Chapter 8

“Miss. Did you have a good conversation?”

As she exited the room, Natalie, who had been waiting a little distance away, approached. She spoke to Marie again, who hadn’t moved a step from the door.

Marie appeared as if her gaze was focused on the tip of her nose, looking as if she was about to fall into a trance.

“Miss?”

“Uh… huh?”

It was only after quite some time that Marie came to her senses. After blinking several times, her eyes finally began to focus.

Soon, her gaze returned fully, but unlike usual, it was filled with confusion, absurdity, fear, and anxiety, shaking wildly.

“Did you have a good conversation?”

“Uh, well… good, good… uh, was it good…?”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, I think… it was good… uh… was it?”

“Miss, what’s wrong with you?”

Lily called Dawson and pointed to Natalie, as if asking if she was worse than herself. However,  Natalie was more concerned about the dazed demeanor of her lady than such trivial gossip.

Although Marie’s odd behavior wasn’t new, her demeanor after emerging from the enclosed space was highly unsuitable.

However, instead of answering Natalie’s question, Marie grabbed her hand. Then she abruptly asked for Dawson. It seemed she needed to hold onto something to feel reassured.

“Ka, Kal… why is that person acting like that?”

Dawson sighed at Marie’s question. For some reason, Lily, who was feeling triumphant, answered instead.

“It’s because he injured his head.”

“No, how does someone become like that from a head injury!”

“He got hurt really bad…… oops.”

Dawson covered Lily’s mouth and pulled her back.

“The doctor said the impact location wasn’t good, causing memory confusion.”

“That’s not just confusion! It’s like his personality changed!”

“No, it’s confusion. He always had that personality.”

“Well, uh… it seems like, but…… no matter how, he’s a completely different person!”

“What on earth did he say to you for you to react like this?”

Marie tried to recount everything that happened after Dawson left. Just the fact that she remembered all of Kalik’s words indicated that she was genuinely shocked.

“He, he…”

“Yes.”

“He’s being nice to me…!”

Dawson, Lily, and Natalie’s expressions turned cold. Marie became agitated again at their indifferent reactions.

“No, listen! He’s being nice to me!”

“Isn’t that possible?”

“Aren’t married couples supposed to be like that?”

“Well, uh, I guess so?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Uh, it might be, but… no, no, no! He wasn’t like that before!”

“Then it’s good that he’s being nice now.”

“Ah…”

“That’s fortunate.”

It seemed Dawson and Lily had no intention of understanding the confusion Marie felt.

Marie looked at Natalie with pleading eyes. Then Natalie, who had been listening quietly, gave up thinking and bowed politely.

“Congratulations.”

With Kalik’s awakening, Marie found herself plunged into extreme worry and difficulty.

She thought Kalik’s changed demeanor was due to taking the wrong medication. Otherwise, there was no way his titles and speech would change so drastically.

But upon hearing the doctor’s diagnosis of “amnesia,” she clutched her dizzy forehead and slumped down. Everything hadn’t just returned to square one; it had vanished into nothingness.

Kalik couldn’t remember their marriage, nor could he remember Marie Odillia. His memory only extended back to before their marriage.

It was a disaster. She couldn’t fathom how to convince a man who barely accepted the fact of their marriage about divorce. Moreover, because she herself had claimed they had a good relationship, there was no possibility of even mentioning divorce.

“Congratulations.”

“For what?”

Marie sighed deeply and looked at Natalie. Her usually cold maid was decorating colorful tea with ice cubes in cold tea.

“Because you won’t be getting a divorce.”

“Is that something to congratulate?”

“Isn’t it a good thing compared to drawing a line?”

“Well, when you put it that way, yes…… but something feels off.”

Knowing Natalie’s personality, it wasn’t mockery. She genuinely seemed to think this situation was favorable for Marie.

“What exactly feels off?”

“He’s being… too nice.”

Natalie shook her head as if to say, “Here we go again.”

A week had passed since Kalik regained consciousness. Everyone, from the annex to the main building’s staff, had accepted his condition, but Marie was still in denial. It couldn’t be helped. The main building’s people belonged to Escael, so Kalik’s amnesia didn’t affect them. The only one in distress was Marie Odillia.

Now that amnesia was confirmed, she should have gotten used to it.

There was no need to worry about something that would return to the way it was once his memory came back. She could just enjoy it for now. It didn’t seem like it would last long.

Natalie refrained from saying that her lady’s inability to endure kindness made her look like a masochist who wanted to be mistreated.

“So, will you divorce him?”

“I have to… I have to.”

“Even though there’s no reason to divorce anymore?”

“Why wouldn’t there be?”

“The conflict between the families was the reason for divorce, but since you two have gotten along, hasn’t that been resolved?”

“…We’re getting along?”

“Yes.”

“Do we look like we’re getting along?”

“Yes.”

Marie sipped her tea with a huff, unable to accept Natalie’s words.

Just because they ate meals together, had tea time, saw him off to work, hugged, and slept in the same bed didn’t mean everything was good…

“Miss, you might not know, but that’s what people call a harmonious relationship.”

“Is that… so?”

“Congratulations.”

“Stop saying congratulations for everything!”

“Why not use this opportunity to resolve the long-standing conflict between the families?”

Marie’s eyes widened. She was at a loss for words at the unexpected advice.

That was something she had never considered. While she had the word “reconciliation” on the tip of her tongue, she had never taken practical action or had the will to do so.

Moreover, it wasn’t something she could achieve alone; it was just a fantasy.

Natalie smiled gently.

“You’re not alone anymore.”

She seemed to already consider Kalik as being on her master Marie’s side. Indeed, looking at the current state, it seemed he would do whatever Marie asked, even beyond reconciliation.

Kalik Escael had changed. After waking from his coma, he became a new person. Or rather, after losing his memory.

The new him had no hostility. No matter how much there was before, the current him didn’t see the Odillia family as enemies. On the contrary, he respected them as the family of his beloved wife.

Seeing a faint glimmer of hope, Marie’s face brightened.

“Will he cooperate?”

“There’s no reason for him not to. But before that, he might not even know why he should cooperate.”

“Why?”

Natalie pointed at the door as if it were obvious. Marie, not understanding, tilted her head to ask again, but just then, Lily’s voice was heard from outside the door. She was calling Marie’s name with her loud voice.

It was that time again.

Kalik’s departure for work.

Marie’s face, which had momentarily brightened, darkened again.

“Haa… He really can’t do anything alone.”

“He must have injured himself quite severely.”

“Shouldn’t he be hospitalized?”

“Shall I make the arrangements?”

“I’ll have to think about it. Anyway, let’s talk later.”

But contrary to her words, Marie eagerly ran to the entrance to see Kalik off.

“Do I have to do this every day?”

In response to this question, Kalik, without any displeasure, said there was no need. Maybe it was because Marie’s face looked very uncomfortable as she said it.

However, since he said so, Marie really didn’t see her husband off after that day.

The reason was simple.

Because he said there was no need.

Even though it was time for him to have already left, Kalik was waiting for Marie. It was because she had been dawdling. If that were the case, he could have just left, but he said his mood depended on whether Marie saw him off or not, so there was nothing she could do.

Marie, who came out of the entrance energetically, hesitated next to Natalie, unable to approach him easily. When faced with him, her courage seemed to shrink.

Moreover, although she had seen him off before, the situation was different now.

Back then… they could stand at a distance and say, “I’m off.” “Have a good day,” in a strange mix of formal and informal language.

“I’ll be back before dinner, so wait and let’s eat together.”

Now, Kalik was speaking in very long sentences. And it was a suggestion, not a quarrel.

Marie didn’t know how to respond, so she nodded.

In the past, she would have asked why she had to eat every meal with him, but with the changed Kalik, she didn’t feel that fighting spirit.

Ignoring Marie’s pleading gaze, Natalie pushed her forward.

If she didn’t do it, this moment would never end.

“Have a good day.”

After doing it for three or four days, it had become quite natural. At first, she couldn’t finish the sentence and repeated “Have a” several times.

“I’ll be back.”

“Uh…!”

Kalik hugged the awkward Marie tightly. This wasn’t unexpected either. It was, after all, announced. Yet, Marie struggled again today. It seemed she couldn’t get used to it.

“Rest well, my love.”

“Uh, yes. You too.”

Look at that, another term of endearment has been added. Until yesterday, it was just ‘wife’.

He looked at Marie, who was making strange noises, with loving eyes and brought his face close. Before she could resist, his lips touched her cheek.

The day before yesterday, it was the forehead, yesterday, the cheek, today, the nose.

Tomorrow…

“……I want to rest, so prepare the place.”

Marie watched Kalik’s carriage leave, held her head, and leaned on Natalie.

Behind them, oblivious Lily followed, humming a tune.