CPSMBD Chapter 60

Chapter 60

The Proposal

I remained still as a mouse, watching for my opportunity.

The kidnappers, who had initially been wary of me, let their guard down once I grew quiet. They were busy arranging various items and unknown solutions around the Crown Prince, preparing for something sinister.

Both of them had turned their backs to me.

'Now's my chance.'

My eyes met the Crown Prince's. I raised my index finger to signal him to stay quiet.

Though I saw him slightly shake his head in warning, I launched myself at one of the kidnappers.

"Aaaaaah! Let Friedrich go!"

With all my might, I drove a stone into the wound I'd noticed earlier on the kidnapper's hand.

"Arrrgh!"

The strike must have been effective—the kidnapper screamed and shoved me away.

I lost my balance and tumbled onto the items they had laid out. Glasses toppled, boxes tangled, and everything became a mess.

While the kidnapper I'd attacked examined his wound, the other one wore a grave expression.

"Brother, this little brat has ruined all the Kapirus powder."

"Arrrrgh! You insufferable little pest! You're really getting on my nerves."

"Do we have any more?"

"That was everything we had here."

"What should we do now?"

"What else? We need to get more quickly. If we beg old man Fernando, we might be able to conduct the ritual with just two people's conscio—"

The kidnapper caught himself mid-sentence, glancing at me before clamping his mouth shut.

"Then I'll go fetch it right away."

"Let's go together. I need to get this treated anyway. That old geezer is so particular, he won't easily hand over what we need. I'll have to pressure him myself to get anything out of him, tch."

The kidnapper roughly wiped his bleeding hand on his clothes before heading out, leaving the Crown Prince and me behind.

Before leaving, he issued us a stern warning.

"Stay quiet and don't cause any trouble, you brats. There's no way two kids like you could ever escape from here anyway. Got it?"

The door locked with a heavy clang.

I approached the Crown Prince, who was still bound to the platform, and began working on his restraints.

The knots were so tight that it took an agonizingly long time to undo them.

After much struggling, I finally managed to free him.

"There. You're all untied now."

The Crown Prince rose, massaging his wrists. I surveyed our surroundings and said, "We need to get out of here before those kidnappers return."

"Yes. Let's look for any possible escape—"

The Crown Prince stopped mid-sentence upon seeing my face. His expression turned to one of dismay.

"Wait, your face..."

"Don't worry. It's nothing."

It was just a scratch from when I fell. It didn't matter at all. A mere scratch on my cheek was the least of our concerns right now.

"More importantly, do you think we can get out of here?"

The Crown Prince's face hardened as he spoke.

"Don't do anything reckless like that again."

"Why not? We're friends, aren't we? It's natural to help a friend in danger, so why are you telling me not to?"

"...We're not friends."

The Crown Prince muttered in a small voice.

Geez, how prickly. The Crown Prince's emotional walls were higher than I'd expected.

"Fine. Then we won't be friends. But I'm still going to act the same way. If you're in danger, I'll save you."

"..."

I walked past the silent Crown Prince to examine the door the kidnappers had left through.

It was a thick, sturdy metal door. There were two other doors as well—one led to a small makeshift bathroom, and the other wouldn't open at all.

It was a space without any windows to the outside.

Unless we could get through the door the kidnappers had just used, there seemed to be no chance of escape.

I pushed against the metal door with all my strength. Friedrich, watching my efforts, joined in. Even with both of us pushing together, the door wouldn't budge an inch.

'I shouldn't have suggested going to the market. This is all my fault. If I hadn't insisted on going to the market, Friedrich would never have been kidnapped...'

After struggling with the door for a while, we finally collapsed onto the floor, exhausted.

With a heavy heart, I spoke.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"If I hadn't suggested going to the market, none of this would have happened... It's all because of me."

"...It's not your fault. Those people who kidnapped us are the bad ones."

"Still..."

Seeing my dejection, Friedrich carefully took one of my hands and spoke.

"Listen, Violetta. When we get out of here... I'm going to propose to you."

"You're going to propose to me...?"

"Yes."

"Why? Just a moment ago, you said we weren't even friends."

"...That's not what I meant. You protected me this time. So, from now on, I'll stay by your side forever and protect you."

"But Mom and Dad said you should marry someone you love..."

At my words, the Crown Prince clutched the edge of my sleeve and bowed his head before responding.

"That's just it... I think I might like you... How do you feel about me?"

Hmm. What should I do?

This was my first time receiving a confession, so I was flustered.

The Crown Prince's hand, still holding my sleeve, was trembling pitifully.

'He's kind of cute...'

His hair, black as the night sky, was beautiful, and his brilliantly blue eyes completely won me over.

'Since he's handsome and cute, maybe it would be okay...'

"Alright. I like you too."

At my acceptance, the Crown Prince suddenly lifted his bowed head.

"So, you'll definitely accept my proposal?"

When I nodded, the Crown Prince held out his pinky finger.

I linked my pinky with his.

But anxiety soon washed over me.

"What if you forget today's promise?"

"I never forget a promise once I make it."

"Really?"

"Yes. Here, take this."

The Crown Prince offered me a button he'd torn from his sleeve.

His initials were engraved on the back of the golden button.

The Crown Prince stood and spoke in a solemn voice.

"I, Crown Prince Friedrich Grateful of this Empire, swear that as long as you possess this token, I shall never forget today's promise. I pledge this upon the Empire and my name."

Oh, what should I do?

'That's kind of cool. No, not kind of—really cool.'

"Okay. You absolutely can't forget."

"I won't. As long as you have this, I'll never forget today's promise."

In the end, neither the Crown Prince nor I could find a way to escape.

When the kidnappers returned, they immediately separated us.

"Take that one to the next room. We can't have another incident like before."

"Yes, brother."

The kidnapper who grabbed my arm took me to another room.

"No! Let go! I want to stay with Friedrich. Friedrich!"

I struggled against being dragged away, but it was useless.

The kidnapper unlocked the previously locked door, shoved me inside, and locked it again.

"No! Open this door! Don't you dare hurt Friedrich!"

I pounded on the door until my fists hurt, but it wouldn't open.

"Let go! I said let go!"

I could hear the Crown Prince's screams through the door.

'I have to get him home safely... I promised...'

But there was nothing I could do right now.

How much time had passed? The Crown Prince's screams gradually became less frequent.

I paced around the room anxiously.

'I can't just stay here.'

There must be something, surely something I can do.

The dark room was lit by just a single small candle.

I surveyed the room in its dim light.

The room I was locked in was a study. Several books were haphazardly stuffed into a bookshelf, with a large desk in front of it.

I needed something thin and sharp. Maybe then I could unlock the door?

As I searched the desk, my eyes fell on an open book.

"A summoning circle for demons...?"

I rubbed my eyes and read the text above the formula again.