Chapter 6
Mia could hardly imagine that Etienne would react so intensely. No matter how many calculations she made in her life, how could she predict such things?
If someone had suddenly vanished from their usual place, it would indeed cause confusion, but since he wasn’t secretly moving, wouldn’t it just be a matter of interrogating a couple of passing subordinates to get answers?
Mia couldn’t understand why Etienne was overreacting, especially when it was evident that he was searching for her like someone who had just dashed out during training. He didn’t seem like this in her previous life.
Interpreting the confused expression on Mia’s face, Etienne began to scold her.
“It’s no use looking at it that way. You’re still recovering from your injury, and leaving your bed is dangerous. I remember telling you that you shouldn’t get into any trouble…”
“Are you considering my coming to my own tent as ‘trouble’? You’re being unreasonable right now.”
“At least until you’re fully healed, you should stay nearby to monitor your condition. There can be no exceptions.”
“I’ve already told you I’m completely healed, haven’t I? Don’t worry about me and go back. By tomorrow, even the scars will be completely gone.”
Etienne could not possibly be unaware of that fact. After all, it was him who had poured excessive divine power into her recovery. Yet, he acted as if he had resolved to ignore her words regarding her health.
“It’s a relief to hear that you’re in such good shape. If that’s the case, then staying in my tent for another day to confirm your progress shouldn’t be difficult for you.”
“What nonsense are you spouting now?”
“Nonsense? This is a very important…”
“Commander! Did you finish your business?”
A soldier’s shout from outside the tent interrupted what Etienne was about to say.
Mia’s expression brightened with satisfaction. There were usually two reasons someone would make a loud interruption while their superior was working.
The first was the arrival of an undeniable visitor, and the second was when a subordinate expressed discontent with the superior’s judgment or actions.
If it was the former, they would have simply announced the situation without needing to confirm if the matter was completed, so this was clearly the latter.
‘It seems like I’ve ruffled some feathers in some unknown place.’
Mia wasn’t thrilled about being disliked, but she still felt a slight gratitude towards the nameless subordinate who had extricated her from this situation.
For some unknown reason, this life’s Rochefort seemed to take good care of his subordinates. Therefore, it was unlikely he would ignore the soldier calling for him.
Mia lowered her voice and asked Etienne, “Aren’t you supposed to go now? You look busy.”
Without a word, Etienne headed outside the tent.
Naturally, Mia was pleased, assuming he would be leaving. However, Rochefort soon returned. Upon his return, he wore an expression that screamed, “I am extremely displeased right now.”
“Commander!”
“I can’t go today. If it’s not urgent, just deal with it yourself!”
When the soldier called again, Etienne shouted irritably.
He was irritable, fiery, and full of hidden warmth that he rarely showed. Yes, this was the kind of person she knew well. Etienne Rochefort was supposed to be like this.
‘Worried that he was acting out of character too much… Seeing this side of him makes it seem like he hasn’t changed all that much.’
But familiar or not, it didn’t change the fact that he had no justification to spend time in a subordinate’s shabby tent. Mia still couldn’t understand his intentions.
“Considering you’ve gone to such lengths to find me in the middle of the night, shouldn’t you go?”
Mia lightly nudged him, effectively summoning him.
Etienne looked her in the eye without saying a word. For reasons unknown, he wore a wounded expression that displayed how upset he was.
Thump.
Despite having no feelings for Rochefort, Mia felt a sudden halt in her breath. It felt as though her heart dropped.
That day, she learned for the first time just how powerful the effect of a handsome man wearing a sorrowful expression could be.
Etienne was all too aware that he had captured Mia’s attention. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, as if he were trying to suppress a smile. His defeated voice pierced her ears, binding her with its tone.
“Your Excellency, are you really going to keep pushing me away like this?”
He truly looked hurt. Is it possible for a man of such stature to look like a drenched puppy?
Oh my God. I felt like a garbage emperor who just got caught cheating.
Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, Mia took a step back. She didn’t even realize that she was being drawn into a beauty trap until the moment she revealed her defenseless side to Rochefort.
In the end, after desperate persuasion, Etienne was able to see Mia fall asleep. Though it pained Mia to admit it, Etienne felt exceedingly pleased that she was exhausted from the short battle earlier in the day. The fact that Mia had willingly made room for him was largely due to his insistence that “you need to rest and receive treatment because you’re unwell.”
Or perhaps she was just too tired to have the energy for an argument. Either way, Etienne was simply content.
If he turned his gaze just slightly, he could see a small head. The face of the strategy officer, who seemed to be undergoing some worries, was relaxed only in the moment of sleep.
So this person can make that kind of face…
Etienne gazed at that unfamiliar sight for a long time, as if engraving it into his memory. A title that didn’t quite sit right with him danced on his tongue before impulsively spilling out.
“Goodnight, Mia.”
His soft voice brushed against Mia’s hair.
The white light emanating from his fingertips enveloped her, as if to protect her whole body.
At least for one person, it would be a very peaceful night.
***
Midnight, behind Etienne’s tent.
With the roll call completed, the only people wandering the quiet grounds were the patrolling sentinels.
The moon hanging high in the sky was particularly bright that night, and crickets chirped rhythmically from the nearby bushes. The night breeze rustled through the leaves, swaying the trees. Looking up, the stars dotted the dark sky, shining brightly to the point of sorrow.
Ah, truly the height of romance.
In the middle of that romance, Mia Élise Blanchard was personally realizing that there were various kinds of hardships in the world—assassination attempts, overwork, severe injuries, and slander, to name a few.
While she had never thought that gaining strength would be easy, did it really have to be this absurd?
“Two hundred twenty-one, two hundred twenty-two, two hundred twenty, ugh…!”
“It’s still too early to give up. Get up! There are 800 more to go!”
“I’m not giving up; agh, just earlier you said it would be enough to finish a thousand, agh, that’s what you said.”
“Nine hundred left.”
“Haah… oh goddess.”
Mia clenched her teeth. Her determination not to hold the battlefield back was not light. Thus, she was prepared to earnestly tackle whatever unconventional training Rochefort threw her way.
The fact that she hadn’t complained even once about her terrible stamina, despite being worn out after barely completing two hundred basic cuts, proved that resolve.
But…
Still, this was a bit too much, wasn’t it?
Every time Mia swung her wooden sword, she could see Etienne’s expression growing more serious. He circled around her, meticulously examining her posture, and then ordered an additional 100 cuts every ten she completed.
Who on earth was it that had incessantly stressed the importance of training while taking care of one’s health?
It was Mia’s specialty to push her body to the limits to make the impossible possible. If Etienne had given up on her early, it would have made sense for her to chase after him.
However, that tenacity was only meaningful when the other party had training in mind. Mia couldn’t shake off the impression that Rochefort’s current behavior was more akin to revenge against her.
One small issue remained: she had no idea what exactly he was seeking revenge for.
—
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