girl did you forget the scene? the queen was there and she would have lost her shit if she saw that etty acts "childish" or unprince-like with the duke . he was protecting him
Protecting him by hurting him?
The empress expects Etienne to treat Rishar as a nobody or as a rival because of the throne smh he didn't want to hurt him but if he doesn't they're both gonna get hurt did you forget the empress was literally poisoning MC and that she's very powerful so she can order for someone to hurt Rishar? To get the empress eyes off Rishar MC needs to do that
By pretending he isnt interested and sees him as a rival for the throne infront of the queen as she wishes
What do you mean Rishard runs to you bc he is now a grand duke and you just tell him to behave??? And then you say “I don’t want any harm going Rishards way so that’s why I’m gonna say hurtfull stuff and act cold to him to hurt him so he behave so no harms goes his way” that doesn’t make any sense!