While You're In Love

As midsummer was approaching, the sun started rising early. Thanks to this, Lyla’s waking time also advanced.

However, no matter how early Lyla woke up, she was always the last in the Violet House. Even Aslan got up earlier than her and was active.

“Good morning.”

Feeling a bit sluggish, Lyla mumbled a greeting.

Then, bright greetings echoed from all around the house.

“Did you sleep well, Lyla?”

“Just wait a moment. I’ll prepare breakfast soon.”

“Sister, can’t you ask Dad if we can have meat today?”

Lyla answered gradually as she walked towards the couch, feeling a bit lazy. And in front of the couch…

“Good morning.”

“Yes.”

It still felt awkward to have Aslan in the family.

Lyla discreetly lowered her gaze and took the seat furthest away from him.

Fidgeting with her fingers, she tried not to look in his direction.

Fortunately, he didn’t initiate a conversation first. He was busy dealing with the chattering Aiden next to him and occasionally talking to Sophia.

Amidst the lively family conversations, sitting alone and keeping her mouth shut felt uncomfortable.

During one of these awkward moments, she sensed someone approaching from outside.

“It looks like the newspaper has arrived.”

With a bright face, Lyla stood up.

Receiving mail was one of the few tasks she did in this house.

Getting the mail, watering the flowers, helping to prepare meals, sewing occasionally, and other things that didn’t require much effort were the only things Lyla was allowed to do.

She was exempted from the family’s orchard work, as well as household chores, which were handled by Luke and Aiden.

‘They’re probably concerned about me, but I can’t keep doing nothing. I want to contribute to the family as well.’

As she thought about finding something to do, a shawl was draped over Lyla’s shoulders.

“The morning air is chilly. You should dress warmly if you don’t want to catch a cold.”

In response to Aslan’s words, Lyla muttered ‘strange’ inwardly.

Compared to a cold day, the temperature wasn’t low enough to warrant a shawl. In fact, it was rather warm.

“Thank you.”

Still, Lyla accepted Aslan’s kindness without hesitation. It wasn’t in Lyla’s nature to criticize spmeone for caring about her.

Observing Lyla with the shawl, Aslan’s lips formed a satisfied smile.

However, that smile quickly disappeared.

“Good morning, Mr. Hans.”

“Yes, yes! Good morning, Miss Lyla…….”

Hans looked at Lyla and blushed shyly.

Aslan took long strides and came right behind Lyla.

Hans, who was preoccupied with Lyla, looked at Aslan in surprise at the intense gaze glaring at him.

His shoulders tensed.

‘I’m scared!’

A man who was extremely elegant and handsome, or rather, a man with a head taller than anyone else, was staring at him with a chilling gaze, as sharp as a blade.

The fear that if he stayed like this, a knife might suddenly appear and cut his throat gripped him.

“I, I, I’ll be leaving now!”

Hans, barely managing to say a farewell, fled promptly.

Watching Hans quickly recede, Lyla, with a bewildered expression, turned around.

“Aslan! You’re scaring Mr. Hans again!”

Aslan did not bother to deny it.

“I can’t just stand idly when someone is hitting on my wife.”

“….”

Lyla reflexively looked over Aslan’s shoulder.

The family, quite far away, seemed oblivious to their conversation.

But still, saying such reckless words at home—

“Of course, I understand that it might be difficult for someone with proper eyesight to resist when my wife is inherently beautiful. So, I won’t be using my hands when it’s not necessary.”

“No….”

Lyla pursed her lips.

How could he say such embarrassing things so nonchalantly?

The one who made the embarrassing remark was Aslan, but strangely, it was Lyla who felt embarrassed.

She turned her blushing face away, fanning herself with her hand.

‘Is it because he lost his memory?’

Lyla once again felt the crucial difference between the Aslan before he lost his memory and the Aslan now.

Aslan had never been wary of men approaching her. Jealousy was always Lyla’s concern.

Though in the past, Lyla was unpopular and had no one around her, so there was hardly anything to be jealous of…

Even so, he didn’t react so sensitively to such trivial matters.

“It’s different.”

As Lyla mumbled, Aslan asked.

“What’s different?”

“You.”

Lyla turned her face towards Aslan once again.

“I don’t think you’re the same Aslan I know. It’s strange how different you are  from before.”

Aslan remained silent for a moment.

“How am I different?”

“Well…”

When Lyla didn’t answer right away, Aslan asked again.

“What was my past self like?”

Lyla couldn’t answer right away.

As if trying to convince the hesitant Lyla, Aslan carefully explained his intention.

“They say that to regain your memories, it’s good to hear what happened in the past.”

Since it was for therapeutic purposes, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

Lyla recalled the past.

From the first day they met, the kindness he showed her. Three years of peaceful married life.

There were many difficult moments, but the joy outweighed them.

A smile formed on Lyla’s lips. Aslan’s eyes were fixed on Lyla’s face, which was as clear as morning dew.

Lyla began to speak softly.

“In the past, you were caring, gentle, and kind. You were kind to everyone and loved sharing.”

“…Are you talking about me?”

Aslan responded as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes. You were the most virtuous person I knew.”

“Is that so…”

Aslan still didn’t seem to believe her. Why? He couldn’t remember, but it was his own story, and he felt embarrassed to admit that he could never be like that.

Lyla provided specific examples to illustrate her point.

“During famines, you always donated grain, and every year, you sponsored orphanages and impoverished areas. Just the fact that you consistently did this every year was remarkable, and you never publicized it.”

Aslan retorted internally.

It was just his duty as a high-paid businessman and a high-ranking aristocrat who did not have to look out for anything except the imperial family.

If he didn’t do charity, he’d be booked, so he was just taking precautions to avoid the hassle.

“If you saw a poor person or animal, you couldn’t just pass by.”

“Hmm.”

This was somewhat unexpected.

Aslan didn’t think of himself as a particularly warmhearted person.

In the years that he doesn’t remember, his values wouldn’t have changed completely.

Aslan Tordell was quick to calculate profit, and if it wasn’t necessary, he wouldn’t bother doing it. He had never felt sympathy for anyone, not even for a mere ant, and humans were no different.

However, it didn’t seem like Lyla was making things up.

‘I did that?’

Aslan was not so easily convinced of his good deed. There had to be an ulterior motive.

But there was no need to ponder this for long. It was easy to surmise what motives led him to do such things before losing his memory.

‘You pretended to live a good life. Were you that eager to impress this woman?’

The past Aslan had acted to show himself off to Lyla, trying to appear, as she put it, “affectionate, caring, and kind-hearted.”

‘It’s not even funny.’

Even as he laughed at his past self, Aslan couldn’t tear his gaze away from Lyla’s sparkling eyes full of trust. Those eyes firmly believed that he was the kindest, most affectionate, and good-hearted person in the world.

It didn’t seem so bad to be the guardian of her belief.

Aslan averted his gaze. If he kept locking eyes with Lyla, he might end up doing something as foolish as before.

As his eyes left Lyla’s face, his unsettled heart quickly calmed.

With a composed tone, Aslan spoke.

“If that’s what you believed, then you misunderstood me.”

Aslan smirked.

“I’ve been a person who values ​​my interests over others since I was born. I don’t have any sympathy.”