Volume 3 Chapter 3: Captive Part II (1/2)

Though it’s a bit awkward to say this myself, I think that I, Jared Stuart, am pretty talented. I can do most things easily and I’m pretty good at reading people’s expressions. So I’ve been able to do most things easily with no struggle.

If there was one, single thing that I couldn’t do easily, it would have to do with my fiancée Katarina Claes.

I was first attracted to her when I met her when I was eight, and eight years later, my feelings for her are so crazy strong they even shock me.

And yet… Katarina just won’t dance to my tune… in fact, I even feel like she’s getting further and further away from me. Even though the more we spend time together the more I’m attracted to her…

Take today for example. After spending eight years with her, I had gotten pretty used to her actions and had thought that I wouldn’t be too surprised at anything she did…

But at the sight of her on the stage, my heartbeat rose and she stole my heart anew. Just how many times must she steal my heart away until she’s satisfied? I just keep getting more attracted to her.

However, I’ve honestly gotten a little frustrated that Katarina just sits there normally with not a hint of a blush when I say lines that easily fluster other noble ladies.

That’s why I had planned to take my revenge by touching her even more than usual at the ball, to have my fill of her soft body… but my hopes remained unfulfilled as Katarina suddenly disappeared.

To make things worse, Katarina’s location remains unknown even as the days pass by. At first, I thought little of it, figuring that she had gotten lost or something in the academy since it was dark outside. It’s normal for her to not sit still and listen to instructions.

But after a little while, I realized that wasn’t the case. Apparently no one saw her after she went into the waiting room. Is that even possible? There were even a few people who said that their memory was hazy, worsening my sense of unease.

I recall last year’s incident. Katarina nearly lost her life after forbidden dark magic was cast on her. However, that incident was over and done with. The mastermind Rafael lost that power anyway.

So what in the world is going on this time?! Why is it always Katarina…?

My feelings did a 180 and I grew irritated. But even as I continued my desperate search, there was no progress and so I became even more irritated. That was when…

“… Um, Jared-sama, a letter has arrived for you,” says one of my servants in a very respectful voice.

That hesitation is probably because I’m so different from my usual self. I recognize that, but I still can’t smile like I usually do.

Even as I think that I couldn’t care less about a letter at a time like this, I soften my face for my frightened servant and ask:

“Who sent it?”

“Well the thing is, the sender’s name is missing,” my servant says, looking troubled.

“The sender’s name is missing?”

Thinking rationally, it’s unbelievable that someone wouldn’t put their name on a letter addressed to royalty. What does this mean? Did some idiotic noble write me some abuse and slander or something?

As I muse, I accept the letter from my servant.

“I have not read the letter, but I did verify that it was not dangerous.”

Hearing my servant’s words, I open the letter with no worries. What I saw written there when I passed my eyes over the letter was something I hadn’t even considered.

“What… is this…?”

I lost my voice in my shock.

************

I was kidnapped, brought to some place who-knows-where, and my kidnappers don’t even want ransom money. I don’t understand what’s going on. As if I’d be able to relax in a situation like this!

… Or at least that’s what I had thought, but…

When I say that I’m hungry, I’m brought sweets, when I say that I want to read a book since I’m bored, I’m brought books. Even better, when I said that I couldn’t relax in a dress, I was brought some incredibly pleasant feeling clothing.

At the academy, I’m always busy with lessons and training, but here I can laze around as much as I want. If I were at the Claes household, Mother would probably barge into the room to glare at me and say “Stop lazing around and go practice your manners!”

But here, no one barges in like that. I can read books, eat sweets, and laze around as much as I want.

A little over half a day since I woke up in an unknown location, I began to happily make myself at home.

“It’s a bit strange for someone in my position to say this, but Katarina-sama, are you not ill at ease?” Lana says with a complex expression as she watches me.

“Ill at ease?”

“Yes. About where this is, when you don’t even know why you were kidnapped.”

Oh, right! I was kidnapped! I was having such a pleasant time I completely forgot about that.

“R – right.”

I’m startled after Lana reminds me of my current situation.

“Don’t tell me… you forgot?”

Lana widens her blue eyes in great shock. I begin to feel somewhat ashamed.

“Sorry,” I apologize.

Lana looks downwards. She’s probably exasperated at how carefree I am… but it can’t be helped that I’d let my guard down in such a pleasant place.

As I watch Lana, who’s still looking downwards, I notice that her shoulders are severely trembling.

What?! What’s the matter?! Is she feeling ill?

“L – lana, what’s the matter? Are you alright?” I say in worry.

“I – I’m fine. I apologize for my unseemly conduct,” she responds with a slightly trembling voice.

“You’re really alright?”

“Yes. I’m fine,” she responds this time with a firm voice. She then raises her head, looks at my face and says with a beaming smile, “Katarina-sama, you’re really just like the stories.”

“The stories?”

I was wondering what she meant by ‘the stories’, but Lana just laughed off my questions with an alluring smile. I feel I’ve seen that smile before… but I met Lana for the first time today so it’s probably just my imagination.

In this way, I remembered the situation I was in and asked Lana questions, but as expected, she couldn’t answer them. Lana’s just a maid so she can’t easily talk about things her master has forbidden her from talking about (Though, even if I forbid Anne from talking about things, she still unhesitatingly tells Mother about how I snuck out some sweets, or how I broke flower vases and statues…).

Since that was the way things were, I decided to continue to happily laze about in the room. I talked about a lot of things with Lana, since she was with me. Once I told her about my field and how I was great at tree climbing and fishing, she said that it sounded fun. With sparkling eyes, she then asked me to teach me how to do those things sometime, and we ended up getting close.

This is bad – I might end up addicted to this lifestyle.

************

I had lunch brought to my room and had Lana eat with me since it would be boring eating all by myself, but for dinner, I was escorted to a different room.

It had a needlessly long table with cutlery already laid out. It seems dinner will be brought here.

At the instructions of the servants in the room, I sat at the seat that had been prepared for me. Since the seat across from me has been prepared for me as well, it seems one more person will come. Just as I thought that, Selena came in, with the lady-killer butler following close behind.

“Katarina-sama, are you feeling well?” Selena asks, seeing that I’m obediently sitting in my seat.

“Ah, yes, thanks to you.”

I was treated to such a pleasant experience that I almost forgot that I had been kidnapped.

“I am so very sorry that I was unable to prepare anything particularly delicious for lunch, and had you eat in your small room,” says Selena, again lowering her head deeply.

This country’s nobles generally always eat plate after plate of fancy food in rooms like this so long as they aren’t sick or something. That’s probably why Selena is apologizing like this, but I don’t think that my room is small, and I don’t really need a great variety of different food to eat. After all, if I’m given so many different types of food, then I end up wanting to try it all, often leading to a stomach-ache.

Thinking back, I was given just the right amount of food for lunch, and I was able to eat it happily with Lana, so there’s really no reason for Selena to apologize.

“No no. Really, I’m completely fine,” I say sincerely.

“… I’m very sorry for making you push yourself.”

She mistakenly thinks that I’m pushing myself.

Looking at Selena’s pained face makes me want to apologize.

From Selena’s appearance alone, she looks like a run-of-the-mill noble girl. She probably has a delicate and kind heart.

Even if I say “You’re really treating me well,” she’ll probably think that I’m just thinking of her feelings and forcing myself.

Perhaps Selena sees me as a delicate noble girl as well.

That’s not to say that I’m not delicate… I’m a run-of-the-mill noble girl as well. My heart is fairly delicate as well.

For example, my delicate heart is hurt when someone eats sweets I had wanted to eat later or when birds eat my vegetables that were nearly ready for harvest… but neither of those things happened today.

After all, I can eat as much as I want, read as much as I want, and even laze around without people getting angry at me – I’m completely in heaven. Honestly, I’d even go as far as to say that I want to live here for a little while to get my fill of this lifestyle.

But Selena, unaware of my true feelings, continues to apologize, trying to be attentive to my feelings.

When I gorge myself on all the food being brought out to us, she tells me “You don’t have to force yourself to eat it,” in a worried tone of voice (Of course, I’m not forcing myself at all. I’m just eating because I want to eat).

Really, I’m more worried about Selena, who’s barely touched her food.

Honestly, Selena looks so unwell from worrying about me that I’d think that Selena was the one who was kidnapped.

After that, she asked me a lot of things like whether there was anything I felt I was missing or whether there was anything I needed.

You’ve already given me everything I need so I don’t need anything more… Selena is just way too thoughtful. I feel like this is the most I’ve been spoiled in the past sixteen years.

Just from seeing how Selena has been acting during this short while, I can tell that she didn’t want to kidnap me.

Dinner is nearly over and I’m completely full. As I mentally murmur “Ah, that was really satisfying,” to myself, my eyes meet Lana’s, who’s standing in a corner. When our eyes meet, I notice that her eyes narrow.

This is – she’s exasperated at me because she thinks that I’ve forgotten that I’ve been kidnapped again! Wait, I haven’t forgotten. I’ve just let my guard down a little because I’m experiencing such pleasure. So I ask:

“Um, Selena-sama. Why did you bring me here? You said that you would bring me back once everything is over, but what in the world do you mean by ‘everything’?”

I try asking Selena the question I asked at the very beginning. It’s not like I’ve forgotten that I’m kidnapped! It’s not like I feel like I’m on an amazing vacation or anything! Not at all!

At my words, Selena, who already looked unwell, began to look even worse.

Urgh, I kind of feel bad, sorry Selena.

“Yes, of course. You must feel ill at ease not knowing anything. At this rate, you won’t be able to sleep…”

No, you’ve treated me very well so I don’t feel ill at ease at all, and I feel confident that I’ll be able to sleep deeply tonight. But I keep quiet and listen to Selena for now.

“The truth is, I brought you here because…”

Just when Selena says those words, that butler Rufus steps in and cuts off her words.

“Young mistress Selena, dinner is over, so let us return to your room. Katarina-sama, I’m sure you’re tired so sleep early,” says Rufus, placing a hand on Selena’s shoulder.

“… Yes, of course. Then, Katarina-sama, good night,” says Selena with an expression reminiscent of a doll. She leaves the room.