Unrequited Love is Over, Fend for Yourselves (5 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 22
The first thing she felt when touching the porcelain was warmth. Yet before she could even think it was warm, her hand was sharply repelled.
“Ah!”
As Etienne grabbed her rebounded hand with the other, Fernando approached quickly.
“Etienne!”
Fernando reached out to take her hand but hesitated, afraid it might hurt her, and didn’t dare touch it. Seeing his serious expression and startled eyes, Etienne silently rubbed her own hand.
“So it repels people.”
Now that it had happened, she remembered.
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah.”
Aside from the throbbing in her hand, she was fine. The object had clearly told her she wasn’t its owner.
“Not me, then.”
There had been a glimmer of hope. In her past life, she’d only heard about this, so maybe—just maybe—she could be its owner this time?
But the result was obvious.
Count Pigmen sneered, while Fernando looked down at the object. Seeing him about to reach out, Etienne grabbed his arm.
“You want to try holding it?”
“You said everyone would get a turn. Then I should try too.”
“But…”
It felt as if she kept burdening him, so her grip on his arm didn’t loosen.
“Etienne.”
Fernando, noticing this, met her eyes directly.
“I’m fine.”
His earnest gaze made Etienne’s hand relax.
‘Maybe I’m taking an opportunity away from Fernando.’
If by any chance Fernando became the owner of this porcelain, everything would be resolved smoothly.
When Etienne let go, Fernando placed his hand on the porcelain without hesitation. But the result was the same as Etienne’s.
Because he’d anticipated the reaction of something rejecting non-owners, he wasn’t thrown back violently. After only two attempts—Etienne’s and Fernando’s—Count Pigmen stepped forward as if it were settled.
“No need to test anyone else, surely?”
“There are still others left.”
At Count Pigmen’s words, Etienne glanced toward Rani and the knights of House Claire, her eyes clearly suggesting they too should try.
But at Count Pigmen’s gesture, his knight moved—and the situation shifted abruptly.
“I can’t allow this any longer.”
As if granting Etienne and Fernando a chance had been generous enough, Count Pigmen cut in firmly.
‘This can’t end like this.’
If Lahwin was punished, Rani’s sorrow would be immeasurable. Not just for Rani—her heart ached at the thought of a child bearing punishment for another’s crime.
“Then the porcelain and that thief…”
“Not yet.”
At that moment, a pleasant voice interrupted Count Pigmen. Etienne looked up to see someone who hadn’t been there before entering the storeroom.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
At Count Pigmen’s words, everyone knelt toward him.
“A simple bow is enough… I didn’t come here to receive formal greetings.”
Reinhart naturally took a spot to the side of the storeroom, causing Count Pigmen’s expression to twist. Clearly, Reinhart had no intention of staying out of this—and that wasn’t welcome.
“I should check whether I’m the owner too.”
“Your Highness…”
“The result is obvious, but I’d like to touch it once.”
The last part was almost a mutter, unheard by others—but Etienne caught it clearly, along with its hidden meaning.
‘The Crown Prince already knows.’
He knew he wasn’t the owner. But a question arose.
‘Didn’t someone say someone else’s timeline had been rewound? So that person remembers the future, while he doesn’t.’
Then how did the Crown Prince know about the future?
“Shall I try this first?”
Etienne, drifting into thought, watched Reinhart’s hand. Since no owner had been found yet, the same result would surely happen again. She raced to figure out how to use this situation.
“This thing hurts when it repels you.”
“What do you mean? Surely you haven’t touched it before?”
Pretending ignorance, Etienne gave him a look urging him to go ahead. Reinhart slowly reached out.
Everyone focused on the Crown Prince’s hand—yet just before it touched the porcelain, he suddenly pulled it back.
“Isn’t that unfair?”
Reinhart abruptly turned to Etienne. Confused, she blinked.
“A moment ago, you stopped Fernando because you worried he’d get hurt. I saw that…”
“Oh…”
Etienne looked at Fernando’s hand, wondering if she’d really done that. She had stopped him, yes—but the reason was different.
She’d wanted to spare Fernando the burden, but before she could explain, Reinhart clicked his tongue.
“I thought you might stop me too, but you seem to have no intention of it. You shouldn’t discriminate between people.”
“When did I ever discriminate against you?”
“At the banquet, you chose Fernando and abandoned me, and now you don’t even consider whether I might get hurt.”
“Why bring up old stories again?”
Flabbergasted, Etienne’s voice rose involuntarily.
“It’s because you only hate me.”
“When did I ever hate Your Highness…?”
That was absurd. She’d chosen Fernando solely because she needed to monitor the Second Prince—and staying beside the Crown Prince might complicate that. As for now…
‘Why didn’t I stop the Crown Prince from touching it?’
She pondered briefly but couldn’t find any bias between Fernando and the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince had stepped forward knowing he wasn’t the owner.
Naturally, Etienne assumed he was prepared to endure the pain—so she hadn’t stopped him. Her feelings toward him weren’t different from Fernando’s.
Just as Etienne pulled herself together to confront the Crown Prince—
“Etienne.”
She heard her name called. It was Fernando’s voice. Instinctively turning toward him, she flinched.
A rosy flush had bloomed on Fernando’s cheeks.
“Why’s your face so red?”
“Why? When someone treats only me nicely, who wouldn’t like it? I do.”
At Reinhart’s petulant tone, Etienne bristled. Was this really the time for jokes?
“Why do you keep saying irrelevant things?”
“Me? Not at all.”
“Weren’t you going to check if you’re this object’s owner?”
“I’m just upset—upset! If I put my hand here like this…”
Reinhart casually touched the porcelain.
“…and it repels me painfully, will you only then ask if I’m all right? You stopped Fernando from even touching it, yet you’re hoping I’ll touch it. Seems you never considered how hurt someone might feel just from that. And instead of showing concern, you’re stalling with nonsense.”
Reinhart looked at Etienne as if challenging her to respond—but Etienne, along with everyone present, could only stare at him in stunned silence.
“Your Highness.”
Etienne, eyes wide with shock, pointed to his hand.
“You are touching the porcelain right now, aren’t you?”
“What?”
At Etienne’s prompting, Reinhart looked down at his own hand—and realized it was indeed touching the porcelain, with nothing happening at all. Amazed, he murmured,
“True.”
Golden light from the porcelain now enveloped his hand. Even as Reinhart slowly lifted it, the golden glow remained wrapped around his fingers.
“How does it feel to have a golden hand?”
“Fascinating.”
Reinhart replied with a dazed expression to Etienne’s question.
“Congratulations, Your Highness. You’ve become this object’s owner. Since you’re here, could you please resolve this situation?”
Etienne seized Fernando’s arm and stepped back from Reinhart with evident relief. This matter was no longer hers to handle. The Crown Prince had surely realized why she’d acted this way—he’d manage it well.
“So you’re using me like this now?”
Reinhart stared at Etienne, incredulous—as if asking how she could dump everything on him like this. But Etienne felt only satisfaction.
“Etienne, let’s have a serious talk…”
“Congratulations on becoming its owner.”
Count Pigmen’s congratulatory words cut Reinhart off mid-sentence. He kept his eyes on Etienne for a moment, then sighed and turned to the count.
“I hadn’t expected this either, but what can I do? I’ll accept it.”
Reinhart tapped the porcelain lightly, then pointed to Lahwin, who had stood silently like a shadow until now.
“This is thanks to you and that child. I’ll grant you both a reward.”
“A reward?”
“Yes. The greatest credit for connecting me to this rare item clearly belongs to you, Count Pigmen. I’ll ensure you’re well compensated. And I hope we maintain a good relationship going forward.”
At Crown Prince Reinhart’s words, Count Pigmen’s face brightened. To him, the porcelain was little more than a decorative piece—but if it improved his ties with the Crown Prince, that was all to the good.
“And you…”
He turned to Lahwin. “Will you serve me?”
Stunned, Lahwin lifted his head—then immediately knelt on the spot.
“T-thank you.”
To be spared punishment for a grave crime and instead be allowed to serve the Crown Prince was an honor beyond his station.
Yet shadows still lingered on Lahwin’s face. Seeing this, Rani gently placed a hand on his shoulder and said,
“The young lady has covered your father’s medical expenses. So it’ll be all right, Lahwin.”
“…Thank you.”
Lahwin replied in a trembling voice.
[This is the timeline separator]“Count Pigmen isn’t here.”
The Second Prince, Ludvi, had arrived unannounced, throwing the count’s household into commotion. With his father absent, the count’s heir stepped forward to receive him.
“Father went to catch the thief.”
“A thief?”
When the heir recounted what had happened, Ludvi scoffed.
“How careless must the count be for a mere child to pull this off?”
“The thief’s father worked in the mansion, so we didn’t suspect him.”
Flushed with embarrassment, the heir offered a weak excuse—but failed to gain the Second Prince’s understanding.
“And you didn’t notice even as they stole something so large?”
Shaking his head, Ludvi then saw someone approaching and called out sharply.
“Father.”
It was Count Pigmen. Even walking, he wore a constant smile. Spotting his son with the Second Prince, he hurried over.
“Your Highness, Prince.”
“Ah, skip the formalities—did you catch the thief?”
“Well… an owner appeared for the porcelain…”
“An owner?”
Count Pigmen hesitated briefly, then answered plainly.
“His Highness the Crown Prince has become its owner.”
“What?”
Ludvi frowned and repeated the question. Even a worthless object lying by the roadside would sour his mood if the Crown Prince took it.
And now, something Count Pigmen had valued highly had gone to him—that stung deeply. He pressed again, only to hear the same reply.
“Hah. Count Pigmen—what did you call it again? Just a vase?”
Though it was far more a precious ornament than a simple vase, the Second Prince ruthlessly belittled it. Count Pigmen responded cautiously,
“Truthfully, the porcelain itself isn’t particularly valuable. I don’t know much, but I’ve heard it contains an egg inside.”
In truth, Count Pigmen hadn’t told the Second Prince everything earlier—but now he revealed all he knew: that within lay an egg, whose awakening time remained unknown.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
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