Chapter 3 (Part 1)

The next day, Cardin woke up unusually early. He had been awakened by some bothersome noise, and it seemed he was already prepared to leave.

“Where are you going?”

Cardin turned to look at her. He smiled and approached the bed to sit down. As she looked at him curiously, Cardin gently cupped her cheek with one hand and spoke kindly.

“I’m going to the village to buy some materials. There are also some tools we don’t have here.”

“Then take the money from the upper cabinet.”

“I’ve already got it. I’ll pay you back more when I make furniture and earn money later.”

“You don’t have to pay me back.”

Cardin lightly kissed her lips. As soon as their breaths parted, he spoke softly.

“I’ll pay you back. Much more.”

For some reason, those words felt significant. Watching him with a peculiar feeling, Cardin stood up from the bed.

“I’ve already made breakfast on the table. Make sure to eat it.”

As she nodded, Cardin kissed her forehead again.

“I’ll be back.”

He stroked her cheek once more before stepping back. The sound of the door closing echoed, and the surroundings became momentarily silent.

She stared blankly at the old wooden ceiling. Something felt strange. Previously, there were cobwebs in every corner, and mold had grown.

Now, such things were nowhere to be seen. It was as if someone had cleaned the ceiling thoroughly.

‘Did Cardin clean it?’

Come to think of it, the cluttered items and clothes around the house were neatly organized in one place. She remembered the laundry fluttering by the lake yesterday.

It seemed Cardin had done a thorough cleaning yesterday. After looking around for a moment, she went outside and let Viche loose.

Sometimes, she let Viche roam freely. After all, hardly anyone came here, and Viche always found her way back home.

Viche shook her head happily and walked toward a grassy area. It was near the lake. She also walked toward the lake immediately. The laundry was nowhere to be seen, as if it had already been collected.

‘When did he take it in?’

She was sure they had dinner together and spent the morning together. She returned home and checked inside the wardrobe. The dress she had hung out to dry yesterday and his clothes were neatly folded.

She slowly got up and went to the table. The yellow wildflowers she picked yesterday were still fresh and not wilted. Moreover, the chickpea soup was warm.

As she absentmindedly ate the soup, tears suddenly welled up. No matter how much she wiped them away, they kept flowing. She didn’t want to leave. Her heart cried out like that.

But reality was close to impossible. Someday, when Cardin’s memory returns, he might kill her. She barely held back her tears by biting her lip.

She forced herself to eat, spoonful by spoonful. Because it was the last. It was the last meal Cardin would make for her.

After finishing breakfast, she began organizing what to take when she left this place. Tears no longer flowed. As she resignedly made a list, a loud knocking sound echoed.

Startled, she stood up. The door had never been knocked on like this before. She remembered someone throwing stones at the window before.

‘Is it someone from the Messerode family?’

To prepare for any unforeseen situation, she grabbed a thick pot. She carefully looked out the window. As she examined closely, the surroundings were quiet.

‘Who could it be?’

She went to the side where the bed was and checked the window again. But there was no one in sight, not even Viche. Still, holding the pot tightly, she walked toward the door.

As she slowly opened the door, she could hear birds chirping nearby. Looking around, there was no stranger in sight. As she turned her gaze tensely, she saw a sagging sack hanging on the wall as if containing something.

‘I thought I organized all the herbs.’

Curious, she rummaged through the sack and found a white envelope. It had gold trim around the edges and a dragon emblem.

She checked it immediately. As expected, it was sent from Cardin’s family. The recipient was Cardin. She quickly looked around, but no one was in sight.

She swiftly closed the door and went inside. Tearing open the envelope revealed neat handwriting.

To Cardin

Cardin, have you decided to forget your family?

I sent a letter before, but why didn’t you reply?

Since your father passed away and you haven’t returned, the family is in disarray.

Roquek is drooling to take over the family,

Why haven’t you returned?

Are you planning to stay there?

Return as soon as possible.

Just because you’ve lost your memory doesn’t mean you can abandon your family.

– Hernes Messerode

She stared at the letter for a long time. Her hands trembled. She knew she had to leave soon, but now it seemed she had to move immediately. She barely held back tears as she folded the letter.

She had to leave within at least two days.

She had already noted what to take when leaving. She quickly packed her bag. She wanted to leave without Cardin knowing. She didn’t want to face him and explain why she was leaving.

She roughly packed her bags and hid them in Viche’s stable, where he rarely looked. She planned to stop by there and leave with Viche when she left the house.

*   *   *

As soon as Cardin arrived in the village, he first looked for the jewelry store. The owner, with a neatly trimmed white beard, greeted him warmly.

“Welcome. The ring is already prepared.”

The owner cheerfully opened a small box. The sea-like blue color stood out remarkably.

Cardin’s lips curled up gently.

“This is the color. The color I wanted.”

Cardin met the owner’s eyes. The owner smiled brightly, closed the box, and wrapped it up.

“This blue aquamarine is very rare, but you’re lucky. I barely had one, and you’re taking it.”

“Thank you.”

“Well, someone offered me ten times the price for it, so how could I not sell it?”

Cardin handed over a check. The owner checked it carefully and nodded.

“I heard you’ve been working far away, seems like you’re doing well.”

Cardin just smiled. The money in Brienne’s upper cabinet wouldn’t have been enough. He already had money. Enough to easily buy a building in this village.

It was the money he had in his pocket when he came here.

“Here it is.”

The jewelry store owner handed over the ring box wrapped in yellow silk. Cardin smiled brightly and said,

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Brienne will love it. Receiving such an expensive ring as a gift.”

“I couldn’t do it properly when we got married.”

The owner smiled kindly and saw him out. Cardin politely greeted him and walked away from the jewelry store. He looked at the ring box with satisfaction.

It didn’t matter what the Hurrick family did. After all, Brienne hadn’t done it. No, Brienne probably didn’t know. That her father was committing such a huge fraud.

Even if Brienne deliberately hid and didn’t speak about the past, it was understandable.

‘Considering what I did before.’

Cardin frowned. Thinking about that time made him feel bad. He had looked at her with disdain and hatred.

What if the Baron of Hurrick hadn’t committed such fraud? She was someone who strangely caught his eye whenever they met. Unlike others, she didn’t particularly reveal her presence, which made her stand out more.

Even when he wanted to greet her, she often avoided him first.

Then, when he later found out she was the Baron Hurrick’s daughter, he wanted to get closer to her. That’s why he lent her the ocarina. He didn’t give used ones to others, but he did to Brienne. He also wanted to see her when he got it back.

Still, he was glad to finally understand his feelings for Brienne. The more he spent nights with her, the more he was convinced. He wanted to spend his life with her.

Now, he couldn’t even think of anyone else but Brienne.

The past should be forgotten. The tedious power of the Messerode family, their world, his overly controlling father.

He wanted to forget it all. To live quietly with Brienne while making furniture he liked.

Cardin thought of a happy future and headed to the carpentry shop.

Just as he entered, Madame Arten saw him and greeted him warmly.

“Cardin, fancy meeting you here! Where’s Brienne?”

“She’s at home. How have you been?”

“I’m always the same. But why are you here?”

“I’m planning to settle down and make furniture here.”

“Furniture?”

“Yes, my previous work was somewhat similar.”

Madame Arten’s face brightened.

“Then are you settling here now?”

Cardin spoke sincerely.

“Yes.”

“That’s great. Brienne went to the hospital, you know….”

Cardin’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Hospital?”

“Oh, didn’t you know? Brienne went to see a gynecologist before and seemed very disappointed.”

“Why?”

“She seemed to have high hopes for a pregnancy.”

Cardin’s eyebrows furrowed. Madame Arten awkwardly laughed, noticing his reaction.

“Did Brienne not tell you even this?”

Only then did Cardin smile.

“She must have been too busy gathering herbs to have time to tell me.”

“Anyway, now that you know, comfort her well. She seemed very disappointed. Her expression was bad, like she was about to cry.”

Cardin nodded. Madame Arten, pleased with his reassuring demeanor, greeted him and passed by. As she completely left his sight, a momentary chill settled on Cardin’s face.

‘Why didn’t she tell me?’

Come to think of it, it was strange. Even though he had unprotected relations with Brienne, there were no signs of pregnancy. Of course, those symptoms don’t appear immediately….

‘Is there something wrong with me?’

Or perhaps Brienne was already taking contraceptives. But when he cleaned the upper cabinet and other places, there were no contraceptives to be found.

“Comfort her well. She seemed very disappointed. Her expression was bad, like she was about to cry.”

Madame Arten’s words sharply lingered in his mind.

‘I should have been more attentive.’

Thinking about Brienne going to the hospital alone made him feel heavy-hearted. Cardin couldn’t relax his tense face until he returned home.