Additional Chapter 104: Amnesiac Ritzhard
Author:
Sieglinde’s point of view.
Today, I will be making linen with the village won.
I will be away from the house the whole day.
A year and eight months old now, my son was left to father-in-law. He is not inhibited, sa as my husband, so there shouldn’t be a problem.
Father-in-law, who likes children, gleefully started chatting to my son, asking what he would like to play.
Mother was full of energy to make berry jam from the morning. It seems that she was going to bake pie was well, and she seems to look forward to it.
My husband Ritzhard said that he will be doing maintenance of the sheds.
I told him to not hurt himself.
“Then, I’ll be off.”
“Sieg, you be careful too!”
It’s probably only my husband that says such things to .
My family, my parents had once said, “Even if you et a criminal, go easy on them.” I think there’s a limit to being rude.
“Then, Sieg, a farewell kiss.”
“Ha?”
“It’s just fine to have it on the cheek.”
My husband pointed his cheek towards .
This is outdoors, and mother-in-law had been going back and forth.
It would be embarrassing if we were to be seen. Thinking that, I pushed my husband’s body back.
When I furtively glanced at him, he had his hand to his mouth as he wore an expression of shock.
“Sieglinde, how co……”
“There are others outdoors.”
“I don’t mind though.”
“I do.”
“Alright.”
He looked dejected, but he seems to have accepted it.
“I like Sieg’s tough side as well.”
He said sothing strange, but I ignored it.
I patted his shoulder telling him to take care of the house and then I went out.
When I stared up at the sky, a clear blue sky was spread over .
The colour was like the beautiful shade of my husband’s eyes.
◇◇◇
In the evening, I was returning ho after work.
I had received chickpeas from Aina, so I was walking ho while thinking if I should use them for soup tomorrow, but ——
“Linde-cha~~n.”
Mother-in-law was running over here.
Just what happened? I also walked over quickly.
“Mother-in-law, what happened?”
“U-Un, y-you see~, erm, big trouble~~”
Even as she did not sound as though she was in peril, I carefully listened.
“Ritchan, Ritchan fell off the ladder!”
“What!”
“He was just scratched a little, no big injuries, but,”
I felt relieved that there were no grave injuries.
However, at the next phrase mother-in-law said, I was aghast.
“It seems like Ritchan lost his mory from getting hit in the head~~”
“!?”
I dropped the chickpeas in my hand.
That can’t be, for my husband to lose his mory……
For now, father-in-law judged that it would be best to not cause a fuss. It was decided that we will keep quiet about it to the village.
We also decided that we will not provide unnecessary information.
Father-in-law is to act as a doctor, while mother-in-law is to act as a friendly neighbour lady.
Since there will be confusion if my son ets his father who lost his mory, Aina and Emrich are taking care of them.
What an unbelievable situation, I thought and stared up at the sky.
Seeing like that, mother-in-law gently patted my back.
“Linde-chan, it’s okay. Ritchan will definitely rember.”
“……Yes, i-indeed.”
I realised sothing after talking that much.
Would it not be better if I didn’t return ho?
“Linde-chan, please stay with Ritchan.”
“What should I say……”
“Linde-chan, I think you can stay as Linde-chan.”
That is…… rather troubling.
Just what should I do?
However, my husband must be troubled too, since he doesn’t have any mories. So I might be able to console him at the least.
I returned ho after making up my mind.
I went back with an expression of nervousness, but there was father-in-law, relaxed as always.
“Sieglinde-san, welco ba~ck.”
“……I’m back.”
“It was a little hot today eh~”
“……Yes, indeed.”
Seeing the ever unchanging behaviour of father-in-law, I felt exasperated.
His only son lost his mory. How carefree, I thought.
However, thanks to him, my fluttering heart cald down.
I breathed deeply and shifted my mood so that I could act normally.
With the berry juice I received from mother-in-law, I headed for my husband’s bedroom.
◇◇◇
When I knocked on the door, a reply ca back quickly.
“Yes! Please co in!”
It was an unexpectedly bright voice. I started suspecting if he really did lose his mory.
When I opened the door, I saw my husband leaning against the bed. He had a book in his hands.
“Huh, you are——?”
“I am……”
I then thought that I should have made up a story. I was at a loss for words.
Seeing my husband look at interestedly, I really felt that he did indeed lose his mory.
“Could you be a lady Richelle-obasan knows?”
“Well, that’s, about it.”
Surprisingly, I was shocked at the fact that my husband did not rember .
Uncharacteristic of myself, my fingers started trembling.
Suddenly, I thought of my husband’s dejected expression in the morning.
Why did I reject that simple kiss.
Such simple greetings, anyone can do that. Back then, I couldn’t do it because of embarrassnt.
I felt deep regret, that I should have kissed him and went off with smiles.
“What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing……”
I noticed that I had been standing awkwardly at the door with the berry juice in my hand.
I quickly approached and gave him a cup of juice.
“Thank you——. Waa, you!”
“W-What is it?”
“I think you have strong and clear eyes.”
“……”
I recalled my husband telling that he fell in love with at first sight.
Since he was saying the sa thing even after he lost his mory, I ended up chuckling.
“Ah, eh? Did I say sothing weird?”
“No, nothing of the sort.”
I felt relieved after talking with him.
Even after he lost his mory, my husband was the sa.
“Erm, may I have your na?”
I stared up at the ceiling.
I felt a pain in my chest.
“Sieglinde.”
When I answered so, he asked how he should call .
“You can call , whatever you’d like.”
“Then, Sieglinde-san.”
The current situation is different from when we first t.
Back then, we were talking with marriage as a premise. Thus, he wasn’t calling by a nickna this ti.
“I certainly don’t seem to have mories……”
“Apparently.”
“I may cause inconveniences.”
“Yeah.”
It’s alright, don’t worry.
That was what I was thinking, but tears welled up in my eyes.
◇◇◇
Since there were no injuries, from the next day, my husband…… Ritzhard went back to working.
He doesn’t have mories, but it seems that the snow country life was embedded into his body.
He woke up early, took care of reindeer and dogs, and chopped wood until it was ti for breakfast.
He greeted the Rango family in a refreshing manner as well.
Surprisingly, it was the usual Ritzhard.
I continued to him.
I felt that there won’t be a problem if I was with my son Arno, so I greeted him.
It was fortunate that he couldn’t say ‘dad’ yet.
Arno was calling ‘mum’ so I introduced Arno as my son to Ritzhard.
“Ah, Sieglinde-san, so you were married.”
Upon hearing that, I felt sad.
I told myself that I could only place away my feelings for now.
Ritzhard doted on Arno all the ti.
I felt relieved at seeing that.
Even after he lost his mory, daily was surprisingly the sa.
The difference was that Ritzhard and I were not couples but strangers.
We told him that I was a widow raising my son on my own.
It really was a sad lie.
A quack doctor, a neighbouring lady, a widow and her son. In addition, a martial race family.
Ritzhard did not seem to be suspicious of this strange cohabitation.
He was bright as usual.
However, I was going mad.
I’m right next to him, but I am not able to act like we did. It was suffocating.
I don’t know how many tis I retracted my hands as they reached for his innocent smile.
Since Ritzhard always reached out first, I realised that I had never felt lonely before.
Not knowing my feelings, Ritzhard said sothing very cruel.
“Sieglinde-san is a very diligent and pretty person. Your husband must have been the happiest person in the world.”
Hearing that, my chest tightened in pain.
I wonder if this will continue on, when I thought that, the pain grew stronger.
As Ritzhard smiled serenely, I turned my back on him.
I didn’t know what I should say to him.
◇◇◇
A month passed since Ritzhard lost his mory.
We managed to keep this a secret from the villagers and continued living quietly.
I headed to the village to make linen.
Everyone chatted as they spun thread.
Today, talking about family was painful.
I ended up making Aina, the only other person who knew, worry.
When I returned ho, the house was silent.
In front of the door, there was a note from my parents-in-law that they’re on a stroll with Arno.
I wonder if Ritzhard is ho?
I peeked into the living room. Then, I saw the figure of Ritzhard sleeping on a chair——
Even when I entered the room, he did not stir.
I sat down next to him.
I thought again as I stared at his profile.
I love Ritzhard.
I reached out to his silver-white hair.
It was fluffy and felt nice to the touch.
It felt like I was touching it after eons, that I felt very happy.
I wanted to enjoy it fully, but since it would be if he woke I quickly retracted my hand.
Before, because Ritzhard’s affection was too embarrassing, I ended up rejecting it quite a few tis.
Why did I do that, regret washed over .
There’s Arno and Ritzhard, and my parents-in-law are healthy —— I was leading a life that did not lack anything.
However, I felt empty.
How wretched. I felt ashad at myself for these womanly feelings.
If this is a dream, I wish for it to end quickly.
Suddenly, I had a stupid thought.
In fairytales, kisses undo curses.
If I kiss Ritzhard on the cheek, won’t his mory co back, I thought as I carefully approached.
I was moving slowly, but the chair creaked.
However, Ritzhard did not stir.
I approached my lips to his cheek.
The mont they were about to touch——
“No, Sieglinde-san.”
Ritzhard said as he still had his eyes closed. I was frightened.
Unmoving from his posture, he opened his eyelids.
An awkward silence enveloped us.
I couldn’t stand it, so I spoke up.
“Since when were you awake?”
“Ever since Sieglinde-san ca into the room.”
“That’s from the beginning.”
I never knew he was good at feigning sleep. Should I feel happy at this new discovery? I felt confused.
As I agonised over how I should make up an excuse, Ritzhard spoke to .
“Even so, Sieglinde-san is awful.”
“I apologise for touching you selfishly. For, trying to kiss you.”
“That’s not it.”
He approached and pressed my waist down with his weight. I couldn’t move.
Anyway, what does he an by “That’s not it”……?
“You don’t know? Why I’m angry?”
“……Yes.”
“I won’t let you go until you answer .”
“……”
Why is Ritzhard coming on so severely.
He is usually soft and does not act like this. Because of that, I ended up panicking.
“What should I do. If you don’t know, should I punish you?”
“……”
What punishnt would he deliver. I couldn’t even imagine.
However, I was resigned to my fate.
I am in the wrong.
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re awful.”
“I won’t ask you to forgive .”
“Of course. Because, I feel that Sieglinde-san, you see your husband in .”
“Eh?”
“In your eyes, I am not reflected. It feels as though you are looking at soone else.”
“Ritzhard, what are you talking about……?”
“I wonder if you still love your forr husband? You’re approaching to satisfy your own emotions.”
Then, I could guess why he was angry.
Ritzhard was jealous. At himself, before he lost his mory.
I felt relieved for so reason, and felt exhausted.
Before I realised it, tears were rolling down my face.
Seeing that, Ritzhard was aghast.
“Ah, uwa, Sieglinde-san, I’m sorry! I-I didn’t an to make you cry——”
His grip loosened and he sat down.
Sitting next to , Ritzhard could not do anything else but panic.
After calming down, I slowly spoke to Ritzhard.
“……So, you, love .”
When I asked that, he nodded in confirmation.
I’m glad. Really.
We can live like we always had.
While I was feeling relieved, my parents-in-law hurriedly ca back into the living room.
“Welco back.”
Ritzhard greeted my parents-in-law and reached out for Arno.
“Arno, welco back!”
“I’m back, da……d”
“Eh?”
Ritzhard sounded surprised upon hearing Arno.
After that, he turned around to .
“Uwa, Sieg, did you hear, he just called dad! Yay~~! ……Ah.”
As he lifted Arno high into the air, Ritzhard made an awkward expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“Eh~ erm. I rembered everything.”
The mont I heard that, a warm feeling ran through my cheeks.
I unconsciously murmured, I’m happy.
“Sieg, sorry…… father, mother, too.”
Ritzhard apologised sheepishly. Certainly, he got his mories back.
◇◇◇
“I, really was in pain——”
Sitting next to , Ritzhard recounted about the ti when he had lost his mory.
“Sieg was extrely cute and kind, so I fell in love again, but you said that you were a widow and didn’t look at !”
Even when he had lost his mory, he still liked . I never noticed.
“Please like ~~ I sent such gazes, but you rely smiled troublingly, so~~”
“I see.”
I would have never guessed.
We were each others’ unrequited love.
“When I was pretending to be asleep, I was doing it out of hope that I might be approached. I was happy, but I felt that it wasn’t what I wanted…… but I thought it might be nice after all, but it didn’t feel good in the end——”
While talking, I reached out for Ritzhard.
When I stroked his hair, he closed his eyes delightedly.
It was a blessing that such a eting existed.
I went around and kissed him on the cheek.
“Fufu,” Ritzhard laughed strangely.
“What?”
“No, Sieg fawning over , is very cute.”
“……What was that?”
“You’re the cutest in the world!”
After saying that, he hugged .
He kept whispering words of love into my ear, so I felt helpless from the embarrassnt.
Indeed, his affection is overly embarrassing, but as there is no second ti for the ti we spend together, I decided to continue cherishing it.
— The End —
Reviews
All reviews (0)