Prologue

New Times Newspaper.

“Want to Prove You’re Handsome? Go to Hildes Street?”

Subtitle: Mysterious Serial Kidnapping of Handsome Men Occurs Again.

On the 2nd, another report of a missing handsome man was filed in the capital’s Hildes Street.

The victim was described by the reporting acquaintance as a man in his early 20s from the Northern Palatinate region, visiting as a tourist, with striking blonde hair and distinct facial features.

(Omitted…)

According to the palace investigator, based on similarities with the “Hildes Street Handsome Men Serial Kidnapping Case”, this incident is suspected to be the work of the same perpetrator.

The “Hildes Street Handsome Men Serial Kidnapping Case” refers to a series of kidnapping incidents that have occurred on Hildes Street since February 17, 714.

A key characteristic is that all victims are acknowledged handsome men over 170cm tall. Unlike typical kidnapping cases, all victims are safely released after 30 days.

This case gained particular attention due to interviews with the released victims.

Below are excerpts from interviews with the third, seventh, and twenty-eighth victims of the handsome men serial kidnapping case.

– At first, I didn’t even realize I was kidnapped. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Naturally, because the lavish feast and bathtub with hot water that were casually laid out were no joke. I wondered if all nobles lived like this.

Truly, I’d have no regrets if I could be kidnapped just one more time. After being there for free, it’s troublesome because I don’t want to work for money anymore.

Dear kidnapper, if you happen to see this, please take me again. Please? I’m begging you.

– Third victim

– I had a dream of becoming a judge. But for someone like me who might starve to death tomorrow, studying was a luxury. Just when I had half given up on my dream, I heard rumors about the handsome men serial kidnapping case.

With the mindset of grasping at the last straw, I deliberately walked down Hildes Street. And I really did get kidnapped.

(Omitted…)

I was happy just to be able to study law books during the 30 days of captivity. But the kidnapper’s kindness didn’t end there.

When I was released and returned home, an unbelievable sight awaited me. There were law books piled up in front of my house.

I knew instinctively. This was the grace of the kidnapper, no, my benefactor.

And today, several months later, I’ve been accepted into the law department of the Academy as the first commoner. With a full scholarship.

All of this is thanks to my benefactor. I too want to grow into an excellent person who gives to others like my benefactor, to repay this grace.

– Seventh victim

– Hotels across the country should reflect on themselves. I’ve stayed at numerous accommodations for hefty prices, but none were as good as that place. How can hotels that charge money provide worse service than a kidnapper?

– Twenty-eighth victim

As can be seen from various cases, the peculiar aspect of the “Hildes Street Handsome Men Serial Kidnapping Case” is that the kidnapping victims were not tortured or threatened, but rather treated with extreme hospitality.

All the victims from the thirty occurrences of the kidnapping case unanimously described the place they were held as ‘paradise’.

Meanwhile, including this latest incident, this marks the thirty-first occurrence of the serial kidnapping case, yet clues about the perpetrator remain elusive.

Although a dedicated investigation team led by Princess Veronica von Agrian has been formed, no progress has been made even 13 months after the first incident.

There is no information on the perpetrator’s gender, age group, or residence, let alone the motive for the crimes.

Particularly, as none of the numerous victims claim to have had contact with the perpetrator, the investigation is expected to continue facing difficulties.

Some argue that since all victims are unanimously handsome, the perpetrator might be an abnormal person who finds satisfaction in making handsome men happy, but nothing has been confirmed.

The problem is that now, with no information about the perpetrator, many people are flocking to Hildes Street. Handsome candidates trying to confirm if they are handsome themselves and incidentally enjoy a free vacation.

However, the palace security office, including the investigation team in charge of this case, urged restraint from such behavior.

Princess Veronica, the head of the investigation team, advised residents to refrain from going outside for the time being, stating, “The unusual behavioral pattern shown by the perpetrator may all be preparation stages for a major crime.”

– Reporter Philip Brandt

Chapter 1: The Appearance of the Serial Handsome Men Kidnapper

Hildes Street, located on the outskirts of the capital.

The street lined with small shops is particularly noisy with chatter today.

“Did you see the newspaper?”

“What, about that kidnapper? Of course I did. This is already the thirty-first time, they say.”

“I don’t know how they can kidnap only handsome men so precisely without getting caught, with so many people around. Is the culprit actually a ghost?”

“Ghost my foot. It’s probably just that the investigators aren’t working hard enough. What’s the point of working every day and paying taxes? They can’t even catch one criminal.”

“Hey, watch your mouth. Don’t you know Princess Veronica is in charge of this case? You might get dragged away for contempt if you’re not careful.”

The fruit shop merchants started bickering, forgetting even to attend to their customers.

I eavesdropped on their conversation while pretending to look at the fruits.

“Come on, contempt for something like this? If anything, walking around with a face like that is closer to contempt.”

“Now look here! Anyone who hears you might think you consider yourself handsome. Acting all high and mighty when you haven’t even been kidnapped!”

“Bah, the culprit probably didn’t take me because they haven’t seen my face. Just wait and see, my name will be in the newspaper as the thirty-second kidnapping victim.”

Are they actually hoping to get kidnapped?

I got a headache from their abnormal statements.

There were rumors about being confined in an unimaginably luxurious environment, but this was too much regardless.

‘Is kidnapping a joke!’

The merchant who had been listening silently seemed to share my thoughts as he suddenly burst out.

“There you go again, spouting nonsense. Ah, forget it! Just get back to work.”

Shaking his head as if further conversation was meaningless, he then made eye contact with me.

“Oh, we have a customer. Yes, miss. What can I get for you?”

Come to think of it, did Ren like oranges?

Remembering my subordinate waiting for me at the hideout, I pointed.

“Six of these, please.”

The merchant quickly packed the fruit and handed it to me.

“Thank you, oh? There’s one extra here.”

“Service, to make you come again. It’s a turbulent time these days, so be careful and come again next time.”

The merchant from the neighboring shop who had been arguing earlier chimed in.

“That’s right, you should be careful. Who knows what that kidnapper might do next.”

Although it was a concerned statement, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurd sentence.

‘Me? Get kidnapped? By that handsome men kidnapper?’

I waved my hand as if there was absolutely no way that could happen.

“Oh, but I’m not handsome, you know? Why would they kidnap me?”

However, the merchant was taken aback by my insensitive words.

“Hmm, what are you saying? There’s no guarantee the kidnapper will only target handsome men forever. Beautiful young ladies like you should certainly be careful too!”

“No, no. But I’ll be careful. Thank you for your concern.”

“That’s good thinking. How could you possibly know what’s in the kidnapper’s mind?”

How could I know? There’s probably no one who knows better than me.

Swallowing words that shouldn’t be spoken aloud, I flashed a smile instead of answering.

Unlike the fruit shop merchant’s worry, I will not become the thirty-second victim of the serial kidnapping case.

Because the culprit who has been consistently kidnapping only handsome men won’t suddenly change their target to beautiful women.

How do I know that so certainly?

It’s because I am the notorious serial handsome men kidnapper.

How did an unremarkable person like me end up becoming the culprit of a case splashed across the headlines?

The story begins like this.

Twenty years ago, I was born as the illegitimate child of Viscount Schmidt.

And as is often the case with most illegitimate children, I too grew up in unfortunate circumstances.

My mother passed away when I was too young to remember, and I was registered into the family as the eldest daughter.

Naturally, my existence was a thorn in the side of Viscountess Schmidt, the legal wife.

Young and weak, I grew up enduring emotional abuse from the Viscountess and my half-sister, Leonie.

To make matters worse, even the Viscount, my biological father, viewed me unfavorably.

I had to live like that, unprotected by anyone.

I wasn’t resentful.

After all, to the Viscountess, I was just the daughter of the other woman.

Honestly, I was grateful they didn’t starve me to death.

Of course, that didn’t mean I planned to stay in that wretched family forever.

Time passed, and after a long wait, I finally became an adult.

‘That was already a year and a half ago.’

When I expressed my intention to be independent, my biological father thankfully threw me out with a fairly substantial amount of money.