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Chapter 02
My hands were busily scooping up clams, but my eyes kept drifting toward the horizon.
“He said he’d be here soon. Why is he so late?”
The archduke’s ship, which was supposed to visit this island any day, had been out of sight for several days now. At low tide, I went out to the tidal flats to dig clams, and when the water rose, I climbed to the top of the island to look out at the sea.
Days went by like that.
“No wonder it’s called Little Island—it really is palm-sized.”
This nameless isle was so small that you could walk around the whole thing in half a day.
Surrounded on all sides by the swelling sea.
“It’s even smaller than my old hometown.”
That place had been bigger than this, but still small enough that the entire village could be seen at a glance.
I hated my home island. If I could have, I would’ve escaped it as fast as possible.
“That’s why, as soon as I became an adult, I settled in the city.”
Yet, for some cruel reason, a mischievous god had dumped me onto another island again.
I let out a sigh.
“Just you wait, Archduke. Once you arrive, I’ll sneak onto your ship no matter what, and escape from this island.”
I absolutely refused to endure a second round of island life. With renewed determination, I quickened my pace, digging clams even faster.
Then, it happened.
Far off on the horizon, a tiny black dot shimmered.
“What’s that?”
I froze for a moment, staring hard at the dot. Soon, it grew into a blotch, and then into a great black ship.
“Mother was right!”
Tears nearly welled up in my eyes.
It wasn’t some palm-sized fishing boat, but an enormous warship. At the top, a flag fluttered, and I could just make out the crest of the Archduke’s house.
Overcome with excitement, I dumped my basket of clams into the one beside me, slipped out of the mudflats, and sprinted toward the pier.
“That’s the Archduke’s ship!”
“Oh heavens, he really did come after all?”
The pier was already buzzing with villagers gathered to see. I melted into the crowd, waiting anxiously for the ship to dock.
The Archduke’s vessel glided gracefully over the water and soon reached the pier.
That’s when it happened.
“What are you doing here again?”
Someone grabbed the back of my neck.
“Who—?!”
“My, my. Can’t even recognize your own mother now? Do you think this is the time to be standing here?”
“Oh, not again…”
“While everyone else is sweating buckets trying to cook for the guests, you’re slacking off? You need to help too!”
The torrent of nagging came from none other than my mother.
“Or do you expect the Archduke to cook his own meals? And what about all those sailors—how do you plan to feed them?”
“Mom! I was digging clams till just now. You’re making me work again?”
“Clams don’t cook themselves, you know! Someone has to crack them, season them, boil them—something!”
Without ever getting a proper glimpse of the Archduke’s face, I was dragged away by my mother. Apparently, I was the village’s official laborer. Whenever there was work to be done, they always called for me.
That was one more reason I had to escape this island.
I sweated buckets over the blazing fire, cooking until I was ready to collapse. By the time I finished washing all the dishes and tried to see the Archduke, they said he had already gone to sleep from exhaustion after the long voyage.
The next morning, I went again—only to be told he had a headache from drinking too much the night before.
In the afternoon, I tried once more—but now he was out inspecting the village.
“Does he have gold dust on his face or something? Why is he so impossible to see?”
I grumbled in frustration, but in the end, that entire day passed without me meeting the Archduke.
That evening, my mother roped me back into cooking and washing again.
Two days slipped by just like that.
On the third morning—
“Today, no matter what, I’ll meet him.”
I clenched my teeth and headed straight for the Archduke’s quarters.
But then I overheard the villagers whispering.
“They say the Archduke’s leaving today.”
“Well, what business could he have on such a tiny island anyway?”
“Shame. Would’ve been nice to look at that handsome face a little longer.”
What? Already?
And sure enough, the Archduke’s great ship was hoisting its sails once more. Even the quarters he had used were being dismantled.
“Any later, and I’d have missed him completely!”
I spun around and dashed toward the pier. Desperate not to lose him, I ran so hard my whole body broke into sweat and my legs turned to jelly.
“Huff, huff. So this is why they say stamina is important.”
Luckily, I wasn’t too late.
There—just stepping onto the gangplank—was a man in ornate clothing.
“That must be the Archduke!”
I cupped my hands and shouted with all my might at his back.
“Archduke! You can’t leave without meee!”
He froze mid-step, one foot on the wooden plank leading up to the ship, as if he had heard me.
I shouted again.
“Please take me with you! I’m begging you!”
Perhaps my booming voice had reached his heart. Slowly, he turned and looked straight at me.
I forced myself onward, lungs burning, until at last I stood right before him.
“Pant… pant… Archduke.”
At last, I raised my head and met his face—and my breath caught.
“This man is…?”
His skin was pale, as if it had never seen sunlight. His eyes were wide, sharp, and upturned. Delicately placed double eyelids framed them perfectly. A straight nose, full lower lip, and ears tapering like blades. Waves of platinum hair framed it all.
He was the very masterpiece I had crafted with all my heart—the embodiment of every preference I ever had.
“Wait… this is inside my novel?”
At last, I understood where I was. There was no need to ask him about the kingdom’s name or his lands.
This was my story. And the man before me was none other than Duke Rupellen, the protagonist of my novel.
No mistake—his face was exactly as I had sketched it dozens of times.
“Forget gold dust—his face itself is a gold ingot!”
I’d heard villagers call him “the Archduke,” but I hadn’t realized that Archduke meant my Rupellen.
I tried to speak, but in my fluster I bit my own tongue.
“Archdu—ow! Ack, ack!”
“‘Ack’? Do the islanders have such strange dialects?”
He looked at me with mocking amusement.
That low, velvety voice paired with such an arrogant tone!
Sure, I’d poured all my tastes into him—but his wretched personality? Definitely not my type.
I preferred gentle, considerate men. But what fun would a novel be if the male lead were sweet and mild all the time?
So here he was: perfect in appearance, rotten in temperament.
Duke Rupellen, exactly as I had written him.
“I-I’m sorry! My tongue slipped.”
“Seems like your legs slipped too.”
He glanced at my trembling knees with a smirk. But I didn’t care about his taunts—my situation was too urgent.
“Archduke! You’re setting sail soon, right? Please, can you take me with you? You can just drop me off on the mainland!”
“Sorry, but my ship is already full.”
Of course.
There was no way he’d agree so easily. Countless others must have wished to board his vessel.
“I’m really light and don’t eat much! I’m practically invisible!”
“Invisible people are of no use aboard my ship.”
His curt rejection made me panic.
“I’m not invisible! I’m very useful! Archduke—do you, um… do you like octopus?”
The words tumbled out before I could stop them.
Octopus? Really?
Yet, when he heard the word, his eyes gleamed.
“Octopus? Did you just say octopus?”
Instead of answering, I thrust my hand toward the nearest mudflat.
A thin beam of magic shot out, piercing the mud, and soon yanked out a writhing catch. A strong, healthy octopus dangled in the air.
“If you let me board, I can serve you fresh like this every day!”
The Archduke looked from the flying octopus to me, then shook his head in disbelief.
“Are you kidding me?”
“W-what? Why?”
It was live octopus! I thought he’d at least pretend to consider it.
But with a sly smile, he leaned closer.
“And who exactly am I supposed to feed with just one?”
“…Excuse me?”
“At least ten more. Show that much sincerity, and maybe I’ll think about it.”
As he spoke, I could’ve sworn I saw drool glistening at the corner of his mouth.
