About the Romantic Abduction Marriage - Chapter 3

On the third day after departing for Duke Drake’s territory, they were finally able to rent lodgings.

Vanessa didn’t mind camping, but washing in forest streams was troublesome in many ways.

Being the only woman in the group, she had to worry about someone peeking while she bathed.

Even though she was already married, Vanessa was still a virgin, and she wanted to avoid the misfortune of showing her bare skin to men in their prime.

She was originally royalty but now a prisoner, and unless the emperor who held the sword hilt showed mercy, she could be demoted to a slave at any time.

Historically, female slaves have always been easy prey for those with dark intentions. Moreover, Vanessa was worthy of the title of unparalleled beauty, so there were likely many men who would try to take advantage of her given the opportunity.

Vanessa suddenly thought of Leroy. That bastard also tried hard to desire me. But he couldn’t because he was impotent.

She watched Jurgen’s back as he jumped down from the carriage first, lost in thought.

Who ultimately killed Leroy? Was it me? Or was it that man?

“What are you standing there blankly for? If you don’t follow quickly, I’ll leave you behind.”

Jurgen, who had already gone quite far, turned to look at Vanessa and spoke gruffly.

Not wanting to be left outside without even a campfire in this cold weather, Vanessa hurriedly got down from the carriage and ran towards Jurgen.

Then suddenly, she tripped over a stone and fell.

“Ah…!”

It was a frequent occurrence.

Was it because she was clumsy? No. If that were the case, it would have been better.

Vanessa’s misfortune was like a curse. She often fell, fell into water, nearly fell from high places, and almost burned to death when her clothes caught fire from the hearth.

In short, strange accidents happened frequently as if the whole world was trying to kill her.

Vanessa got up from where she had fallen, habitually brushing off the dirt on her hands and clothes. Blood was seeping from her slightly scraped palms. Not only that, but her knees were stinging too, suggesting the skin there was also scraped.

It stung a bit, but the pain was bearable. Vanessa cautiously approached Jurgen, who was standing still. Then she mumbled with a slightly embarrassed look.

“Um, I tend to fall often.”

“……”

Jurgen’s mouth twitched as if he had something to say, but then he just clicked his tongue briefly and lifted Vanessa up like a sack.

Suddenly finding herself hanging over his shoulder in a humiliating position, Vanessa stomped her feet and yelled.

“What are you doing? Put me down!”

“Stay still. Unless you want to die.”

Frightened by the deadly threat, Vanessa froze.

Although her hands and feet trembled with humiliation, there was nothing she could do in her position as a spoil of war.

Vanessa tightly closed her eyes as if escaping reality. Deliberately ignoring the strange looks from the Drake family knights glancing at her, and the questioning gazes of the people they encountered as they entered the inn.

“…We have to share a room?”

Just when she thought she could catch a breath, she encountered one difficulty after another. They said there weren’t enough rooms available. So she had to share a room with Jurgen Drake.

This can’t be happening. Even if I’m a prisoner, how can they expect me to share a room with a strange man?

Could he be trying to take advantage of the opportunity to violate me? Vanessa was damnably pretty, and she knew that fact very well. She also knew how much dirty lust men harbored whenever they looked at her.

She glared at Jurgen like he was a confirmed criminal and hugged herself protectively. However, Jurgen remained as indifferent as if he were looking at a roadside stone.

“This is the only double room. The rest are all four-person rooms. If you’d prefer to share a room with my knights, feel free to do so.”

“W-wait a minute…!”

He entered the room first and was about to close the door.

Reflexively rushing forward, Vanessa pushed the door with her shoulder and squeezed her body through the narrow gap. If she had to choose between sharing a room with three men or one man, the latter was obviously preferable.

Having barely made it inside, Vanessa glared at Jurgen while panting heavily. He just raised one corner of his mouth crookedly, seemingly mocking her poor stamina, then without warning, he started taking off his clothes.

“……!”

The moment the man’s taut abdomen and chest muscles came into view, Vanessa quickly covered her face with her palms, blocking her sight.

Why, why is suddenly undressing?

Her heart beat erratically with fear that she might be subjected to something terrible.

As she held her breath, buried in darkness, she suddenly felt a presence very close by.

Startled, Vanessa flinched, and in that moment, Jurgen picked her up. This time it was in a respectful manner as if he was holding a precious person, but Vanessa was only overwhelmed with fear.

“Let go…!”

She screamed sharply and struggled. Jurgen sat her down at the head of the bed, and unexpectedly, knelt in front of her.

Vanessa looked at him dumbfounded, her mouth twitching.

“W-what are you…”

“……”

He dipped a cloth in a basin of water, soaked it, then suddenly lifted Vanessa’s skirt. Vanessa flailed about like she was having a seizure.

“Y-you pervert! I knew you were going to…!”

Just as she was about to kick him away, the wet cloth gently touched her injured knee.

Vanessa stiffened, looking down at Jurgen blankly. Her amber eyelashes fluttered.

What is this situation…?

Jurgen’s touch was firm yet strangely considerate. She could feel him gently cleaning her wound, careful not to hurt her.

Vanessa could only blink and move her lips silently, unable to comprehend this situation. It felt like her throat was drying up.

What is this man…? If he was going to treat me roughly, he should have just done so, why show this kindness and confuse me?

While Vanessa was deep in thought, Jurgen finished cleaning the wounds on her knee and palm and even applied ointment.

Then he lifted her skirt again, trying to undress Vanessa completely except for her chemise.

“W-what are you doing!”

“Take it off. Change into new clothes.”

Jurgen, who had stripped Vanessa of everything but her chemise despite her resistance, threw some clothes from a wooden chest, ignoring her fuming.

Catching the flying clothes reflexively, Vanessa unfolded and examined them. It was a bliaud made of wool, a squirrel fur vest, and a cowhide belt.

‘…This is better than I expected?’

It was unexpected, as she anticipated being given rags. To give clothes that a person could actually wear… He even threw her winter shoes to change into.

Vanessa, who was worried about getting frostbite from wearing thin cloth shoes, quickly picked them up and put them on. The thick leather and soft wool wrapped comfortably around her feet, keeping them warm.

Satisfied with the feel of the new clothes and shoes, Vanessa raised her evaluation of Jurgen by one level. Maybe he’s not as inconsiderate as I thought.

However, when Jurgen started to bathe naked regardless of whether Vanessa was watching or not, her evaluation of him plummeted once again.

How on earth did this man grow up for a high-ranking nobleman to be so barbaric? He’s a shameless scoundrel without even a grain of sand’s worth of shame.

He even had the audacity to ask Vanessa, ‘Are you going to bathe too?’ As if I would expose myself naked in front of a strange man? When she retorted thus, Jurgen raised the corner of his mouth as if mocking her, then ignored her and went outside.

A while later, a maid came in and changed the bathwater, and Vanessa, left alone in the room, hesitated before approaching the wooden tub.

Seeing the bathwater with steam rising gently, she did feel the desire to wash.

After pondering for a moment, she locked the door securely, then threw off her clothes and got into the tub.

As she immersed her body in the hot water, her taut nerves naturally relaxed. Only then did Vanessa realize how tense she had been.

…Could he have noticed that and that’s why he’s been considerate?

No, that self-centered man couldn’t possibly…

Shaking her head vigorously, Vanessa submerged deep into the water. Glug glug, the air bubbles she released rose to the surface and popped.

“So, what kind of relationship do they have?”

The knights who had gathered on the first floor of the inn for dinner sat in small groups, whispering.

Having finished their expedition, they were dressed lightly in tunics, leather pants, and fur vests, having taken off their armor.

Of course, they still carried their weapons — swords, bows, spears — which were like extensions of a knight’s body.

“Surely she’s not really our Duke’s… you know?”

‘She’ referred to the Queen of Terevron, whom their Duke, Jurgen Drake, had personally abducted.

It was shocking enough that ‘the’ Jurgen Drake showed interest in a woman, but for the object of his interest to be the Queen of Terevron, no less.

The Queen of Terevron!

Why her of all people?

“…Is it true that wherever that woman goes, plagues break out, fires occur, and animals die in droves?”

As someone quietly brought up the topic, the atmosphere became even chillier. The rumors about the Queen of Terevron were well-known even in the Drake duchy.

A beauty that could topple a nation.

An unparalleled beauty.

But a sinister woman followed by strange misfortunes.