Chapter 49
9. Returned Memories
After lying silently like a dead mouse for several days, Irina’s hand began to move little by little.
One by one, her fingers moved, gradually more, until finally, she painfully opened her eyes, which hadn’t opened for a long time.
Her vision was blurry.
After blinking dozens of times, Irina regained her sight and forced herself to sit up.
It was a dark night.
The room was dimly lit by a single lamp, and there was no one else around.
Her entire body ached as if it had been beaten, but especially her right hand throbbed painfully.
And it felt unusually warm, as though someone had been holding her hand tightly not long ago.
“…Hah.”
A low sigh escaped from her dry lips.
Her headache still tormented her, and another, more complex emotion churned in the pain.
Irina braced herself on the bed with her arms and struggled to rise.
She could tell she had been asleep for a long time, though she couldn’t tell exactly how many days.
Her body felt stiff and foreign, and even the slightest movement brought a wave of dizziness.
Irina bowed her head in pain from the pounding headache and gasped for breath.
Clack.
The door opened.
The sound of heavy footsteps stopped after a moment.
She knew it was Howard.
She also knew he had stopped because he saw her.
And she knew he must be trembling terribly.
“…Howard.”
Just saying his name made something swell in her chest.
Irina tried to stagger toward him.
Howard quickly set down a basin with a warm towel and came to support her.
“Irina-nim.”
Irina jerked her head up.
“Don’t call me that.”
He knew how much she hated being addressed that way.
He knew everything.
Tears welled up in Irina again, and she lowered her head.
Howard carefully carried her back to the bed.
Only after settling her down did he examine her.
“Look at me.”
“No.”
Irina shook her head.
Her beautiful hair looked pitiful today, for some reason.
“Lift your face.”
Though he said this, the touch of his hands on her face was unbearably gentle.
He wiped Irina’s tears with his thumb.
Even so, her tears flowed without end, soaking her face.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her words broke off with the sobs.
“…I’m sorry.”
“That person… wasn’t human, right?”
Irina was still overwhelmed by her emotions.
Her memories hadn’t fully returned, leaving her in a state of uncertainty.
Howard smoothed her tangled hair, brushed her forehead, stroked her cheeks, and wiped her tears.
“Rest for now. When you get up again, I’ll tell you everything.”
Irina was afraid that if she closed her eyes, the memories that had just resurfaced would disappear again.
Pat-pat.
Howard gently comforted her persistently.
Gradually regaining some stability, Irina blinked with difficulty.
“Stay by my side.”
Irina tightly grasped his fingers.
“I will.”
“Okay.”
Irina fell asleep once again.
Irina fully opened her eyes the next morning.
Fortunately, the splitting headache had subsided.
The only difference from before was that it wasn’t a doctor checking her condition this time—it was Lurasa.
“You’ll feel better if you rest a bit more. It was a big shock.”
“…Why are you here?”
“Well, a bit of guilt, responsibility for putting you in this state, and you probably wouldn’t want to call a doctor. Your headache’s gone, right?”
Lurasa, dressed in her usual crow-like attire, examined Irina and then left the room.
Howard took her place.
Irina’s eyes quickly filled with tears.
Howard’s face immediately reflected a sense of helplessness.
“Please stop crying. You’ll wear out.”
“Well, I think it’s better if I leave for a bit.”
Without waiting for an answer, Lurasa exited.
Left alone, Irina gradually calmed herself and reached out her hand.
Howard leaned in toward her naturally.
Irina wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against him.
His scent enveloped her completely.
Now she understood why he felt so familiar—it made her longing even stronger.
As Howard held her waist and pulled her closer, it felt as if they had always been together from the beginning.
“Howard, Howard, Howard.”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Howard…”
She muttered his name repeatedly.
“Howard.”
“Yes.”
“Stop answering like that.”
Now fully composed, Irina glared at him playfully.
She wanted to know everything—how she was still alive, how she ended up back here.
Even after hearing it all, she would still be confused, but she was immensely relieved that both of them were alive.
“She… wasn’t human, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t understand everything yet, and there are still many questions, but it’s okay. I can see you again.”
Irina smiled softly.
“Let’s go back.”
“Huh?”
“To the villa. I didn’t know why I was there before. Now I know, so let’s go again.”
It was amazing how perfectly Irina found what she had been dreaming of.
Feeling happy, Irina reached out her arms again.
Howard smiled and held her once more.
Even while talking, Irina recalled some memories.
Some surfaced sporadically, while many still hadn’t come back.
The more she tried to remember, the worse her headache became.
“Lie down.”
“Okay. You lie here too.”
She pointed to the spot beside her.
If Howard didn’t lie down, she refused to, so he had no choice but to lie beside her.
How long had it been since she last lay in his arms?
The memory seemed distant.
Irina snuggled into his embrace.
Howard chuckled softly.
“Feels like a dream.”
Murmuring from Howard’s embrace, she muttered.
“It’s not a dream. I’m here. We’re alive.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
For the next few days, they didn’t leave the room.
One day, two, three…
They ate, bathed, talked, and slept—all within that room.
Howard wanted nothing more than to keep her close.
Irina felt the same.
During this time, Casey occasionally came in to assist her.
At first, Casey was slightly unsettled by Irina’s changed demeanor, but she quickly adapted.
“In any case, thank you, Casey.”
“Nothing, my lady. I’m truly glad you woke up. I thought something terrible had happened.”
As the evening sun set, Irina, having washed early, leaned her wet hair on Howard.
“Did you feel sad when I told you about the knight?”
Recalling their earlier conversation, she asked.
“No.”
His hands busily combed through her hair.
“Then did it hurt your heart? Your expression looked bad then.”
“Did it?”
“Yeah.”
Howard placed a short kiss on the small, round back of her head.
“I’m sorry for making that face.”
Then he picked up the towel and gently massaged her hair.
“Can we do this every day?”
Even after days of being together, Irina still felt as giddy as a girl on her first date.
“Yeah. Probably.”
At his vague answer, Irina twisted her body.
“Don’t give such vague answers anymore!”
“You’re finally acting like Irina.”
Howard looked at her lovingly.
He hoped for the same.
He hoped they could remain this happy, without danger, without problems, without interference.
Because he had fought for that all along.
