/
“… Maid?”
“This is where Lord Ruad stays. He’s looking for a maid, what do you think, sister?”
A maid in Ruad Castle. It was something I had never thought of.
It was too sudden. Bewildered, I looked at Si-eon, and he lowered his eyes and looked at me sadly.
“… You don’t like it?”
“No, rather than dislike… Thank you for your concern, but I think it would be difficult to stay in a castle like this because I have a husband at home.”
“Is it okay if you just fulfill your job and go home?”
“Yes? If that’s the case, that’s fine.”
Then Si-eon laughed.
“Then it would be more suitable for you, sister.”
No need to stay in this mansion. Besides, since it’s a job in a castle, the payment would be good.
After I made my decision, Si-eon went to the gatekeeper who was guarding the castle.
Si-eon whispered to the gatekeeper. Then the gatekeeper opened his eyes and immediately opened the door.
‘Is the procedure really this simple?’
It’s possible that the gatekeeper knew someone who was here and could have opened the door for him… But I was still puzzled.
So I followed Si-eon and entered the castle, looking around the inside, Si-eon’s gaze touched a man.
“That’s him.”
Looking at the clothes a man with a strict impression was wearing, he looked like he had a high rank.
“Mr. Perette.”
When Si-eon called that man, a man called Perette turned his head toward this side.
Was this the same man who said he knew Si-eon…?
“Who are you?”
At that moment, an awkward atmosphere was formed.
I looked at Si-eon in embarrassment, and he smiled casually.
“Is this some kind of prank again?”
“What do you mean by prank…”
“You said you were looking for people.”
“When….”
“Don’t you remember?”
At that moment, Perette’s eyes were also blurred. The man’s hardened expression soon loosened.
“Oh, it’s Si-eon! My eyes are bad these days, so I can’t recognize you.”
If you can’t recognize him from this distance, shouldn’t you be wearing glasses?
Anyway, I’m glad they know each other.
‘By the way, Si-eon is a woodcutter, how do you get along with such a person?’
It was a discriminatory thought, but I couldn’t help but question it.
“That’s right. I was looking for people. Is this girl you said you’d introduce me to?”
“That’s right. She’s good at her job.”
“Really? That sounds promising. Miss, what’s your name?”
“… I’m Rose.”
“Okay. When can you start working?”
Something was really strange.
Why is it so easy to get hired?
Don’t you usually have to go through several procedures? Or is it that I come from living in a tight modern society and have these questions?
It’s kind of odd, but it turned out to be a good thing.
*****
“… It’s weird too.”
“What?”
Si-eon looked back at me.
“Even if you have a relationship with someone, How can I immediately start working at the lord’s castle without any verification?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because sister is trustworthy?”
When Si-eon replied as if there was nothing wrong with that, leaving me at a loss for words. No, it was more than a little suspicious, but I couldn’t argue.
I can’t say thank you for introducing me to the job, but it’s against politeness to say it’s weird.
“You don’t happen to be… the hidden son of the lord or something, do you?”
“Sister, you make funny jokes sometimes.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off from Si-eon, who skillfully passed this conversation.
Clearly, he looked like a young man in his early twenties until a while ago, but now he looks like an old person.
“But why are you helping me?”
Even when I got lost when we first met, Si-eon helped me without any cost.
It’s a small favor to Si-eon, but I feel bad because it seems like I’m only receiving it.
Si-eon paused for a while, as if it was difficult to answer.
I was about to give up when he finally spoke up.
“Sister… looks like someone I used to like a lot, so I helped you.”
The person you liked.
His voice was wistful, as if the person didn’t exist in this world anymore.
“She has been wanting to go home for a long time.”
“Does it mean that she couldn’t go home? I guess there was a story behind it.”
“That’s right. There was a story. I was far away, but I did everything I could to help her come back.”
Si-eon’s black eyes were momentarily immersed in rain.
Again. It is a very difficult look for a young man in his early 20s to build.
“But one day she suddenly declared that she wouldn’t come back.”
“Why?”
“Because she said she met someone she loves.”
“That…”
Heartbreak?
Si-eon still had a bitter face as if he had not forgotten that person.
Hearing Si-eon quietly, it seemed as if something came to my mind. She stretched out her hand to grab the last minute memory, but she couldn’t.
<I’m not going.>
Only fragments of the dizzying memories are held in my hand.
What memory is this?
The woman with pink hair said in a stern voice.
Her words echoed in the small prayer room.
<Wake up, senior. You think anyone would understand if you did?>
<Do you love that person? Do you think that person will recognize you?>
<You’re welcome! How would you feel if you found out that there’s a parasite in your daughter’s skin?>
<Do you love her? Wrong. That’s just a deception.>
<If you really love her, come back. Stop pretending to be her daughter.>
A familiar voice shouted at her with a laugh.
The woman shook her head like a madman and covered her ears, not wanting to hear the voice again.
<… No, stop. I’m not going back.>
<Senior.>
<I already decided.>
<Senior, please…!>
Si-eon shouted as if it was ridiculous.
However, his cold judgment didn’t reach me, who had been living in an unfamiliar world for a long time, worn out by fear.
<But even if I went back there… I have nothing! Nothing! No one! I lost everything while I was trapped here!>
<On the contrary, even if you stayed in that world, what would you have?>
<… What about Celine when I return? She’s the woman who only stood by looking at her daughter. If I go, she will surely die.>
<But you’re going to continue to deceive her? Don’t you think that’s more cruel to her? Stop being stupid, senior.>
<I can’t help it even if it sounds stupid. Celine has been protecting me all this time. So now it’s my turn to protect Celine.>
<… Are you really crazy?>
No. No.
I hate to remember
“Ugh…”
I grabbed my throbbing head.
Memories that appeared in an instant fade and disappear like fog.
Please disappear.
I staggered and struggled against the dreadful memory.
“Sister! Are you sick?”
“… I hate to remember No, don’t do this.”
Not hearing Si-eon’s voice, I shook my head to escape the monstrous memory.
My breathing became more and more harsh and my body trembled violently.
Si-eon held me tight.
“… Is it avoidance again?”
Si-eon mumbled something, but I didn’t know because I was busy evaporating the memories in my head.
After a while, I managed to calm myself down.
“… I’ve been messing around, I’m sorry.”
“Aren’t you supposed to go to the doctor?”
What just happened?
Why did my head hurt like crazy?
“No. It’s too late. My husband will be waiting. I have to go first.”
“See you later, sister.”
“Thank you for today, Si-eon!”
I smiled broadly at him and waved my hand.
“Be careful where you go, I hear there’s a lot of people in town these days who just disappear out of nowhere…”
“Don’t say such scary things.”
I frowned at Si-eon, then turned around and hurriedly ran towards the hut.
*****
Black hair was tangled with blood running down his forehead.
The trickle of water running down his cheek wasn’t exactly a pleasant sensation.
“Yurtha.”
“Yes, sister.”
Red eyes, desaturated, prowled the floor lifelessly.
As he knelt down in front of Rose, all he could see were her pure white legs.
At one point, he wanted to grab those legs and crush them so she couldn’t escape.
But now, strangely, when I look at her, no desire comes to mind.
“Yurtha.”
Again Rose called him.
Rose reluctantly brushed over his hair, wet with sweat and blood, clinging to his skin.
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“… It doesn’t hurt.”
The woman laughed at Yurtha, who still believed me to be Rose.
A few months ago, Yurtha searched for the whereabouts of Rose, who died in the North.
He walked, he walked, he kept walking without stopping.
Until that moment when he doesn’t know how much time has passed.
Until all the memories in his head disappear and only the word Rose remains.
He walked
Then one day.
Miraculously, Rose appeared in front of him. He still can’t forget how happy he felt then.
But Rose had changed.
“Do you hate me for hitting you?”
“… It can’t be, sister”
“Even if you are bleeding?”
The same question was repeated over and over again.
Yurtha repeated his words like a parrot in front of her test with dead, dull eyes.
No, no, no, that can’t be right.
He looked like a dog being brainwashed.
It looked so funny that I thought I was going to die.
Then, as if to cut her off, the door slammed open.
The man with brown hair, with a wrinkled brow furrowed wildly, looked at the woman in surprise.
“Rose, are you really crazy?”