While You're In Love

The question of “Who are you?” was short and simple, leaving no room for misunderstanding, but Oscar was bewildered.

“What?”

Who am I…….

Are you kidding me?

The look on the aide’s face was filled with uncertainty.

However, Aslan continued with a question that only added to the confusion.

“Where is this?”

“Your Grace?”

“Your Grace? Are you addressing me? Who am I?”

By this point, Oscar had almost understood the situation.

The Duke was not one to play around.

And that clear face. There was no sign of lying anywhere.

In that case…

“Could it be that your memory…?”

Before the aide could finish speaking, a look of astonishment overtook his face.

As he turned to the side, the pale face of the physician, Chamberlain, also appeared, equally shocked.

A chill ran down their spines.

The aide realized that the assumption he had hoped would be a futile delusion was now a grim reality.

The physician, who had turned pale with horror, marked the end of his thoughts.

“Apparently, sir, there is nothing wrong with the duke physically, but there is something wrong with his, uh, memory.”

---

This was a major issue.

Oscar couldn’t close his gaping mouth.

The loyal aide, almost appearing overwhelmed, couldn’t tear his gaze away from Aslan’s clear blue eyes as he asked,

“In other words, what exactly is  master’s condition right now?”

“Right now, the Duke of Tordell is…….”

Doctor Chamberlain replied, wiping the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief.

“He seems to have lost his memory…….”

It was the fifth time he’d repeated the same words, but Doctor Chamberlain didn’t show a hint of annoyance. He could hardly believe it himself.

“Lost his memory…”

The aide mumbled dazedly.

“His memory…”

Oscar kept muttering with a face that looked like his world was crumbling.

Chamberlain didn’t try to stop him. He was as bewildered as Oscar.

Then, a calm voice intervened,

“I’m sorry, but is it appropriate for me to speak now?”

At the center of this storm, Aslan Tordean spoke.

“Yes.”

Chamberlain replied as if he’d just realized his mistake.

The one who must be feeling the most bewildered and anxious right now would likely be the person who lost their memories.

Trying to hide his embarrassment, Chamberlain explained his patient’s condition.

“The Duke was in a carriage accident a week ago,” he said, “and suffered a severe blow to the head, and has been unconscious ever since.”

“And then I just opened my eyes, and here I am in this state, having forgotten all about who I am.”

To think he could be so calm despite losing his memory.

Chamberlain responded with astonishment, “Yes, that’s correct. But do you really remember nothing at all?”

Aslan tilted his head. He pondered deeply for a moment before nodding.

“Probably… I’m not entirely sure. Well, I guess I don’t.”

The way he furrowed his brows gave the impression that he couldn’t precisely gauge his own state.

“In that case, may I conduct a few tests? It could help us more accurately assess your current condition.”

“Of course.”

Aslan readily agreed, and Chamberlain began the examination.

The examination wasn’t particularly complex. It began with simple questions and progressed to more intricate ones. Through this examination, Chamberlain determined Aslan’s current state.

“You seem to have knowledge of general common sense and societal matters, but it appears you’ve forgotten all personal memories related to your role as a duke.”

Oscar’s face darkened upon hearing this. But Chamberlain added quickly, “However, as we proceed through the questions, it seems you are gradually recalling your memories. It’s likely you’ll regain them shortly.”

Certainly, Aslan’s brain, which had initially seemed like a blank slate, began to fill in as the examination progressed. This was evident even to his watching aide.

“At first, you didn’t even remember your name or age, but now you’ve recollected all the basic information. At this rate, you’ll likely regain all your memories in a few days.”

“Few days!”

Upon Chamberlain’s words, the aide felt a glimmer of hope.

“However, to recover your memories, you need stimuli. It’s recommended to visit familiar places often, talk to people you usually interact with, and engage in activities you enjoy.”

“Is there no other treatment? Perhaps taking medicine?”

“I’m sorry, but with the current state of medicine, there’s no guaranteed treatment to recover memories.”

Apologetically, the doctor lowered his head, leaving the aide no room to press further.

The atmosphere grew heavy. Neither Chamberlain nor Oscar could continue the conversation.

It was then that Aslan spoke up.

“Well, then, we should start with what we can do immediately.”

Looking at his aide, Aslan said.

“You’re my aide, so we must be close. You probably know a lot about me. Start by telling me everything you know.”

Despite losing his memory, Aslan was still Aslan. The doctor and the aide were both stunned, but the one who had lost his memory remained composed.

“Understood.”

Oscar was about to begin speaking but then stopped, biting his lip. Aslan had ordered that his aide should share everything he knew, and this included confidential matters. The doctor couldn’t be present for that conversation.

“I’ll take my leave now,” Chamberlain, who had quickly understood the situation, bowed and exited the room.

“I’m not sure where to start, but…”

“Start wherever you like. It’s more about what you say than where you start.”

“Very well. Then I’ll begin with the moment I first met you.”

With a trembling voice, the aide began to explain, and Aslan listened attentively to every word.

“Hmm.”

Aslan listened carefully to what his aide had to say.

He asked questions as he went along, trying to learn more about himself.

“Then an accident happened, and after that, it’s the same as you know.”

After the aide finished speaking, Aslan pondered deeply. Once he had roughly organized his complex thoughts, he began to speak.

“I appreciate you explaining in detail. It has been of great help.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. I’ve regained most of my memories. However, the last memory I have is from when I was twenty.”

The aide blinked. If the last memory was from when he was twenty…

“Did you say I’m twenty-five now?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then there’s a gap of five years.”

The aide was astonished. According to Aslan’s words, he should be twenty years old, but he didn’t seem the least bit concerned about suddenly being twenty-five.

‘He truly is the Duke. He doesn’t seem any different from his usual self.’

Aslan spoke up as his lieutenant admired him.

“You said the reason I put off important business to come here was because of the lady.”

Aslan asked calmly.

“Yes. You came here to see Madam.”

Upon hearing this, Aslan’s eyebrows raised slightly. The previously composed man seemed to react for the first time.

“Are you talking about my mother?”

The aide, who knew about the relationship with the former Duchess trapped in the monastery, quickly denied it.

“No!”

“If you’re referring to someone as Madam, then it must be the Duchess of Tordell, I thought.”

“That’s correct.”

Aslan fell silent.

He looked at the aide. The aide, sweating profusely, lowered his head.

“If it’s not my mother but the Duchess of Tordell… Then… my wife.”

“Yes.”

Aslan’s brow furrowed, and he muttered, “I didn’t know I was married.”

Aslan, still staring into the void in disbelief about his own marriage, posed another question.

“Why is my wife here?”

He had breezed past this topic earlier, briefly mentioning it. However, when asked directly, he couldn’t keep avoiding it.

The aide tightly shut his eyes.

“In truth…”

Aslan observed the aide, who was pouring out information rapidly, his expression curious and complex.

“You felt that you absolutely had to meet her and hurried here.”

“I said that?”

Muttered Aslan, looking as if he couldn’t believe the facts of his past.

“Hah.”

Aslan let out a dry laugh.

The fact that he, who had never considered getting married, had indeed married was astounding.

‘Even to a woman with no political advantage.’

A fragile woman from a family he’d only heard of in name only.

A marriage he pushed through despite the fierce opposition of the Senate and his vassals.

Their marriage had lasted for three years, and it was said that they were a rare couple who truly loved each other.

According to the explanation given by the aide, it didn’t seem like there was much affection between the two.

‘Moreover, she left, leaving behind only a letter. If we consider the context, she probably demanded a divorce.’

However, Aslan himself seemed unable to accept that. To others, he justified his wife’s absence as her going for treatment.

But in reality, he couldn’t bring his wife back, and he even issued what seemed like a ridiculous order, secretly planting a knight and having him spy on her day and night.

From one to ten, everything Aslan had done seemed unbelievable to him.

‘It’s a series of events that I can’t possibly understand.’

It was all so absurd that he couldn’t help but laugh.