Yasiris watched the strange man warily as he tended to her wound.
His appearance and tone, regardless of the angle of view, clearly revealed that he was from the Osifia Imperial Family.
I thought for a moment that his hair might have been dyed, but the black dye symbolizing Tinilath would not have existed, and if it had, it would never have been used.
This means that a member of the imperial family is taking care of it himself, but is this reasonable?
While Yasiris was deep in thought, frowning slightly, a hoarse voice crept into her consciousness.
“Kazan Tinilath.”
"What?"
“Didn't you ask who I am?”
Kazan finished tying the bandage tightly and looked at Yasiris.
Before she could comprehend his ambiguous look, shocking words came.
“Emperor Ozevia and your husband.”
"What?"
“It's been more than three years since we got married.”
"What?"
“But, except for the first year, we were separate.”
Yasiris could no longer say “what?”
She just looked at him in confusion, unable to comprehend his words.
She may accept that he is Ozevia's emperor, but her husband?
Married for three years?
Although she thought this made no sense, she couldn't deny it out loud.
She did not know how she conceived her child, and the man's rare red eyes reminded her of Michael.
Countless questions confused Yasiris's mind, but she calmly arranged her priorities.
Since Michael was fine, she first had to understand the situation she was facing.
“Why did I lose my memory?”
It wasn't a question of how she got infected.
She noticed from his attitude, as if he knew she wouldn't remember, that there was an obvious reason.
Kazan recognized the confidence in her question.
It was inevitable, he replied muttering.
“Because of a powerful curse.”
“Curse?”
“Yes, damn it.
You probably forgot all about me.”
Although it was a lie, Kazan thought so.
He said that he was the one who cursed her to become like this.
Whatever it was for safety, he shouldn't have made a blood oath with her.
Kazan suppressed the painful corner of his mouth, lowering his head to avoid Yasiris's gaze.
He felt guilty towards her, but he couldn't stop yet.
If he had to rebuild their relationship, he had to shape it to his liking.
Kazan collected the remains of herbs and bandages as if he was cleaning up, and carried out the plan he had thought about for the past two days.
“Your injury was also caused by that.
This place is no longer safe, so after a few days of recovery, we must return to Ozevia.”
“Did I come here for safety?”
“That's right.
You should have scars from an attack on your body.
Scratches here and there, and an arrow that hit you.”
“Ah.”
Yasiris unconsciously touched her right shoulder with her left hand.
It was where the arrow had left a scar.
“So, I got hit on Ozephia.”
“Now it's not completely safe, but no one will hurt you in public.
At least, being with me in the empire is better than staying here with the child alone.”
Yasiris felt her throbbing stomach despite the painkillers.
If this place was no longer as safe as Kazan said, it might be better to accompany him, but…
“What if I don't want to go?”
It was an uncharacteristic grumble from her, a rational habit.
She sensed no real danger in the village, and Ozevia seemed strangely unsettling.
But that alone was not enough reason to stay, so she looked at Kazan warily.
Will the Emperor, who himself came to this remote village, be angry at her rejection?
But his reaction was surprising.
“If you don't want to, I won't force you.
I will fully respect your choice.”
“Really?”
“Yes.
I don’t intend to force you into something you don’t like.”
Yasiris looked at Kazan in surprise.
No matter that the Emperor's wife was absent from the palace for a long time, it seemed from his cold impression that he would not allow it.
Maybe she was a fanatic.
How much do I know to judge him?
Anyway, having a choice was good news.
She opened her mouth excitedly to stay here.
“So...”
“But, Sari.”
A low voice interjected gently.
Kazan called her by her affectionate nickname and bowed.
His red eyes, at the same level as hers, held hers sadly.
“I wish you would return with me to Ozevia.
You are… my beloved wife.”
Yasiris was so surprised that her breathing stopped.
She looked at him for a long time, not knowing why she was surprised.
His face was so close, but the distance didn't seem strange.
As if he was used to breaking into it freely.
As a married couple, with a child between them, it was normal.
Maybe they exchanged more than just kisses.
Yasiris felt a strange sensation.
She couldn't believe that she was having intimate contact with a man she was seeing for the first time, but this contradiction did not feel strange to her, which confused her mind.
“Do you really love me?”
She didn't know why she asked this question.
Without knowing their past feelings, it was a harsh question for a husband whispering his love.
She was surprised and covered her mouth.
I tried to remedy the matter by adding a convincing explanation.
“Nobles usually marry for political purposes.
I was a candidate for that.
But you say you love me...”
“I love you.”
Before Yasiris could finish, a confession flowed from Kazan's mouth.
It seemed to be a soft speech, but contrary to his calm tone, a painful feeling reached through the air.
"I loved you, I still love you, and I will always love you.
You shaped and supported my life, so I can only love you until my last breath."
“Ah...”
“Maybe even after death, I will stubbornly cling to you.
I will appear in your dreams every night, complaining that the afterlife without you is lonely, but I will wait patiently for you.
So, live your full life in peace.”
“Even if you don't remember anything, it's okay.
I will keep our memories.
Just don't ignore me because you forgot.
How much we loved each other, and how happy our relationship was.”
Yasiris felt suffocated by Kazan's overwhelming emotions.
She thought his dry tone was harsh, but it was the opposite.
I felt devastated by the exhaustion of everything.
Kazan's actions, which had seemed excessively calm for a wife who had lost her memory, now seemed different.
Maybe he hasn't accepted his loss yet.
Because I lost my memory, he has to bear everything on his own.
“Sorry.
I just wanted to know...”
“Don't apologize.
It's not your fault.”
Kazan's face was blank, making Yasaris feel even more guilty.
She felt guilty for doubting an innocent husband, sparking an unhealed wound.
At least, isn't he someone kind enough to take care of his wife himself?
His hands were careful as he treated her wound.
After thinking for a while, Yasiris opened her mouth after hesitating.
"Listen, my dear.
You are a stranger to me.
It may take time, but I will try.
I will treat you as someone I love.
Can you understand if I feel embarrassed for a while?"
"my dear?"
"my dear?"
Yasiris was embarrassed by his stupid reaction.
She thought “dear” was a normal nickname for couples, but his face, like someone who had been shot in the head, indicated otherwise.
“Since you are my husband… how did I call you, I mean, Your Majesty?”
Yasaris, who usually speaks confidently, became frustrated with her mistakes due to her memory loss.
But she had no other choice, so Kazan observed patiently.
In a short moment, many emotions passed through his eyes.
Yasiris couldn't catch any of them with her speed, and when she asked, Kazan spoke calmly after adjusting his expression.
“Good darling.
He doesn’t feel bad.”
“That doesn't answer my question.”
“Isn't calling my dear enough, my beloved wife?”
Was he always like this?
Yasiris looked at the suddenly rude Kazan in surprise, then nodded.
What's so difficult?
“If you want, I'll call you that, baby.”
“Okay.”
A mild response to a mild acceptance.
That's what Yasiris thought, but Kazan's change was noticeable.
After his response, his loving face as he looked at her seemed to light up.
Like a flower that slowly opened under the morning sun, the corner of his mouth gradually rose.
“Okay, Sari.”
His face, as he responded forcefully, remained etched in Yasiris's mind.
It was not a bad start to a first meeting with her husband.