The Reason Why She Can’t Get Married - Chapter 47

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Chapter 47

“Well, I don’t know who orchestrated this, but I don’t think they intend to harm us, at least not immediately.”

“How can you be so sure?” Gabriella stared at Selena, her face etched with fear.

Selena replied calmly, “They instructed their men not to hurt us while chasing us. They tied our upper bodies but left our legs free. They even left a lamp here. Whatever their motive, it doesn’t seem like they want to hurt us right now.”

“Oh…” Gabriella’s expression relaxed for a moment before hardening again. “Why would they kidnap us? Money…?”

“That’s a possibility, or they might have something else in mind.”

‘Honestly, it’s unlikely anyone would kidnap a princess for money. If they were after a ransom, they’d be better off kidnapping a noble like me.’

Of course, the men could have kidnapped them without knowing Gabriella was the princess, but now that she considered it, that seemed highly improbable.

‘The timing of their arrival, right after Sir Dixon left…’

They knew we were there. Which meant they knew Gabriella was the princess and still went through with this.

“What should we do? Should we just wait here until someone comes to rescue us?”

“Hmm…” Selena furrowed her brow, lost in thought. Waiting passively felt too risky. If their goal was something they could gain by holding the princess hostage, they might try to eliminate them afterward.

“Lady Irving…” Gabriella’s voice was laced with anxiety. Seeing her on the verge of tears, Selena forced a smile and brightened her tone. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. We’ll get out of here safely.”

“Do you really think so? Will they come looking for us?”

“Of course. The princess has been kidnapped! The entire Royal Knights will be mobilized.”

Gabriella’s complexion brightened slightly. Leaning against the cave wall, she murmured, “Do you think Sir Dixon has realized we’re gone?”

“He must have. He would have come back and found us missing.”

“I wish Sir Dixon would hurry and rescue us. He always appears like a prince, saving me whenever I’m in danger.” A faint smile touched Gabriella’s lips. In contrast, Selena’s forced smile faltered.

‘He’s been strangely irritating me from the start.’

Dominique Dixon, the knight who miraculously appeared whenever Gabriella was in danger, stealing the princess’s heart. It was a classic trope from the romance novels Selena adored, yet now it felt unsettling. Besides…

‘The men’s reaction when I pretended Sir Dixon was coming was odd.’

They should have been startled or wary, but their reaction was more of puzzled confusion. As if they were thinking, ‘Dominique Dixon couldn’t be back already.’

Of course, they might have known Dominique was away hunting and timed their arrival accordingly. Even so, their complete lack of surprise was undeniably strange. It was incredibly suspicious.

“Lady Irving…”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“If Sir Dixon rescues me again, I’m going to confess my feelings for him.”

“Y-yes?! What?!” Lost in her thoughts, Selena had been responding absently. A beat later, the meaning of Gabriella’s words hit her, and her eyes widened. “I-isn’t that a bit hasty?”

“No. If he saves me again, it’ll be a sign that we’re destined to be together. I believe in fate, Lady Irving.” Gabriella’s voice held a firm conviction. It seemed like no amount of persuasion would dissuade her.

‘If Sir Dixon really does make a dramatic entrance and rescues us like in a fairytale…’

No matter how hard Selena tried to prevent it, Gabriella and Dominique would end up together. She had to stop that from happening. Clenching her fists, Selena spoke with newfound resolve. “Your Highness…”

“Yes?”

“Let’s escape.”

“…What?” Gabriella was taken aback by the sudden suggestion. But Selena’s decision wasn’t impulsive. She had weighed the options: waiting passively versus attempting an escape.

‘Even if it weren’t for Sir Dixon, it’s better to escape on our own if we can.’

Without knowing their captors’ exact intentions, it was foolish to wait, hoping for the best. There was a chance they could be used as hostages in some drastic scheme. She began to persuade Gabriella in earnest. “Who knows when they’ll come looking for us? Let’s escape from here, just the two of us.”

“B-but…” Gabriella shrank back, shaking her head timidly. “Isn’t that too reckless? Wouldn’t it be safer to just wait here…?”

“Who said it’s safe here?”

“You said the kidnappers weren’t going to hurt us.”

“I said not immediately. They probably kidnapped us for you, Your Highness.” Selena’s gaze and voice became intensely serious, making Gabriella flinch. “That means there’s a good chance we’ll get out of this safely, but there’s also a high chance we won’t. The fact that they dared to kidnap the princess suggests they might have a grudge against the royal family.”

“S-such a…”

“So, even if they don’t intend to harm us now, there’s a good chance they’ll try to eliminate us if things go wrong.” Of course, Selena didn’t actually think this was the work of someone with a grudge against the royal family. But to motivate the terrified Gabriella, she needed to instill a greater fear.