As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover Chapter 80

Luize was startled and quickly waved her hands. “N-No! We weren’t in a relationship like that, but recently, well… we have slept in the same bed.”

 

Edward nodded calmly. “Your name is Luize?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Did I call you Luize?”

 

“You called me Miss Luize.”

 

“What do you call me?”

 

“Edward.”

 

“I see. Miss Luize, then.”

 

He looked at her with an ambiguous expression, and then his gaze fell. His eyes stopped on the silver sword at her waist. He seemed to realize something and widened his eyes slightly.

 

“…Swordswoman?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Lavender eyes, hair like the waves of moonlight, and swordswoman. You match all the criteria of someone I knew.”

 

Edward murmured, then asked Luize, “Are you from Kavan? Or have you visited there as a child?”

 

“I lived near there. I’ve only been to Kavan once. I participated in a festival there as a child.”

 

He looked surprised, grasped Luize’s shoulders tightly, and leaned in. “Did you save someone there? A boy with black hair? That would be 7 years ago… no, if it’s now 1666, then about 14 years ago.”

 

Luize, thinking hard, widened her eyes and said, “My goodness. How did you know?”

 

“Then I’ve finally succeeded in finding you?”

 

“Yes? You were looking for me?”

 

“Yes, I looked for you. I posted notices in Kavan and nearby villages with the cufflink I gave you but never received any response. Despite being cautious due to the sensitive nature of the matter, it seemed odd, but we’ve finally met again.”

 

Edward looked at the confused Luize and smiled. “So, it has come to this. A knight lady and a wizard. We seem to complement each other quite well.”

 

“Since earlier, what do you mean by a wizard?”

 

Luize blinked in confusion, and Maxion, who had overheard the conversation, quickly approached them. “Luize didn’t know.”

 

“Why? Weren’t we lovers? The future me was too cowardly to confess the truth to his lover?”

 

“Lord Edward, it’s not like that. There were other circumstances…”

 

Regardless of what Maxion said, Edward looked satisfied and patted his shoulder. “Though it feels like only a day to me, it’s natural you now call me by my name, having aged more than me. It’s a new feeling meeting you older. So, the memory-sealing spell was successful, but side effects occurred because the magic was forcibly broken.”

 

“The current issue isn’t about that. Luize didn’t know about your being a wizard, nor about the other matters. It’s best to refrain from disclosing any more highly confidential information.”

 

“Other matters? What are you talking about?” Edward feigned confusion and continued with a twisted smile. “Oh, the coup?”

 

“…Haa.”

 

The red gaze slowly shifted to Luize. Their eyes met, and Luize widened her eyes in surprise. Hendrik froze with his mouth open, and Maxion washed his face with a troubled expression.

 

“Hiccup.”

 

All eyes turned toward the source of the hiccup noise.

 

“Hiccup. What, um, hiccup. So, Edward is…”

 

“Planning to return to the imperial palace. To keep the promise I made with you.” Edward smiled gently.

 

Hiccup. Luize looked incredulously at Maxion. He sighed deeply, seemingly giving up.

 

It appeared Edward’s words were true.

 

* * *

Edward, who had lost his memories and unintentionally became seven years younger, was technically the youngest member of the knight order in terms of mental age. As all the underage apprentice knights were currently training at Grand Duke Lindeman’s estate, it was a natural progression.

 

“So, they’re the victims.”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

Where the black magic had disappeared, only Edward, Luize, and Luize’s white horse remained, along with a few people who had survived the magic but were not fully consumed.

 

The village, which had been eroded by the magic, turned into a vast empty lot. All traces of the village’s buildings, animals, and residents had vanished without a trace. Those who survived the black magic were not in their right minds.

 

“Hee, heehee. It’s me, me. Hee.”

 

“Ah… Aah. Aah…”

 

They sat near a small campfire, guided by the knights.

 

“So, Servenia has decided to stand with us.”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“…I see.” Edward nodded. For him, seven years ago – which felt like just recently – those were the people who had turned their backs on him, so his feelings were understandably mixed.

 

After discussing with Maxion, Edward decided to send those affected by the black magic to a sanatorium operated by Servenia, which was the closest. It would take a while to find them a new place to stay after the expedition ended and the report to the imperial family was completed. Since they couldn’t all travel together, that was the only option.

 

“Current Servenia would be more trustworthy than the temple or the imperial sanatorium.”

 

“…I think so too. Although the number of sanatoriums operated by the two has increased over the past seven years, the average lifespan of patients is much longer in those run by Servenia, as far as I know.”

 

“You’ve investigated thoroughly.”

 

“It was under your orders, Lord Edward.”

 

Edward widened his eyes slightly, then returned to his usual expression.

 

“Seems I wasn’t just lovestruck after all.”

 

“About that romance, you two weren’t actually lovers.”

 

“Not lovers? Others seem to know that too.”

 

“There were circumstances that led to a contractually agreed upon public relationship.”

 

“So, it was a contract relationship and also a personal escort? It might have been since I had intended to offer an escort position before.”

 

“It wasn’t an escort. To explain in detail…”

 

“Wait, the concerned party is approaching. Let’s hear about it directly.” Edward looked interestedly at Luize as she approached.

 

“…Haa. Yes. And Luize was completely unaware of you being a wizard, as well as about the coup. I thought you should know beforehand.”

 

“Is she a spy appointed by the emperor?”

 

“Not exactly.”

 

“Not that, but I didn’t tell her. Intriguing. Thank you.”

 

He answered with a smile and stood up, pleased. Maxion tactfully moved aside to where Hendrik and Robin were sitting.

 

Luize approached Edward hesitantly. “Good evening, Ed…ward.”

 

“You don’t seem happy. Is something bothering you?”

 

“It’s just awkward calling you Edward. You seem like a different person… I was also surprised by things I didn’t know.” Luize avoided making eye contact, her face filled with confusion.

 

“Um, it must be confusing for you. Truthfully, I also find it awkward to be called by my name by someone unfamiliar.”

 

Unfamiliar. Luize looked at Edward in surprise. While it was heartwarming to be treated familiarly by him because of past events, to him, Luize was indeed a stranger now.

 

After a moment of thought, Edward spoke. “How about Elliot? It’s my middle name. I often use it as an alias when I meet someone I like for the first time. I believe I introduced myself that way during our first meeting. It might be better for us to use that until I regain my memories.”

 

“So the E in Edward’s full name stands for Elliot. Elliot… Okay, I’ll call you that.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Now that I think about it, the boy I met at the festival also introduced himself that way.”

 

“Don’t you remember?”

 

“It was so long ago.”

 

“…I’ve constantly revisited that meeting in my mind. Miss Lu, that’s how you introduced yourself, I remember.”

 

“Was it like that?”

 

“Was it only me who found the meeting so memorable? Well, if it’s Miss Luize, you probably saved many others, so it’s understandable if your memory is a bit hazy.” He said with a hint of disappointment.

 

Luize quickly tried to reassure him, “I remember the scenes more than the conversations. The first time I saw your face, the scene with the lanterns rising and your figure watching them. Maybe we just remember things differently.”

 

Edward chuckled softly. “It’s good we have memories to share. It would have been difficult to feel closeness if there was no common ground with someone who became a lover for whatever reason.”

 

“Well…”

 

“But a contract relationship, that’s unexpected. Honestly, I thought I would naturally fall in love with you.”

 

“Yes?” Luize asked, puzzled.

 

Edward looked at her directly and said with a smile, “Exactly as I said. Since that day, I’ve always wanted to meet you, to have you by my side as a talented individual, and you’re the only person who’s left such a lasting impression in my life. Even after seeing many beautiful people, none have stayed in my memory as long as you, Miss Luize.”