Unrequited Love is Over, Fend for Yourselves (5 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 27

Etienne opened her mouth, her face flustered.

‘First Crown Prince Reinhart, and now Fernando too—why do they keep talking as if they’ve somehow taken my heart?’

“Does my heart look that appealing?”

If it merely appeared expensive and rare, she could understand why they’d want it—but she knew that wasn’t the reason, which made her even more bewildered.

But Fernando nodded.

“Yes.”

Though utterly dumbfounded, Etienne gave up trying to retort. Just then, Fernando suddenly spoke.

“I won’t see you for a while.”

“For a while?”

Etienne was puzzled at first, but soon her expression changed as if she finally understood. They’d been talking about Mitri in the Duchy this whole time—how could she not have realized immediately that Fernando was going there?

“Come back safely.”

“Won’t you… come with me?”

“Me? But that’s House Schupraher’s affair. It’d be rude of me to tag along.”

It clearly wasn’t appropriate for someone from another house to interfere, so she was right not to go.

Thus, Etienne declined his offer with a polite smile. Fernando, apparently expecting her answer, didn’t press further.

The conversation ended there, yet neither moved, leaving an awkward silence hanging between them.

Etienne, too preoccupied with wondering how long Fernando would be gone, hadn’t noticed—but Fernando still had something left to say to her, so he kept gazing at her.

“Etienne.”

“Hmm?”

“…I’ll bring you a gift when I come back.”

Surprised by his unexpected remark, Etienne couldn’t reply right away and just looked at him.

“A gift?”

Seeing him nod in response to her question, she brightened and smiled radiantly.

“You’d better bring one. I’ll be waiting.”

Fernando’s expression softened visibly at her willingness to accept a gift. For the first time since arriving at the gathering, Etienne felt her heart ease at the sight of his relaxed demeanor.

“Sorry to barge in right when things were looking so pleasant.”

Someone suddenly appeared and spoke.

“I couldn’t wait any longer.”

It was Reinhart. Confused by his words, Etienne just stared at him silently. Reinhart then smiled and spread his arms wide.

“The young lady has agreed to come along too.”

“Where? Surely… you don’t mean the Duchy of Schupraher?”

“That’s right. I’ve selected a few noble heirs to accompany me, and the Duke seemed pleased.”

At Reinhart’s clear answer, Etienne shot him a pleading look, as if begging him not to do this.

‘Why go to the Duchy?’

She hadn’t gone there in her past life either. All she knew of what happened there came from others’ accounts.

‘I’ve heard many people suffered terribly there!’

“Since I want to go, won’t you come with me?”

“Then why don’t you just go with Fernando?”

“I said I picked several people—and you’re one of them.”

Knowing next to nothing about the Mitri tree, Etienne simply wanted to stay home.

“You, of all people, know why you must go. Others might not understand, but you do.”

“I’m not sure I do.”

“In that case, let me say it again. There’s someone I’m looking for. I only have suspicions so far, so I need to verify it in person.”

“…What about the adults?”

Etienne suddenly remembered a counterpoint and asked. After all, the person Reinhart sought didn’t necessarily have to be among the heirs.

“If it were me, I’d entrust my abilities to those who’d build the future with me—those who’ll walk beside me from now on…”

His voice trailed off, but Etienne didn’t care in the slightest.

‘Why should I go? I have no reason. No benefit, just hardship? No thanks.’

She glared at Reinhart with clear refusal in her eyes. Interpreting her stare as a plea to change his mind, Reinhart crossed his arms, met her gaze, and finally nodded as if resigned.

“Fine. I’ll try to adjust the schedule so we can leave as soon as possible.”

But his reply completely missed what Etienne’s look had intended. Just as she was about to voice her refusal, she suddenly noticed the people nearby.

Counselor Alex and several others who’d come with the Crown Prince were clearly eavesdropping on their conversation.

“…Your Highness. Could I speak with you privately for a moment…?”

“Etienne.”

She’d meant to call him aside for a private talk, but Reinhart was far from an easy opponent.

“We just had a private conversation a moment ago—now you want another one-on-one moment? Isn’t that a bit troublesome?”

“Don’t phrase it as ‘a private moment.’ I just have something to discuss.”

“So you mean you absolutely must talk only with me, no one else around?”

Reinhart emphasized certain words with a smile, making Etienne jump in protest.

“That’s not what I meant!”

“Then can we talk later? As you can see, I need to get moving quickly to adjust the schedule. I’ll set aside special time just for you on the day we depart for our journey.”

As Reinhart kept speaking, Etienne’s expression grew increasingly horrified.

“No, Your Highness…”

“Understood. Then I’ll be off.”

“Your Highness? Crown Prince!”

“Hold onto that longing feeling until our journey begins.”

While Etienne was still flustered by the word “longing,” Reinhart swiftly took his leave.

Once everyone else had gone and only Fernando remained, Etienne turned to him.

“So… I have to go, don’t I?”

“The method leaves much to be desired…”

Fernando clicked his tongue, muttering under his breath as he recalled what the Crown Prince had just done, then looked at Etienne.

“But the outcome isn’t bad.”

He then beamed at her brightly.

[This is the timeline separator]

Upon returning home, Etienne headed straight for the study.

“Do you suddenly feel like reading?”

“No, I need to look something up. Don’t disturb me until I come out.”

“Shall I bring your meals in?”

Gripping the study door, Etienne met the butler’s eyes and smiled.

“Please do.”

She closed the door immediately, and soon felt the butler’s presence fade away. Leaning back against the thick study door, Etienne gazed ahead.

True to their legacy as a family possessing the power of restoration, House Claire valued books above all else—especially histories and heroic tales.

Heroic tales often exaggerated facts and dramatized a figure’s life like a novel, but even accounting for that, they still offered useful glimpses into the past.

Etienne rolled the ladder to the bookshelf section filled with heroic tales.

“What was the title again?”

Unable to recall the exact title, she had to rely solely on faint memories of the content to find the book she needed.

If she could find it right away, she could leave the study immediately.

Reluctantly, she pulled out a nearby volume. Feeling its weight, she stepped down from the ladder and opened it.

‘I need to find as much as possible about Mitri.’

“Anything, just show up.”

‘Even the most absurd, far-fetched story would be fine—please…’

The Mitri tree had countless uses. Swords forged from it were harder than most metals, its wood burned far longer than ordinary firewood, and its roots served as potent medicine.

Discovering even a single Mitri tree was as significant as striking a rich vein of ore.

Yet its greatest value lay in its very existence—it was considered sacred, nearly a gift from the gods.

Ironically, it also bore the nickname “God’s prank,” because those who approached it often met with unpredictable fates.

That was precisely the part worrying Etienne. In her past life, she’d never gone to see the Mitri, so it hadn’t concerned her.

But now, she could be dragged into unknown troubles because of it. She intended to gather as much information as possible to prepare herself.

The person Crown Prince Reinhart sought from the future was herself. Yet her ignorance about Mitri made her anxious.

Since she couldn’t go investigate ahead of time, her best option now was to scour books for every possible detail.

[This is the timeline separator]

She remembered glancing once at the strong sunlight squeezing through the curtains—but beyond that, her memory grew hazy.

The glare had prompted her to draw the curtains shut completely. She ate the meals the butler brought at regular intervals while reading. It must have been about two days…

“It’s not here.”

More precisely, she couldn’t find it. She’d searched thoroughly, trying to recall the exact content of a book she’d read before—but the desired volume never appeared.

Pondering why it was missing, a sudden realization struck her.

‘Maybe it hasn’t been added to the library yet.’

She was sixteen now, and had died at twenty-one—so the book could have arrived during those five years.

The thought drained all her energy instantly. Etienne slumped halfway against the bookshelf.

“Then all I have left is my own memory.”

She closed her eyes. In her past life, Hana had once greeted Fernando, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, with a cheerful “How was it?”

[How was it?] [We barely found it.] [Really? So that hidden space actually exists?]

Fernando had confirmed the existence of the space, and Hana’s fascinated reaction was etched clearly in Etienne’s mind.

[Where was it?]

Fernando had then explained quite thoroughly to Hana.

[While circling the Mitri tree, someone tripped and fell…]

“…I can’t remember.”

She’d been too focused on Fernando’s face to pay attention, so now the words slipped through her fingers despite her efforts.

“There’s nothing useful here.”

Etienne clutched her head and muttered gloomily.

“If only I knew something about the Mitri tree—but I have no information.”

Going on this journey now would be no different from venturing in blind.

“What if I can’t remember? Guess I’ll just have to go.”

Giving up brought relief. Just moments ago, she’d had no appetite and couldn’t sleep—but now she felt she could drop off anywhere.

She pulled the blanket the butler had brought and lay on her side.

‘I’ll just nap a bit, then organize my thoughts again.’

Her consciousness soon sank into sleep—and in her dream, she finally recalled the scene she’d been struggling to remember.

[Someone tripped and fell in, and it took two days to find them. The cave had many branching paths.] [Oh dear, the one who fell must have suffered terribly.] [Luckily, someone grabbed their ankle as they fell, so they weren’t alone.] [Who was it?] [Those two over there.] [Oh? Could it be that they grew closer because of that fall? I heard marriage talks between their families have started.]

Fernando had nodded, and Hana had smiled, saying it was wonderful.

Etienne woke abruptly and muttered with a grimace.

“I think I just had a dream…”

I can’t remember.