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.”\nOh, 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 force yourself.”
She mistakenly thinks that I’m forcing 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.\nAfter 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.
She seemed like a completely different person from the person who had just been talking… I have a bad feeling, one that sends shivers up my spine.
************
All in all, I ended up facing the night still not knowing where this was or why I was kidnapped.
Selena had worried that I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but naturally that wasn’t a problem. I talked with Lana until I went to bed, and had her bring me some extremely delicious tea, so I had plenty of fun and ended up having a pleasant sleep.
And as I was elegantly sleeping deeply…
“Katarina-sama, please wake up.”
“I don’t want to, I’m still sleepy. Let me sleep a little longer, Anne.”
“I am not Anne, I am Lana.”
“Ugh… Lana?”
Huh, not Anne? Who was Lana again?
When I somehow manage to open my eyes, I realize I’m not in my normal dorm room.
Huh, where was this again?
As I blearily look around the room, a little bit of my consciousness awakens and I recall where I was. That was right. I was kidnapped and brought to this heavenly room.
My room is still dark, lit dimly by a lamp. Huh? It’s not morning yet.
“Katarina-sama, there’s someone here to see you.”
“What, here to see me?”
Who would come here this late at night? When I get out of bed, I’m still half-asleep. Lana fixes up my pajamas and my hair then sits me down in a chair. Then the door quietly opens and a small human silhouette appears.
\n“If Katarina can come home safely, I’ll renounce my right to the throne however many times I need to. But unfortunately it’s something that takes time. If something happened to her while I was renouncing my right…” says Jared with a grim face. He had completely lost his usual smile.
“… Not to mention, even if Jared gives into the demands, there’s no guarantee that Katarina will come back safely. It’s not unthinkable that if she saw the culprit’s face, she’d be killed to keep it a secret,” says Nikol gravely with a similarly grim look.
“That can’t be! It’s completely unreasonable to kill her just because she saw their face while they were kidnapping her…” cries Sophia in a voice nearing a scream.
Although I didn’t say anything out loud, I’m screaming the same thing in my heart.
“We’re talking about someone who kidnaps people – they probably don’t care if they do something unreasonable. It’s possible. If that’s the case, Jared giving into the demands won’t end things. It would be faster to go searching for her location than to begin preparations to renounce his right to the throne.”
“Alan-sama, you occasionally have good ideas.”
“… You didn’t need to add the ‘occasionally’, Mary.”
“Heh heh, I apologize. Well, if that’s the case, should we go searching for any suspicious people and mansions we can find?” laughs Mary darkly.
“No, to search everywhere is a bit much… plus, that would take quite a bit of time,” disagrees Keith.
“U – um, it’s possible that dark magic is involved, right?” says Maria frantically with a raised voice.
Yes, it’s true. Apparently a number of people who were likely one of the last to see Katarina on the day of the school festival have hazy memories. This is similar to the incident that occurred last year. Dark magic – a forbidden magic hidden by royalty – is capable of manipulating people’s minds.
The reason why everyone here along with me knows about this magic is because of last year’s incident. Last year, a certain incident occurred. During the incident, a certain someone cast dark magic on Katarina, forcing her into an unending sleep. Everyone worried about her, but thanks to Katarina’s efforts among other things the incident was successfully put to rest.
During the incident, Jared told everyone here, along with me (who had been with Katarina the longest) and Katarina-sama, about the existence of dark magic, on the condition that we wouldn’t tell anyone else about it.
However, last year’s dark magic incident had been successfully put to rest, and the criminal behind it now got along well with everyone.
So if dark magic was used again in this incident… that means that there would have to be a different dark magic user involved.
“If dark magic was really used, then I’ll be able to tell who the culprit is just by looking at suspicious people.”
Maria is one of a select few light magic users in the country, and thus one of the few who can see dark magic, which can’t normally be seen.
It’s true that Maria might be able to see the culprit. I thought it was an excellent plan, but…
“It’s true that it’s a good plan, but if I remember correctly, you can only see dark magic when it’s being used or a little after it was used, right? So wouldn’t you be unable to see anything now, since half a day has already passed?”
“… That is…”
Maria’s expression clouds over. Ah, even though I had thought it was such a good plan…
“It seems we’ll have to search every little corner after all.”
“Wait a second, Mary! Where do you think you’re going?! Calm down!”
Ignoring Alan’s shouts trying to stop her, Mary’s smile grows even darker and she makes her way to the door. But the moment she makes to open the door, someone knocks and a new person enters the room.
“Mary-sama, where are you planning to go?”
“Oh, Rafael-sama, it’s been a while. I’m planning to go search for Katarina-sama, of course.”
There stood Rafael Walt, the culprit behind last year’s incident. He was currently working at the Ministry of Magic due to the incident.
“Do you have any clues?” responds Rafael with a questioning look. He likely already knew about the current situation.
“For now, I’m planning to go search anywhere that looks suspicious one by one.”
Rafael lets out a small sigh at Mary’s confident words.
“That’s much too reckless.”
“But Katarina-sama might be in danger right now as we’re standing around talking! What do you think we should do then?!” shouts Mary, tears welling in her eyes. Despite acting determined, she’s probably worried on the inside.
Rafael smiles kindly at Mary.
“Everything is going to be alright. No harm will come to Katarina-sama,” says Rafael firmly.
At those words, Jared stares at Rafael.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Katarina-sama has the ultimate bodyguard, so there’s no chance that any harm comes to her. So, just wait a little bit more,” says Rafael, before continuing with words brimming with strength, “I will definitely save Katarina-sama.”