‘Fireproof treatment?’

Lumiere looked at him with wide eyes.

Fireproof treatment meant they had taken measures to prevent anything from catching fire in the first place, didn’t it?

“…Is that even possible?”

Lumiere asked in a voice that was more amazed than curious.

Karl responded with a casual smile.

“If you pour enough money into it, nothing is impossible. Every curtain here, even the wallpaper and the sofas, have all been specially treated, Lumiere.”

Instead of wondering how, the question of ‘why’ came to her mind.

Of course, Lumiere hated fire more than anything.

But that didn’t mean she would have spent a fortune to fireproof the mansion.

That meant all the fireproofing work was done by this man.

Seeing her puzzled gaze, he shrugged his shoulders and murmured calmly.

“I also lost my family to a fire in the past.”

At that moment, Lumiere felt a sharp pain in her chest.

“Alright, everyone, let’s divide into groups and investigate since we’re all startled and disoriented. And Gustav.”

“Yes, the foolish Gustav is here!”

At Karl’s call, Gustav, who had been lying face down with his head against the sofa, sprang up.

Although no one had told him to, Gustav had been punishing himself for his lax guard by banging his head.

His face was beet red, and his eyes were bloodshot, as if they were about to burst.

Chris clicked his tongue in disgust at the brute’s appearance but didn’t bother to stop him.

“Track that carriage. The horse was injured, so it can’t have gone far. And the culprit was shot, so they’ll need to find a doctor. Make sure you find them.”

“Yes! I’ll get right on it.”

Gustav, his face flushed with blood, dashed out faster than ever.

Outside, Gustav’s subordinates, who had been lying face down just like him, sprang up like springs as soon as he came out.

The failure of the previous night seemed to have deeply affected them, as their faces were all grim.

“The sun is rising. The other servants will be here soon. We’ll check for anything unusual in the mansion. Miss Lumiere and Mr. Karl should go up and rest.”

Tamia, worried about Lumiere’s pale complexion, gently pushed her back.

“She’s right. We need to rest, Lumiere.”

Without hesitation, Karl scooped up Lumiere and led her to the room.

* * *

Even after entering the room, Lumiere remained dazed for a while.

She was so out of it that she didn’t notice Karl had washed up, entered her room, and sat next to her on the bed, staring at her.

She was staring at her hands.

The reason her fingers, which were no different from usual, felt so strangely alien was…

Bang!

…Because she had fired a gun with these hands.

And she had aimed it at a person, without a moment’s hesitation.

‘…What on earth happened?’

The cold touch of the gun still lingered on her palm.

She couldn’t remember what state of mind she had been in.

She only remembered that her body had moved almost instinctively.

She had opened the bottom drawer of the lobby cabinet, lifted the hidden floor panel, and taken out the gun.

Then she chased the intruder, aimed the gun, and pulled the trigger.

The most surprising thing was that she had hit the moving target.

“…What on earth happened?”

“What do you mean?”

Startled by the voice right next to her, Lumiere looked up.

She widened her eyes at the man sitting casually beside her.

“Why are you here? When did you come in?”

“A little while ago.”

“But how did I not notice?”

“Who knows. What were you thinking so deeply about?”

At Karl’s teasing words, Lumiere frowned slightly and glared at him.

“Stop joking and go out. Go get some rest.”

“Go out? Where to?”

“To your room, of course.”

“The only rooms I have in this mansion are the study and this bedroom.”

Karl replied leisurely.

His half-reclined, relaxed posture was shamelessly brazen.

Thanks to that, the loose nightshirt revealed his bare skin.

It was just a comfortable posture and expression, but it felt strangely seductive.

Lumiere tried to keep her eyes focused, not wanting to get swept up in the strange atmosphere he exuded.

“Let’s be clear. This is my bedroom.”

“Technically, it’s our bedroom.”

“Are we married or something? How can my bedroom in my mansion be our bedroom?”

At her rebuttal, Karl smiled softly.

“Lumiere.”

“Why are you calling me like that again?”

Are you trying to pressure me with that sweet voice again?

Lumiere shook her head as if to say it wouldn’t work.

“Imagine you were poisoned. And as a result of the poison, some part of your body weakened. Fortunately, you took an antidote later and recovered.”

“…Why are you suddenly talking about poison?”

“Here’s the question.”

Karl’s lips curled up.

His gaze, slightly twisted, was different from the endlessly gentle one before.

“If you took an antidote and got rid of the poison, does that mean it’s as if you never consumed the poison in the first place?”

“…What do you mean?”

Karl’s voice lowered as he answered her question.

“I’m asking if, just because you don’t remember, the time we spent together and the traces left by that time, disappear.”

His weary tone and subdued voice seemed to press down on her.

But.

“Are you really trying to…”

Karl reached out and gently stroked her cheek.

“Forget me?”

His fingers, lingering on her pink skin, carried a faint hint of anxiety.

Lumiere, who had been boldly meeting his gaze, felt flustered.

It sounded like he was pleading with her not to let him go, not to abandon him in her current state of amnesia.

Her heart, which had been beating anxiously, tightened painfully again.

After a moment of hesitation, Lumiere answered with difficulty.

“To be honest, I don’t know.”

“What don’t you know?”

“…Seeing you makes me feel miserable.”

At her words, Karl’s eyes changed.

He listened quietly as she continued.

Lumiere took a small breath and shared the small anxiety that had been lingering in her heart.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? I have no memories, yet, strangely… When I face you, it hurts here.”

Lumiere raised her hand and lightly tapped her chest.

Even now, looking into the desperate eyes of this beautiful man, her heart kept aching.

Why does it hurt so much?

Why is it so painful?

Why does it make me so miserable that such a beautiful man is clinging to me so desperately?

With no memories, she had no way of knowing.

But even if she found the answer, would it make the pain go away?

…Really?

Lumiere swallowed a sigh and looked at Karl, who had stiffened.

His face, which had been moist and warm just moments ago, was now pale, as if covered in frost.

“Answer me. You must know.”

“…Know what?”

“Why does it feel like I’ve fallen in love with someone I shouldn’t love? Why does it feel like a part of my heart is crumbling when I look at you?”

“……”

“You must know.”

Lumiere quietly gazed into the eyes of the man who couldn’t say a word and was just looking at her.

She knew her words had hurt him.

But she couldn’t just keep silent.

It was this man who had rushed at her without giving her time to calm her confused mind.

You must not love him.

A message left by her past self.

She believed there must be a reason for that message.

And the pain in her chest now must also have a reason.

“Karl, is it really good for my happiness if I regain my memories?”

She saw his jaw tighten.

For a moment, he looked like he was holding back tears.

He looked so pitiful.

He seemed so pitiful that she wanted to embrace him.

Even though he was much taller than her, he seemed so pitiful that she wanted to hold him and comfort him.

Yet she had to speak.

Without her past memories, she was a completely different person now.

No matter what poison her past self had consumed, her now-healed body no longer needed to be tied to that past poison.

“I am fine right now. Even if I don’t remember you, I am really fine. So why, why do I need to regain my memories?”

“…Lumiere.”

“I’m sorry to say this. I’m really sorry. But I’m scared too. So please.”

“……”

“Don’t push me too hard.”

Lumiere took a deep breath and spoke in a polite voice.

“Please.”