Chapter 1
Kidnapped by a Fan (1)
In the deep hours before dawn, while everyone was asleep, two hooded figures slipped out through the back door of a large mansion.
As one hood fluttered in the wind, a woman’s slender ankle was briefly revealed. They glanced around nervously to make sure no one was nearby before stopping beneath a tree whose branches stretched over the outer wall.
Green eyes shone beneath the hood, glowing with determination in the moonlight. Rubbing her palms together to prepare herself, she finally began climbing the tree.
“Miss, please be careful…!”
The young maid standing below looked up at her with worried eyes. Without even having the chance to nod, the woman struggled upward with trembling arms.
At first glance, they could easily have been mistaken for thieves.
But the woman was light.
With nothing but a small pouch of coins hanging from her waist, she looked pitifully poor.
Even so, no one was more desperate than she was.
“Whew… Finally…”
After barely climbing the tree with her shaking limbs, she caught her breath before quietly calling down.
“Mary, hurry and climb up too!”
Mary hesitated for a moment before slowly climbing the tree just as the woman had. Reaching out her hand, the woman helped Mary settle safely onto the branch.
The two carefully moved toward the wall.
Sharp iron spikes lined the top of the wall. One wrong step, and it would be over.
As they cautiously crawled toward the end of the branch, they could see the ground far below.
Looking down from the tree made her dizzy from the height.
But she couldn’t give up now.
Even if she broke her ankle…
She had to escape this place.
The memory of those crimson eyes smiling gently at her made her whole body shiver.
At the same time, it gave her the courage to jump.
“I’ll go first.”
“It’s so high… Will you really be alright?”
Hearing the fear in Mary’s voice, the woman answered with grim determination.
“Even if I break my ankle, I have to get out of here.”
Mary looked as though she had suddenly reached the same realization and wore the same determined expression.
The woman looked at her for a moment before turning back toward the ground.
Making sure her skirt wouldn’t catch on the spikes or branches, she gathered it tightly in her hands…
And jumped.
As she fell rapidly toward the ground, all the hardships she had endured flashed through her mind.
The writer’s block that had struck while writing.
That man who had suddenly appeared.
And the hellish life that followed.
Thinking she was finally escaping all of it, she couldn’t stop herself from shouting in joy.
“I’m finally free—!”
Just before her feet touched the ground—
Tap.
She heard footsteps.
At the same moment, her body landed in something both soft and firm.
Someone’s arms.
She wasn’t hurt thanks to that, but an uneasy feeling crept over her.
Carefully, she raised her head.
The movement caused her hood to slip back, allowing her long brown hair to spill free.
Something bright red reflected in her green eyes.
Her pupils shook violently.
“Is running away your hobby, Author?”
A pleasant, gentle voice flowed into her ears.
But to her…
It sounded like the whisper of a devil.
Her whole body stiffened.
Her face turned pale, and a trembling voice escaped her lips.
“H-How…?”
“You know that as long as you’re inside this mansion, you’ll never be able to escape.”
He smiled sweetly, his crimson eyes curving beautifully.
Yet despite his breathtaking appearance…
The words coming from his mouth were terrifying.
“Maybe I should just break your legs so you can’t run away anymore…”
“…Hic…”
A hiccup escaped her lips.
He chuckled softly.
“Relax. I’m joking.”
“R-Really…?”
“I’ll do everything I can to make you comfortable.”
Her face began to relax.
“But…”
“…”
“Write for me.”
Her expression froze once more.
Narrowing his crimson eyes, the man leaned closer.
“If you keep writing stories for me, nothing bad will happen.”
His hand, which was supporting her legs, tightened slightly.
Feeling it, her entire body became rigid.
Smiling leisurely, he lowered his voice.
“But if you keep trying to run away instead of writing…”
“I won’t just let it slide.”
Her face turned even paler, almost blue.
Apparently pleased by her reaction, the man smiled in satisfaction before walking back toward the mansion.
“Shall we go inside, Author Ria?”
This crazy…
She cursed him in her mind.
But she didn’t dare let those words leave her lips.
Anyone with a functioning brain wouldn’t insult him to his face.
All she could do…
Was quietly remain in his arms.
Philia Rosent.
During her life as a novelist, she had been kidnapped by her most passionate fan…
And also her worst fan.
That crazy duke!
The owner of the Abelheim Ducal House—
The greatest noble family in the Empire.
A man infamous throughout the Empire as a complete madman.
✦ ✦ ✦
There was a reason things had turned out like this.
But to explain that reason, I first have to tell you about myself.
The Rosent family was a viscount household that ruled a small rural territory on the Empire’s frontier.
Its history wasn’t particularly long, nor did it possess much influence within the Empire.
Still, Viscount and Viscountess Rosent enjoyed a peaceful life there.
I was the youngest daughter of that family.
My parents never cared much about noble status.
Instead, they raised all of their children to choose the paths they wanted for themselves.
Since I wasn’t expected to inherit the title, I enjoyed even more freedom than my older brothers.
Rosent Territory didn’t have much entertainment, just as one would expect from a remote countryside.
But there were plenty of mountains and forests surrounding our estate.
I spent my childhood running through them.
Perhaps because of that, my imagination became richer with each passing day.
Then one day…
Father gave me a notebook and a pen.
He wanted me to write a diary every evening about what I had done that day.
But like most children my age…
I found keeping a diary incredibly boring.
So I came up with an idea.
Instead of writing about my day exactly as it happened, I turned my daily life into a story.
It was surprisingly fun.
Inside those pages…
I could become anyone.
I could do anything.
I could even create things that didn’t exist in reality.
Before long, I found myself looking forward to writing every day.
I loved it so much that after filling an entire notebook, I begged Father to buy me another one.
When he saw how quickly I had filled it, he looked both surprised and suspicious.
He quietly read everything I had written.
Only after reaching the final page did he smile proudly and gently pat my head.
“Philia… You have a talent for writing novels.”
Only then did I realize…
What I had been writing wasn’t a diary.
It was a novel.
At the same time, something that felt like excitement bubbled up inside my heart.
Fantasy novels were popular among commoners.
But nobles generally looked down on them.
Even so…
Father recognized my talent.
He did everything he could to nurture it.
He bought me notebooks, pens…
And countless novels to read.
As I continued reading and writing, my talent and imagination grew day by day.
Eventually…
I became one of the Empire’s most popular fantasy novelists.
“Miss, wake up. I think we’ve arrived.”
Someone gently shook me awake.
I slowly opened my eyes.
Mary was looking at me with sparkling green eyes full of excitement.
“Mary…? Arrived? Where…?”
Still half asleep, I rubbed my eyes and mumbled.
Mary burst into laughter.
“Really, Miss… Did you forget because you were sleeping?”
“We’ve arrived at your new home.”
My eyes flew open.
“Really?”
“Yes!”
The moment she confirmed it, I threw open the carriage door.
Completely forgetting my manners, I hurried down the carriage steps.
I heard Mary gasp behind me, but I paid no attention.
Rather…
I couldn’t.
The cozy little house standing before me filled my entire vision.
“Miss, I know you’re happy, but please act like a proper lady…”
Ignoring Mary’s scolding, I ran inside.
The servants had already cleaned everything beforehand.
A neat, spotless interior welcomed me.
Taking a deep breath, I could smell the scent of a brand-new house.
After looking around, I spun in a circle before throwing myself onto the bed beside me.
A smile spread across my face.
“So this is my writing studio…”
Technically…
It wasn’t just a writing studio.
It would also be my home from now on.
But to me, they were practically the same thing.
Because I planned to spend my days here doing nothing but writing.
“Are you really that happy?”
Mary smiled as she followed me inside.
I nodded enthusiastically while rolling around on the bed.
“Yes! I love it.”
“It’s much smaller than the estate, though.”
“Even so, I like it much more.”
My peaceful hometown had always been a wonderful place to write.
But because it was a remote rural territory, news from the city arrived slowly.
Letters from publishers took forever to reach me.
And most of all…
It was boring.
So the day I became an adult, I made up my mind.
I would move to Basil—
The city at the heart of the Arca Empire—
And write there.
Naturally, my family opposed the idea.
My parents especially worried about a noblewoman living alone.
I understood how they felt.
So instead of throwing a tantrum, I spent a long time patiently persuading them.
I spoke honestly about my dreams.
In the end…
They finally gave me permission.
Once the decision had been made, my parents insisted on buying me a mansion inside the city so I would be safe.
But I knew our family’s financial situation.
Grateful though I was, I refused.
Instead, I bought a small house in a quiet village on the outskirts of the city.
It was the kind of house commoners would live in.
Still…
I was completely satisfied.
It was close enough to the city whenever I needed to visit.
And most importantly…
It was quiet.
Smiling happily into my pillow, I suddenly noticed an empty bookshelf in the corner of the room.
Beside it were several boxes filled with books.
The moment I saw them, I jumped off the bed.
Then I began placing each book carefully onto the shelves.
“Miss, let me do it.”
“No.”
“I’ll do it myself.”
“It only feels meaningful if I arrange them with my own hands.”
These were my most treasured books.
I didn’t want anyone else touching them before I did.
Mary watched anxiously as dust gradually covered my hands.
I didn’t care.
One by one…
I carefully placed every book on the shelf.
Finally…
The bookshelf was completely full.
Looking proudly at it, I clenched my fist.
“I’m suddenly full of motivation!”
Yes.
With this feeling…
With this atmosphere…
Maybe I really can do it.
Fire seemed to burn in my eyes.
Determined, I sat down at my desk and picked up my quill.
Mary looked at me curiously for a moment.
But since this wasn’t unusual for me, she quietly stepped back.
Unfortunately…
The fire burning inside me died out in less than an hour.
“Why can’t I write anything?!”
