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

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’m feeling better.”

Fernando’s expression, which had been resigned to his fate, softened considerably. Etienne, seeing a trace of relief on his face—though she hadn’t comforted him the way Hana had—secretly smiled to herself. Good.

“I’ll live even harder, so I won’t shame myself as the heir of House Schupraher. And I won’t let today’s incident trouble my heart.”

“What are you talking about?”

Etienne spoke as if bewildered, and Fernando looked at her. She regarded him as though he were strange for saying such a thing. Stung by her reaction, Fernando fumbled awkwardly for words.

“I mean… As the heir, I have to endure, right? And I must excel above all others.”

“Did you forget what I said next?”

“Don’t bear every absurdity.”

“Yes. And what happened today is precisely the kind of absurd injustice that must never be allowed to pass.”

Etienne spoke firmly. Fernando looked confused by her response. Though he had listened carefully and grasped something of her meaning, it seemed he still didn’t fully understand.

“You nearly died—why would you just let it go? You ought to show your displeasure instead.”

“Ah… I’ll say something when Father calls for me.”

Fernando nodded, apparently having intended to mention his own danger. Yet something about his innocent demeanor didn’t sit right with Etienne.

Was the Fernando I knew really this kind? I knew he was gentle with Hana, but he hadn’t seemed so naive.

Etienne studied Fernando with suspicion, and only then noticed the lingering baby fat on his cheeks. Looking at his youthful face—still that of a boy, not yet a man—she truly realized Fernando wasn’t twenty-one, but sixteen.

“Get up.”

Etienne rose first and pulled Fernando up by the hand. Taken aback, Fernando stood with her, his hand caught in hers.

She looked up at Fernando, who stood a head taller than she did. Seeing his guileless eyes, she felt a pang of guilt for having pressed him so harshly today.

“Watch closely what I do from now on.”

“You want me to watch you?”

“Yes.”

Etienne thought that if she simply returned as things stood, it would take Fernando quite some time before he acted on her advice.

She wanted to spare him the effort of figuring out what to do and discerning what was unjust.

“I’ll show you exactly how it’s done.”

Though she appeared sixteen—just like Fernando—inside her dwelled the soul of a twenty-one-year-old adult, Etienne.

[This is the timeline separator]

Etienne took Fernando straight to where their parents were.

Fernando tried to stop her along the way, saying he was fine, but it was useless. Etienne had already resolved not to let this matter slide.

As expected, everyone was startled when Etienne appeared—a drenched boy and girl, one the heir of a ducal house and the other the daughter of a marquess who had visited the ducal estate that day. Their surprise was only natural.

“What happened?”

Her father, Marquis Claire, asked, but Etienne looked only at Duke Schupraher. As she walked toward him, her wet skirts trailed behind her, leaving a trail of water on the floor.

Etienne felt everyone’s eyes on her, yet she held her chin high and relaxed her shoulders with composure.

She had known what kind of looks she’d receive the moment she decided to come here like this. She came precisely to show them.

To make the Duke see what she and Fernando had endured—and perhaps feel even a hint of regret.

Duke Schupraher watched silently as Etienne closed the distance between them. Her red hair clung to her pale face, and her lips had lost all color.

Yet her expression remained indifferent, prompting the Duke to study her with curious eyes.

When Etienne reached him, she slapped a sheet of paper down in front of him.

“Because of this paper, Fernando nearly drowned.”

The Duke’s gaze flickered briefly to the paper, then back to Etienne.

“So?”

“Fernando, heir of House Schupraher, almost died.”

“That’s no ordinary paper. The moment our family crest was drawn upon it, it became a treasure Fernando must protect with his life.”

The Duke’s smooth words left Etienne momentarily speechless. Moreover, he now looked at Fernando with cold disdain, as though he already understood everything.

“Can’t even safeguard something so simple? Does such a boy truly deserve to be heir? I’m deeply concerned whether he can ever properly lead this grand house.”

The Duke clicked his tongue and regarded Fernando pitifully. Fernando lowered his head in silent acknowledgment of his fault, saying nothing. Into this tense silence, Etienne stepped forward.

“How impressive—a house that can simply replace its heir if he’s deemed unworthy.”

“How arrogant.”

Unfazed by the Duke’s remark, Etienne shot back instantly.

“Since your house means more to you than anything, surely you can find a better heir than Fernando?”

Etienne looked at Fernando. At her questioning gaze—asking if he’d truly be fine being replaced—Fernando’s eyes clouded briefly with complexity before he nodded.

“Fernando says he’s fine with it. Then I’ll return this crest to you, and take Fernando with me.”

“What did you say?”

“I saved his life. If it weren’t for me, he’d be dead—so you may as well consider him already lost.”

“What do you intend to do with Fernando?”

“Oh, I have plenty of uses for him.”

Etienne’s tone shifted abruptly from her earlier protectiveness. Since the Duke had so thoroughly belittled Fernando, she now treated him like an object.

“I could make him my steward or a knight. But he’ll grow into an incredibly handsome man, so marrying him off early might be best. What do you say, Fernando? I’ll let you live exactly as you wish.”

At her words, Fernando raised a hand to cover his mouth. His cheeks flushed deeply, and he couldn’t even meet Etienne’s eyes.

“I’ll feed him well, raise him properly, and make him mine.”

Etienne turned without hesitation. She hadn’t expected—nor desired—the Duke to thank her for taking care of his son.

She wasn’t sure how she’d returned to this day of all days, but perhaps it was for the best. She hadn’t let Hana steal the credit for saving him—credit that had left her limbs trembling—and she’d heard Fernando’s worries.

Now that she understood why he’d smiled so foolishly, she could tell him not to do it again.

She didn’t care if this incident fractured relations between their houses. In fact, that was what she’d hoped for. After all, House Claire had fallen because of the Duke’s request to her father.

‘Father will understand, won’t he?’

Though she felt terribly guilty for causing trouble without saying a word… Etienne deliberately avoided her father’s gaze.

“Fernando, let’s go.”

Etienne took Fernando’s hand.

To show she truly meant to take him away, she firmly laced her fingers through his and began to walk.

She’d worried he might refuse to follow—but judging by the lightness of her steps, he was walking beside her willingly.

Just before passing through the open doorway, Etienne paused and turned back to Duke Schupraher.

“There may be many smarter than Fernando. But I wonder if there’s another heir who’d leap bare-bodied into a lake to protect his house.”

She hoped, above all, that the Duke would realize his mistake. Having said all she needed to, Etienne turned with a sense of relief. Now, if only she and Fernando could just leave…

“Kuh—Kahahaha!”

The Duke’s laughter suddenly echoed through the hall. Startled, Etienne and Fernando stopped in unison. They glanced at each other briefly, then turned back to the Duke.

He was laughing genuinely, pounding the arm of his chair. Had Etienne ever seen him laugh so heartily? She watched him, astonished.

“Yes, few would risk their lives to protect their house.”

The Duke glanced down at the paper, then met Fernando’s eyes with unexpected gentleness. Fernando flinched—unaccustomed to anything but his father’s harsh, domineering gaze.

It was clear just how heavily the Duke’s presence weighed upon the boy, still so young.

Etienne tightened her grip on Fernando’s hand. At that moment, it didn’t matter how great or powerful Duke Schupraher was.

She saw only a father who ought to cherish his son—and hoped Fernando saw the same.

So she squeezed his hand firmly, offering silent strength. Fernando turned to look at her.

‘It’s okay.’

With her eyes alone, Etienne comforted him.

“I shall formally apologize to Fernando for today’s events. And from now on, I’ll treat my heir with the care he deserves. You may go.”

Etienne let out a quiet, hidden sigh. If the Duke hadn’t yielded, she might truly have taken Fernando—but she hadn’t staged this to steal him away.

In any case, the Duke had made a concession, so Fernando could now grow up in a slightly better environment. This was as far as she could help.

Etienne loosened her grip, as if to let him go. It was the first time she’d held his hand like this, and secretly, her heart fluttered—but now, she had to release him.

Just as her fingers slipped from his, their fingertips brushing…

“Hm?”

Fernando’s hand moved—and grasped hers tightly again. Etienne looked up with a surprised sound, meeting his eyes.

“I won’t let go.”

For the first time that day, Fernando showed stubbornness. She didn’t know why that stubbornness had to take the form of refusing to release her hand.

When Etienne looked at him helplessly, he insisted, obstinate.

“I’ll cling to your skirt if I have to.”

What is this…

[Hide your true feelings as much as you can. Laugh when you shouldn’t, and if necessary—even cling to someone’s skirt.]