Chapter 12

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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.

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