Chapter 5
With Edmund’s signal, clunk!—a heavy noise echoed below. When I looked down, a chunk of metal was tied to my small hand. Naturally, my gaze shifted to Doctor Mars.
“Ah! You must’ve been startled by what’s tied to your hand. It’s nothing serious, so don’t worry too much. It only causes a tickling sensation when you lie, thanks to the feather at the front. It doesn’t harm your life.”
Ha! Ha! Mars chuckled with a warm smile and nodded.
Tickling, huh? I slowly scrunched my face and glanced at Edmund standing beside me. Even leaning against the wall with a cold expression, he looked absolutely perfect. The burst of fight inside me naturally calmed down.
‘Well, it’s not like I’ll die from this.’
With that thought, I relaxed my tense body.
“Well then, shall we begin the test?”
With Mars’ words, the long and grueling examination began. My screams and laughter that sounded like I’d pass out echoed from time to time.
If I were to describe my current mood, it felt like being in the calm eye of a typhoon. So peaceful it made me suspicious.
‘Yeah, the night I died was strangely quiet too.’
The thought made me frown automatically. The reason was simple. That damned piece of metal that had just been strapped to my hand.
Every time I told a lie, it never failed to tickle me like crazy. At this rate, they’d find out I wasn’t the real Cloen soon enough.
“I need a better plan.”
“What kind of plan? Don’t tell me you’re planning how to deceive the Duke and escape the mansion or something?”
Sasha, who had come up beside me before I knew it, spoke softly. I turned my lavender eyes toward her.
“Hmmm…”
First, I needed to confirm this chatty maid’s role. She was loose-lipped, but if I used her well, she could be quite useful.
“How much do you report to Edmund?”
“W-What?!”
“From what I see, it looks like you’re relaying everything I say to Edmund. Aren’t you, Sasha?”
“T-That’s…! I-I only did it for the sake of peace between you two…!”
“It’s okay. Humans tend to shrink before power.”
‘So did I, always.’
I clicked my tongue, cutting off her excuse. Of course, I kept the last part to myself.
“Thank you for understanding, My Lady. But if there’s anything bothering you, I think the Duke deserves to know. Especially since you’ve lost your memory. It wouldn’t make sense to keep it from him. That’s why I was assigned to serve you at such a young age!”
“Mmm~ You must’ve been good at tattling—ah, I mean reporting—since you were little. A truly wise move. You’d make a fine corporate employee.”
I nodded along to her proud words. Sasha blinked, surprised at my calm reaction.
“I thought you’d be really mad.”
“We all gotta make a living. Why bother?”
I scratched my still-tingling arm and answered halfheartedly.
‘If I suddenly mention I returned to the past and possessed someone’s body, I’d be accused of being a witch and executed.’
Facing my first crisis, I needed to think of a way to survive even if Edmund found out the unbelievable truth.
“Oh, right! I brought some tea that’s good for memory. You should find your forgotten memories soon… or maybe it’s better to forget. Otherwise, you’ll try to escape again.”
“Unfortunately, I have no plans to leave, Sasha.”
“R-Really? Truly, you won’t run away again? No more breaking the mansion gate or stealing carriages? Oh my! I can finally live in peace! I knew you’d come around someday!”
Sasha beamed and clasped my hands.
“Of course. This is my home, and my husband is here. Why would I leave?”
I made sure to drive the point in—intentionally, knowing this would reach Edmund.
“Whew, thank goodness. Oh! Please drink the tea before it gets cold. I’ll go prepare lunch now.”
She cheered as she left the room. But just then, something flashed through my mind like lightning.
“Wait! That’s right, I have amnesia, don’t I? I mean, I don’t remember anything, right?”
“Huh? Y-Yes… that’s correct.”
“So that means I can do whatever I want?”
“W-Why are you saying scary things all of a sudden?”
While Sasha started tearing up, my face lit up.
“It takes clapping to make a sound, and seeing someone often to get attached. How did I not think of this before?”
“……?”
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to guide me?”
“Guide you? To where?”
“Where else? To my husband! Let’s go see Edmund!”
“W-What?! B-But! My Lady! My Lady!!”
Meanwhile, in Edmund’s office.
“Let me ask you again. What do you think, Sir Mars?”
His drooping shoulders twitched. The Duke was known for being ruthless and cruel. One wrong word and he might not leave here alive.
‘Not even for five times the pay should I have come here…’
Mars clasped his trembling hands and forced a smile.
“T-Thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with her body.”
“Looks like that quack’s eyes are broken.”
Edmund’s crimson eyes gleamed at the middle-aged man. Mars nervously cleared his throat and recalled what had happened earlier.
The Duchess’ examination had gone beyond shocking. Even the first question didn’t go well.
‘Are you Cloen Randolph?’
One of the most basic questions. Yet the Duchess answered, “Yes!” and burst into almost screaming laughter. The rest of the questions went similarly.
Not knowing how to explain it, Mars hesitated for a long time before finally speaking up.
“…It really does seem like she’s lost her memory.”
“That’s an amusing claim. Perfectly fine memories, gone just like that?”
Edmund traced the rim of a teacup with his finger.
“You saw it too, didn’t you? How she didn’t remember anything about the day she ran away.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Well… when she claimed to remember getting on the carriage, the magic device activated. That means she was lying.”
Mars glanced at Edmund’s expression before continuing.
“She really did run away, so unless her memory is gone, there’s no other explanation.”
“That damned piece of junk must be broken.”
“It’s one of the best tools used for arresting criminals in the Astarn Empire. Its performance is absolutely—uh, reliable.”
Under the Duke’s cold gaze, Mars gulped. Edmund rose from his seat and fiddled with the hilt of a sword.
“Or maybe that sly woman’s in cahoots with an old doctor.”
“I-I would never! Such terrible words—I wouldn’t dare, haha…”
Mars waved his hands nervously.
“She’s the kind of woman who staged a runaway just to escape me. Manipulating her memory wouldn’t be too hard.”
For a moment, Edmund’s eyes trembled slightly. His lips twisted into a silent sneer.
In three long years, she had never once shown him warmth. Not even the tiniest smile.
She’d even thrown divorce papers at him on their wedding anniversary. There was no reason to trust Cloen.
She was definitely up to something. She’d pretend to lower his guard and then disappear again.
Crack! The hilt of the sword in his hand trembled violently.
Mars, watching from the side, teared up slightly.
“Ha… haha! It’s not impossible, Duke Randolph. Recently, in the nation of Pertia, there’ve been cases where people claimed to lose their memories after war. Mostly due to shock or trauma. The Duchess was in a serious accident when her carriage overturned, so it’s not entirely unlikely!”
“You mean… post-traumatic stress?”
“Yes! I’m surprised Your Grace knows of it. As expected, you’re brilliant. In some distant continents, they call it that.”
“……”
“If you just stay by her side and help her recover… she’ll regain her memories soon. It’s usually caused by emotional trauma…”
Mars glanced nervously at Edmund’s back. Praying he’d leave alive—and soon.
But instead, silence filled the room. Time passed, and soon it was nearing noon. Mars held his posture, barely clinging to his sanity.
Then—
Knock knock. A knock sounded from beyond the closed door.
