When they arrived at the tram station, the tram Damian was supposed to take had just arrived at the station.
Damian bowed his head to Pascal in a somewhat hasty manner.
"Mrs.
Pascal, thank you very much for today."
“I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, though there are so many things to discuss.
I can't be away from Cleta for so long...”
"It's okay.
Thank you for taking the time to meet me despite your busy schedule."
"If anything happens, I'll tell you through Lily.
Take care."
After exchanging friendly greetings with Pascal, Damian nodded to Liliana and boarded the tram.
A few seconds later, the tram set off with the bell ringing.
Liliana tucked her hair behind her ear and began moving her fingers as she watched the tram carrying Damian disappear from sight.
When Pascal sat on a bench at the station, Liliana slowly sat down next to her and asked her the question she had been wanting to ask since she woke up in the hospital bed.
“Auntie, I heard a little on the phone, but is it worse than that?”
Liliana looked at Pascal with worried eyes.
“I thought you would hire someone to stay by my side...but I didn't expect it to be like this.
There's still a lot you haven't told me, right?
What is it?
Is this worse news than what I've already heard?”
Pascal opened her mouth to speak but closed it again.
After a moment of careful thought, I began,
“No, I don’t think the situation is that pessimistic.
But your aunt tends to worry a lot...
So, regarding the hospital and other matters...” (He apologized for the mistake, but Liliana’s aunt came out, and of course, since I have no other ways to change the previous chapters, I will do the same as well so as not to be a distraction.)
“But my father... died.
While I have no memory... is it related to that?”
Liliana's voice trembled slightly.
“Is he… maybe… I mean, just in case… is he related to Brother Casey?”
She bit her lower lip, her face filled with worry.
She was afraid to hear Pascal's answer.
But Pascal shook his head, looking genuinely surprised.
"No, Lily.
This has nothing to do with Casey!"
“But Brother Casey has always been with my father.
He is a bit unstable, and acts strange with me...”
"That's not true either!
Casey, he's…"
Pascal paused, sighed, then continued,
"Anyway, it's not Casey's fault."
“Then can you at least tell me how and why he died?”
Liliana said, her voice filled with frustration.
“Why?
I only saw my father once in eight years, but he was still my father!
But I couldn’t even attend his funeral or visit his grave because I was stuck in bed!
So at least tell me why he died!”
"..."
“What about Brother Casey?
If Dad died, where is he?
What was he doing when Dad died?
Is he alone now?
What is he doing?
Does he communicate with you?
Is he safe?”
Liliana was now on the verge of tears.
She was pouring out all the worries she was holding inside.
Pascal took her hand.
"Don't worry, this is the best way to handle the situation."
“Please, why are you taking on my attitude?
I’m an adult, and I’m old enough to take care of myself!”
“But you're an adult with a two-year gap in your memory.
You don't know what happened in the world over the past two years.”
Pascal's words hurt Liliana, so she suppressed her rising anger and said in a low voice:
"Then at least tell me why you're not telling me anything."
"Because you don't need to know that."
"…".
Liliana's breathing calmed.
She knew there was no point in arguing further.
I've asked the same questions countless times.
But as always, Pascal didn't give her the answers she wanted.
She will leave Liliana in Nishio and return to Cleta, and will not return for a while.
So what is the point of talking anymore?
Liliana had finally given up on the idea of reaching out to Pascal.
This was the first time in her life.
Since her mother's death, she has been sharing everything with Pascal - her thoughts, her beliefs, and her dreams for the future.
But there was a two-year gap in Liliana's memory, and Pascal had no intention of sharing what happened during that time.
Now that she knew that, it was Liliana's turn to let go.
"You'll understand me later."
Pascal spoke to Liliana in a gentle but firm voice.
Because of Pascal's attitude, Liliana was able to abandon her completely.
"Good".
Her response was simple, but the unspoken words that followed fell short.
If Pascal was going to act like this, Liliana wanted to say that she would take care of her own affairs.
Whether it was about regaining her memory or how the situation would develop in the future.
It's time to graduate from complete dependence on her aunt...
The tram arrived at the station, and Liliana did not turn her head towards the tram, but rather exchanged looks with Pascal with teary eyes.
She thought she didn't express any emotion, but Pascal could see the quiet fire burning in Liliana's blue eyes.
She also knew what Liliana was thinking.
She had to know.
Liliana has been involved in countless things and has seen the world longer than she has.
After the tram doors opened and closed, Liliana was left standing alone as the tram left.
So Liliana said goodbye to Pascal and was left alone in a big city where she had no connections.
***
“Eidenfallen – this station is Eidenfallen station!”
Damian, who had been asleep on the train, quickly woke up, yawned, and got off at the station.
When he came out of the station, just like the last time he was here, there was a carriage waiting at the side of the road.
Because Damian had no intention of walking, he approached the cart.
"Wait, aren't you...?"
Someone recognized Damien.
He was the driver of the carriage Damian took the last time he came here.
Was his name...Carl?
“Are you back again?”
Damian indifferently answered Karl who was looking at him curiously.
“Yes, I have something to check.”
He got into Karl's carriage without further ado.
“To 14 Phillips Street, please.”
"What?
Again?"
Karl looked back as if to ask Damian if his business was already finished.
Damian shrugged.
“I told you I had something to check.”
“Didn't you check everything last time?”
“I guess I'll have to take a different car then.”
When Damian tried to get off, Karl quickly stopped him.
"Okay!
Okay!
I don't know what's wrong, but it's okay!"
Damian sat down again, and the carriage driver began to drive.
They came to the familiar burned-out, abandoned house on the same road.
Before getting off the carriage, Damian asked,
“Aren’t they going to demolish this place?”
“Well...
I haven't heard anything about that...”
“Who owns the land?”
"I think it's the late Baron Benbrick."
“Then the property must pass to his heir.”
"probably".
“Hmm...”
When Damian approached the burning palace, Karl followed him, and curiously began a conversation with him.
“So did you find the person you were looking for?”
“I don't know, this is what I came here to find out...”
Damian stood in front of the palace entrance, staring expressionlessly at the building.
The first time he came, he was very confused and only looked around the house briefly.
But in the meantime, he had organized his thoughts.
This time he came back to confirm something.
“Were there no dogs in this house?”
"Dogs?
Oh, I think they did."
“Did they die in the fire too?”
Damian asked, remembering the mother dog Timo and her pups from the picture.
Karl frowned, unsure.
“I'm not sure about that...”
"Understood".
His mouth was filled with a bitter taste.
I think it would be weird if the dogs died too.
He was about to enter the house to see if there were any other traces left when Damian suddenly turned around in surprise.
But his gaze was not directed at Karl, who was watching him from behind.
Instead, he stared at the bushes next to him.