~Chapter 109~
“It’s not allowed, my Lady!”
Even though it wasn’t yet noon, loud noise echoed through the house.
Armians put down his pen and stood up. The sound came from the back gate—and as expected, the cause was Bella.
She stood there blankly blinking, surrounded by maids.
Armians waved the maids away and walked up to her.
“Did you use magic again?”
Bella silently pointed at the air.
It looked meaningless, but Armians understood what she meant.
“There was a crack there, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
The more memories she lost, the more Bella became like a child.
She forgot her own name, her surroundings, even directions. Inside the mansion, she often got lost, so the maids had to follow her everywhere to make sure she didn’t wander off.
No one knew why she never forgot how to use magic…
“…Let’s go inside first. Since it’s close to noon, let’s eat together.”
Bella followed him quietly without a word.
At the table, food was quickly served. Even though most dishes were familiar, Bella stared at them like they were all new.
“Here, eat.”
Armians cut a piece of steak and handed it to her.
Maids couldn’t completely watch Bella, nor could knights. If she wanted, she could teleport endlessly, and no one could stop her.
Since she might wander off again, Armians tried to make her eat as much high-calorie food as possible.
Bella never complained—she ate obediently, cheeks puffed up with meat, looking unexpectedly cute.
Armians imagined she must have been a gentle, simple, easy-to-please child in her younger days. Maybe even innocent.
That must have been why Wilhelm Rohiltern tricked her into signing those absurd papers.
Thinking of it, Armians clenched his fists tightly.
He had only been at the Rohiltern mansion less than a year, but he had already seen how Bella was treated.
Wilhelm said he was innocent since he never abused Bella directly—but that was nonsense. If he hadn’t schemed to steal her fortune, Bella would never have suffered like that.
Armians remembered his death: mauled by a beast, his face twisted in terror. The pain must have been brief—the beast had bitten his vital spot instantly.
“He shouldn’t have been allowed such an easy death.”
The thought filled Armians with regret, that Wilhelm was already dead and beyond revenge.
He suddenly noticed Bella staring at him.
“…Ah.”
The spoon in his hand had bent from his grip. Embarrassed, he threw it away and hid his empty hands under the table.
“Bella, do you remember my name?”
“……?”
He hadn’t expected much, but seeing her confused look every time still drained him a little.
Yet instead of despairing, he smiled. Bella reacted strongly to emotions—if he looked sad or disappointed, she became anxious.
“My name is Armians.”
“Armians…”
“Please, at least remember me until tonight.”
It was also his way of asking her not to use magic until then.
Bella nodded vaguely, without really understanding.
Truthfully, he wanted to keep her by his side all the time. But there were things he had to do.
‘I must find Axxion Blancia’s whereabouts.’
Even though the Great Beast was dead, cracks kept appearing. Armians believed Axxion was connected. Isabel had named him the culprit, so catching him was the only way to end this.
After sending Bella back to her room, Armians buried himself in his office, listening to reports.
“What about the Marquis?”
“Still missing, sir.”
“And Charlotte?”
“The same. Perhaps, as the Lady guessed, Charlotte might have been the Great Beast.”
If that were true, it was the worst. Two of the people who ruined Bella’s life were already dead, beyond his reach.
“Leave me.”
Once alone, Armians let his hidden anxiety burst out.
On the day he realized Bella’s condition, she had gone to Richard. Unlike others, Richard had reacted differently.
[You knew, didn’t you?]
Richard hadn’t denied it.
[How could you let her continue, knowing everything? You should have stopped her—at the very least, you should have told me!]
[Grand Duke, could you truly stop her?]
Richard’s eyes had been hollow, like someone who had lost everything.
[She knew the price, yet she never hesitated. And you, more than anyone, should know why.]
Armians had no answer.
[Blame me if you wish. I am a sinner who passed down the curse to my descendants. But at least… remember her heart. Remember for her, as much as she forgets.]
Bella’s only wish—something she was willing to forget even her own name for—was her dream of safety.
How could he be angry at that?
She had even forgotten Richard before him. The pain of losing his granddaughter so soon after finding her must have been unbearable.
Armians leaned back and stared outside. Rain was falling quietly, soaking the ground.
‘Work, just focus on work…’
“Emergency!”
Beril burst into the office, breathless. Armians jumped up.
The report was true—Bella was in the garden.
Wearing only thin sleepwear, soaked by rain.
Armians quickly draped his coat over her shoulders. His hands were gentle, but his lips trembled in frustration.
“Are you insane? Do you want me to lose my mind?”
“Because I wanted to see you.”
Her innocent smile left him speechless.
“I thought… if I wanted to see you, I just had to come here.”
“…Why do you only remember the worst things?”
If only she could remember their kiss instead.
“Let’s go back inside.”
He sat her down and dried her wet hair. Bella, meanwhile, was doodling on the tablecloth with water stains.
“Please, never do this again.”
“……”
She only looked at him with clear eyes, making it impossible to lie.
“…No, you’ll probably do it again. But still, please don’t.”
What a foolish conversation. And she would forget it soon anyway.
After bathing to wash off the rain, Bella sat drowsily, half-asleep.
“Are you tired?”
She nodded.
“Then sleep. I’ll stay until you do.”
One good thing about her memory loss—she no longer hesitated with affection.
Bella hugged his waist and rested her head on his chest, like a child with a stuffed toy.
He held her gently.
She soon fell asleep, breathing softly.
‘Why does she have to be so cute…’
He was supposed to be angry, but he forgave her again.
Drowsiness crept over him too, with her in his arms.
By the time he woke up, the sun was already setting.
Armians turned to the side—
But Bella was gone.
“Bella?”
He touched the cold sheets. She wasn’t under the bed either.
“Bella!”
At his shout, the butler rushed in.
“What is it, sir?”
“Bella… she’s disappeared again.”
