Missing Cinderella

“Eddie, I want you to explain what you just said.” 

“…” 

Waiting for Edwin’s answer, Siella looked at Eschert, who was staring at Edwin, then stood up from her seat. Glancing at Edwin, he was shrinking his body even more, weighed down by Eschert’s intimidation.

“Prince Edwin.” Siella opened her mouth with a low sigh, “We will talk about this again later. If it’s alright with you, it would be good to have a meal together again and talk about this.” 

“Uh, but….” 

Edwin was delighted in an instant at Siella’s suggestion, but he hesitated as he glanced at Eschert. Seeing Edwin nervously fidgeting with his hand, Siella smiled and said, “I’m sorry, but I think you’ll have to go back first today.” 

“Uhm, then…?” 

Biting his lips, Edwin looked up at Siella with a rather resolute expression, as if he had made up his mind. 

“Then can I come for lunch tomorrow?” 

“Of course.” 

Siella promptly answered with a smile. Edwin only stood up hesitantly from his seat when Siella confirmed it. 

“Then, I will go now….” 

Eschert didn’t bother to hold back Edwin as he passed him by into the hallway. He just stared at Edwin’s back as he walked away. After a moment, he quietly turned his head to look at Siella. 

Siella didn’t offer Eschert to take a seat, who was standing by the open door, nor ask him to come inside. It had been quite a long time since the two of them stood and stared at each other while keeping distance. At some point, it was Eschert who broke the silence and spoke first. 

“Are you just going to keep silent and say nothing?” 

He let out a deep sigh after saying that. Staring at Eschert who was frowning in frustration, Siella tilted her head. This was the first time Eschert set his food inside Siella’s room. 

“What brought you here?” 

“Haa….” 

At Siella’s question making it seem as if she had no idea what he was asking about, Eschert gave up on the thought that he would be able to get a meaningful answer from her. 

“I received a message from the island. They checked and said that the man had escaped the island about two months ago.” 

There wasn’t even a change in Siella’s dry expression. Was he keen on figuring about the whereabouts of that man, or had he been interested in it? 

“We will secure the man’s whereabouts as soon as possible and bring him back to the island.” Eschert took a deep breath and continued with cautiousness, “And we will be more careful so that something like this won’t happen again in the future.” 

At that moment, Siella managed to hold back the fact that she had almost laughed out loud without even realizing it. 

Three years. It was three years. It wasn’t even a year or two, but three. For a long time, he didn’t even notice the outsiders coming and going on the island. 

But now, he was saying that he will prevent Kyle from escaping on the island again? Moreover, how can they guarantee that they would capture and imprison the man who had already escaped from the island two months ago? And even saying that with such a conviction and confident attitude. 

“I admit that I was complacent on this matter.” 

Siella didn’t even think that it was worth it to respond to Eschert’s words. It wasn’t only that, but if she could, she wanted that arrogant man out of her sight forever. 

‘It has already been a week or so since Kyle warned me that he would come find me.’ 

Are you aware of that? Siella laughed. No, you don’t know. You don’t know that’s why you can say this with such a confident attitude. You had no idea how I had been anxious for the past week or so. 

“And Eddie. About him….” 

All of his subsequent thanks were meaningless. 

“I will say thank you.” 

“…” 

“Thanks to what you said, I was able to figure it out and deal with it quickly.” 

Siella choked. It was as if someone was choking her. If she opened the window now and jumped down, she felt like she could breathe a little more after she leaves this place. 

“Why aren’t you saying anything again?” 

But ignorant of how Siella was feeling, Eschert sighed deeply in frustration and said, “Now, aren’t I telling you that I’d let you have nothing to worry about?” 

(T/N: Do you think that’s enough?)

It was the same situation when Siella visited Eschert’s office a few days ago. Just like then, Eschert was still looking at Siella like a child who was fussing about and complaining to him. 

“I have given you everything you want, and I am willing to do it as well as I can.” 

Eschert said that Siella suddenly insisted on changing the bedroom she was staying on a whim, and even unilaterally informed him of her intention of not attending the banquet on  the day of the banquet. He means that he had heard of such things from the Head Butler, Patrick. 

(T/N: The audacity of a mere butler.)

“That’s why I respected your wishes no matter what you did or what your whims were.” 

Eschert instructed the Head Butler to put Siella’s will before anything else. He instructed him to give whatever Siella wanted, after which the butler will briefly report it to him. 

Eschert didn’t stay in the mansion for too long in the first place, so he made the order considering Siella’s convenience, who would be left alone inside the mansion. And that hasn’t changed ever since Eschert had brought Siella to the duchy. 

“Wasn’t everything done according to your wishes? So, what are you dissatisfied with?” 

At least, that was as far as what Eschert knew. That’s why Eschert couldn’t possibly understand Siella who had been standing there like a doll without feelings, without emotion. 

“Didn’t I tell you before? If you want something, say it clearly.” Eschert spoke in a slightly suffocated voice, showing his frustration. “If you have any complaints, then tell me exactly what you’re complaining about. Say something….” 

“Tell you?” Siella cut off his words as she couldn’t stand it any longer. “Would it change anything if I tell you?” A cold sneer hung on the corner of Siella’s lips. “You didn’t even listen to me when I told you. I’m busy, I’m tired. Let’s talk about it later…. You always avoided it like that.” 

Eschert belatedly opened his mouth to say something, but Siella didn’t give him a chance to and continued speaking. 

“And even at this moment, you don’t intend on listening to me seriously.” 

You said it was just simple complain, a dissatisfaction. That was what you believed. You don’t have any intention of listening to my words seriously. And that’s why you don’t understand at all. 

“But what’s the point of having any further conversation between you and me? We just waste our emotions.” 

Eschert managed to shut his mouth and swallow the words that suddenly popped into his mind for a moment. 

While Eschert was silent, the raised corners of Siella’s mouth slowly lowered. Then she had that expression again. It was a face that didn’t look human at all, with no expression. Moreover, Siella’s dark green eyes staring at Eschert were literally empty. Her gaze to the person she was facing was empty, as if she had no expectations for him whatsoever.  

With that dry and dull gaze, Eschert realized that something was very, very wrong. It was for that reason that he couldn’t resist asking her the question that flashed in his mind as fast as lighting. 

“So you’re saying… you won’t change the foolish idea of yours to leave this place?” 

Siella didn’t answer Eschert’s question, keeping her silence. Her last experience made her realize that even if she was being honest, Eschert wouldn’t take her seriously. 

Siella had been polite to Eschert, ending the contract with him and her firm decision of leaving the mansion. Nothing would change even if Eschert suddenly changed his attitude to her and tried to seriously listen to Siella. 

Siella’s resolve was firm, and she had no intention of changing her decision no matter how much Eschert tried to persuade her. There’s nothing more foolish than trusting again the words of a man who had already betrayed her trust. 

Siella told him another thing. 

“I guess you’ve never thought something was strange.” 

“What are you saying all of a sudden?” 

Eschert tilted his head with a slight frown on his face. Siella continued talking in a calm voice. 

“Insisting on changing my room, informing you that I wouldn’t attend the banquet, kicking out the maid who had given me the utmost care….” 

“What….” 

“So that’s what you’ve heard from the Head Butler.” 

(T/N: I’m extending my patience so that I can see Siella leaving the mansion.)