Chapter 2
“Hey, hey. Wake up.”
I poured the boiled medicine into a teacup and went to the bed.
“Ugh…”
The child groaned and turned over in discomfort.
I placed the cup on the bedside table and helped her sit up, letting her lean against my chest.
“No… I don’t want it…”
She weakly complained, her body limp.
“Just this. If you drink this, I’ll let you sleep.”
I blew on the tea to cool it down.
When it became warm, I brought it to her lips.
“Drink it. You’ll feel better.”
Even in her confused state, she seemed to understand me. She slowly started drinking small sips.
“Good girl.”
I let her drink about three mouthfuls, then laid her back down.
“That should be enough.”
Soon, her face relaxed, and she began breathing more evenly.
“Thank goodness.”
I brushed away the sweaty hair stuck to her forehead. After confirming she was asleep, I collapsed on the floor, exhausted.
“Ah… what a mess.”
I wiped my sweaty forehead and looked around. The house looked like it had been hit by a storm.
I looked at the sleeping child.
“I should find her parents…”
She looked like she had lost her parents and wandered here alone.
They must be searching for her right now. But I was too tired to move.
Yawn.
“I’ll ask her about her parents when she wakes up.”
With that thought, I couldn’t resist sleep and slowly drifted off.
I groaned and opened my eyes.
The messy house came into view.
At the same time, I felt a sharp gaze on my face.
What is this cold feeling…?
Slowly, I turned my head.
There she was.
The girl was sitting on the bed, staring at me with wide ruby-red eyes.
Her fluffy cherry-pink hair looked like cotton candy. Her cheeks were soft and round like a bunny.
“So cute…”
I couldn’t help but say it out loud.
She was already cute before, but now that her color had returned, she was even more adorable.
We stared at each other silently.
Luckily, she didn’t seem scared, even though I was a stranger.
I smiled gently.
“Hello. You were lying unconscious outside, so I brought you here. What’s your na—”
Grrr…
At that moment, a loud growling sound came from her stomach.
She opened her eyes wide and held her belly with both hands, blushing.
So cute… really.
My chest felt warm.
“You must be hungry?”
I gently patted her head. She suddenly flinched and looked surprised.
“Am I scary?”
She quickly shook her head.
I laughed softly.
“That’s good.”
I stood up.
“I’ll go get some soup. Wait here.”
But—
Riiip.
I was suddenly pulled back and fell onto the bed.
The girl was holding onto my dress, and part of it tore.
“Why did it tear like that?”
Just from a child pulling it?
Then she slowly blinked.
“Mom?”
“…Huh? Mom?”
I tilted my head.
Before I could think further, she pointed at me.
“Mom!”
My heart tightened.
So cute. I couldn’t even think properly.
“Okay, okay. I’m Mom.”
I didn’t even understand the word properly, but I gave up and smiled.
“I’ll be right back. Wait here.”
I went to the kitchen.
But—
Bang bang!
A loud knocking sound came from the door.
The girl’s eyes suddenly turned sharp.
A chill ran down my spine.
“Coming!”
I hurried to the door, still holding my torn dress.
I opened it.
“Lucina!”
“B-Bayer?”
Bayer looked unusually serious and nervous.
“Something terrible happened!”
“What?”
“Princess who visited our village has gone missing!”
“What?!”
I froze.
“The royal guards are searching the village right now.”
“What if she was kidnapped? If they can’t find her, everyone in the village will be taken to the palace for questioning…”
Bayer suddenly looked past me and froze.
“Lucina… why are you shaking?”
“I-I’m not— I’m not shaking…”
“Your voice is shaking too.”
I quickly blocked the door so he couldn’t see inside.
“…Don’t tell me the princess has pink fluffy hair and red eyes?”
Bayer widened his eyes.
“How do you know that?”
Because… she’s behind me.
“They said you must explain everything to His Majesty.”
“It wasn’t kidnapping, I was helping her.”
“They’ll decide after investigation.”
The knights searched my house like it was a pigsty.
The girl had already fallen asleep again, so she couldn’t even explain for me.
The lead knight, a gray-haired man with cold eyes, looked at me silently.
Then he ordered his men.
“Take this woman quietly so the princess doesn’t wake up.”
What did I even do wrong?
I sighed and let go of my torn dress.
It’s fine. I didn’t do anything wrong anyway.
The princess will explain everything in the palace.
I left the house with the knights.
“Lucina!”
Bayer’s voice echoed behind me.
Through the crowd, I saw villagers watching.
Some looked worried, others just silent.
Bayer tried to push through the guards.
He was strong enough to throw knights aside.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Soon, several knights were knocked back.
One knight charged at him.
But Bayer quickly twisted his arm and pinned him down.
“Ugh!”
He was strong…
“Bayer?”
While I was shocked, Bayer turned back to me.
“Lucina, come here!”
He reached out his hand.
“Stop!”
A commanding voice rang out.
The lead knight stepped forward.
Bayer said quickly, “Please let me go with her. I will explain everything.”
“Bayer, I’m fine.”
“Lucina.”
His voice was firm.
He was worried about me.
The villagers whispered nearby.
“That girl is so calm in this situation…”
“She lost her memory three years ago, maybe that’s why.”
“She might die and still acts like that…”
A strange feeling spread in the air.
Then the village chief stepped forward and grabbed my hand.
The situation was getting worse…
