Side Story 3: Kelian Who Lost His Memory

How did it come to this?

A handsome man, whose dazzling appearance made nine out of ten passersby turn their heads for a second look, stiffly asked.

“Are you saying we are lovers?”

His distrustful tone made my lips, which were about to affirm, freeze. His turquoise eyes were as beautiful as ever, but his gaze lacked the warmth it once held towards me. Unable to respond for a long time, I eventually nodded with difficulty.

“Um, Kelian, Aine isn’t lying. You two are really in a relationship.”

Jenin, who had been watching from a step behind, spoke up, more anxious than I was. The other friends also didn’t seem comfortable with the current situation. Kelian blinked his eyes slowly.

“I don’t think you all are deceiving me.”

Here, ‘you all’ referred to the other friends, excluding me. From his perspective now, I was just an unwelcome stranger who had suddenly intruded into their group.

Kelian sighed softly, and I almost flinched.

“I don’t remember. I’m sorry.”

He looked straight at me and apologized politely. Even without his memories, his manners remained intact. Well, he did seem like a prince when I first saw him. Despite these thoughts, I was hurt by his attitude of treating me as a complete stranger. I managed to force a smile.

“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault, Kelian.”

“…….”

“Right now… it’s better to rest. There might be more aftereffects, you know.”

Although he said there were no other symptoms besides partial memory loss, given the significant shock he had experienced, it seemed best for him to rest. Besides, the sudden downpour since noon had made it impossible to travel anyway. Barkrud nodded in agreement.

“Yes, rest.”

Jenin also patted Kelian’s shoulder, offering hopeful words.

“That’s right. If you rest, your memories will come back!”

Of course, that hopeful statement was directed only at me, while Kelian himself just furrowed his brows slightly, showing no sign of relief. As if he wanted to say, “Do I really need to remember?”

“I will rest too.”

Barkrud, in a rather dramatic manner, took Kelian upstairs to the inn. It was clear that he did this to consider my feelings. Once they disappeared, Jenin came to my side, offering comfort.

“Don’t worry too much, Aine. He’ll remember soon.”

“Yes. Thank you, Jenin.”

But what if he never remembers? What should I do then? Unable to voice my anxious thoughts, Dain bluntly spoke them out for me.

“What if he doesn’t get his memory back?”

“Dain, you…”

“But seriously. This is unprecedented, and we can’t just think optimistically.”

No one could argue with that. I thought seriously. If Kelian never regained his memory… could I continue to be a part of this party?

“It hasn’t even been a day yet. It’s not too late to worry about that later. Right, Sayiris?”

Jenin sought agreement, but Sayiris, who was leisurely drinking tea as if in another world, didn’t respond. Jenin sighed in frustration.

Once again, I silently wondered, how did it come to this?

It wasn’t that I didn’t know the reason. It just didn’t feel real. As the sharp sound of thick raindrops hitting the ground echoed through the inn, I recalled the peaceful morning.

* * *

“Ah, huh… Ah!”

Every time the golden head buried between my thighs moved, the long tongue stroked my vaginal walls. The fluids soaking my hips were so abundant it felt like I was urinating, and the hole enveloping the tongue twitched and tightened at the entrance.

“Ke-Kelian, I feel like, I’m going to lose it, ah…”

Normally, he would ask if I was alright when I made such desperate sounds, but now he seemed unable to think of anything but sucking beneath me, thrusting his tongue even deeper.

“Ah!”

The hot, squishy tongue relentlessly probed inside me. The dizzying sensation of my lower body melting spread through my whole body, and I squeezed my thighs together as if in surrender, but with Kelian’s upper body firmly bracing, it only made me tighten around him. He withdrew his tongue from my soaked vulva and murmured lowly.

“It’s soft and relaxed inside.”

“Kelian, you can stop now…”

“It seems insufficient.”

His gaze, filled with heat as he looked down at me, made it hard to tell who he thought was lacking. It was as if he would thrust his throbbing, erect member into me with the slightest provocation.

However, we had to leave for a rare dungeon today, so we couldn’t overdo it as usual. While Kelian might be fine no matter what, I certainly wouldn’t be. I wanted to avoid having Sayiris heal my body, worn out from our secret activities, as much as possible. Regardless of how nonchalantly she treated it, I found it deeply embarrassing.

“I want to make you feel even better…”

He lowered his head again, lightly sucking on my clitoris. The sharp pleasure made my hips twitch, and I felt the fluids pooling in my entrance trickle out. If I could feel it, there was no way he hadn’t noticed.

“Ah, Aine…”

Kelian breathed heavily with lust, spreading my legs wider and plunging his tongue deep inside my entrance again. It moved within me as if it were his member, thrusting flexibly and sending me into a dizzying haze.

“Aah… Ah! Ah…”

The climax hit me suddenly, never arriving quietly. My back arched off the bed, and my lower body tensed up fiercely. Even though Kelian surely realized I had reached my peak, he didn’t withdraw his tongue. Instead, he inserted his fingers beneath his tongue, thrusting them deeply.

“Ah! Not now… Ah!”

The pleasure quickly built up, and I felt a strange sensation, like I needed to urinate. Based on past experiences, I had a vague idea of what this signal meant. Though I didn’t know exactly what it was, it was the clear fluid that erupted uncontrollably when I got overly excited…

“No, I can’t, ah, I’m going to…”

It wasn’t a particularly welcome phenomenon. Kelian getting more excited and aggressive whenever I showed that side was one thing, but I didn’t want to appear unsightly in front of someone I loved. Especially now, with him buried between my legs.

“It’s okay, Aine.”

Kelian said, moving his fingers even faster. Okay? How could it be okay? I tried to escape his hold, but when his fingers thrust deep inside me, I threw my head back and stopped all movement.

The liquid squirted out, soaking the sheets. I tried to hold it back, but the unknown fluid had already drenched Kelian’s chin and the bedding. Kelian, still drinking it in, opened his mouth to catch the remaining fluid. The sensation of my entire vulva being chewed on made me cry from a mix of arousal and embarrassment.

“Aine…”

Kelian finally lifted his head, calling my name awkwardly after what felt like an eternity. He hurriedly wiped my wet cheeks with the back of his hand, trying to soothe me.

“I’m sorry. I must have been too rough again.”

We had a rare dungeon to clear in just a few hours, so we had agreed not to do this today. But the morning had turned sensual, evolving into “just a little more” or “not all the way” until we ended up here. It seemed that even this compromise was too much excitement for me.

Normally, I would gently comfort Kelian as he apologized, but right now, I had plenty to say myself.

“How could you eat that?” I protested tearfully.

He looked down at me with a gentle gaze and explained, “It tasted good.”

Feeling my already flushed cheeks burn even hotter, I glared at him. It was still hard to believe that this man, usually so ascetic, had devoured me so voraciously. Though I had sensed his growing obsession with drawing pleasure from me, today was truly…

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

“Aine. Please look at me.”

He leaned in as I turned my head away. A light kiss, as soft as a feather, touched my cheek, soothing my pouting heart. In truth, I didn’t want him to keep apologizing, so I didn’t resist his affectionate kiss. In fact, his tongue felt even more erotic due to our earlier activities.

“Kelian, should I do it for you too…?”

As my feelings softened, I noticed the bulge in Kelian’s pants. Since he had pleasured me, it felt right to reciprocate. Reaching out, he gently stopped my hand and interlaced our fingers.

“We need to prepare now.”

The outside noise had indeed been growing louder with the rising sun. Embarrassed by our morning escapades, Kelian lifted me and carried me to the bathroom inside our room.

“But aren’t you uncomfortable?”

“I’ve become more patient seeing you often.”

I was momentarily speechless, unsure how to react to his comment about increased patience because of me. Reluctantly, I left Kelian’s erection unattended. As I closed my eyes in his familiar embrace, he meticulously washed me.

Only after bathing me did Kelian undress to wash himself. As he lowered his pants, his enormous erection sprang free, capturing my gaze. It was still hard and throbbing. As I awkwardly considered offering to help him again, Kelian looked at me and began to pleasure himself.

Slap, slap, slap. His dry hand rapidly stroked his shaft. His gaze, however, was dark and lewd, making it impossible for me to look away. Though it wasn’t the first time he masturbated while watching me, it always felt strange. Drying myself with a towel, I fidgeted awkwardly.

Eventually, his strong jaw tensed as he ejaculated quietly. Unlike my loud climaxes, his was silent but intense, evident from his turquoise eyes focused on me. He spoke in a husky voice.

“Go on ahead. I’ll finish up and join you.”

“……Okay.”

Had we gone all the way, the atmosphere might not have been this awkward. Feeling slightly uneasy and more aroused, I left the bathroom. Between my legs, a mix of fluids had made my thighs slightly sticky. Kelian wasn’t the only one getting more aroused as time passed.

“Aine! Did you sleep well?”

Jenin was the first to greet me as I descended to the first floor. Her brown ponytail shone like honey in the bright sunlight.

“Good morning, Jenin. Where are the others?”

“Sayiris isn’t down yet, but Barkrud and Dain are over there.”

Barkrud paced near the inn’s entrance, looking ready to bolt at a word. Dain, next to him, appeared slightly annoyed. Jenin leaned in and whispered playfully.

“He’s been excited since dawn.”

We were headed to a newly discovered SSS-grade rare dungeon. It was so new that the information had been quietly obtained through a guild, so if we cleared it today, it might be a first clear.

After running similar dungeons for a while, everyone was somewhat excited about this rare one, though none as much as Barkrud. His eagerness made me smile.

“Barkrud, stop pacing and sit down.”

“I can’t calm down.”

“…….”

Dain seemed ready to say more but instead sipped his tea, feeling it was pointless to argue. I ordered some bread to snack on and sat across from Dain.

“The dungeon we’re going to today is in the mountains, right?”

The map item received from the information guild was with Kelian. It indicated that the dungeon was precisely on the mountainside, meaning we would have to prepare for a long walk.

“Mount Philous,” Dain replied briefly. Ah, that was the name. The information guild had mentioned that Mount Philous had numerous hidden dungeons due to its rugged paths and sparse population. One of those was the SSS-grade rare dungeon we aimed to clear today.

This mountain was located at the northernmost edge of the Casao Empire, so we had to use teleportation magic circles twice just to reach the nearby village.

“Are you heading to Mount Philous?”

The waiter, placing bread in front of me, had overheard our conversation and asked. Jenin flashed a bright smile.

“Yes, we’re going today.”

“You’re going for the dungeon, right? The paths are really difficult to navigate.”

“Is it still hard even with a map?”

“It’s a mountain even we locals rarely go to,” the waiter said, adding that there had been several incidents of monsters spilling out from undiscovered dungeons there, making the locals avoid it even more. However, he thanked us, saying that a high-level party clearing the dungeon would be beneficial for the village and hurriedly provided us with some extra provisions.

Kelian and Sayiris then joined us, and we were finally ready to depart.

“Sayiris, did you wrap new fabric around your staff?”

As usual, Sayiris’ flamboyant staff was adorned with many of her favorite things, and I noticed a newly added lace decoration, which I mentioned. Her dark blue eyes twinkled brightly.

“Aine, you always notice.”

The silver-haired beauty smiled lazily, like a satisfied cat. I couldn’t help but smile along with her.

Lately, I found Sayiris’ taste genuinely beautiful, and a plain staff seemed almost lacking. Whenever we passed a staff shop, we often couldn’t help but stop and admire the wares. She had even gifted me a few decorations for my club.

“Such unique taste…”

Dain murmured quietly, but quickly fell silent under Sayiris’ icy gaze.

As we entered the mountain path, the sun hid behind the dense trees, casting sudden shadows. It might have been a bit frightening alone, but I felt utterly secure with my companions. Especially Kelian, who stuck close, worried I might step on a stone incorrectly.

“If you’re so worried, why not put Aine in the inventory?”

“Maybe I should.”

“…….”

Kelian seriously considered Jenin’s joke, furrowing his brow. Jenin and I were momentarily speechless, staring at him.

“Ke-Kelian, I was joking…”

“…So was I.”

Jenin’s expression seemed to say, “Don’t lie,” but she didn’t press it. I, on the other hand, was more affected, blushing and glancing up at Kelian, who only met my gaze innocently. His arm naturally wrapped around my waist. I almost sighed but knew he was already exercising significant restraint.

As our relationship deepened, Kelian grew more reluctant to leave my side and became overly sensitive about my safety. Sometimes, it felt like he wanted to lock me away for protection, which caused minor disputes. Through these experiences, we managed to reach a balanced compromise.

“Aine.”

Kelian, tightening his grip around my waist, slowed my pace and lightly kissed me while everyone else moved ahead. His charming and handsome smile was so captivating that I stared at him in a daze before standing on tiptoe to kiss him back.

Even though the kiss was brief and almost accidental, it made my heart flutter.

We smiled at each other and slowly continued up the mountain path.

“It seems we’re almost there according to the map…”

The scenery in the forest was so similar that it felt like we were going in circles. The area marked on the map seemed vast and unclear in reality, adding to the confusion.

“Ah!”

To make matters worse, it suddenly started pouring rain. The sky, which had been clear without a cloud, transformed in an instant. Sayiris’ magic created a transparent barrier over us, but the sound of raindrops hitting it was fierce, making it hard to continue.

“Should we come back tomorrow since we can’t find the path?”

Jenin suggested, sounding a bit disheartened. Kelian, who had draped his robe over me, nodded in agreement until he saw Barkrud’s expression and closed his mouth again.

“Can’t we search a bit more?”

Barkrud said pitifully. Everyone, except Sayiris, was speechless, seeing Barkrud’s disappointed face. His broad shoulders slumped, and his eyebrows drooped in a way that made him look truly miserable. If the word “disappointment” could be personified, it would be Barkrud at that moment. Jenin smiled helplessly.

“I don’t mind looking a bit longer.”

“Me neither.”

“Let’s keep searching.”

With Dain, Jenin, and I agreeing, Kelian decided we should continue, brightening Barkrud’s expression instantly.

Despite the heavy rain, Sayiris’ magic kept us dry, and we resumed our search for the rare dungeon with renewed determination.

Fortunately, before sunset, we found the SSS-grade rare dungeon. It was located on a cliffside halfway up the mountain. Jenin had discovered it by scaling the cliff with acrobatic skill.

[You have entered the Golden Nest of the Yellow Dragon.] [Difficulty: SSS Grade (Rare)]

The Golden Nest of the Yellow Dragon?

As soon as I mulled over the dungeon’s name, I was greeted by a spectacle of gold. The enormous cave was filled with countless treasures. True to its name, it seemed to be the hoard collected by a yellow dragon, with so much gold it could overwhelm any onlooker.

“Do you think the dungeon reward is gold too?”

“It certainly looks that way.”

Although we wouldn’t get all these treasures as a reward, the sheer amount reinforced the rarity and difficulty of this SSS-grade dungeon.

Next, a horde of goblins in armor appeared. They were small, humanoid creatures with pointed ears, giving them a somewhat sinister look.

“Monsters!”

Barkrud, who had been waiting for this moment, charged forward, swinging his spear. The goblins fell in confusion, their defeat visibly swift. His massive frame was a whirlwind of destruction in the cave.

LV.60

After diligently following my comrades through various dungeons, I had reached level 60 in just under two years. Yet, this SSS-grade rare dungeon felt daunting. In such situations, I fought among my companions and retreated immediately if things became too dangerous.

“We cleared them all!”

“We can push through to the boss now.”

Thanks to Barkrud’s efforts, we reached the boss’s chamber without much difficulty.

Entering the ominous red barrier unique to the boss’s chamber, the surroundings suddenly transformed from a cave to an open outdoor landscape.

“Wow…”

Was this magic too? Instead of the dreary, rain-soaked Mount Philous we had seen before entering the rare dungeon, we were greeted by majestic mountains fit for gods. We stood on the summit of one such mountain.

“Aine, stay back,” Kelian warned me softly. Not long after, a bird-like cry echoed in the distance. But it wasn’t just a bird; the sound induced a deep, inexplicable fear, as if designed to terrify. Instinctively realizing it was the sound of the dungeon boss, the Yellow Dragon, I distanced myself from the group and hid behind a tree.

Kelian, having noted my position, drew his sword and faced forward. Beyond the picturesque cliff, a massive, winged creature flew towards us. It was as golden and magnificent as the treasures we had seen in the cave.

“It’s coming!”

Sayiris created a barrier, and Dain raised his staff to cast a fire spell. However, the fireball was consumed by the powerful flames exhaled by the dragon before it could reach it.

Boom!

The barrier and the dragon’s fire collided violently. The mountain shook, and the fierce wind blew, pushing everyone back.

Despite their attacks canceling each other out, Kelian, without any hesitation, jumped high from the cliff and landed on the dragon’s back.

The dragon, realizing Kelian was about to stab it with his sword, quickly descended, trying to shake him off. My fists clenched tightly at the sight. I believed Kelian would be safe, but I couldn’t help but worry.

“Are you alright?”

Jenin asked nonchalantly before leaping off the cliff herself. My heart dropped again, but fortunately, both Kelian and Jenin were soon suspended in mid-air thanks to the mages’ magic. During this time, it seemed Kelian had managed to wound the Yellow Dragon, as his sword was now tinged with yellow. The dragon’s enraged roar echoed throughout the mountain range.

The battle with the flying dragon continued.

The party continued to enjoy the fight in the rare dungeon without losing any composure, but the real problem appeared from an unexpected direction.

“There’s another one!”

It turned out there were two bosses, not one. As soon as they realized this, another Yellow Dragon appeared, thrashing its tail in fury. It happened so quickly that Sayiris had no time to erect another barrier.

“Aine!”

Another problem was that the dragon’s tail was coming straight for me. I tried to move my legs to avoid it, but it was already too late.

I’m going to get hit…!

Instinctively, I closed my eyes, feeling a familiar, strong embrace around me, followed by a heavy impact that sent my body rolling on the ground.

“Ugh… Kelian! Are you alright?”

The familiar embrace belonged to none other than Kelian. I had no time to marvel at how he had decided to shield me in such a short moment.

Realizing he had taken all the impact from hitting the ground and trees, I felt dizzy. My scraped limbs stung, but I focused all my attention on the unconscious Kelian lying next to me.

“Potion, healing potion.”

Sayiris, still fighting the two Yellow Dragons, couldn’t rush to our aid. I frantically rummaged through my inventory and pulled out a healing potion, pouring it into Kelian’s mouth.

Thankfully, it seemed to work as he slowly opened his eyes, his blurry gaze scanning the surroundings before resting on my face.

“Kelian, are you alright?”

I urgently asked, stroking his cheek. His expression changed subtly. Interpreting it as a sign of pain, I hurriedly took out another S-grade healing potion, trying to pour it into his mouth, but he stopped me with his hand. Was he alright now?

Boom!

The mountain shook once more. Kelian instinctively steadied my swaying upper body, but then quickly withdrew his hand. I called his name, puzzled.

“Kelian?”

“You are…”

Huh?

As I strained to hear what he was going to say next, a Yellow Dragon flew over us. Feeling a chill down my spine, Kelian instinctively got up and ran in the direction the dragon flew.

“Uh…”

I stared blankly after him before snapping out of it and getting up. Fortunately, the situation was resolved soon after.

[Dungeon cleared.] [Congratulations on your first clear!] [Rewards will be given.] [Additional rewards for first clear.] [Level up.]

Finally breaking through the stagnation, I reached level 61, but instead of feeling joy, I was overwhelmed. Jenin spotted me and rushed over to ask.

“Aine! Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine. What about you, Jenin?”

“We’re all fine too. We didn’t expect there to be a hidden boss. It was careless of us. You almost got hurt….”

Jenin was still fuming, so I gently patted her arm to calm her down.

“I’m the one who should apologize for startling you. I should have dodged faster.”

“With your level, dodging that was a miracle in itself.”

“Level… Oh, I leveled up.”

“Oh, you’re 61 now? We should have a celebratory drink when we get back.”

As we talked, Sayiris approached and healed my minor injuries with her magic.

“Thank you, Sayiris.”

I exchanged smiles with Sayiris and then looked around. Dain was safe, Barkrud was safe…

And Kelian, standing a few steps away, was watching the whole scene with a somewhat confused expression. I walked over to him and asked.

“Kelian, are you hurt? You took quite a hit earlier…”

Sayiris, with a cold expression, looked Kelian up and down.

“He seems fine.”

Indeed, he didn’t seem to have any visible injuries, but his demeanor felt strangely different, creating a sense of unease.

“I’m fine.”

After a moment of silence, Kelian replied in a low voice. Hearing his voice, the subtle anxiety gnawing at my mind disappeared, and I felt relieved.

We exited the rare dungeon through a magic circle that appeared in the air.

“That was fun.”

Barkrud, who had been the most eager to visit the dungeon, looked extremely satisfied, and even Dain, who had used a lot of magic for the first time in a while, seemed in a good mood.

I walked alongside Sayiris and Jenin, but for some reason, Kelian kept slowing down and falling to the back, watching us.

“Kelian?”

Sensing his gaze, I turned around, and our eyes met. I instinctively smiled and called his name, and Kelian…

“Who are you?”

He asked, his voice full of confusion, directly at me.

***

…And so, here I am now.

I sat alone at the dining table until the quiet dawn before finally getting up.

Kelian had lost his memory.

The fortunate part was that he had only lost some of his memory. Unfortunately for me, most of the lost memories were about me.

He remembered the rest of the party but forgot me. His memory cut off abruptly shortly before we met.

‘What if his memory doesn’t come back?’

Dain’s innocent question pierced my heart painfully. But it hasn’t even been a day yet. Besides, Kelian lost his memory protecting me. Thinking about how his familiar embrace had absorbed all the shock from hitting the trees and ground, I felt even more heartache.

Yes, as long as Kelian was safe, that was what mattered. His memory would likely return gradually. Trying to think as positively as possible, I climbed the stairs.

When I opened the door absentmindedly, I found Kelian sitting on the bed. He was a tall, handsome man seated on one of the two beds, with the lamp dimly illuminating his face. When our eyes met, my shoulders involuntarily twitched.

“…Oh, I’m sorry. I used to share this room, so I came in without thinking… I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I had assumed he was sleeping in Barkrud’s room since I saw them go up together, but to my surprise, he was here. I was about to close the door in my flustered state when Kelian’s voice stopped me.

“If this is the room you originally shared, you don’t need to leave because of me.”

“…”

“If it’s uncomfortable, I’ll leave.”

Seeing him get up, I responded instinctively without thinking.

“It’s not uncomfortable!”

Kelian seemed slightly taken aback by my strong reaction but soon nodded and sat back down on the bed. He was already clean and dressed in a light tunic, his blond hair softly falling over his forehead. It was the familiar sight of my lover, with whom I had shared kisses until this morning.

“Then… I’ll go wash up.”

I crossed the room slowly and entered the bathroom, though there was no following gaze. Trying to calm my suddenly racing heart, I washed up and changed into a negligee before coming out. Then it hit me.

This outfit is too…

But Kelian didn’t react even when he saw me come out of the bathroom. It dawned on me then that my appearance didn’t matter to him now. To a Kelian who had erased me from his memory, even if I appeared naked, it wouldn’t have mattered.

Maybe it was fortunate he wouldn’t misunderstand my outfit as an attempt to seduce him. Feeling bitter, I sat on the other bed, the one Kelian wasn’t sitting on. This morning, we had been lying here together. Despite having multiple beds, we always slept in the same one, holding each other.

“Um, Kelian.”

“Yes.”

“Is there any discomfort? You might not remember, but you took quite a hit earlier.”

Unable to look directly at him, I asked, and he quietly responded.

“No.”

That was a genuine relief. With nothing more to say, I closed my lips. The only sound filling the room was the chirping of insects coming through the slightly open window.

“Goodnight.”

I eventually turned to face the wall and bid him goodnight, wiggling my toes under the blanket. After a brief silence, his subdued voice replied.

“…Yes. Goodnight to you too.”

His polite response was a bit sad, but I didn’t show it and forced myself to sleep.

That night, I dreamt of saying goodbye to Kelian.

***

To get to the point, Kelian’s memory didn’t return even after a few days.

Despite Sayiris aggressively casting healing magic and Jenin dragging him to the temple even though he wasn’t cursed, nothing worked. In the first place, Kelian’s divine power was comparable to that of a high priest, making the trip to the temple meaningless.

When Barkrud suggested that hitting Kelian hard on the head might bring his memory back and picked up a spear, even the usually calm Kelian seemed a bit perturbed. Of course, Kelian didn’t just take it quietly, and with Dain and me fervently trying to stop him, the disaster of Barkrud actually hitting Kelian’s head with a spear was avoided.

“It’s all my fault. I insisted we go to that dungeon…” Barkrud apologized in a very downcast manner, genuinely believing it was his fault.

“It’s not your fault, Barkrud. Kelian got hurt trying to protect me.”

If anyone was at fault, it was me, not Barkrud. I defended him earnestly, patting his huge shoulder. For a moment, it seemed like Kelian’s gaze lingered on my hand, but when I looked up, he was looking elsewhere, making me think I imagined it.

“It’s really all our fault for being careless.”

Dain, rarely attempting to console, made me smile inadvertently, which made him glare at me.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just…”

“Just what?”

“Just nothing.”

“Geez.”

I turned away from Dain, who had turned his head with a huff, and tried to comfort Barkrud again. This time, it wasn’t my imagination—Kelian really was staring at us.

“Why?”

Dain asked, and Kelian, who had been observing us like strangers, replied quietly.

“You all seem a bit different.”

“Different how?”

“I’m not sure.”

Kelian shook his head, unable to pinpoint the difference. Dain seemed puzzled but attributed it to the aftereffects of memory loss and suggested Kelian receive more healing from Sayiris. Kelian, however, firmly declined.

“It’s because of me…”

Barkrud started to sink into the ground again, and this time Jenin consoled him in her own way.

“It’s fine. Sometimes you lose your memory because of your comrades. Right, Kelian?”

That was supposed to be comforting, right?

Kelian, who was addressed, nodded silently. He still didn’t seem motivated to regain his memory. Just when I felt even more uneasy, as if a rock had settled on my heart, Kelian turned his gaze to me and asked a question.

“How did we meet?”

Oh. I was taken aback, but also a little pleased that Kelian showed some interest in me. I tried to lift the corners of my mouth, which had drooped due to my low spirits. I wasn’t sure if it looked like a natural smile. I didn’t want to seem gloomy in front of him, despite his memory loss.

But…

“Well, I was cursed with an S-rank curse a long time ago…”

To explain how we met, I couldn’t avoid talking about the time I was first cursed, which was not a topic Kelian would enjoy. As expected, his eyes twitched slightly at the mention of the curse.

And the problem didn’t end there.

“I heard that Kelian’s divine power could purify it, so I approached you all, hiding the fact that I was cursed…”

“Wait.”

Dain urgently stopped me, pulling my arm and whispering.

“Aren’t you being too honest?”

“What? But…”

As I began an impromptu discussion with Dain, Jenin suddenly popped her head between us.

“Yeah, how about we just say you met at a ball?”

“Or, it would be more romantic to say we met in front of the mage tower on a moonlit night…”

“Huh? Why bring up the mage tower?”

“What’s wrong with the mage tower?”

Kelian’s indifferent voice halted the sudden argument between Jenin and Dain.

“I can hear everything.”

“…”

“…”

Jenin laughed awkwardly and suddenly patted Barkrud’s back while Dain, with his usual sullen expression, feigned indifference. As a result, Kelian’s gaze naturally settled on me.

“You… curse…”

He muttered, not showing much emotion, but he didn’t seem particularly happy either. Naturally, he had lost his memory, and now a stranger was claiming to be his lover and saying that even their first meeting was based on a lie. There was no way he could feel good about it.

I tried to lift my downturned lips, but it seemed more strange to smile at that moment, so I stopped. I couldn’t tell how ridiculous my expression must have been, neither smiling nor crying.

Kelian’s gaze, watching me, was very dry and calm.

“I see.”

He seemed to have no interest in hearing more, cutting the conversation short with a brief declaration. I bit my lip, hesitating. I had no right to feel hurt by his cold dismissal.

“…”

In the silence, Jenin’s eyes seemed to roll. Finally, she stepped forward, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and shouted towards the table.

“How about we go to a dungeon tomorrow?”

At the mention of a dungeon, Barkrud’s back twitched. It was an easy-to-read reaction.

“The townspeople said there are quite a few rare dungeons around here that haven’t been cleared for the first time. They may not be SSS-grade, but it would be good to warm up, don’t you think?”

It was the perfect topic to lift the oddly downcast mood, and everyone reacted positively to Jenin’s suggestion. Dain was the first to raise his hand.

“Sure, I’m in.”

Since Jenin had brought it up and Barkrud enjoyed playing in dungeons, they had no reason to say no.

“I’m in too.”

If it had been another SSS-grade rare dungeon, I might have hesitated, but if it was a lower grade, I wouldn’t be completely useless. I quickly agreed, thinking that fighting in a dungeon would help clear my mind.

“Are you going too?”

Unexpectedly, Kelian looked at me and asked. The nuance of his question made me feel like he was reluctant or uneasy about me coming along, leaving me momentarily stunned. Jenin frowned slightly and answered for me.

“Of course, Aine is coming too.”

However, what seemed obvious didn’t apply to the current Kelian. It was natural for me to join as a member of the Warrior’s party when I was his lover, but now, it painfully hit me that this wasn’t the case anymore.

Moreover, he had just heard that I had approached him under false pretenses. He couldn’t be feeling good about it. As Kelian seemed ready to say more, I hurriedly spoke up.

“Ah, come to think of it, I have something to do. I don’t think I can go to the dungeon.”

It was a hastily made-up excuse that anyone could see through, but I couldn’t think of anything else. If I said I was sick, Sayiris would heal me immediately. Just then, Sayiris, having finished her walk, entered the inn.

“Sayiris! The others are going to a rare dungeon tomorrow, are you going too? I have something urgent, so I can’t make it.”

“Aine.”

“I’ll go upstairs and prepare for my errands. Have a safe trip.”

After offering my early farewells, I tried my best to act casual, ignoring Jenin’s worried gaze as I headed upstairs. My steps nearly faltered a few times, but I managed to keep my balance, determined not to stumble.

Thump, thump. My heart pounded loudly. Kelian hadn’t done anything wrong. He had merely asked if I was going along, and yet I had taken it to heart. I felt pathetic for fleeing the scene because I couldn’t bear to hear what he might say next. If we ended up completely parting ways, how would I cope…?

As time passed, my hope for Kelian’s memory to return waned, replaced by the growing fear that he might never regain it. If his memory never returned, I doubted I could remain part of this remarkable Warrior party.

Despite my significant level increase over the past two years, it was still not enough to be a worthy member of the Warrior’s party. The others had continued to level up, with most reaching level 90. Kelian and Sayiris had long surpassed level 100.

Until now, I had stayed with them due to our friendship and my position as Kelian’s lover. But now that Kelian had lost his memory and we were no longer lovers, I questioned whether it was right for me to occupy a spot in the party.