“So… you didn’t know me either? Did you not even remember my name?”

“…”

He felt guilty admitting the truth.

His silence seemed to confirm Louise’s suspicion, and her eyes filled with disappointment.

Hurt.

It seemed she was hurt.

The realization that her husband had lost all his memories seemed to shock her.

What if the situation were reversed? How would he feel if Louise had forgotten him entirely?

Just imagining it made his heart sink.

Being erased completely from the memory of someone you love—just thinking about it made his chest ache far more than he had expected.

It seemed that Louise was feeling something similar.

Suddenly, she smiled sadly.

“I thought maybe that could be the case. Hearing your story now, I finally understand everything. You must have felt so frustrated and confused all this time because of the lack of memories.”

“…”

Louise looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and warmth.

For some reason, Alec couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t the one who deserved this kind of concern and comfort.

The guilt he had momentarily forgotten and a strange jealousy toward Alec began to creep back up.

Once again, he felt himself distanced from her, as though he were an outsider in her world.

Louise spoke again, her voice still full of warmth.

“Do you think you’ll be able to regain your memories?”

“….”

“You might remember something from the past eventually. Like our pet names or how the only flower you ever gave me was a poinsettia.”

“…I did that, didn’t I?”

He would never remember.

Since he wasn’t truly Alec, those memories wouldn’t come back. But in this moment, he wished deeply that he were Alec. He didn’t want to continue living with Louise as someone else.

Was that too selfish of him?

Louise took a deep breath and forced a smile.

“Anyway, I understand. From now on, I’ll tell you what happened between us, one thing at a time. We don’t have too many memories together. And honestly, none of it is essential for you to know.”

“…”

“I guess it’s just a little disappointing. But even though you don’t remember me, it doesn’t change how I see you.”

“…”

She tried to smile again, though it seemed a little forced.

Was it just his imagination that her smile felt somewhat fabricated?

But in this moment, Alec was certain of what he truly wanted.

He couldn’t stay with Louise forever while pretending to be Alec.

He wanted to tell her everything.

* * *

“Master, Madam! It’s time to depart!”

The servants waved at us from a distance.

I had been walking absentmindedly when I heard their calls and looked up. Nobles and artisans from the capital, faces filled with excitement, were boarding the carriages.

“Louise!”

Among them, Marianne approached me with the brightest expression.

I returned her smile and took her hand.

“Marianne. The first day of our northern trip has finally begun.”

“I’m so excited! It’s all thanks to you, Louise. Thank you so much!”

“It’s too early for thanks. We haven’t even explored Wiltsbrook Castle yet.”

“Just seeing the castle shows how amazing the North is. I was so excited I couldn’t sleep last night!”

“We’ll be in the North for two weeks, so there’ll be plenty of time to explore. You’ll have time to rest, don’t worry.”

After sunset, there wouldn’t be much to do. Perhaps we could enjoy the night view from the castle’s spire, though that would depend on whether the sky wasn’t clouded over. Otherwise, the landscape would be completely dark unless Alec created some kind of magical firework display.

I blinked as the thought of Alec suddenly popped into my head.

Looking back, I saw that he was already speaking with others, and nearby, Harriet and Eloise were preparing to board their carriage.

Marianne’s cheerful voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Would you like to ride with me? I have so much I want to talk to you about.”

“Of course, Marianne. We’ll be departing soon.”

“Thank you, Louise.”

I let Marianne lead me into the carriage. It started moving shortly after, and though Marianne spoke to me, my mind was foggy, as though it were wrapped in a haze

“…Yes. It’s just as you said. Since the moment I woke up at the inn, I’ve had no memories.”

What?

He really lost all his memories?

Even to the point where he forgot my face and name?

I had suspected it, but hearing it confirmed felt like a blow to the back of my head.

It made sense, but it was still hard to believe.

I could accept it, but how could something like this happen?

‘Get a hold of yourself, Louise. He’s alive, at least.’

He had almost died, after all.

But still, why?

Why did I feel so strange?

The thought of sightseeing in the North or listening to Marianne seemed far from my mind.

When he woke up, I had been a complete stranger to him.

What had I looked like to him then?

Though we were much closer now than back then… still…

‘Is the Alec I know now truly the same Alec?’

No, I shook my head.

Even if he’d lost his memories of me, Alec was still Alec.

He loved me and treated me so well now, so why did it feel strange?

I pushed aside the unfamiliar feeling and tried to focus on my conversation with Marianne.

As we continued chatting happily, we arrived at our first sightseeing spot.

The place Vali first took us to was an ice cave, filled with artistic icicles and ice pillars, creating a breathtaking scene.

“My goodness.”

“It looks like the Winter Queen could emerge from this place any moment.”

“I can’t believe such a place exists in the Rilt Empire.”

While everyone was exclaiming in awe, I too couldn’t stop staring in amazement.

It was hard to believe Vali’s explanation—that this was a natural cave. The ice formations looked as though they had been sculpted by a master artist, with stunning shapes all around us.

Walking through the towering ice walls felt like stepping into an actual ice kingdom.

“Louise.”

Marianne’s voice broke through my thoughts. She had been marveling alongside me, but now she suddenly called my name with a serious tone.

“Yes?”

“This place is insane. No, calling it insane doesn’t do it justice. Just Wiltsbrook Castle and this ice kingdom alone make the trip to the North more than worth it.”

“I know… I can barely breathe, I’m so overwhelmed.”

“Same here. I can’t wait to get back to the capital and tell everyone about the wonders of the North.”

“It’s almost a shame that only we get to see this. And it’s not just because I’m the lady of this land, but this place is truly… more than just a tourist destination. It’s an entirely new experience.”

“An entirely new experience! That’s the perfect way to describe it. It’s overwhelming.”

Marianne pressed her hand to her chest as if trying to calm her racing heart.

I, too, was overwhelmed by the ice kingdom and had to take deep breaths to keep my composure.

As I glanced around, I made eye contact with someone.

He, too, had been surveying the vast cave.

‘…Alec.’

He stared at me in silence when our eyes met, his expression unreadable.

I smiled slightly, raising the corners of my lips.

But… what was this awkwardness?

For some reason, Alec felt a little unfamiliar to me.

Just then, Brooks began speaking to him, and Alec turned away, breaking our eye contact.

Still, I found myself unable to look away from him.

A sudden realization hit me.

‘Alec has forgotten most of who he used to be.’

His habits, his personality, his preferences, even his way of speaking—were those all erased when he lost his memories?

Alec was still Alec, but for some reason, with his memories gone, he felt strangely distant.

After an hour of exploration, the tour ended. The experience had been so magical that I was still reeling, unsure of what I had just witnessed.

While everyone continued to marvel, the servants began setting up tents. We planned to warm ourselves by the fire and eat a simple meal.

Glancing over, I saw that Alec was surrounded by Brooks and the other noblemen, including Marianne’s husband.

“Marianne.”

“Yes?”

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories