Chapter 1.3

“Hestia, you’re here?”

It was just as she knocked on the door. The door swung open, and a tall figure greeted her. It was Sir Clyde.

“I’m back. Did you wait long?”

“Yes.”

He stepped aside to let her in. As he did, something brushed against her feet. It was the cat. She had named it Amber, inspired by its black fur and amber-colored eyes. Seeing them together in the same room, Sir Clyde and Amber almost looked like a pair.

Smiling, she picked up the cat and followed him into the room. It was the same room where she had first woken up after the accident. She had learned that this house, which he used as a villa, was one of his properties, and this particular room was the main one. Since she had recovered and moved to another room, it had been returned to its original owner.

Although he had initially objected, he eventually relented when she firmly held his hand and shook her head. Just as Sir Forrest had said, it seemed he really listened to her.

“How are you feeling today?” 

She asked, looking at him.

They sat together on the sofa. Although there were two seats facing each other, Sir Clyde always sat beside her. When he did, Amber, who had been in her lap, would quietly hop onto his. This had become a habit by now.

Today marked three months.

She had been staying at his villa, monitoring his condition. Mornings were spent with him, and in the afternoons, she worked briefly at a bakery before returning.

As time passed, she grew accustomed to both the place and his behavior. Meanwhile, his condition had improved significantly beyond expectations.

“Not great.”

“Really? Why?”

“After you left, strangers kept coming by, telling me to return. It happened three times today. I held back this time, but next time, I’m just going to lock the door and not answer.”

One of the most noticeable improvements was his speech.

At first, he had refused to say anything other than her name, which had left her bewildered. Now, he expressed his opinions and even showed emotions in his words.

Sir Forrest’s suggestion—“It seems the deputy commander only wants to talk to you, so the two of you should converse as much as possible”—had proven effective.

“I see. Three times does sound annoying.”

She replied, nodding along to his words. Then, as if joking, she added, 

“But if you lock the door, I won’t be able to come in either. Do you not want me to visit?”

His eyes widened at her remark. Perhaps because of his striking features, even the smallest changes in his expression were noticeable.

According to Sir Forrest, he hadn’t been like this before. She found it endearing, but at the same time, she couldn’t fully enjoy it, wondering if this behavior was another symptom of his condition.

“No, that’s not it.”

He finally answered, letting out a long sigh before resting his head on her shoulder again. Then, he added, 

“But I don’t like the others.”

He confessed that he still found them unfamiliar and unlikable, wishing they wouldn’t come anymore. He wanted to live quietly with just the two of them.

‘It should really be the opposite…’

She gazed at his dark hair with a heavy heart.

It was supposed to be his comrades by his side, not her, an outsider who didn’t belong here. She couldn’t help but feel frustrated and saddened as she watched him fail to recognize his own people.

“Sir Clyde, you shouldn’t think like that. They’re here to help you. If you treat them too harshly, you might regret it later. They’re all important to you, even if you don’t remember right now.”

Unlike me.

She tried to conceal her true feelings as she spoke in a soothing tone.

“…”

“Sir Clyde?”

“No.”

He gave a short reply and fell silent. From the way he didn’t lift his head, it seemed her advice hadn’t sat well with him. Otherwise, he would have responded with interest, looking at her with sparkling eyes and asking, ‘Really?’ But now, he neither looked at her nor spoke.

‘It seems it’s not yet time for his memories to return.’

Watching him quietly, she let out a soft sigh. Seeing him resting against her so calmly left her feeling conflicted.

‘For now, I should just be grateful that he’s gradually improving. His memories will return someday. Until then, I’ll stay by his side…’

However, the fact that there were signs of improvement was optimistic.  

Thinking back, wasn’t he like a newly hatched duckling at first? He would call her name and follow her around everywhere. But the fact that he had recovered this much in just three months was a hopeful sign. At least now, he was no longer called a fool.  

If he continued to recover like this, one day he would regain his memories, and then perhaps things would return to how they were before.  

‘When that time comes, we will part ways without ever seeing each other again… After all, we come from different statuses and have no real connection. I shouldn’t feel regretful about it…’  

Over these three months, she found herself gradually growing fond of him, but she was trying hard to suppress those feelings. Honestly, even now, she want to pull this adorable head into her arms. But thinking about the future, that was something she must never do.  

This relationship between them was only temporary, and she was someone who understood her place.  

Sir Forrest had also repeatedly warned her that getting emotionally attached could be dangerous, as it might cause harm later on.  

“He’s someone who has affection for comrades. But love or anything like that… well, that’s something he doesn’t seem to understand. He’s never shown interest in women or anything of the sort. To put it bluntly, even other knights, being men, have dated a few women at least. So what I mean is…”  

“I know. You’re telling me not to fall for him, right?”  

“Well, yes… It might sound presumptuous, but when he returns to the deputy commander I know, he will probably change drastically again. At that time, I’m worried that you might get hurt because of the affection you gave him. He’s not someone who would turn a blind eye, but if his heart drifts away then, it’ll be… awkward for both of you.”  

“I understand what you mean.”  

The future between him and hers.  

If she were to be the one clinging to him one-sidedly, then perhaps he would return to being the ‘cold deputy commander’ Sir Forrest had described the moment his memories came back. That would also mean the end of their connection.  

Of course, that was the natural course of events, and it would be better for him that way. 

Shouldn’t he return to being the revered hero?  

‘But…’  

Even so, the more time she spent with him, the more her heart wavered. Especially since, over the past three months, he had been particularly open and affectionate toward her, which made it even harder. She was undeniably shaken. And every day, she found herself liking him more and more.  

Perhaps that’s why, the moment she considered the possibility of him returning to his old self, she felt a pang of sadness. In the end, she decided to momentarily avoid the harsh reality she was envisioning.  

“All right, I see you don’t like having this kind of conversation. Let’s talk about something else.”  

She smiled and waved a small envelope she had brought in front of him.  

“Look at this. On my way here, I thought of you and Amber, Sir Clyde, so I bought this.”  

“…What is it?”  

At that, he, who had been silently sulking, finally lifted his head. Sir Clyde’s gaze was directed at her rustling hands. She replied as if humming a tune.  

“It’s thread that glows even at night!”  

“Thread?”  

“Yes. I heard while passing by that it’s trendy these days.”  

“This? Why?”  

“They say it’s to wish for safety. So, I’m planning to make a bracelet for you, Sir Clyde, while praying for your fortune. I’ll make a necklace for Amber.”  

At that, he immediately showed interest. She quickly added, 

“In Amber’s case, since her fur is black, it’s hard to see her at night, and she sometimes looks like a shadow. So, if I attach this, it might make her easier to spot.”  

“Amber, I understand. But why me?”  

At that moment, he asked. Judging by his intention, it seemed he was wondering why he was receiving something akin to a gift for a cat. For a brief moment, she almost said, ‘Well, wouldn’t it be nice if you remembered me even once later on because of something like this?’ But she bit her lips and held back her true feelings.  

This wonderful man was by her side now, paying her this special attention because he was currently unwell. But she couldn’t keep relying on that. It wouldn’t be good for either of them.  

So, she simply replied like this:  

“Just because. I wanted to match the two of you as a set. Besides, since you are raising Amber… I thought it would look nice.”  

With a short laugh, she gave a vague answer while pulling the thread out of the envelope. She hoped he would believe her.  

But then, it happened.