Perhaps, the starting point of his anxiety began then.
“Actually, the will and everything else, it was all planned from the start, you know?”
Escape, fake my death, infiltrate the Organization, extract information, and then eliminate them.
As soon as I briefly explained the big picture I had planned after everything was finished, Masera’s eyes gradually turned cold.
“You’re saying you planned and executed all that on your own? What do you think of your own life? Luck isn’t 100%. It means you can die with even a 1% chance.”
He acted as if he had nine lives of his own, yet when it came to my affairs, he would launch into extremely pessimistic and overprotective lectures.
That’s must be it, from then on, he must have been plagued by nightmares, regarded them as prophetic dreams, and eventually fallen into superstitious thinking.
So, first, let’s try to resolve this through conversation.
I picked up a telephone that looked like it belonged in a modern history museum and turned the dial to connect to Masera’s office.
“Hello.”
As I spoke, equipped with a resolute tone, a gentle voice came from the receiver.
-Yes, wife.
“The door is locked; could there possibly be a deliberate intention behind it?”
-That’s right. I hope my concern for you has been conveyed. Therefore, I will accompany you wherever you wish to go.
I’m not some flower garden who thinks, ‘What? He likes and worries about me so much that he’s locking me up? He’s completely fallen for me? How delightful!‘
I know he locked me up because he likes me too much, but I’m not happy about it.
“You…! I am not happy at all-!”
-It seems my feelings have been conveyed enough to make you happy. I understand.
Click.
He hung up while I was talking?
And he’s even using my technique of only hearing what he wants to hear?
Suddenly, the saying, ‘If you try to adjust the pace to avoid an angst-filled tragedy, a handsome psycho is born,‘ came to mind.
“I need to meet and talk.”
Indeed, misunderstandings are bound to pile up with phone calls or texts.
First, I decided to wait until he got off work.
The meal was brought by a sergeant with an unfamiliar face, not a maid, likely because he judged that someone I knew might release me out of personal feelings.
“You see, if I don’t move around when I’m full, my blood sugar tends to spike.”
“Spiking would be problematic.”
The sergeant had already marked me as the ‘runaway heroine’.
“After eating, would it be alright to take a light stroll outside?”
“You can take a stroll with the General later. You cannot leave this room without the General’s permission.”
I made a suggestion as a test, but he was firm.
I think I was more free when I was imprisoned by the Organization?
Trapped in a hell of boredom, I spent my time embroidering and reading books, things I usually didn’t do.
Of course, it was only called imprisonment; they brought me everything I needed, and it was just like royal confinement where I could laze around, eat whatever I wanted, and do nothing.
Sometimes, having this kind of solitary rest might not be so bad… Why am I even thinking that?!
“No way.”
I shook my head violently.
If I settle down like this, I’ll become a homebody, wrapped up in a blanket, receiving meals and snacks fed to me by Masera, and living too comfortable a life.
Knock, knock.
Just in time, Masera, who had finished work, opened the door and came in.
Why bother knocking when he’s committing the grave crime of confining a person who needs to chat and wander around with someone all day?
“Reason.”
I had already heard enough of the reasons he rattled off, but I asked again, short and forceful.
Then, Masera pulled at his tie and raised his head.
“You are an expert in escape and evasion, so I had no choice but to make this decision. But I couldn’t tie you up, could I?”
The phrase ‘tie you up‘ seemed to send a chill through the air.
Is he threatening me? Me, the number one expert in untying knots? Wow, I’m so scared.
I asked him gently, trying to soothe him.
“I’m worried about what’s making you so anxious that you’d go this far. What kind of dream did you have?”
At first, I was resentful, thinking, ‘Ugh! An obsessive male lead oppressing me! I won’t forgive him!‘ but now, my concern for Masera came first.
I knew well that anxiety gnaws away at the body, mind, and entire life.
There was also a time when I was anxious, worrying late at night whether my sister, who went out to work, would return, or whether the mail would bring a notice of my brother’s death in the war.
“……”
However, Masera still didn’t tell me about his anxiety.
“I can’t say it because it might become reality.”
“Reality?”
His eyes were filled with fear.
I thought back to when I had witnessed anxiety becoming reality.
The reason I brought out the memories of my past life was for empathy and understanding towards the other person.
But I can’t fully understand if the other person doesn’t tell me. There’s a limit to what I can guess.
Not expressing their true feelings well must be a characteristic of regretful male leads.
“This isn’t going to solve anything.”
At my words, Masera slowly lowered his eyes and tightened his lips.
“I’m also worried about you pushing yourself too hard when you haven’t fully recovered, and the Lumantis Imperial Family has recognized your right to succession, plus my original identity has been exposed due to the recent Organization cleanup operation. It’s a dangerous situation in many ways, so I would appreciate it if you could bear with it a little longer.”
He’s been arguing with Count Queensguard so much that his eloquence has improved?
“Even so…”
What’s with the confinement after all the serious stuff is over!
Usually, the female lead is confined because the male lead is afraid she’ll leave him… This is the first time I’ve heard of being confined due to overprotection.
I was about to advise him not to ruin our relationship with anxiety about things that haven’t even happened yet, but he didn’t give me a chance to speak.
“If you want to accept the Imperial Family’s appointment and ascend the throne, I won’t oppose it. I don’t need to worry if it’s you, my wife. But protecting you is my responsibility. I can’t rely on luck anymore.”
I know his feelings are sincere, but… I hate being confined.
As if reading my thoughts, his eyes, which had drawn closer, were now tinged with a chilling color.
Soon, a coldly chilling breath and a chilling voice scratching at my throat reached my ear.
In contrast, his hand, which felt warm, wrapped around my wrist.
“You shouldn’t even think about escaping.”
***
“Of course, I won’t just stop at thinking.”
Day 2 of confinement.
It’s just like a super luxurious rest with nothing lacking, but I’m already tired of it.
Masera, who went to headquarters, said he had night duty, so he wouldn’t be back until morning.
I smiled mockingly and looked out the darkened window.
“Hmph, he can’t even act like a real angst-filled male lead.”
Compared to the stories I’d vaguely heard from my sister, a specialist in angst-filled stories, this is just a mild flavor that babies eat.
The way he threatened me as if he were terrifying, yet grabbed my wrist so carefully, just made him look like a hissing kitten.
I was scared for nothing? I don’t need to carry out the reverse-thinking plan of confining him first.
I understand that he’s worried about me, but I can’t live bound like this.
I once read that married life is a power struggle.
If I lose the initiative here, if I’m perceived as a weak person who has to depend on him.
I might end up wearing the shackles of anxiety for the rest of my life and tasting my sister’s trash can collection.
Just then, a communication sound came from the radio.
Chirp-
-This is Charlotte. I am moving forward with your escape. Ready to go.
Thanks to the radio, I was able to persuade Grand Princess Charlotte to become my escape accomplice.
Through the window, I could see my subordinates, the repentant Organization members, hiding and waiting.
I smiled as I took out the Grand Princess’s uniform and black wig that I had hidden under the bed. These were escape items passed to me through the fireplace connected to the upper floor.
Clatter.
I stood in front of the door and bent a wire to pick the lock.
Masera probably didn’t know I was a lock-picking expert, right?
Seeing as he didn’t even place a soldier to guard the door.
Having further developed my skills after meeting a theft expert Organization member, I set the record for the fastest unlocking time and stepped out of the room.
To resolve anxiety, you just need to show strong faith with your own eyes.
“I’ll show him exactly how strong I am, enough to survive in the middle of a battlefield.”
