Chapter 36
“I Think My Plan Is Completely Ruined”
“Is there a problem?”
When Carriaire asked, looking genuinely confused, I couldn’t tell if he really didn’t know or if he was testing me.
In the book I read in my previous life, Carriaire was portrayed as a “dumb villain” who came up with ridiculous kidnapping plans. But the man in front of me was clearly not dumb at all.
…Of course, the “villain” part remained to be seen.
“…I’m just trying to confirm whether it’s really a problem or not.”
“Confirm?”
Carriaire’s eyebrow arched. His lips curved up, and a wave of unease ran through me.
“I’m curious what exactly a hostage like you needs to ‘confirm’ with her kidnapper.”
“…”
“Go ahead, I’ll allow it.”
He leaned casually against the desk in his bedroom, arms crossed, waiting.
I sighed deeply before speaking.
“I wanted to confirm if the door you just pointed at is the only entrance to the room you’ve given me.”
“That’s right.”
“…Excuse me?”
“That room only has that one door.”
His answer came without a hint of hesitation. I was the one who was flustered.
“…You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not joking?”
“And what exactly would I gain from joking about that with you?”
This was… real?
I was speechless for a moment, then quickly tried to rationalize.
Well… technically most rooms only have one door, unless you count windows, right?
The problem wasn’t that there was only one door.
The problem was that the only door connected directly to Carriaire’s bedroom.
I glanced at the door, then at Carriaire, then back at the door several times.
Please, let this be a bad joke.
But Carriaire looked perfectly serious.
“It seems you’re not happy with the small room I gave you, but I can assure you it’s not lacking in anything compared to the one you had before.”
“…”
“If you need anything while living there, just tell me.”
He was being completely genuine. He really believed this was fine.
I closed my eyes briefly, then looked back at him and carefully explained:
“Your Grace, I think you’re misunderstanding something. I’m not concerned about the size of the room. The room you gave me isn’t small either.”
“…”
“And it’s not because it’s a small attic room or anything like that.”
“Then what is it?”
“The problem is that there’s only one door.”
Surely, that was enough explanation.
Carriaire tapped his arm lightly with one finger, then raised his gaze to meet mine.
“…I thought Zerosian architecture wasn’t that different from Hestonia’s. Isn’t it normal for a room to only have one entrance?”
No, you’re missing the point!
“But I suppose that’s not what you’re actually worried about.”
“…”
“The room I gave you before also only had one door, didn’t it?”
“…That’s true.”
He was already aware of what was bothering me.
“…It’s uncomfortable that I have to pass through your bedroom to enter my room.”
Uncomfortable didn’t even begin to cover it.
If I had to enter through his room, that also meant I couldn’t leave without passing through it.
I remembered what Laperre said:
‘Delphian Zeros can’t possibly arrive here by the morning after tomorrow. Something’s gone wrong with your plan.’
I couldn’t rely solely on Laperre’s words. I had to see for myself.
I needed to slip out before dawn to at least prevent others from being caught up in this mess.
Carriaire looked at me quietly, then asked again:
“Why?”
“…”
“Why is that uncomfortable?”
“I know I’m just a hostage and shouldn’t be picky about the room you gave me. But I’m still unmarried… No, to be precise, I’m engaged to the Crown Prince.”
“…”
“So having to pass through your bedroom to get to mine is—”
“Heidi.”
His voice was suddenly firm, cutting me off.
I looked up at him, startled. The playfulness in his eyes had vanished.
“Do you think I don’t know something that basic?”
“…What?”
“A Crown Prince’s engagement is big enough news to reach even foreign nations.
The promise you mentioned—wasn’t it just something Delphian Zeros said with his mouth?”
“Your Grace…”
“You’d do well not to believe anything that man promises.”
“…”
“In the end, you’ll only get hurt by him.”
The sunlight streaming through the window highlighted his expression. There was no malice or anger in his eyes—just deep self-loathing.
I suddenly wondered if the emotion I saw in his eyes wasn’t for Delphian at all, but for himself.
I met his gaze and spoke quietly:
“But… you believe him too, don’t you?”
“…What?”
“The Crown Prince doesn’t take promises lightly, not even verbal ones.”
“I don’t know why you’d think—”
“If you didn’t believe that, you wouldn’t have kidnapped me in the first place.”
Carriaire’s mocking expression froze.
I stared straight at him.
It was obvious. If he didn’t believe Delphian’s words, he wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of this absurd kidnapping.
Carriaire Esperos hated Delphian more than anyone,
but ironically, he also trusted Delphian more than anyone.
I broke the silence, hoping to ease the tension.
“Anyway, thank you for giving me a room. But if I stay there, it’ll be inconvenient for you as well.”
“…”
“So maybe you could give me a different room, or even just the old one—”
“I’ll just have to endure it.”
“…What?”
He said it so casually I almost shouted.
The flicker of unease I’d seen in him earlier was gone.
“That kind of inconvenience is nothing… for me to endure.”
“Your Grace…”
“Since I know my hostage is planning to escape this castle with the help of Wizard Laperre…”
“…”
“I’ll just have to endure it.”
Thud.
I stepped back until I felt the hard wall behind me.
Carriaire moved closer, his face devoid of any smile now.
“Meeting you first at Adeli’s square was my greatest luck.”
“…”
“If I hadn’t, I would never have imagined that Laperre had given you a whistle…
or that you were still in contact with him.”
“Y-Your Grace, you’re misunderstanding, I’m really not—”
“Heidi.”
He leaned down, bringing his face close to mine.
The sudden proximity and the faint scent of him made my breath catch.
“You’re right. I’m the one who trusts Delphian Zeros the most in this castle.”
“…”
“But that’s also why I trust people the least. You understand that, don’t you?”
He straightened up and stepped back, his voice dropping even lower.
“So don’t bother pleading your innocence.
Unless I could crawl inside that small head of yours, I’d never believe you anyway.”
“…”
“I’ll just have to endure this inconvenience.
Don’t you agree?”
I forced a trembling smile in response to Carriaire’s faint smile.
I’m doomed.
My plan is completely, utterly doomed.
