Chapter 2 (Part 6)

Cardin was mindlessly sucking and biting Brienne’s lips. Her breath scattering around his mouth, her hands gripping his arms as if struggling, and her soft moans deeply resonated within him. The emotion that had strongly resonated deep within him when he first saw Brienne must have been love. Now he thought so recklessly. Otherwise, he couldn’t properly explain this intensely boiling emotion. Even if he couldn’t clearly recall memories of Brienne among the many memories from his days at Stern Academy….

“Is there anyone who doesn’t know your mansion at this academy?”

For a moment, Cardin paused his lips. It was a familiar voice. Was it a close friend? He slowly pulled away his lips. The sight of her lips exhaling hot breath, flushed cheeks, and glass-like eyes came into view. Cardin exhaled roughly. In his head, someone’s voice, or rather the voice of a former friend, kept echoing.

“How could anyone not know Fern, governed by the great hero Duke Messerode of the Kingdom of Gerok?”

Cardin pronounced Fern in his mind. Fern. Fern. Fern. His gaze grew darker. Brienne seemed burdened as she slightly avoided his gaze. It bothered him. Why couldn’t she look directly into his eyes?

“Brienne.”

His voice was lower and rougher than expected. Cardin stared intently at Brienne as he continued to speak.

“Was Fern really where Stern Academy was located?”

“Yes.”

“Not somewhere else?”

Brienne’s eyes wavered slightly. Cardin slowly asked the question again.

“Are you sure?”

Brienne hesitated, biting her lower lip before she spoke.

“Stern Academy is only in Fern.”

Cardin looked down with a low gaze. Brienne might not know where his mansion was. However, a voice echoed in his mind as if scolding him.

“If you don’t know where your mansion is from here, you’re not a person of this Kingdom.”

He didn’t know what prompted this conversation, but the memory slowly seeped into his mind. Come to think of it, Brienne already knew who he was. She said he stood out wherever he went.

At that moment, Brienne tried to move aside, avoiding his gaze. Cardin blocked her leg with his thigh. When Brienne blinked in surprise, he immediately kissed her.

‘Even if you deceive me, I want to be by your side.’

He sucked her tongue more persistently. Even when Brienne, feeling suffocated, grabbed his shoulder, Cardin wrapped his tongue tightly around hers.

‘Because I want to live like this with you forever.’

His tiresome father. The academy, now a distant memory. Most of all, he felt at ease not seeing his father. He didn’t know why he had come to kill Brienne, but he no longer wanted to think about it. His judgment of Brienne was already concluded in his heart. He could overlook even the obvious lies she told.

Cardin met Brienne’s eyes. Tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall. Cardin slowly pulled away from her lips. He gently wiped her tears with his thumb.

“Why are you crying?”

Brienne raised both hands and hugged him. Cardin momentarily froze, his breath caught.

“Because I like you.”

“…….”

“I like you, Cardin.”

The same feelings. Could there be anything more overwhelming? Cardin breathed heavily and bit her lips.

*   *   *

“Because of Baron Hurrick, my life is in danger. Because of what that bastard did, I’m about to die.”

Cardin suddenly opened his eyes. His voice lingered in his mind for a while before sinking into his memory. It was dark around him. There was only the sound of water dripping, not even the sound of insects.

Baron Hurrick. Cardin frowned, trying to recall. Brienne said her father was a banker. A banker. Baron Hurrick. But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t remember more. Cardin looked down at Brienne, as if giving up. She was small enough to fit in one hand, firmly held in his embrace. A faint scent of flesh. Warm breaths.

Her pale skin seemed so delicate it might turn red if sucked hard. He lightly touched her arm with his fingers. It was soft. Desire already sprouted from below. Why hadn’t he realized it before? Her skin, everything about her was so soft and good.

Cardin watched her small body rise and fall for a long time. Then Brienne snuggled into his chest. The pleasant scent of her skin and her warmth deeply imprinted on him. Cardin hugged Brienne’s waist tighter.

He decided not to care about memories anymore. If they came back, he would just let them go. He wouldn’t think about them anymore. He didn’t need them now. He had no desire to return to his family home, he just wanted to stay by Brienne’s side forever.

The atmosphere here, the freedom, the comfort. It was a paradise he had never felt before. Cardin embraced Brienne with a more relaxed heart.

Then there was a knock on the door.

Brienne, seemingly exhausted, still breathed regularly with her eyes closed. He slowly got up from the bed. He looked outside from the window near the door.

It was someone in black clothing. The person who had acted suspiciously before also wore black. Since there was no one else to visit, and since they even knocked on the door….

Cardin immediately took a knife from the kitchen and opened the door. At the same time, he pointed the knife at the person’s neck. The person in black, holding a candle, hesitated for a moment and blinked.

As Cardin was about to swing the knife, the person shouted abruptly.

“Young Master!”

Even so, Cardin did not lower the knife. The faint candle flickered. As he looked down with a murderous gaze, the person stammered in panic.

“Do you really not remember?”

One of Cardin’s eyebrows rose sharply.

“Weren’t you the one who broke the glass?”

“N-no! How could I dare break the glass of where the Young Master resides!”

The man’s eyes showed grievance. Anyway, only someone from the family would say such things. Cardin closed the door with one hand. As he withdrew the knife, the man in black deeply bowed his head.

“Young Master, I formally introduce myself. I am Audrad, a messenger of the Messerode family.”

Messerode. Cardin tried to pronounce it in his mind before speaking.

“Is the Messerode family my family?”

Audrad looked at him, seemingly unable to believe it. When Cardin looked at him expressionlessly, he hurriedly bent his upper body.

“Young Master, you are the only legitimate heir of Duke Messerode, a great founding hero of the Kingdom of Gerok, who occupies more than half of the territory and leads victories.”

Cardin felt no stirrings at the titles before him. They were just unnecessary and tedious.

“Why did you come here?”

Now Cardin had no interest in any of it. His father in his memory was an incredibly oppressive and tyrannical person. His mother was a bystander.

“Why, why did I come, you ask? Madam is looking for you. Please return quickly.”

When Cardin stared at him, the man in black hurriedly handed over an envelope.

“It is a letter Madam has instructed me to deliver.”

Cardin looked down at the letter Audrad handed over for a long time without taking it. Audrad trembled as he watched him. Despite his strong appearance, his trembling was displeasing. He didn’t know if he deserved to feel that way, but he reluctantly picked up the envelope. He immediately tore it open.

To Cardin

I don’t know what happened to make you lose your memory,

But return to the mansion as soon as possible.

Before your cousin takes over the family.

– Hernes Messerode

It was more of a notification than a letter. Cardin let out a laugh of disbelief as he held the letter.

“Is this from the person claiming to be my mother?”

“Yes! That’s right. Madam sent it, and currently….”

“Tell her I have no intention of returning.”

As Cardin turned around, a desperate voice rang out.

“The Messerode family is in an emergency right now. Duke Messerode suddenly passed away, and your cousin Roquek is trying to take all the family’s assets, even bringing a lawyer….”

Cardin frowned for a moment.

“So what?”

“Sorry?”

“I’m sick and tired of it now.”

“…….”

“I’m not even greedy for the wealth. Let it collapse or whatever.”

“But…!”

“Don’t come looking for me again.”

Cardin was about to turn the doorknob when he heard it.

“Madam knows.”

“…….”

“That you’re living with that woman.”

Cardin turned around. The man in black looked down worriedly and continued.

“Young Master, you came here to kill that woman yourself.”

Cardin stared intently at the man bowing before him. From the moment he woke up here, he had wanted to know why he had come to kill Brienne. But now, he wasn’t that curious anymore and just wanted to start anew, forgetting everything. As Cardin turned his body, a clinging voice echoed.

“That woman’s father is Baron Hurrick. Baron Hurrick is an employee of the bank you barely inherited for independence, and he committed bond fraud there, almost costing you your honor.”

The hand holding the doorknob showed veins. An unexpected supply of memories. Cardin turned around irritably.

“So?”

“Sorry?”

“So you’re telling me to kill Brienne now?”

The man looked at him with wide eyes, his face blank. Cardin looked down at him fiercely and said.

“I’ll handle it myself, so don’t worry about it anymore. If anything happens to Brienne, I won’t let it go.”

Cardin slammed the door shut. He put the knife back in the upper cabinet of the kitchen and looked at Brienne. She seemed to be in a deep sleep. He stared at Brienne with a hardened gaze for a long time. 

Suddenly, Cardin frowned and pressed his forehead with his hand. Memories pierced his mind like a blade. He exhaled deeply. Scattered memories crawled through his throbbing veins. 

Strangely, the memories that wouldn’t surface no matter how hard he tried became clear with the sudden intrusion of facts. As if waiting for those facts to be revealed.