Episode 49

"What are you talking about?"

"Ah, I meant the female lead and the male lead."

"It's not that I didn't understand..."

"We have to confine them."

Blood was trickling down his forehead, what was he saying?

I wiped the droplets of blood off with my sleeve.

"Alright, let's start with treating this."

I held his sweaty hand and led him to my room. Ute, who had been following silently, tilted his head.

"Shouldn't we head to my clinic?"

"I'll listen to your plan and head straight to the madam. It's already late... I'll use the count as an excuse."

"Why the count?"

"It's nothing. Let's start with you."

When I opened the first drawer, there were antiseptics, cotton, tweezers, and the like. Not only was his forehead injured, but his knee was also reddened.

"What was so urgent that you had to come running? You could have taken your time."

"I wanted to tell you quickly."

"If you lose even a drop of your blood, it would be a global loss."

"...Huh?"

"Why are you like that? Can you roll up your pants?"

As the pant leg rolled up, the coagulated blood and scraped skin were revealed.

Ute kept nervously swaying his upper body.

"I can do it myself."

"It's inconvenient to do it alone. I'm quite good at simple treatments."

"It's not that I don't trust you..."

The treatment was finished before Ute, who was restless, could do anything.

Through the thick bangs, a white gauze seeped out.

'Your skin is so fair that it's barely noticeable.'

As I applied the gauze, his lowered eyelids suddenly lifted. My face reflected in his green eyes was too close.

I quickly sat on the edge of the bed to create some distance between us.

"Did you find the cause?"

"Of course."

"Can we resolve it?"

"It's not even something that needs resolving."

'The problem isn't with the female lead...'

An unknown rare disease.

Ute said that if the madam's illness wasn't cured, the story would not be completed.

'Even if he confesses, she would have to refuse. She might die again, so she can't comfortably date with such a risk.'

And then he left for Ronda.

In case the disease was related to the unique constitution of the people of Ronda or the Ronda royal family.

"It means it wasn't even a problem."

"If that's the case, then that's good, but why suddenly confine them?"

"What do you think is the fundamental problem between them?"

"A marriage of convenience that excludes mutual consent?"

Though the count's thoughts were actively reflected.

"It's old-fashioned. Being sold off to someone you've never seen before... right?"

"Well, broadly speaking, yes..."

A small crack appeared in his faint smile.

Ute quickly blinked and then composed his expression.

"Ahem, neither of them has ever been honest with each other."

"..."

"Both the heroine and the hero speak with their eyes closed. You know this better, right?"

"Come to think of it, that's true."

The count isn't a talkative person in the first place.

Even the madam, who chatted away in front of me, acted like a student in a teacher's meeting when with her husband.

"They need to open up and explain their circumstances, share their feelings, but in the current situation..."

It's impossible.

I acknowledged Ute's opinion with a sigh.

"When the house is big, it is a problem. There are too many places to hide. If they bumped into each other awkwardly when heading towards the bathroom, they could easily run away."

His white forehead wrinkled slightly.

Ute, tapping his thigh, stretched his mouth into a smile.

"So if they don't intend to talk, we need to create an environment where they are forced to."

"..."

"What do you think?"

"If not speaking is the problem, then confining them so they are forced to is the solution?"

"Exactly."

Gulp, Ute's Adam's apple moved up and down prominently.

For some reason, he seemed nervous.

"It’s reasonable."

I don't think there's any need for that, though.

I pondered Ute's idea and commented.

"It's a novel idea. Efficient, too."

"Right?"

"How did you even think of this?"

If not talking is the problem, then just make them talk!

No need for a headache, a clear solution.

But...

"There's a problem with confining them as you said."

There's no place to confine them.

'Even if we lock them in an ordinary space, the count would be able to break out soon.'

Though not a sword master, he has enough skills with a sword, unlike ordinary adults.

"It's not easy..."

"What is?"

"Oh, sorry."

The mouth that was eating cake was pouting.

Iris, whom I met for the first time this year, urged for an answer.

"What is it? Tell me."

"That..."

"You never know, I might be of help."

A place where even an elephant couldn't escape?

Helping with how to confine two higher-ups well?

'At least she wouldn't report me for saying something like that.'

I briefly explained the situation without much expectation.

Then, in a refreshingly cheerful tone, Iris said,

"I'm an expert at that!"

"...Huh?"

"First, the important thing is no windows."

Her clear voice lowered a note.

Iris, peered around, leaned towards me and whispered.

"If there are windows, they can break out or use the shards to threaten."

"..."

"I can't help with finding an actual place, but no one knows better than me what kind of setting is suitable."

"How...?"

"No one beats me in confinement! I've got quite the experience."

"..."

"Oh, don't worry. I was the one confined, not the one doing the confining."

That's even weirder.

How does one live to have such experiences?

Iris, finally, smiled broadly and started undoing the ribbon on her hair to demonstrate.

"Tying a knot like this ensures it won't come loose. You have good dexterity, so you'll pick it up quickly."

"Hey,"

"What material will you use? The type of string varies with the purpose."

"Iris."

"Height and weight? It’s surprisingly important—"

"I'm not doing that kind of serious confinement!"

Not doing it, not doing it...

I felt the glances from the counter.

I hunched over and whispered.

"How did you live before meeting me?"

"Just, well... I never got hurt like that."

Even though she was confined in a closed space and tied uncomfortably, she never got hurt.

This, well...

'Let's not think about it.'

I decided to ignore my friend's secret past.

There are all sorts of hobbies in this world.

'Iris is an adult, and, well, there's no problem.'

I learned a secret I never wanted to know, but I gained new knowledge.

'No sharp objects, no furniture that can be thrown...'

I learned about appropriate structures and detailed interiors for confinement.

Truly priceless information.

---

When I opened my eyes, my vision bore an unfamiliar ceiling.

Clara slowly blinked and sat up.

A soft plush toy, a sweet scent.

Turning towards the source of the scent, she witnessed colorful cakes and a tea set.

'A dream?'

It looked like a scene from a fairy tale read during childhood.

But Clara quickly realized this wasn't as sweet as those fairy tales she had known.

"Oh my goodness."

Black hair, a firm jaw, a prominent chest.

Clara's only husband soon opened his eyes.

"...What's this?"

As soon as his blurry eyes focused on his wife, he spoke in a puzzled tone.

"A dream?"

"It's not a dream."

"What is this..."

"I don't know either."

The man, blinking slowly, didn't look around but headed straight for the door.

Clunk.

The door didn't open.

Clunk, clunk.

Thud! Thud!

No matter how much force he used, it wouldn't open, and an alarm appeared on his face. The veins in his arm bulged more.

"Calm down, Count."

Clara desired for him to cover his bare upper body first, but while he struggled with the door, she decided to calm him down by looking around.

"Oh?"

Then, she found a clue.

"Look at this. There's something written here."

"Written?"

As Clara said, a short sentence was engraved clearly on a wall.

"It's in Ronda script."

"If it's Ronda script, I should know it too."

"It's a royal script, so commoners rarely use it. It says..."

Her unhesitating lips momentarily paused.

Clara very slowly translated the sentence.

"'The room where you can leave only by speaking the truth.'"

Where on earth are we?

---

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