Chapter 6
Mia had never imagined that Etienne could react so violently. No matter how calculated Mia was in her thinking, how could she possibly predict something like this?
Sure, if someone removed their belongings from where they originally stayed and disappeared, it could cause a moment of confusion. But since it wasnāt done in secret, couldnāt he have just grabbed one or two subordinates and questioned them to find out?
Mia couldnāt understand the mindset of a man who reacted so sensitively to such a trivial matterāso much so that he came running as if he’d stormed out of a training session. In her past life, he definitely hadnāt been like this.
Perhaps misinterpreting the confusion on Miaās face, Etienne began to lecture her.
āYou can look at me like that all you want, but itās no use. Youāre still not fully healed, and leaving your bed like this is dangerous. I distinctly remember telling you not to overexert yourselfā¦ā
āAre you saying that coming to my own quarters is considered an āincident,ā sir? You’re being unreasonable.ā
āAt the very least, I need to stay by your side and monitor your condition until youāre fully recovered. No exceptions.ā
āI already told you Iām fully recovered. Donāt worry and go back. By tomorrow, even the scars will be completely gone.ā
There was no way Etienne didnāt already know that. He had been the one to pour in excessive amounts of divine power to heal her, after all. Yet, when it came to her health, he acted like someone who had decided not to believe a word she said.
āItās a relief that youāre feeling so well. In that case, it shouldn’t be difficult for you to stay one more night in my tent so I can monitor your condition.ā
āWhat kind of nonsense are you spewing now?ā
āNonsense? Iāll have you know this is a very importantāā
āCommander! Did you finish your business?ā
A soldier’s voice rang out from outside the tent, interrupting Etienne before he could finish his sentence.
Mia smiled in satisfaction. When someone deliberately interrupted their superior mid-discussion, it was usually for one of two reasons:
The first was that an important guest had arrivedāsomeone the superior couldnāt ignore.
The second was when the subordinate was dissatisfied with their superiorās judgment or behavior and was subtly showing that discontent.
If it were the first case, the soldier wouldnāt have asked if Etienne had finished; he would have immediately delivered the urgent news. So, clearly, this was the second.
āLooks like heās been making enemies in places he doesnāt even know.ā
Mia wasnāt exactly thrilled about being disliked, but she still felt a tinge of gratitude toward the unknown subordinate who had come to her rescue.
Whatever wind had blown through Etienne Rochefortās life, he seemed to have grown quite attentive toward his subordinates in this life. That meant he couldnāt just ignore someone calling out to him like that.
Lowering her voice, Mia asked Etienne, āShouldnāt you go? You look busy.ā
Without a word, Etienne headed out of the tent.
Naturally, Mia assumed he was finally leaving and felt relieved. But it didnāt take long before Rochefort returnedāvisibly irritated and making no effort to hide it.
āCommander!ā
āI said not today! Itās not even urgentāhandle it yourself!ā
When the soldier called again, Etienne snapped irritably.
A temperamental, irritable, and secretly softhearted commander who never showed his feelingsāyes, that was the Etienne she knew. That was who Rochefort was supposed to be.
āHeās been acting so unlike himself lately that I was worriedā¦ but maybe he hasnāt changed all that much after all.ā
Still, just because the behavior was familiar didnāt mean he had a legitimate reason to be spending time in a subordinateās modest tent. Mia still couldnāt make sense of his intentions.
āAt this hour, if someoneās looking for you this urgently, shouldnāt you go?ā
Mia prodded him gently. It was essentially a polite way of kicking him out.
Etienne stared at her without saying a word. For some reason, his expression grew hurt, like he was on the verge of tears.
Thud.
Even though Mia had no romantic feelings for Rochefort, her breath caught in her throat. Her heart dropped.
That day, Mia learned for the first time how devastatingly powerful a handsome man could look when wearing a pitiful expression.
Etienne knew very well that he had captured Miaās attention. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as if he were trying to suppress a smile. His low voice struck her ears like a binding spell.
āAre you really going to keep pushing me away like this?ā
He genuinely looked heartbroken. How could someone that large resemble a drenched puppy?
Dear heavens. She felt like one of those garbage emperors who cruelly cast aside their concubines.
Caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, Mia took a step back. Even in that unguarded moment, she didnāt realize sheād fallen victim to his charms.
In the end, Etienne managed to stay by Miaās side until she fell asleepāthanks to his relentless persuasion. Mia might not have appreciated it, but Etienne was secretly delighted that she was exhausted from the earlier battle. Her fatigue made her more willing to accept his help and treatment.
Or maybe she had simply grown too tired to keep arguing. Either way, Etienne was pleased.
If he turned his head slightly, he could see her small head resting peacefully. The face of the usually unreadable strategist was finally relaxed in slumber.
āI didnāt know she could look like this.ā
Etienne stared at her for a long time, as if trying to etch the unfamiliar expression into his memory. A title that never quite rolled off his tongue slipped out on impulse.
āGood night, Mia.ā
His quiet voice brushed against her hair.
From his fingertips, a gentle white light spread, enveloping her entire body protectively.
At least for one person, tonight would be a peaceful one.
Midnight, behind Etienneās tent.
With roll call over, the only ones wandering the grounds were the night guards on patrol.
The moon hung especially bright in the sky, and nearby bushes crackled with the chirping of crickets. The night wind rustled the leaves, weaving through the trees and stirring the air. If you looked up, the stars scattered across the dark sky shone so brightly it was almost sorrowful.
Ah, truly, the peak of romanticism.
And right in the middle of it, Mia Elize Blanchard was learning firsthand that the world held other kinds of suffering besides assassination attempts, overwork, severe injuries, and slander.
She had never thought building strength would be easyābut surely it didnāt have to be this ridiculous?
āTwo hundred twenty-oneā¦ two hundred twenty-twoā¦ two hundred tweāackā¦!ā
āItās not time to give up yet. Stand up. You still have 800 more to go!ā
āIām notā¦ giving upā¦ I swear you saidā¦ just a thousand, earlierā¦ā
āNow itās 900 left.ā
āā¦Dear goddess.ā
Mia grit her teeth. Her determination not to become a burden on the battlefield was anything but trivial. Thatās why she had resolved to endure any outlandish training Rochefort threw her way.
The fact that she hadnāt once said she couldnāt do itādespite her terrible stamina making her collapse after barely two hundred basic sword slashesāwas proof of her resolve.
Butā¦
This was just too much.
Each time Mia swung her wooden sword, she could see Etienneās expression growing more and more serious. He circled around her, scrutinizing her form, and after every ten swings, he ordered her to do a hundred more.
Wasnāt he the one who always emphasized how important it was to train carefully and not push the body too hard?
Pushing through with brute force despite reaching her physical limit was one of Miaās specialties. Had Etienne tried to give up on her because of her pitiful state, sheād have been the first to argue he was being ridiculous.
But such tenacity only mattered when the other personās intent was actual training. Right now, Mia couldnāt shake the feeling that Rochefortās actions were more like punishment than instruction.
There was just one small problemāshe had absolutely no idea what he might be punishing her for.
