Thank You For The Confinement, Grand Duke! - Chapter 17
Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi
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Chapter 17
“Grand Duke.”
“Yes.”
“I have a favor to ask.”
Enfrise raised his eyes from the game board and looked at me.
‘This is my chance.’
Swiftly placing a stone on the board, I spoke.
“Is there any way to contact the Grand Duke directly?”
“With me… directly?”
“Lady Tambor is handling all the household chores alone. I feel sorry for disturbing her by calling her all the time.”
“Ah.”
Hmm, there was no change in his expression, but there was a strange feeling. Was he expecting some other kind of request? Like ‘I want to be able to contact the Grand Duke at any time!’ or something like that.
There was no way I could say something like that. We weren’t even in a romantic relationship, to begin with
I smirked and extended my hand to Enfrise.
Just in case he got distracted, I launched a surprise attack.
“A means of contact…”
“Could there be something? Like adding another rope to connect directly to the Grand Duke’s room?”
“Please give me some time to think about it.”
Tap, tap.
His long fingers tapped on the table. It made a sound like fingernails tapping against the wood. However, it wasn’t bothersome, so I found myself absentmindedly looking at it. Oh, come to think of it, his nails were very well-groomed.
I wondered if there was something like nail care or pedicures here. I wouldn’t mind trying it if it was available…
“Grand Duke.”
“Yes?”
“Do you personally take care of your nails?”
“Yes?”
As Enfrise examined his nails at my words, he tilted his head and then placed his hand back on the table.
“Taking care, what exactly are you referring to?”
“They look so neat and glossy. I think they’re very perfectly shaped and beautiful.”
“…I don’t do anything special.”
Oh, was this also a way to portray the male lead more favorably?
“Would you like to try something like that?”
“Hmm.”
He gazed at my hand.
In the morning, when I wake up, Tambor carefully trims my nails with scissors and a file. That was why they always looked neat and glossy. Still, well, in my previous life, my hands were rough and not pretty, so I was embarrassed.
And if I clumsily tried to apply some nail polish myself…
— Has this girl gone crazy? Why are you putting this smelly stuff on? What if this chemical mess gets into my precious grandson’s dishes? Erase it right now.
Saying that, my grandmother forcefully smacked the back of my hand with her strong palm.
I had to cover my hand for a while because it had turned blue from the hit. Even after that, I tried to secretly apply it a few times, though I stopped doing it after I noticed it peeling off bit by bit while doing the dishes or laundry.
After all, if, by any chance, it caused acne on my brother’s hands, I would be the one to receive the punishment.
However, in this life, since I had such pretty hands… I felt like I wanted to try something.
“If you want… I’ll look into some methods.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Oh, was I too shameless? It felt like the requests never ended.
Hmm.
“Is there anything you want to ask me, Grand Duke?”
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?
Well, nothing.
When this man confined Chaperil, he must have had something in mind. Judging by the fact that he didn’t do anything harsh except when I tried to escape, it doesn’t seem like he intentionally imprisoned her for that purpose.
If it were not for that purpose alone, then I’d rather do something than just be a pushover…
“Because it seems like I’m just asking for favors all the time.”
“….”
Was it an unexpected remark?
Enfrise seemed taken aback. It was a little amusing to see him staring at me with a stiff, dazed expression.
Come to think of it, that was right. I was basically imprisoned, so there was not much I could do. Hmm, what could I do? The things I learned in my past life wouldn’t be of any use, and Tambor was handling the household chores well…
…I couldn’t help with anything since I didn’t know how to read, and I couldn’t even draw.
Oh, was I really useless?
“Come to think of it, I’m not much help.”
I chuckled softly at the words. Enfrise hesitated for a moment, then pressed his own lips tightly with his hand and said something.
“….”
Since he spoke with his lips pressed, it sounded like mumbling.
What did he say?
“I didn’t hear you, Grand Duke.”
“It’s… kuhm! Just, just having you here… is help enough.”
….
Oh no, I lost my train of thought for a moment.
So, this was how it felt to be caught off guard.
I understand now what I’ve done to Enfrise. Oh. Now, my arm feels itchy all of a sudden. No, should I say my heart felt itchy? What on earth was this man even saying?
That was what I was thinking.
“….”
Unintentionally, I forgot what I was saying and just stared blankly at Enfrise. His face was getting redder and redder. It looked like something staining a white cloth.
After finally collecting myself, I apologize with a serious expression.
“I’m sorry.”
“…What do you mean?”
Ah, he turned pale. He became as white as a sheet.
…No, no! That wasn’t what I meant!
“No, I’m not saying I can’t be by the Duke’s side! I want to be by the Duke’s side! I don’t want to leave here for the rest of my life!”
Ah, I didn’t realize my sincerity was bursting out.
Whatever, I’ve said it, so be it.
“I’m reflecting on the things I’ve said so far!”
“…What you’ve said?”
“I feel like I’ve been talking without much thought. Just one word from you makes me so embarrassed and itchy… I’ll be careful from now on.”
As I shuddered and shook, it felt like something itching and crawling up my body had fallen away. Enfrise, who was silently watching me, turned his head away and covered his lips again.
‘No, don’t do that. Why are you doing that in such a creepy way?!’
“I… I didn’t hate it.”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t hate the words you said. Did you… hate them?”
No! You weren’t that kind of character! You were supposed to say mean things and act meanly. You were that kind of character!
So, why are you suddenly like this…?!
“Do you mean it?”
Did I ask too seriously? Enfrise also responded seriously in return.
“Yes.”
“Uuuhh, that…”
…What, what should I say?
I used to shout, ‘What are you standing there with your mouth open? Say something!’ Still, for one thing, I understood why couldn’t the main characters be honest. After all, if those men honestly expressed their feelings, the frustrating problem would be resolved, right?
No, it was undoubtedly the author’s consideration to protect the female lead’s heart. Ugh, it was bad for the heart. It was harmful.
I wondered if getting closer slowly over time would make a difference.
“First of all… please be careful, Grand Duke.”
“Are you feeling uncomfortable? As I thought, saying these kinds of things…”
No, that wasn’t it! Anyone can see that wasn’t my reaction!
“Your Grace, surprisingly, you’re not very perceptive, are you?”
“Am… not?”
“Can’t you see my face blushing? I’m embarrassed, you know! If you keep saying things like that with that handsome face of yours, what am I supposed to do?”
“Handsome…”
Ah, he was blushing again.
Enfrise, who had said he didn’t dislike that kind of talk, stood up abruptly from his chair again. Then, he quickly moved toward the door and stopped.
“I’ll make sure to resolve the request you made right away tomorrow. And…”
And?
“I’m not running away because I hate it. Please understand that.”
…Uh, um, alright.
What was that? Just yesterday, when Enfrise ran away while playing the game, he was so cute.
But today…
For some reason, my face also felt hot.
“Kyuu, kyu! Pippi!”
… What’s this? This cute sound that seemed otherworldly.
I glanced back and forth between the white creature struggling to escape from Enfrise’s hand and his face. When I looked at him with my eyes, asking if I should accept it, he once again held out the white creature to me.
“This won’t hurt you. Don’t worry, just take it.”
However, his hand was covered in bite marks. There was even a little blood.
Still, it was so cute.
I reached out my hands as if possessed and accepted the little thing, and it froze as if it were a broken machine.
“This is a weasel, right…?”
I had seen it in a TV cartoon my younger brother used to watch. It was the one that wore a leaf on its head. Although it wasn’t wearing a leaf, its slender body and shiny white fur closely resembled the character from the cartoon.
No, it seemed even cuter than the cartoon character.
“To be precise, it’s not a real weasel. It’s an animal modified with magic.”
A modified animal… Ah, that was why he said it wouldn’t harm me.
“It won’t harm anyone registered as its owner… just that.”
The weasel in my hand still didn’t move. It just stared at me, rigid and unresponsive, as if it were conscious but not moving.
Hmm, maybe this…
As I gently placed the creature on the floor, it quickly scurried away from me and hid under the bed. Then, it made a shih— rustling sound.
While I didn’t know much about weasels, I could tell it was feeling threatened by me. It seemed like it didn’t like me much.
“Seems like there’s a bit of an issue. How about something else…”
“No, it’s okay! I like it.”
The way it glared at me from the darkness reminded me of Enfrise. Since he said it wouldn’t directly harm me, it should be fine.
But the problem was…
“Why did you bring it here?”
“Well, didn’t you ask if there was a way to contact me directly?”
Enfrise approached the weasel with slow steps. It crouched and hissed, trying its best to appear threatening, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a match for him.
I thought it would run away, but the weasel unexpectedly did something else.
“….”
Enfrise’s eyebrows slightly furrowed. It must hurt no matter what it was doing, though he tightly held the wriggling weasel, which was still gnawing at his fingertip, and handed it to me.
“Here, there’s a red gem hidden among the chest fur. If you press it…”
He glanced at me briefly.
What would happen if I pressed it? With a questioning look, I gazed at him, and Enfrise suddenly turned his head.
“I’ll receive a notification. So…”
So?
Why did he pause? It didn’t seem like something big?
“If you have any business with me or if you… want to see me, you can press this at any time.”
… Enfrise’s face turned bright red.
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HeathBar
Oh my gosh, Enfrise is soooooo cute.
This is the first time I’ve seen a weasel as a messenger instead of a bird. 🤣