Though I’m a Homebody, I Found Myself in a Dark Captive Genre

It seemed that the first floor served as both a restaurant and pub, as the modestly sized hall was filled with several round wooden tables and chairs.

Following Bonita’s lead, I sat down at a table and looked around with wide-eyed curiosity.

A worn wooden counter, massive oak barrels piled up in one corner like a small mountain…

Given that I’d mostly eaten in the dining rooms of Salt’s royal palace or grand duke’s mansion, it was only natural that this authentic, fantasy-style inn felt so unfamiliar.

“Your order is ready.”

“Wow!”

Having had my fill of jerky, I let out a small exclamation at the sight of the steaming food.

How long had it been since I’d had properly cooked food from a kitchen?

With a happy heart, I picked up my utensils, ready to fill my belly.

But then… something strange caught my eye.

‘Huh?’

There was an unknown stain on the fork, made of some unidentifiable metal.

It also looked… well, very worn—more neglected than naturally used over time.

Quietly, I picked up a napkin and ran it over the fork’s prongs.

Sure enough, not only rust but also black grime came off on the napkin.

Ugh, gross.

‘No, let’s just assume it was a mistake. They must’ve been busy.’

With a discreet but thorough motion, I scrubbed the utensils clean.

‘This much is fine, right? Haha…’

It made sense, considering this place likely hadn’t seen many visitors in a long time, and now they were suddenly hosting a swarm of travelers.

Plus, thanks to the guidebook’s warnings, it didn’t feel like as big a deal as it might have otherwise.

Guess that’s why preventative measures are important.

Anyway, let’s just let this slide.

“Almost at the imperial capital now. Enjoy your meal!”

Bonita’s cheerful call signaled the start of lively chatter from the other diners.

“Ah, finally sitting on a proper chair and resting!”

“You had a rough time with the night dew, huh?”

The surroundings grew noisy as the other knights began to enjoy their evening meals.

Feeling more at ease, I took my first bite of food with a lighter heart.

Then… something else caught my attention.

“Oh…”

This time, it wasn’t the utensils—it was the menu item itself.

‘This is supposed to be roast duck leg?’

When I poked it, the soft flesh bounced off the fork.

The texture felt completely different from any duck or chicken I’d ever seen.

‘Something’s off.’

One thing was clear: what was labeled as “roast duck leg” wasn’t remotely close to what sat in front of me.

I hadn’t spent my life obsessing over duck legs, but this meat was way too small.

Honestly, it seemed more like pigeon, quail, or even some unknown bird caught from who-knows-where.

The menu clearly read “Special Butter Roast Duck Leg.”

But no matter how many times I blinked, this was neither duck leg nor butter-infused.

No buttery aroma either—just an overpowering pepper smell.

‘What is this?’

It was a strange situation.

Nothing foreign had popped out of the dish, but anyone could see the menu and meal didn’t match. Yet everyone else seemed totally unbothered.

Even the usually picky Grand Duke Blael didn’t bat an eye!

He was calmly slicing his portion of meat as I watched in disbelief.

My excitement for this rare “real meal” deflated like a sad balloon.

As a food-loving Korean, meals are super important to me, okay?

Feeling let down, I suddenly remembered the safety tips Blaire had shared:

If foreign objects appear in your food, pretend not to notice.

Small inns in remote villages often struggle with strict hygiene due to limited resources. Pointing out issues may deeply hurt the kitchen staff’s feelings.

…Okay.

Let’s not overreact.

The guidebook said not to make a fuss. So whether this is duck, goose, or whatever, I’m keeping my mouth shut.

But after two weird incidents in a row, my appetite had all but disappeared.

Had someone noticed?

While I was just picking at the meat with my fork, a server approached.

“Is everything to your satisfaction, miss?”

I glanced down at my untouched plate.

The server was probably just worried after seeing my lack of eating.

For a moment, I debated whether lying would be weird under the circumstances.

‘No, stick to the rules.’

Rules are made for a reason.

As I was about to speak, the strong spice smell hit again, triggering a violent sneeze.

“Ah, excuse… achoo!”

The sound drew everyone’s attention.

“Are you alright, miss?”

The server’s worried gaze met mine as they repeated the question with a warm smile.

“Is there a problem with the menu, miss?”

“Well… the thing is… there’s…”

Had they noticed I wasn’t eating?

I could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me as I hesitated.

‘What’s with all the nervous faces?’

Just then, Liam appeared like a savior.

“…She ate a lot of jerky on the way here.”

“Pardon?”

Stepping between me and the server, Liam uncharacteristically offered a clumsy explanation.

“Jerky’s tough and takes a long time to digest. It’s no surprise her appetite’s not back yet.”

Liam’s words clicked, and I realized he was offering me a lifeline.

‘He’s covering for me.’

This restaurant’s chef must have a fragile ego, enough that even Liam felt the need to tread carefully.

Thinking it best to play along, I quickly nodded.

“Exactly! I’ve been munching nonstop, so I’m a little full. Haha!”

“Still, I recommend trying a bite of our duck leg. The chef poured his heart into this dish.”

“Thank you for the consideration.”

With one last glance at the table, the server left. The crowd’s attention gradually dispersed—except for Blaire.

‘Why’s he staring like that?’

Unable to meet his gaze, I turned my head away.

No, no. It’s not like I stepped up because I wanted to!

Still, um, technically speaking, I didn’t violate any of the guidelines, so it should be fine, right?

Even though what I was served wasn’t roasted duck leg, I didn’t complain or cause a fuss—just mumbled a bit, and it ended there!

“Ahem, ahem.”

“Are you very uncomfortable, miss?”

“Huh?”

Bonita’s concerned question made me quickly shake my head.

“N-no, I’m fine.”

“Eat up before your food gets cold.”

“R-right. Thanks.”

In the end, I picked at the cooling soup and nibbled on the mystery meat, but I couldn’t make out any distinct taste.

Honestly, the jerky might have been better.

At least, as warned in the safety manual, the restaurant’s hygiene was lacking, but there hadn’t been any foreign objects in my food.

After finishing that uneasy meal, the first thing I did back in my room was soak my tired body in hot water to relax.

Just as I stepped out, there was a knock at the door, right on cue.