Don’t Remember Me

~ 1.6 ~

 

“Isn’t she the peasant who came in to look for a job? It’s just that, the way she dresses and fact that she has no money is funny.”

 

“But from the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like she’s really trying to find a job.”

 

“She still goes out every day, doesn’t she?”

 

“And speaking of, that girl hangs out near the Grand Duke’s mansions?”

 

“The Grand Duke’s mansion? Hey, she doesn’t know what she is doing. Was it because she wants to be Grand Duke’s maid?”

 

The waitress giggled and laughed at the owner’s words. Rosé’s face turned pale as she heard the conversation. It was because she had realized that the subject was her.

 

She hesitated for a moment in embarrassment, and then went down her steps, thinking she could not delay any longer.

 

“Still, she has a pretty face, so I think working at the bar would be better?”

 

“Hmm. Come to think of it, Jacob’s shop seems to be looking for a woman, but let’s talk a little… Uh! She happens to be coming down. Look here, Miss.”

 

While the owner was fiddling with her chin and chatting with the waitress, she noticed Rosé coming down the stairs and raised her hand.

 

Rosé suppressed her desire to pretend she didn’t see them, but she walked towards them since she was called.

 

“Yes, is there a problem?”

 

“Hmm. Are you perhaps looking for a job?”

 

“No, I…”

 

Rosé shook her head and tried to answer. But the owner didn’t listen to her.

 

“If that’s the case, I can introduce you to a good place. If you go inside this alley, there is a shop. From what I’ve seen, the shop looks neat, so it’s a perfect fit for you. The work is not difficult. To deal with the customers, they do it in moderation, like pouring drinks and drinking with them.”

 

“Is that the bar?”

 

Rosé had already guessed, but she asked the owner regardless. She had a dull voice. Then the owner nodded her head, rejoicing, thinking that Rosé was interested.

 

“Yes. It’s a pretty good place to work so it’s good for a lady to earn money. Jacob, he is the owner of the bar. He is friendly with me and is very kind, so you won’t need to be worried of being scammed…” 

 

“I’ll pretend I never heard of this.”

 

Rosé was passionate and cut off the owner’s words. Of course, she didn’t mean to follow the fate of what awaits in that profession. At the same time, she wasn’t trying to criticize the women who worked in the bar. However, she, who has a husband and children, felt ashamed to be offered such a job.

 

She already felt ashamed to see herself standing around the Grand Duke’s mansion. She already has no face to show in front of him proudly. However, after hearing the job from the owner, she couldn’t bear it and felt like she shouldn’t have approached them.

 

With that in mind, she cut off the words of the owner and rejected her offer, but the owner seemed offended to hear her response. The owner looked at Rosé with a reddish-blue face as if she was indifferent, and then got angry.

 

“Or not if you don’t want to! What are you pretending to be so arrogant! You’re a girl who doesn’t have money and has nowhere to stay other than here.”

 

“Aiyu, owner. Be patient, be patient. Still, she’s not the only guest we have.”

 

It was the employee who started to stop the owner who raised his voice. He comforted the owner by pushing her towards the kitchen. Nevertheless, the owner continued to blurt out abusive language.

 

Rosé hurriedly left the inn, leaving behind the abusive language towards her. The words pouring out of the owner were harsher than she could have imagined.

 

The words of the owner, which included sexual insults that shook her whole body was so much to handle. Her legs then started calming down as soon as she sat down.

 

Shhhwaa. 

 

The rain was getting stronger. With that wind, Rosé’s body quickly got wet with the rain. She blankly stared at the floor for a moment, dripping rain from her head to her toes.

 

Rainwater dripped down her eyelashes. Rosé stroked her hair with both hands. Yes, even though it was messed up by the pouring rain again.

 

Still, she brushed my hair over and over again. After getting wet, she put her clothes in order and stood up with strength in her legs.

 

She knows very well that there’s no possibility. She didn’t know that the last time she saw Haven up close was a miracle.

 

But still if that miracle happens one more time.

 

So, if she ever see Haven again.

 

If she sees her child whom she hasn’t given a name to.

 

Even though she looked shabby, she wanted to see them with a neat appearance.

 

So, Rosé touched her hair with her hand and pulled her skirt, which was wet and was messed up due to rain. And, as usual for the past few days, she has been going near the Grand Duke’s house.

 

* * *

The guard’s gaze stung. Since he was looking at her with suspicion, his expression was also fierce. Rosé turned her head away from the guard’s gaze with an awkward face, and stood far from the mansion, staring endlessly at the door.

 

Waiting like this is not going to allow her to meet Haven and her child. She did not have such expectations, nor was she foolish to dream such vain dreams.

 

But on that day, did I look pitiful for him?

 

Rosé smiled bitterly as she recalled the day she was lucky enough to see Haven on the street. The dry eyes that looked at her suddenly came to mind.

 

She erased herself from his memory. 

 

The man would never know that she was hanging out like this outside his mansion every day. Even if she wanders around like this and one day does not come any more, Haven will not know that fact.

 

… Even if she ceases to exist in this world.

 

The moment Rosé’s eyes were about to turn red, the front door opened. She reflexively rubbed her eyes with her hand and lifted her head.

 

“Ah….”

 

Those who came out through the open front door were several women who appeared to be the maids of the Grand Duke. Unknowingly, in disappointment, Rosé bit her lip and bowed her head. At that time, they passed in front of Rosé and had a conversation.

 

“By the way, the princess’s name. Is that the name of a wildflower? I never imagined that the name Flitta was the name of a wildflower. How did His Excellency, the Grand Duke, named his daughter after mere wildflowers?”

 

‘… Flitta?’

 

Rose’s eyes widened. She knew it even though no one told me directly. That the ‘Flitta’ name they had just mentioned from their mouths is her baby’s name.

 

Since it was Haven who gave the name to their child, there’s no way she wouldn’t know.

 

‘By the way… Grand Duke, why did you name our child Flitta?’

 

Rosé grabbed her head and bit her lips, suppressing the urge to ask again. She even felt dizzy because the memories of the past with Haven came to her mind unexpectedly.

 「What would be a good name for our child? Rosé, do you have a name in mind?」 「Are you going to name the unborn child already? We still don’t know if it’s a son or a daughter. 」 「It will be my daughter. Clearly. 」 「How do you guarantee that? 」 「I saw a daughter who looked just like you in my dream.」 「What is that?」 

Her past days of laughter with him were as faint as a dream. The friendly and sometimes mischievous appearance of Haven felt far away now. Nevertheless, she vividly remembered the conversation they had at that time. How could she forget?

 「Well… If a girl is born according to your dreams, how about the name Flitta?」 「Flitta?」 「The name of this flower is Flitta. It’s not flashy, but it has strong vitality, so it doesn’t lose easily even in winter.」 

She took a small red flower and put it on his head. It went well with his bright blonde hair. She wondered if it was alright to say such a thing to a man, but the word ‘pretty’ came to mind.

 

Rosé’s eyes teared up. She looked like he was about to cry.

 

“… But you can’t remember.”

 

But how did you name the child Flitta?

 

Rosé sat down as if she had collapsed. And buried her head between her knees.

 

It was still raining.

 

* * *

 

— It’s already been three days already! Hey, you’re not dead, are you? I don’t want to clean up the bodies!

 

The door opened with a bang. And the owner’s nervous voice echoed through the room. Rosé managed to get her trembling body up. Then the owner, with her eyes wide open, shouted again at her.

 

“Come out when you come to your senses, my lady. I have something to say.”

 

“… Yes.”

 

Rosé’s mouth was dry, and she couldn’t answer right away. She could only open her mouth after a beat. But before she could answer, the impatient owner slammed the door shut and went away.

 

The door was shut so tightly that the whole room seemed to shake. No, the truth is, Rosé, who had been ill for three days, must be the one shaking.

 

Rosé took a deep breath and got down under her bed. As soon as she touched the floor, she felt dizzy. Three days ago, she had been in the rain for a long time in front of the Grand duke’s mansion. She coughed chokingly, barely nuzzling her body, and then walked out of the room.

 

As soon as the owner, who had been standing in the hallway with a grumpy expression on her face, saw her come out, she spoke up.

 

“Now, get out of your room.”

 

“… Yes?”

 

Rosé looked at her in shock at the unexpected words. However, the owner did not care about her reaction and said again.

 

“Get out of the room. When a sick woman is staying, the other guests would hate it.”

 

“But as far as I know, here, there are no other guests…”

 

“Ah! I know if there is! Is the lady the owner of this place? Oh? I am the owner here!”