I could simply decline a royal invitation.
“Yes, you are right.”
“Do I really have to go? Me specifically?”
“Yes. His Lordship will explain more when he arrives...”
Liam glanced at the clock on the wall.
“He's a little late.”
Wait… is the Grand Duke coming here?
I tilted my head in confusion, and at that very moment, as if it were an agreed signal, the Grand Duke burst into my room, panting.
“I'll explain,” he said, panting.
“Then I will leave the rest to you, Your Highness.” Liam bowed, calm as ever, and left the room, leaving me with the panting Grand Duke.
“Hmm… So, what do you need to explain?”
Was he angry? Did something happen?
Just a few days ago, I thought we had finally moved beyond the kidnapper-hostage dynamic. Apparently not.
After finally regaining his breath, the Grand Duke spoke.
“You should go too, princess.”
“Should I do that?”
To the royal palace?
The first thing that came to my mind: I don't want that!
Staying under the protection of the Grand Duke was one thing, and it even had its advantages. But moving to the imperial capital was a completely different story.
Kayan Blair.
Grand Duke. The biological son of the Emperor, although he renounced any right to the throne upon inheriting the title. However, his royal blood alone was enough to attract attention and arouse astonishment.
And if you appear with him? Your entire social circle will be buzzing with conversation.
Just my appearance alone could cause serious problems.
Just thinking about it made me feel nauseous.
Before I could even comprehend my horror, the Grand Duke approached. Then his calm voice followed.
“You're in charge of this comic book.”
“But I…”
I just want to stay home.
I am someone who prefers to stay at home...
But my thoughts didn't seem important. His facial expression remained frowning.
“Disrespecting royalty is a serious crime, punishable by death. If you do not answer their questions correctly, innocent artists may be accused of deception.”
This silenced me.
He was right, I knew more about the story and characters of the graphic novel than anyone else. I couldn't stand by while others got into trouble because of something I knew.
So, I had no other choice.
As long as I don't get caught, it'll be okay, right?
Resistance was futile. I had no choice but to accept.
If I could just stay out of sight, it wouldn't be so bad...right?
After a long thought, I turned to face the Grand Duke, who was still staring at me.
“If I go as your distant relative...”
Finally, I forced myself to give my hesitant answer.
“Okay. I'll go.”
"Fine. I'll take that as a nod."
The Grand Duke nodded and turned to leave.
But suddenly, without warning, a wave of frustration swept through my chest.
I was dragged into the Imperial Palace without putting up any real resistance!
It all ended with my dependence on the Grand Duke in the first place.
Maybe it's time... to implement that plan.
My financial situation was stable. Although I couldn't afford a mansion, I could at least afford a small house.
With that in mind, I called out to him just as he was about to walk through the door.
“Your Highness, one more thing...”
“What is this?”
His calm question made me feel small, but I raised my head.
“Maybe it's time for me to think about...independence?”
“...Princess. Did you just say independence?”
His tone was cold as ice.
Why does he look angry?
His face was the same as always, but I felt cold.
It didn't make sense. Shouldn't he be happy to get rid of me?
Maybe he's just worried about losing a loyal servant?
I tilted my head at the thought, but quickly straightened up to make my point.
“Yes, my situation here is… awkward. Staying any longer would be exhausting.”
That was true.
First, I was a victim of kidnapping. But once the mistake was realized, my role became strange.
Technically, the easiest solution would have been to silence me completely. But instead, I stayed of my own free will, and now...
I'm like a guest, or even the mistress of the house.
But it wasn't true. I felt like I was taking advantage of others.
Plus, I've always had problems here. If I had stayed, more headaches would have surely followed.
impossible. I can't let that happen.
My quiet life at home was at stake.
"I've been a burden long enough. It's time for me to move on."
"and?"
“When we return from the palace, I will move in immediately. It won’t take long.”
I bowed my head, determined.
Since he had already referred to me as a “guest,” he had no reason to stop me.
After a short silence, he finally spoke.
"Is that so? If that's what you want, I won't stop you."
Nice – good!
His tone of remorse and his apparent willingness to let me go were reassuring. I smiled and raised my head.
But then.
“…Huh?”
He was smiling.
Not just any smile, but a bright smile.
I immediately had goosebumps.
Something's wrong.
Whenever he smiled like that, disaster struck. I learned this lesson the hard way.
He approached me step by step with a slow pace. He stopped right in front of me, looked down and spoke.
“But before you leave, princess… let’s settle our scores, shall we?”