Chapter 3

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 3

Chapter Title: The Wrong Princess

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"Outrageous."

Even as he said it, Kaian’s gaze was fixed on the door.

It was the direction in which the woman—who had acted so obsequiously it was almost embarrassing to watch—had vanished.

"I have no excuses, Your Grace."

Liam, the Duke of Brail’s aide with his monocle, bowed deeply at the waist.

But the milk was already spilled. Even he hadn’t foreseen this sudden mishap.

"Who would’ve thought the shadows I trained myself would be walking around with eyes just for show."

"Shall I send someone after her now?"

"No. The King of Salt isn’t a fool."

He would have realized long ago that the original target was his precious First Princess, and doubled down on security by now.

So dispatching more shadows at this point would just end in vain.

"Ha."

Kaian Brail.

He was the lord of a vast territory in the north of the Kletan Empire—one so expansive it dwarfed most kingdoms. Leaning back in his armchair, he let out a hollow chuckle.

The shadows deserved reprimand for kidnapping an innocent woman on a ridiculous misunderstanding, but the woman’s excuses—her blatant lies—were even more absurd.

She looked like a beggar after whatever hardships she’d endured on the journey, yet she held herself straight.

There wasn’t a trace of the physical toil one expected from a slave.

Her skin gleamed like fine white jade, and her eyes were the pale blue characteristic of the Salt royal bloodline.

Her hair was a plain mess, her face smeared with unidentifiable smudges, but every time she moved, glimpses of her beauty shone through—striking enough to catch even his discerning eye.

If his suspicions were correct, the woman they’d snatched by mistake wasn’t a maid or slave. She was the illegitimate daughter of the Salt King he’d heard about recently.

She must have been convinced her identity hadn’t been exposed, which was why she’d screamed like some street urchin...

The more he recalled her, the more ambiguous his expression grew.

"That said, I didn’t have the chance to mention this earlier... but there’s one suspicious point."

Taking advantage of the brief silence, Liam brought up the report that had been nagging at him.

"What is it?"

"The reports from our spies in the Salt royal palace repeatedly noted that Princess Remeia is far more negligent and disinterested in her duties than rumored. At the time, I thought they might all be mistaken, but..."

The eyes behind the monocle grew serious.

"According to the shadows, that woman was the one approving documents in the princess’s office."

Not only did she look strikingly similar, but she’d been using the princess’s seal, so the shadows had acted with full confidence.

What they hadn’t considered was how plain her clothes were for something belonging to a princess.

With his explanation complete, he bowed his head toward Kaian.

"So... perhaps we should consider the possibility that those reports are true."

Crown Prince Raiden of the Kletan Empire had been eyeing Princess Remeia, who’d shone in diplomacy over the past few months.

But King Berga of Salt, seeking more gains through his daughter, had let her meet the prince without committing to anything. Lately, he’d even confined her to the palace.

Was that enough to drive Raiden—who took whatever he wanted—mad with desire?

He’d ordered the duke, who could deploy elite knights discreetly, to abduct her. In exchange for a secret deal.

But... what if, contrary to the prince’s beliefs, Remeia was just a dimwit stealing credit from others?

"She called herself a slave who works hard."

Recalling the earlier exchange, the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

"Tamper with the ongoing trade negotiations with Princess Remeia. Subtly, but obviously enough that the princess she’s supposed to be would notice."

"Understood, Your Grace."

Kaian knew.

The calculating crown prince wasn’t pursuing Remeia out of some invisible thing called love.

Would that irrational obsession persist even if he learned the woman he desired was a worthless illusion?

Thud.

The heavy double doors closed, leaving Kaian alone.

His eyes drifted to the burlap sack on the floor.

"I’m not even asking to be sent back. The truth is, I work really hard. If you just let me live, I’ll serve you to the bone—for free!"

Her face had been just as crumpled and pitiful as that sack.

And no matter how he thought about it, her attitude was far too servile for royalty. Nobles usually strutted around at the slightest drop of blue blood.

Frankly, she didn’t even seem noble.

Without those distinctive features and her rare beauty, he might have bought her slave story outright. But.

Swish.

Kaian rose and picked up the sack.

Flipping it over revealed tear stains in the shape of her face.

"...Haha."

The involuntary laugh echoed through the empty room.

"You cannot leave until the investigation is complete."

"...Yes."

"Even if an urgent need to go out arises, it will be impossible without His Grace’s permission."

"Yes, yes..."

Honestly, the monocled man’s words weren’t really registering.

My eyes were locked on just one thing...

I want to lie down. Already.

The bed.

The massive bed in the room they’d shown me as my quarters.

"If you attempt to escape, we cannot guarantee your safety. If necessary, the underground dungeon..."

"Um, but..."

The man paused, silently adjusting his monocle with his middle finger.

A habit?

There probably wasn’t even a middle finger gesture here.

Anyway.

I did my best to look harmless and finally asked the question burning on my mind.

"When... do I get food?"

"If you’re thinking of fleeing during a trip to the dining room, it’s pointless. Your meals will be served here."

"Yes, I see."

I dropped my head with a dejected expression.

Perfect.

I barely suppressed a cheer.

For some reason, Monocle Guy was convinced I’d try to run.

Why on earth would he think that? Even if I somehow escaped and made it back to Salt Kingdom, I’d still be a slave.

I already knew. My biological father, King Berga of Salt, wasn’t the type to change his attitude just because his illegitimate daughter got kidnapped and returned.

"...Are you listening?"

"Yes? Yes!"

"His Grace is not one to waste mercy lightly. So keep a humble attitude, restrain yourself, and be grateful that he’s spared your life..."

Sorry, Monocle Guy, but his words breezed right past my ears.

With that heavenly bed right in front of me, my focus was thinner than a spiderweb.

Thud.

"...I’ll watch over her."

The door shut.

I pressed my ear to the crack just in case, but heard nothing.

Pat pat.

My battered bare feet sank into the plush carpet.

His speech had been long and tedious, but only one thing stuck in my mind.

So.

"I’m stuck here, huh?"

The room was spacious. Compared to the warehouse-like closet I had in the Salt palace, it was like a gymnasium.

Shifting my gaze from the bed, I spotted a small door to the bathroom and a bookshelf lined with books.

Tremble.

My clenched fist began to shake faintly.

I was imprisoned. Confined.

No matter what happened, I couldn’t leave. Every necessity—meals included—had to be handled inside. A prison.

No telling when I could get out. Their so-called "investigation" had no set deadline.

So for now...

"Bedtime."

Flop!

I threw myself down, and the soft bedding welcomed me like it’d been waiting.

Reuniting with the thick, high-quality comforter stuffed with fine cotton, I nearly teared up in感動.

"Ahh."

Was getting kidnapped and confined always this nice?

I grinned ear to ear in silent triumph, then slipped straight into deep slumber.