“Ah, so this is the North Shore. I used to come here with my parents sometimes! Well, it was always daytime then... But I didn’t know that this cliff was directly connected to the Duke’s residence.”
When Angie first followed him, it felt far away because of the darkness. But in reality, it took less than ten minutes, so she could say that it was quite close in terms of distance. Not only was the distance between the Duke's residence and the cliff close, but the height between the cliff and the hill below was not that high either. It was close enough that if he shouted, she could quickly turn around and see his face.
“I must confess that sometimes... I’ve looked down at you from here. I heard that when you weren’t reading at the mansion, you sometimes came to help them. So whenever I wasn’t feeling well, I was always here. Jerome held a parasol over my head to keep me out of the sun, and I wore several layers of hoods. Just to look at you.”
He did it with the sole purpose of looking at her.
Angie's eyes widened at his addition. She had no idea that the master was looking at her from up here. Kyle pointed to the path that led down the cliff, like steps, to the hill.
“Once upon a time... I think it was the fall of the year before last. There was a time when you were picking flowers down there and almost fell down the hill. Do you remember?”
Angie shook her head. She felt like she had tripped a few times, but she couldn't remember exactly. The sea was just below the hill, but it was shallow, so it wasn't too dangerous.
“You don’t know how surprised I was at that moment. I almost jumped down and grabbed you without realizing it... But your father came out and warned you, so I held on tight.”
“That happened... I never dreamed that Kai would be watching.”
“Even the sea near the beach is not safe when a typhoon blows. You have to be careful because you are likely to be swept away by the waves.”
“I can’t come there these days because I’m just staying at the mansion. My parents’ work has become a lot easier because there are more people to help out.”
“It’s been a while for me too. There’s a lot to do as the next Duke before the March succession ceremony.”
“Yes. I heard that you are busy with piles of paperwork every day....”
Angie tried to keep her face bright, even though it was almost gloomy. Then when would she be able to see the master?
Tomorrow was the first day of February. A few days later, new maids were to be brought in from the village. She would have liked to have asked the chambermaid Yasmin or Mrs. Dunst to work at the mansion for longer. But there was no reason to do so.
“But after the sun sets, it’s your time, Angie. I’ll send a carriage every day around midnight, and I hope you can come on the days you can. It’s okay if you can’t come because of your parents or something else. It’s okay if you go to bed early. Just...”
He pulled Angie closer and kissed her on the forehead. It was a very affectionate kiss as if they were about to part ways.
“Don’t be sick. If you can’t come because you’re sick, it’ll break my heart.”
“Kai...”
Warm lips lifted the brim of her hat and pressed it against her round forehead, her pretty eyes, and her cute nose a few more times before it fell off. Angie reached out to Kyle’s ripper collar, raised the lapel, and buttoned it up tightly. It was a warm and affectionate touch, just like the one he had used earlier to hold him in case he caught a cold.
“As always, I’m in perfect health. I’m just worried about Kai...”
It wasn't an exaggeration, it really was. She had always been healthy since she was little, never having had a cold or any minor illness. Early last year, she had a strange nightmare where people grabbed her and stuck needles in her arms, and she almost got stabbed with scissors a few times. But now, that's gone away.
As the man in her dream, Martin Silva, warned, she stopped drinking rose tea. The physical symptoms that seemed to be withdrawal symptoms, such as hair loss and flaky skin, also disappeared. However, strangely, even after she stopped drinking tea, no other memories came back. Her memories of Natalia and Lucia gradually became vague, and most importantly, she stopped dreaming about Martin.
Oh, come to think of it, I never told you about Martin. Should I tell you now? That would be better.
But he was a little faster. Just before Angie opened her mouth, Kyle spoke first. His tone was subdued.
“Angie. In a month... I’m planning to go to the capital, in the last week of February. To Hedestad.”
“Yes... I know that too.”
Mrs. Dunst had gathered the maids together this morning and given them a talk. They were all excited and couldn't stop talking about it all day. Angie was equally surprised.
“I’m really surprised. You can finally get out of the island and onto the mainland! There were survivors in Trieste after the war, and the imperial family is recovering safely. Plus, the monsters surrounding the island have disappeared, so now it’s possible to sail. This is truly a blessing.”
Kyle nodded silently. It was all a story made up by a member of the capital's fringe disguised as an imperial captain and Mrs. Dunst.
The Blackwell family's sole heir has now proven that he can function normally without Remedy. He has overcome his madness and endured it with superhuman mental powers to avoid taking Angie's blood. Therefore, he no longer needs to be confined to the island. So a clever charade was cleverly put together to make the Remedies understand the next Duke's visit to the capital.
"But this island must remain as it is now. Its very existence must be kept completely hidden. It must never be known to anyone outside the direct royal family. It must be pretended that navigation is possible only two or three times a year when the fog clears due to the lunar cycle. Helpers like us don't care, but the Remedy children must know this, absolutely. That way, an accident like Elliot Hawkins' three years ago will not happen again."
He remembered it too. One of the spare remedies that might be needed someday, Elliot had ventured out of the island in a fit of rage. And the helper guarding Wind had chased him down and killed him, tearing his limbs apart as brutally as if he had been attacked by a monster shark. It was a powerful example that proved the false truth that no one could escape the island, and the effect was quite ripple-like.
“I find it hard to believe, too. I’ve never been outside the island since I was born, let alone the capital.”
“It must be really safe since the palace personally sent the ship. Then how long will it take for you to return? After the voyage and the succession ceremony...”
Angie trailed off. Suddenly, her heart sank. What if he were to go to the capital and never return? What if, by chance, his return voyage was blocked? Could it be that we would be separated forever?
“It will take at least several months. I will probably be going back and forth between the island and the capital for a while... but I think I will eventually settle down in the Hedestad territory.”
“Ah... As expected...”
Angie's complexion turned pale. Her face, which looked as if it would collapse at any moment, took on a fragile appearance against the backdrop of the blue-fringed coastline.
So, will I end up breaking up with Kai after a month? Could it be that you brought me here tonight to announce the planned breakup in advance...?
“You come with me, Angie.”
"Yes...?"
Angie looked up in surprise, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Come with me to Hedestad. As I said, I can’t say exactly when I’ll be coming to the island, and I’ll gradually settle down in the capital.”
“...”
"No...?"
The dark blue walls shook for a moment under the moonlight. In Angie's silence, there was an unmistakable agitation. Angie shook her head sharply.
“No! How could I dislike it? I can’t believe it. I’m so glad you said that! It’s just... It’s so sudden... I’m suddenly scared of being separated from my parents, and I, like you, was born on this island and have never been out to sea before...”
"No, Angie, you weren't born on this island. You have to find your lost memories!"
Angie's words stopped. Martin Silva's voice suddenly entered her mind. Why was the word he had claimed in her dream coming to mind now?
“Angie.”
At that sudden remark, Kyle lifted her chin. Not roughly. But there was a firm determination in his fingertips not to allow her to think about anything else even for a moment.
“Don’t worry about your parents. If you want, I will arrange for the Ridsdel couple to come to the capital as soon as possible, even if it is difficult right away.”
“Really? Then I think I’ll feel relieved too.”
She poured out her heart with tears in her eyes. In fact, what was more concerning was the ultimate future of the two.
If she were to follow him to the capital, she would naturally be accompanied by a maid or errand boy. She didn't expect anything more than that. However, if she were to become the official head of the Blackwell family after the Duke's succession ceremony, marriage proposals would pour in from all over the capital.
It was yesterday, not the weekend when she stopped by the house. Angie had dinner with Mrs. Dunst, who gave her some cheese for her parents. The Ridsdels, who had spent their childhood in the capital before the war, said that was the norm.
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