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Chapter 14
The room was unexpectedly clean.
It was probably the cleanest inn he had stayed in so far.
“It actually looks pretty nice like this…”
After roughly unpacking (though calling it luggage was an exaggeration—it was just a map and a sword), Rian went to the bathroom and quickly washed off the dirty parts.
“I should change my clothes soon.”
Whenever his clothes got too dirty, he would stop by a village, buy new ones, and throw the old ones away.
While buying clothes, Rian decided he would ask about Rowengreen.
He stepped out of the inn and walked leisurely.
There weren’t many people in the village.
After finding a clothing shop, he went inside.
“Welcome!”
The shop owner was much more lively and friendly than the innkeeper.
Thinking it would be easy to ask questions, Rian casually picked some clothes, paid for them, and spoke.
“I have something to ask.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Has anyone unfamiliar come to this village recently?”
“…What kind of person?”
“Well… black hair, very handsome, light green eyes. He has a strong build and broad shoulders.”
He had only described Rowengreen’s appearance, but somehow it felt like he was praising him.
The shop owner thought for a moment before speaking.
“I think I might have seen someone similar…”
“Really?!”
Rian’s eyes widened.
He hadn’t expected to gain anything here.
“Where did you see him? Since when has he been here?”
“Um… I’m not sure of the exact date, but it’s probably been over a month. Though I could be wrong.”
The timing matched perfectly.
Rian’s heart began to beat faster.
“That’s fine. I’ll go check myself.”
“…Yourself?”
The shop owner muttered quietly.
“It won’t be easy to go there…”
“Pardon?”
“If you pass through Melina Forest, there should be a small house. I haven’t gone myself… but there’s no other way around. You have to go through the forest.”
“Melina… Forest?”
Rian’s expression hardened.
He hesitated.
If he didn’t go, the person living there might really be Rowengreen.
“There is one other way.”
“What? What is it?”
The shop owner leaned in and whispered as if sharing something important.
“The person living there sometimes comes down to the village to buy necessities. They came yesterday, so they’ll probably come again in two or three days.”
That meant he had to wait.
Rather than risking his life going through Melina Forest, Rian decided to stay in the village.
“Thank you for the information. How much are the clothes?”
“One silver.”
“Here you go.”
Rian quickly paid and left the shop.
For some reason, he had a good feeling this time.
But the person who was supposed to come in two or three days didn’t show up even after four days.
From morning until night, Rian waited at the village entrance, but there was no sign of anyone coming down.
“What… did they lie to me?”
But there was no reason for a stranger to lie to him.
Thinking maybe they had been wary of an outsider and given false information, Rian went to the village entrance early in the morning.
Still, no one appeared.
After tossing and turning all night and barely falling asleep at dawn, Rian let out a big yawn.
Then a problem arose.
“Ah, I need to use the bathroom.”
Suddenly desperate, he glanced up at the hill.
As expected, there was still no sign of anyone.
“Well… nothing will happen in that short time.”
Rian went back into the village, tilting his head.
“This has never happened before… Ah, I should hurry.”
Not long after Rian went back inside, Juhee and Rowen appeared over the hill.
“You overslept, so we’re late.”
“Sorry, Juhee. For some reason, I just couldn’t wake up today.”
Rowen smiled awkwardly.
He was usually the one who woke up early, but today he had gotten up later than Juhee.
“That’s strange. You’re not usually like this.”
Scratching his head, Rowen held a basket of herbs and followed Juhee down the hill.
“Let’s go together, Juhee!”
At his words, Juhee slowed her steps slightly.
She headed toward the herb shop with Rowen.
“Grandpa, we’re here.”
“You’re back?”
“Hello, Grandpa.”
Coincidentally, the herb shop wasn’t far from the inn.
“Grandpa, here are the herbs.”
“Thank you. Did you bring more Berina herbs?”
“Yes. I gathered plenty here at the bottom.”
The old man smiled in satisfaction as he transferred the herbs.
If Juhee had gathered them alone, it would have taken a long time, but with Rowen’s help, they collected far more.
“Here’s your money. Since you brought more than I asked, I added extra.”
“Thank you, Grandpa.”
Juhee bowed politely.
Rowen, who had been standing blankly beside her, also bowed.
After leaving the herb shop, they headed toward the grocery store when a voice called out from behind.
“E-Excuse me! Wait a moment!”
Juhee and Rowen turned around at the same time.
It was a man they had never seen before.
The man took a sharp breath when he saw their faces.
“Hah…!”
Juhee frowned slightly at his strange reaction.
She was about to ignore him, but the man hurriedly spoke.
“Yo—no, Lord Rowengreen!”
“…Rowengreen?”
Juhee murmured and glanced at Rowen.
Rowen looked confused, as if he had no idea.
The man rushed closer, grabbed Rowen’s hand, and spoke with tears in his eyes.
“Lord Rowengreen, where on earth have you been? I… I searched the entire country for you…!”
Rian exaggerated a little as he spoke.
He didn’t expect a reward, but just having his efforts acknowledged would make him happy.
But Rowengreen’s reaction was strange.
“Lord Rowengreen? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Rowen was staring at him as if he were a complete stranger.
He spoke carefully.
“Do you… know me?”
“…Huh?”
Rian was so shocked that a foolish sound escaped his mouth.
The woman beside Rowengreen seemed to be looking at him like he was ridiculous, making his face heat up.
“Lord Rowengreen, what do you mean? Please don’t joke.”
Rian’s face filled with confusion.
Juhee, who had been watching, spoke quietly.
“Do you know Rowen?”
“Huh? Who are you to call Lord Rowengreen so casually? That name was only used by his mother…!”
Juhee’s eyes narrowed.
Rowen looked like he was hearing this for the first time.
“My name… is Rowengreen?”
“….”
Rian’s mouth fell open.
He wondered if this was a twin, but as far as he knew, there wasn’t one.
Or maybe just someone who looked extremely similar—but they looked exactly the same.
Juhee spoke to Rian.
“Rowen has lost his memory.”
“He… lost his memory?”
It was like a thunderbolt.
It felt as if a rock had dropped on his head.
Rian couldn’t get used to the warmth in Rowengreen’s eyes.
The Rowengreen in the imperial palace had been cold and calculating.
He never showed sympathy and always acted logically.
Anything that threatened him was eliminated without hesitation—
—even if it was someone close to him.
Rian now understood that when people are too shocked, they lose the ability to speak.
After barely regaining his senses, he looked at Juhee and asked,
“Could you explain what happened?”
Juhee glanced around.
The villagers pretended not to, but they were all listening closely.
“This isn’t a good place to talk.”
“Ah… I see.”
Only then did Rian realize all the attention.
“Then where…?”
“Let’s talk at our house.”
“Your house?”
Rian looked back and forth between them and asked hesitantly,
“D-Do you two… live together?”
“Yes.”
Juhee nodded expressionlessly.
Rian’s mouth dropped open again.
He had never once seen Rowengreen with a woman.
When he had asked the captain, he was told that Rowengreen practically hated being around women.
So there had never even been a single strand of a woman’s hair near him.
“A… woman… Lord Rowengreen with a woman…”
As Rian muttered, Mel, who had been silent, whispered to Juhee.
—Juhee, this person seems strange. Shouldn’t we just leave him?
Juhee wanted to do that, but since he seemed to be someone who had come looking for Rowen, she couldn’t.
“If you’re done thinking, let’s go.”
“Ah, yes…”
“Before that, we need to buy some ingredients.”
Their basket was still empty.
Rian ended up shopping with Juhee and Rowen.
Following behind them, he stared at Rowen curiously.
If this was an act, it was far too natural.
“…Ha, this is something else.”
He didn’t know what to do.
Even if he took Rowengreen back to the imperial palace in this state, it would cause serious problems.
He could already imagine how Arsene would take advantage of this.
“He’d definitely say he’s unfit to be crown prince.”
There was only one option.
He had to restore Rowen’s memory as soon as possible.
Even if he couldn’t—
he would still have to take him back.
