Her thoughts slowed as much as her breathing.
It was hard to identify anything in the dark water in her unfocused state.
Or perhaps she even found it bothersome to try.
Unable to discern what the commotion was about, Hestia was about to close her eyes again.
At that moment, as her body began to sink to the bottom of the pond.
‘Princess!’
A sound made her pause.
Gradually, the dark water started to brighten.
‘What is this?’
Bright light seemed to pour in from above the water.
As her vision cleared, she could see who had caused the disturbance.
Aslan, who shouldn’t be here, came into view.
‘How did the Prince come here…?’
Her eyelids, which were about to close, lifted again.
And then, Hestia realized she had made eye contact with Aslan.
He stood still in the water, not approaching or moving away.
Just quietly watching her actions.
Involuntarily, Hestia raised an arm towards him.
It was an action made in a slightly dazed state due to the lack of air.
Interpreting her intention, Aslan frowned and opened his mouth.
‘Princess!’
His voice dissolved into the water.
Barely coming to her senses, Hestia realized Aslan had jumped into the water to find her.
‘To save me?’
Her heart swelled unbelievably.
Unknowingly, Hestia reached out her hand towards the boy.
Then, as if waiting for it, Aslan began swimming towards her, cutting through the water.
His lips parted, and bubbles burst forth.
Aslan looked desperately urgent as he seemed to shout at her.
‘Catch!’
It appeared as if he was saying that.
At that moment, Hestia hesitated.
Focus slowly returned to her previously dazed eyes.
It was the first time since her parents’ tragic death that someone genuinely worried and reached out to her.
Tears welled up in her eyes instantly.
Even underwater, her tears seemed to warm her chilled skin.
As Hestia opened her mouth, air burst out, and bubbles escaped.
‘I want to live.’
Her mind, which had been indifferent to death, changed in an instant.
‘If anyone catches me, if they do so…’
She shifted the direction of her hand to catch Aslan.
There was a desperation in her movements, unlike her earlier sluggishness.
I want to live.
I want to live.
I want to live.
She struggled.
Aslan quickly cut through the water towards her.
‘Uh, ugh…’
She was short of breath.
At that moment, as Hestia’s face contorted in agony, Aslan firmly grasped her hand.
‘Come here.’
His golden eyes, focused only on her, seemed to be saying that.
As if vowing never to let go, he gripped Hestia’s hand tighter and pulled her towards him.
Moving smoothly as if gliding, Hestia closed her eyes as she was embraced by Aslan.
His solid and warm embrace instilled a sense of security in her troubled and chaotic heart.
The corners of Hestia’s mouth unknowingly curved into a gentle smile.
Aslan, having moved her to the inner chamber, didn’t even have time to shake off his own wetness before he immediately brought Hestia a dry towel and sheet.
“Wipe.”
“…Thank you.”
Barely stopping her coughing, Hestia weakly accepted what he handed to her.
As she pressed the towel to her head, squeezing out the water, she bit her lip.
Seeing her trembling, frail body, Aslan clicked his tongue and sat down heavily in front of Hestia.
“Now talk. Why did you do something so reckless?”
“…”
“Were you thinking of dying?”
Hestia swallowed dryly.
She delayed, hoping Aslan would move on from the question as he had before.
But this time, with him standing guard in front of her with a face that demanded an answer, the pressure mounted.
Finally, Hestia let out a deep sigh and dropped her head weakly.
“Maybe.”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
