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

“What utter nonsense,” Kayan muttered, but his gaze drifted to the door.

It was the direction the groveling woman had disappeared.

“My apologies, Your Grace,” said Liam, the monocle-wearing aide to Duke Blaire, bowing low.

But it was water under the bridge now. This debacle was a wholly unforeseen mistake.

“Who would have guessed that my shadows were merely decorative?” Kayan mused, his voice laced with sarcasm.

“Shall I send them back out?” Liam offered.

“No. Salt’s king isn’t a fool.”

Their original target had been the prized first princess. Surely, the increased security would make any further attempts futile.

Kayan Blaire, lord of an expanse rivaling most kingdoms in size, leaned back on his chair, letting out a bitter laugh.

His shadows had abducted the wrong person, a woman whose lies were as laughable as her predicament. Despite her disheveled appearance, she carried herself with a certain dignity that was anything but ordinary for a supposed slave.

Her pale, flawless complexion and light blue eyes, typical of Salt’s royal lineage, betrayed her identity. Even if her hair was messy and her face smudged with dirt, her beauty was striking, enough to catch Kayan’s discerning eye.

If his guess was right, the abducted woman wasn’t a mere maid or slave but the illegitimate daughter of Salt’s king, recently brought to his attention in reports.

Reflecting on the woman, Kayan’s expression turned ambiguous.

“By the way, there’s something suspicious I didn’t mention earlier,” Liam interjected.

“What is it?” Kayan asked.

“The spies at Salt’s royal castle reported that Princess Lemeia was unremarkable and disinterested in her duties. It seemed like a consensus mistake at the time, but…” Liam hesitated, adjusting his monocle.

The eye behind the monocle turned serious.

“According to the shadows, that woman was seen approving documents in the princess’s office earlier.”

Not only did her appearance closely resemble the princess, but she had also been using the royal seal, which led the shadows to act with confidence.

What they had failed to consider, however, was that her attire was far too plain to belong to a princess.

After adding these details, he bowed his head toward Kayan.

“Therefore… perhaps it would be wise to take into account the possibility that this intelligence is accurate.”

Kleitan Empire’s Crown Prince Raiden had desired Princess Lemeia, who had shown exceptional skill in diplomacy over the past few months.

However, King Berga of Salt had been stalling for time, seeking greater gains through his daughter. He had allowed meetings between Raiden and Lemeia but refrained from giving any definitive answers. Recently, he had gone as far as to confine Lemeia entirely within the royal palace.

Had this driven Raiden, who was accustomed to getting whatever he wanted, to the brink of madness?

He had issued an order to Kayan Blaire, a duke with the power to dispatch elite knights, to kidnap Lemeia in exchange for a secret deal.

But… what if, contrary to Raiden’s expectations, Lemeia turned out to be nothing more than a fool who had stolen credit for others’ achievements?

“She said with her own mouth that she was a hardworking slave.”

Recalling the earlier situation, Kayan’s lips curved into a faint smirk.

“Play a trick on the trade negotiations with Princess Lemeia this time. Do it subtly. Just enough that someone competent would notice.”

“As you command, Your Grace.”

Kayan knew well.

The calculating Crown Prince Raiden wasn’t after Lemeia out of love or sentiment. It was purely practical interest.

If the woman he desired turned out to be a worthless illusion, would his irrational obsession persist?

Boom.

The heavy double doors closed, leaving Kayan alone in the spacious room. His gaze naturally fell to the sack lying on the floor.

“Send me back? I wouldn’t even dare to ask for that. I’m a hard worker—really, I am! If you let me live, I’ll gladly work unpaid!”

Her face had been as scrunched as that sack.

And her demeanor—so utterly servile—was far from what one might expect of royalty. Normally, even a hint of noble blood would bring with it an air of arrogance.

If he were to judge honestly, she didn’t seem like a noblewoman at all.

Had it not been for her striking features and rare beauty, he might have accepted her claim of being a slave without question.

Swoosh.

Rising from his seat, Kayan picked up the sack.

When he flipped it over, he noticed tear stains in the shape of a face.

“…Ha.”

A quiet laugh escaped him before he could stop it, echoing in the empty room.

* * *

“You are not permitted to leave this room until the investigation is complete.”

“…Understood.”

“Even if the need to go out arises, it will not be possible without His Grace’s explicit permission.”

“Got it…”

Honestly, the bespectacled man’s words barely registered in my ears.

My gaze was fixed entirely on one thing…

‘I just want to lie down.’

The bed.

The enormous bed in the room I’d been escorted to.

“If you attempt to escape, we cannot guarantee your safety. In such a case, you may find yourself in the underground dungeons—”

“Excuse me…”

The man trailed off, pushing his monocle up with his middle finger.

‘Is that a habit?’

Fortunately, finger gestures like that didn’t mean anything offensive here.

Regardless.

Putting on my most innocent expression, I asked the important question that had been on my mind all along.

“When’s dinner?”

“If you’re thinking of using the dining room as an opportunity to escape, abandon the thought. Meals will be brought here.”

“Oh, I see.”

I lowered my head, feigning dejection.

‘Even better.’

Barely suppressing a grin, I celebrated internally.

For some reason, the monocled man seemed absolutely certain I would attempt to escape.

Why? What would even be the point of returning to Salt? If I somehow succeeded, I’d just go back to being a slave.

I already knew better than anyone. My father, King Berga of Salt, wouldn’t suddenly change his treatment of me, an illegitimate daughter, just because I was kidnapped and returned.

“…Are you even listening?”

“Y-Yes?”

“His Grace is not one to squander mercy. Be grateful for the life you’ve been spared and conduct yourself with humility—”

I felt a little bad for the man, but his words passed lightly through my ears.

My attention was entirely on the bed in front of me, and my focus had thinned to a spider’s thread.

Thud.

“…I’ll be watching.”

When the door finally closed, I pressed my ear against the crack to confirm there was no sound from the hallway.

Step, step.

My injured, bare feet sank into the plush carpet.

The man’s long-winded words had only left me with one clear message.

In summary…

“I’m trapped, huh?”

The room was enormous—so much so that I could liken it to a sports field compared to the storage room I had back in Salt’s royal palace.

Taking my gaze off the bed, I noticed a small door leading to a bathroom and a bookshelf lined with books.

Trembling, I clenched my fists tightly.

I was trapped. Confined.

I wouldn’t be able to leave, no matter what happened. All meals and activities would take place inside this room.

There was no telling when—or if—I’d ever get out. The so-called “investigation” they mentioned didn’t seem to have a set timeline.

In that case…

“Let’s sleep.”

Plop!

I threw myself onto the bed, and the soft bedding welcomed me as if it had been waiting all along.

The plush comfort of the high-quality sheets nearly brought tears to my eyes.

“Ahh.”

Who knew kidnapping and confinement could feel this luxurious?

Silently celebrating, I smiled widely before slipping into a deep sleep.