Please Forget Me - Chapter 230

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

“She’s indeed the daughter of Dr. Loveridge, His Majesty’s personal physician.”

“Yes… as expected.”

The lieutenant removed his officer’s cap, bowed his head respectfully to me. He was so polite that anyone seeing us might mistake me for a princess disguised as a beggar.

I stood there awkwardly, unsure what to do, and the lieutenant’s eyes glistened with tears, overwhelmed by emotion.

“It is an honor to meet you, madam, and I am immensely relieved to see you alive. Your husband must have been so—”

“Lieutenant, the lady must be exhausted.”

I wasn’t tired at all. Killian knew better than anyone that I had rested well for several days before crossing the mountains and had even slept soundly despite the chaos of yesterday.

“Oh, of course. I hadn’t considered that. My apologies.”

“I hope you’ve arranged a quiet and safe place for the lady to rest. We can discuss the details later.”

“Yes, understood.”

Of course, he was trying to separate me.

‘What is it that I’m not supposed to say? And what conversation is he planning while keeping me apart?’

I sent the question silently with my eyes. Killian didn’t answer directly but instead gave me a look as if reminding me of his earlier instructions, then ushered me back into the car.

I pretended not to notice, looking away as he watched until I was fully inside.

“I’ll take you to the officer’s quarters, madam.”

Once the car started, I couldn’t help sneaking a glance. Killian’s face was calm, the face of someone who had survived the mountains and the battlefield without a scratch.

‘Why? What exactly was he so afraid of?’

The officer’s quarters resembled a small mansion, possibly used as a villa by nobility. A soldier in charge led me to a room on the third floor.

“Sometimes generals or other high-ranking officers visit, so this room is reserved for them.”

The room was luxurious, quite out of place for a frontline military base: a wardrobe, a bathroom, and even a four-poster bed.

“I’ll leave your belongings here.”

The soldier moved my few possessions to the wardrobe and gave me a quick tour of the facilities. He moved with efficiency, clearly used to preparing the room for distinguished guests.

“Please rest comfortably. I’ll be on the first floor at all times, so call if you need anything.”

Once the soldier left, I was alone, unsure of what to do, standing in the center of the room and staring around in awe.

‘Nothing even happened.’

My body was frozen in this unfamiliar space, yet my mind continued along the thoughts I had on the way here.

‘What was he so afraid of?’

The lieutenant treated us with utmost courtesy, providing the room usually reserved for VIPs. Killian had been visibly relieved at the end of the ordeal.

‘So, at least the danger is over?’

I relaxed a little and began exploring the room. When I came face to face with a mirror taller than I was in the bathroom, my face reddened.

‘Oh my… I really looked like this the whole time?’

In the reflection, my hair was roughly tied, an old straw hat was perched haphazardly, and an oversized shirt was stuffed into faded pants.

“What am I going to do…”

I wondered what the lieutenant thought of me. I looked nothing like a lady, yet he had treated me with unwavering politeness. I could only admire him.

‘Ah… maybe that’s why…’

Perhaps Killian had wanted me to realize my appearance later, so I wouldn’t feel twice as embarrassed as I did now.

‘I need to change quickly.’

I took out the cleanest and least worn clothes from my bag. But changing alone wasn’t enough.

I went to the bathroom. As befits a room for distinguished guests, it had a fully equipped bathroom with hot water flowing freely. This was a perfect opportunity to bathe, yet I hesitated.

‘Killian isn’t here…’

Alone in a strange place, in a building full of men, I felt uneasy and vulnerable even though the door was locked. In the end, I simply used a warm wet towel to clean myself quickly and changed into my clothes.

‘He’s really considerate…’

I brushed my messy hair in front of the mirror, thinking about Killian again.

‘Why did his behavior turn cold?’

Since entering the base, Killian had changed. It began when he abruptly let go of the hand we had pressed together, where we had drawn hearts and shared affection.

From now on, with so many eyes around, it was natural to restrain affection even between husband and wife.

Still, it felt as though he wasn’t just letting go of my hand temporarily—he was building an invisible wall between us.