🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 16
The shoes Jeril had told the maid to prepare were stiff, unbroken-in shoes.
And not just any shoes, but real high heels—the kind made purely for “beauty,” not something for beginners!
The truth was, Elia was a fairy, so she had never even had the chance to wear high heels before.
In other words, my feet are still as soft and tender as a baby’s.
Yet here I was, wearing shoes with heels thinner and sharper than my pinky finger, and walking around in them for three whole hours.
Jeril, watching as my heels blistered and my ankles twisted, said:
“You’re becoming more beautiful little by little!”
…Isn’t he just completely insane?
When Calib had already told me that it was far too early for me to wear high heels, that I should stop, I should have listened.
Instead, out of sheer stubbornness, I went and wrecked my feet like this.
I had sworn I’d crush that crazy etiquette teacher, scrub his smug face across a grater if I could—and yet, I’d ended up utterly defeated.
…I was too embarrassed to even lift my head.
“Haa…”
I let out a depressed sigh as I watched Calib blowing gently on my aching feet.
Just then, Olivia came in with a doctor.
“Elia-nim!”
“Pant, pant—where is the patient?”
The elderly man was so out of breath, it was clear he had rushed all the way here.
“Ah, over here. Please take a look at Elia’s foot.”
Calib rose from his seat and pointed at me.
The doctor quickly bowed respectfully to the Grand Duke’s heir, Calib, then came over to me and immediately examined my foot.
“Hmm… It seems you’re not used to wearing shoes like these.”
“Ah, yes.”
“In that case, you should have broken them in gradually.”
The doctor scolded me politely.
I know, right? But I had been so blinded by revenge that I didn’t think ahead at all.
Of course I couldn’t say that, so I just forced an awkward smile.
Calib asked in a worried voice,
“How is she?”
“We’ll need to keep an eye on her ankle for a while, but there doesn’t seem to be any damage to the bone.”
“Mm…”
“As for the skin abrasions, I’ll prescribe an ointment. Apply it regularly. And make sure to keep the wound clean and unaggravated for the next few days, or it could worsen.”
The doctor’s words were nothing out of the ordinary, but Calib sighed softly in relief.
Looking at me with concern filling his face, he said,
“Until the wounds heal, you shouldn’t attend lessons. I’ll speak to the teacher.”
Ugh, damn it.
I had just been boasting a little while ago about getting revenge, and here I was, defeated before I even began!
But still, injury or not, I couldn’t just let that crazy etiquette teacher keep Calib to himself.
“No, even if I can’t practice, I can still observe.”
“Don’t push yourself.”
It seemed Calib had noticed that I was insisting only because I didn’t want him to be mistreated.
I glanced at Olivia leaving with the doctor, then replied,
“It’s fine. I’ve got nothing else to do anyway. And if I keep watching the lessons, I might pick something up.”
They say even a dog at a village school will learn to recite poetry after three years.
But Calib only kept staring gloomily at my feet.
“This still happened, even though I was right there. I couldn’t protect you.”
His small fist clenched tightly, as if the fact infuriated him.
I reached out and took that tiny fist into my hand.
“Either way, I was bound to get hurt at some point. After all, you know I’ve never worn high heels before.”
Even in my old life as an athlete, I could count on one hand the number of times I’d worn them.
“So don’t blame yourself. In fact, it’s better this way. The harsher the lesson, the faster I’ll improve.”
But Calib still hung his head, his face clouded.
I gently shook his hand, as if urging him to look at me.
Finally, Calib met my eyes with a sorrowful expression.
I smiled brightly at him.
“Once I get used to high heels and learn to walk gracefully, then we’ll finally be able to go to parties together. Right?”
“Parties…?”
“Mm-hm. I’ll practice hard. Then we can go to a party, have fun, and dance together. How about it?”
“…That sounds nice.”
Calib nodded obediently.
I fondled his small hand and spoke warmly.
“Good. Then let’s just focus on happy thoughts. I’ll heal quickly anyway—I’m strong.”
“Elia…”
For an instant, tears welled in Calib’s red eyes.
With eyes glistening like a dew-covered rose, he looked at me, then suddenly burrowed into my arms like a kitten.
“Mm, okay. I’ll only think happy thoughts.”
“I’ll work hard at getting used to etiquette, too.”
I hugged him tightly and patted his back.
“Rest well, Elia.”
“Mm, you too, Calib.”
Calib lingered on Elia’s gentle farewell, then quietly closed the door himself.
On his way back, he ran into Olivia, who had been assigned to Elia.
“Olivia.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Please take good care of Elia. Make sure her wound doesn’t get worse.”
Calib’s voice trembled faintly.
Olivia faltered in surprise without meaning to.
After all, Calib had always been expressionless, like a doll, speaking in stiff, cold words.
Yet now he was nearly tearful, asking her to look after Elia.
Trying not to show her bewilderment, Olivia quickly lowered her gaze.
“I will do my utmost to serve her well.”
She placed her hand over her chest and bowed respectfully.
And Calib, not wanting her to see the tears in his eyes, hurried away.
As he walked back to his room, his small fist trembled.
What am I doing?
His nails dug into his palm, leaving sharp pain, but he couldn’t unclench his hand.
The self-loathing was unbearable.
I should have expected Jeril would target Elia instead!
Jeril was sly enough to abuse even him, the heir, in ways subtle enough to go unnoticed.
Of course someone like that would never make the fatal mistake of openly abusing the heir in front of others.
It was obvious. He would bully Elia first to drive her away, then torment me as much as he wanted!
But in thinking only about evoking pity through Elia’s sympathy, he had failed to account for the obvious.
And because of that failure, Elia had been hurt.
Pathetic.
Back in his room, Calib curled up on the sofa, clutching his head.
But he didn’t have time to wallow in despair.
That teacher is smarter than me. I can’t beat him alone.
Even if Elia only attended as an observer, Jeril would surely find unexpected ways to torment her.
Calib’s downcast red eyes began to burn fiercely.
That cannot happen. Once was enough. Not twice.
During his time with Elia, he had learned many things.
“Calib, not knowing something isn’t shameful. It’s only natural.”
“But teacher said ignorance is disgraceful.”
“Hah! What, was your teacher born knowing everything about the world?”
“…No.”
“Exactly. Even your teacher must have once asked, ‘Dad, why is the sea blue?’”
“The sea looks blue because it reflects the color of the sky.”
“…R-really? Wow, Calib, you’re smarter than your teacher!”
As the memory of Elia’s laughter surfaced, the corners of his lips loosened ever so slightly.
“If something’s too hard, you have to tell an adult, Calib.”
“But I was told the Grand Duke’s heir must do everything alone.”
“What a crazy bas—uh, I mean, what a narrow-minded person. Calib, before you’re the heir, you’re a human being. And humans are social creatures.”
“Social… creatures?”
“Yes. Humans can’t survive alone. We live by forming bonds and sharing our lives with others.”
“…Sharing…”
“Exactly. So if you’re struggling, don’t bottle it up. Tell an adult. They’ll help you.”
“…But what if they find me bothersome?”
“Why would anyone find you bothersome? If someone does, bring them to me—I’ll beat—uh, scold them for you!”
He could still picture her clenching her fist before bursting into laughter, waving it off playfully.
“…You’re right, Elia. I’m still young. I need an adult’s help right now. I can’t protect you from Jeril alone.”
Calib slowly rose from the sofa and clenched his fist again—this time, not in despair, but with new resolve.
In truth, ever since coming to the Grand Duke’s estate, Calib had never once asked an adult for help.
“Listen carefully, young master. You are the Grand Duke’s heir. Not some ordinary child.”
Tantrums, whining, clumsiness—none of it had ever been allowed.
Jeril had drilled that into him like brainwashing.
And the other adults in the Grand Duke’s household had regarded Calib coldly as well.
Under those harsh gazes, Calib had lost even the courage to ask for help.
“That’s why I could never ask even Cedric-hyung for help.”
What if his older brother found him annoying? What if he grew tired of him? What if he came to hate him…?
That fear had always held him back.
But not anymore.
Even if he ended up bothering Cedric—even if Cedric came to find him troublesome.
Even if he ended up being hated.
“I have to go to Hyung. I have to ask him for help.”
Because there was no way he could just stand by and watch Elia suffer again.
