“Yes?”
After hearing Marie’s question, Laila suddenly remembered that Marie didn’t know Sion’s name. Ah, right.
She should inform her now. Laila added an explanation.
“The boy in the bedroom next to mine, his name is Sion.”
“Really? It’s a lovely name, isn’t it?”
Marie’s response was somewhat surprising. Laila wasn’t sure why it was surprising.
Anyway, Laila nodded quietly. She agreed that it was a lovely name.
“But what about him?”
Although she had provided the name, Marie didn’t say it. Laila spoke without much thought.
“I was wondering if you brought him breakfast.”
“If he’s hungry, couldn’t he just go to the dining hall himself or pull the rope to call someone for a meal?”
Would he do that? Laila thought skeptically.
According to what she heard from a maid before, Sion had never once called someone to his room first.
Nor did he ever wonder about why Laila only brought her meal once a day…
Laila frowned suddenly.
Yesterday and the day before.
Did someone bring Sion his share of the meals?
Perhaps…
“Miss?”
Laila jumped off the bed, putting the spoon down next to the half-eaten bowl of porridge and pushing the tray aside.
Perhaps it was because she moved suddenly, but when she stood on the floor, her vision spun for a moment, but it quickly settled.
“Miss!”
“I’ll go check on Sion.”
With Laila stating her destination, she exited the room without further ado.
In the corridor, Laila skipped the formalities of knocking and immediately opened Sion’s bedroom door.
“Sion?”
Calling his name, she approached the bed, and he slowly sat up, looking like he’d just woken up.
“Why.”
“Food?”
“What?”
“…Did you have breakfast?”
Originally, Laila had intended to ask if he had eaten once a day as usual during the past two days when she was unwell.
But as she looked at Sion’s expressionless face, the question slipped out.
Somehow, it felt like the answer was already decided.
…And Laila didn’t really want to hear that answer.
“No.”
Observing Sion’s terse response, Laila pursed her lips.
“You see, do you… by any chance…”
Do you not want to live?
Do you have no desire to live at all?
Are you just forcing yourself to live right now?
Because of me?
“…….”
Laila tightly shut her mouth.
It was a fleeting thought, but as she entertained it, it all made sense.
As Laila fell into a slight silence, Sion spoke up.
“What is it?”
Surprisingly, it was the first time Sion showed interest in what Laila was about to say but stopped.
However, Laila didn’t seem to register that fact.
After a bit more time passed, Laila finally spoke up again.
“Do you… want to go for breakfast? To the dining hall. I couldn’t go there until yesterday due to some circumstances, but starting today, I can.”
Laila summed up the week-long meal restriction punishment with the word “circumstances.”
Originally, that wasn’t her intention. She had planned to disclose how torturous the punishment was and how much she had sacrificed for him.
‘Do you not want to live?’
As she recalled the question that never left her lips, everything felt meaningless.
Sion silently stared at Laila, who suddenly suggested going to the dining hall, and then replied,
“Sure.”
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Sion and Laila descended to the dining hall and ate the soft omelette and mushy potato soup that Laila had specially ordered.
Laila absentmindedly scooped up the food and put it in her mouth.
In truth, she couldn’t tell if the food was going into her mouth or her nose.
She couldn’t even taste it.
Laila gripped the spoon tightly in her hand.
‘He didn’t want to live?’
Is that the reason?
What came to Laila’s mind were the images of Sion’s behavior over the past few days.
Not leaving his bedroom.
Not calling anyone to give orders.
Just sleeping, waking up, and washing himself.
Even when eating, he only ate what Laila brought him.
Laila bit down on the soft flesh inside her lip.
She hadn’t even considered it.
The assumption that Sion wouldn’t want to live.
She’d been interpreting Sion’s behavior completely differently.
She thought he didn’t leave his room because his wounds hadn’t fully healed and his body was uncomfortable, and he didn’t call the servants because he wasn’t accustomed to such actions.
…… But maybe it was all an illusion.
‘I’d like to think the opposite, but…’
As much as she wanted to dismiss the new assumption as a leap and a delusion and deny that it was just a misconception,
Laila left her soup and omelette alone and stared at Sion.
Sion was slowly eating his meal.
A shadow passed over Laila’s expression.
Who could have imagined that?
The boy in front of her had gone without food for over two days.
Before going to the dining hall, Laila gave Sion time to wash, then she called the servants and asked if any meals had been delivered to this room in the past two days.
The answer was no.
Closing her eyes tightly, Laila, still holding onto a glimmer of hope, asked if anyone had seen Sion leave the room.
Perhaps he had wandered to the dining hall. If only that were the case.
But once again, the servants shook their heads.
As if they’d made a promise.
“…Thank you, everyone. You may go now.”
Laila dismissed the servants.
Then, half-dazed, she followed Sion to the dining hall.
Watching Sion eat, Laila soon lowered her gaze.
Yes.
She admitted it.
She had to accept it.
Would someone who wanted to live for two days without care starve themselves?
Laila had been forcibly starved as punishment, but Sion hadn’t. Sion had simply not eaten.
Even now.
After being able to eat warm food for two days, there was no sign of happiness on his face.
As expected, he ate because he was given food.
‘What am I going to do about this…….’
Laila was overwhelmed with anxiety. A new problem she hadn’t imagined weighed heavily on her.
As Laila’s expression and complexion worsened,
Clank.
Laila reflexively looked up at the very faint sound.
She saw Sion setting down his spoon, as if finishing his meal.
“Are you… done?”
Although it was easy to see that the plate was empty, Laila still asked.
It was just to extend the conversation with Sion a little longer. It was a somewhat unconscious act.
“Yeah.”
“How did it taste? Was it worth eating?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want more?”
“No.”
“Dessert?”
Sion shook his head.
Seeing his gesture, Laila sensed that he wouldn’t respond with words anymore.
She’d run out of things to say anyway.
Muttering “Okay” to herself, Laila got up.
“Shall we go to the bedroom?”
Sion nodded.
Laila turned away first. They could have walked side by side, but for some reason, she didn’t feel like it right now.
Her head was too full of new problems.
Laila briskly walked out of the dining hall. Since their destination was essentially the same, Sion silently followed her.
For a while, his gaze lingered on Laila’s back, unnoticed by her.
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“Miss Laila, you’re looking for me.”
A voice filled with suspicion sounded from quite a distance away.
“What can I do for you?”
“Why don’t you come in and talk to me?”
“No, thank you.”
Standing close to the not-fully closed door, Vilhel stared at Laila sitting inside with a fierce gaze.
At least, it was fierce for her.
Trained by Sion’s gaze, Laila simply thought, ‘Vilhel seems to have become more assertive.’
Of course, assertive might not be the right word. It was simply a consequence of their last meeting.
Coincidentally, that thought prompted Laila to thank Vilhel.
“I really appreciated your help last time, Vilhel. I can’t tell you how much your competence in handling things helped me.”
“Let’s not talk about that. Please.”
