Don't Remember Me - Chapter 51

Chapter 51

 — “Come in!”

The voice calling from inside the office was one that she recognized. As her lips trembled, she lowered her gaze.

“Please, go in, Your Highness,” said Pedwin.

Haven nodded at Pedwin’s words, then paused before turning to look at Rosé.

“Rosé, why are you just standing there? Is something wrong?”

“Ah… No, Your Highness. I was just lost in thought for a moment…”

Rosé hurriedly replied before taking Flitta in her hand and headed inside. As the knight carried the boy and followed them in, the narrow space of the therapist’s home filled up quickly.

“Welcome…”

The healer awkwardly rose to greet the guests, but his eyes widened when he spotted Rosé.

“Oh, you’re the one who came yesterday…”

“Hello. I came to pick up the digestive medicine yesterday.”

Rosé spoke quickly, fearing that the therapist might say something unexpected. He squinted at her remark, tilting his head, and then awkwardly nodded as he grasped the situation.

“Digestive medicine… Ah, yes, that’s right. So, did the medicine help your stomach?”

“Thanks to you, it worked quite well.”

Rosé forced a smile, lifting the corners of her mouth. Haven witnessed how the situation unfolded and narrowed his eyes, sensing an odd tension between the two.

“So, you were here yesterday?” he asked.

“Yes, yesterday…”

“Hm.”

There was no real problem; she had visited the therapist for digestive issues, and it was just a coincidence that they had come back to the same place today.

“By the way, what brings you here today? Is that child unwell?”

The therapist adjusted his glasses and shifted the conversation. Just then, the knight carrying the boy raised his voice.

“How dare you! How could you—… ugh!”

“Be quiet! Stop shouting!”

As the knight was about to call out ‘Your Grace’, he was sharply interrupted by Pedwin, who had smacked the back of his head. The knight suddenly realized his mistake and shut his mouth, laying the boy down on the bed.

In the midst of the sudden commotion, Haven set aside his previous confusion and spoke to the therapist.

“He collapsed suddenly. Can you check on him?”

“Let me see… Hmm…”

The therapist adjusted his glasses once more and approached the boy. Before examining him, he glanced back at Haven. The way things were unfolding suggested that Haven was a person of considerable wealth, which explained why he brought such a retinue to the festival.

‘She said she has no family…’

The therapist’s gaze shifted from Haven to Rosé and then to Flitta beside her. But he pushed aside his curiosity and began to examine the boy. After all, the patient’s condition came first.

“High fever, coughing, and skin rash…”

The therapist’s expression grew serious as he tilted his head and pressed beneath the boy’s ribcage.

“Ugh! Ahhh!”

At the same moment, the boy, who appeared unconscious, screamed as if he were in agony. It wasn’t a particularly hard press, yet it seemed he might stop breathing at any moment.

“Hm…”

Noting the boy’s reaction, the healer furrowed his brow. Flitta was startled by the scream and instinctively clung to Rosé’s arm. Haven glanced at her soothing Flitta and turned back to the therapist.

“How is he?”

“I treated a child with similar symptoms a few days ago. His symptoms were less severe, but they were still quite alike.”

“Can you treat him then?”

“Well, I can’t say for sure what illness this was, but we can use medicine to alleviate the symptoms. The child I cured responded well to that.”

The therapist finished examining the boy and answered nonchalantly. As soon as he did, Rosé and Flitta sighed in relief. Haven glanced back at them with a slight smile and pulled out some money.

“Would this be enough for the treatment?”

“It’s not a serious illness, but the medicine can be quite costly, so I would need about one gross… acck!”

The therapist muttered and then gasped, his eyes widening as he saw the amount Haven offered. He was flustered, his beard shook slightly.

“That’s… quite sufficient. But I see that this child has no connection to you. Are you sure you want to spend this much on him?”

“If we’re going to spend money, we might as well spend it wisely. Let’s go back now.”

Haven replied in an indifferent tone and turned away. No sooner had he spoken than Pedwin, the other knight, and Rosé with Flitta followed him. The therapist watched them with a look of surprise before glancing back at the boy on the bed.

From their attire, it was clear. The shabby-clothed boy had no relation to those people in their fine garments.

It was all the more intriguing. Even if one enjoyed giving, taking the time during the festival to bring a boy here for treatment was quite something.

“They’re generous people… Hm…”

Curiosity once again flickered across the therapist’s face, awakening the questions he had set aside while treating the boy. He followed them out, pretending to see them off.

* * *

After they stepped outside, the evening sky had already turned a vibrant red with sunset. As Flitta happily followed along, a little puppy suddenly barked, causing a small commotion as they left the therapist’s home.

Taking advantage of the moment, the therapist stepped out and casually spoke to Rosé.

“You said you have no family…”

“… What?”

Rosé was surprised to hear his voice and hastily turned to look at him. The healer pointed at Flitta with a curious expression.

“I meant the child; she resembles you quite a bit. Or could she be your niece? Then I must have made a mistake. I thought that man was your husband…”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Rosé quickly shook her head. Then she glanced at Haven and Flitta with a fond look, adding with a bittersweet smile,

“They are the people…  I serve.”

“I see.”

The therapist nodded as his mouth opened in surprise. At that moment, Flitta turned to Rosé.

“Rosé, aren’t you going?”

“Of course.”

Rosé smiled at Flitta and slightly bowed her head to pay respects to the therapist, who clicked his tongue and continued with a note of caution.

“You’re doing someone else’s work, aren’t you? Tsk, tsk. You should really take it easy for the rest of the time… It’s the best way to preserve whatever time you have left.”

“…”

Rosé simply smiled at his words and turned away. For someone else, the therapist might be right. But for her, it was different.

Even if it meant nibbling away at her remaining time.

As long as she had the time allowed to her, she wanted to be with the man she loved and the child. That was the only wish Rosé had.

She approached Flitta but suddenly looked up at the sky. The fading, setting sun, was heartbreakingly gorgeous.

* * *

“Woof!”

“Hehe! Stop it, Hayang! I’ve already washed myself!”

Flitta laughed as she rolled around with the puppy on the bed, despite telling it not to. Rosé paused while tidying Flitta’s bed and smiled.

If the nanny had seen this, she would have scolded her for letting a puppy into the princess’s bedroom. In fact, she would have reprimanded Rosé for even allowing such a thing.

But Rosé allowed her and the puppy to bathe together and play on the bed. Even if it was behavior unbefitting of a princess.

“Ah! This is so much fun!”

Flitta exclaimed, bouncing up with puppy drool all over her face. The puppy, wanting to play more, put its paws on Flitta’s lap. Rosé picked up the puppy and gently set it down on a thick cushion at the foot of the bed.

“Now you need to sleep, right? Hayang needs to rest too.”

“Yes, but… can’t I play just a little longer?”

Flitta looked at Rosé with wide eyes, a pleading expression on her face. Rosé smiled quietly and feigned a serious expression as she shook her head.

“No.”

“Hhnngg.”

“If you stay up late, you’ll be tired tomorrow. And then you’ll be sleepy and won’t be able to enjoy playing in the sunny garden with Hayang.”

“Hnnng..”

Flitta frowned, seeming to struggle with Rosé’s words. Rosé perched on the edge of the bed and gently rubbed Flitta’s brow with her finger, then smoothed her tousled hair, speaking softly.

“So, let’s stop playing for today and get some sleep. Hayang looks sleepy too, see? He’s yawning.”

Just then, the puppy opened its mouth and yawned. Flitta, seeing the puppy yawn and curl up on the cushion, yawned in response.

“Yawn. Alright, I’ll sleep.”

“Wait a moment. Let me wipe your face a little.”

Rosé used a damp cloth to clean Flitta’s face. The drool from the puppy had made a mess, but now it was much cleaner. Flitta leaned into Rosé’s touch, giggled and hugged her tightly.

“I really had fun earlier.”

“At the festival?”

As Rosé stroked Flitta’s head, she asked. Flitta, still hugging Rosé around the waist, looked up and shook her head.

“No, the festival was fun, of course… but there was something even better.”

“…?”

Rosé raised an eyebrow, curious about what the child meant. Flitta grinned playfully and said,

“Guess what!”

“Hmm… Could it be the puppy?”

Rosé hesitantly nodded her head to the sleeping puppy under the bed but Flitta smiled and shook her head in response.