Don’t Remember Me

They mockingly and intently looked at Rosé, as if to hurt her, and could see their clear hostility from their gazes. They weren’t the only ones. The way the other maids looked at Rosé was also similar.

Enemy.

Jealousy and envy.

These were things that Rosé had to endure. For the price of staying beside her child’s side

“Hmph! Let’s go.”

The maid who had been sarcastic about Rosé a while ago snorted at her and took the lead in her steps. Then the maids with whom she had a conversation followed.

The maid who asked if they should help her carry those things.

“…”

Rosé looked at them for a while and smiled bitterly. She strained her hands again and moved the luggage and bag with a soft whimper.

* * *

“This way, hurry up!”

“You have to hurry up and finish the preparations before the Count comes out!”

The outside of the residence was cluttered with wagons and hired workers. Each one moved busily to finish all the preparations before their master came out.

“Your Highness, it seems that the preparations are not yet complete, so it is better to wait inside…”

Pedwin stood at the entrance of the legation and watched the commotion, then worriedly looked back at Haven with a puzzled look on his face. However, Haven looked at the scene with a nonchalant expression and stepped out.

“Let’s wait outside.”

“… Yes.”

Those d**n old people. Pedwin managed to swallow the vulgar curse that was about to escape from his mouth. It was because he knew why his master came out without being able to rest comfortably inside.

「 “Your Highness, the throne cannot be left empty any longer. Six years have already passed. Moreover, Her Highness, Queen Seon, has been waiting so anxiously for the sake of the glory of Guinters, so please stop rejecting Her Majesty…” 」

The story that the elder aristocrats who claimed to be the hands and feet of the Duke Durklen were scrambling to bring up the issue of ‘succession to the throne’. More precisely, it could be called a ‘marriage’ with the former queen.

They clung on tenaciously as if they were going to get a definite answer from Haven at this opportunity. Because of that, Haven had no choice but to leave first and now faced a tumultuous situation.

While Pedwin was again swearing at the elder nobles in his heart, Haven looked at the scenery outside with a calm gaze.

In fact, he didn’t even know that he couldn’t say ‘looking at’. Not a single thing passed his blue eyes was truly in his eyes.

Time passed just like that. Something entered Haven’s blue eyes in the scenery that was constantly passing by in his vision.

It was the back of someone small and slender. And he seemed to know whom it was just by looking at her back.

‘Rosé.’

Haven inadvertently tried to mutter the name, but hurriedly shut his mouth. It was rare to remember a single maid’s name. Of course, it’s not terribly strange to remember the name of the woman who saved his daughter’s life.

However, he would be considered strange by anyone who knew Haven’s indifferent and cold disposition.

So, what will he do?

Haven, unfamiliar with her appearance, tried to take his eyes off her, frowning between his brows. However, the sight of Rosé that came into his gaze touched his nerves again.

The image of her walking staggeringly with both hands full of luggage bigger than her body.

At the same time, Haven moved his steps towards Rosé. It happened before Pedwin, who was by his side, had time to catch up. Then he went right up to her and took the luggage she was carrying.

“…!”

Rosé looked behind her, startled by the sudden light weight from her hand. Her green eyes widened at surprise. Haven saw his reflection in those green eyes.

It felt familiar somehow.

‘… I’m familiar… with it?’

“Yo, Your Highness?!”

Haven squinted at the thought that came to him unconsciously. And Rosé, frightened, called him and hurriedly held out her hand.

“I am… How could Your Highness….”

“It’s all right. I’ll carry it. Do I have to go to that carriage?”

A strange feeling touched somewhere in his chest. But he couldn’t even guess what that feeling was. It’s literally just a ‘feeling’.

Moreover, it was an unbelievable feeling. He familiar with it? Haven swallowed a blank laugh and strode toward the Grand duke’s wagon, where the servants were loading. Rosé was restless, not knowing what to do, and he hurriedly followed him.

“Your Highness, I will carry…”

“Your Highness!”

It seemed that Pedwin’s voice could be heard from behind Rosé, who repeatedly reached out his hand, and then approached them. Haven’s impulsive behavior surprised him for a while, and then he seemed to come to his senses.

“Give it to me, Your Highness.”

As soon as Pedwin hurriedly approached, he tried to carry Haven’s luggage instead. Rosé, who was pushed away by the wind, stood a couple of steps behind them, and blankly looked at them. Also, the head maid, who was near the carriage, inadvertently looked behind her at the commotion, and when she saw the scene, she was horrified and came running closer.

“My God, His Highness the Grand duke!”

He came when everyone was in a haste and right now even her cloths were disheveled. As soon as she approached Haven, she hurriedly opened her mouth.

“How could His Highness…”

Perhaps at the sight of their Master holding the luggage that the servants were supposed to be carrying, made the head maid was speechless. Then she turned her head and looked at Rosé. That gaze was so sharp that Rosé involuntarily shrank her body.

“What are you doing?! Why is His Highness carrying the luggage you should have carried!”

“I, I am sorry, head maid. I am…”

“Don’t say anything too indecent to any person, head maid. Sir Pedwin, so do you. You’ve made a fuss over nothing.”

Haven stared at Rosé, who bowed her head toward the head maid, embarrassed. He narrowed his eyes and spoke out. It was because he felt uncomfortable looking at the pale-faced woman.

“But Your Highness, how can this matter not be a big deal? Your Highness sharing the burdens of a maid…”

However, the head maid responded with a rebuttal to Haven’s words. Pedwin nodded his head as if agreeing with her. Haven’s gaze turned to Rosé again.

To a petite woman who is at a loss and embarrassed because of him.

“Just need to head over there.”

Haven’s voice was lower than usual. Sensing the change, the head maid and Pedwin flinched at the same time.

“Isn’t it more ridiculous to make a fuss over this?”

“But aren’t the maids watching? I don’t want to damage Your Highness’ honor…”

The head maid hesitated before she spoke again carefully. Haven laughed at her when he heard her say that, then turned to her and asked.

“Is my honor light enough to be blemished just because of this?”

“Ah! no! What I said never meant that…”

“All right. Isn’t it?”

Haven became contemplative and looked at the head maid, who shook her head at his words. She pursed her lips in helplessness, unable to find any more words to answer, but then she put her hands together and bowed her head.

Haven took his eyes off the maid and moved his steps toward his own carriage. He still had the luggage he had taken from Rosé in his hand. Pedwin was taken aback by the sight, but shrugged his shoulders as if he couldn’t help it, and followed him.

“….”

Tears welled up in Rosé’s eyes as she looked at Haven’s back. His tousled hair swayed in the wind from carrying a heavy load. And, as if it had been carried along by the wind, the sound of low laughter lingered in her ears.

「 “Give me this, it’s heavy.” 」

「 “Haha! How heavy this could be? It’s not heavy at all.” 」

The image of the man taking the basket of herbs and laughing while dodging around to make fun of Rosé came to her mind. The way she stretched out her hand to him on tiptoe, shouting at him to return the basket.

「 “I’m not going to let you carry anything.” 」

「 “Do I look that weak?” 」

「 “No. I know you’re a strong girl.” 」

His blue eyes looking at her were friendly. Rosé remembered the smiley face of the man who was jokingly touching the tip of her nose. And she was able to vividly picture him in front of her, who looked at him with a serious gaze and said as if he was determined to get the basket back.

「 “Because you’re the person I love.” 」

It was something she would never hear again. It was a voice that would exist only in memory now.

Rosé forcibly raised the corner of her mouth. Isn’t she glad she still has memories of them?

Because she remembers.

Because she remembers the memories they shared.

“If you can’t handle it on your own, you should have asked someone else for help. Why did you foolishly carry all of them and staged for this kind of delivery?”

Just then, the head maid’s voice was heard. Rosé looked at the back of Haven, who was moving away and bit her lips. Then she forced her gaze down again to follow him, and then she lowered her head towards the head maid.

“I’m sorry, head maid.”

There were many excuses to make. None of the maids tried to help her, so she could have complained. However, Rosé simply said a word of apology and shut her mouth tightly about what happened earlier.

Memories are just memories; it was time to return to reality. It should be.

… Because I don’t have much time for myself.