Chapter 7
As soon as I entered, the tray used by the attendants in Elysia was set.
Come to think of it, the attendant I almost ran into earlier was also holding a tray. I’m not sure if it’s the same one.
Was there a tray in the room yesterday?
I thought I had searched every nook and cranny, but apparently not.
“Was there a tray yesterday?”
“No. He woke up when you arrived, so today is his first proper meal.”
As soon as the answer came back, Elysia nodded and called for Eden.
“Eden.”
It hadn’t been long since he ate, but Eden was sitting on the floor differently from yesterday.
Seeing the tray by the door, it didn’t seem like he had eaten properly in his absent state.
As evidence, Eden was sitting not far from the tray.
Still, judging by the fact that he came to the door to eat, he seemed to be in better condition than yesterday.
“Shall we get up first?”
Elysia approached gently with a soft voice and asked Eden.
‘Be kind and gentle.’
As expected, Eden looked slowly at Elysia.
Still sitting on the floor.
Elysia, who had sighed deeply, sat down on the floor as well, trying to match eye level with Eden.
If Rachel saw it, she would be surprised and astonished.
Even without coercion, Elysia always maintained her posture and dignity thoroughly.
“You’ve buried everything and ate.”
Seeing Eden’s lips stained with bread crumbs, Elysia wiped around his mouth with familiar movements.
Pulling her sleeve to wipe Eden’s mouth, Elysia remembered Ariel from her childhood.
Young Ariel used to frequently get food on her lips and eat.
Every time that happened, it was Elysia who wiped Ariel’s face, not Rachel or other attendants.
At that moment, Elysia felt as if she and Ariel were real siblings.
“Is your head still fuzzy?”
Guessing that his mind might be empty, Elysia asked.
In response to her question, Eden blinked.
When Lizbeth, who had been watching them, quietly closed the door and left, a small noise was heard from behind.
“I hope we can communicate soon…”
Elysia, who thought it was still impossible to talk to Eden today, forcibly turned his face with a sticker.
Eden blinked again.
Facing Elysia with only the white part of his eyes grabbed, Elysia immediately lowered her head and rummaged through the medicine drawer.
“I’ve been beaten a lot, so I know. It hurts a lot when you put on medicine alone.”
Remembering the past when she was beaten by her stepfather and applied medicine alone in her room, Elysia laughed and said.
Even when it hurt, putting on medicine alone often made the tears well up.
Now, enough time has passed that she can speak about it without much concern.
“It’s not like just because it’s right, or because it’s the correct dosage.”
With graceful yet firm strokes, Elysia applied the ointment to Idun’s face.
Eden, who had remained expressionless, furrowed his brow for the first time.
“Hm? Does it hurt?”
As Idun grimaced, Elysia’s face brightened instead of showing concern.
Contrary to her worrying words, her expression was one of great joy.
“Ah….”
Eden let out a faint sound, his voice lacking strength due to not being used for a long time.
His voice was so quiet that it could barely be heard if Elysia didn’t lean in to listen.
“Hm?”
Elysia gestured for him to continue speaking.
With anticipation in her voice, Eden’s eyes widened. His previously dull purple irises now held a vivid color.
“I…it hurts….”
“Oh? It does? You’re in pain? Poor thing!”
Elysia was not a sadist.
She wasn’t happy because Eden was in pain, but because she finally managed to communicate with him.
“It’s over now.”
As if to reassure him that she wouldn’t hurt him anymore, Elysia firmly closed the medicine cabinet with a loud thud.
“….Who are you?”
Watching Elysia quietly move the medicine cabinet aside, Eden asked.
“Who am I? You’re asking me a question now?”
Finally able to have a proper conversation, Elysia responded to Eden’s question with another question.
Eden recoiled.
He seemed frightened, as if he shouldn’t have asked a question.
“Oh. I’m Elysia.”
“Elysia….”
”
More precisely, I’m Elysia Partin, but I don’t like being called Partin, so just call me Elysia.”
There was a hint of discomfort in her tone. Eden quickly scanned Elysia’s expression, thinking it might be because of him.
Even as Eden scrutinized her expression, he still looked frightened.
“You said your name is Eden, right?”
“Yes? Yes….”
In the midst of his hazy mind and vision, Eden managed to tell Elysia his name.
He was the only one who had asked for his name.
‘This person.’
Using his clearer vision, Eden focused his eyes to memorize Elysia’s face.
Meanwhile, Elysia couldn’t hide her joy, her face bright and open.
Eden regained his senses.
This was a very good sign for Elysia.
‘Now, I just need to make Eden resent the Marquis Partin.’
While hoping for the original plot to twist, Elysia harbored a dual feeling of wanting the original story to proceed as it should.
That way, she could survive and eventually escape the clutches of Marquis Partin with Ariel.
“……”
Elysia looked around with a sharp eye, focusing her gaze as she relaxed her eyes. It was her first time properly examining the detached building. Even with her clearer vision, the surroundings remained unfamiliar to Eden’s memory. There were no landscapes or anything else coming to mind. In fact, he didn’t even know what he was supposed to recall.
“Your name is Eden. That’s all you need to remember,” echoed the cold voice that forcefully implanted his name, the only thing remaining in Eden’s mind.
In the midst of this emptiness, Elysia’s face, glowing with satisfaction, filled the barren space, injecting some relief into Eden’s desolate state.
“Um….”
Now that there was a possibility of conversation, Eden felt at a loss for what to say. He had just regained his senses, and Elysia, aware of his condition, didn’t want to overwhelm him.
“Is the food to your liking?”
“Huh?”
Food?
Eden looked puzzled, not understanding.
“You just ate. The meal.”
Elysia pointed to the plate behind him, and Eden’s gaze followed, his eyes landing on the plate.
“…Um….”
Did he eat?
He felt like he might have put something in his mouth.
His memory was fuzzy, and Eden hesitated to answer.
“Don’t remember?”
Seemingly devoid of reason, he must have instinctively eaten.
Growl-
Suddenly, a rumble emanated from Eden’s stomach. Two pairs of eyes, each a different color, involuntarily lowered towards his belly.
“Guess you were still hungry.”
Considering he had only replenished minimal fluids for a week, it wasn’t surprising that one meal wouldn’t suffice.
Understandingly, Elysia nodded and got up from her seat.
“Are you going to keep sitting there?”
Elysia, now standing, looked down at Eden and asked.
Eden’s head slowly lifted from focusing on his stomach, his actions slightly delayed compared to others.
As their gazes met, Eden swallowed dryly.
An inexplicable sense of unease washed over him.
“Aren’t the floors cold? I found them chilly even after sitting for a while.”
Of course, Elysia didn’t intend for it, but it felt that way to Eden.
Hurriedly, Eden rose from his seat following Elysia. His body, not used for days, complained uncomfortably with creaks and discomfort.
Stumbling to his feet, Eden appeared so unstable that even in Elysia’s eyes, he seemed terribly unsteady.
With unnecessary concern, Elysia didn’t take her eyes off him for a moment until he managed to rise properly from his seat.
Eden’s precarious movements stirred Elysia’s sympathy mercilessly.
“Sit back on the bed like yesterday. I’ll bring some snacks in the evening,” lizbeth’s words echoed, mentioning that they’d switch guard duty at midnight, so it’d be fine if she came back in the evening.
Despite being told to sit back on the bed, Eden just stood there, gazing at Elysia.
Unable to do otherwise, Elysia gently took Eden’s wrist and led him to the bed.
When she lightly nudged his shoulder, Eden’s body flopped onto the bed lifelessly.
“Dinner… you say?”
Ignoring the sensation of the soft mattress against his rear, Eden asked Elysia.
Just seeing Eden, who kept using honorifics even though he had no memory, demonstrated how naturally gentle he was.
“Yeah, dinner. I’ll come back when it gets dark.”
When it gets dark.
Internally, Eden, following Elysia’s words, anxiously looked out of the window with barred shutters.
Although the sun wasn’t visible, it was clearly a bright day.
How long would he have to wait for it to get dark outside?
Eden’s face, with the last shreds of basic knowledge still present in his empty mind, turned pale.
“I’ll come back at night.”
As Elysia approached the door, she didn’t notice Eden’s expression.
With a tone as light as her footsteps, she opened the door, promising Eden the next encounter.
The bright light only briefly filled the annex before the door closed, bringing back the shadowy darkness.
With a disappointed expression, Eden stubbornly stared at the door, or more precisely, beyond the door.
