The Beloved New Daughter-In-Law of the Wolf Mansion Chapter 193 - Side story 6

I led Arsene toward a hill where Jennifer’s orchard could be seen clearly.

 

It was a hill overlooking the apple orchard, a place where I often used to sit.

 

“For the past five years, it was a place I sat alone, but now I’ve come here with you.”

 

As I plopped down on the grassy field, fragments of wild grass fluttered lightly into the air.

 

If Betty or the other maids had seen me, they would have been shocked, but I didn’t care.

 

“Sit here, Arsene!”

 

Arsene, too, sat quietly on the grass without scolding or questioning me for doing so

 

Considering that he was a young master raised in comfort, it was quite surprising.

 

‘Maybe it’s only natural since he grew up with me…?’

 

Come to think of it, when we were little, it felt like we often sat together like this.

 

I took out the warm pie Jennifer had baked and handed a piece to Arsen.

 

“Ack, it’s still hot. Take it quickly!”

 

“It’s not hot, though?”

 

“Just kidding.”

 

Arsene accepted the pie.

 

After sharing the pie with Arsene, I immediately got up from my seat.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“I’m going to give some to the knights over there, too.”

 

“Come quickly.”

 

“I know.”

 

Jennifer’s apple pie was so big that even after everyone had eaten, half of it was still left.

 

After sharing with the knights and even the coachman, I took a piece of pie and sat down on the hill.

 

And then, smiling at Arsene, I took a bite of the pie.

 

As I took a bite, the still burning-hot apple jam oozed out, almost scalding my tongue.

 

“Hot!”

 

“Be careful, Linsy.”

 

“I eat carefully…” 

 

I carefully chewed the pie in small bites while gazing at the sunset.

 

Beyond the rather small orchard, the sunset was spreading across the sky.

 

“Isn’t it pretty? The sunset is clearly visible from up here.”

 

“Did you sit here until the sun went down?”

 

“Mm-hm, I kept thinking here. About who I lost and what I’ve forgotten…”

 

On a small scale, a name.

 

On a large scale, it felt like I’d forgotten my entire life.

 

It was such a hollow feeling that words couldn’t describe.

 

But the reason I didn’t despair or fall into deep sorrow was—

 

‘I had a certain conviction.’ 

 

The certainty that time would pass here, and someday, when the moment was right, I would recover all my memories.

 

Even though, for now, I don’t know who I am,

 

‘Someday.’

 

I was certain that someday I would come to know everything and reclaim what I had lost.

 

That was precisely what was within me.

 

If there was one thing I hadn’t lost, it was that very certainty.

 

“When the apples are fully ripe and ready to be harvested, all the beastmen from the village come to pick them.”

 

“Mhm.” 

 

“I believed that my memories would come back just like that.”

 

In other words, the lost memories are like under-ripe apples.

 

They just haven’t ripened enough for me to pick them yet.

 

That feeling, that thought, often gave great comfort to me, even though I couldn’t remember my own name.

 

I took another bite of apple pie.

 

“And I was right.”

 

Thinking that way, a bright smile escaped my lips.

 

It felt as if happiness and laughter were spilling out of me like hot apple jam.

 

“I was there too.”

 

“Mhm?” 

 

“I had it too. That ‘certainty’ you said was like an apple.”

 

“Mhm, sometimes I wondered. What if you had left without making that promise at that moment?”

 

Arsene said, his mouth full of apple pie.

 

“I probably would have been unbearably sad. Just thinking about it made me not want to imagine it any further.”

 

“Did I tell you that I also told Father I would definitely come back?”

 

“Even if I didn’t say anything, he seemed to believe I would come back anyway.”

 

“Father, too.” 

 

“Others felt the same way. Betty said she cleaned the glass vase in your room every day.”

 

“I wonder how Betty felt, cleaning the empty vase in the room with no master…? Ah, I can’t stand it! As soon as we get back, I have to give Betty another hug!”

 

“Me?”

 

“I’ll hug you every day!”

 

I ate the entire apple pie.

 

And I shook off the crumbs remaining in my hands.

 

“Huh? The sun’s completely set.”

 

“Of course. Father will be waiting.”

 

“But still, he probably won’t worry too much. After all, we’re no longer children.”

 

“…I wonder if he will?”

 

Arsene muttered meaningfully as he finished off his apple pie.

 

“You know, Arsene, while I had lost my memory, I watched the sunset from this hill all by myself…”

 

I quickly turned my head and looked Arsene straight in the eyes.

 

My hair whipped wildly in the direction of the wind, but it wasn’t something to worry about much.

 

“I’m glad we’re together now.”

 

“….”

 

“I’m glad we’ll be together forever.”

 

I smiled brightly.

 

Arsene, who had been blankly staring at my face, smiled back.

 

Arsene’s large, strong hand gently cupped my cheek. 

 

It was a large, thick hand, typical of the wolf clan.

 

“Me too, Linsy Yeckhart.”

 

“…!”

 

“I’m so glad you’ve come back to me. It’s like a dream.”

 

Arsene whispered.

 

“And I have something to tell you.”

 

His voice was very low, 

 

gentle, 

 

and kind.

 

***

 

Arsene Yeckhart. 

 

During the time Linsy was gone, his daily life was extremely simple.  

 

He ate, worked, slept, and then morning came again.

 

That’s how Arsene’s days flowed without Linsy. 

 

At that time, he thought it was a waste to let a day pass like that.

 

He cherished each day wasted without Linsy, saving them as if to use them again when she returned.

 

But now, seeing Linsy smiling brightly right in front of him…

 

‘It wasn’t a wasted day.’

 

When he thought that all those days had to be carefully stacked just to meet Linsy again…

 

Now, he didn’t feel any regret or disappointment at all. 

 

Linsy’s red hair was redder than the blazing sunset.

 

That voluminous hair was like the feathers of a phoenix, a creature with flames that burn through the body, so perhaps it was only natural.

 

Arsene carefully reached out and touched Linsy’s hair.

 

Her thick, curly hair gently entwined around Arsene’s fingers, and…

 

“Arsene?”

 

The soft-cheeked, most adorable bird beastman in the world pressed her cheek against Arsene’s hand.

 

Linsy let out a gentle, blissful laugh, pleased just from her cheek touching Arsene’s hand.

 

Arsene, who had been blankly watching the scene, spoke cautiously.

 

“Do you remember? Right after the festival, you said you had something you wanted to tell me.”

 

Linsy opened her mouth slightly.

 

She looked as if she had just remembered something.

 

But Arsene didn’t wait for Linsy to continue.

 

“Actually, I had something I wanted to tell you, too.”

 

Arsene to Linsy.

 

Linsy to Arsene.

 

The words the two of them wanted to say to each other were probably the same.

 

Linsy knew it, Arsene knew it, Kendrick knew it, and all the beastmen who knew them knew it too.

 

Right after the festival.

 

Arsene was glad that Linsy had something to say.

 

Because they felt it would be the same words for each other.

 

Because he felt that her heart was the same as his.

 

However, problems kept arising one after another, and Linsy ultimately couldn’t say those words to Arsene.

 

Arsene waited, not knowing what Linsy meant.

 

Five years passed like that.

 

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

 

It didn’t matter if Linsy didn’t share his feelings.

 

Arsene had to be the one to say those words.

 

The sun was setting, yet Linsy’s hair still glowed red.

 

In the pouring darkness, her flowing red hair looked just like a blazing torch.

 

The one at the front held a torch in their hand.

 

A bright flame that helps those following behind not lose their way.

 

Arsene leaned toward Linsy.

 

And whispered cautiously.

 

“You said you were glad we were together.”

 

“….”

 

“You told me you were glad to be back.”

 

“Mhm…”

 

“Then… could you stay by my side from now on, too?”

 

Arsene’s voice sounded more like a boy’s, not a fully grown adult.

 

Linsy thought that Arsene’s face, partially shadowed by the dusk, looked just like the boy he had been back then.

 

The boy with a youthful face and sharp eyes who used to glare at Linsy.

 

But soon, he was the very boy who smiled more warmly and gently than anyone else.

 

“No, Linsy. Can’t you stay with me from now on?”

 

Arsene said.

  

“I’ll be good to you. I’ll cherish, protect, and love you for the rest of my life.”

 

“…”

 

“So don’t divorce me. Please remain my wife…”

 

Arsene’s voice was heartbreaking.

 

It was also heartbreaking.

 

A moment of silence flowed between them, and a cool breeze blew between them.

 

Linsy’s dress and the hem of Arsene’s clothes fluttered in the breeze. 

 

And then.

 

“You know, Arsene…”

 

Linsy, her cheeks flushed with the color of the evening sunset, carefully lifted her eyes and looked at Arsene.

 

“That’s exactly what I wanted to say back then…”

 

“…”

 

“How did you know?”

 

With that, Arsene remained silent.

 

Instead, the two of them cast shadows on the hill that completely overlapped.

 

Linsy’s hair fluttered gently in the breeze.

 

Arsene’s deep blue eyes sparkled like jewels in the darkness.

 

In this world, some relationships don’t need words.

 

All the more so if it’s a bond between two who promised to return, even in the face of death…

 

“I want to be with you, Arsène.”

 

“Linsy…”

 

“I want to be with you every day!”