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I rubbed my swollen hand, wincing slightly from the pain. But compared to the hardships I had endured in the past few days, it was nothing.

Let me remind myself.

Etienne is my golden goose, that lays golden eggs for me. If I just hold out a little longer, a life of comfort awaits me.

The anger that had briefly surged within me subsided like a drying stream.

Right now, even if he were to slap me with a bowl of soybean paste stew, I think I could forgive him. Well, maybe.

“Please… just one month, okay?”

Etienne looked at me with wary eyes. It was a gaze filled with fear that I might pounce on him again.

“…But if you exceed the deadline, then you’ll have to pay an even greater price.”

I blinked my eyes rapidly and looked at him.

Oh? Really? You’re really giving me a chance?

In case he might change his mind, I quickly responded.

“Okay!”

* * *

Etienne stood in front of the carriage, absentmindedly looking down at his hand.

Even though some time had passed, he could still feel the warmth of Dahlia’s fingertips.

“It feels unpleasant.”

He roughly rubbed his hand.

But then also, the sensation would creep back once again whenever he stopped rubbing.

Dahlia’s appearance earlier had been a shock in itself. He had never seen anyone cling to his legs in all his life, let alone it being Dahlia. Why had she changed so drastically?

<I don’t remember.>

There wasn’t a single scratch or injury anywhere else. How could her memories just disappear so cleanly?

It was an absurd excuse.

However, even as he thought that he couldn’t deny that she had indeed changed.

As he traced back memories in his mind, he realized it was the same thing she mentioned that day too.

Her face, trembling at the tip of his sword. Dahlia’s small, round face was flushed with red.

Her small, red lips called out Etienne’s name for the first time.

‘Were her eyes originally violet?’

Her mesmerizing and trembling irises came vividly to mind.

It was strange.

Even when he retraced the memories of the past year, he couldn’t recall her eye color. Her face and voice seemed distant, as if from a long time ago.

‘We’ve never had a proper conversation, so it’s no wonder I don’t remember.’

It was a marriage arranged by the Emperor’s sudden decree. In the entire year of their marriage, they had never even shared a meal together.

Dahlia had long mistreated and abused the servants who resided in the house. There were also instances where she openly insulted Etienne.

At first, Etienne had tried to make an effort, but soon he gave up. He had resolved to live ignoring her as she wished.

Therefore, when he learned that she had been stealing, Etienne was not surprised.

In fact, the current transformation was even more astonishing than that revelation.

Etienne raised his head at the sound of footsteps.

Dahlia was walking towards the carriage from a distance.

She was wearing clothes covered in all sorts of dirt, and her hair was in disarray.

‘But why is she smiling like that?’

Her bright smile unsettled Etienne. It even seemed to sparkle.

Once again, a sense of unease welled up inside him. It left an unfamiliar and unpleasant impression.

‘She’s definitely suspicious. I won’t be fooled. As soon as I recover the items, I’ll divorce her.’

* * *

After finally getting a chance within a month, she squeezed onto the carriage heading towards the mansion.

But honestly… there was no separate cushion for her.

Throughout the eerie silence, she kept her gaze fixed outside the window. Her neck had become stiff from the strain, but she didn’t dare to turn her head.

Crazy, why is this carriage so soundproofed? Are all the Prince’s carriages like this? Then they should have made it more spacious.

It was clear that Etienne had no intention of taking her back.

This carriage was clearly meant for one person. Our knees barely grazed as we sat facing each other whenever the carriage swayed.

Thanks to that, I exerted all my strength and stayed as far back as possible.

But why is Etienne so quiet? It can’t be that he’s feeling as awkward as I am…

With my eyes still fixed on the window, I examined Etienne with the whites of my eyes.

It was my skill that I named the Magic Side Eye trick. It’ll just seem like I am looking straight ahead.

Is he asleep?

This time, I mustered up a little more courage and subtly moved my eyeballs.

Etienne had his eyes closed.

Did he fall asleep?

I boldly observed his face a little more openly. He had thick, dense eyelashes.

Wow, they’re so neat and beautiful.

The imposing impression she had when his eyes were open seemed to soften a bit now.

He is handsome. My golden egg-laying goose. Let’s call him “Golden Egg” for short.

His eyebrows are dark, and his nose is sharp as if it had been surgically enhanced. And his skin, why is it so flawless? Is it because there’s no fine dust? There’s no flaw on his face. And his irises, why are they such a mysterious shade of blue…

Wait, why can I see his irises from here?

“Ah!”

“Are you going to attack me again?”

Etienne seemed extremely uncomfortable.

“W-When did you open your eyes?”

As if there was no need to respond, he closed his eyes again.

“Since you started peeping.”

“I-I wasn’t peeping…”

Feeling a prick of conscience, I added an explanation.

“I just happened to see you while you were asleep.”

“If you were trying to escape while I was asleep, give up.”

“I wasn’t trying to do that!”

Silence fell once again.

Why would I run away? I’ll stay by your side forever, my handsome Golden egg. Even if you push me away, I’ll always be by your side.

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