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

To get straight to the point, the scouting proposal was a huge success.

Baroness Pavron was so moved that she even shed tears as she gladly accepted my offer.

All the various strategies I had prepared to persuade her turned out to be unnecessary—it was almost too easy.

As I struggled to hide my surprise at how unexpectedly quick the “negotiation” had ended, she dabbed at her reddened eyes and added,

“My Lady, I am a fan of comics, but if that were the only reason, I wouldn’t have agreed to participate in the story writing.”

“Oh, then why…?”

“Because you’re a good person, my Lady. I want to work with you.”

Am I really a good person?

But seeing the unwavering certainty on the Baroness’s face, I couldn’t bring myself to argue and simply nodded.

‘I was just following my heart.’

After all, helping Baron Pavron, improving his relationship with the Marquis and Marchioness of Ambrose—it was all ultimately for my own benefit.

Maybe because I had received an unexpected compliment, but even after getting into the carriage, my mind was still unsettled.

“My Lady.”

Just as we were about to reach the teleportation circle, Bonita, who had been unusually quiet, called out to me.

“Hm?”

She had been oddly silent for a while. Did something happen?

After hesitating for a moment, Bonita seemed to make up her mind and slowly spoke.

“I’m glad everything worked out well.”

“Oh, right? I honestly wasn’t sure what I’d do if she refused, so I’m relieved.”

When I replied with a bright smile, Bonita glanced at me hesitantly, her expression turning worried.

“But… My Lady, you seem very tired these days.”

“Me?”

“Yes, your complexion looks pale… And you didn’t sleep well last night either, did you? Right, Sir Ian?”

Ian, who had accompanied me this time due to the change in work conditions, nodded in agreement with Bonita’s words.

“I also think so.”

On top of that, his gaze was rather… intense.

‘What’s with that look?’

Whenever he does this, it always reminds me of the Duke, probably because they resemble each other.

Anyway!

That made me reflect on my recent routine.

‘Last night, I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about all the possible variables regarding Baroness Pavron’s recruitment.’

Ever since I started the comic book business, everything had been meticulously linked—from Poletta leather to tumbler production—leaving me with no time to rest.

It made sense, though. I was the one overseeing and pushing everything forward.

Without me, there was no one else to take charge.

“But, well… It’s not like I can ask for help.”

Besides, my original goal was “independence,” so relying on others would go against that principle.

Seeing Bonita still frowning, I mumbled as if making excuses.

“I took this on myself, so I think it’s only right that I see it through to the end. Haha.”

But the more I spoke, the weaker my excuse sounded.

Hmm… yeah.

To be honest, I was a little tired.

But work naturally comes with a certain level of fatigue, and since I needed to row while the tide was high, taking a break felt like a luxury.

Even for someone like me, who loved staying home.

“My Lady, still, I think you’ve been overworking yourself lately.”

“I’m fine. Besides, thanks to the teleportation magic circle, I can travel long distances easily, so I’d say I have a pretty convenient work style, don’t you think?”

The only issue was the worsening motion sickness.

As I mentally went over the letters I needed to write to Marchioness Ambrose and Lady Golbro, I tried to hide my exhaustion with a cheerful smile.

“Well… If you say so, My Lady. But please, if you feel too tired, make sure to rest.”

“Yeah, thanks, Bonita.”

For some reason, it felt strange to realize that there were people around me who genuinely cared for my well-being.

Maybe I should invite her for some snacks when we get back?

“We’ve arrived.”

Lost in thought, I barely noticed that the carriage had come to a stop.

Fortunately, Baron Pavron’s house was near the capital, so the teleportation circle wasn’t far.

Standing between Ian and Bonita, I stepped onto the now-familiar magic circle under the guidance of the mage.

But just before it activated, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

“Hey, Ian.”

“Yes?”

“That friend of yours… the one who also suffered from teleportation motion sickness.”

Ian looked at me oddly, as if my question had come out of nowhere.

“Did they ever get treated for it?”

As a mercenary, they must have needed to travel long distances frequently. That must have made their job difficult.

And humans always try to find ways to overcome inconvenience.

I was just hoping to hear about any useful remedies.

“That friend is…”

Just as the mage completed their incantation and a bright light surrounded us, Ian’s voice took on a grave tone.

“They are no longer in this world.”

“…What?”

Before I could even process his words, the light engulfed my vision, and an intense, twisting sensation overtook my body.

‘Ugh, dizzy!’

Even on the way here, I had felt worse than usual, but now the dizziness was beyond bearable.

What was happening?

As my sense of direction completely collapsed, a violent nausea surged through me, and I fell—

Or at least, I assumed I did.

‘Ah… I feel like I’m dying.’

The last thing I heard before blacking out was a scream.

* * *

Bonita

A native of Blaire, a northern province of the Empire, Bonita was a fortunate girl who entered the grand duchy at a young age and became a main house maid earlier than most.

Better treatment than other noble houses! A generous salary! And even a kind-hearted master!

In a place where even those with high-ranking recommendation letters from distant territories were often turned away, working as an official maid was truly a point of pride.

But recently, Bonita had developed a serious concern.

“No, this isn’t right. I need to propose a more effective compromise.”

“Ugh, I need to come up with a new tumbler design… Do I have any ideas?”

“How many hours is today’s meeting going to take this time…?”

It was all about the lady she served.

When Bonita first met April, she never expected to worry about her this much.

After all, when April first arrived at the grand duchy, the staff whispered among themselves, calling her suspicious.

It wasn’t until she started her comic book business that April’s true nature was revealed.

“Ah, my lady… Are you sure you don’t need to rest?”

“I’m fine. I need to finish this much at least, so the others don’t have to work overtime.”

“But is there really a need for you to overwork yourself? It’s only natural that the hired artists handle the remaining work…”

That was common sense to Bonita.

But April, looking puzzled, asked in return,

“They’re on hourly wages, aren’t they? If I can’t pay them extra, I can’t make them work at a loss.”

“…Pardon?”

“Ah, I haven’t finalized the overtime pay agreement yet—never mind, don’t worry about it.”

At the time, Bonita barely understood half of what April was saying.

But later, when she saw the contract stating that workers who exceeded their designated hours would receive 1.5 times their usual pay, she finally grasped April’s true intentions.

“There are so many people who expect employees to work extra without a word of complaint because they already receive a salary. Maybe she’s actually an angel sent by the gods?”

Though April had been a suspicious lady at first, her reputation improved day by day, and Bonita took great pride in serving her.

She had resolved to continue assisting her with utmost devotion.

But…

My lady is worrying me.

April had become so busy that it was impossible to tell how much sleep she was actually getting.

Bonita did her best to support and care for her, but since April wasn’t sleeping properly in the first place, her condition only seemed to deteriorate.

So, on her way back from meeting Baroness Pavron, Bonita had cautiously voiced her concerns.

Thud.

“M-My lady!!!”

Sure enough, the moment they arrived at the teleportation circle near the grand duchy, April collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

“O-oh no! My lady, are you alright?!”

But April didn’t move.

She lay there, her pale face covered in cold sweat. Seeing her in such a state made Bonita’s heart sink.

She looked as though she might actually die at this rate…

“Move.”

A cold voice suddenly cut through the tension.

Unlike his usual demeanor, Ian had rushed over and was now giving a chilling command.

“Y-yes!”

Bonita instinctively stepped aside. Ian swiftly lifted April into his arms and took off running.

Wait a minute. That voice just now… and that tone…

Bonita’s eyes widened as she stared blankly at his retreating figure.

“Could it be?!”

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on her sudden realization.

Snapping out of her daze, Bonita hurried after them.

This was an emergency!