Chapter 2.1

“Oh my, your husband is so handsome.”

The fruit vendor, who had just handed Hestia a bag full of fresh apples, glanced at Clyde and spoke. She alternated her gaze between Hestia and Clyde, her expression mischievous as she chuckled softly.

“Huh? Even with his face covered by the cloak, you can see him…?”

“Of course! It’s obvious at a glance. Just look at his height and build. He’s so tall. His eyes are beautiful too. You’re lucky, young bride.”

The following day, Hestia and Clyde went to the market together.

The location of his villa was relatively secluded, meaning he could wander around without being noticed, but the area wasn’t particularly crowded. Clyde was one of the most famous figures, known for his striking appearance that caught the attention of people of all ages. Thus, they had to follow Sir Forrest’s advice: 

“Whenever you go out, make sure to completely wrap yourself in a cloak!”

It was a precaution against unnecessary rumors stemming from Clyde’s changed personality, as well as potential ambushes from enemies while out in public.

Despite their efforts, it seemed their plan wasn’t particularly successful. No matter how tightly Clyde pulled his cloak over himself, his tall stature, muscular build, and occasional glimpses of his handsome features still drew attention.

“I think you’re misunderstanding something…”

“I’ll carry it.”

Husband? What was she talking about? 

Hestia, worried that Clyde might later be mistaken for a married man, quickly tried to protest. However, Clyde, standing behind her, suddenly intervened. He took the heavy bag of apples from her hands and handed over the payment.

“Are you making apple pie? Why? Because I like it?”

“Well, yes…”

“Oh, I can’t wait to eat it.”

He smiled brightly as he spoke, and the vendor, who overheard their conversation, handed them something extra as a gesture of goodwill. It was a gift of chocolates, which she explained she didn’t enjoy because of her age and preference for less sweet things.

“Have dinner and share it with your husband in the evening. Make it romantic.”

“No, that’s not…”

“Thank you.”

Once again, Clyde responded on Hestia’s behalf, accepting the gift while she stood there, flustered. He seemed to be in a good mood, even giving the vendor a tip—an amount nearly equivalent to the cost of the apples.

When Hestia saw this, she shook her head and muttered, “I can’t handle this.” Clyde simply grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulder with his free hand.

“There are a lot of people here. Stay close so you don’t bump into anyone.”

“Ugh, fine.”

Using the convenient excuse, Hestia grabbed onto his cloak and stayed close to him. Her heart raced.

She knew they would part ways eventually. She knew that once Clyde regained his memories, he wouldn’t treat her like this anymore.

‘…But that’s not the case right now.’

Suddenly, rain began to pour, forcing them to run to the shelter of a nearby tree. Clyde, noticing Hestia’s wet clothes and hair, attempted to remove his cloak to cover her. Alarmed, she quickly stopped him.

“No! Sir Forrest warned us about this. People will recognize you if you’re not careful.”

“Why? Do you hate being seen with me?”

His question came with a sulky expression, and Hestia felt her heart sink. She gripped his cloak tightly and lowered her gaze to the ground, unable to look at him. If she continued staring at his face, she feared she wouldn’t be able to control her emotions.

There was a wall between them—a massive, insurmountable wall. He had forgotten about it for now, but that was the only reason he treated her this way. Hestia reminded herself of this fact as she replied.

“It’s… for the future.”

“What future?”

Clyde bent down, tilting his head to match her eye level. His beautiful, slightly pained expression was so close that Hestia felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her heartbeat quickened, pounding louder and faster. Lost in a haze, she hesitated before finally forcing out a response.

“When you return to your rightful place, Sir Clyde. When that time comes, I worry about what people might say about you if they’ve seen us together…”

“What are you talking about? What did that Forrest guy say?”

“Sir Forrest? Oh… nothing…”

Hestia glanced away. She had a habit of avoiding eye contact when lying, and Clyde likely noticed. Feeling exposed, she hurriedly tried to explain herself.

“But it’s true. What if people misunderstand us? The fruit vendor earlier thought we were a married couple. If such misconceptions spread, when you return to your rightful position, there could be all sorts of rumors…”

“Did you dislike it?”

“…What?”

“Did you dislike being mistaken for my wife?”

Another blunt question came her way. Hestia couldn’t avoid his gaze this time and reluctantly looked back at him.

Did Clyde realize her heart was racing because of him? Did he know she was suppressing her feelings?

For a moment, she felt frustrated with his kindness. She wanted to answer honestly, to say, “No, I didn’t dislike it.” But how could she? It was clear they didn’t belong together. And once Clyde regained his memories—soon, not far into the future—they would undoubtedly part ways.

“Misunderstandings… are bad.”

She deliberately spoke in a firm tone. It was the same manner she used when teaching him words back when he could barely speak her name.

“If it’s not real, then we shouldn’t act in ways that make others misunderstand. One day, misunderstandings can lead to hurt. That’s why we need to be careful. Especially since you are so well-known, Sir Clyde, you should be even more cautious…”

At that moment, a raindrop fell onto Clyde’s hair. It seemed the tree’s shelter wasn’t enough to keep them entirely dry. Hestia instinctively reached out to brush the water off his bangs, pausing her speech.

Then, she wondered if her actions were giving him the wrong impression. While Clyde would likely forget her once his memories returned, he was currently deeply attached to her. Seeing his sorrowful expression, Hestia felt a pang of guilt for constantly drawing boundaries and pretending not to notice his feelings.

Letting out a sigh, she finally confessed her true feelings.

“My words were complicated, weren’t they? Anyway… um… honestly, I don’t dislike it… But think of it as being for the future.”

To ease his disappointment, she pulled out the chocolate bag they had received earlier. Taking one piece, she popped it into his mouth before quickly eating one herself.

“Ugh… What’s wrong with this taste? Is there something inside?”

She grimaced as she chewed, prompting Clyde to blink thoughtfully before snatching the chocolate bag from her. He took another piece and ate it.

“It has alcohol in it.”

“What? Alcohol?”

Now that she thought about it, her throat felt warm. This was bad. Eyes wide, she grabbed Clyde’s cloak and shook it urgently

“This is bad! We shouldn’t eat this! Let’s go home right away.”

“Why? Even if there’s alcohol, it seems like a very small amount. It’s a bit strong, though.”

“You don’t understand… I’ll fall asleep soon…”

Hestia spoke nervously. She was extremely weak to alcohol—so much so that even just the smell of it could make her drowsy. Feeling a warm sensation already spreading through her body, she sensed that sleepiness was quickly overtaking her.

“But the road is too long to go back while getting drenched in all this rain…”

“Then let’s go there for now.”

“Where?”

“The bakery where I work…”

Hestia rubbed her eyes as she spoke. This was bad. Even as they talked, drowsiness was steadily creeping in. Her body swayed heavily. Thankfully, Clyde quickly caught her by the shoulder and waist, preventing her from falling to the ground. However, this only led to an even more awkward situation.

Now, she found herself wanting to lean on the firm strength of his arms. Clyde, seemingly aware of her feelings, chuckled softly and scooped her up into his arms. Then, he wrapped her securely in his cloak.

“This way, no one can see your face, right?”

“Mm…”

From him came a faint grassy scent that Hestia liked. Instinctively, she buried her face into his chest. For a moment, she felt his body tense up, his chest becoming even firmer, but in her inebriated state, she didn’t care.

She could feel him moving cautiously. Despite running quickly, he made sure her body didn’t jostle too much, as if trying to keep her comfortable. They say alcohol makes people emotional, and Hestia, feeling touched and grateful for his care, gently rubbed her cheek against his chest.

“Uh… If you keep doing that, it’s going to be hard for me.”

“Mm… I’m sleepy.”

Ignoring his protests, she responded in a whining tone. Her mind was hazy, completely clouded by the effects of the alcohol. It felt as though her body was floating, and her thoughts were shrouded in fog.

Clyde ran through the rain, and before long, Hestia, half-asleep, opened her eyes slightly to find herself inside a bakery filled with the sweet aroma of bread. For a moment, she wondered if she had given him directions to the bakery on the way. If not, how else could they have arrived? However, she decided to let it go, assuming she must have said something unconsciously.

Still holding her, Clyde carefully sat down on a chair inside the shop. He glanced around at the dimly lit interior and spoke.

“For now, let’s wait here until the rain stops.”

With the shop closed and the door shut, the sound of the rain outside was muffled, leaving his voice to echo clearly in the quiet space. Her heart pounded loudly.

“It’s a bit cold here since there’s no one around. We should head back soon and warm up…”

But at that moment, he stopped mid-sentence. In her dazed state, Hestia opened her eyes slightly and looked ahead.

Her lips were touching his cheek.