Don't Always Try to Shoulder It All Alone

"Ugh..." Era stood up and stretched, letting out a small groan as she arched her back.

"Your Highness~ Are you okay?"

"...Yeah."

"You look a little strange, though?"

"......Yeah."

The truth was, I wasn't okay at all. Era's words kept echoing in my head, refusing to fade.

"Let's live here together for the rest of our lives."

That single sentence. Just that one phrase...

"Your Highness?"

"...What."

"Why are you spacing out?"

"...It's nothing."

"Hehe. You must not be fully awake yet."

After we finished eating, Era naturally picked up the rope.

"...?"

"Your Highness~ Give me your hand~"

"......"

"I have to tie you up. Hehe."

Until yesterday she'd said, "You won't run away anyway~" and left me untied. Today she was coming to bind me on her own...?

"...Why the sudden change?"

"You seem like you're thinking about something, Your Highness."

"...?"

"Hehe."

"...What kind of thoughts?"

"Thoughts of running away~"

...Bullseye.

I froze.

'How did she know?'

In truth, until a moment ago I'd been planning to wait until the Maryeokche arrived. But her reaction just now had made everything crystal clear.

This place wasn't normal.

Era wasn't normal either.

If I didn't escape soon, I might really end up trapped here for the rest of my life... Or maybe being trapped forever would be the fortunate outcome?

Era was kind, but she had a terrifyingly hot temper, and the dark side she showed when angry was no joke.

Anyway— 'Era, you probably thought showing me that would make me give up. Huge miscalculation.'

'I don't scare that easily. Nope.'

"Huh?"

"Is Your Highness trembling?"

"...Who's trembling!"

Era smiled brightly as always and skillfully bound my wrists. This time she tied them noticeably tighter.

"...Era."

"Yess~?"

"...Why are you tying me up again?"

"I thought I already told you..."

"...Is that really all there is to it?"

"Hmm... Who knows? Even I don't fully understand my own heart~ Hehe..."

"...Then until when?"

"Until Your Highness organizes your thoughts~"

"...Organizes my thoughts?"

"Yes!"

"...What exactly am I supposed to organize?"

"Umm... stray thoughts?"

Stray thoughts?

"Then tell me what those stray thoughts are."

"Thoughts of other women. Or thoughts of running off somewhere else?"

"Things like that... Hehe."

She was laughing again. Did she think laughter would end the conversation?

I glanced down at my bound wrists. The knot was definitely tighter than before.

'She's made sure I can't escape this time.'

Well into the morning, Era suddenly began gathering her outer clothes.

"...Where are you going?"

"To pick up some work!"

"...Work?"

"Yes! If you go to the village hall, you can find out what jobs people have brought in."

...Was this my chance?

"...Want me to come with you?"

I subtly hinted that I wanted my restraints ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠removed, but—

"Ehh~ Not today~"

"...Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to!"

"...Why don't you want me to?"

"That's a secret~"

"...Don't you have way too many secrets?"

"Do I~?"

"Yeah."

"There are just so many things Your Highness shouldn't know~"

"......"

Ha. What kind of answer had I even been hoping for?

"I'll be back soon!"

The door slammed shut at the same time.

Tap, tap—

Her footsteps quickly faded into the distance.

"Hmm..."

It feels lonely.

This was a first.

Being completely alone in this room without Era.

I looked around. Worn walls. The wildflowers in the jar (slightly more wilted than yesterday). The line where laundry was drying. Cracks across the ceiling.

...The room was so small there wasn't much to look at.

"......"

I tried using my own strength to loosen the bindings on my wrists, but this time she'd tied them with genuine kidnapping-level skill. They were rock-solid. Naturally, I couldn't get free.

But the truly strange part was—

'Why am I still in this village?'

There had been opportunities... Of course, the villagers might have caught me, but still. In a situation like this, wasn't the normal reaction to attempt escape without overthinking the consequences?

I hadn't even tried once to break free from Era.

'No way...'

The villagers' calm, understanding faces flashed through my mind.

'No way I'm becoming just like them?'

A chill ran down my spine.

'Like... my name changing to something like Chunsik...'

'With the sea right there, getting dragged onto a shrimp boat...!'

'Well, I was kidnapped the moment I possessed this body, so maybe I'm just confused.'

But as I thought about it, one fact suddenly hit me.

"Ah. That's right...!"

"Possession!"

I had possessed the prince's body. The prince with Platinum Star Veins. A body capable of using magic.

Yet after the possession, I'd never once been conscious of that fact.

"Hmm..."

I slowly closed my eyes. Just as it was described in the original story.

"Is it something like this...?"

I focused my awareness inward.

'Star Veins.'

'If they exist, let me feel them.'

'......'

—Silence.

'It's too quiet.'

At first I felt nothing at all.

'Let's keep trying. I have plenty of time.'

After concentrating for a long while—

'......!'

Faintly. From the center of my chest. A warm current flowed.

Platinum-colored. Soft and pure.

'So it really is there.'

I felt a spark of excitement.

'If I can use this...!'

If I could use it, breaking these knots would be easy!

With that thought, the moment I tried to draw up the Star Veins—

From deep within my chest. Something else appeared.

'......?'

From the deepest part of me, something dark—not platinum—twitched faintly, then sank back down.

Ting—

"...!"

My concentration was forcibly ripped away, and I was thrown out of that inner space.

"...?"

I opened my eyes.

'......?'

'What was that just now?'

Maybe it was my imagination.

'There was definitely something there...?'

'......'

I looked at my palm. Instead of red and blue blood vessels, I saw pure white platinum-colored veins.

Questions only multiplied in my mind.

Then came the sound of footsteps from outside.

I quickly straightened my posture.

The door opened—

"Your Highness~ I'm back!"

Era entered with a silly grin, arms full of cloth scraps and random odds and ends.

"Look at this!"

She spread everything ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out on the floor. Old pieces of fabric. Faded colors. Some with holes. Thread, needles, scissors.

"...What is all this?"

"Clothes!"

"Clothes?"

"Yes!"

"...Whose clothes?"

"Yours, Your Highness!"

I paused.

"...What?"

"Your Highness's clothes have gotten so dirty~"

Era pointed at what I was wearing.

"..."

I glanced down. The prince's garments I'd been wearing at the moment of possession. After several days without changing, they were covered in dirt and wrinkles.

"...So you're going to make me new ones?"

"Yes!"

"...Do you even know how to make clothes?"

"...Hehe."

"...Hey."

"Yes!"

"...You don't know how, do you?"

"...Hehe."

"......"

"But if I work hard, I think I can do it!"

She looked so confident.

...This girl simply didn't understand reality. Or more accurately, she was trying to run away from it.

I let out a sigh.

"...Can't you just borrow clothes from someone else?"

"Your Highness is so tall, there aren't any that would fit."

"......"

"So I'm going to make them for you!"

Era brought the fabric over and sat right in front of me.

"...I need to take your measurements!"

"...Measurements?"

"Yes! Stay still~"

She brought out something resembling a measuring tape—an old piece of string.

"...Hey."

"Yes!"

"...How exactly are you measuring?"

"Like this!"

She held the string with both hands and placed it against my shoulder.

"...Wait a second."

The distance between us was far too close.

"...Uh, uhh."

"Your Highness has to stay still~"

"...Can you back up a little—"

"I can't measure if I do!"

"Ha..."

"Be good!"

She was even giving me orders now. Era moved the string from my shoulders down toward my chest.

But using string to measure was basically just physical contact!

"...Hey."

"Yess~"

"...It's touching."

"Yes!"

"...No, I'm saying it's touching me."

"If it doesn't touch, I can't measure properly~"

She wasn't wrong, but—

"Hoo..."

I turned my gaze to the ceiling.

Then Era suddenly stopped.

"...?"

"Why?"

"Your Highness really is tall...!"

As if realizing it for the first time.

"...You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠already knew that."

"Measuring this close makes it feel even bigger~"

"......"

"Hehe."

Era stood on her tiptoes to measure my shoulder width. I could feel her crown right in front of my nose.

'Hey.'

'Hey, this...'

Her slightly tousled black hair...

I breathed in slowly.

'Something... a warm, sunny scent...'

Just before I fell completely under the spell of that addictive fragrance—

"Your Highness~"

"...!"

Damn it! She startled me...

"Uh! Uhh... What?"

"I need to measure your chest circumference too."

"......!"

"Please spread your arms slightly~"

She moved behind me with the string, wrapping it around my chest and circling my body. Her hand lightly brushed my back.

"......!"

"Stay still~"

"...Are you doing this on purpose—"

"What if I am~?"

Look at her.

"You've gotten really bold, haven't you?"

"Boldness is part of my charm, you know~"

"Huh... unbelievable."

To hide my reddening cheeks, I looked even higher. The cracks in the ceiling were now painfully clear.

"Ugh... heave..."

Having finished the measurements, Era set the string down and stared at me intently.

"...What?"

"Your Highness."

"...What?"

"Your hair is long."

"...?"

"It's gotten quite long."

I touched my own hair. Originally, Prince Leon's hair hadn't reached his shoulders. But after the possession—no, after the kidnapping—a few days had passed and it had grown out, completely unkempt.

"...So?"

"Shall I trim it for you?"

"...Do you even know how to cut hair?"

"...Hehe."

"...Hey."

"Yes!"

She'd clearly decided to go all in.

"...You don't know how, do you?"

"...Nope!"

"......"

How many times had I sighed lately...?

"...Forget it. No need to cut it."

"...That's a shame."

"Why is it a shame?"

"I wanted to touch Your Highness's hair..."

Her eyes sparkled like they were on fire as she stared at my head.

You...

"...Don't touch it."

"Why~ Just for a second."

"No."

"Just a second~"

Era reached out her hand.

"...Hey."

"Yess~"

"I said no."

I spoke firmly, my expression turning stern. She'd been doing whatever she wanted lately—it was time to set some boundaries!

"...Hehe. Just my fingers. Just the tips."

She said it so innocently.

"......"

"...Just for a tiny moment."

My determination to establish discipline vanished in an instant.

"Just a little...!"

"Yess!!!"

She gently lifted my bangs with her fingertips.

"......!"

So carefully, as if touching something fragile that might break.

"...Your Highness's hair is so soft."

"Wow..."

"...Of course it is. I'm a prince, after all."

"...Is that how it works?"

Era smiled again.

"Hehe..."

"......"

Just seeing that smile somehow brought back the face of someone I'd long forgotten.

That's why I couldn't say anything.

...Still, she looked so happy. Was it really that good?

"...Hey, only you get to touch?"

"Eh, yesss?"

Era's hair was also incredibly fine and beautiful. I'd thought so for days now.

"Let me... Let me touch yours too."

"Uh... that's..."

"Your hair. Let me touch it."

"It's unfair if only you get to touch. Don't you think?"

"No... No, even so..."

She kept trying to make excuses, but she couldn't hide her increasingly flushed cheeks.

"Hey."

...Just a little more and she'd cave.

"Is it that bad if I touch your hair?"

"Eh."

Finishing blow.

"Uhh... uh..."

"Huuuu......"

Her face was red to the limit. I could almost see steam rising from her head.

'Serves you right.'

After teasing me like that, she needed to experience it herself to snap out of it—or so I thought. But in reality, I was just as red and flustered as she was.

"Not... allowed?"

I leaned in close, bringing my face near hers.

"Hiiit!... Okay!!! Okay, so stooop..."

In the end, I got her to surrender.

"My, my heart is straining..."

Era stepped back, clutching her chest and catching her breath.

"...Come here."

"Ne...?"

"You said I could touch your hair."

"Ugh..."

But I had no intention of worrying about her feelings anymore.

'I'm doing what I want too!'

"Here...! Here it is... Is this okay?"

Era came close, turned around, and offered her glossy black hair.

"..."

How could her hair be so healthy when she only ate thin porridge?

Thinking that, I plopped my hand on top of her head.

"Eut—!"

Swish— Swish—

I gently ran my fingers through her hair.

"Eut... Uhut!"

Of course I didn't tangle it. That would be hard to fix.

...But why did she keep making those strange noises?

"...What kind of sounds are those?"

"It's just... your touch is too, uhut—!... gentle..."

...If I kept ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this up, the mood would turn weird. Tap—

I quickly pulled my hand away.

And then— 'I've always wanted to try this.'

"Ah...?"

Pat, pat—

I softly stroked her hair with my bound hands.

"...What are you doing?"

Era's already flushed face grew even hotter, like the sun itself, radiating warmth.

But—

"Can't you tell just by looking?"

—At times like this, be shameless and bold.

It was a technique I'd learned from Era these past few days.

"...No, but..."

"...Think of it as a prize."

"A, a prize?"

"Yeah. One I'm giving you."

"...What did I do to deserve a prize?"

"..."

For a moment, I was speechless. Not because I had nothing to say, but because there was too much.

I didn't know which of this pitiful creature's actions deserved the highest praise.

"..."

So I just kept stroking.

"First... a prize for doing the laundry so diligently."

"...But that's—"

Pat pat—

"And a prize for boiling porridge for me and sharing your bread."

"No—"

Pat pat pat—

"A prize for always smiling like an idiot everywhere you go!"

"That's not even a compliment!"

I decided to say it all.

"Ahem! Keep complaining and I'll stop giving prizes?"

"...Uuu."

...She really seemed to like it. Era's face was gradually melting.

"...Prize~~ Prize— Prize, the Kidnapping King of the Year Prize..."

I continued stroking her for a long time, awarding her all sorts of prizes.

"...Hehe."

With a happy smile, Era rested her face on my lap.

"Yaaawn... mmmnya..."

And fell asleep.

"...Oh? Look at you."

So comfortable...

...Still.

"It's nice to see you smiling so peacefully."

Unlike her previous tearful smiles, this was a truly happy one.

"...A prize for always smiling energetically no matter how hard things get."

While stroking her hair, I gave her the last prize I couldn't say while she was awake.

"But if it's hard... lean on someone else sometimes..."

"...Don't always try to shoulder everything alone."

...Sigh.

"What am I doing, lecturing a sleeping girl..."

"Ahaaam..."

Staying like this was making me sleepy too...

The sunlight was warm. Era's hair was incredibly soft.

In the end, I also fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

'But I feel like I'm forgetting something... Never mind. Yawn...'

Completely forgetting her original goal of making clothes, the two of us slept soundly, leaning on each other until the next morning.