I Picked Up a Witch With Amnesia

9.覆水不返 – 01

“Are you awake?”

Hearing a voice that seemed very concerned about me brought me back to my senses. When I opened my eyes, I realized that I was lying on a bed with a soft texture I was so used to. The bed and the decorations on the ceiling were all familiar. No, it wasn’t just familiar, it was a space I knew very well. This was my room in Estelle’s family, no other place.

“…umm.”

I don’t know why, but I knew for sure that the time I had been comfortably asleep on the bed was quite long. I start to recall what happened before I passed out.

As I gulped down my saliva and put strength into my arms and legs as a test, I felt them move according to my will. Fortunately, it didn’t look like any of the limbs were missing. I was very fortunate. It was because it seemed that from now on I would not have to worry about which hand to hold the spoon in.

“Do not work too hard. It’s been cured for now, but it’s still a stage that needs stability. If you do too much and get hurt, will I really get angry?”

A lithe, kind, and very familiar voice came from the side again. I rolled my eyes and looked around, and there was a face I hadn’t seen in a very long time.

“…saint?”

Yes. Right next to the bed on which I was lying was Ariel Thier, a future saint and possessing divine power so strong that she was called the incarnation of a goddess at this point.

“Again, you refer to me by that title. Didn’t they decide to call each other by their first names last time? Please call me Ariel, not a strange title like a saint. Cain.”

“…I see, Ariel.”

For some reason, I had no choice but to nod toward the saintess, no, Ariel, who said that to me with a calm face. If my guess is correct, it is clear that the saintess also has memories of the future, but it was not easy to understand why she insisted on being called by her first name. Could it be that he didn’t want to find out that he had returned from the future? For that reason, it is understandable that she stubbornly refuses to be called a saint.

After staring blankly at Ariel’s face for a while, I was able to recall that there were facts that I had to ask someone else instead of just sitting there idly by.

“Bianca, come to think of it, what happened to Bianca?”

The last time I saw Bianca, she had passed out and collapsed after her entire body had drained of magical energy. Of course, since Arya was there, he believed that she would have done the right thing, but even so, he couldn’t help but worry about Bianca.

“…Do not worry. Compared to the scars you’ve sustained, that’s crazy… No, Bianca del Castana’s condition is beyond good, and she’s very, very fine at that.”

After saying that, Ariel suddenly frowned between her brows and glared at me. Judging by the fact that his own cheeks were puffed out, it was the look of something that he didn’t like very much.

“…Cain, why do you say such a thing? Wouldn’t there be a story that should come and go between us first, rather than a useless story about the woman’s current condition?”

It was only then that I realized what she had done wrong with Ariel, seeing her say in a triumphant tone, “I’ve done too much even looking at it like this.”

“…okay. Ariel, why are you here? From what I’ve heard, Ariel said that you seldom come out of the Empire unless it’s important…”

“…..”

Ariel’s temper suddenly turned violent. Maybe I chose something that wasn’t the right answer.

“…Cain. Have you ever wondered why I am staying at the Duke of Estelle? Enough to put all other questions aside and ask that first? OK, let me tell you. The reason I am here is not different…”

“Sorry, but let me explain from there.”

jump-

The next moment, without a knock or anything, the door bursts open and a woman walks into my room very casually. Her name is Iris El Devhardt, who confidently acts as if she were the owner of the house despite her status as a guest. It’s really unfortunate, but she was also a woman of too great a status to say anything in the name of trivial manners such as good manners.

“You’re awake at last, Cain. It was a truly heartbreaking time to just look at you who had been unconscious for over 15 days.”

I had no choice but to reply in a devastated voice to the princess’s words.

“…Has it been more than 15 days since I lost my mind?”

“If you hadn’t done something crazy at the last moment, there wouldn’t have been any reason to lose consciousness. Let me reflect.”

It seems clear that the ‘crazy thing’ the princess refers to is the act of converting life energy into an aura. To the point where the princess said such things to me, I suddenly began to realize how crazy I had committed.

After uttering a bitter word at me, the princess turned her head towards Ariel this time and started glancing at her.

“Unintentionally, I overheard everything you guys were talking about outside the door. Ariel Thiers, I couldn’t help but say something to you. It is the priest’s duty to heal the sick, but the ploy to satisfy one’s own low desires while begging for compliments while completely forgetting that fact is very spectacle. Aren’t you really ashamed?”

The corners of the princess’s lips were slightly raised as she spoke. No matter how you looked at it, it was undoubtedly a provocation towards the opponent.

“I do not know. I don’t think any woman who steals other people’s private conversations like a rat outside the door and then proudly reveals them in front of her doesn’t seem to feel any shame, so why should I feel that way?”

“Huh, you’re so brazen, Ariel Thiers. I knew very well that it was shame and nothing, but I didn’t expect to see any signs of being ashamed of my actions. That’s great. Then, later, after breaking one of Cain’s limbs himself and healing him, I’m already worried that he’ll wag his tail to ask him to stroke his head.”

“Ha, everything you say really suits the level of the princess. Wasn’t that word from a while ago something that the princess should not have said, even though others might not know? I still vividly remember the scene where the princess beat Cain’s entire body in the name of training. For such words to come out of the mouth of the person who broke Cain’s limbs dozens of times, it seems that the princess must be a truly shameless person.”

“Really, it’s not for nothing that the old saying goes that if you don’t know anything, you’ll go even half way. Ariel Thiers, Cain and I were training together. It is said that it was a necessary process in order to sharpen and polish one’s own martial arts and develop in the future. Well, I don’t think you’ll understand easily since you’ve built up your strength comfortably just by sitting somewhere and praying.”

“Oh, that’s an interesting theory. If so, can you understand that even if I touch the princess’s jade body or break one spot here and there, it is also a training process to pursue martial arts?”

“Hmm, that sounds like a very attractive proposal. Even so, I also wanted to suggest a training that would be perfect for you, on the premise that there would be no protests from the church. After all, weren’t you a disgusting woman who, even if her limbs were cut off, would grow back like crayfish? Even if you recklessly roll your body, it won’t be obvious, so it can’t be the best condition for teaching.”

“There is nothing I can’t do. Then, shall we test how sharp the sword of the famous princess in the empire is?”

It didn’t stop at the level of growling at each other, but in that threatening atmosphere that seemed like they would even swing their fists right now, I had no choice but to say a word to the two women.

“…Can’t you both calm down?”

If Ariel and the princess start fighting seriously here, it is certain that the Duchy of Estelle will disappear into history as dust in less than a minute. It means that the scene of that time when Arya and Bianca fought like mad to kill each other might be staged once again. Of course, the sight of the two women arguing was more than enough for Aria and Bianca.

“…I can’t help it when you say that. guess you’re lucky Ariel Thiers.”

“…I think I got a little excited. I apologize, Cain.”

I don’t know why, but both women apologized to me, not to the other. It was something I desperately felt in the system, but it felt like Ariel and the princess were at a loss as they couldn’t eat each other beyond the harsh level. Why did the princess have such a bad relationship with Ariel? On the subject of not being on bad terms with Aria, even traveling together for a while.

When the overheated atmosphere calmed down a little, the princess cleared her throat as if she came to her senses. Maybe I should say it’s fortunate that he seems to have realized that he had gone a little too far.

“…Hmm, let’s finish the story we were going to talk about earlier. The reason she is here is because I called her. I sent the letter in the hope that it might be of some help because of the ‘honeymoon trip’ between you and Bianca del Castana.”

“Cain, I didn’t come because the princess called me. In the first place, I was also on my way north when I heard the news of Cain and Bianca del Castana’s engagement.”

…so to sum it up, does that mean that my false engagement with Bianca ended up attracting all the women I’m involved with?

“Well, she’s useless to anyone, but she’s quite usable as a walking medicine cabinet. Thanks to that, it was possible to heal the serious injuries you were wearing.”

“I am the one who healed Cain, but the princess is the one who cares.”

Indeed, was it all thanks to Ariel that one of my limbs was able to stay intact without falling off?

“As I said before, Cain’s injuries were very serious. Although all of the trauma has been healed, I hope you don’t forget that you need to rest for a while.”

After saying that, Ariel sighs and starts looking at me with an unfamiliar look.

“Then, since you seem to have roughly understood the situation, would it be all right if I ask Cain just one question?”

“Ah, yes. You do.”

When I nod my head, Ariel throws a question at me with a somewhat sharp tone.

“I didn’t ask anything to hear directly from Cain’s mouth, but now I have no choice but to ask a question. Cain, is it because of that serious injury you sustained, Bianca?”

“…Yes?”

“Don’t even think about going overboard. On Cain’s left arm, there were traces of necrosis of the cells themselves at the end of the superheat. As far as I know, there is only Bianca’s ‘Sigh of the White Flame’ that can leave such a mark. So please tell me clearly. Cain, what the hell have you been doing all this time alone with Bianca?”

“…Me, that’s…”

For some reason, cold sweat broke out on the back of my back. A strong premonition flashes through my head that I will regret it forever if I make a mistake with my mouth here. And that was when

jump-

Again, the door slams open without knocking. At this point, I wondered if I might have a reasonable doubt that my room had become a public property without my knowledge. When I opened my eyes and examined the faces of the rude intruders, it was none other than Aria and Bianca.

“Cain!”

“Cain! You are awake!”

Aria and Bianca smiled on their faces, no matter how glad I was that I had regained consciousness. However, Ariel raised her eyebrows and said this in a sarcastic tone, probably disapproving of Bianca’s appearance.

“Oh, someone said, he was the first person to ask about Cain’s whereabouts as soon as he regained consciousness.”

“…What? Did Cain find me first as soon as he regained consciousness?”

No matter what Ariel said to herself, it seemed she only heard what she wanted to hear.

“Is that why I missed you, Cain? Actually, I missed you very much too. Then, the time has come to keep what you promised me that day.”

“…The promise you made that day? What is that?”

It’s not easy to understand what Zira Bianca is talking about, since she had a lot to say that day.

“Isn’t that normal? Won’t you promise to love me for the rest of your life?”

As I said that, Bianca grabbed my arm and hugged me.

“…..”

“…..”

“…..”

The next moment, a suffocating silence leaks from the other three women gathered here.

‘I’ll be sick.’

Why is my head sore and painful?