Though I’m a Homebody, I Found Myself in a Dark Captive Genre - Chapter 16

Did he sense the Panic inside me?

The Grand Duke glanced at me briefly before burying his gaze back into the papers with a detached expression.

“You look like you’re wondering how I knew.”

Gulp, that’s scary!

To be precise, it wasn’t an accident… was it? It was just a small and cute request for help, after all.

“Princess, why the silence?”

As I tried to quiet the confusion in my mind, I gave a small but firm reply.

“No, why are you interrogating me so fiercely?”

“Am I speaking of things that aren’t true?”

“Not exactly, but…”

Somehow, he seemed unusually on edge. Could that be my imagination?

From what I’ve seen of Liam, the Grand Duke didn’t seem like the type to work day and night.

Could it be that this guy was in a bad mood from lack of sleep?

I shook off the ominous feeling creeping in and bit my lip.

“Heh.”

Had the Grand Duke not suddenly laughed, my stomach would’ve probably shriveled up from nerves. His half-hearted chuckle made me relax a little.

“You’ve never once come to find me yourself, Princess. Every time, I’ve had to send someone to bring you. Such a precious body, indeed.”

“Precious body? That’s quite the joke…”

Who would treat a precious body like this? Well, it was convenient, but still.

Thinking it was just another casual remark, I smiled and waved my hand, only to meet his eyes and instantly close my mouth.

‘Wait, he’s not joking?’

I realized something new. The Grand Duke was the type who couldn’t distinguish between jokes and serious statements.

“Looks like you were trying to stall for time. Well, I have an idea of what’s going on.”

“Did you ask just to know?”

“I was curious about your reaction.”

“…You’re cruel.”

I had a lot more to say, but I swallowed it.

With my voice now a little sharper, the Grand Duke completely pushed the papers aside and looked at me directly.

“You seem to be enjoying this more than I expected.”

“Well… it’s fun.”

Originally, I had only read comic books, never expected to actually create them. But diving into it myself, I found it quite enjoyable.

It was fascinating to watch my requests being re-imagined by skilled individuals.

Above all, I was moved by the passion of the artists.

Unlike me, who only did the tasks assigned to me, seeing others approach their work with enthusiasm and self-drive was truly touching.

“So.”

Hmm, let’s say it confidently.

“Please help me…”

I gave a humble smile and clasped my hands together.

What’s the point of holding onto my pride? It doesn’t feed me.

There was no harm in showing favor to the one who paid the artists such high salaries, right?

In truth, I could tell he wasn’t completely uninterested in this work either.

“If I help you, what will you do for me in return, Princess?”

“Uh…”

Now I was at a loss for words. Even if I wanted to offer something, it wasn’t like I had anything to give, considering I was living off the Grand Duke’s charity.

As I thought it through, I nervously glanced at him.

“What should I do for you?”

“Let’s leave it for now.”

“Pardon?”

“The princess is useful, so I’ll make sure to keep one option for her. What do you think?”

His answer left me speechless, and I reluctantly nodded.

“Y-Yes, that works.”

For now, this was the only way forward.

Damn, what’s the harm in doing something for him? This guy’s like a ruthless boss!

I bowed my head, hiding my frustration, unaware that the Grand Duke had already sensed it.

* * *

And so, the day of reckoning came.

The common theme I had chosen was “The Golden Axe, The Silver Axe.”

It was a folktale, easy to adapt, and with a simple plot, making it a perfect challenge for judging skill.

“Ha.”

Standing before the atelier to check the results, Bonita hurried over, flustered.

“Ah! Miss April, are you nervous? Are you worried Ashley might make a mistake?”

“Not exactly…”

I had faith in Ashley’s direction ability since I’d seen it before.

But… if the other artists’ results turned out poorly, I feared the Grand Duke would get angry for wasting time.

And if the Grand Duke got angry, I’d likely get caught in the crossfire!

“I’m so nervous!”

Everyone probably thought I was just enjoying a carefree life, but I knew best that I was a hostage at any moment, only spared temporarily due to the dam project.

“Hehe, don’t worry! I’ve been keeping a close eye on Ashley, and I know she’s putting everything into this!”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve been secretly spying while preparing her sweet hot chocolate every night!”

“Why…?”

“Because I need to know the best gossip first!”

Bonita wasn’t your average maid.

Her audacity caught me off guard, but I quickly regained composure and opened the heavy atelier door.

Inside the spacious hall, a grand table was set, with the Grand Duke’s seat at the end and another positioned directly beneath it, facing a round table.

Two identical books lay on the table.

The only difference was the color of the bands around the books, so it was impossible to tell which book belonged to whom.

As I walked to my seat, Liam’s voice boomed.

“His Grace, the Grand Duke, will now begin!”

The artists, tense and expectant, all stared at the door.

The Grand Duke finally entered, his cold face so stern it seemed no needle could fit between him and the atmosphere.

The two anonymous books were placed before him.

He picked one up without hesitation and read it for a moment before passing it to me.

I also read the contents and then passed the book on to the three artists who had joined the judging.

It took quite a while for everyone to read through the books, but no one moved from their seat.

Finally, Lord Brown, representing the three artists, spoke up.

“We preferred the book with the red band.”

I had been fairly certain about this, but since the anonymity was preserved, the artists had no idea whose work they were looking at.

“I also think the red band is much better.”

My words were followed by the Grand Duke’s first comment after a long silence.

“I also believe the book with the red band is more fitting for the objective.”

The Grand Duke continued speaking, his face still expressionless.

“The blue band book only boasts flashy illustrations, but it lacks the drive to make the reader continue. It’s nothing more than a picture book showing off skills.”

His evaluation was exactly what I had felt.

“However, the red band book was different.”

It was just a black-and-white sketch, but the essential details were highlighted with simple coloring, bringing it to life.

And despite the same content, it felt much more varied, thanks to the different perspectives used.

Considering he wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about comics, his analysis was surprisingly specific and convincing, and I nodded, impressed by his discerning eye.

“Most importantly, the red band book clearly considered the reader. I will choose this one.”

As the Grand Duke concluded his remarks, the atmosphere shifted.

Whispers began to spread, but the Grand Duke paid no attention.

“Who created the red band book?”

The only one who knew the result, the head maid, stepped forward with a bow.

“It was Ashley Vance.”

“Impressive.”

His straightforward yet bold praise made Ashley blush deeply.

The other apprentices, including Barrymore, looked frustrated but couldn’t say a word, surely remembering their decision to accept the results.

But the Grand Duke’s response didn’t stop there.

“Is Miss Vance being sponsored?”

“Uh, embarrassingly, I have no sponsors and have been paying out of pocket for my art lessons.”

“That’s unfortunate. Then I shall be your first sponsor.”

“…Pardon?”

I stared at the Grand Duke with wide eyes.

Ashley was equally stunned, her face frozen for a moment before she clenched her teeth at his next words.

“Talent should always be given the opportunity it deserves.”

“Ah, ahhh…!”

Ashley dropped to her knees, her face twisted with emotion as she held back tears.

“Thank you, Grand Duke Blaire. Thank you!”

It was the moment she had only dreamed of.