Chapter 62
Tebet stayed silent for a long time.
In the end, Eslyn broke the silence.
“…What were you trying to say?”
“…”
He didn’t answer. His deep red eyes wavered like a wrecked ship on rough waves.
Eslyn let out a short sigh.
“Don’t be anxious.”
She whispered softly, wanting to calm his confusion somehow.
“Everything will be okay.”
She pulled her hand out of the blanket and gently held the back of his hand. Tebet flinched like he’d been burned and quickly pulled away.
Eslyn slowly sat up.
“Do you know about my memory?”
Tebet asked again, calmer now.
“Tell me who you really are. Either way… it seems I can’t kill you.”
His face looked like someone standing on the edge of a cliff.
Eslyn simply looked at him.
But there was nothing she could say.
[If he ever regains his memory, he will forget you.]
‘Lord Tebet must not regain his memory.’
The cost was still active.
If he remembered, she would once again lose her own memories.
‘I can’t go back to the beginning.’
Eslyn bit her lip.
“I’m not hiding anything. …What I told you is everything.”
“Ha. You want me to believe that I just happened to get caught in a magical explosion with a maid?”
“Yes.”
Eslyn hated the fact that all she could do was avoid the truth.
‘If I were him, I wouldn’t believe it either.’
But she couldn’t reveal everything.
Frustrated, Eslyn stood up. She steadied herself despite her dizziness and walked over to stand directly in front of Tebet.
She wanted to look him in the eyes as she spoke.
“I can’t tell you everything, but one thing is certain: I’m not your enemy.”
He still looked full of doubt. Unable to stand his stare any longer, Eslyn grabbed the hem of his clothes like she was pleading.
“Please believe me.”
“You’re telling me nothing, and you want me to believe you?”
He stepped closer, almost threateningly.
At that moment, his scent reached her. Eslyn suddenly realized—they were alone in this cabin deep in the mountains. And last night… she had been in his arms.
Her body stiffened. All her senses seemed to sharpen at once.
Ba-dump, ba-dump. Even now, her heart was racing.
“Ah.”
Eslyn quickly let go of his clothes and took a step back, almost as if she was fleeing.
Tebet’s lips curved upward slightly.
“Are you scared? That I might hurt you?”
“No. I just… got nervous all of a sudden.”
Eslyn clasped her hands together, unsure of what to do with them. The gesture made her look even more anxious.
“Now you’re nervous?”
He almost mocked her—she’d been so calm even when he’d been ready to snap her neck.
But he didn’t get the chance.
“Because I’m with someone I like…”
What…?
The simple words crushed him completely. He felt like a fish caught on a long harpoon—completely trapped.
“Uh…”
Eslyn clapped her hand over her mouth and stepped back. She looked a bit surprised at her own words.
But after a moment, she lowered her hand from her lips.
Her clear, overly bright eyes met Tebet’s.
There wasn’t even a hint of hesitation in them.
“Because I’m with someone I like.”
Eslyn repeated the words with strength in her voice. Then she lowered her head and let out a small laugh.
“Wow, I should’ve said it sooner.”
Her voice was barely audible.
“It’s not like the world would’ve fallen apart…”
Why hadn’t she been able to say it back then?
If he had heard those words… if the Tebet with his memories intact had heard them…
What kind of expression would he have shown?
“Lord Tebet?”
Eslyn lifted her head. She was puzzled because Tebet was completely unresponsive.
‘Well… maybe it’s too much for him.’
After all, a maid had just suddenly confessed to him.
Eslyn scratched the bridge of her nose awkwardly.
“Hm? Did you put water on to boil?”
She turned toward the sound of something boiling over. The kettle on the fireplace had burned dry and was starting to scorch. Eslyn quickly rushed over.
“…”
Tebet just stared blankly at her back.
He couldn’t say a word for a long time. A very long time.
It wasn’t on purpose. He simply didn’t know what to say.
Every time he tried to open his mouth…
Something hot rose up in his throat and threatened to choke him.
Eslyn eventually gave up on the dazed Tebet and went back to sleep. Her body was still weak with a lingering fever.
When she opened her eyes again, she was alone.
‘…Did he abandon me?’
The thought came automatically.
A bitter smile touched her lips.
‘It can’t be helped.’
She slowly sat up and touched her forehead with her hand. She still had a slight fever, but she felt much better than before.
‘Where even is this place?’
The sky outside the window was already dark—it was almost nightfall.
‘It looks like an abandoned mountain lodge.’
She looked around the inside of the cabin.
The fireplace was burning brightly. There was a large table with a lamp on it, herbs scattered nearby, an old tin kettle and cups, and neatly cut bandages… bandages?
Eslyn finally looked down at her left wrist. Homemade bandages were carefully wrapped around it.
‘He took care of me.’
Her chest ached for some reason.
Even though she was alone now, she felt relieved she hadn’t been left in the forest.
Honestly, she had half-expected him to leave her.
To Tebet, who had lost his memories, she wouldn’t be a priority.
‘What do I do now…?’
Eslyn stood up.
Awoo!
The distant sound of a wild animal crying out made her freeze.
Every hair on her body stood on end.
‘Is there a predator nearby?’
They were in the middle of a deep forest. And this cabin was an old wooden structure that could collapse at any time.
‘I should at least check the door locks…’
Eslyn walked toward the entrance.
As she fiddled with the lock—
“Where do you think you’re running off to?”
A low, growling voice came from behind her.
She flinched and spun around.
“Lord Tebet?”
“How dare you call me by name…”
Tebet stopped himself and let out a deep breath.
“Fine.”
“I’m sorry, my lord.”
His brow twitched sharply.
Where had he even come from? Eslyn looked behind him and noticed a small door on the dark wall—maybe a washroom.
His hair was damp. He must have just bathed.
“So? Why were you trying to run away?”
“I wasn’t trying to run away.”
Eslyn shook her head.
“Excuses.”
He only gave a crooked smile.
“I’m not making excuses. I just thought you’d left me. And I heard wolves, so I was checking the doors…”
“Why would I leave you?”
“…What?”
The words came so naturally that Eslyn tilted her head.
“I’m planning to dig into your identity. Why would I let you go?”
Tebet’s expression was calm and cold as usual.
“You’re… going to dig into me?”
“Yes. I want to know what you’re hiding, even if you’re shaking me up with lies.”
So he had been shaken. But Eslyn didn’t point it out.
“My confession… you think it was a lie?”
“Are you saying it was sincere?”
Eslyn frowned slightly.
He must have thought her confession was just a way to escape the situation.
‘He’s so suspicious…’
She sighed inwardly. It was expected, but it still stung a little.
“So.”
Tebet suddenly reached out. His fingers lightly brushed her earlobe as he passed.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Click!
She heard the sound of the lock behind her being fastened shut.
“Whether you act as my maid or a spy… you’re going to stay right here by my side.”
His red eyes gleamed with an unreadable emotion.
Eslyn sat in front of the fireplace with a blanket wrapped around her.
She stared out the window. It was late at night, but after sleeping all day, she wasn’t sleepy at all.
“So… where are we exactly?”
She asked.
From a little distance away, Tebet was cleaning his sword. He lifted his head after a pause and answered.
“I’m not sure. I think we passed the mountain’s peak a while ago.”
Her lips turned downward at the vague answer.
“I hope we’re not lost. Do you at least know which direction Robsion is?”
“…I’m not sure about that either. We went off course while moving without thinking.”
Eslyn let out a long sigh.
They needed to hurry, so hearing they had strayed from the path was not good news.
“That’s bad. How did you even find this place? Did it rain a lot? I don’t know if the roads will be good enough to ride a horse…”
“You know how to ride a horse?”
Tebet set his sword down and looked directly at her.
Her thin shoulders flinched slightly. He didn’t miss it.
“I meant… you need to ride a horse, my lord. But…”
“You have a habit of dodging uncomfortable questions.”
…Sharp as always.
Eslyn sighed inwardly.
“Stop scheming and answer me, Eslyn Rosevel. Do you know how to ride? Where would a maid even learn that?”
A cold smirk appeared on his face. His icy expression seemed certain of it—
You’re a spy.
‘Is he sharp or just paranoid?’
Eslyn stared into the flickering flames.
‘How do I get out of this one…?’
As she was trying to think, feeling his heavy gaze on her—
Boom!
The door of the cabin slammed open.
