I Caught the Male Lead on a Deserted Island

RADKIEL calmly opened his mouth, still unable to completely let his guard down.

“I seem to have misunderstood. I have been very impolite to the person who saved my life. May I ask for your name?”

“Uh? Well, uh… Um…”

“I suppose ‘uh’ is not a name, and if you don’t want to tell me, I won’t ask.”

“Oh, no! My name is, uh, Yuri.”

“Miss Yuri.”

Yuri thought, ‘It’s been a while since I’ve said or heard my name.’

Yuri, Yuri. It was an unfamiliar name that he had never heard before. As Radkiel observed the woman’s thought that appeared once again, he unknowingly felt a sense of familiarity. It was because he felt the same as her.

If it was a normal introduction, it would be appropriate to reveal his own name as well. However, since this place could possibly be within the empire’s reach, he decided to keep it hidden for now.

Radkiel’s name was known for both positive and negative reasons. Nicknames such as the Foolish Crown Prince, the Worthless Crown Prince, and the Prince of Misfortune followed him throughout his life.

Names of the imperial family shouldn’t be used casually, and his name was not something that was casually chosen—it was a unique combination of his father and mother’s names.

Even if someone doesn’t know his face, they will know once he said his name. To assess the situation, he chose to remain silent for a while. From the current circumstances, he could deduce that this woman named ‘Yuri’ was likely living alone in a secluded place and had little interaction with others.

Radkiel himself, aside from two trusted friends, had no one with whom he could have a proper conversation. Unaware that his wariness had eased, he politely asked the question.

“You mentioned that I was caught by a fishing line. I would like to know exactly where this place is. I have no memory of being in the sea.”

“Oh, this is, a…”

Yuri, who seemed about to answer immediately, suddenly fell silent. Why was she acting like this? Radkiel muttered with a puzzled expression.

“A…?”

He could see Yuri’s eyes anxiously shifting. Strange. Why couldn’t she speak? Yuri seemed too flustered for him to urge her. Radkiel silently thought of various regions that began with the letter ‘A’.

It took a while before Yuri’s mouth opened again. And it was with a deeply frustrated expression.

“Trapped Island… that’s what it’s called.”

Radkiel immediately thought that Yuri was insane. He had never heard of an island with such a name. Or perhaps, was she metaphorically expressed that she herself was trapped here? Amidst various scenario passing through his mind, he reflexively looked at the door. Then Yuri urgently exclaimed.

“It’s not a strange place! It’s just the name, only the name…!”

“…This island, which area of the sea is it located in?”

“A-area of the sea?”

Knowing the sea it belonged to could give a rough idea of the location. However, Yuri wore a confused expression as if she didn’t even know that. She hesitated, fidgeting with her fingers as if contemplating, and finally answered.

“Um, I don’t really know either. I didn’t come here by choice, so.…”

“If you didn’t come here by choice, does that mean someone brought you to this place? Like a kidnapping?”

“Oh, no, it’s not like that at all. I was brought here, but it’s definitely not a kidnapping!”

“…If it’s not too much trouble, I would like to meet someone else, if possible.”

“Oh, well, uh, I live alone on this island, so…”

“….”

Although it was suspicious, she didn’t show any signs of lying. For now, her expression was very easy to read. Of course, if she were a compulsive liar, the situation would be different, but there didn’t seem to be a reason for her to tell such a suspicious lie.

Radkiel pondered, touching his chin, and calmly spoke.

“Miss Yuri… you said. According to what you said, I was caught on a fishing line yesterday. But if there’s no one on this island, how on earth did you manage to bring me here? It’s not like there’s a carriage available in a place like this.”

“Yes? Ah, I brought you here by carrying you.”

“…By carrying me?”

He hesitated, even though he knew it was rude, and carefully observed Yuri. Her petite and slender figure, thin neck and arms, and her gentle face made her appear even more delicate than the noblewomen he had seen in the imperial palace. However, during the short time he spent with Yuri, she didn’t seem fragile at all. The strength that pressed against his shoulder was surprisingly firm.

While it could be due to him feeling weaker, her expression didn’t show any signs of lying. That was the impression he got when she made a puzzled expression.

Yuri thought, ‘It seemed that showing him directly would be faster than explaining a hundred times over. Should I carry him like I did yesterday?’

Seeing that, Radkiel nodded subtly.

“Alright, I understand for now. So, you’re living alone in this secluded island called Trapped Island, not knowing which area of the sea it’s in and how you caught me with a fishing line while I was on the sea.”

“T-That’s right…?”

“In that case, Miss Yuri, do you not know who I am?”

“Ah, no. I saw you for the first time yesterday. Are you someone famous?”

“….”

The question he casually threw out came back to him as a question. Radkiel averted his gaze. Although he knew that such behavior would make her suspicious of him, he thought it might be better to show his true thoughts.

Ever since his mother was killed, he had been wary of everything he said. In fact, there had been times when poison had been mixed into his food and drink, causing him to collapse. After his two friends promised to be his hands and feet, bringing him food for him and ensuring his safety, he started training to adapt to poison just in case. Their help had been significant. If there was poison in the food, he could easily detect it.

Let’s think optimistically. If Yuri wasn’t lying and if this situation wasn’t the result of the empress consort1Used to be head of concubines or someone else’s manipulation, it was a stroke of luck for him.

He could avenge his mother and himself. However, he didn’t want to go down that path. Radkiel was too tired. He had lived a life filled with revenge. He wanted to follow his mother’s wish for him to live happily instead. In the midst of that, the only two friends he had ever opened his heart to betrayed him. Radkiel couldn’t forgive them when he returned to the palace.

In that case, it would be better for him to die here. To do that, he needed to confirm Yuri’s true intentions. Whether she genuinely wanted to save him or if there was another motive.

Lost in such thoughts, he was startled by a cautious voice that pierced his ears.

“Um… what’s your name?”

Radkiel stared at Yuri with an expressionless face. Calculations raced through his mind. As if frightened, he gazed at Yuri, lowering his head and speaking with a weak voice.

“I… I don’t remember.”

“Huh…?”

“I don’t know. I don’t remember anything. Not even my name, what kind of person I was, or why I got caught on a fishing line.”

“….”

Radkiel, who had lived his whole life in the palace where his life could be taken away without anyone noticing, was accustomed to living with a false facade. Even in front of his mother’s enemies, he had to force a laugh.

So, he knew that his words doesn’t add up, and he was aware that Yuri was bewildered. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was to make her believe that he had lost his memory. When the startled Yuri was about to stammer a response…

“Miss Yuri.”

“?!”

He reached out his arm and grabbed Yuri’s hand. As the golden cloth draped over him fluttered, revealing his upper body, she was taken aback and averted her gaze. Her cold hands were very soft and small. It was far different from the hands of the empress consort he was forced to hold, which also made him feel disgusted.

Without revealing any of his emotions, Radkiel spoke quietly.

“I have nowhere to go and no one to rely on, so I think I’ll need your favor for a while, Miss Yuri. If it’s not too much trouble, that is.”

“Uh, well, it’s, it’s okay…!”

“Thank you very much. You’re truly a kind person. Then, right now, may I make one request?”

“Ah, yes. What…?”

“By any chance, if you have a Helmet Flower root or Amantia mushroom or a pufferfish? Or perhaps Belladonna flowers? Or a mushroom that is reddish and horn-shaped, or a mushroom that is pure white and has no gills…”

“W-Wait a minute. Why do you need those?”

“Hanging myself or cutting my artery would make it difficult to clean up afterward, and jumping into the sea is not an option because my physical condition is bad that even walking alone is difficult. So, um, since you brought me here by yourself, when I die, please throw my body into the sea.”

“….”

In reality, it wasn’t that he lacked courage, but rather he was concerned about the possibility of being rescued by someone in a strange manner. However, if he were to die for sure, he wouldn’t have to worry about that. Radkiel pulled the corner of his lips up. Shortly after, Yuri’s face turned pale as if she understood his words.

“I refuse.”

Even though he expected her not to simply nod her head, she was far more resolute than he had seen her before. However, it was only for a moment.