Unrequited Love is Over, Fend for Yourselves (5 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 21
“Fernando?”
Startled by the sudden hand gripping her waist, Etienne called out his name in confusion. Fernando had once held her to warm her when she was soaked, but this contact felt different—and startled her slightly.
But soon enough, Fernando lifted her by the waist, and she realized belatedly that he was helping her onto the horse.
After seating Etienne on the horse, Fernando mounted behind her, his chest pressing against her back and shoulders.
She kept finding herself in contact with Fernando. It was just riding the same horse, yet strange thoughts kept creeping into Etienne’s mind.
‘I shouldn’t think like this.’
Reproaching herself for entertaining such thoughts about young Fernando, Etienne forcibly pushed them aside.
“Lani will decide where we’re going….”
Etienne began speaking but paused, suddenly unsure. She realized she hadn’t considered where Lani would ride. Just then, she noticed a knight had already seated Lani in front of him.
He was likely a guard sent by the butler. Seeing him, Etienne realized how shortsighted she’d been.
‘From the start, I should’ve just asked the guard for a horse.’
Seeing Fernando, she’d immediately assumed he’d help and rashly asked without thinking.
“We should go.”
It was too late now to say she was fine and could go alone, so Etienne grasped Fernando’s arm.
“I’m counting on you.”
[This is the timeline separator]The abandoned building where Lani often met her younger sibling had once belonged to a merchant guild, used as a warehouse before being discarded. The deserted, seldom-visited warehouse was perfect for their secret meetings.
“Are there many buildings around that place?”
“It stands alone in the middle of an open field—nothing else nearby.”
As they rode, Etienne pondered Lani’s reply. Though she’d assured the butler she’d take responsibility, it would be best to resolve the situation without revealing her own involvement.
‘I suppose I’ll have to go and see.’
“That’s the warehouse.”
An open field came into view, and as the distant building appeared, Lani spoke up. Etienne immediately grabbed Fernando’s arm.
“Stop here.”
“Why?”
“I’ll walk the rest of the way.”
Fernando pulled the reins to slow the horse but didn’t stop completely. Etienne spoke again.
“What’s going on?”
Hearing Fernando’s question, Etienne hesitated—worried he might get dragged into trouble—and sighed. Since she’d asked him for help, she owed him some explanation.
“Lani’s younger sibling is in danger. That’s why we’re going to find them, but it’s become rather complicated.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
“What? Fernando, I’m telling you this because I don’t want you getting into trouble.”
“I’ll be fine.”
With that reply, Fernando urged the horse forward again, and the knight behind them followed suit.
“Listen to me. I only asked for your help because I’m still not skilled at riding.”
“Maybe I can help in ways besides just giving you a ride.”
Fernando stubbornly insisted, persuading Etienne.
“This isn’t a simple matter. That child stole something belonging to a noble. You’d be better off not getting involved.”
“Wouldn’t it be better precisely because of that?”
“What?”
“No noble house, no matter how powerful, outranks House of Schupraher.”
It was practically equivalent to claiming no title surpassed a duke’s. But that made it even more dangerous—what if Duke Schupraher found out? Sensing Etienne’s worry, Fernando shook his head.
“I’m not trying to do anything bold—just protect you. I’ll stay quiet, so don’t leave me behind.”
By now, the horse had crossed the open field and neared the warehouse. Etienne sighed and spoke.
“Thank you. I won’t forget what you’ve done today.”
When they reached the warehouse, Fernando halted the horse on his own and dismounted first. Then, just as before, he suddenly grasped Etienne’s waist.
His actions were so quick that Etienne missed yet another chance to say she’d get down by herself.
Such gestures were typical between lovers, and since there was nothing romantic between her and Fernando, Etienne found his behavior awkward.
But her feet were already on the ground. All she could do now was…
“Next time, I’ll get on and off by myself.”
It was merely a request that he not do that again.
“If it bothers you…”
Fernando stepped back, their eyes meeting.
“Next time, you carry me.”
“…You don’t actually expect me to lift you onto the horse, do you?”
Etienne openly glanced at Fernando’s body. She certainly didn’t think she could hoist him up.
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Let’s go.”
Etienne patted Fernando’s shoulder in gratitude and turned away. As she followed the knight, Fernando watched her retreating figure, shook his head, and then followed.
The knight entered the warehouse first, followed by Lani, Etienne, and Fernando. As Etienne surveyed the silent warehouse filled with empty crates, Lani called out her sibling’s name.
“Lahwin? Are you here?”
“…Sister.”
A soft voice came from a dark corner. Recognizing it as the boy she’d met recently in the stables, Etienne turned her head.
“Lahwin.”
Lani rushed to her sibling and embraced the small frame.
“Where have you been? I’ve been so worried—you missed our meeting days again and again.”
“Something came up. I’m sorry, sister.”
“I thought you’d done something wrong… Aah!”
Lani muttered while hugging Lahwin but suddenly shrieked as if she’d noticed something. She stepped backward, still holding Lahwin, as rough footsteps approached and people stormed in.
“They’re already here….”
Count Pigmen’s men had found Lahwin far sooner than expected. Etienne bit back a groan—they should’ve left immediately upon finding him….
“You.”
Seeing the man step forward, Etienne bit her lower lip.
‘I never expected Count Pigmen himself to show up.’
The situation was spiraling badly, and no good solution came to mind. Count Pigmen looked at Lahwin and spoke.
“How dare you steal from a noble.”
“I only took what was owed. You injured our father and refused to pay for his treatment.”
“How is that my fault!”
Count Pigmen snapped furiously at Lahwin’s desperate outcry.
“You did it on purpose! Ever since that day, our father hasn’t been able to get up properly.”
Lahwin’s anguished voice echoed through the warehouse.
“So the stablehand, injured by a horse, stole an item as payment for treatment? What a flimsy excuse.”
“Exactly! You did it on purpose…”
“Silence! How dare you accuse me of such baseless slander!”
At Count Pigmen’s roar, Lani clutched Lahwin tighter.
“Return my property at once! And you—you’ll pay for your crime. Seize them!”
As Count Pigmen stepped back, two knights advanced. Seeing their aggressive stance, Lani and Lahwin flinched, drawing inward defensively.
“Must we go that far?”
Etienne stepped forward. The knights halted immediately—as if waiting for her. They’d certainly noticed her standing quietly in the warehouse from the start.
Count Pigmen had too. He’d simply pressed Lahwin because he had justification.
“Your face looks familiar.”
“I am Etienne Claire.”
“Do you understand the situation?”
“Yes.”
“And yet you side with that thief? I wonder—does Marquis Claire share his daughter’s views?”
Count Pigmen was clearly threatening to escalate this into a conflict between noble houses—a warning for her to back down. But Etienne took another step forward.
‘If I retreat, these children will be in danger.’
She couldn’t yield.
“You’d drag my father into this too?”
“Why not? He’s an honorable man—he’d surely see clearly, even concerning his own daughter.”
“Then shall we do just that?”
Count Pigmen frowned at Etienne’s confident demeanor.
“What exactly gives you such audacity?”
“The item Lahwin took wasn’t actually stolen.”
“What? Hah! What absurd nonsense.”
Count Pigmen scoffed dismissively. But Etienne, already knowing what had been taken, asked calmly,
“Are you truly the owner of that item?”
Count Pigmen’s expression twisted.
‘At least Lahwin brought that thing—it’s lucky.’
During Count Pigmen’s banquet, Etienne had only half-listened to his explanations—it held no interest for her, and she already knew the details.
“You may have acquired it by chance, but you can’t claim ownership. It’s a rare artifact that chooses its own master.”
Count Pigmen gritted his teeth, unable to refute her—if he denied her claim, his own words at the banquet would be exposed as lies.
He quickly composed himself and spoke with a sneer.
“That doesn’t mean it’s not mine. Until it chooses a master, I’m its rightful temporary owner—and that thief took it from my home.”
Logically countering, Count Pigmen again branded Lahwin a thief.
He wasn’t rattled by the question of ownership—after all, he held the item. But then Etienne said suddenly,
“But what if the owner appears right now?”
“What?”
“I mean—if the true owner were decided at this very moment, wouldn’t we have to settle this according to their judgment?”
“You think you could become its owner? How confident of you.”
“It’s not impossible.”
Etienne shrugged, and by then Fernando had quietly taken position behind her. Recognizing him, Count Pigmen deliberately averted his gaze.
He might manage a confrontation with House of Claire—but he had no desire to tangle with the notoriously temperamental House of Schupraher.
“Etienne, are you saying you could become the owner of that item?”
Fernando whispered in her ear. Etienne smiled and replied softly, for his ears alone,
“No.”
“Then why speak so confidently? What if no owner appears?”
“Don’t worry about that.”
As far as she knew, the item had no master. Several had tried to claim it, but none were chosen.
There was no need to share that detail with Fernando—so Etienne only revealed her plan.
“We just need someone to keep touching it until an owner appears. In the meantime, we’ll make a public issue of Lahwin’s father. Then Count Pigmen won’t dare harm either of them again.”
Others might rush in greedily—but for now, Etienne intended to escalate the situation.
“Shall I go first, then? Lahwin.”
At Etienne’s call, Lahwin slowly reached into an empty crate. When his hand emerged, he pulled out a box wrapped in cloth.
Without taking her eyes off Count Pigmen, Etienne stepped slightly backward.
‘But if it doesn’t accept someone as its owner, how does it react again?’
She couldn’t quite recall. She’d heard rumors about the golden artifact but had never paid it much mind.
“Alright, I’ll go first.”
The cloth was removed, revealing the object inside a transparent case, radiating golden light. Etienne slid the clear lid aside.
Then, wearing an even brighter smile toward Count Pigmen—as if acting casually—she reached out and touched the artifact.
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.”
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