PSTB 57

~chapter 57~

Etienne strode up to my side with long, measured steps.

He clearly seemed like he had been running, yet when he reached me, he stopped abruptly. He raised his hand, then lowered it again, his gaze flickering between me and the empty air.

After a moment of standing like that, he spoke.

“When did you wake up?”

“Just now.”

“Any pain?”

“Much better now.”

Relief seeped through his calm tone. I didn’t know what to say, so I just rolled my eyes.

Etienne pulled the rope beside the bed. Soon, a few maids entered carrying a large silver tray. He accepted it with ease. The maids handed it over without a second thought and exited.

Weird. Why was Etienne receiving it? The prince himself?

I furrowed my brows, observing the scene with quiet disbelief.

Etienne held the tray delicately. He scooped up a spoonful of soup and blew on it.

No way…

Before I could think further, the spoon was brought to my lips.

“Ah.”

Ah? Ahh?

What on earth was Etienne doing?

I stared at him. He was completely serious, focused on keeping the soup from spilling. I could hardly believe my eyes.

“Ah, eat.”

I still didn’t open my mouth, so he spoke again.

“No.”

“You don’t have a choice. Even if you want meat later, start with the soup.”

“Do you think I don’t want this soup?”

Had he assumed I would go straight for the meat? A perfectly reasonable deduction.

Etienne lowered the spoon and looked at me, his expression stiffening.

“Your stomach still hurts? Are you in pain?”

“Not that. Give it here. I’ll eat it myself.”

I reached for the spoon in his hand, but it didn’t budge an inch.

It didn’t seem like he was applying much force… or had I grown this weak?

“You’re the patient. Just accept it quietly.”

“I have the strength to hold a spoon.”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

Etienne raised the spoon, showing off his strength.

Showing off!

I felt a little annoyed. Childish, yes, but still. Why now? After I’d finally sorted my feelings, why did this have to happen?

And the most infuriating part? The small spark of expectation that had crept back into my chest, rising suddenly.

“I’m not eating. I won’t, out of spite.”

“That won’t do. You’ve gone over a day without—”

“One day doesn’t matter. Don’t you remember how many days I went hungry in the monastery? Thanks to that, I’ve been trained. You don’t have to treat me like I’m going to die. Let’s just act normal.”

I braced for the usual lecture from his annoyingly proper voice, but there was… silence.

Etienne stared at me, stunned, as if he had just heard something impossible. His well-shaped lips parted dumbly, and he licked them dry with his tongue.

“Ah… so that’s how it was.”

His blue eyes trembled slightly.

After a pause, he asked again.

“So… you mean you don’t want it?”

“Yes.”

Truthfully, I didn’t have to be this blunt. I didn’t dislike Etienne—just being fed by him annoyed me.

But I wanted to prove that I wouldn’t cling to him anymore. A childish sense of pride.

Etienne suddenly stood, touching his chin with a hand that looked a little flustered.

“I understand what you mean. I’ll leave… you finish this.”

With that, he walked out, each step deliberate.

“Etienne, what are you doing?”

Simon stared at him oddly as he stood in the corridor.

Etienne didn’t respond. Simon glanced at him and the door beside him.

‘Why is he standing out here instead of going in?’

Simon had just arrived at Rendias the day before. Unlike Etienne, he was neither strong nor brave, and running tirelessly day and night was exhausting. The average horse quickly tired and refused to go further. In the dark woods, strange sounds unnerved him.

He had planned to scold Etienne upon arrival.

‘Are you sane? How can you suddenly dash out without guards? If I leave you, you might act recklessly. If I follow, it’s hopeless.’

‘Yes. Your Highness, you’re very fast. So I understand no guards are needed. Then at least let me stick close!’

‘Or pay a life bonus, perhaps!’

‘The previous salary’s 10%… maybe that’s too much? At least 8% should be added!’

But in reality, Simon couldn’t say a word once he arrived. Someone’s life had truly hung in the balance.

Etienne finally left Dalia’s room after sunrise, just after she regained consciousness.

‘Phew, that was…’

Simon recalled the moss stuck to Etienne’s cheek.

Someone who cared about cleanliness like that!

Still, he had been relatively composed at the time, even scolding Simon for being late.

But now, here he was again, acting strangely.

‘Since last night, perhaps.’

Dalia was recovering quickly. She’d finished the soup and was now having proper meat.

So what was wrong… could it be…

“Simon.”

“Yes?”

Startled by the sudden call, Simon turned.

Etienne looked at him blankly.

“Can a person’s heart really change that easily?”

“In the world, nothing changes as quickly as the heart.”

Apparently, that wasn’t the answer he wanted. Etienne’s blue eyes trembled slightly, and he continued, uncharacteristically verbose.

“No, not that… I mean… love.”

“Death?”

“No. Love.”

Etienne was serious.

“Can it really change that fast?”

“Does Dalia dislike you now, Your Highness?”

Etienne’s eyes widened in surprise at Simon’s words.

“Really? I thought that by rushing here, she might reconsider… but I suppose it’s not surprising. Honestly, I expected something like this to happen.”

“How did you know?”

“You’ve always treated her coldly, Your Highness.”

Etienne furrowed his brow.

When did I ever?

Forgive theft, feed her, provide shelter… what more could I do?

He stopped himself from arguing further with Simon. Recognizing it wouldn’t change anything.

“So what should I do?”

“Why ask me? Figure it out yourself.”

Etienne kicked Simon’s shin lightly. Simon dodged cleverly.

Still, he frowned in pain to prevent another kick.

Etienne glanced away, pretending not to notice Simon’s feigned pain.

“Useless.”

“Excuse me? After all the dangers I faced running through the dark mountains with this ‘fragile’ body!”

Etienne assessed Simon from head to toe. He honestly looked far from fragile.

Simon continued his passionate monologue.

“Yet I ran day and night for whom? My loyalty, so abandoned, has been so sorrowful and frustrating!”

Silence fell. Simon realized his complaints didn’t affect Etienne at all. ‘Heartless Etienne… just as I thought,’ he muttered, calming down.

“Even if I have to say it a hundred times, you won’t hear me… Anyway, think simply. To avoid dislike, don’t do what others hate. To gain favor, do what’s pleasing, isn’t that right?”

Etienne reflected on Simon’s words.

Don’t do what they hate.

Sound advice.

At the same time, memories of his own despair flashed through his mind.

The memory of stomping on meat in front of a starving Dalia, watching her kidnapped… leading to her being stabbed.

Even while helping her recover yesterday, her slender side still bore the long, red scar.

Etienne bit down hard.

And that wasn’t all. Using her recovery as an excuse, he had almost confined Dalia in her room.

She had pleaded repeatedly to go outside even briefly.

Etienne could not comprehend his past self. How could he have refused her pleas?

For the first time, he reflected on his inhumanity and coldness.

It was despairing… yet he tried to think positively.

He had also done some good, hadn’t he?

…Right? Surely?

He combed through his memories diligently.

Yes, he had let her explore the market. Try strange foods.

Ah! A deep sigh escaped him.

Compared to past events, it was all so trivial.

To brag about such small gestures felt pathetic.

Jewelry… yes, he had bought jewelry too, to bring her to the palace.

But then came the constant criticisms and instructions, teaching social etiquette.

What a hopeless fool.

Etienne summed up his past self with that single thought.

And admitted:

It was perfectly natural that Dalia disliked him.

Even the greatest, longest love could fade under such circumstances…