4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Three days had passed since the festival ended.
After returning to Violet House, Lyla had not left her room.
Her family, insisted that she stay put until her injured foot healed, she supported their decision to remain confined to her bed.
They did not realize that Lyla was intentionally hiding in her room to avoid Aslan.
But by the second day, she had grown weary of it.
Previously, she had found solace and comfort in staying in her room to avoid others. Now, the solitude of her room felt stifling.
Whether it was because the room seemed smaller than before or the constant sound of cheerful conversations outside made her feel lonely, she couldn’t tell.
She didn’t know the exact reason, but she was certain that continuing to stay cooped up in her room was not a solution.
Yet, not wanting to run into Aslan at home, she decided to leave the house.
‘Maybe I should go to the parsonage and spend time with the children?’
It was the first thought that came to her, but she hesitated to go down to the village. Curiosity among the villagers about Aslan must be overwhelming by now. If she went to the village, she might run into Emily or other villagers, and they would undoubtedly bombard her with questions.
She wanted to escape to avoid Aslan, not to engage in endless conversations about him. Her feelings about him were still unresolved and confusing.
So, Lyla walked in the opposite direction of the village.
She crossed a small bridge over a creek, followed a winding forest path, and climbed a gentle hill.
From the top of the hill, she could see the entire view of Ellwood.
The blue sea undulates in the background, while buildings cluster around the square. Following the path leads to a sprawling orchard.
Beyond that was the Violet House, notable for its purple roof, and the path that Lyla had walked.
Seeing the open scenery made her feel as if the blockage in her heart was clearing up.
Lyla let her gaze drift into the distance, where she spotted the city of Eres, visible only in a small outline.
“Eres…”
She recalled the festival held there.
From the happy and joyful times to the moments filled with a strange tension that took her breath away.
In the past fifteen days since he lost his memory, Lyla had spoken with Aslan more than she did in the three years they spent together at the Tordell mansion.
She discovered aspects of Aslan she never knew.
She learned that the mature-seeming Aslan had surprisingly childish traits, along with moments of vulnerability and danger.
Every time she saw a new side of Aslan, she had to acknowledge her feelings for him.
Her heart still beat for him.
The emotions that had accumulated over time couldn’t just vanish in an instant.
She was less swayed by him now than she was at the Tordell mansion, but he still held an important place in her heart.
She thought she had forgotten him completely, but her heart raced for him. Her fickle and fragile heart!
“Sigh…”
Lyla lowered her gaze from the horizon.
She saw flowers swaying in the wind. Her heart was the same—easily swayed by even the lightest breeze…
“Lyla.”
Lyla tightly shut her eyes at the familiar voice. Why did he have to show up now, of all times?
Meeting him now, when her mind was filled with thoughts of him, she felt she might not be able to maintain the patience she had struggled to keep.
“Lyla.”
However, she couldn’t ignore him as he continued to call her name.
Lyla opened her eyes. With a faint resolve, she spoke without turning around.
“The house I used to live in, there was a hill nearby like this one. I loved it there and visited often. Thinking of my childhood makes me miss that hill. So, when I found this hill in Ellwood, I was delighted.”
“I see.”
“When I was at the Tordell mansion, I liked the garden the most.”
Lyla continued speaking, still staring blankly at the flowers.
“Aslan once gifted me a garden. Before I came, it was mostly filled with evergreen trees, easy to maintain. But for me, he planted a variety of flowers.”
“It seems we got along well before.”
“Well, I’m not sure.”
Lyla answered softly, searching her memories.
“Aslan was kind and gentle, but it was hard to get close to him. He seemed to like me one day, but the next day, he would keep his distance.”
His unpredictable behavior used to leave Lyla even more confused.
If he had outright disliked her, she might have given up on him quickly. Even if she couldn’t completely let go, she would have tried harder to do so.
On the other hand, if he had consistently shown his feelings for her, Lyla would have clung to him more.
She wouldn’t have been tormented by Rosalyn’s appearance before she came, and even after she arrived, Lyla would have faced her with more confidence.
Lyla sighed inwardly. ‘I wouldn’t have run away so cowardly,’ she thought, feeling a touch of self-pity.
“I found your ambiguous attitude difficult,” she admitted.
Aslan remained silent.
The conversation had taken an unpleasant turn, and both of them felt the weight of it.
‘Maybe I am just venting.’
Her feelings for Aslan were her own burden to bear.
After a long silence, she spoke again.
“Is there nothing else you’re curious about? Anything about the old Aslan? I can tell you whatever I know.”
“Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?” he asked.
“Because I want you to regain your memories,” Lyla replied calmly.
Her straightforward honesty, reflected in her innocent face, made Aslan clench his fists.
“Would it be better if I remembered everything quickly?” he asked.
“I know how busy you are. I realize how much of a burden it must be for you to stay here.”
Though she didn’t give a direct answer, her words implied as much.
In a despondent tone, Aslan murmured, “So you really want me to leave, don’t you?”
“As I mentioned from the beginning, you need to return to the estate, to Central. You have a lot of work piled up, so the sooner you go back, the better. And most importantly…”
“……”
“There are many people waiting for you.”
Lyla avoided his gaze. She quickly finished speaking, almost holding her breath.
“I’ll do my best to help you with that. If you need anything from me, just let me know.”
With her head bowed, Lyla didn’t see the expression fading from Aslan’s face as her words continued.
Nor did she see his lips twist in a brief moment of anguish as he looked down at her, lost in thought.
“If you want to get rid of me so badly, I suppose I should honor my wife’s request.”
“I didn’t mean to say I wanted to get rid of you…!”
Lyla didn’t finish her sentence. Aslan leaned forward, closing the distance between them, their foreheads touching.
“……!”
“……”
Lyla stared at Aslan’s face, which filled her vision, unable to blink. He, too, was gazing at her.
With his lips twisted in a sneer, his face entirely calm, he whispered, their foreheads touching.
“In my opinion, the best and surest way for you to help me is this.”
“What’s th― huh!”
Her words disappeared as his lips completely covered hers.
Lyla’s eyelashes trembled. Her breath stopped. He pushed inwards.
The wind picked up.
Aslan washed over her like a wave.
Lyla closed her eyes.
His presence didn’t diminish just because she couldn’t see him. It grew even stronger, overwhelming her.
Her back arched. Though his arms kept her from collapsing completely, her body slowly descended until it touched the ground.
One hand holding her waist and the other cradling her head, Aslan positioned himself above her.
Their rough breaths mingled. The sensation of his lips biting and exploring inside her mouth made her flinch, and the sound of water rushing in her ears made her shoulders tense.
She couldn’t think straight. Every nerve focused solely on Aslan, who had her tightly bound.
She felt like a prey before a predator, as if he were about to devour her whole.
Yet, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
Her trembling eyelids subtly moved. When Lyla opened her eyes slightly, she saw the sky.
The clear sky was dotted with gently drifting white clouds. It was a peaceful scene. The serene weather remained unchanged, indifferent to what was happening below.
