《Husband, Wanted》 Chapter 1 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 1 Even if winter takes away the beauty of summer, I¡¯ll admire it alone. It emits light alone and is as hot as an unquenchable flame. Even if winter eats away the vigor of summer, I am full of vitality alone in a desolate field. The undying passion of a girl who has not reached adulthood. The innocence of a child who is as greedy as the stars in the universe. The innocence of a child who believes that she can hold the stars in her arms if she puts her mind to it. That¡¯s what I am now. Still in its infancy. A girl who spends most of the day in the classroom wearing a skirt that gently brushes over the knees and a neat academy jacket without a single wrinkle. A sixteen-year-old who burns small embers with the slightest breeze. I am sixteen. ¡°Huuhh, It¡­¡­ ! It hurts!¡± The dark red manhood poked through the slippery entrance and entered. It was something I was prepared for, but the unfamiliar pain that I had managed last night broke in an instant. Beads of sweat were also forming on the man¡¯s hair, who had crushed my body as if he was reigning over. The beads of sweat fell on my cheeks, sliding down the sharp, pointed bridge of the nose. In an instant, the heat spread all the way to the top of my head, and he dug deeper inside, like the pillar that tore through the tender flesh. My hand gripped the sheet as if squeezing it in surprise, scratching the air and nailing the man¡¯s broad shoulder. The resentment surged. I was saddened by the size of the man¡¯s pillar that seemed to have to be able to be hired for a monster hunter, and so was my plight of being wallowed in bed with a man I had an awkward relationship with. It was all because of that damn dream that appeared every night. In my dream, I continued an unfamiliar act with someone whose face was painted dark. Then, when I woke up from the dream, my underwear was often wet. When boys at the academy were hiding and whispering dreamy stories among themselves, I shouldn¡¯t have made fun of them saying, ¡®Then do you pee in your pants all the time?¡¯. I shouldn¡¯t have laughed at the boys who were screaming and running away. If I had known that I would be getting my underwear wet every morning¡­¡­ Rather than making fun of them, I should have felt a sense of unity with them. The situation in which I wash my underwear every morning to prevent the man sleeping next to me from noticing was heartbreaking. But I had reason to find out who the person I was making passionate love with in my dream was. ¡°Huuk, wait, wait a minute¡­¡­ No, no more, ah, ah!¡± ¡°Shh, spread your legs more and relax.¡± ¡°Teacher¡­¡­ Uhk, haa¡­ I can¡¯t, do it, Ah!¡± Each time he hit it slowly and strongly, the ferocious genitals that seemed to be unable to come in any more, entered by forcing the inner walls apart. My body felt strangely twisted. I swallowed my fear and hurriedly touched his curved abs. I shook my head with a face covered in sweat and tears. ¡°Next, next time I¡¯ll do it right. Sor, sorry¡­¡­ sniff, I can¡¯t, haa¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll drive into you until your stomach moves into the shape of my c***.¡± His cruel lips gently wiped away my tears and whispered like reciting a poem. I was almost fooled by the sweet voice. No matter how much I begged with both hands, this man will never back down, even if he looks at me with pity. If I had known that sex was something like this, I wouldn¡¯t have even tried to find the man in my dreams using my body¡¯s memory. I wonder if it was because I don¡¯t know if the ¡®me¡¯ in my dream didn¡¯t go out of bed for a few days because of the peg-like manhood. No matter what I did, I couldn¡¯t understand it as much as the tears of an ant. (T/N: meaning very, very little.) I cried with my throat while feeling the strange sensations I was not used to and the hard-to-receive manhood. The man, like it or not, tenderly coveted my face with his hot lips. ¡°Would you like me to wet the hole?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± When I was in so much pain, he bit my cheek once and got himself up. It felt like something that had reached just below my belly button was scraping his inner wall and leaking out. Shiver. A tingling sensation ran down my spine. ¡°Hauuhh¡­¡­.¡± Between my legs were already wet enough due to the long caresses. The pain of insertion was due to the man¡¯s ignorant manhood size, not the lack of fluid that acts as the lubricant. As his manhood completely escaped out, I let out a breath I had been holding back. I was gasping for breath as I looked up at the ceiling, and his large hand grabbed my thigh. My shoulders trembled at the scorching heat. As I looked down, I saw the pillar the size of a child¡¯s forearm, standing upright just above the man¡¯s navel. I shouldn¡¯t have stared at it. As I was about to turn my gaze away, the neatly trimmed, straight nails and a large hand with beautifully protruding bones gripped the large pillar. The man stared at me between my wide-open legs and slowly began to rub his c***. In my memory, the man¡¯s hand was all about turning the pages of a book full of clever characters, writing with a sharp nib, and holding a stick. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Transparent liquid formed on the tip of the red glans every time his graceful hand swept up the dark red pillar. The fluid gradually became thinner and flowed down the glans. It glided along the bulging veins, rubbed against his fine hands and spread over the entire thick body repeatedly. I could see the man¡¯s broad shoulders and thick chest muscles rising and falling rapidly. The man frowned slightly and started rubbing the glans glistening with his own liquid under me again. ¡°Ah!¡± The blunt thing poked my entrance, then cut through my pubic area and crushed the cl*toris. Every time the small piece of flesh was rubbed against the hot glans, the space between my thighs trembled and convulsed. As the blatant pleasure spread, my toes clenched and my back shook like passed through an electric current. Eyes wet with passion stared at me as if appreciating my crunching. Even though my mind was clouded with pleasure, I felt a slight sense of shame. I turned my head to the side as if running away from the man¡¯s gaze and bit my lower lip. ¡°Uh, huhk!¡± Suddenly, my lower body was lifted up. My legs slid over the man¡¯s toned thighs and pelvis, the hips falling off the bed, revealing the wet underside. ¡°I¡¯m not going to put in a lot. Endure it.¡± His glans shoved inward. It was still difficult to push over only the entrance, but since there were several attempts, this depth did not feel as much pain. The man began to pleasure himself with his conscientiously sized p**** My pelvis was pressed gently to prevent the genitals from coming out, and the two pupils were fixed at the joint entrance. ¡°Hahh¡­¡­ what, what are you doing¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It will hurt less if you start after c**ing once.¡± ¡°Crazy, wa, wait¡­¡­ wait. Uhh¡­¡­ Weird¡­¡­.¡± The man is on the contraceptive pill, so he said I don¡¯t have to worry about the seeds coming in¡­¡­ Apart from the contraceptive problem, this behavior for the sole purpose of climaxing seemed unusual. The man continued his gesture with only his glans pierced into the entrance. I couldn¡¯t do this or that, grabbing the large wrist that was holding my pelvis. A vessel stuck out in his thick neck, his hands rubbing his genitals and his breathing began to become rough. ¡°Liana, look me in the eye. Who¡¯s inside you now.¡± A high-pressure voice caught my attention. The more his breathing got rougher, the hotter my body temperature rose. The eyes and gazes that showed unfiltered lust for me were entangled. His hand rubbing his own genitals seemed to get faster and faster, and the man let out a suppressed groan. His thick, straight eyebrows wrinkled, and he chewed his teeth, pouring out a large amount of liquid all at me. ¡°Gasp¡­¡­ Haa¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, aahh!¡± At the same time as his climax, the man drove his genitals deep enough to crush his tes******* inside me. It felt like being pierced by a stake. The unbearable burning sensation spread all the way to the tip of my head, and a scream came out of my mouth. ¡°Hahh¡­¡­.¡± His flaming breath poured over his face. My waist was lifted high up in the overwhelmingly voluminous feeling. The man grabbed my crotch with a large hand. My body folded until my knees touched my ears, and his deep-seated genitals slid out at once. And he pierced through the inside like an invader before I could even let out the breath I had been holding back. ¡°Haa, ah, ah!¡± There was no time to adjust to the overwhelming pressure. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 The pleasure that had sunk beyond the memory, began to come back to life at the man¡¯s loss of self-control. I kept my mouth shut when a sound so obscene that it was hard to believe it was my own voice came out at random. ¡°Ummm, uhh, umm, huhk!¡± As the man continued his frenzied movement, he shoved two of his fingers into my bitten mouth. A moan that had been blocked came out from the fingers that opened my chin and forcibly pressed my tongue. Saliva pooled under my tongue and flowed out with my breath. The man stole the saliva that was dripping down my chin and put it in his mouth, as if showing it a great kindness. ¡°Don¡¯t shut your mouth without my permission. Don¡¯t look away.¡± The man¡¯s eyes blazed with eerie madness. Why are there so many other things not to do¡­? I thought my mom wouldn¡¯t nag more than you did, but I didn¡¯t want to spit it out of my mouth and get slapped in the butt. I nodded my head with the finger in my mouth. I wasn¡¯t even allowed to even blink an eye from him. Tears were constantly pouring down my burning eyes, and it was only when he kissed my eyelids that the inside of my eyelids were able to rest. ¡°Uhhp, ah, ahk, st, stop, tea, cher, haaa, ah!¡± The p****, which had tightly filled the inner walls, stabbed in different directions, and was pushed to the limit with the force of pushing it all the way to the root. ¡°Aagh¡­¡­!¡± My eyes widened as if they were about to pop out, and I instinctively grabbed my lower belly. The man gazed at my convulsing body with flaming eyes and I slowly turned my back. When I shook my head without enduring the hair sticking all over my body, the voice telling me not to look away when I scrambled, frightened me. ¡°I, can¡¯t¡­¡­ Huh, uh, do, this please¡­¡­ Aahh!¡± ¡°You were the first to spread your legs out to ask me to do you.¡± I bit my teeth. I wanted to turn away from him, but I couldn¡¯t turn my eyes away. My eyelashes trembled, and the tears that had been forming fell down. At this time, the man¡¯s eyes were distorted. He grabbed the back of my head with a hand that seemed to crush my head, and pressed his lips together. I could feel the dizzying pleasure spreading deep down to the end of my limb. Losing his patience, the moving of his back became so intense that it seemed to pierce my body. The sound of flesh hitting resounded violently as if being beaten. I let out words of excitement out of my mouth and shouted. My body was shaking so much that my head was ringing, and the s*x that seemed to trample me, made me into a mess. ¡°Huuu, ah, ahk, ah¡­¡­ slo¡­¡­ slow, ly! Huugh, please¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Want me to make it harder?¡± ¡°No, no¡­¡­!¡± He was only breathing a little faster, but he didn¡¯t scream like I did. His upper body and lower body looked like they belonged to different people. After having scattered my reason with the heat, I even had the absurd thought that another man had sneaked in and pierced me. Unlike his ruthless lower body, the man¡¯s face was calm. Every time he moved, his head rose upwards. I gasped in excitement as the man showed me so clearly that it was easy for a man to strangle me. He licked his slimy tongue up my neckline. ¡°Why are you provoking me when you say you¡¯re going to leave so quickly?¡± ¡°Huuh, ah, aa¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the best of my patience.¡± He grabbed my hair. However, the sensation of pleasure came over me like a tidal wave, so I did not feel any pain. ¡°It¡¯s good to be cute, but don¡¯t be cocky when you won¡¯t be able to handle it, Liana.¡± He groaned in a gloomy voice. I wanted to nod my head a hundred or a thousand times at his words. Even if I insisted on myself that I had to recall the lost time with the memory of my body, I was overcome with excitement. The resolve that I had to gather all my courage was corroded by being immersed in the muddy body fluid, and the scenes of old memories spying on him in my dream sank into the man¡¯s thick body odor. My goals and commitments were all pushed away with pleasure, and I shook wildly as the man moved. I enjoyed the overwhelming sensation that was forcibly poured out. Now, nothing came to mind except the man who pressed his body on top of me. This wasn¡¯t it¡­¡­. S*x was just a way to find my memories. Primal pleasure was only allowed for men, and I shouldn¡¯t have enjoyed it. I didn¡¯t come here to share my feelings and pleasure with him. I could feel the liquid from him and mine dripping down my buttocks every time the lodged pillar came out. I closed my eyes as I gazed at the frantically shaking ceiling. As the memories of the present piled up one by one, the past sank into a dark place. Was the method I chose wrong? But even if I could turn back time and go back to yesterday, I would have set foot in the realm of men again. I was pushed to a dead end cliff. The more the tragedy-like reality squeezed my neck, the more impatient I became. I did not know the content of the play in which I was the main character. If life consists of three acts, in act one, the melody of an orchestra like a bird¡¯s chirping resounded, and the girls dressed in bright spring clothes danced Coppelia¡¯s ballet and filled the stage of my life with vitality. I believed that the energy of that midday girl would last forever. In the middle of act 1. I did not know that the last page of the play would have been unfolded after just one blackout. And I didn¡¯t even know that the curtain call of my life would be a concert of bloody screams and roars. *** Ha, maybe this is good. Tick ??tock, tick tock¡­¡­ Even though the sound of the second hand pressed against my heart, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep. This insomnia was due to overwhelming excitement and anticipation. ¡°I have to sleep now if I don¡¯t want to be late for tomorrow¡¯s departure time.¡± Oh, did I pack everything without missing anything? My mother said she would send a change of clothes later, so I brought all the books, my pharmaceutical research notes and expenses¡­And the diary, um¡­¡­ I tried to count them meticulously as I folded my fingers one by one. There was nothing missing from the list I had written down a week ago. After lying quietly, I jumped up and overturned my bag four times, and checked my luggage more than ten times in my head. Still, I couldn¡¯t sleep easily. Wiggling my toes, I pictured in my head the life of studying abroad that would unfold brilliantly. It was a study abroad experience that I had insisted on my parents for a year. As the only daughter, they were parents who listened to me and gave me unreserved love for anything I wanted, but as soon as the words ¡®I want to go to study abroad¡¯ came out of my mouth, they took back the smile on their face for the first time. At first, they said, ¡®You¡¯re only 15 years old, what kind of study abroad is it?¡¯. ¡®Even after the coming-of-age ceremony is over, it¡¯s never too late to go.¡¯ My parents, who comforted me, raised their voices as I persisted without breaking my will. To my parents, I still look like a ten-year-old child sleeping with a teddy bear. I am already fifteen years old. Julie, who attends the same academy, said that she is going to study abroad next month to study in-depth. Julie is the same age as me, and even my birthday is three months earlier, so why can¡¯t I? The problem was that my parents wrapped me in their arms too much. ¡®I want to study abroad, I want to go.¡¯ Because of this one word, me and my parents fought a cold war for a year. I mobilized all means to study abroad. Refusing to talk to parents, fasting. Even the baptism of tears day and night. Only then did I get the answer from my parents, ¡®Just for half a year.¡¯ I felt that the period of study abroad was too short for what I had achieved after a year of struggle, but if I show them that I am doing well without any major difficulties, they will gladly extend the period. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m excited.¡± After tossing and turning in bed for a while, the gloomy dawn began to seep into the room, and only then did my eyelids become heavy. ¡°Tomorrow, finally¡­¡­.¡± With a smile full of satisfaction, I slipped into the unconscious world. Chapter 3 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 3 I felt a burning pain in my perineum. A groan of excruciating pain flowed out from the pain I had felt for the first time in my life. Not only that, but the pain that felt like being beaten all over my body shook my consciousness and woke me up. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. ¡°Oh my, are you awake?¡± My vision was blurry and the smell of sweat rushed into my nostrils and seemed to clog my pores. Haa, haa¡­¡­. My eardrum was hot as if someone had put a heated iron skewer in my ear. An unfamiliar voice rang in my ears, but I didn¡¯t feel like answering. It was that overwhelming. I blinked vigorously. As my blurry vision gradually became clearer, the ivory ceiling I had never seen before caught my eye. ¡°Aahh¡­¡­.¡± A hoarse voice came out of my throat, as if it had been rubbed with coarse sandpaper. It was clear that it was my voice, but it was just terribly unfamiliar. At that moment, something cold brushed my forehead. ¡°You worked hard, miss. Oh. I was so nervous when I thought something was wrong with you¡­¡­.¡± The old woman I saw for the first time took a deep breath as she tapped her chest with her palm. I couldn¡¯t even ask who it was. As if wandering in a dream, everything was unrealistic. An unfamiliar blanket, an unfamiliar bed, an unfamiliar ceiling, and the creepy pain between my legs. It was a place where I had never felt any pain except when I had been holding in my pee for a long time. The pain I felt below gave me such a terrible feeling that I was afraid to even see it with my own eyes. ¡°Oh my, why are you like this, huh?¡± ¡°Ah, ahh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Drink some water. It¡¯s warm water. Slowly. Oh, oh, it¡¯s all dripping. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± A good-looking old woman with small wrinkles around her eyes gave me water with her palms on my back. A little bit of confusion came back. It was then that an unexpected explosion occurred, and the sudden situation caught my eye. ¡°This, what is this¡­¡­ how¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, look at my mind. Robin! You can come in now!¡± The old woman shouted at the old wooden door behind her. As if waiting, the door opened and a man wearing a black leather hunting cap appeared with a thick duvet in his arms. The aunt took it very seriously, as if it was a treasure. And¡­¡­. ¡°Look. He¡¯s a sharp-faced son that resembles his mother. He¡¯ll make a lot of girls cry later.¡± An unknown child was wrapped in a white cloth. I couldn¡¯t comprehend how good-looking the face and small fern-like hands were. But what I don¡¯t understand was why were you giving this child to me? I knocked her hand with a weak move. ¡°I¡­¡­ Why am I here? No, what time is it¡­¡­ Cough, I, I mustn¡¯t be late for the departure time¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Miss¡­¡­.¡± The words spewing out of my confused head were so haphazard that it was difficult for me to even understand. The aunt was looking at me with a pitiful look at the gibberish words. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡­ Urrghh¡­¡­.¡± For a moment, that sympathetic gaze was so close that it was hard to bear. My throat groaned in a sense of nausea, and my eyes were distorted as if they were crushed clay. A startled voice called out to me several times, and I could feel my body twitching helplessly, but I couldn¡¯t do anything. Nothing but helplessly accepting that my pupils went behind the eyelids. The smooth hull of the white ship cuts through the blue and expansive sea and stretches out coolly. My mother, who remained at the port, shook her hand while wiping her tears with her handkerchief, and my father gently wrapped his arms around her shoulder and looked at me as I walked away. My father smiled warmly at me as I struggled to capture the growing worries with his reassuring eyes. I shook my hair, enjoyed the cool sea breeze passing by, and embraced the salty scent of the sea in my arms. I couldn¡¯t control my heels shaking with excitement. Ten days. I had to spend ten days on the sea, but I didn¡¯t feel tired at all. If I am still imagining my dream of a study abroad life, the week will pass in the blink of an eye. ¡°Gasp, gasp¡­¡­.¡± I felt like I had been splashed with cold water. I wiped the sweat from my eyelashes by rubbing them with my hands. I couldn¡¯t see my parents seeing me off, the sparkling horizon, or the ship carrying my dreams. All I was left with was an indoor coat drenched in rough wool, soaked in cold sweat. The intense pain in my body had subsided a lot. There was a subtly throbbing pain, but it was tolerable. I wiped my sweat-soaked face. There was a faint warmth in my pale, tired hands. The scene of me setting sail was a dream, and I soon realized that this situation, which had no way to explain it, was the reality. To calm my confused mind, I poured all the water on the narrow table into my mouth without the owner¡¯s permission. ¡°What happened?¡± Even if I asked, no one could give me an answer. The sun shone through the window and scorched down my cheeks. I frowned and looked outside. Tree branches were thick under the clear, high sky. ¡°Where else is this?¡± Even a single sunlight hitting the corners of my eyes stung me. I couldn¡¯t concentrate on my thoughts, so I lowered my throbbing legs under the bed. As I took one step, I felt a horrific pain in my perineum. It wasn¡¯t painful enough to sit down right away. Just that part¡­¡­ Although it was my body, it was a very unfamiliar place, so fear took precedence. I chewed my teeth and walked pretending not to know the pain. As soon as the curtain was pulled, the darkness that came in calmed my heart. But as soon as I took a deep breath, the door swung open. The sudden intruder was the good-looking old lady. I¡­¡­ gave birth to a child I didn¡¯t know. The old woman¡¯s brown pupils swelled in surprise. She set the tray she was holding down on the side table, and walked swiftly to support me. ¡°If you wake up suddenly without eating, you¡¯ll collapse.¡± As the savory smell of soup spread from the tray, my calm stomach suddenly shook. My saliva was pooling under my tongue. I sat down on the unfamiliar bed again, supported by the aunt. ¡°Are you awake now? You¡¯ve been down for a week since the baby was born.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You opened your eyes for a while and then fell asleep, and I thought you would be okay again, but then you fell asleep. Robin went down to the village to find a doctor, but why would a doctor come to this forest? All doctors these days are merchants. Don¡¯t see the sick as sick, just look at them as money. When the abacus is pounded, if it seems like a loss-making examination, they don¡¯t even move their heavy butts.¡± The old woman grunted over and over, as if she was offended, and squeezed the towel in the basin. Then she familiarly wiped the sweat from my neck. I pushed the woman¡¯s hand away. ¡°Call my mother and father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡± There was no way my parents would have allowed me to study abroad. I must have been secretly moved to a new villa while I was sleeping. Even the pain in my body was difficult to understand, but for now, this guess seemed the most probable. Still, this was too much!! My stomach was boiling. How could they do such a cruel thing when they knew how much I had been wanting to study abroad? ¡°Officer Mitchell, His Majesty¡¯s Tumgold¡¯s Royal Guard Knight.¡± Even when I gave my father¡¯s name, the aunt had a puzzled look. She couldn¡¯t have not known Father if she was the one hired by Father. Even if it was not for that reason, if she was a citizen of the Crovatium Kingdom, she must have heard my father¡¯s name, who was an officer of the Guards, at least once. ¡°¡­¡­ Miss, why are you like this, it¡¯s scary?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been 10 years since His Majesty Tumgold passed away, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Even though I heard the words of the old woman clearly in my ear, I did not understand as if I had heard a foreign language. I must have read in the newspaper that His Majesty Tumgold was in critical condition. But¡­¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s been 10 years since His Majesty passed away. What kind of nonsense is this? Were you trying to make fun of me? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 4 But there wasn¡¯t even the slightest hint of playfulness on the old woman¡¯s face. On the contrary, she seriously contorted her face and rushed to look at me. ¡°Oof, there are many cases of death after giving birth, but memory loss might be better.¡± ¡°Giving birth? Memory loss, what are you talking about?¡± The lady looked at me still with a lost face, and then she suddenly walked out of the room. Soon after, the lady returned again with the child I had seen once being held in her arms. ¡°Why, why are you doing this!¡± The lady pulled my arm forcibly. I was startled and tried to pull my arm out of her grasp, but I couldn¡¯t resist the lady¡¯s strength. She forced me to hold the child wrapped in white cloth. I looked at the child with a puzzled look. ¡°She is the Miss¡¯ child. Don¡¯t you remember anything?¡± A huge shock followed, as if I had been hit in the head with a hammer. My mouth opened wide, but nothing came out. My hand holding the child was like a pale, bloodless corpse. I looked at the child with a bewildered look. ¡°Tsk. Robin brought me a pregnant woman, lying in front of my house without shoes on. The child¡¯s father¡¯s face or name¡­¡­ Nothing comes to mind?¡± ¡°N¡­¡­ .No, I¡­¡­ I¡¯ve never kissed a man once, no, I never¡­¡­ had a boyfriend, so what kind of child? I can¡¯t have a baby unless I¡¯m hermaphrodite.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Take a good rest and your memories will come back soon.¡± The big, warm hand patted my back. But it was nothing consoling for me. I thought that when I opened my eyes, a brilliant study abroad life would unfold, but who would have thought that a child would be born so suddenly! It was so absurd that I couldn¡¯t even shed a tear. What the hell am I supposed to do with this child when I have no memories of being embraced or having given birth? No, what¡¯s harder to believe than that¡­¡­. ¡°News, newspaper¡­¡­ Show me the newspaper today!¡± ¡°Oh no no! What if you let go of the child like that!¡± I was startled by the sudden exclamation. I awkwardly hugged the child I had reflexively laid down on the bed. The red, wrinkled child had changed quite a bit within a week. The white, plump cheeks looked as soft as milk, and when the tightly closed eyelids lifted, the blue and innocent eyes were revealed. My pale, tired face was reflected in the clear marble-like eyes. Not startled by the lady¡¯s loud voice, the child rolled its wide eyes. ¡°If you can¡¯t hold it, give it to me.¡± Even when the child left my arms, I did not feel any regret. Rather, it felt as if the burden that had been weighing on me had disappeared. ¡°There is no newspaper today. Once a week, whenever Robin goes down to town, he brings a week¡¯s worth of newspaper. Do you want the newspaper from two days ago?¡± ¡°Yes, anything is fine.¡± ¡°Robin! Bring some newspapers!¡± I heard the floor pounding in haste, and an old man called ¡®Robin¡¯ came up with a newspaper under his arms. I took it coldly. ¡¸Nelica Travel Daily News ¨C December 02, Year 709 Crovatium calendar From the end of this month, access to the Temple of St. Hasniel is restricted. This is because pagan terrorism occurred frequently after the decree issued by Pope Hertantine. The dazzling sight of the snow flowers surrounding the Temple of St. Hasniel, which can only be seen in winter, is unlikely to be seen this year. There is another hidden place where you can see the snow flowers. The North Continent¡¯s ¡­..¡¹ ¡°709, 709, 709¡­¡­.¡± I cast my eyes over and over at the letters that could not be changed just by staring at them. I opened all the other newspapers. Only the date changed, but unfortunately, the year did not change. I put down the newspaper I was holding in vain. ¡°Nonsense¡­¡­ I, I am twenty-six?¡± The confusion did not go away easily. No matter how hard I tried to deny it, my reality did not change like the year of the newspaper that did not change. I turned from sixteen to twenty six overnight, giving birth to a child I never had. It has been a month since I turned twenty-six. Time passed as fast as light. The year had changed and it was now the Year 710 Crovatium calendar. My mind was in a mess, but within a month my body was almost completely healed. Even after the pain in the perineum subsided, it took a long time to go out of the house. The place where I was staying was in the middle of a mountain thick with tall trees. The couple who took care of me said they were mountain keepers. The names were Mildred and Robin. On a night when the autumn rain fell like a summer monsoon, Mildred brought me who had fallen down in front of this hut. Why was I¡­¡­ lying in front of this place while in full term? This was not the capital of Crovatium where I was staying, nor was it the southernmost point where I had to go by boat. Why¡­¡­. I needed to clear my confused mind. I looked at the scattered puzzles that did not fit, without forcing them to fit together. Crying, screaming and making a fuss didn¡¯t solve anything. I had to find clues one by one and complete the puzzle. However¡­¡­ In one day, I came across this bizarre phenomenon of passing 10 years of time overnight¡­¡­ The child I gave birth to was absolutely¡­¡­. ¡°Ahh-.So cute. Do you like your mother that much?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Are you sure I¡¯m the mother?¡± ¡°Because I pulled it out from between the Miss¡¯ legs, yes.¡± Mildred rolled the little child like a bun in a pink blanket and held it in her arms and wouldn¡¯t let it go. I sat down on the bed and looked at Mildred suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s not just what I¡¯m saying, it¡¯s because it¡¯s really, really, really weird. I¡¯ve never held a man¡¯s hand once in my life. So, something like this would be possible. It would be something like God had impregnated my pure and noble body.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. Come on, look. It¡¯s the color of your hair and eyes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Mildred held the child in her arms close to me. The silver hair and clear blue eyes that glittered in the light were uncomfortably dazzling. It was really like mine. I quickly turned my gaze away and looked at Mildred. ¡°Your memory just stopped when I was 16. Don¡¯t you know anything? You must have been passionately in love with a handsome man in the past 10 years.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡­ That¡¯s really ridiculous. I didn¡¯t even think about getting married, let alone dating. I was going to study abroad in Temblan and study medicine. I will publish a medicine book with my name on it. It would be detailed and professional enough to be called the bible of the medicinal world. I will become the youngest professor of the Royal Academy, raise students, and then become a royal adviser and make my name known widely.¡± ¡°That must be boring.¡± Mildred froze as she listened to my story, unable to take her eyes off the child. She said it¡¯s the first time she¡¯s ever seen such a gentle child, and she gently stroked the cheek, saying that it¡¯s strange that the child doesn¡¯t cry for fear of waking up the mother at night. ¡°¡­¡­ No matter how much I think about it, it cannot be my child.¡± ¡°Again, that nonsense. Even when a child is young, it understands everything people say.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I stared at the child with a sullen face. If you¡¯re really the child that came out of my stomach¡­¡­ Who the hell is your father? There must be someone who I can guess, but there was no one that came to my mind as I lived a life more pure than the priest at the temple, who considered dating a taboo. This should be the case, but I have to go back to the mansion first. My body had fully recovered, so I would be able to endure the boat ride for two to three days. However, as soon as I was able to strengthen my will, a problem occurred that grabbed my ankle. I held the wet dressing gown tightly so that it did not touch my chest. As I stared at my swollen chest, all kinds of beautiful words rushed out from the bottom of my throat. This f*****g breast milk! As it was a natural occurrence, my sadness rose. What sins did I commit in my previous life, how did I become a single mother overnight? If my parents knew, they would grab the back of their neck and pass out¡­¡­. ¡°Uhh¡­¡­ mom¡­¡­.¡± In an instant, the tip of my nose became hot and the fever around my eyes rose. At that moment, I heard the door open behind me. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 5 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 5 I quickly swallowed my tears, pretending to be calm, and gathered my expression. ¡°No, what are all these clothes about? What are you doing without calling me?¡± ¡°I was looking at this serious situation calmly. I think I have a hole in my chest. There¡¯s too much milk, and it hurts¡­¡­ The baby must have chewed my chest too painfully. I think my n*pple fell off. It hurts so much.¡± ¡°What do you mean the n*pple fell off from a child who doesn¡¯t even have teeth?¡± ¡°No. There must be a problem. I turned ten years older in one day. Is there any law that says my n*pple won¡¯t fall off? Please check it quickly.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­ I told you, you have to express your milk when it is full.¡± The sadness I had been holding back soared. As a 16-year-old, no one told me what it was like to be a mother after giving birth. The situation I was faced with without being prepared was both embarrassing and shocking. ¡°I barely even put my breasts in the child¡¯s mouth!¡± ¡°Are you crying? The child doesn¡¯t even cry, so why is the mother crying? It happens to all mothers, so calm down, miss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crying. I don¡¯t cry that easily.¡± ¡°Prideful.¡± I gave a lot of strength to the burning eyes. Mildred smiled and took off my clothes, and clicked her tongue as she looked at my swollen bre**ts. After a while, I could see my milk swaying in the crude wooden bucket. As I watched it, the realization that I was really giving birth hit me in the head. The reality that I couldn¡¯t believe even when I saw a child who looked just like me¡­¡­ It could no longer be denied. Then, I, who has neither the memories of being embraced nor the memories of having given birth to the child¡­¡­ What am I supposed to do? I had to make a decision before I left. ¡°Now, raise the legs like this and change the cloth for a new one. No, what do you do when you¡¯re so far away? Come closer. You have to learn how to change diapers.¡± I covered my nose and shook my head more intensely than ever. And I¡¯m very surprised by two new things I¡¯ve learned. One, babies have an angel-like face and have vicious poop that kill people. Two, Mildred¡¯s sarcasm, who doesn¡¯t frown even after seeing a bowel movement that seems to be able to cast out that evil spirit, was truly admirable. Mildred even laughed, saying, ¡®How can your poop be so pretty and healthy-.¡¯ ¡°I am glad that the baby is eating well and is healthy.¡± ¡°No. This stinky smell is undoubtedly a problematic smell. Maybe he has poison in the stomach. We have to go to the doctor right now.¡± ¡°You were like this when you were young.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Mildred smiled and wiped every corner of the child¡¯s buttocks with a soft cloth. The child smiled brightly without a single whimper as the cloth came in and out between his white, plump buttocks. ¡°You have to get used to it, too. You said you were returning to the capital? You¡¯d have to look after the baby by yourself without me while you¡¯re on your way home.¡± Right. This was the problem. I have to take care of this kid. It was an undeniable fact that a child came out of my stomach. Without even knowing the father, it was no different from me feeling like he literally fell from the sky. It even went against my beliefs to get married and have children, something I would never do. His big bright eyes, two rosy cheeks, and the silvery, wavy hair were all cute and cuddly, but it¡¯s something one can just purely love if it was someone else¡¯s child. Thinking that this child was mine, my eyes were wide open. A heavy responsibility followed like a shadow. But apart from the responsibility, I couldn¡¯t afford to raise a child. My mental age had stopped at sixteen, and as a mother who was no more than an idiot when it came to parenting, I felt pitiful. The child had to find a better mother than me. For example, a Mildred-like mom. ¡°Mi, Mildred.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Where are Mildred¡¯s children?¡± ¡°When I was young, I was not feeling well, so it was difficult to get pregnant. After 11 years of marriage with Robin, we miraculously had a child, and it went away without staying ten months in the womb.¡± I was at a loss for words at the unexpectedly heavy story. But Mildred¡¯s voice was dull, as if she was looking at an old dusty diary for a moment. ¡°I missed my child, so I helped all the mothers who have children from house to house, so even though I couldn¡¯t raise my child even once, I became one in caring for them.¡± I was just about to ask if she could take care of the child but the question just got scattered. I was already indebted to Mildred and Robin just for taking care of me when I first came. I never knew when I might return here, but it was really shameless to leave the child with her. The child gave a refreshing laugh as he played with Mildred and her hands after finishing the diaper change. As I approached and sat next to the child, he stretched out his arms towards me as if recognizing me. ¡°He wants you to hold his hand.¡± Mildred rushed, and I awkwardly held out my index finger. The child grabbed my index finger with both hands. The soft warmth stuck to my index finger. In an instant, a tingling sensation pierced through the hairs all over her body. My heart was pounding and my toes were twitching. I put my hands behind my back in amazement. As if the child was disappointed, his mouth was wobbling, but he didn¡¯t cry. Mildred rubbed her nose against the child¡¯s nose, and a shrill burst of laughter broke out. ¡°Later, when Mom finds her memory, you have to say everything you were upset about, okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What are you talking about?¡± I took a step away from him, and then turned my head. The cozy sunset light soaked the forest. A path with a particularly dark color caught my eye over the cold frozen ground. It was a soft road made by Robin who stopped by the village once a week. ¡°Mildred.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Is it far from here to town?¡± ¡°It only takes an hour to walk. Do you need anything?¡± I shook my head and inhaled. The selfish and ugly inside was dressed in a mask pretending to be cool and rational. I can¡¯t help it, this was the best. Both for me and for the child. I waited for the morning to come, constantly repeating the decision, like an escape. The child, wrapped in a yellow floral blanket, looked up at me with only his face exposed. His two large eyes were full of curiosity. ¡°What you looking at.¡± I awkwardly held the child in my arms and walked along the forest path. Every time the cold winter wind blew my cheeks, it felt like it was whipping my selfish me. The more I did, the more I stared at the winding road. The place I arrived at on foot from dawn was a village at the bottom of the mountain. To be precise, it was a temple in the village. If you leave a child in front of the temple, I have heard that the temple will keep the child safe. A quiet winter morning. The bare branches swayed softly, and dust swirled around the stone steps of the temple where the cold wind had descended. I looked down at the child who had been turning away all the time. The child was holding my hair tight with his little hand and sucking it through his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­ It¡¯s not food.¡± As I pulled out my hair, the child burst out laughing again cheerily. I feel like he was excited just by looking at me. His nose and cheeks the size of a pea were slightly red like a peach. ¡°When I find my memory, I¡¯ll come back.¡± When I realize you are my child ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Both you nor I suffer because I can¡¯t even change diapers, and you can live comfortably here. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Did you understand?¡± ¡°Mya!¡± ¡°You know how to answer?¡± The child folded the corners of his eyes and smiled softly. The sunlight on the tip of his long eyelashes shone very naturally. This light darkened my heart. I could feel my weak emotions rising, despite the fact that I had made up my mind to be cool all last night. However, due to feelings of pity or responsibility, it was impossible to blindly take a child who I thought was only someone else¡¯s. I had to find my lost ten years, and I had to straighten out my messed up life. A child was something I shouldn¡¯t have in my life. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 The wind was bitter. The hook-shaped air scraped my skin. I clenched my teeth and gave myself the most chilling expression I could. But despite my efforts, the child rubbed his eyes as if sleepy with a round hand wrapped in bright yellow mittens. ¡°Yaawn.¡± My heart pounded wildly as I watched him look so calm that he didn¡¯t even feel a sense of crisis. The child¡¯s breath flew like a blade and pierced my chest. I was not breathing properly, so I opened my mouth and gasped loudly. My arms holding my child, or even my whole body, began to tremble as if there had been an earthquake. I was obviously fine until I came down the forest¡­¡­ I thought it was okay¡­¡­ Was it an illusion? Even in the chilly weather, a cold sweat was dripping down. The child closed his eyes, as if sleepy, and then opened it. I looked at the child and turned my gaze away. Then, I put the child down and calmly turned around and walked away. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The feel of the soft cloth wrapped around the child lingered on my fingertips for a long time. I walked blindly without looking back even though my weak legs were bent. I didn¡¯t even have time to decide which way was to return to the hut. All senses felt unreal, as if walking in water. That moment. ¡°Uwaanngg!¡± The sound of the child¡¯s cries hit my head like a thunderbolt. It felt like my heart was sinking. I closed my eyes to ignore it, but my legs stood still. I couldn¡¯t stop the ominous thoughts from creeping up in my head. Come to think of it, the stone floor on which I put the child must have been cold, so what if he caught a cold? If something went wrong if the temple found the child late¡­¡­. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I moved the leg that had stopped. Incomparably faster than the speed with which I had escaped, I returned to the temple. As I climbed the steps, I saw a priest in a thick, white coat embracing and soothing the child. It was obviously fortunate, but for some reason, my impatience grew worse. ¡°Wait, please, please wait!¡± The old man with deep wrinkles on his face looked at me and naturally held out the child without any questioning. I hugged the child as if snatching it. The child who had been crying as I left the street stopped crying as soon as he was held in my arms. But large teardrops from his large eyes ran down his cheeks as white and soft as milk, drop by drop. Then he whined from time to time as if blaming me. I could not see the child, but neither did I make eye contact with the old man. Just like a person who stole something, I flicked my eyes anxiously. ¡°That, I, this is all¡­¡­ For some reason, that, he¡¯s not my child, ah¡­¡­ I was the one who gave birth, but I can¡¯t remember¡­¡­Therefore¡­¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cold day, would you like to come inside and drink honey tea?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t like honey very much¡­¡­.yes.¡± I don¡¯t know with what spirit I walked back to the hut. I was afraid I would miss the child, so I hugged him with both arms. My heart still felt unusually fast, and hiccups broke out from my mouth. Mildred, who was in the kitchen, glanced back as I pushed through the hut door. ¡°Where have you been since morning?¡± ¡°I, I¡­ ¡­ I want to go home.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°My body is fine now, and I miss my mom and dad¡­¡­ The child¡­¡­ When I get home, my mom will take care of everything. I¡¯ll go home. Thank you for taking care of me.¡± I went up to my room and carefully laid the child down on the bed. My hands were still trembling slightly. Mildred followed me up and put a blanket over my shoulder. As the warmth enveloped my body, my head, which had been shaking in confusion, calmed down for a moment. ¡°I know this is shameless, but money¡­¡­ Can you lend me a little bit? I need to buy a boarding pass back to the mansion, but you know I don¡¯t have anything. I can pay it back tenfold as soon as I get home. Really. Shall I use a promissory note?¡± ¡°Why are you shaking so much like this? Sit down for a while. I will lend you the price of your boarding pass.¡± Mildred pulled my wrist and sat me in an armchair and brought a steaming tea. Mildred¡¯s hand-picked and dried chamomile leaves swam slowly over the hot water. As the sweet scent rushed into my nostrils, the chill went down. ¡°Are you leaving today?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been thinking about leaving for a long time.¡± ¡°But so suddenly¡­¡­ Well, if you want to do that, I won¡¯t stop you¡­¡­ But you can¡¯t go with just the money to buy a boarding pass. I¡¯ll get you some cloth diapers, clothes, and some dried food for you to eat on board.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°Oh, and.¡± Mildred pulled a small folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to me. I didn¡¯t even know what it was, and I took it. ¡°I was going to give it to you right away, but the Miss isn¡¯t strong enough, so I thought you would be confused, so I put it off, but now I¡¯m giving it to you¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Perhaps it had been wrinkled without mercy, the paper was full of small wrinkles. I opened it up without a doubt and asked. ¡°The Miss was holding it when you were lying in front of the hut. But the content is not usual¡­¡­.¡± [Don¡¯t trust anyone, Liana. Never, never, never trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone, nobody. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone. Liana, please, please, pl¡­¡­] Ink that spread like smudged filled the entire surface of the paper. In the obsessive repetition of the same words, it was clearly my handwriting. Even though the back part was torn, it was easy to predict that there must have been a written saying, ¡®please don¡¯t trust anyone.¡¯ I wrinkled my eyes and looked at the scrambled writing. ¡°What is this¡­¡­.¡± The warning to the present me was clear. My handwriting that told me to trust no one was uprooted and stuck in my heart. What happened to me in the past? Confused, I shook my head. No matter how hard I tried, nothing came to mind. My most recent memory is the moment when I fell asleep with the dream of studying abroad. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I hope that your memories will be found quickly and things will be resolved.¡± Mildred¡¯s consolation floated in the air, then scattered without a trace. I couldn¡¯t orient myself as if I had been thrown onto an endless sea of ??sand. Afraid that someone would steal the note, I folded it up and put it deep inside my arms. ¡°¡­¡­ I want to go.¡± In my heart, I wanted to leave immediately on the day I was handed the note, but unfortunately, the ship heading for the capital had already left, so I had to stay in this hut for another day. The next day. Mildred and Robin took me to the port. ¡°Take this. I wrote down how to change diapers, how to give first aid when a baby is sick, and how to make baby food. I explained everything in words once, but seeing it in writing is more memorable in your mind.¡± Mildred held a notebook the size of her palm in my hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± I nodded my head to say my goodbye and got on board. Instead of seeing my parents see me off in tears as I stood on the ship, I saw the faces of Mildred and Robin filled with worry. The small ship among the giant sailing ships had only one sail. It was also in a yellowish color as if it had been around for a long time. Not long after, the sound of the ship¡¯s horn resounded all around. I wrapped my arms around the child¡¯s ears and entered the cabin. I took a seat in an empty spot of the long wooden seats. There was no cushion to protect the buttocks and back, but it was not very uncomfortable. ¡°What makes you laugh so much?¡± When I slightly touched the child¡¯s plump white cheeks with my index finger, the child frowned as if it itches and laughed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 7 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 7 Are you laughing? I want to cry. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a hole in your chin, why are you drooling so much?¡± I unwrapped the white handkerchief that was wrapped around the child¡¯s neck and wiped his lips. As if it was nice to wipe his saliva, the child burst into laughter. Then he spat out with his small tongue. ¡°You want to play with me?¡± ¡°Kyaahh, abubu!¡± ¡°Stop drooling. Your skin turns red.¡± ¡°Oomm!¡± Did you even understand me¡­¡­I was a little startled at the sight of him biting his lip. This child¡­¡­ Maybe he¡¯s a genius. Since he¡¯s my child, he must have superior intelligence than others. Although I¡¯ve always had moderate grades in the academy, it was all because I didn¡¯t put all my effort into studying for the exam. In other words, it can be said that the results are superior compared to the effort. Ah¡­¡­ No, it is still premature to conclude that a child is a genius. Because I don¡¯t know what kind of bastard the father¡¯s genes are? I held the child and pressed his face close together. I tilted my head while looking at the convex forehead, soft cheeks, and big eyes that seemed to pour out. ¡°Who is your father?¡± ¡°Abuee!¡± No matter how hard I think about it, there¡¯s no one I can guess. At this moment, several footsteps were heard from behind. ¡°Oh my, so cute.¡± ¡°He looks pretty like a doll. Is it a girl? Is it a boy?¡± ¡°A boy.¡± The three old-looking ladies stopped their way and bowed their back to look at the child. As if enjoying the attention, the child gently folded the corners of his eyebrows and let out a cute smile. What are you? It¡¯s unusual to attract people. When I saw that expression, I laughed in vain. If he later becomes an opera singer, I think he will be a huge hit. He knew very well how he looked to others. Little bastard. ¡°Oh my God, I have never seen such a pretty boy again. Mom would be very happy. What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± The words that kept coming to my mind were cut off as if they had been cut with scissors. I lifted my stiff head and looked at the three people in front of me. ¡°The child¡¯s name¡­¡­.¡± I don¡¯t know. I never thought about it. What¡¯s your name? It would be nice if I could ask, but unfortunately, the baby was less than two months old, and he couldn¡¯t have a name unless I gave him a name. I didn¡¯t know what to answer, so while I was choosing a word, someone called the three of them from afar. ¡°Don¡¯t get sick and grow taller.¡± They left without any regrets, perhaps they were not very curious about the child¡¯s name. But what was left was me who felt deeply perplexed by the problem I was facing. ¡°¡­¡­ Do I have to give you a name?¡± ¡°Pyaa!¡± ¡°Yes, is that so?¡± My brain, which had stopped working for a while, began to rotate with unprecedented intensity. It was like the dwarfs living in my head were pushing coal into a steam locomotive, putting various name candidates in my head, forcing it to think. ¡°Ummm¡­¡­ hold on. I am thinking about it.¡± ¡°Oopyaa!¡± ¡°Okay okay. Don¡¯t rush me. I can¡¯t think of anything.¡± However, the brain, which was at full capacity, broke down with fuzzy black smoke. I¡¯ve never given a name to anyone in my life. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m weird, but none of the many 16-year-olds in the world have ever had this incredible, great experience. To come up with a name that will follow you forever, even after you die. The burden was heavy, and a gulp gushed over. ¡°¡­¡­ When I was ten, I thought about a name for a dog I didn¡¯t even know about for a week. As soon as the coming-of-age ceremony was held, I was desperately trying to raise him. Thirty candidates competed fiercely. ¡°Do you know what the name is at the end?¡± ¡°Abu?¡± ¡°Peanut Butter. What do you think? Do you like it?¡± The child smiled brightly as he waved his hand in the round mitten up and down. The name I had been struggling with for a week seemed to really please the child. But when I actually said it, I didn¡¯t like it. I didn¡¯t want to give the child the name I was going to give to a puppy. ¡°No, not this. Uhm. Philip? Richard? Chris¡­¡­ What is there, John, Alfred¡­¡­ Uh, not even this.¡± I took out every male name I knew. But no matter what name I call it, it doesn¡¯t suit him like clothes that don¡¯t fit. I leaned back against the hard wooden back and looked out the window. The sunlight shimmered finely on the horizon. ¡°Baby, then let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°Pyaa?¡± I looked back at the child. And I said with a stern expression on my face. ¡°I¡¯ll give you permission to choose your own name. Now, you have to be careful. You have to listen to me.¡± The child, who had smiled so much that I could see his pink tongue, stopped laughing and opened his eyes wide. He was following my expression. ¡°What I am going to ask you, and your answer will soon be your name.¡± ¡°Kyaabubu!¡± ¡°You have to be careful.¡± I looked straight into the child¡¯s face. There was a tension that was difficult to describe in words around me and the child. After confirming that the child was completely focused on me, I asked questions while chewing on each pronunciation. ¡°What do you like the most?¡± ¡°Hughuwek.¡± The child burped as the drops of saliva popped. It was amazing timing. The child, unaware of how terrible he had done, laughed out loud as if he was feeling refreshed. His name taken from me, Liana Mitchell II, became Hughuwek. Hughuwek Mitchell. There were only three single-occupancy cabins on the small ship. Even that, reservations were full a week in advance, so I couldn¡¯t even take a look around. Hughuwek and I laid blankets on the hard wooden floor of the cabin and slept. Every time the waves shook, I could feel the ship swaying. Fortunately, Hughuwek was an easy child who did not have seasickness. Even in the cluttered cabin, he slept well without even trying. The problem was me. ¡°Uuughhh, uuhhwook-.¡± With the child on my back, I drained everything I ate from my stomach. My stomach subsided a little after I exhaled all the bitter saliva in the gastric juice. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to die, really. Haa¡­¡­.¡± The cold night wind took the sweat from my forehead. It¡¯s been a week since we left. Contrary to what Mildred said that we would arrive in four days, it took longer than expected due to the track passing through several cities. However, if we wait a day, we will finally arrive in the capital. ¡°Hhingg, uinngg-.¡± However, unlike me, he who has adapted and did not cry in any place and in any situation, suddenly whined. ¡­¡­ I had a bad feeling. I hugged him and touched his butt. Something warm and heavy felt through the diaper cloth. ¡°Is it poop again?¡± F***. I barely swallowed the insult that was about to slide out of my throat. If I change diapers in the cabin, the smell of summoning evil spirits will wake up everyone else¡¯s sleep, so I have no choice but to change diapers on the deck. The corner of the deck, full of wooden crates, became a diaper changing table for Hughuwek and I. Thanks to the box blocking the cold wind, it was not a problem taking off the child¡¯s clothes. But no matter how many times I tried, I was not used to seeing the hot stools with my own eyes. When I took off his pants, the brown stools were clinging to the child¡¯s chubby hips and between his legs. Changing diapers is now familiar enough for me to do without looking at the parenting notebook Mildred gave me, but the problem is¡­¡­. ¡°Uugghh, uhhh!¡± I was not used to this stinky smell at all. No, does the day come when I get used to it? Despite the fact that I had just emptied my stomach, nausea came again. I ran to the front of the boat again because of the unbearable smell, and when I heard a whining sound, I ran to the child again. After repeating this three or four times, I was able to safely change diapers. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you have a problem? Why do you poop four times a day? You only drink milk, so why does it smell so bad?¡± ¡°Ukyaa!¡± ¡°Ukyaa what? When you go home, you¡¯ll have to get tested by the doctor first. No matter how much I think about it, it¡¯s not normal to poop like this.¡± I wrapped him in a thick pink blanket and gently hugged him. I thought that the speed of the ship was unusually slow, but as it turned out, it was anchored in the port. It was the last stop. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 8 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 8 I hoped that more passengers would get off because I wanted to use the common cabin more comfortably. However, as much as it passed, it got more crowded. Expectations turned to disappointment, and I quickly turned my head away. ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡± However, not only because of seasickness, but after giving birth, I couldn¡¯t sleep at all. The brain was withering and dying from exhaustion, but both eyes still stared at the dark darkness. There was a time when I spent three nights awake when I was in the hut. Severe insomnia. ¡°Is this also the aftermath of childbirth?¡± I finally fell into a precious sleep after the dawn light lit the horizon. It felt like I slept for about 10 minutes, but the sun was scorching hotly on my eyelids. Oddly enough, Hughuwek didn¡¯t wake me up unless he pooped. What pulled me out of my unconscious was the voices of some rough men. ¡°Ah! Please trust me just once.¡± ¡°You bastard, shut up your mouth!¡± Seriously, that¡¯s what I wanted to say. Nervously trying to cover my ears, I trembled for a moment at the cold metallic sound. ¡­¡­ sword? ¡°I told you I was right!¡± ¡°You really checked it right? Where should I be able to believe what you say?¡± ¡°Shh, shh, be quiet. She will wake up. I saw that bitch¡¯s face clearly. I checked it a few times. Come on, look. Where is silver hair like that common?¡± Crunch, crunch. There was the sound of a paper being opened in a hurry. Could it be me that the ¡®that bitch¡¯ they are talking about? The sleepiness that had been weakly attached to me was gone. I opened my eyes wide and focused all my attention on the voice behind me. ¡°Really¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t it similar to that killer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not similar, it¡¯s the same! The bounty is a whopping 1 million gold. With this money, I can even pay off my boring mercenary life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The voices of the men who had been chattering were cut off. It feels like a few pairs of sharp gazes are being stabbed like knives behind my back. The blood all over my body cooled. A killer with a huge sum of 1 million gold. Is it¡­..me? Nonsense. Maybe not. But contrary to my earnest wish, I could feel the dull footsteps getting closer to me. My heart was beating wildly as if it was going to burst through my chest. Hughuwek opened his big eyes and looked at the dust floating comfortably. With minimal movement, I moved my arms and hugged the child. Immediately after that, a thick hand touched my shoulder. ¡°Hey¡­¡­ Uwah! Aack!¡± I rubbed the unwashed poop diaper against the man¡¯s face. While the man struggled in surprise, I moved my legs as hard as I could. Shortly thereafter, a thunderous shout rang out from behind, saying, ¡°Catch the killer woman!¡± I wanted to shut my ears at that cruel reference. What, why am I, why am I a murderer, why!! I have never killed a single insect in vain in my life. There¡¯s no way I could have killed someone like this. Never. What¡¯s wrong with this? Tears filled my eyes in shock. The sound of footsteps chasing me followed me closely behind my back. The ship I rode was a small ship with a capacity of 50 people, and no matter how much I jumped, it was only a matter of time before I was caught. ¡°Gaaasp, huh, gasp. Kuuuh¡­¡­.¡± I ran like crazy, but in the end, I came across a wall that was completely blocked off in all directions. As if standing in front of an executioner condemning a criminal, a deep despair weighed on me. The sound of chasing footsteps seemed to be heard from nearby. I banged my shoulder against the wall, knowing I couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°Good job. Quietly.¡± At that moment, a large hand wrapped around my waist. A terribly low bass sound came from overhead. I was dragged somewhere without a moment to come to my senses. Click. The door was closed behind my back. A room with no light. Light streaming in through the half-open curtains dimly lit the room. The faint scent of incense candles, a cozy single bed and a dark brown armchair swaying back and forth as if someone had been sitting there just a moment ago. And a tall black shadow standing in front of me. ¡°Who¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± A soft voice and a gentle breath tickled my ears. Twitch. I shrugged my shoulders and looked up at the man in front of me. The man¡¯s face darkened against the sunlight. ¡°Obviously she ran this way¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Step, step. As the sound of the men¡¯s footsteps approached, it seemed that my whole body was shrinking. I felt sweat dripping down my cheeks and glistening on my temples. Even the palms holding Hughuwek were moist. If they open this door and come in¡­¡­ What should I do then? I¡¯m not a murderer, will they believe me? No, I¡¯m really¡­¡­ innocent? My head was spinning with questions that bit my words. Please pass by, please. As extreme tension arose, an unbearable gurgling, like seasickness, formed in my throat. I tightened my trembling jaw and held my breath. If I could, I wanted to cover my mouth with both hands, but I couldn¡¯t because I was holding Hughuwek. Instead, I held my breath as much as possible so as not to leak even the slightest bit of air. Hoping and hoping that the child doesn¡¯t whine. ¡°Ugh! That¡¯s what you guys did! Get back up the deck!¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault for not seeing her either!¡± ¡°You have to find her before they anchor in the harbor, and if she runs to the capital, you won¡¯t even see the bounty! If something goes wrong, think that it¡¯s all because of you!¡± The sound of the men¡¯s footsteps faded away. I took a deep breath that I had been holding back until I could hear nothing but the beating of my heart. ¡°Th, thank you.¡± As my heart that was about to burst gradually calmed down, I thought of the man in front of me. It was only then that I felt the man¡¯s tight thighs between my legs, his hot breath on my forehead, and the large hands wrapped around my entire forearm. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d be like in 10 years, but when I was 16, I swear I had never had such close contact with the opposite sex. Besides, why is the man¡¯s body so hard, thick and hot? Even though my skin didn¡¯t touch it, the heat from the man stuck to my skin. The room was in silence. I wanted to scrape my skin off because of the strange tickling that spread all over my body. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡­ for a moment. Too close¡­¡­ Ah!¡± The man moved in the dark. He pulled me in without warning. I swallowed my startled breath and instinctively hugged the child tightly. The strong grip force that seemed to crush me completely ignited my will to resist. My body, which was dragged away helplessly, settled down on the man¡¯s hard thighs. Sitting on a sunlit bed with a man I had never seen before. The shock hit my head. No, what the hell is this¡­¡­. My heart was pounding and my body was full of strength. I struggled to get out of the man¡¯s arms, but I was stopped by one big, hot hand. The man pulled my leg up and put it on the bed. ¡°The, there¡­¡­.¡± The words didn¡¯t come out properly in embarrassment. The man¡¯s chest touched the side of my face. I could feel his heart beating as fast as mine. No, maybe he was beating faster than me. Confused, the man¡¯s hand lifted my chin. As I lifted my head, my eyes met the man who was outside the darkness. His sharp eyes were not unfamiliar. A perfectly neat outfit with no mess of red hair. A sensitive and cold impression that evokes tension. He was extremely rational and ascetic, as if he had never been on fire. ¡°¡­¡­ Teacher.¡± It was none other than my personal tutor, Blake Javern, who gave me a hot look while stroking my thighs like a lover. As I murmured with my eyes wide open, Blake gently stroked my raised eyelids with his thumb. I got goosebumps at the kindness that I couldn¡¯t even imagine as the Blake I knew. ¡°I thought we would see each other again, Liana.¡± A low voice and hot breath poured into my ears. Unconsciously, I rubbed my ear with my shoulder in the creepy, tickling sensation. ¡°Tea, teacher¡­¡­ Why are you¡­¡­.¡± My confusion arose as he looked completely different from the Blake I knew. It¡¯s really¡­¡­ Blake right? Red hair brushed cleanly on one side, lips red and shiny like blood, and black eyes that sank as if color did not exist. A jacket that is angled without a single wrinkle, a button that is straight down to the neck, and the sleeves that reveal the wrist bones and the elegant nails that have always been neat and round¡­¡­ Obviously, this was the real Blake in my memory. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 9 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 9 But, but. The cold face that did not give me a smile, the eyes that lifted the stick without mercy are now dotted with love. I was deeply embarrassed by the eyes that seemed to flow with honey. Why are you looking at me like that, teacher? ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been called by that name, so it felt different. I thought I was going crazy because I missed you, Liana. No, I was crazy. I prayed that your face would rise like a mirage wherever I looked, and that I would never wake up from the dream where I could see you.¡± He lowered his head, pressed his lips to my cheek, and whispered. As his soft lips moved, his intense voice licked my skin. I couldn¡¯t respond. Because I had no way of knowing what had happened. In ten years¡­¡­ What the hell happened? ¡°Teacher, this is Liana. Liana Mitchell.¡± I even wondered if he had mistaken me for someone else. ¡°Do you think I look crazy too? I couldn¡¯t have forgotten you. I thought of you every day. As naturally as you breathe when you open your eyes after dreaming, you are naturally embedded in my head first. In fact, I¡¯m still afraid. If I turn my head, you will disappear like smoke.¡± ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless to look at me with those eyes. Because I have no intention of letting you go.¡± What the hell happened to me in the last ten years? I couldn¡¯t finally get the question out of my mouth. Blake tilted his head and came closer. His body odor filled my nostrils. ¡°Wait¡­¡­ Ah!¡± As I was about to turn my head away from Blake¡¯s lips, the hand gently caressing my thigh tightened. My legs trembled as I felt the terrible power grabbing my thighs. Then my head was lifted and my lips swallowed. A voice calling for Blake rose, but it was all chewed up in his mouth. ¡°Ooheup, heup!¡± It¡¯s the first kiss in my life. It wasn¡¯t sweet, and there was no tickling excitement. The thick body odor of a man who was excited by longing and his tongue poking violently took hold of my reason. My body slumped over, unable to bear the weight of his lips rubbing harshly. If it hadn¡¯t been for the steel arms that tightly wrapped around my back, I would have collapsed backward. Blake pressed our lips together and poked his tongue in every corner of my mouth, without a moment¡¯s pause, like a thirsty man. He licked the sensitive skin on the inside of my cheeks, and thrust his tongue deep into my throat with the force to pierce my throat. My closed eyelids trembled. ¡°Ha, uh¡­¡­.¡± A pained voice began to flow from my mouth. It was as if my head was melting hot from the kiss that pushed me without a break. He pulled out my whole tongue and sucked it, then crushed the soft flesh under his own tongue as if digging it. Saliva gushed out, moans and wet sounds filled the air vigorously. ¡°Huhp, uh, wa, wait¡­¡­ !¡± I couldn¡¯t breathe, either because of the heat, or because of Blake, who was covering my mouth. I opened my mouth wide and panted wildly, then tapped him on the shoulder and chest in that kiss that seemed like it would never end. Turning his head, he bit my cheek painfully, then crawled and swallowed my lips. ¡°My, my breath¡­¡­ Uhp, hheuup.¡± ¡°Haa, I missed you, Liana.¡± He rolled up the hem of my dress and ran his hot palms over my bare skin. He gently rubbed my side, then stroked my back as if stroking a child¡¯s head. Then he touched each of the prominent backbones with his hand, evoking a strange sensation. My thighs trembled at the strange sensation I had never felt before. My eyes were wet, and my head was a mess. I pleaded with a weeping voice as I crushed the hem of Blake¡¯s straight robe. ¡°The, the baby¡­¡­.¡± Blake stopped as he turned his head and kissed my lips deeply. His teeth bit my lip slightly and gently rubbed it with the tip of his tongue as if regretfully. I seized the opportunity to take advantage of the quiet moment to run away, and tilted my head back. Hughuwek was asleep and exhaling happily even in this situation. Kiss. Once again, our lips touched lightly and then fell apart. Blake¡¯s gaze rested on me for a long time, then he turned to the child. ¡­¡­ Could it be that Blake is Hughuwek¡¯s father? Nonsense. The question of whether we were lovers suddenly came to mind. However, I didn¡¯t ask aloud. [Don¡¯t trust anyone, Liana. Never, never, never trust anyone. Don¡¯t trust anyone, nobody. Liana, please, please, pl¡­¡­] The note that ¡®I¡¯ had written before I lost my memory put a lock on my lips. ¡­¡­ How much can I tell Blake? Would it be alright if I revealed that I lost my memory? How do I trust Blake? Even when I was 16, we had never had a bond so deep as to share a secret with him. He was just a tutor who came to my home twice a week. To such Blake¡­¡­ Can I reveal my condition right now? I shook my head. I got up, hugging Hughuwek tightly in my arms. I was almost knocked over because of my weak legs, but I was able to center myself quickly before Blake reached out and grabbed my arm. ¡°Liana, why are you looking at me like that? Huh?¡± Swallowing, I calmed my trembling voice to the best of my ability and said. ¡°Seeing this child¡­¡­ Do you have any thoughts?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m fine, Liana. I can understand no matter whose child you are having. You just need to stay by my side.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°No way, is this my child?¡± Blake stood up in surprise. He asked again, grabbing my forearm as if he was about to crush it. ¡°Whatever you say is fine, please tell me, Liana. Is that child yours and mine? Huh? Please, Liana.¡± Even Blake wasn¡¯t sure if it was his own. If he was my only lover¡­¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have gotten this kind of reaction. Other than Blake¡­¡­ Does that mean there¡¯s another guy? *** I have many memories of Blake, but the sharpest of them is the moment I was beaten by him. Whip, slap! A slender baton struck my delicate skin. A long straight line of red marks continued on my white calf. Exactly the third time I got hit, I bent my knees and hid my calves. ¡°Get up, there are seven left.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡­ It hurts so much. Can¡¯t you give me a chance once? I¡¯ll definitely do my homework next time. Heuk.¡± Sitting in an antique velvet chair, Blake was like a god to me at this moment. The only savior who could rescue me from that wretched rod. Without shame, I knelt before Blake. Tears welled up in my eyes and my vision blurred. ¡°What would I do if you made a fuss?¡± ¡°Get, get hit double¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Get up.¡± What was I thinking, savior? Even if I stabbed him, it was clear that not a drop of blood would come out. Even when a ten-year-old young student begged like this, there was no way he would care. I was a fool for expecting mercy from him. Where did my father bring such a human being as this teacher¡­.? ¡°Get up.¡± I climbed into the desk with an expression that I hated him to death. ¡°Ahk!¡± Blake suddenly grabbed my calf in one hand and gave me a tight squeeze. The hem of my skirt and the flesh of the calf were crushed all at once in his grasp. ¡°Even if you look at me like that, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± How did I look at you? I wanted to protest that I looked at him because I thought he wouldn¡¯t look back at me, but I had never had a good time talking back to Blake. I pouted and rolled my skirt up to my knees. Watching Blake untie his watch and roll up his sleeves, I frustratedly said, ¡®Today I¡¯m dead.¡¯ As I later found out, Mr. Blake was not a Crovatium person. I had never heard of his family, so I assumed he was a country nobleman with a small estate at best. However, it turned out that he was the youngest prince of Letonia, a kingdom located on the eastern continent. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 10 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 10 Since he was just starting to learn to speak, he had read thick books of thought and philosophy that could be used as a blunt weapon. With his constant craving for new knowledge, he had excelled as a genius by entering numerous fields such as geology, history, politics, astronomy, and engineering. I could feel the extraordinariness as if reading the life story of a hero. The people of Letonia wanted Blake to become the next master of the throne, though Blake had no interest in the throne. He only had a desire to savor new knowledge. Therefore, in order to learn many things in the wider world, he abandoned the royal life, bought the surname and title of ¡®Javern,¡¯ and ran out of the Royal Palace. I didn¡¯t want to tie myself into the same category as Blake, who was so callous and unlucky that I wondered if he was human, although his decision made more sense than anyone else. I, too, have been struggling to leave my comfortable home and go to study abroad. Oh, even though Blake left the castle and left for a foreign country, his relationship with his family did not break up. The royal couple respected their son¡¯s decision, and he said he would occasionally write letters to his mother, who was weak by birth. No wonder¡­ He was not at all discouraged when my father asked to teach me a little softly, but rather, he would have been able to boldly say, ¡°If you don¡¯t like my education system, hire another private tutor.¡± If someone asked me how I knew about Blake so well, I wanted to respond, ¡®what I was supposed to do when I heard something that came into my ears even if I didn¡¯t want to know?¡¯ Undoubtedly, his splendid background, his genius that would go down in history, and his cold impression that it was hard to approach. On top of that, because of his tall height and handsome and beautiful face, the word about him circulated everywhere he went. I received countless requests from the Academy to deliver love letters for him. Even if I was rejected because Teacher Blake was scary and difficult, my friends were reckless. In the end, I couldn¡¯t overcome the begging and delivered the love letter, and the whipping I got hit that day was particularly painful. Whip, slap! ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°I would have told you not to think about other things during my class.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Because it hurts so much¡­I¡¯m trying to forget the pain¡­¡± There was a lot of regret in my voice. I clenched my teeth so as not to shed tears. Meanwhile, Blake swung his stick as if he didn¡¯t feel any pity for me. Whip, slap. Whip, slap¡­ A cold rod cut through the air and slammed my calf. It felt as if the burning sensation on the skin was tearing me apart. ¡°Huwaaaa, ah! It! It hurts¡­ Ah!¡± The heat around the eyes was more intense than the calves. I chewed my lower lip the whole time I was beaten and endured the pain, and finally, a wet moan broke out. ¡­I was wrong, I¡¯ll do my homework. I¡¯ll do twice as much as you gave me last week. Forgetting my shame, I cried and begged. ¡°You can¡¯t even handle it.¡± My hand, which had lifted my skirt, trembled terribly. When the pain that had been heating up my calves stopped, I belatedly thought that he had beaten me too much for something I had never done before. Well¡­ I was the one who confidently answered, ¡°Ten!¡± when asked how many hits I would get if I didn¡¯t do my homework, but it was still disappointing. There was no reason to feel wrong, but it was so. In a sniff, I heard the soundtak¡ªBlake putting down the stick. Then, cold palms touched my hot calves as if they were on fire. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Ugh, are you the one talk?¡± ¡°Come this way.¡± He stretched out his arm towards me. His voice was so sweet that it was incomparable to the time I had heard the whip, and it was like a different person. Whispers naturally erupted in the relaxed atmosphere. He didn¡¯t even hold my hand even as I came down from the desk, trembling. It wasn¡¯t that I was urging him to say why he was acting so slowly. He just sat there and watched me as I took each strenuous step and shed tears and runny nose. ¡°Are you going to do your homework now?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I believe you. Get down here, I will take care of your wounds.¡± Blake got up from his chair. Even though it was just a simple movement from sitting down, he strangely caught my eye because he was so tall. Long legs seemed to take twice as long as others to get up. Blake¡¯s height difference was so significant that I had to tilt my head back a long way to see his face. I sat down on a soft chair with my knees bent. I put my hips up. The body temperature he had left in the chair was holding up well, and it wrapped itself around me as if praising me. ¡°Ugh¡­ it hurts. It hurt so much that I almost ran away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± His large hand caressed my swollen, swollen calf. Thinking he was comforting me, resentment and fear towards him dispersed like smoke. Blake took out the ointment and applied it thoroughly to my calf. He also tied the hem of my skirt tightly above my knees, so it did not touch my calves. ¡°¡­It really hurt.¡± I wanted to hear compliments from him saying, ¡®You endured well.¡¯ Although the pain had long since passed, I whispered timidly once more. Blake patted my head and said, ¡°If you do your homework, it won¡¯t hurt.¡± Despite the fact that it was far from the answer I was hoping for, I liked the soft touch from the top of my head to the back of my head, and I liked the gentle voice, so a bashful smile leaked out. ¡°I will definitely do my homework now.¡± ¡°Neither do I want to beat you either.¡± Lies. My lips twitched. If I didn¡¯t like it and the teacher didn¡¯t like it, he didn¡¯t have to hit me. Then, we would both be happy. I said sarcastically inside to my heart¡¯s content. The next moment, I heard another voice saying that I couldn¡¯t concentrate in class. Blake, who kept his appointment on time, started the class at the correct time without a single minute of error. However, for the next class, after I took the beating, he arrived thirty minutes earlier than usual to take care of the wounds. Applying the ointment meticulously, he blew the wind with his mouth. The look didn¡¯t suit him at all. As his breath hit my calves, I had to struggle quite a bit to hide my goosebumps. It was dissatisfying that I had to leave thirty minutes early because of his kindness. Nevertheless, the touch that gently caressed the wound wasn¡¯t bad, and I was never late for class, even on the day we started thirty minutes early. Ah¡­ wait. Looking back on my memories¡­ For some reason, I only vividly remember the time when Blake was kind to me. Nonsense. I blew away ten years of memories¡­ What really happened to my head? On the day of Blake¡¯s tutoring, I sighed more than a thousand times. I even sighed with the tension of having to take his class from the day before. Yes, how terrified I had to take his class. Sweet Blake was ridiculous. Though My last memory, when I was sixteen¡­ I had the last class with Blake the day before I went to study abroad. When I mentioned that I was going to study abroad¡­ What was Blake¡¯s expression like? The memory of that time was hazy, as if a black cloud had covered it. Even though I gave strength to my forehead and tried to recall that time, I couldn¡¯t dig deep into the memories of the past as if a black wall was blocking me. My head felt weird. It was really strange. When I get to the mansion, I¡¯ll have to call the doctor first. Now, I need a detailed examination. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to answer, I won¡¯t force you to ask.¡± Blake spoke calmly as he ran his fingers through my hair. At this, I chuckled to myself. This was funny. Couldn¡¯t he remember what he did to me at sixteen? He would throw out a question and pour heartless words without hesitation if I didn¡¯t answer it properly. ¡°Am I taking a class with a goldfish right now?¡±, ¡°This is the first time I have ever felt skeptical in my life as an educator. I have prided myself on being a pretty good teacher.¡±, ¡°Is my pronunciation a mess? Or maybe there¡¯s something wrong with the Miss¡¯ ear, or¡­ Does your head hurt by any chance?¡± ¡­How many tears did I have to swallow at the bitter ridicule? There had been times when I memorized the entire textbook to hear Blake¡¯s praises. But, as if he knew that I had memorized the textbook, he would ask questions from the previous level textbook I finished less than a month ago. I became mute. Such a guy¡­ what the hell? And now, he¡¯s not forcing me to answer¡­? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 11 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 11 I feel betrayed by the contrasting attitude. Sunlight poured through the open curtains. I sat on the bed and gazed at the endless blue horizon. The sparkling waves swelled and rushed deep into my eyes. The chilly winter waves swept away all the thoughts and scattered them in my head. On the other hand, Hughuwek was still sleeping well. It was a hundred times better than crying till your ears get sore, though I couldn¡¯t help but envy the child who slept with his mouth open. ¡°Liana¡­ Can¡¯t you look at me just once? We met again after almost a year.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I sent you a letter every day, did you not receive it? I was worried because I never got a reply. You didn¡¯t get hurt, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯ll do. If you¡¯re all right, that¡¯s¡­¡± Well. If you have a wound, you can apply an ointment, and if you are poisoned, you can drink an antidote. However, how could I fix it when I have become an idiot with ten years of memories completely blown away¡­? Furthermore¡­ Suddenly, a child was born. I wiped Hughuwek¡¯s convex forehead in my arms. When my soft skin touched him, he smiled for no reason. But, was the child¡¯s father really Blake? If it was true, it was a problem. And, if it was not, it was a problem. The thought of living with the sweetly honey-bunny Blake gave me goosebumps. No¡­. We have to live separately after a fierce custody battle. Although if it was not Blake, what to do if it was another man¡­? What a promiscuous life I had been living for ten years. I would be disappointed in myself. ¡°Liana¡­¡± Blake, who longed for affection from me, was still unfamiliar. I knew that I had to act as if I was familiar with his attitude, though my body¡¯s reaction was honest enough to be transparent. My neck and back were stiff, unable to meet his eyes, and my words stuttered. Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t show this kind of reaction forever. Besides being chased by men, I needed Blake¡¯s help¡­ I didn¡¯t have any money. ¡°Well¡­¡± I opened my mouth with difficulty. At twenty-six, I think I would have called Blake by another title instead of ¡®teacher,¡¯ but I didn¡¯t even know what it was, and even if I did, I wasn¡¯t confident to call him that. I turned my body, which had completely turned my back on him, slightly. We did not face each other, and I only slightly showed my side. Still, Blake took a deep breath as if he was greatly moved by this small change in me. ¡°Yes, Liana. Say anything.¡± ¡°I want to go¡­home.¡± I hugged the child tightly as if he was a piece of armor to protect me. Because I couldn¡¯t control my strength, he frowned slightly as if he was uncomfortable, but he soon got used to it and calmly softened his face again. ¡°Home¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Blake smiled sweetly. I was taken aback by the unexpected reaction. Why was he smiling? While glancing at him curiously, a subtle weight fell on my shoulder. Blake rubbed his face against my neck and let out a pleasant breath. I just rolled my eyes, not knowing how to react. ¡°It¡¯s still there. The bedroom we used to share, the flowerpot you looked at once, and the clothes you wore often. I knew this day would come, and I didn¡¯t dispose of any of them. I had someone take care of it every day, so there is no need to clean and you can go home right away.¡± ¡­What was this again? For a moment, I doubted my ears. What¡­ Shared, shared bedroom? My mouth opened in embarrassment. Did that mean I was living with Blake? I hurriedly pushed him off my shoulder. When our eyes met, he turned his head as if wanting to kiss me, and I covered his approaching face with both hands. He was constantly showing affection by licking my palm with his lips. ¡°No, not that house. My house. Mitchell¡¯s mansion.¡± Blake, who was biting my palm, stopped. He slowly raised his dark eyes, which he had pulled down, and stared into my eyes. The sharpness that seemed to see through the inside flowed into me. He slowly tilted his head back. The hand where his lips touched was unusually hot and tickling, so I secretly rubbed it against my thigh. ¡°The Mitchell mansion?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Why there?¡± It was a strange question. I was from the Mitchell family, so why was he asking me why I would be going to my house¡­? ¡°I have something to check.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± The devotion that seemed to want to offer me his body and soul disappeared like an illusion, and Blake, who was holding a stick at the sixteen-year-old me appeared. The two eyes, which sank more quietly than the night sky, seemed like blackened ashes. I nodded my head. An uncomfortable silence descended. His eyes froze me like a man with limbs bound, and he stared at me with a serious expression on his face. ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll do anything.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± My heart trembled anxiously. Was there a problem at home? All sorts of conjectures popped up. I glanced at Blake¡¯s mouth with a nervous feeling. Hoping that he would tell me something that could be a clue. Nonetheless, he just put a blanket over my shoulders and carefully combed my messy, sweaty hair. I did not refuse his touch. No, I didn¡¯t even think about rejecting it. It was difficult to keep my composure since I saw him reacting like I shouldn¡¯t go home. No way¡­ Did I go to study abroad saying I was going to study, and in the end, I made bad friends there? I may have drowned my life in alcohol, drugs, and gambling. I have often been told that I am weak to temptation. The possibility of becoming a rebel cannot be ruled out. I became a child who was too embarrassing for the family¡­ My parents may have cut ties with me. Seeing that I had more men than Blake seemed like a reasonable guess. What if my parents tell me to leave while pouring cold water on me? What do you mean what if¡­ I should get down on my knees and beg. A long navy blue coat that covered the ankles, a hat that covered the entire face, and even a scarf that reached under the eyes. I borrowed Blake¡¯s clothes and hid myself completely before getting off the boat. He stopped me, saying that the outfit would stand out more, though when I stubbornly shook my head, he said okay and backed away. These were the people who recognized me just by looking at my sleeping side. Because of that, I had to hide my face like this so they would not know me. However, despite the effort of choosing clothes for over an hour, we escaped through a different route instead of the usual pier. Blake gave the sailor money without a word, and the sailor familiarly led us elsewhere. As if it was a passage for sailors to pass through, the door was narrow enough for only one person to pass through. The surroundings were quiet. Why did I wear a hat and a scarf? Had I known in advance that such a passageway existed, I would not have done such a stupid thing. I took off my hat and looked at Blake with resentment. A soft light flashed in his black eyes. ¡°I said it was too much.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was as if he was making fun of me like he had done nothing wrong. ¡°Give me the child.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Take off your coat. It¡¯s fine for now, though when you enter the square, everyone will be suspicious. It¡¯s like putting ¡®suspicious¡¯ on your forehead.¡± ¡°I will take it off.¡± I took off my coat inconveniently with one hand holding Hughuwek. Even though the end of the coat was rubbed on the floor, I didn¡¯t care, thinking that it was okay for it to have scratches like this because it was the coat of the guy who made fun of me. Besides, Blake accepted the coat familiarly as if he didn¡¯t really care. The hat that securely covered my head suddenly disappeared. ¡°Take this off, too.¡± ¡°Why!¡± Instead of answering, he loosened the black scarf and put it back on. It was much more elaborate and meticulous workmanship than the sloppy knot I had tied. The scarf reached just above the bridge of my nose and covered half of my face. ¡°This is enough.¡± Then, he gently caressed my bangs with his hand. As his neat fingertips touched my eyebrows, I shut my eyes involuntarily and laid down my face. It was only when his hand fell off that I was surprised at what he had done. As if it wasn¡¯t the first time Blake had arranged my bangs like this, my body remembered his touch. ¡°The carriage will arrive soon.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Would you like to come in since it¡¯s cold?¡± He pulled back his coat and showed his arms. A perfect fit for his body perfectly revealed the contours of his solid upper body. He wasn¡¯t even taking his clothes off, but for some reason, a fever rose in my ear. I hurriedly bowed my face, which would have turned red, and shook my head. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 12 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 12 I hurriedly bowed my face, which would have turned red, and shook my head. It was still awkward for Blake to act like we were a lover. After we got into the carriage, we didn¡¯t talk at all. Both of us were conscious of each other, though it was also funny that we kept our mouths shut as if we were in front of strangers. When he glanced at me without turning his gaze once, I tried to ignore his gaze and gazed at the scenery outside the window meaninglessly. ¡­Oh, why is he looking at me like this? ¡°Liana.¡± That scared me. Breaking through the noise of the rattling carriage, a low voice called out to me. I moved my creaky neck to look at Blake. ¡°Tell me honestly. Now¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Did you hate me?¡± Blake, who had always been cold and venomous, now spoke a sentence with great difficulty. It was a calm tone, though anxiety was visible in the eyes embedded in me. I took a small breath in surprise before wetting my dry lips and letting out nothing but a meaningless sigh. I could see the strength in the back of Blake¡¯s hand. He was nervous. He fretted like a sinner whose life and death was decided by the words that came out of my lips. Here, I had to make a decision, whether or not to shake off the awkward Blake. The answer came easier than expected. He was the person who stayed in a lost decade of memory. We also have a pretty deep relationship. It also meant that there was no better chance than Blake to find clues to my memories. ¡°No way¡­ There¡¯s no way.¡± Blake ran down his face with his big hands. Seeing him relieved, my heart pounded. ¡°Now, I will never leave your side no matter whatever happens.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Well, if there¡¯s an urgent matter, you can leave¡­ No, no, not that. Teacher is also busy with work.¡± Seeing his eyes gleaming wildly for a moment, I quickly changed my words. ¡°You have been calling me by that name since earlier.¡± ¡°¡­Do you have any other titles you would like to be called by?¡± ¡°Anything. You may call my name as you normally do. If you continue to call me teacher¡­¡± He pondered something with a serious expression on his face before opening his mouth again, ¡°I don¡¯t have a hobby of being a teacher even on the bed, but I think you can have a pretty good night.¡± I completely erased the title of a teacher from my mind as if it did not exist in this world. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± I thought I would stand in front of the mansion, but looking out the window, I had to walk a bit. Even though I was skeptical, it wasn¡¯t a very long walk, and it was Blake who was paying the bill, so I quietly followed his decision. ¡°If you want to go back now, just tell me.¡± ¡°I want to run, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The coachman opened the door. Blake got off first, followed by a grab in my waist as I got off. He lifted me and Hughuwek lightly, then carefully lowered us. It didn¡¯t seem like he had done it just once or twice. I can get off the carriage by myself¡­ In his attitude, as if he was embracing me like this, I could see how much he cared for and loved me with the utmost sincerity. How did teacher and I end up in this relationship¡­? As I glanced up at him as he unfolded the crumpled cape for cold protection, I suddenly fell into thoughts. In my memory, the last time I saw teacher was ten years ago, the day before I left to study abroad. I still couldn¡¯t remember what his expression looked like when I announced the news of studying abroad. At that time, I only recognized Blake as a scary and strict teacher, and I had no feelings for him as a person of the opposite sex. When I went to study abroad, I was thinking of writing a letter and sending it to him. His name was also on the list of must-have gifts. But, that was it. It was difficult to imagine that I would deliberately take time to meet him or, conversely, he would come to see me. Though what about now? He cared for me more than I cared for Hughuwek. In the past, I had to be careful with my words. Although now, it seemed like even if I swear, he would kiss me, saying he loved me. Wait¡­ Could I say anything? An electric current flashed in my mind. My heart was pounding with curiosity, and I could feel the closed mouth drawing a curve without me knowing. Could I really say anything to that Blake¡­? Such a question lingered on my lips. The sad past, when I could only curse him inside, passed like a lantern, and the opportunity for revenge finally came, which made my taste buds. I gathered all the courage within me. Finally, I opened my mouth, staring intently at his unchangingly handsome face. ¡°Hey, you.¡± The jet-black eyes that had lingered on my collar met my gaze, scanning my chin, lips, and the tip of my nose in turn. The moment I saw that slow movement, I knew something was wrong. My face, which had hardened inside the thick black eyes, was fully reflected. My spine was chilled at the expression, cold enough to freeze my blood vessels. Without realizing it, I stopped breathing. ¡°Liana, I told you. It¡¯s not okay to speak rudely.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± I didn¡¯t mean to curse, I just called ¡°Hey, you¡± once, but I thought it was too much to look at someone with eyes as if he was going to kill me. Still, as always, I couldn¡¯t bring my complaints out of my mouth. No, what was the reason for his sudden change to such an extreme degree¡­? I felt the heat rising on my skin from embarrassment. Not knowing what to do, I pressed my lips to Hughuwek¡¯s forehead for nothing. I walked forward without saying a word as if to throw him off. However, despite the fact that I often ran, he walked a few times with his long legs and quickly caught up. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll really be okay?¡± It was a sudden question. When I lifted my head, Blake was staring straight ahead with his darkened eyes. ¡°I am going to my house.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It seemed that my relationship with my parents had changed entirely. The speculation that I might have lived a prodigal life for ten years was coming true. From the moment I saw the familiar wall, my desire to see my parents rose to an unbearable level. I was about to open the front door and run inside, though the atmosphere in the mansion was strange. There was no servant guarding the front door, and the gorgeous rose bushes that had crossed the outer wall were all withered. It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize that something was wrong. ¡°¡­Uh?¡± I pushed the front door, swaying softly with the wind, as the lock wasn¡¯t latched. The lush garden that the gardener carefully cultivated every morning was as lifeless as if death swept by. Lush unmanaged weeds stretched out like grass on a neglected graveyard, and the statues that glittered in the sunlight were also fading to gray as the black dust settled down. The noisy voices of the servants and the garden, which had been energized by the dew on the fresh leaves of grass and the fragrant smell of flowers, were also quietly asleep. An ominous stillness crashed my heart to my toes. I walked frantically and climbed the stone steps leading to the main building. Garbage such as weeds and old papers was lying on the stairs, which were always clean with no leaves. I pushed the dusty door hard with one hand. The door, which had been lubricated on the hinges from time to time and could be opened smoothly without the help of anyone, now had stopped working and became stiff like a corroded cog. ¡°Is anyone inside? It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me! Liana!¡± I shook the heavy door back and forth, before giving up and slamming my fist. No matter how hard I tried, the only answer to me was a monstrous silence. ¡­Have they moved to another location? Nonetheless, from the garden to the bricks and small decorations, this mansion was built with love by my parents and all their hearts. They even bought the whole mountain to build a tomb on the mountain overlooking the mansion when they died. So, that mountain¡­ ¡°¡­Where was it?¡± I felt dizzy as if I had drowned without seeing the pit under my feet. ¡­I couldn¡¯t remember. I hurriedly turned my head and looked over the wall. Ah¡­! Yes, there was that mountain. There really was a mountain near the mansion. Though my memory was hazy, it was definitely there. That was right, it was that mountain! After seeing it, it became clear. It was fortunate that the scattered puzzles had found their place, but a deep, terrifying despair, more profound than the relief, took root in my heart. It was because it became clear that my parents were not going to leave this mansion behind. ¡°Open the door, please! Please, open it!¡± While I was making a sound as if I was going to faint, the door that had been immobilized opened with a strange noise. At some point, I could see Blake with his arms stretched out from behind me. I swallowed the saliva that filled my mouth and gazed up at him with a strange expression on my face. He looked a little angry for some reason. A force sharper than a winter¡¯s wind seemed to blow out from him and stabbed me in my flesh, but now, I couldn¡¯t afford to comprehend his feelings. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤