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“IT seems that all of Vincent’s memories of you are lost to him.” Mother said those horrible words to Elizabeth. Harold still supported me, his shoulders trembling.
Where did his sorry look go? Agh, I wish I could return to my room right now and scream into my pillows!
“This is Plum’s idea of a ‘prank,’” Mother continued.
My “greatest treasure” was, it seemed, my memories of my fiancée. I was head over heels in love with her, no doubt, and I had put so much time and relentless effort into becoming a fitting man for her, mastering everything from my studies to proper manners. Thinking back to the long hours poured over my desk, I could recall unnatural devotion, levels of dedication, and focus that were wholly mad. I was frothing at the mouth to become a worthy man for this Elizabeth. That devotion had paid off and won me her heart—not that I expected anything less.
Elizabeth had noted my confusion and retained her composure perfectly as she reintroduced herself as my fiancée—and, more pressingly, her lover. It was a direct and proud confession of her feelings, which I wagered had more to do with her feelings for me than confidence in herself. She had an honest heart, that much was certain, and it made sense that I would fall in love with her on sight, not just once but twice.
“Hehe…”
I pried myself free of Harold’s support to stand on the marble floor with my own two feet. That would explain the odd lightheadedness I experienced after awakening. Though I had managed the equivalent of taking off at a sprint only to fall face-first after three steps, I was still the single luckiest man in the world. We’d been engaged for ten years—ten whole years of lovey-dovey antics and bedroom tangles. The idea of such a perfect life made me lightheaded again.
Pressing a hand over my wildly beating heart, I looked at Elizabeth and spotted a pair of eyes peeking over her shoulder. It was a small, white dragon with stark blue eyes. I could feel the waves of euphoria ebbing instantly.
“Lars,” I muttered. “It’s Lars, isn’t it? I remember you.”
Not all of it was clear in my mind, but the important parts seemed to be there—Lord Dominic’s explanation of his transformation to a fellwyrm, his purification, and so forth. That obscuring fog in my head, then, was Elizabeth.
Lars fluttered forth and rested a paw on my shoulder. Though it seemed reassuring, the flicker in his eyes told another story.
That little pest is mocking me, isn’t he? I recognize that look. Honestly, you’d be better off in some fairy tale.
I turned to Mother. “Wait… That monster was angry at you, not me. It was simply venting at me.”
She took Elizabeth’s hand, eyebrows knitting. “You’re not wrong. I feel rather sorry for poor Lady Elizabeth and that a small mistake on my part inconvenienced you, my dear.”
Elizabeth shook her head firmly. “No need to apologize, Your Majesty! As you said, this was an accident!”
“Er. Mother? Could you perhaps apologize to me?” I interjected.
Elizabeth was the one more overtly harmed by this unfortunate turn of events, as it was worse to be forgotten by one’s lover than to forget. I was likewise determined to recover my memories at any cost. If we’d been lovers for the past ten years, there was no telling what delightfully steamy encounters had slipped my mind.
As I confronted Mother, I tried to look as handsome and confident as possible—with only a slight glance at Elizabeth. “Surely there must be some way to recover my memories?”
Mother nearly snorted with laughter at the sight of me, for some reason, but she covered it with her fan. “Y-Yes, of course. There’s an anti-magic barrier about the palace, and though it was designed to prevent outside attacks, Plum should be unable to leave through it. It must be here somewhere, and should you catch it, I will persuade it to break the seal on your memories.”
From the glint of mana across her fingertips and the way Lars stiffened in fear, I gathered she’d be using far more than a strong argument.
“Alternatively,” she continued, “you could attempt to shatter the seal yourself, but you don’t have the mana for such a feat. You’d likely confuse yourself and end up in a worse state than you started.”
“Can’t you break it yourself?” I asked.
Mother shook her head, dashing my hopes. “I’ve less than half my proper stores now, and I must attend to the royal agenda in your father’s stead. I’d rather not use any mana I don’t have to.”
She sighed and rested a hand on Father’s cheek. He was still pale and lacked the energy to stand. I was a little worried, though I noticed Mother’s mana improved his complexion significantly.
Even if he’s not on death’s door, she can’t enjoy seeing him suffer, so… It’d be wrong to ask too much of her.
I glanced at Elizabeth, and she smiled readily back at me. She was adorable, and my legs grew weak. What love has passed between us lately? I wish I could woo her the same way. I couldn’t stand to lose her.
“Allow Lord Lars and I to help,” she offered nobly.
“Thank you…but first, there’s something I must ask,” I replied.
“Yes? What is it?”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep down the niggling fear that was now rising in my chest. “What if… What if I never regain my memories? What then?”
Her eyes flew open, their amethyst cores glinting in the light.
An engagement between the royal family and a duke’s house couldn’t be broken on a whim, but we were evidently close. There would no doubt be friction between us, but I was already so smitten that I’d cry on the spot if she wanted to scrap our relationship. More importantly, I didn’t want to force her hand. It was already clear she wasn’t the type to dwell on the trappings of rank and power, and if she didn’t truly love me, marriage would mean nothing.
Her reply, however, was swift and certain. “If that happens… Well, I’ll have to work heart and soul to make you fall in love with me all over again.”
She was flushed but spoke with the same certainty as when she affirmed we were lovers. Her eyes met mine unflinchingly, and there was no cunning or ulterior motives in them. From the bottom of her heart, she believed such a thing to be possible. Nay, ideal. Her reply was so earnest, so charming, so genuine that I couldn’t even think for a long moment and couldn’t reply. We looked into each other’s eyes silently for a glorious few seconds before she gasped and looked down.
“Wh-What? Is something wrong?” I asked.
“No, but… um…” Her voice dropped to a whisper so low I could barely hear her. “Y-You asked me to marry you a few minutes ago… Does that mean you’ve already…?”
I froze.
“No, forget I said anything! I must’ve misheard you.”
Her lips trembled, and her gaze drifted awkwardly about our feet, but that was more than enough to grab my heart in a chokehold.
I don’t understand. How can she be this sweet? Is she a true angel, untainted by the filth and depravity of our world? What could my past self have possibly done to warrant a relationship with such a wonderful woman?!
I idly looked behind me, and Harold averted his gaze in perfect unison. Lars’ eyes were stone-cold, and he vomited a handful of stones onto my parents’ bed in disgust. Even Mother was blushing to the tips of her ears; her hand clamped tightly over her mouth in a gesture of restraint. Her other hand was still resting on Father, and—
“M-Mother?! That’s enough! Father’s glowing!” I cried.
“Oh! I’m sorry. I must’ve channeled too much mana into him. If I hadn’t stopped just now, I might’ve accidentally blown him apart…”
“Geh.” I shuddered with horror. I could still vividly recall her spanking me after shirking my studies as a young boy. It was a miracle my bottom hadn’t exploded.
Mother rapidly composed herself. “If you two are going to flirt so shamelessly, do it in your room. I might accidentally kill His Majesty otherwise.”
Elizabeth bowed apologetically. “M-My apologies.”
I couldn’t reassure her innocence as we hurriedly left the room.
Wait. What about the duke?
I turned around to find that he’d already retreated through the room’s other door with our steward and seemed to be headed for the hall. I was surprised and impressed he was leaving his daughter alone with a man in such a state. Personally, I was so shaken up and uncertain about the proper distance I should take with my apparent lover that I was profoundly lost.
“This way,” I directed her. “Er… Have you ever been to my room before?”
“N-No, this will be the first time.”
“Oh…the first.”
Something felt profoundly wrong about that. I tried to remember my room, but again, the fog blocked my memory. Said space was just large enough to fit a life-sized portrait, but that surely meant nothing.
Elizabeth giggled at my confusion. “This is rather new.”
“What is?”
“You’ve never been so blunt with me before.”
“…I haven’t?” I hurriedly glanced back at Harold, who nodded firmly.
So, I used to put on an act to make myself more palatable? I can’t imagine growing accustomed to such a thing.
“Do you mind how I act now?” I asked her, and she shook her head.
“Even if the way you talk has changed, you’re still the man I know. I was a little surprised at first, but your heart is the same as it always was.” She gestured down at my hand. I’d been leading her like a proper gentleman would without even realizing it, extending my hand down at a level she could grasp and adjusting my stride to match hers perfectly. “Besides,” she continued, “you look me in the eyes the same way when I have something to say.”
That’s because you’re far too attractive to look away. I can’t imagine the reason has changed in all these years.
“But you said it yourself, I’m a lot rougher with my words,” I pressed. “Don’t you hate that? Doesn’t that repulse you?”
“Of course not.”
“I’ll speak like this from now on, then.”
Despite saying that I was different and spoke with more abandon now than before, she only chuckled into her hand.
“Of course.”
I could hear Harold’s pace behind us slowing to increase our lead, but we were already in a world of our own.