‘Sir Sigmund says to leave it to Leticia, but is that really possible?’
He said to begin on a blank slate—words that carry no meaning. That was the only thing he could hold onto for now.
Would there be any other sign?
With that thought in mind, he carefully observed her condition, but unfortunately, there was no noticeable change. Leticia still couldn’t recognize him at all.
‘I can’t just wait like this forever. I have to try something.’
In the end, Dietrian decided to come up with his own method.
The journey would end in a few days. He had to find a way to restore her memory before then.
The thought of Leticia returning home without her memories was unbearable.
In the imperial palace, not only their children but also the goddess’s wings awaited them.
The pain their children would endure was a concern, but even more so, the wings could act unpredictably if they lost control.
Dietrian decided to try something that might stimulate Leticia’s memory.
“Leticia, how about we go and see the festival together?”
“A festival?”
“There’s a festival nearby that celebrates the founding myth of Genos. You were really looking forward to this festival. Perhaps seeing it might help you regain your memories.”
He extended his wrist, hoping it might trigger something. On it was a braided bracelet that Leticia had chosen herself.
“The clothes you’re wearing, every accessory, you picked them all yourself. This bracelet included.”
“Ah.”
Leticia’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the bracelet. She stared at it for a long time, then furrowed her delicate brows as if distressed. Her memory wasn’t returning. Dietrian felt a different kind of heartache this time.
‘How painful this must be for Leticia.’
Until now, he had only been saddened by the fact that she had forgotten him. But thinking about it, she must be the most frustrated of all. Feeling his heart ache, Dietrian forced himself to smile gently. He had to keep his composure for her sake.
“Leticia, don’t worry. As I mentioned earlier, your memories will definitely return. Let’s start by enjoying the festival. I will protect you. Please, come with me…”
As he explained, Dietrian trailed off. Something felt… strange. At some point, it seemed as if Leticia wasn’t listening to him at all. Her gaze was fixed solely on his hand, filled with confusion.
Dietrian alternated between looking at her green eyes and his hand, then sighed.
‘Has she recognized the wedding ring?’
On both their hands were matching rings. Should he reveal that they were married? Dietrian cautiously extended his left hand with the ring on it.
“Leticia, are you curious about this ring?”
“Huh? A ring?”
But Leticia seemed completely uninterested in the ring. When he moved his hand, she snapped out of her daze as if waking from a dream, startled, and looked at him. Dietrian was more surprised by her reaction.
As their eyes met, she flinched and quickly lowered her head. For some reason, her cheeks were slightly flushed. In a very soft voice, she murmured,
“You mentioned a festival, right? All right. Let’s go see the festival.”
—
“The performance is starting soon! A romantic tale that will bring you to tears! The love between an immortal and a mortal, defying the limits of their lifespans! Tickets for this perfect performance are only 2 shillings!”
“The highlight of the founding festival is the commemorative coins! Solid gold commemorative coins are being sold at a bargain! Unparalleled details, and amazing prices! Don’t miss out!”
“Ladies and gentlemen, do you see this oil-soaked torch I’m holding? I’m going to extinguish it with my mouth. How is that possible, you ask? Let me tell you, only for you—I’m a descendant of the Guardian family!”
“Try our skewers! We also have cotton candy that melts in your mouth. The taste is so heavenly, that you’ll forget yourself. Just stop by for a moment!”
The market where the festival was held was bustling from the very entrance. It was packed not only with tourists from distant places but also with merchants targeting them. As a result, Dietrian’s senses were on high alert. He worried about losing Leticia in the crowd’s waves.
‘I should’ve brought the guards.’
This journey was different from usual; it was just the two of them. Dietrian wanted Leticia to experience life as an ordinary couple, even if only for a few days.
Guards weren’t necessary, either. Having gained all nine wings, she grew stronger by the day. The spirits of this land had completely harmonized with Leticia and obeyed her. If she were to face any physical attack, the spirits would block it before she even realized it. Yet here they were, in this predicament. Dietrian anxiously glanced back at her following him.
‘I’m going mad because I can’t hold her hand.’
Even though she had lost her memories, she wasn’t truly in danger. Countless spirits were undoubtedly protecting her even now. The problem was his own heart.
Dietrian felt that she seemed endlessly fragile after losing her memories. Even now, her behavior reinforced that feeling. Since leaving their lodgings, she had repeatedly cast anxious glances at his hand. Dietrian’s expression twisted with pain. Eventually, he stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, looking at her with heartfelt urgency.
“Leticia, may I hold your wrist?”
Leticia flinched, startled.
“My wrist?”
“There are too many people. It would be best if we held on to each other while moving. I’ll grab over your clothing, so I won’t touch your bare skin. Let’s stay together like this until the crowd thins.”
Leticia hesitated, her lips slightly parted in surprise. Dietrian waited patiently for her answer. Even if she refused, he was determined to persist. Her safety mattered more to him than anything, even his pride or feelings. At that moment, Leticia spoke.
“Instead of my wrist, wouldn’t it be better to hold hands?”
“What?”
“A wrist can slip…”
Leticia blushed faintly and gently took hold of Dietrian’s hand, avoiding his gaze.
“I think holding hands while walking would be better.”
Before he could respond, she intertwined their fingers firmly. Very firmly. Dietrian, taken aback by the suddenness of it all, stared at her in silence. After collecting himself, he finally managed to speak.
“Ah, yes. Let’s do that.”
Leticia gave a small nod. Dietrian began to walk again, leading her. Yet all his attention was fixed on their clasped hands. It felt strange. His heart pounded as if it were the first time he had ever held Leticia’s hand, long ago.
Despite the confusion, it was ultimately a relief. Physical contact was a good start, and it might help Leticia’s memories return. Of course, holding hands wouldn’t be enough. He pondered how to advance further. Meanwhile, beside him, Leticia thought with a yearning heart:
‘Just holding hands isn’t enough. I want to embrace him…’
—
What Dietrian didn’t know was that the engraving had already begun. It had started the moment Leticia first laid eyes on him.
“Ahh! Please stop hitting me! I had good intentions, I swear! I was trying to help Sir Sigmund!”
“Silence! What part of a memory-erasing potion counts as good intentions?!”
“It can help restore her memories through physical contact! You see, I heard everything from Sir Kaiten! Sir Sig’s embarrassing history is legendary!”
Heinz clutched his head and yelled in frustration.
“I mean, you denied your feelings even after falling in love first, causing Lady Romiya so much trouble! I was just trying to make sure you didn’t waste time again!”
“That’s none of your business! I can handle it myself, you lunatic!”
Indeed, the potion Heinz had created was originally intended for Sigmund to bond with Romiya. It didn’t force attachment but instead strengthened connections to someone already loved.
Though the target had changed, the effect was undeniable. After taking the potion, Leticia had felt an overwhelming desire to be close to Dietrian from the moment she woke up. Even though she had lost her memories, her love for him remained. She was just bewildered by these feelings, unsure why they arose.
Dietrian’s hand had captivated her gaze, not because of the wedding ring, as he had thought. She hadn’t even noticed the ring. The moment she saw his strong, calloused hand, she wanted to hold it tightly. The pull was so intense it startled her.
Although she had finally managed to hold his hand after much internal struggle, it wasn’t enough. Now she wanted to embrace him, to bury her face in his chest and take in his scent. The more she imagined it, the more flustered she became. After all, she had lost her memories. To her, Dietrian was practically a stranger. It was only natural to feel bewildered by her attraction to him.
‘Could we… have been married?’
Leticia glanced at Dietrian’s hand. A ring identical to hers was on his left ring finger. If they were a married couple, perhaps she could be braver. Leticia gazed at his sculpted profile. The noise of the festival was utterly inaudible to her.
‘Why doesn’t he tell me we’re married?’
If she were sure they were a couple, she could embrace him freely. She could even whine about feeling uneasy after losing her memory. She could ask for so much more. Caught in her sweet imagination, Leticia blushed alone.
—
The place the two arrived at was a small but beautifully decorated theater. The theater’s white walls glowed mysteriously under soft lighting. The audience admired the portraits of the actors hanging on trees, their faces alight with excitement.
“We were scheduled to watch a play about the founding myth of Genos. It was one of the things you most eagerly anticipated.”
“I see.”
Leticia, who had no memories of the theater, surveyed it with curious eyes. Dietrian held her hand and led her inside. After confirming their reserved seats, they ascended to the second floor.
“This way.”
When he pulled back the curtain blocking the entrance, a cozy terrace revealed itself with plush sofas and a small table. The space was reserved solely for Leticia and Dietrian.
Despite the romantic atmosphere, Dietrian felt bitter. Leticia, who should have been sharing in all this, remembered none of it. He vowed to bring her back here when her memory returned. It was as he made that resolution.
“But the partition seems a bit high?”
Leticia, seated on the sofa and gazing down at the stage, tilted her head. The partition was slightly high for watching the performance.
“The sofa can be moved forward. It seems the theater’s preparations were a bit lacking. I’ll call someone later.”
Saying this, Dietrian became more dejected. The theater’s preparations were flawless.
The sofa was in its correct position.
‘This is a seat for couples.’
In the past, there had been issues with overly affectionate couples in terrace seats.
Terraces, being partially enclosed, often encouraged intimacy between couples who couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
The sight of such behavior was fully visible from other seats, leading to frequent arguments between offended patrons and defiant lovers.
Eventually, someone came up with a clever solution: designate certain terrace seats exclusively for couples.
These special couple seats, located on the top floor, featured higher partitions to prevent the interior from being visible to others.
The idea was simple: watch the play if you wanted, or if not, freely enjoy your time with your partner.
This perfect blend of privacy and spectacle gained immense popularity among nobles craving thrilling romances.
‘But we’ve never been here. No, we couldn’t come.’
Despite the trend, Leticia and Dietrian had never considered visiting such a place.
Their status was the reason.
Knowing full well what typically occurred in such spaces, it was unthinkable for an emperor and empress to enter.
Even if the entire realm of Genos knew of their relationship, they still had appearances to maintain.
‘I had hoped we could forget our statuses here, return to being an ordinary couple, and create memories freely.’
For this reason, both had looked forward to today with great anticipation. But now…
The date they had longed for was in shambles. What hurt the most was that Dietrian alone remembered everything.
“Dietrian, were we by any chance… married?”
He was helping Leticia settle into her seat, concealing his anguish when the unexpected question caught him off guard. Dietrian turned to look at Leticia. She was holding his hand, fiddling with the wedding ring.
“Our rings are the same. They look like wedding rings… Were we really married?”
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