Episode 153
Asil sat beside Ikart, holding a pretty notebook and writing instruments.
“You know, Duke. What kind of person was that lady?”
“……That lady?”
Ikart, who had been lying in the garden idly soaking up the sun, wore a very displeased expression.
Asil nodded her head with bright, clear eyes.
“Yes. Edenber’s mother.”
“In all my life, I have never heard such a title. Why do you ask such a thing?”
“It’s a secret.”
She had promised to keep it a secret that she knew Rune was Edenber’s mother.
But unfortunately, Ikart did not let it slide.
“Then it is a secret to me as well.”
“No!”
“If you want to know something, you must reveal your hand first. Why are you asking that while even bringing along a notebook?”
“Just because I’m curious. I asked
because I’m curious.”
“I see.”
With a listless expression, he turned his head the other way. He gave off an atmosphere suggesting he would never answer unless she gave him a reason.
Nevertheless, Asil did not back down and continued to question him.
“Was that lady on good terms with you, Duke?”
“Call her Mother, not ‘that lady.’ And call me Father.”
“But Edenber and I aren’t in any kind of relationship?”
“You call my father Grandfather. Consider this a rehearsal and try it.”
“Was Mother on good terms with you, Duke?”
“You are a stubborn one.”
Ikart narrowed his eyes at the fact that while she changed the address for his wife to Mother, she insisted on calling him Duke until the end.
Still, he gave her an answer.
“It was not bad. Though you have likely heard the rumors.”
“I know they are fake rumors. What did you and Mother do for fun?”
“If you are doing this to clear up Edenber’s misunderstanding, it is useless. That fellow does not believe anything related to me.”
“It’s not like that, so please tell me.”
“Why are you curious about such things?”
Ikart was firm, as if the topic was not something he particularly wanted to discuss.
Even when she tried to draw out an answer by changing the question, he remained consistent with attitudes like ‘Why are you curious about that?’ or ‘It’s useless.’
She wanted to keep her promise to the grandfather, but she had no choice. Since she couldn’t just keep dragging time like this, Asil decided to subtly reveal why she was asking.
“I heard that to find lost memories, one needs to know what the past was like. That’s why I’m asking.”
According to what Arcian said, memories lost due to shock can return if a magic is used that shows records of the past and provides a psychological impact.
Thus, Asil was currently gathering Rune’s past activities.
Since the Duke would be the one who knew Rune’s past best, she had come to ask him first.
At the mention of finding memories, Ikart’s complexion changed.
His gaze landed on Rune, who was idly dozing beside him. His voice trembled slightly.
“Could it be…… is what I understood correct?”
“Yes. I’m going to try to find Rune’s memories.”
“How did you know? Did my father tell you? No, before that—by what means? Even after searching the entire Empire, I could not find such a method.”
During that time, Ikart had struggled to restore Rune’s memories.
It was for the purpose of returning Rune, who instinctively clung to him instead of the family head, back to Edenber; this was also why he had been living a wandering life instead of staying at the mansion.
However, despite searching the whole Empire, he could not find a way, and finally, he had even broken into the High Temple to plead with the High Priest and the Saintess.
‘Our Dad is the best.’
Asil, hearing Ikart’s circumstances, felt a great sense of pride in Arcian, who said he could do what no one else could.
So she put strength into her stomach, shrugged her shoulders, and said proudly.
“There is a way for everything. Hurry up and tell me. What kind of human—no, what kind of shifter was Mother?”
“……She was a shifter with a kind and warm personality. Being with her made one’s heart feel at ease…… and she liked lying down together to look at the sky. Just like now.”
“Kyang?”
Rune, waking from sleep, looked up at him.
Ikart gazed at Rune with a wistful expression, then spoke to Asil, who was busily writing in her notebook.
“Is it enough to record the past?”
“Yes. What else did she like besides lying down and looking at the sky?”
“Give it here. I will write it down myself.”
It would be one thing if he didn’t know the reason, but now that he knew why Asil was doing this, there was no reason for him not to step forward actively.
He instantly changed his attitude and began to write down Rune’s past traces very densely in Asil’s notebook.
Following Ikart, even Elcai cooperated obediently in recovering Rune’s memories.
Asil looked at the densely written
notebook with satisfaction.
‘Now I just need to ask Edenber.’
Since the risk was too high to ask the knights or servants, she planned to stop after asking the three of them for now.
Asil headed straight to the office to find Edenber.
“You’re here? ……He’s not here today?”
Edenber instinctively checked behind Asil.
Since she had always brought Ikart along for the past few days under the guise of reconciling them, he seemed quite conscious of it.
“I have something to ask Edenber.”
“Yes, ask away.”
“Do you remember your mom, Edenber?”
She had heard that unlike shifters who remember everything from the moment they come out of the egg, humans do not remember their infancy.
Still, she asked just in case—
As expected, Edenber shook his head.
“No. Because she passed away not long after giving birth to me. I only know her face through a portrait.”
“I see. You must miss your mom a lot.”
“Not necessarily. I missed her a lot when I was little, but now I find myself wondering if the existence of a mother is really that great.”
“What?!”
Startled while trying to transition the subject naturally, Asil’s eyes went wide.
It seemed that because his relationship with Ikart had grown so distant, even his expectations of a mother had completely vanished.
At this rate, it was obvious that even if she restored Rune’s memories, Rune would be saddened by Edenber’s thoughts.
Asil shouted out to change Edenber’s perspective.
“Of course it’s great! My mom is my favorite person in the whole world. Surely, Edenber, you will also like it very much if you meet your mom.”
“Is that so. But why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“J-just because. I was curious. By any chance, do you remember what Rune was like before she went berserk?”
“Rune before she went berserk?”
Having no inkling of Asil’s hidden intention, he took on a face that was carefully retracing the past.
“Only impressive scenes here and there……? Why?”
“Because I’m trying to restore Rune’s memories. I heard it’s a bit easier to find them if I have past memories.”
Asil waved the notebook she was holding. At this, Edenber’s eyes widened slightly.
“Rune’s memories……. That is good news. The Rune I remember was always looking after me.”
He gazed out the window a bit wistfully.
“I still remember. On a sunny day, under a tree, she gave me a lap pillow with her tail. With the warm and fluffy feeling, I could even hear a humming like a lullaby; I was happy, feeling protected.”
‘Edenber had times like that too. He always looks so stiff that I thought he was like that as a child as well.’
Asil diligently took down what he said.
Then, at the words that suddenly followed, she ended up sliding her quill with a screech.
“I wonder if it would feel like that if I lay down with my mother?”
“Eh? Oh, oh, yes, it probably would be. Yes!”
Even if he didn’t know the identity, it seemed there was such a thing as a feeling.
Since she couldn’t reveal who Rune was right this moment, Asil nodded busily and agreed with Edenber’s words.
She tried to act as if nothing was wrong, but because her heart was thumping, the letters kept coming out crooked.
Edenber smiled faintly, a rare occurrence.
“I see. Just as you said, I think the existence of a mother is indeed a good thing. Although I cannot meet her here, it would be nice if I could see her even in a dream.”
“Uh-huh, yeah. It will be.”
No. If only Rune regains her memories, you can meet her here, not in a dream.
I’ve gathered everything I need, so please wait just a little longer until then!
Asil conveyed her thoughts to the unknowing Edenber, at least in her heart.
And then, she rushed back to the Erzébet Count’s estate to ask Arcian to use the magic.
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