Chapter 07
I threw the two fish I’d caught straight onto the wet sand.
Then I picked up some smaller fish, crushed them with a stone, and scattered them into the sea.
This time, I planned to throw the spear and catch a bigger one.
I loosened up my arms for a moment, gripped the spear, and held my breath.
When a fish about the length of my forearm shimmered into view beneath the surface, I swiftly drove the spear down in that direction.
This time, I think I got it…!
Filled with anticipation, I ran over to check.
And when I saw the fish wriggling on the tip of the spear, I screamed.
“I’m insane! I’m amazing!”
I turned around in excitement—only to lock eyes with Enoch, who was staring at me with a bewildered expression.
It seemed he’d been watching me catch fish the entire time.
He looked as though he couldn’t believe what he’d just seen.
Startled, I froze with the spear still in my hand.
I thought he’d be busy starting the fire. How long had he been watching?
I glanced down at the spear in my hand. To make matters worse, there were two forearm-length fish skewered on its tip.
“Uh…”
Even I had to admit—an aristocratic young lady from a ducal house throwing a spear to catch fish wasn’t exactly common.
“Well…”
I decided to shamelessly pretend nothing had happened.
This time, Enoch didn’t question me and instead focused on tending the fire. We needed to finish eating before sunset.
Letting the smell of something roasting linger at night could attract wild animals, which wasn’t ideal.
First, I cut into the gills and tails of the fish to drain the blood, then rinsed them in seawater.
After catching fish, you had to bleed them as quickly as possible; otherwise, they’d spoil and start to smell.
After setting the fish aside, I found a flat stone and sat down next to Enoch.
Just then, he succeeded in getting the fire going. As he fed it with the gathered branches, he looked at me sitting beside him.
“What are you planning to do?”
I was in the middle of placing the fish onto the stone slab.
“Preparing the fish.”
As I answered, I used a sharp twig as a makeshift knife to scrape off the scales.
Watching me, Enoch stared as if he had countless questions but didn’t know which to ask first.
Ignoring his gaze, I slit open the fish’s belly and removed the innards.
…Anyone who liked fishing could do this much.
“Couldn’t that fish be poisonous…?”
At Enoch’s words, I smiled while working and shook my head.
“There’s no poison, so don’t worry. If it’s cooked properly, parasites will be eliminated too.”
Of course, it also helped that I could distinguish poisonous fish to some extent, so it was safe.
Given that monsters appeared on this island, I understood why Enoch was concerned.
But as far as I remembered, aside from wolf-type monsters, snakes, and reptilian creatures, all the animals in the novel were ordinary creatures.
I vaguely recalled Enoch catching fish for the heroine, too…
‘Wait—hold on. What is this?’
A sudden sense of doubt washed over me, and I stopped preparing the fish.
The heroine just sat there obediently and ate the fish Enoch brought her.
So why was I acting like Bear Grylls—hunting and cleaning fish to present them to Enoch?
Sure, I’d volunteered to catch the fish myself, but still—it felt weird!
It’s not like I’m the type to sit still even if told to, but still!
I shot Enoch a sideways glare.
As he skewered the prepared fish onto thin branches, he looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“I have no idea why you’re looking at me like that.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Are you sure it’s nothing?”
Enoch’s face suddenly came very close as he scrutinized my expression with suspicion.
A strand of black hair, caught by the breeze, fell softly across his forehead.
For some reason, the beauty mark beneath his eye looked even more alluring today.
Then, slowly, a smile spread across his lips like paint bleeding into water.
My heart skipped. That was unfair.
It was the first time I’d ever seen him smile. Even in Margaret’s memories, Enoch had never smiled.
Ever since we woke up on this deserted island, he’d either worn a constant frown or glared at me with a frightening expression…
“Heh. I just watched because it was interesting. I’ll do it next time.”
He spoke as if he knew exactly what I’d been thinking.
When I looked again, the smile from earlier had completely vanished from his lips. He was back to his usual calm expression.
Flustered, and then once again plagued by doubts, I finished preparing the fish.
‘Why am I getting so shaken?’
I needed to get a grip. If I let myself fall under Enoch’s spell, there’d be no saving me.
“It should be ready to eat now.”
Enoch handed me a fish he’d diligently turned over and grilled by the fire. It was the largest of the forearm-length fish caught with the spear.
“You should eat this, Your Highness. I’ll be full with a smaller one.”
I reached out to snatch the skewer with the smaller fish from his hand.
But he easily dodged my hand, took the smaller fish for himself, and started eating it.
What was his problem? Even if I tried to switch them, he wouldn’t listen.
“This isn’t the Langrid Empire. We don’t even know if we’ll make it back alive. So don’t bother with consideration—make your own survival your top priority.”
I froze mid-bite at his words.
I never expected Enoch of all people to say something so considerate to me. It really sounded like sincere advice meant for my sake.
Did he not realize that he was the one failing to prioritize himself?
‘A situation where we might not even make it back alive.’
My mood plummeted.
It felt like I’d been thrown into a survival game without any weapons. The future was pitch-black, and just thinking about it made my chest tighten.
Could I really survive?
“Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”
Enoch carefully scanned my complexion.
His golden eyes—beautiful like molten gold—were filled with my reflection.
“Do you think we can escape from here?”
Enoch looked at me with an unreadable expression.
“We can.”
His firm answer carried an unmistakable solidity—something that felt like belief and trust.
I stared at the half-eaten fish, then asked him,
“Is there a way?”
“I’ll make sure you escape, at least. So don’t worry.”
At that, I couldn’t help but smile.
“What is that supposed to mean? How could I escape alone and leave behind the crown prince of the empire?”
A hot breeze blew just then, making my sweat-damp hair stick to my cheek annoyingly.
Enoch, who’d been quietly watching my face, carefully reached out his hand.
His long, elegant fingers brushed against my cheek.
I forgot how to breathe and just stared at him.
His relaxed gaze settled on my face as he slowly peeled the strand of hair away from my cheek.
While tidying my hair, he answered calmly,
“I’ll send you first. Then you can request rescue.”
Well, of course.
All the tension drained from me at once.
“Did you think I’d just let you go without a plan?”
He asked in a tone that suggested my expectations had been absurd.
I knew that wouldn’t be the case, but I’d let my guard down for a moment. Damn it.
Under such extreme conditions, even my judgment was starting to falter.
I was starving, yet somehow I’d lost my appetite.
That was an even greater shock than Enoch’s smile earlier.
Me, without an appetite.
With nothing to say, I stayed silent, lost in such pointless thoughts.
He warned me again.
“I told you—you must stay by my side. The only time you can leave it is when I allow you to. Remember that.”
Anyone overhearing might think it was something a possessive male lead would say to the heroine he loved.
In reality, it sounded more like a threat from a kidnapping suspect.
Though he still pretended to doubt me, I could tell he’d removed me from his list of suspects to some extent.
‘That’s a relief. Compared to the beginning, the hostility in his gaze toward me has definitely softened.’
After that, we ate the grilled fish in silence, filling our hunger.
By the time we finished, the sun had completely set. After arranging my sleeping spot, I returned to sit by the fire.
Even then, neither of us spoke. An uncomfortable silence lingered.
“Aren’t you cold?”
Enoch suddenly asked.
I was holding my hands out toward the fire when I looked up.
He abruptly stood up and took off his jacket, then casually held it out to me.
“Why…?”
I took the jacket without understanding why.
“Cover yourself. I run hot, so I’m warm.”
That was rich, considering he’d worn that jacket all day without sweating a drop.
Still, I had no intention of giving it back. I gladly draped the jacket over my shoulders.
After glancing at me once, Enoch returned quietly to his sleeping spot and lay down.
And just like that, without another word, we each passed the night in silence.
