Chapter 2:
“So, you’re saying that my sister doesn’t remember me?”
“My deepest apologies. Lady Rosaline doesn’t even know who she is now. However, when she saw the family crest hanging in the room, she did say ‘Radwiell’. It seems likely that it is just a temporary memory loss and it will soon return.”
“…You mean the possibility is high?”
“The young lady is quite weak at the moment, so truthfully I can’t say for sure, my lord. However, assuming that the young lady is given utmost care and treatment, her current symptoms will surely improve. And since the body and the mind are closely connected…”
A theory. It was an unmistakable statement, but Calyx bit his lip in frustration and mussed up his hair. The behavior of his sister he had seen earlier in the room could not leave his mind.
Her hair, which had always been neatly tied, was scattered, and her usually clear eyes were hazy. Her voice, leaked from vocal cords not used for a long time, was harsh. Because she was a knight, she always had several wounds, but he couldn’t even imagine a case such as this.
But first things first, subordinates are greatly influenced by their master’s mood and behavior. Now that his father was away on border defense duty, he had to lead the county. Calyx sighed and relaxed his expression. It was an auspicious day. He shouldn’t put on that kind of face on a happy day when his sister, whom he had thought was dead, returned alive.
“Gather all the fabric from the wall. Rosaline Radwiell is safe. Have you informed Father?” Calyx addressed the servants.
“Yes, my lord.”
“I should thank Count Drythorne for the care. Have a gift prepared. Let me write the letter.”
“Right away, my lord.”
“Have a dedicated maid in Sister’s room, and don’t let too many people come and go to avoid strange words circulating in the county.”
“I will do as you say, young Lord.”
At Calyx’s command, the servants moved busily. By the time the mansion that had been covered with dozens of white cloth revealed its majestic figure, Calyx was also able to calm his heart.
‘Please return. Please return alive.’ Haven’t you prayed that hundreds of times?’ Compared to the other Orders, the 2nd Prince’s Knight of the White Night, to which Rosaline belonged, suffered heavy casualties.
The 2nd Prince, along with the 1st Prince, was a well-known candidate for the crown. As famous as he was for his achievements in the war, he also had many enemies. Perhaps that’s why Calyx heard plenty of rumors about the 2nd Prince being persistently pursued during the hunting competition. It was no coincidence that the damage suffered by the Knights of the White Night was double that of the other Orders. As a result, the speculation that a low-skilled member, Rosaline, must have died quickly became a known fact.
However, she overturned everyone’s expectations and survived the fierce battle without missing a single limb. According to the doctor, there is also a high chance that her memory will return. They were lucky.
“Has my sister eaten?”
“She had a patient meal for lunch. We thought she wouldn’t be able to eat much because she was starving for a long time, but since the lady didn’t feel sick after eating three bowls, she should be able to eat dinner later.”
“Put my meals in her room too. We will eat together.”
“Yes, my lord. It will be prepared soon.”
The sun was setting outside the window. The red sunset colored the walls as the servants collected the last remaining white cloth fluttering in the wind. Calyx thought blankly of his sister. She blinked her eyes slowly, awkwardly repeating the act of opening and closing them. A shallow sense of dissonance enveloped her.
Something did not seem right in his mind, but Calyx folded these thoughts one by one and put them in a corner. The servant, Nora, informed him that his meal was ready.
There were things he wanted to say, like ‘It’s good that you came back. I’m glad you’re safe.’
‘We should talk before dinner.’
***
In the end, Calyx couldn’t say anything.
This was due to the scene of his sister eating steak with her bare hands.
Her cheeks bulged like a squirrel’s, and juices from the steak and the reddish-brown sauce dripped from her hands and mouth. The blood of the steak also dribbled down her chin, making it look subtly terrifying.
Calyx could not enter the room, and he stood stiffly by the door. It took a long time to acknowledge the scene before him as reality.
Even a seasoned maid who had worked for the Radwiells for more than 20 years could not hide her expression. ‘The young lady has given her manners to the dogs in order to return alive.’ The maid’s worries that it would be hot if Rosaline held the steak with her bare hands came to mind as she saw the lady boldly chew a piece of meat.
The problem was that young Lord Calyx, who had just entered the room and witnessed this, left his mouth wide open and did not even try to close it. The maid stood still, unable to decide whether she should help the young lady, who was devouring her meal or take care of the fainting spirit of the young lord. Only the rattling sound of eating filled the room. Calyx finally came to his senses and sat down next to Rosaline.
“…”
“… Umm… Is she well enough to eat meat? Won’t it be burdensome for her body?”
He tried to ignore the scene in front of him. The maid also tried to do so by smoothing the creases on the young lady’s shoulder. Unfortunately, the meat in her hands was still visible.
“She was given soup and patient food little by little even when she was unconscious. The soup she had in the morning also had minced meat in it, so it looks like it should be fine.”
“Is that so…” Calyx replied.
Calyx pulled his portion of soup towards himself. While the whereabouts of his steak, which should have come together with the soup, could be known without asking.
“Please wait a minute, I’ll bring you your meal.”
“Please do.”
Calyx spooned the lightly seasoned soup into his mouth. It was bland and had no taste. Unfortunately, the situation was not relaxed enough to savor its flavor.
Rosaline shoved the remaining one-third of the steak into her mouth. Calyx stared dully at his sister’s bulging cheeks.
“…Eat slowly. What if you get indigestion.”
Rosaline nodded once and chewed. It was hard to believe that they were only two years apart and that she had always been a mature sister. It was his first time to see such a child-like appearance from her. Somehow, it felt like he was having a meal with a younger sister. Calyx, who was smiling lightly, suddenly contorted his face upon seeing Rosaline sticking her tongue out to lick the sauce off her hands.
Tak.
Fortunately, Calyx quickly grabbed her by the wrist, and the attempt was unsuccessful. Calyx’s heart was pounding.
“I’m not yet mentally prepared for that, Sister.”
The difference between before and after was too huge. His sister’s act of trying to lick the sauce off still contained dignity and chivalry in every move, but it would be too destructive for Calyx’s mind. Calyx’s restraint made an impression on Rosaline. Petulance became the first emotion that appeared on her expressionless face.
Calyx smirked. Rosaline’s annoyance was something rare. She was originally gentle and good-natured, and normally generous with others but strict with him. No matter how unreasonable it was, she used every opportunity as a reason to reflect on herself more and train. She had been such an astute person that it was frustrating.
At the moment, however, the sharp eyes passed down from generation to generation of Radwiells became even sharper. Seeing a dissatisfied expression on her face, Calyx hurriedly spoke in a soft voice.
“Here is Sister’s favorite avocado salad. You should…”
Calyx, who was about to say ‘eat this’, changed his words at once. It was because Rosaline’s expression upon seeing the salad had become even more unsightly. Her eyes seemed to say, ‘what the fuck is this pesky green thing?’
“…Not eat this… You’ll have steak in a little while, so just eat a little more of that instead,” Calyx finished saying.
Rosaline then relaxed her expression and nodded. Calyx washed her hands roughly with the water in a basin. Although she made a muffled and sad sound, she quietly entrusted her hand to him.
Come to think of it, the two of them were indeed a plain pair of little brother and sister. They had never hugged or kissed each other on the cheek. He grabbed her hand to prevent her from licking it, but even this brief contact was so awkward. He had lived for 21 years before grabbing his sister’s hand, which he had never held since they were young. He smiled bitterly. Soon after, without even having time to dry her hands first, she ate a slice of lemon from the basin and shuddered, breaking all of Calyx’s sensibilities.
“Sister…”
Rosaline’s eyes swiveled over to Calyx. She had sharp eyes that looked criticizing if she didn’t smile as if she was angry. Their faces looked identical, but perhaps because of today’s events, hers looked even fiercer.
“Do you know who I am, Sister?”
Having recalled asking his old and distraught great-grandfather the same question, Calyx let out an excruciating groan. Rosaline shook her head wildly.
“I’m your younger brother Calyx, who is two years younger than you. Sister has been busy with the Order of Knights, so I haven’t seen you lately. But of course, you’ve sent me letters. No matter how busy you are, you always send it once a month. Ah, Sister belongs to the Imperial knights. To be precise, the Knight Guards under the direct control of the 2nd Prince. You are a lesser knight of the White Night.”
Rosaline seemed to be listening to Calyx. She showed no direct sign of listening: like answering with an ‘okay’ or even nodding her head, but Calyx felt that she was.
