Chapter 22

“How is the annex these days?”

The table was laden with snacks Lily liked. Lily was already munching on cookies with both hands, mumbling.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, is there anything unusual among the kids?”

“Unusual?”

“Like a fight or, conversely, getting along well. Anything noticeable.”

According to Kalik, it was his unrequited love. A love so emotionally transformative that it retracted the divorce, yet it was unrequited!

Viola felt anger at the thought that her well-off son’s love was one-sided and was disappointed with Marie, who said nothing despite such an issue. If there was something that could improve their relationship, she should have reported it.

Anyway, she was admirable yet infuriating for keeping her mouth shut.

“Something noticeable… they’re just getting along well?”

“…Getting along? Why do you think they’re getting along?”

“Well. I don’t know the intimate details between them. More so, I shouldn’t know!”

“Ah, no. I meant not the intimate stuff. Was there anything that could have improved their relationship?”

It was unlikely that there was something intimate between a couple who had only held hands. Moreover, Kalik wasn’t the type to touch a woman without permission, nor did he have the social skills to push his desires.

“Intimate… hmm.”

Lily gave a strange smile at the word “intimate.” It might have seemed that way because her mouth was full of cookies.

Viola decided to skip that part, fearing Lily might waste time with unnecessarily lewd stories like adolescent boys.

“If there’s something that could have improved their relationship, there’s only one.”

“Oh. What is it? Was there something?”

“But it was an accident.”

“An accident? The horse-riding accident?”

“Yes!”

“What about the horse-riding accident? Tell me in detail. Here, drink some juice if you’re thirsty.”

After downing a cup of juice, Lily smacked her lips and solved the mystery with a single word.

Amnesia.

Due to a horse-riding accident, Kalik lost some of his memory.

Their improved relationship was because of that.

He remembered the past three years as if he and Marie Odillia had been a very affectionate couple.

This was all news to Viola.

Viola clapped her hands and exclaimed loudly. 

Of course! Without a world-changing event, how could a person suddenly change? 

Her son had gone through something significant without her knowing.

“Then when his memory returns, everything will be resolved?”

But Lily showed a skeptical reaction to her words.

“Well. I don’t think it will go as you think?”

“What do you mean?”

“Because you haven’t seen it.”

“Seen what?”

“How much Sir Kalik loves Lady Marie?”

“So you’re saying it’s because of the amnesia now?”

“Hmm. I wonder?”

Lily’s tone had never been more irritating. Viola had always respected her servants’ individuality, as long as it didn’t violate morals or dignity, so she had tolerated Lily’s lisping voice.

But now, hearing her answer in that tone, she felt the urge to hit her with a fork.

“Do you know something? If you do, would you tell me?”

“Madam.”

“Yes?”

“I’m single. I don’t know much about relationships between men and women.”

Viola was flustered by Lily suddenly opening up about her love life and bit her tongue.

“Just looking at the situation, do you think the feelings that have already developed will disappear just because his memory returns?”

“I don’t know. It depends on the situation….”

“No. I don’t think Kalik is someone who would change his mind so recklessly.”

“That’s… true….”

In conclusion, even if his memory returns, this state will continue for the time being. Maybe even indefinitely.

Viola was at a loss for words. She clenched her fists in frustration at Lily’s piercing words. Kalik wasn’t the type to make judgments based on emotions recklessly. He always had his own meaningful and reasonable reasons.

So the question that could arise in this situation was:

“If what you say is true, how do you explain this? Is it reasonable for love to suddenly arise just because of a misunderstanding caused by memory loss? Unless he liked her even before losing his memory!”

“That’s it! Madam, you asked the question and answered it yourself.”

“…What did you say?”

She was shocked by her own words. The idea that Kalik liked Marie even before the accident was shocking.

But if there was such a sign, why did they live separately and not even have light physical contact?

Could this be a high-level strategy orchestrated by Lily?

“I just gave a little push.”

“A push…?”

“I wanted peace in the mansion.”

“So you did something?!”

“But it was Kalik who moved. You know that he wouldn’t be swayed by anyone’s words.”

Then Lily confessed her wrongdoing in detail. Based on her words, there was no way to tell if she left anything out or not. However, it was hard not to believe her when she said all she did was speak well of Marie and tell them to get along.

After hearing the intent and content of the lie, Viola fell into thought.

If it was a lie, it was a lie. In this case, it might be called a white lie, but she couldn’t decide whether to criticize it for being a lie or to consider the circumstances.

What frustrated her was that Lily’s wrongdoing was the act of lying itself, and aside from that, there was nothing to fault.

The intention was good, the content of the lie was praise, and even the result was perfect.

Where in this situation could she find a flaw to insist on returning to the original?

Moreover, it was Kalik’s will that moved. Presumably, he had some fondness, but it blossomed into love due to this event. Marie also couldn’t have been harsh with a patient, so it wasn’t difficult for the two to fall in love.

“Isn’t it peaceful and nice now?”

“…But this is built on pretense. How long do you think it will last?”

Even so, the question of why it was Kalik’s unrequited love was really puzzling.

“Wouldn’t it be enough if those who know the truth just kept quiet?”

“People? How many know about this?”

“Me, Sir Dawson, Lady Marie, Miss Natalie, and you, Madam.”

“Oh, Lily…”

Viola pondered what to do with this foolish maid. It’s hard to keep a secret with just three people, but five! This was practically laying traps everywhere, asking Kalik to find out the truth.

“So, Madam, don’t you want them to get along?”

“Who said that?”

“It seems that way.”

“…”

If they were sincere, there was nothing she couldn’t support. If this finally put an end to the long-standing conflict between the families, then fine. Even if not, if they wanted to love each other, it wasn’t right for parents to interfere.

However, the one thing that kept bothering her was:

“Don’t you think we’re giving too much?”

“Giving? To whom?”

“Who else? To… Odillia.”

“Ah.”

She didn’t even want to use the word in-law and replaced it with Odillia.

Viola shuddered as she thought of Albrecht Odillia. She could overlook the long-standing resentment between their husbands, but public personal attacks were another matter.

This was now a family feud. Since Albrecht attacked Peter’s old age, Viola had been a formidable warrior.

“If we give one, they should give one in return.”

“Oh, then the fight might never end.”

“If we don’t risk that much, we’ll end up losing face and suffering.”

“I’ll support them. I hope they get along well!”

“I’m supporting them too.”

“You’re ‘supporting’ them?”

“Don’t point out such trivial things.”

“Okay.”

Lily watched Viola, who was drinking tea with a somewhat subdued face, while packing cookies. It was certain that this elegant lady was plotting something. However, it was not yet decided whether it would be directed at the Odillia parents or the Odillia child.

“Anyway, if anything happens again, come and let me know.”

“Okay.”

“And stop lying or meddling. I’ll pretend not to know about this time.”

“Okay.”

“That way of speaking is really… alright, you can go.”

“Okay!”

There will be a storm.

Thinking so, Lily left Viola’s room, holding her heavy apron.