Chapter 2 – Although I Am Happy With the Way Things Are Now…
It was roughly two and a half months ago when she ended up in this monastery. A fisherman saved her when she washed ashore. After regaining consciousness for the first time in two days, it turned out that Maria lacked recollection of her life and was entrusted to the monastery.
Since she was thoroughly accustomed to her life here, being informed that her family had now appeared was difficult for her. She felt like a wall would block her pursuit of becoming a nun.
As she walked along the decrepit and creaking corridor, Maria headed for the director’s office with conflicting feelings.
She knocked on the director’s door.
“It’s Maria.”
“Come in.”
The reply came from Agnes, who was composed and collected. With a hint of trepidation, she opened the door.
Two men and a woman were sitting in the visitors’ chairs in the director’s office. One of the visitors, whom she assumed to be around eighteen, subsequently rose to his feet. She was taken aback by his deep blue eyes.
“Bianca?”
His eyes widened in astonishment as if to ascertain the reason why she was here.
“Yes?”
The name Bianca, which she had no recollection of, caused Maria to tilt her head back. The middle-aged woman with the glossy golden-brown hair then got to her feet as well.
“Well, it’s Bianca… isn’t it?” Likewise, she asked as if to confirm.
Why would she confirm my name when I have no memory of it?
Were they indeed her family? Without any sense of kinship, they seemed like strangers to her. For a while, both sides exchanged long glances.
“I am your brother, Satias.”
The man who snapped to his senses first initiated an introduction.
“Ah, Bianca, I am so glad to know you are safe.”
The middle-aged woman, overwhelmed with emotion, abruptly embraced Maria. Bianca was Maria’s real name, but it did not feel right. The discomfort sent a wave of goosebumps down her spine.
“Now, let’s return home. Well, Bianca, you’ve lost so much weight. Haven’t you grown a little more attractive?”
The remark, “Haven’t you grown a little more attractive?” by the woman who had been in tears and rejoicing at their reunion struck the director’s office with a subtle atmosphere.
“Um, who are you? I have no memory so I don’t recognize you.”
At that point, Maria chimed in. Believing that these unfamiliar people unexpectedly claiming to be her family was tough. The middle-aged woman then started crying once more.
“Oh, my God. You don’t even recall me after seeing me.”
“Bianca, how can you talk to your mother like that?” Satias noted with a bitter look on his face. Her name was Bianca, and this woman appeared to be her mother. Her brother had blonde hair and blue eyes, while her mother had golden brown hair and eyes, their resemblance was not so striking.
“Well, well, please calm down. Maria doesn’t remember anything since her arrival in this place. That’s why she is at a loss. How about staying here for a while longer?”
The director appeased them. The woman claiming to be the mother nevertheless shook her head.
“My daughter’s name is Bianca, not Maria! Your offer is appreciated; however, if she spends too long in the countryside like this, her studies will be delayed. I will bring her home immediately and have her rejoin the academy. After all, this is the very reason her engagement was canceled.”
The academy? Engagement? Did something absurd just come out of her mouth?
The words that spilled out led Maria to widen her eyes.
“Did I have a fiancé?”
“Yes, but unfortunately, things broke off this time around.”
She wasn’t moved much by it. The revelation that she had a fiancé and that the engagement had already been broken was shocking though.
“Mother, why don’t we discuss this when Bianca has settled down a bit more? Since she cannot even recall her name, it will only further confuse matters.”
She was already disoriented enough. Maria began to fidget.
Furthermore, even her brother and mother before her did not seem like family to her. If she had to say, her blonde brother was more or less relatable to her, although the elder sibling gave off a chilly vibe with his slanted eyes, thin lips, and overly polished features. To put it simply, he was really tough to approach.
Maria wondered if this was some sort of joke. Perhaps she had experienced so much anguish that her memory was lost.
When her family came to pick her up, she had the urge to quickly flee and earnestly prayed that she would be able to continue residing in the monastery.
Strangely enough, despite her memory loss, Maria lacked the desire to regain her memories.
After hearing that her engagement had fallen through, “Oh, so this is what it’s all about,” she thought, oddly swallowing the story.
