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~Chapter 17~
“That was a bit lazy, right? Sorry…”
Before I could even finish apologizing, Etienne grabbed my hand.
“Oh my! What are you doing?!”
Was that why he was mad?
Etienne carefully examined the back of my hand, looking at it like he was inspecting something important. Then he let go, almost tossing my hand away.
Judging from his face, I didn’t pass the inspection. I pulled my hand back to check it myself.
There was nothing there.
My pale hand only had a few small scratches from scraping on the stone floor.
“You really are hopeless.”
“Hopeless for what?”
Etienne looked like he wanted to say something more, but he just opened and closed his mouth a few times.
But in the end, he didn’t say anything. He just snorted and stormed out.
“What…? What’s up with him today?”
I just stared at the door for a long time.
I really have no idea what’s going on in that man’s head, but there’s one thing I do know.
He hates me. He really, really hates me.
The little spark of hope that had flared up in my heart fizzled out with a hiss.
“You visited Lady Dahlia, right? Good job. I told you to go see her sooner, but you just had to be stubborn about it.”
Even after Simon said that, Etienne didn’t answer.
Instead, Etienne placed a colorful pouch on the desk. The candies inside made a cheerful rattling sound.
He had picked up the pouch from the ground on the day he saved Dahlia. The bright and pretty candies reminded him of her.
The red candy looked like her lips, the purple one like her eyes, and the yellow one reminded him of her cheerful personality.
Suddenly, he felt irritated. He tossed the pouch into the corner of the desk, out of sight.
“Should I throw it away? Oh, no, I won’t. Please don’t look at me like that.”
Simon glanced nervously at Etienne, then spoke again.
“So… should I stop reporting about Lady Dahlia now?”
“No. Report in even more detail.”
“What? How? Do you want me to tell you how many times Lady Dahlia breathes a day?”
Simon looked like he was about to cry.
For the past week, Etienne had made Simon report every detail—how long Dahlia’s treatments lasted, how many times she frowned, how many bites it took her to eat steak, and more.
Simon couldn’t get any of his other work done, and the paperwork piled up like a mountain.
But Etienne still wanted to continue. How long? And for what reason?
This was not the efficient, practical Etienne that Simon was used to.
“What, you don’t want to?”
Simon wanted to complain, but just closed his mouth. Then he narrowed his small, dark eyes.
“You’re up to something weird again, aren’t you? Those button-like eyes are creeping me out.”
“You’re acting suspicious,” Simon grumbled.
He thought back to the last few days.
When Etienne carried the fainted Dahlia in his arms, he was pale. Simon had never seen him like that.
Etienne was usually cold-hearted, even ruthless enough to kill if needed.
Just a while ago, he’d sent Dahlia to the monastery without a second thought—even after being married to her for a year.
And then, only a few days later, he brought her back, completely beaten up.
Now that he thought about it, that was strange too. Etienne never forgave people once they crossed him. Was he changing too, just like Dahlia?
“Stop staring.”
“Ahem…”
Simon, still watching for Etienne’s mood, quickly looked down.
His temper was the same, but… why did it feel so strange?
The day Dahlia was kidnapped, she woke up almost right away.
But even then, Etienne paced by the window, looking lost. He hardly ate or slept and kept asking about Dahlia’s condition.
It was strange… really strange…
Simon shook his head, but suddenly his eyes sparkled.
“Etienne. Don’t tell me…?”
“What, why, what?”
Etienne frowned at Simon’s bright, puppy-like eyes. When Simon looked like that, he always said something ridiculous.
“Did you fall in love…?”
Whizz.
“Agh!”
A thick book flew at Simon. He barely dodged and curled his big body, shaking in fear.
“If that hit me, I’d die!”
“That’s the idea.”
“Why? Lady Dahlia is different these days, so it could happen! Love always comes as a surprise— Ah! Okay, don’t throw anything else!”
Etienne put down the ink bottle he had picked up.
Once Simon saw Etienne’s hand move away from the ink, he spoke again.
“Then why are you like this? You’re curious about everything, you worry about her… Even a few days ago, you had me investigate Lady Dahlia’s and Prince Veseth’s past.”
But as far as Simon knew, Etienne was not someone who could love anyone. That’s why Simon never thought of that as a possibility… but now, it was the only thing that made sense.
“If you’re just going to say useless things, get back to work.”
“Fine, I won’t say anything else.”
“So? Veseth and Dahlia—what’s your report? If you’re going to say it, finish it.”
Simon smiled like he already knew everything. Etienne reached for the ink bottle again, so Simon quickly put on a serious face and started his report.
“There’s nothing special. As most people know, Lady Dahlia has chased after Prince Veseth since she was very young—”
“What? Why?”
“Didn’t you know? Even if you didn’t care, Lady Dahlia really liked the Crown Prince. When the Emperor ordered her to marry you, she caused a huge scene, saying she’d rather die.”
Etienne had never cared about her, so of course he didn’t know.
“So, she’s always acted that way while living with me?”
“Well, that’s probably why she always wore dark clothes. To be honest, it was like she was saying, ‘Living with you is like dying for me.’”
“If it’s hard to say, then don’t say it.”
“Hehe.”
“And after that?”
Etienne urged him to continue.
“Even after getting married, she kept sending Veseth letters. Well, mostly it was just Lady Dahlia sending them—almost never getting any in return. The last letter was two weeks ago.”
That was before Dahlia went to the monastery.
Listening to the report, Etienne started to feel a bit better. At least, after the night Dahlia claimed she lost her memory, there had been no contact between Veseth and Dahlia.
“Alright. Got it.”
“Etienne… Just to be sure, can I ask—?”
Simon twitched his nose.
“Don’t.”
Etienne stopped him, but Simon kept talking.
“Does your heart race whenever you think of Lady Dahlia? Do you see her everywhere, day and night? Don’t deny it so much. Love isn’t a crime.”
“Do you really think that’s possible? Are you sure you have a brain in that big head?”
“Why not? People have all kinds of tastes. Besides, she is beautiful.”
“Beautiful, my foot. That would never happen. If it did, I’d be your servant forever.”
“Then why are you acting like this? You haven’t slept properly lately.”
Etienne didn’t answer. He could tell he was acting different from usual.
He couldn’t get the image of Dahlia—tied up and thrown around like a sack—out of his head. Every time he remembered, he felt a strange, hot emotion he couldn’t explain.
He had thought he would find “that item” and everything Dahlia had stolen down there. He expected to catch her red-handed and kick her out for good.
He wanted to never see her shameless, unreadable face again. That’s what he was thinking as he went underground.
But instead, he found Dahlia, a total mess, rolling on the floor.
She looked at him with tears like he was her savior. She bled and rolled her eyes back. She cursed through her last breath.
A hot feeling swelled up in his heart.
It was blurry, but it was closest to anger. Why was he angry? Even he didn’t know.
He spent days calming himself, confused by these emotions. Today, he thought he was finally back to normal. But seeing her again, he felt just as angry as that day.
Especially when he saw those damn scars on her hand…
“Get out.”
“If you don’t want to talk, you always just kick me out.”
Simon grumbled as he opened the door, then stopped and turned back to Etienne.
“Or… is it something else?”
“What now? More nonsense?”
“Do you hate Lady Dahlia so much? Or is it because you didn’t find your item?”
“What?”
Simon’s words hit him like a rock.
‘Why didn’t I think of that? Yeah, it’s because I hate her.’
Dahlia had stolen something important. It mattered for Veseth’s safety, his own safety, and maybe for his revenge, too.
He lost it because of her. Then she just acted innocent, saying she lost her memory. Of course he hated her.
He also felt guilty—if he hadn’t doubted her the day she was kidnapped, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten hurt.
Somewhere between anger and guilt.
That’s what Etienne decided his feelings were.
His chest felt lighter, like a heavy weight had lifted.
“There are still some things that don’t add up… But you were too harsh with a sick person. If we hadn’t been so suspicious, Lady Dahlia wouldn’t have gotten hurt. You really are a cruel man, Etienne. You have no blood or tears… So scary.”
He picked up the ink bottle again. Simon squeaked like a mouse and hurried out the door.
Etienne stared at the tightly closed door, lost in thought. Then he smiled slightly.
“Yeah, I’ve gotten too soft. I need to keep a closer watch from now on.”
