Please Die, Your Highness - Chapter 78

Prince Declan no longer expressed petty displeasure at every single word Maeve said. Maeve silently rose from her spot and reset the pole that was leaning at an angle. Then, she positioned the tops so they crossed in an X-shape.

“Hold this.”

Prince Declan obediently followed Maeve’s instruction.

As he held the wool blanket serving as the roof to support it appropriately, Maeve snapped a willow branch and drove it deep into the ground. Next, she hooked the rope through a loop and gestured for Prince Declan.

Prince Declan no longer felt offended by such gestures every time. It was because he knew she wasn’t sincerely treating him as an inferior or looking down on him. Rather, it was the opposite.

“Grasp it and pull.”

“To what extent?”

“Until it is appropriately taut.”

Prince Declan adjusted his strength as she said and pulled the rope hooked to the loop. Maeve nodded as if that was enough. Prince Declan slowly released the tension in his hand—

He looked at their temporary tent, which was now settled more stably than before as he released his strength.

“Now I see how it is done.”

As Prince Declan muttered this, Maeve nodded and walked back toward the pot. Prince Declan followed close behind her and sat down near the pot.

Today’s meal consisted entirely of a potato soup that was even simpler than usual. Since the donkey had eaten all the carrots and the rabbit meat was out of the question, they had to fill their hunger with this watery porridge.

While the pot slowly came to a boil, Maeve called Prince Declan again and led him somewhere. She had him break off willow branches himself and then taught him how to cut them thinly with a knife and twist them to make a snare for a trap. It was his second attempt following yesterday, but being the second time did not make him skillful.

Every time Prince Declan groaned with effort, Maeve, instead of giving overt praise or encouragement, explained it again and silently watched him try once more.

Ever since they began traveling together, she had consistently tried to teach him something in this manner—at least one thing a day.

To be honest, Prince Declan’s learning speed was not particularly fast. To anyone’s eyes, it would have been more efficient for her to just handle it herself, but she insisted on calling him over to teach him. And she made him do it himself.

After the series of events that had occurred, he had expected that traveling with this small maidservant would mean he wouldn’t receive the same treatment as before. However, because this specific way of doing things was unexpected, Prince Declan was a bit bewildered at first. He had even snapped irritably because he felt pathetic for being so clumsy.

But no matter how he reacted, the woman silently taught him something new every day, and if he couldn’t do it, she taught him again.

It was as if she were a person sent by his late parents, knowing he would end up in a situation like this.

It feels like destiny.

If he were to bring up destiny, that small woman would surely furrow her eyebrows minutely as if she had heard something quite bizarre.

Prince Declan already knew exactly how she would react.

After finishing their meal with the watery potato porridge, the two soon went inside the tent and lay down side by side to sleep. Once Prince Declan went in and lay down first, Maeve followed and lay on his right side. She yawned, then turned on her side with her back to Prince Declan.

It hadn’t been like this from the start. Maeve had prepared the sleeping area and told Prince Declan to go in and sleep alone. And Prince Declan, no matter the circumstances, could not leave a woman who looked far more fragile than himself—though she was not fragile at all—to sleep outside.

Only after Prince Declan had persisted twice did Maeve finally give up and start sleeping with him. Even so, it was merely sleeping side by side.

A rustling night breeze, which was growing colder by the day, blew and softly shook the ceiling. It seemed that, just as Maeve said, they would soon have to prepare thoroughly for sleeping outdoors in winter.

……Surely this journey won’t continue until the dead of winter.

Prince Declan had such thoughts as he looked at the woman’s small back.

And as he gazed at the back of the woman who was always teaching him as if preparing him for something, he hoped that no matter how long it lasted, she would not leave him and go away as if making him independent.