Chapter 17

“Eve?”

“…Yes?”

“What’s wrong?”

Seth asked as he looked at Evelyn, who was on the verge of tears. She quickly averted her gaze.

“Oh, I was just thinking how amazing it is. Especially the fact that there’s only one way to get out.”

The castle was essentially an isolated island. The only access was a bridge connecting it to the main palace courtyard. While one could theoretically swim across the lake, the high walls made climbing nearly impossible.

It was, in every sense, a perfect place of exile.

‘A location that screams, “Feel free to use only when needed.”’

Seeing Evelyn’s gloomy expression, Seth spoke defensively.

“This is the safest place in the palace.”

“It does seem incredibly safe.”

A complete fortress, like a bank vault.

As Evelyn chuckled bitterly, Seth’s face turned slightly awkward.

“Don’t you like it?”

“Huh? It’s absolutely breathtaking. Truly.”

“Then you should get off the carriage.”

At Seth’s words, Evelyn clung even tighter to her seat.

“Can’t I just live in the carriage? It feels like my comfort zone.”

“Eve.”

“I feel like someone as unworthy as me shouldn’t live in such a precious place…”

Evelyn desperately tried to avoid leaving the carriage. With a sigh, Seth extended his hand. In the next moment, Evelyn was plucked from her seat like a radish from a garden.

“Ahhh! No!”

She reached out desperately toward the carriage, but Seth paid no attention and carried her toward the castle with determined strides.

“You might like it once you see the inside. I had it redecorated just for you.”

“…!”

He even went so far as to redecorate it? So, this had been planned from the start.

Now, he must be planning to imprison me! Just like a tyrant handing down poison!

“Eve, are you crying?”

“Sob, no.”

Evelyn forced her tear-filled eyes wide open. This was the time to stay alert. If she thought carefully, there had to be a way to escape this imprisonment.

Never give up… Wait, huh?

Feeling the surroundings darken, Evelyn looked up. And then, she was utterly captivated.

The domed ceiling was adorned with red roses. It was a massive stained-glass masterpiece. The light filtering through the colored glass painted the space in shades of red and blue. Even the air seemed to shimmer with brilliance.

Was this what it felt like to look at the surface of the water from deep below?

It was beautiful, serene, and tranquil.

“It seems you like it.”

The low voice snapped Evelyn back to reality. Before she realized it, she had relaxed, leaning against Seth’s shoulder.

“Gasp! This isn’t what it looks like!”

“What? Don’t you like it?”

“No, it’s not that, but, um…”

As Evelyn stammered, Seth looked at her warmly. It was the kind of gaze one would give a puppy that had eagerly jumped onto a newly purchased cushion.

This was dangerous. If she stayed like this, she really would become a goldfish trapped in a bowl.

She’d end up mindlessly eating whatever her owner fed her and lose all her survival instincts.

Think, think! I need a way out of this situation!

“Ah!”

Suddenly, an idea struck her like lightning.

“Your Grace, I have a request.”

“A request?”

Seth tilted his head, signaling her to continue.

“I want to work as one of Her Majesty’s ladies-in-waiting!”

Recalling the King’s suggestion to become a lady-in-waiting was a stroke of genius.

If she took on a dual role, she could regularly leave the castle. She could use work as an excuse to enjoy some freedom outside. Most importantly, this was the only straw she could grasp at the moment.

“No.”

But she was rejected immediately!

As Evelyn stared at him in shock, Seth smiled. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant smile.

“Why do you want to become a lady-in-waiting?”

“I thought it would help you if I worked as one, Your Grace…”

When Evelyn hesitantly brought up the King’s proposal, Seth dismissed it outright.

“I don’t need that kind of help.”

“…”

Evelyn became visibly crestfallen. As expected, Seth didn’t have any expectations for her. He probably just wanted her to stay quietly in the castle without causing any trouble.

But she couldn’t stand the idea of being confined in the castle. Summoning her courage, Evelyn spoke again.

“The truth is, I want to do it. Being a lady-in-waiting is said to be a very honorable position.”

“You fainted just from meeting Her Majesty.”

Seth’s expression was openly skeptical.

Tch. What a perceptive man.

But at this point, Evelyn had no choice but to double down. Like a job applicant desperate for an interview, she insisted that she really wanted to work there.

“I can do it well. Please, let me try. Please?”

As she pleaded earnestly, Seth sighed softly.

“I’ll allow it if you get healthier than you are now.”

“But I’m already healthy!”

Considering she had survived over ten years in a basement, she thought she was doing pretty well.

However, Seth’s standards were far higher than she anticipated.

“Run ten laps around the training grounds.”

“What?”

“If you can run ten laps without stopping, you can do whatever you want, including being a lady-in-waiting.”

…He might as well have just said no.

Ten laps around the training grounds?

To get a part-time job, I had to run ten laps?

What kind of logic was this, Your Grace?

‘In my previous life, I nearly threw up after running six laps around a track.’

Back then, at least she had some muscle, but her current body was as fragile as tissue paper.

No, this wasn’t going to work.

Reaching a quick conclusion, Evelyn tried to bargain.

“Ten laps is too much. Let’s cut it in half and make it five.”

“Ten laps.”

“If I run six laps and round up, that’s basically ten.”

“How about you run fourteen laps and round down?”

“T-Then how about seven laps? Seven is a lucky number.”

“Unfortunately, my lucky number is ten.”

The merciless Seth refused to budge even an inch.

Dejected, Evelyn leaned her forehead against Seth’s shoulder. Through the contact, she could feel him laughing. 

Wow, laughing at a time like this? What a terrible personality.

As Evelyn grumbled, the surroundings grew brighter. They had left the dimly lit hall illuminated by stained glass and entered the main lobby. Absentmindedly raising her head, Evelyn gasped.

“Gasp!”

The walls glowed amber. The golden shimmer reflected off the chandelier’s light, fluttering like butterflies. It was the epitome of opulence, almost blinding in its splendor.

‘Wow, anyone with weak eyesight would be done for.’

Once her eyes adjusted to the grandeur, she noticed the intricate details of the walls. Within the gold-leafed frames, flowers and animals were depicted in mosaic-like patterns. Small sparkling elements caught her eye, and she asked in a small voice.

“Are those jewels embedded in the walls?”

“Mostly amber and topaz, but there are also yellow sapphires and diamonds.”

“…”

She had hoped he would deny it, but the answer was even more terrifying. What kind of person thought it was a good idea to embed jewels into walls?

“This is impressive, but this is just here, right? Surely the entire castle isn’t like this…”

“Hmm.”

Judging by how Seth avoided her gaze, it seemed the entire castle was indeed encrusted with jewels. No matter how wealthy someone was, wasn’t this overkill? This was how revolutions started, with guillotines and collapsing societies.

Seeing Evelyn’s disillusioned expression, Seth chuckled wryly and explained.

“Eve, this castle is an ancient relic. It existed even before the Kingdom was founded.”

“A relic?”

If it predated the Kingdom, it must have been at least five centuries old.

But it looked brand new, sparkling as if it had just been built.

Seth explained her confusion simply.

“It was inscribed with indestructible runes, preserving it exactly as it was built.”

“Oh.”

She didn’t know what runes were, but it sounded like some kind of magical element. As she admired her surroundings, a chilling thought occurred to her.

“Does that mean this castle will remain like this forever?”

No renovations, no new interior design, just endless gaudy opulence?

Hearing her trembling voice, Seth laughed awkwardly.

“During a financial crisis in the royal family, they tried to dismantle this castle, but it was impossible. That’s why my ancestor, after achieving great merit, was ‘gifted’ this place as if it were a great honor.”

According to Seth, at the time, they tried every possible method to destroy the castle.

They used magic, cannons, and even hammers and chisels, but the castle remained unscathed. Eventually, the King, fed up with the sight of it, handed it over to his younger brother, the Duke.

It sounded like a burden no one wanted, so why did Seth insist on making her live here? Feeling betrayed, Evelyn glared at him, and Seth added.

“Once again, this is the safest place in the palace. That’s why every Duke has had their most cherished person live here.”

“Oh, so that’s why!”

If that was the history, living here would make her look like a beloved Duchess.

“Very clever. Everyone will be completely fooled.”

“…”

When Evelyn gave him a thumbs-up, Seth sighed deeply.

Huh? Was that not the reaction he was expecting? Or was it not enough of a response?

‘Well, it is a workplace, so maybe I’ve been too casual.’