* * *
“Tell him to come back to the Tower. There’s no need to run anymore.”
“Understood. Will you be resting?”
I paused at Cloden’s question, then shook my head.
“Is Siwoo still in the Fourth Prince’s palace?”
“Yes. The Grand Duke has returned, but Siwoo remained in the palace under the guise of studying abroad.”
“Then I’m going there.”
Cloden hesitated, then cautiously suggested,
“…Perhaps you should rest first…?”
He looked genuinely concerned.
But thankfully, my stamina was still at 10—enough to keep moving.
“I’m fine. I won’t stay long.”
“Understood. I’ll prepare a fresh outfit.”
After changing, I headed to the Fourth Prince’s palace.
The Grand Duke couldn’t stay away too long and had gone back to Narksabel, but Siwoo remained in the royal palace, supposedly for study.
Apparently, it was a special request from the Grand Duke.
That level of effort…
To me, it only looked like a red flag.
I was glad I could raise Siwoo’s affection points, but still.
“Tower Master!”
As always, Siwoo greeted me warmly.
Now that I was actually here, I didn’t know what to do with him.
Conversations weren’t exactly fun, and tea time was just plain boring.
I was half-heartedly responding to his chatter when a brilliant idea hit me.
“You said you liked reading, right?”
“Yes, though I’m still not very good at it…”
“There’s a library in the Fourth Prince’s palace, but it’s small. From now on, use the Imperial Library.”
“The Imperial Library?” Siwoo tilted his head, confused. No need to explain—I’d just show him.
I brought him to the Imperial Library, which took up an entire palace.
Some areas were restricted, but I granted him access to every place allowed under my authority.
“Come whenever you want. Study here, too. I recommend…”
I scribbled down the title of the first book that came to mind.
[Affection Level: Siwoo
60%
Siwoo thinks, “It looks like a really difficult book…”]
Weirdly, I didn’t get a single filter over that message.
Not that it was particularly helpful.
As we strolled slowly through the garden next to the Imperial Library, we chatted a bit more.
“Is your memory coming back at all?”
“No…”
Siwoo looked downcast, so I quickly changed the subject.
I tried to probe a bit about the Grand Duke, but Siwoo didn’t know much.
They said that when Siwoo’s affection level rose, Ateol’s “true” affection level—which was stuck at 99%—could finally increase.
But wait.
Things already got intense when his special affection hit 100%.
What’ll happen if regular affection also hits 100?
A cold sweat ran down my back.
Especially since I got a warning in the tips—something special happens when affection hits 100%.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
“Um, well, yeah. Come to the library whenever you want.”
“Thank you.”
I left Siwoo behind after a quick bow and rushed back to the Tower.
The moment I arrived, I wanted to turn right around and run—because Ateol was already there.
I definitely left him hanging upside down.
How the hell did he escape so fast?
I forced myself to stay calm and held out my hand.
“…?”
Ateol tilted his head.
“50 gold coins. Give them back.”
“Ah… Lessa, go prepare 5,000 gold coins.”
“Yes, sir.”
Five thousand?!
And Lessa just accepts that and runs off?!
What even ARE you?!
Ateol slowly turned his head to look at me.
“The gold issue is resolved. Now, I’d like to talk.”
“About what?”
“Anything.”
Yeah. Yeah, that’s terrifying.
I could feel the blood drain from my face.
I almost stepped back but forced myself to stride past him, aware of everyone’s eyes on me.
“I’m tired today. Come find me tomorrow.”
“Very well. Tomorrow, then.”
I went straight up to my room and ransacked the drawers for any gold and jewels.
I didn’t even touch the box of 5,000 gold coins that arrived shortly after.
From that moment on, my many escape attempts began.
[Event Triggered!
You failed to escape again… Ateol seems upset. How should you calm him down?]
I just failed my eleventh escape attempt, and now you’re throwing events at me?
Are you out of your mind?
But let me say it again: this game doesn’t have a Customer Service menu.
If it did, I would’ve already been flagged as the worst kind of nuisance.
I’ve filed so many complaints.
The first time I was forcibly returned, the escape was quiet.
I made it out safely, and I really thought I could get far.
There was no escape gauge anymore, so I had nothing to fear.
But Ateol came after me.
The third, fourth, and fifth times too—Ateol found me every time, like some real-life version of Annabelle.
Not the kind that comes home, but the kind that follows you from home.
Either way, I wanted no part of it.
I still don’t know how he managed to find me. I used portals only the Tower Master knows, and yet Ateol tracked me down with ease.
It’s the kind of thing you’d think was impossible even if someone hacked every CCTV on Earth—but he did it.
I seriously began to wonder if he had some kind of psychic tether to me.
Whenever I asked how he found me, he’d just smile.
After using up all my secret portals, I had no choice but to flee blindly.
Surprisingly, magic wasn’t much help in living on the run.
There was no such thing as a spell to turn invisible.
Although even if I was invisible, I felt like I’d still bump into Ateol on the street somehow.
Now on the eleventh escape attempt, one week later—I didn’t even make it out of the Imperial Palace before I was caught.
Why won’t Ateol just leave me alone?
“Please, ride with me. Let’s take a lap around the palace in the carriage.”
Why… why would I do that?
I hesitated, trying to make another break for it, but it was useless.
Ateol easily scooped me up and placed me in the carriage.
As soon as the carriage door closed behind us, his hand slipped under my clothes.
I slapped his wrist away, but he was persistent.
“Really, this is becoming quite troublesome.”
“And if it is? What, are you going to lock me up again?”
“The thought is… very tempting.”
Yeah? Well I’m tempted to hang you upside down again. I didn’t say it out loud.
“unfortunately, I have duties. I heard monsters have appeared in the Silam Strait.”
Is that the kind of thing you say while you’re doing this?!
I tried to squirm away, but as always, Ateol’s grip was unbreakable—like a trap.
He only let go after he’d had his way.
By then, we’d long since arrived in front of the Imperial Palace.
I was just managing to stand up on shaky legs when he lifted me into his arms again.
Rumors ran rampant in the palace.
The Emperor had proposed to the Tower Master, but the Tower Master, while not entirely opposed, kept refusing for some unknown reason.
The Emperor was now working tirelessly to win his approval.
It was the most unwelcome rumor of all time.
Ateol led me straight to his chambers, and as we walked from the door to the bed, he undressed me—robe, outer coat, sash, one after another, falling to the floor.
“Your little escape stunts have been causing quite a stir. For the sake of public morale, I’ll have to ask you to accompany me.”
“I don’t even… ugh, mmph…!”
His fingers slid into a place still sore from last time.
And so, another escape attempt ended like this.
The salty wind clung damply to my skin.
I stared quietly at the deep blue sea from the gently rocking deck.
* * *
