Volume 3 Chapter 4: My Life as a Captive Continues Part II

Topic: The bread from the light meal

“Hey, who made the bread that you gave me in that light meal earlier?”

“Ah, I bought that from a bakery in the outskirts of town, but I guess it wouldn’t fit the tastes of a high and mighty noble lady –”

“What? A bakery in the outskirts of town!? Where is it!? It was really good, so I want to go buy it myself sometime if I can!”

“… You’re really strange.”

Topic: My interests and talents

“I like taking care of my field.”

“Field? A flower field?”

“Mm, no, a vegetable field.”

“… Why?”

“Why? Because it’s fun.”

“…”

“I’m also sure that I’m the best at climbing trees and fishing.”

“… Are you really a noble lady?”

Topic: The other countries Rufus passed through before coming to this country

“Hey, you said that you passed through a lot of different countries before coming here, but how many countries have you been to exactly?”

“How many exactly? Well, I guess all of them in the area.”

“Hey, what kind of countries have you been to? I want to hear about them.”

“Alright, but I don’t think they’ll be the bright, sparkling stories you’re imagining. I travelled through the dark, dirty underside of society, after all. Do you still want to hear about them?”

“The underside of society!? A hardboiled world, right?!”

“‘Hard’, huh… and why are your eyes sparkling? What the hell are you expecting?”

************

I was very interested in Rufus’ stories – they were filled with things I had never even heard of before. As I begged him for more and more stories, a great deal of time passed before I even realized it.

“Wait, if you aren’t actually a butler, does that mean that Rufus is a fake name too?” I asked, wondering about it all of a sudden.

“Yeah, what would be the point my infiltration with dark magic if I used my real name?”

I guess that makes sense.

“Then what’s your real name?”

“I have plenty of names. I use whichever one suits me best at the time.”

Ooh, as expected from someone who lived their life in the hardboiled underside of society!

“What’s your original name?” I ask.

Rufus draws up close. Before I could react, Rufus’ face was right up in front of mine. Ooh, this is the first time I’ve seen his face from up close. I can really make out his lady-killer looks well from this distance.

“I don’t have an original name. After all, I’m not like you people – I don’t have parents. The first memories I have are of scavenging through garbage in the slums.”

Ooh, he even has a mole under his eye – a standard feature for a lady-killer. Amazing, this guy even beats out Keith, who’s a lady-killer archetype just like him. And those eyes I can see through his lenses…

“He-e-y. Why are you all frozen? Was it too shocking of a story for a young noble lady?”

“… Really pretty…”

“… What?”

“Your eyes! Your eyes are really pretty, they’re the colour of a clear sky.”

“…”

When I look at them up close, I can see that Rufus’ eyes are clear and blue like an unclouded sky. They were incredibly pretty, lit up by the sun that was gradually setting. I end up transfixed despite myself.

“… You’re really…”

“Hm?”

Rufus reaches out a hand to softly touch my cheek. It makes me feel a bit ticklish to be caressed by his pretty fingertips.

Were there crumbs on my cheek or something? And I feel like Rufus is slowly getting closer to my face… but is it just my imagination?

That’s when my stomach gives a gurgle. Even if I had been snacking, it was dinnertime. It looks like my stomach is telling me that it’s time to eat.

At the surprisingly loud sound, Rufus stops moving. His shoulders begin to tremble again. After a little while, the trembling dies down and he says ‘Shall I have people bring up dinner?’ with a laugh.

************

Yesterday, I had to move to a different room to have dinner, but today it seems it’s alright to eat in the room. At Rufus’ orders, the servants that had brought in the food yesterday brought dinner up to the room.

But since eating alone is generally dull, I invited Rufus to eat with me. He agreed readily.

“Oh yes, what is Lana doing? I don’t see her.”

Rufus is doing mostly everything that Lana did yesterday. I haven’t seen her since she brought in Selena last night.

“Ah, I’m just having her do a different job. Nothing to worry about.”

I see, that’s good. But I do want to talk with Lana again.

After that, I begged Rufus to tell me more about the foreign countries he went to.

He talked about towns where all the houses were made of stone, about a town with a river flowing through it where everyone travelled with boats, about the thrilling things he did where he worked. It was all incredibly fascinating.

“Ah, your stories of foreign countries are really interesting.”

“Your stories are interesting too. It’s a total waste that you’re a noble lady.”

That was a compliment, right? I assume that it’s a compliment and thank him.

“I’ve never travelled abroad, but hearing your stories makes me want to.”

I never took a step outside of Japan in my previous life too, so if possible, I want to travel outside of my country in this life.

“Ha ha, I’m starting to feel like I might like travelling around to all those different countries again, if it’s with you.”

I was surprised. My father’s overprotective, and my mother doesn’t approve of me going outside. She always says that ‘Our shame will become publicly known,” or something like that. I don’t really get it.

I always thought that travelling abroad was a pipe dream. So I was really happy to hear him say that.

“Really!? Then please, bring me with you next time!”

When I look at Rufus with sparkling eyes, he looks troubled. Huh? Oh no. I took him seriously, but I guess he might’ve just been being polite.

“I’m from a different world than you. There’s no way we could go together,” Rufus responds.

A different world?

“A different world? What are you talking about? You’re right in front of me.”

“…”

“We’re talking together and eating together. We’re in the same world, aren’t we?”

I look at Rufus in confusion – I have no idea what he’s saying. He still looks troubled. Hm? What’s the matter?

“You’re really a strange person. Alright, I get it. I’ll bring you with me next time.”

Yay! I got a travel buddy for going abroad!

“Alright, it’s a promise. Pinky promise!”

When I hold out my pinky to him, he looks confused.

Oh right, that’s not something people do in this world. Uh, how did people make promises in this world…?

Oh right! I head to the shelf that held the dress I wore when I arrived here. I stick my hand in one of its pockets. It’s there! I take it out and head back to Rufus.

“Here you go. I’ll give this to you as a symbol of our promise.”

There’s no such thing as pinky promises in this world, but there is something like that. You just give the other person something of yours.

“… This is a brooch?” Rufus asks, gazing at the item I placed in his hand.

It’s the brooch with a beautiful blue stone I had bought at the school festival at the urging of my friends.

“It’s a very pretty colour right? It’s even similar to your eye colour. The colour of a clue blue sky.”

“…”

I take the brooch from Rufus’ palm.

“And see, if you make the light hit it like this, it turns light blue. Just like my eyes.”

I place the brooch back onto Rufus’ palm.

“It becomes both your eye colour and mine… I think it’s perfect as a symbol of our promise.”

I thought it was a pretty good plan so I look towards Rufus expectantly. But he just looks genuinely troubled.

Wait, why? Was something wrong? As I was wondering, confused, suddenly, Rufus’ arm snakes out towards me and pulls me towards him. Before I realized it, I was pressed against his chest.

The next moment, he lifted up my legs as well – in the end, I was held up completely in the air.

And I feel like the way he’s carrying me is something I’ve only ever seen in manga and games… a princess carry.

Wait, what, what is this? As I was panicking, for some reason, he took me to the bed and placed me down.

“When I’m with you, for some reason, my chest grows hot. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way.”

Huh? What’s with this position? Before I realized it, I was lying face-up on the bed. And Rufus was leaning over me. Rufus had ditched his glasses at some point too, and I could make out his blue eyes very clearly without the lenses.

Ah, his eyes are really pretty. For a moment, I forget about this situation that I don’t really understand and lose myself in his eyes.

“Hey, won’t you become mine?”

A clear sky blue – a very splendid colour.

“If you look at me with those sparkling eyes, I won’t be able to complain no matter what you do to me,” Rufus says, burying his face in my neck. I returned to my senses at the sensation of his breath on my skin.

W – what is with this situation… wait, could this be…!? Pinning me against the bed like this… could he be trying to make me sleep with his dark magic!?

I had completely let my guard down, thinking that he was a good person, but he was the mastermind behind my kidnapping, and he did say that he would make me disappear… at this rate, I’ll end up sleeping for days again!

Well, I guess I did feel really refreshed after being forced into a two-day sleep last year, but my body got all stiff. I’ll probably be fine if it’s just for another two days, but if it’s for numerous weeks, I’m worried that my muscles will deteriorate…

“Um, Rufus… wait a second… ow.”

When I try to open my mouth, a small jolt of pain shoots up my neck. I feel like it’s a sensation I’ve felt before… what is it? Was I bitten by a bug or something?

While I was distracted by the pain I felt, someone knocked loudly on the door.

“Rufus-sama, are you there?” Lana says in a loud voice.

Rufus, still draped over me, clicks his tongue in irritation.

“I’m busy,” Rufus says.

“It’s a very urgent matter,” Lana insists loudly, refusing to give up.

In the end, Rufus is the one to give in. He gets off of me and heads to the door.

“It was just getting to the good part,” he sighs, opening the door.

“An urgent letter has arrived for you,” Lana says with a smile.

“Where is it?” says Rufus, looking displeased. Lana’s smile doesn’t falter.

“I’ve prepared it in your room. I believe it’s for the best if you verify its contents as soon as possible,” says Lana. Rufus’ eyes widen.

“… You… could you be possibly… well, I guess it doesn’t matter anymore,” sighs Rufus deeply, leaving the room.

Lana enters the room.

“Katarina-sama, were you alright?” she asks, looking worried.

“I’m fine, though I think that he was about to cast some magic on me.”

“What, you’re worried about magic?”

“Huh? Yeah, he pushed me onto the bed, so I thought for sure that he was about to force me asleep with his magic. You really helped me out, Lana.”

“…”

Huh, why is Lana making such a weird face?

“Well, the most important thing is that you’re safe.”

For reason, she let out a deep sigh.

************

There was a lot I didn’t really understand, but well anyhow, my second night here arrived. I sunk into bed. I thought that I might not be able to sleep, since I slept past noon today, but I actually slept pretty normally. I’m really amazing!

But someone ended up visiting me in the middle of the night again.

“Katarina, Katarina.”

“Nngh.”

When I look towards the voice with my drowsy eyes, I see Rufus.

“Ah!”

In my surprise, I jerk up from the bed.

“Ha ha, you really do sleep a lot.”

“Wha – what do you want?” I ask cautiously, recalling what had happened right after dinner.

“I see that even you’ve being a bit cautious. But I won’t do anything anymore. After all, things are coming to a head.”

“To a head?”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t have minded running off to another country with you… but that’s a bit reckless, so never mind. We’d probably run into a lot of trouble thanks to my magic, so I figured I’ll just be a good boy and put you under protection instead.”

“What?”

Hm, I really don’t understand what he’s saying. What is he talking about? Another country? Protection?

“But then I won’t be able to see you anymore, so I came to see your face one last time,” says Rufus, reaching out a hand to brush my cheek. It feels ticklish again.

“… What do you mean by ‘one last time’…?”

Immediately after I ask that, I hear a very loud noise.

“Hm, faster than I expected,” Rufus says, taking his hand off of my cheek and stepping back.

Then, the door opens with a large bang, revealing…

“Huh? Why is everyone here…?”

Jared, Keith, Mary, Alan, Sophia, Nikol, Maria, Rafael… all my friends are standing there, grim expressions on their faces. And standing in front of them all is…

“…Lana?”

“Ah, I was calling myself that, but I’ll re-introduce myself now. I am Lahna Smith, of the Ministry of Magic. I am Rafael’s superior – I look forwards to working with you from now on.”

I was shocked. Lana wasn’t a maid working at this house?! She was Rafael’s superior?! At my befuddled state, Lana just smiles before turning to Rufus.

“Since you’re still here, I suppose you’ve made your decision?”

“Yes. I’ll go with all of you and reveal everything,” Rufus says agreeably, a meek expression on his face… though it did seem like his expression was fake.

“Yes, that’s a good attitude to have. Very well. Rufus Brode, you’re under arrest for the kidnapping of Lady Katarina Claes. For now, I’ll have you come with me to the Ministry.”

At Lana’s – or rather, Lahna’s – signal, people, likely from the Ministry, run up from behind her and surround Rufus. He lets them restrain him and they lead him out of the room.

I did have my guard up since he had nearly cast his magic on me… but his life philosophy was pretty cool, and his stories were pretty interesting… I didn’t know what to feel.

“U – um!”

I call out to Rufus without thinking. The people from the Ministry of Magic taking Rufus away stop still for me.

But I don’t know what else to say. What I want to say is…

That’s when –

“I’ll keep this until I keep my promise,” says Rufus, lifting his hand slightly. In his hand, the brooch with a blue stone I gave him twinkles in the light.

“Yes!” I respond cheerfully.

And so, Rufus was taken away to the Ministry of Magic.

************

My earliest memories are of living in the slums with my friends. I stole without thinking anything of it, and tricked people for a living. I had no parents and no name – I learned how to live from my slum buddies.

Our life suddenly changed when a certain man stepped into our territory.

He had come from the outside world. Despite his gangly appearance, he was pretty strong, and before we realized it, he was living near us.

That man, who had a name unlike us, knew of so many things.

There were many among us who didn’t think highly of people from the outside world, but I found his stories so fascinating. I was very attached to him.

Then one day, that man, when I said that I didn’t have a name, gave me the name ‘Sora’. When I asked where the name came from, he responded:

“Because your eyes are beautiful, like the blue sky.”

He laughed as he stared into my eyes.

My chest felt warm – it was a mysterious sensation I had never experienced before.

After that day, I called myself ‘Sora’, and visited that man even more than before.

That man didn’t only have stories of the outside world to tell me – he also taught me things like mathematics, reading, and writing. My knowledge of the world really expanded after meeting him. Before I realized it, my everyday life was more fun than it had been before.

“Hey, Sora. Don’t you hate it when I talk about the outside world?” he said one day.

“What are you saying all of a sudden?”

“Well, when I talk to all the other guys about the outside world, they always say that it gets them in a bad mood. You’re the only one that doesn’t say something like that.”

“Why would I get into a bad mood?”

“… That is… because when you learn of the outside world, you start to understand your own situation…”

“I don’t get it.”

“… That is, it must be tough to hear about everyone loved by their parents out in the outside world when you guys don’t even have names and are desperately trying to live on, one day at a time.”

“Ah, I see.”

“It doesn’t hurt, to hear such stories?”

“Mm… but well, other people are other people – I’m me. Other people’s lifestyles ain’t got nothin’ to do with me.”

“… Sora, there’s nothing that you don’t like about your life?”

“Of course not! I wanna sleep in a warm bed, and eat my fill! But what’s the point of getting jealous of some stranger and crying about how tough it all is? Besides, I don’t think I’m unlucky or anythin’. I’m living out every day safely, and I get to hear your interesting stories. Ain’t that enough?”

“… Sora, you’re really cool.”

“W – what are you saying out of nowhere?! Are you messin’ with me?”

“No, I’m not messing with you. The way you think is really cool. Please, keep on looking forwards in life - don’t get influenced by the people around you,” that man said, ruffling my hair. My cheeks reddened for some reason.

Shortly after, that man collapsed due to an illness…

He was very strong, but his body probably couldn’t deal with the unsanitary environment of the slums. He weakened by the day.

All my buddies told me to give up – they said that nothing could be done, that this happened a lot to people from the outside world. But I just couldn’t give up.

I’ve said goodbye to many of friends thanks to illnesses and injuries… but for reason, I just couldn’t give up on that man.

And so, I went around alone, stealing medicine from houses – and in the end, I was captured and sold to a slave trader.

I don’t know what happened to that man after that.

I was passed around a number of countries, learning much about how large the world was – and how dirty it was. Thanks to the reading, writing, and arithmetic I had learnt from that man, I was valued more highly than other slum brats.

However, there were times when I felt absolutely horrible, and wanted to curse the world. But every time I felt that way, I remembered what that man had told me.

“The way you think is really cool. Please, keep on looking forwards in life - don’t get influenced by the people around you.”

The words of that man, who was probably already dead, were the only things I ever took to heart.

I found myself in front of David Mason several years ago. Mason bought me because apparently I had magical power. Though all I could do was call up a small fire. It was a power I used to make my bed a little warmer back when I was living in the slums under a cold sky – I was very shocked that it was the same thing magic users used.

Since all the countries I had travelled through previously didn’t have a lot of magic users, no one had realized my talent.

But after buying me, Mason realized that my magical power was weaker than he had expected. He had probably thought that I was strong and had hoped to use it.

And so, despite being bought for my magical talent, I barely ever used it. Instead, I helped out the thugs and other slaves with dark, sketchy stuff like intimidating people and helping out with backroom deals.

But Mason’s place was pretty nice compared to the places I had lived before. Learning all those manners to help me with infiltration was annoying, but I was fed and was given a high-quality bed to sleep on. And since I was given high-quality clothing too, I was a huge hit with women – really, everything was great.

I thought that it might be nice to have my fill of this pleasant lifestyle. But such dreams were destined to break sooner or later – last year’s incident was the trigger.

An incident that occurred within a Marquis’ house – an incident where dark magic was involved.

Apparently this magic, which could manipulate people’s hearts and minds, was forbidden and hidden from the world at large… but someone must’ve revealed the secret.

Of course, such information was erased by powerful people up high… but since the small-fry villain Mason had dark dealings with the Marquis’ house in question, for some reason, he learned about dark magic.

And so, the small-fry villain who learned about dark magic and how to gain it, naturally wanted to obtain it.

In order to gain dark magic, a magic user needed to use a human sacrifice in a ritual. Mason, who had no magical power of his own, suddenly recalled my existence. And so, on Mason’s orders, I went about obtaining dark magic. I used an old man with no relatives that Mason had prepared for the ritual.

Honestly, I thought using a human sacrifice was pretty sketchy and I half-expected nothing to happen, but apparently that small-fry villain Mason’s info was accurate. The ritual succeeded and I obtained dark magic.

But my power of manipulation wasn’t all-powerful, and I learned it had many limits.

For one, I can’t make anyone have feelings they don’t have at all. I can’t make someone like someone that they don’t like, and same for hatred.

And, likely since I wasn’t that powerful of a magic user in the first place, I learned that my magic doesn’t really work that well on strong magic users.

Learning these truths, Mason got pissed.

David Mason is part of Prince Geoffrey’s faction and has a fair bit of influence. And since he’s probably been promised a fairly high position if Prince Geoffrey ascends the throne, he’s very desperate to see the first prince take the throne.

That was why he had me obtain dark magic.

With this power, he wanted to make Prince Geoffrey’s enemies, Prince Ian and Prince Jared, among others, to renounce their rights to the throne.

But after learning of my limitations, he realized that it was impossible.

Prince Ian and the other princes all were fairly magically gifted – it was very probable that my magic wouldn’t work on them.

For a while, he was just pissed that his original plan didn’t work out and took out his anger on me, but he calmed down eventually. Since he had finally obtained dark magic (though I was the one who actually obtained it), he somehow managed to squeeze out a plan despite his small brain. The plan he had thought up was the kidnapping plan I had carried out.

I was to target not Prince Ian, but his fiancée Selena Burke. It was well known that she was not very magically talented.

Using Selena, I would kidnap Katarina Claes - Prince Jared’s fiancée who similarly had little talent in magic - and using them, I would have the princes both renounce their rights to the throne.

When everything was over, I would have Selena take all the blame, and thus the Burke house, who was a member of Prince Ian’s faction and wielded a fair bit of influence, would withdraw from society.

Honestly, David Mason isn’t a very smart man. From my perspective, compared to all the horrors I’ve seen in various places, he’s really just a small-fry villain.

But I did think that he had really tried his best to think up this plan… but it was sloppy here and there.

Well, if it did fail, I could always abandon Mason and run away, or if it succeeded, just cry and pretend that I was forced to do it.

Since I was born with a handsome face, if I look sad and shed a single tear or something, people’ll feel sorry for me. I’ve escaped countless hairy situations in that way.

So, I wear the high-quality clothing that had been prepared for me, put on the glasses that make me look like I know what I’m doing, and head to the Burke house.

And with all my preparations complete, I finally kidnap Katarina Claes, but…