Chapter 14
The room was unexpectedly clean.
It was probably the cleanest inn I’d stayed in so far.
“It actually looks nice like this…”
I unpacked my belongings—though it was just a map and a sword—and washed only the visibly dirty spots in the bathroom.
“I should really change clothes soon.”
Whenever my clothes got too dirty, I’d buy new ones in town and throw out the old.
Rian decided to ask about Lowengrin while shopping for clothes.
He strolled out of the inn and into the village.
There weren’t many people around.
When he found the clothing shop, he went inside.
“Welcome!”
The shopkeeper was friendlier and more outgoing than the innkeeper.
Thinking it would be easy to ask questions, Rian picked out some clothes, paid, and spoke up.
“I have a question.”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Has anyone I haven’t seen before arrived in this village?”
“What kind of person?”
“Well… they had black hair, were very handsome, with light green eyes, a strong build, and broad shoulders.”
Describing Lowengrin’s appearance felt almost like giving a compliment.
The shopkeeper thought for a moment, then said:
“I think I have seen someone like that…”
“Really? You have?”
Rian’s eyes widened.
“I wasn’t sure of the exact date, but it was probably over a month ago. Although I could be mistaken.”
The timing matched perfectly.
Rian’s heart began to race.
“That’s fine. I’ll go check it out myself.”
“…By yourself?”
The shopkeeper muttered under her breath:
“It’s hard to go on your own…”
“Pardon?”
“If you go past Melna Forest, there’s a small house. I’ve never been there myself, but there’s no other way—you have to go through the forest.”
“Melna… Forest?”
Rian’s expression stiffened.
He hesitated.
If he didn’t go, that person living there really might be Lowengrin.
“There is another way.”
“Oh? What is it?”
The shopkeeper leaned in and whispered:
“The person sometimes comes down to town to buy things. They were here yesterday, so they’ll probably come back in two or three days.”
So Rian decided to stay in town rather than risk going through the forest.
“Thank you for letting me know. How much for the clothes?”
“One silver, please.”
“Here you go.”
Rian paid quickly and left the shop.
For some reason, he had a good feeling this time.
But four days passed, and the person still hadn’t appeared.
Rian waited at the village entrance from morning until night, but there was no sign of anyone coming.
“What’s going on? Did she lie to me…?”
He couldn’t see any reason she’d lie to a stranger.
Wondering if she’d given false information out of caution, he worried all night and returned to the entrance at dawn.
Still, no one appeared.
Yawning—he hadn’t slept well last night—Rian realized he really needed a bathroom.
He glanced up the hill but saw no one.
“Well, nothing’s changed, I guess.”
He walked back into the village, puzzled:
“I’ve never had this happen before… I need to hurry.”
Shortly after re-entering the village, Joo-hee and Rowen appeared on the hill.
“Rowen slept in and got here late,” Joo-hee said.
“Sorry, Joo-hee. I just couldn’t wake up this morning,” Rowen replied with an awkward smile.
Normally he woke up before Joo-hee, but today he’d gotten up later than her.
“That’s strange. You’re not usually like this,” Joo-hee said.
Rowen scratched his head, holding a basket of herbs, and followed Joo-hee down the hill.
“Let’s go together, Joo-hee!”
At his words, Joo-hee’s pace slowed as they headed to the herb shop.
“Grandfather, we’re here.”
“How are you?”
“Hello, Grandfather.”
By coincidence, the inn and the herb shop were quite close.
“Here are the herbs.”
“Thank you. Did you bring more berry herbs?”
“Yes, there’s plenty here.”
Grandfather smiled in satisfaction as he transferred the herbs.
If Joo-hee had gathered them alone, it would have taken much longer—but with Rowen’s help, they collected far more.
“Here’s your payment. You brought extra herbs, so I’m giving you a good amount.”
“Thank you, Grandfather.”
Joo-hee bowed as she took the pouch.
Rowen, standing beside her, bowed in greeting as well.
As Joo-hee and Rowen left the herb shop and headed for the grocery store, a strange voice called out from behind.
“E-Excuse me! Please wait!”
Joo-hee and Rowen both spun around at the same time.
A man they’d never seen in the village was standing there.
He gasped when he saw Joo-hee and Rowen.
“Ugh…!”
Joo-hee frowned at his strange reaction.
She was about to ignore him, but the man spoke urgently.
“Your Highness—no, Lord Lowengrin!”
“…Lowengrin?”
Joo-hee muttered as she glanced at Rowen. She wondered if she knew him, but Rowen looked just as confused.
The man stepped forward, grabbed Rowen’s hand, and began to sob.
“Lord Lowengrin, where on earth have you been? I’ve traveled the whole kingdom looking for you…!”
Rian sniffed a little, exaggerating his words.
He wasn’t asking for a reward, but just wanted his effort to be recognized.
Lowengrin’s reaction was odd.
“Lord Lowengrin? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Rowen stared at him as if meeting him for the first time.
Carefully, Rowen spoke.
“Do I… know you?”
“Uh…?”
Rian was so shocked he blurted out something stupid.
The woman standing next to Rowen seemed to look at him with pity, and his face grew hot.
“Lord Lowengrin, what do you mean? Don’t joke around.”
Embarrassment colored Rian’s expression.
Joo-hee, watching this, spoke quietly.
“Do you really know Rowen?”
“Yes? Who are you, to call him that? Only his mother ever called him Lowengrin…”
Joo-hee’s eyes narrowed.
Rowen looked completely taken aback.
“Is my name Lowengrin?”
“…”
Rian’s mouth fell open.
He wondered if this could be Rowen’s twin—but as far as he knew, no such twin existed.
Or maybe someone looked just like him—but the resemblance was uncanny.
Joo-hee addressed Rian.
“Rowen has lost his memory.”
“Lost… his memory?”
Those words hit Rian like a ton of bricks.
The warmth in Lowengrin’s eyes felt completely wrong to him.
At the palace, Lowengrin was all cold logic and calculation.
He never showed mercy and dealt harshly with anyone who harmed him—even close friends.
Rian realized that real shock could leave a person speechless.
Finally pulling himself together, he looked at Joo-hee and asked,
“Could you explain what happened?”
Joo-hee looked around. Although the villagers pretended not to listen, they all had their ears perked up.
“This isn’t the right place to talk.”
“Oh… I see.”
Rian only then noticed how many people were watching.
“Then where…?”
“Let’s go to my home and talk.”
“Your home?”
Rian glanced between Joo-hee and Rowen, stammering.
“A-Are you two… living together?”
“Yes.”
Joo-hee nodded expressionlessly.
Rian’s jaw dropped again.
He’d never once seen Lowengrin with a woman.
When he asked the commander, he was told Lowengrin hated being around women.
That was why no woman’s hair or dress ever showed up near Lowengrin.
“W-Woman… Lowengrin with a woman…?”
Mel whispered to Joo-hee,
— “Joo-hee, this guy seems weird. Maybe we should just leave him.”
Joo-hee wanted to agree, but she couldn’t abandon someone who’d been searching for Rowen.
“Whenever you’re ready, let’s go.”
“O-Okay…”
“But first, we need to buy some ingredients.”
Their baskets were still empty.
Suddenly, Rian found himself shopping with Joo-hee and Rowen.
He followed behind them, staring at Rowen in disbelief.
It seemed too natural to be an act.
“How…?”
He had no idea what to do.
If he took Rowen back to the palace without his memory, it would cause huge trouble.
He could already imagine how Arsen would criticize him.
“They’ll say he’s unfit to be crown prince.”
There was only one solution.
He had to help Rowen recover his memories as soon as possible.
And even if Rowen couldn’t remember, Rian knew he’d have to bring him back.
