PCS 1

Chapter 01

Under the wide-open sky, standing atop the city walls, the vast capital stretched out below in its entirety. It was the kind of breathtaking view that should have made anyone stop and admire the scenery at leisure.

Whoooosh—.

But the icy wind lashed against her cheeks as though declaring that such leisure would never be allowed.

And on a freezing day like this, what was I doing out here on the exposed city wall with nothing to shield me from the biting wind?

“Ugh, why is this so hard to tie?”

I was busily fastening a thick rope around one of the rough protrusions in the stone wall.

It had already been seven years since I became the protagonist of this captivity game.

And today, just like always, I was pretending to make an escape attempt for a mandatory event.

On the city wall.

In this freezing weather!

“Ah-choo!”

After securing the rope tightly, I tucked my numb hands under my arms and stamped my feet.

Jeez. When is that owner of mine going to get here?

“Yujin!”

Did he somehow hear me cursing him in my head?

At the foot of the stairs leading up to the wall, I spotted my owner looking up at me.

As always, he alone seemed to sparkle, as if the winter sunlight was shining only on him.

Tap tap tap—

The sound of hurried footsteps told me he was running toward me the moment he found me.

I gave the rope one final tug to make sure it was secure, placed one foot on top of the wall, and waited until his footsteps drew closer.

“Ah-choo!”

Sniff.

My nose, exposed to the cold, stung painfully. Later, when I went back inside and looked in a mirror, it would definitely be bright red.

Seriously. If my owner were this slow in the original story, the heroine would’ve been over the wall ages ago.

I’m only waiting because it’s me. He should be grateful.

Grumbling to myself, I decided I’d see whether he appreciated my generosity—and depending on that, I’d judge today’s snack menu.

“Yujin!”

The owner finally burst onto the city wall, his appearance disheveled from how fast he’d run. His eyes tightened with concern when he saw my foot resting on the wall.

“That’s dangerous. Come down right now.”

His tone sounded like someone coaxing a cat down from a tree.

After standing alone in the freezing cold for so long, seeing my familiar owner somehow made me feel just a little warmer inside.

It was just association, that’s all.

He always had things like fireplaces and hot cocoa around him!

Feeling unfairly annoyed for no reason, irritation slipped out before I could stop it.

“What took you so long?! Ah-choo!”

Ah… that wasn’t supposed to come out.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Why was he making that face like he’d committed some unforgivable crime?

Sniffling, I awkwardly covered my face.

It’s freezing. Let’s hurry through the event dialogue and get inside. The choices for this event are…

Ahem.

Just as I cleared my throat for my next line—

“Yujin.”

The owner had already walked right up to me. Looking at my face, reddened by the cold, he spoke in a pained voice.

“Why did you come all the way out here?”

Huh?

Wasn’t this supposed to be the line delivered in an ice-cold voice after being consumed by betrayal and obsession?

“Are you very cold?”

He removed his own cloak and wrapped it completely around me.

Huh?

That wasn’t in the escape event either.

…Wow, this is actually pretty warm.

No, wait! That’s not the point!

I nearly relaxed in the sudden warmth before snapping back to my senses.

It didn’t matter if his tone was different or if he was doing things that never happened in the game.

This was the moment to choose the response to his “Why did you run away?” line!

“I’m leaving this place.”

I quickly recited the dialogue option I’d already memorized.

It sounded awkward, like I was reading directly from a script, but I didn’t care.

This was a game.

As long as I picked the exact dialogue choice, the other character would respond accordingly.

“I can’t let you go anywhere.”

Good.

Just like the game.

Hearing my owner’s line, I immediately selected the next correct choice.

“Don’t think you can keep me imprisoned!”

“It’s this cold, and you were planning to leave without even preparing…? I’m sorry for making you feel so confined. I’ll give the order so you can go out tomorrow.”

Th-that line wasn’t in the game.

And besides, in weather like this…

I don’t even want to go outside!

Momentarily flustered, I hurried to deliver the final line.

“I-I’ll definitely escape! From this luxurious cage!”

At this point, my owner was supposed to harden his expression, mutter, “I see,” through gritted teeth, tell me to try if I could, drag me back, and the City Wall Escape Event would end—

“Ah, I see.”

Yes!

“So you didn’t like the birdcage I gave you last time. I’m sorry. I’ll have it removed from your room immediately.”

“If you don’t like birds… should I get you an aquarium instead?”

Listening to my owner’s gentle voice as he sincerely asked that question, I couldn’t help wondering exactly where everything had started going wrong.

“Ah-choo.”

“Summon the royal physician! Bring the royal physician immediately!”

…For now, it was too cold to think.

I’d figure everything out after getting inside.

Crackle.

The logs, soaked generously in oil, crackled as they burned inside the fireplace. Warm air drifted through the room, filling it with comforting heat.

Unable to resist her owner’s insistence, Yujin had taken the medicine prepared by the royal physician and was now bundled tightly inside a thick blanket.

Now that she was warm and comfortable, she continued reciting theatrical lines without pause.

“Though I have been captured today, do not think for a moment that this has broken my spirit.”

“Mhm.”

Originally, this line was supposed to be spoken while trapped inside a giant birdcage, delivered through gritted teeth in desperate fury.

But Yujin decided not to obsess over such trivial details.

After all, her body had become freezing cold from standing on the city wall tying up that rope.

And the blanket her owner had wrapped around her was incredibly warm.

“I shall always pursue freedom…”

“Of course.”

As Yujin diligently recited the game’s dialogue, she noticed the prince gently patting her through the blanket.

His face made the end of her sentence trail off.

Even when she kept her mouth shut, his gaze never changed.

It made her feel strangely ticklish inside, as though feathers had somehow found their way into her stomach.

Trying to cough out those imaginary feathers, she grumbled irritably.

“What?”

“Hm?”

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Is something bothering you?”

At the prince’s cautious question, Yujin found herself unable to answer.

Normally, that face should have been rigid with fury and obsession.

The eyes fixed on the protagonist should have been dark, possessive, almost frightening.

Why does he look at me… like I’m something precious…?

The prince’s gaze toward her was endlessly gentle.

As sweet as honey, just like the color of his eyes.

“…”

Unable to untangle her complicated feelings, Yujin pressed her lips together in silence.

When the prince gently stroked her hair and softly asked whether she was feeling unwell, she merely shook her head.

Understanding her silent refusal to explain, he simply continued stroking the small head leaning against him.

After quietly enjoying his gentle pats for a while, Yujin suddenly seemed to realize something.

Straightening up, she looked directly into the prince’s face.

I wasn’t expecting the same level of obsession as in the original…

Their relationship wasn’t like the one between the prince and the original heroine.

They weren’t the kind of pair who rejected each other as though they wanted the other dead while obsessing over each other just as fiercely.

But even so…

She knew how attached the prince became to things he considered his own.

She had just attempted to run away.

Yet instead of showing even the slightest hint of anxiety—

“…Why do you look so happy?”

“Hm?”

“I’m saying I’m running away. Are you happy about that?”

“Of course not.”

There was unmistakable amusement in his voice.

Realizing that, Yujin’s mood instantly soured.

She burrowed completely beneath the blanket, hiding her face.

“Yujin?”

“Go away.”

The prince continued gently patting her without stopping, softly asking her to show him her face.

Curled up beneath the blanket, Yujin replayed what had happened earlier.

The moment she’d tried to escape…

And the expression on the prince’s face after he’d caught her.

He looked troubled… but somehow… almost pleased…

What was that supposed to mean?

While Yujin pondered the question, a servant quietly entered the room, careful not to disturb the atmosphere between the two of them.

The servant collected the empty cup of hot cocoa and the plate that had once held snacks.

Clink.

“Phew…”

The servant had been so careful not to disturb the intimate atmosphere that even breathing had required restraint.

Only after stepping outside the room did he finally let out the sigh he’d been holding.

They’re at it again…

Incidents like this happened often enough that they might as well have been annual events.

Everyone knew how deeply His Highness the Crown Prince cared for Yujin.

Yet the very person receiving all that passionate affection usually responded with detached indifference, insisting that she was nothing more than “the prince’s pet,” no matter how much affection he showered upon her.

Then, for reasons no one understood…

Every now and then, she would cause another commotion by trying to escape.

Almost as though she were testing the heart of the man who loved her.