One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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One Day I Picked Up a Mother – Episode 24

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[…This case is a record reported from Sagar Sanatorium in the northern part of the Capital.

The individual was rescued just before a drowning accident three years ago, and immediately afterward lost all autobiographical memories. The patient could not respond to questions about who they were or where they came from, and their expression and attitude were deeply imbued with the emptiness of ‘not knowing’ rather than deception.

However, surprisingly, their reading comprehension and basic arithmetic abilities were at a similar level to other adults.

…

What is particularly noteworthy is that despite forgetting their past, they adapted stably to their new life.

By defining themselves according to the demands and evaluations of their surroundings, and choosing attitudes that matched those expectations.

Furthermore, they went so far as to create fake memories they had never experienced, and eventually even lost awareness that they had lost their memories.

I consider this phenomenon to be beyond simple memory erasure, a reconstruction of the self, or…]

Knock knock.

At the sound of knocking on the bedroom door, Ludrio closed his book.

[Observation Journal of Patients with Memory Confusion and Erasure Syndrome]

Ludrio covered the case study collection published by the medical association with a report and gave permission to enter.

The door opened to reveal his aide Hark.

“This is the report on Luna’s learning progress over the past week that you requested.”

Hark handed a bundle of loose papers to Ludrio and continued his explanation.

“She learned basic letter forms and phonetic values on the first day, and has been continuously memorizing words since then.”

The writing on the paper was neat and steady without any trembling.

“The number of words she has learned has already exceeded a thousand. She can now accurately read and write about food, nature, people, objects, and so on.”

“In just one week? At that level, she should be able to read simple sentences on her own.”

“Yes. She shows enthusiasm even outside the scheduled learning hours.”

As Ludrio quickly skimmed through the papers testing her abilities, Hark added emphatically.

“She’s ambitious and learns quickly.”

“Yes. Certainly fast.”

Ludrio nodded quietly.

“But is it really true that she’s learning to write for the first time?”

He said while looking at the paper at the very bottom.

So this paper seemed to contain what was written down on the first day of lessons.

The handwriting was neither uneven nor did it look crude in form. Like someone already accustomed to holding a pen.

“…I’m still not sure about that part. She makes mistakes sometimes, but her learning is so fast and she writes quite well in such a short time.”

At Hark’s cautious attitude, Ludrio once again skimmed through the papers he had handed over in order.

Looking at the test papers, it didn’t seem like she was pretending not to know on purpose.

Both the fact that she memorized a large amount of vocabulary on her own and the papers with mostly correct answers.

There were no traces anywhere of trying to feign clumsiness.

“…I’ll keep this. You can go now.”

“Yes, understood.”

After Hark left, Ludrio opened the case study collection again.

“Sometimes there are those who gradually regain their memories over time, or following some shock as a trigger…”

The woman was neither a tavern wench nor Iban’s mother as she claimed, nor was she Luna.

But she didn’t seem like a crazy person or a fool as Iban suggested either.

“Not a fool. Not pretending to be a fool either.”

Then could her memory really have been erased?

…So, if the woman truly had lost her memory.

It would mean that a woman who had forgotten all her past memories for some reason happened to meet Iban by chance and came to believe she was that child’s mother.

Iban, who happened to possess her lost brooch.

Tap, tap, tap.

“All of this is coincidence.”

Coincidence.

Deep irritation appeared in Ludrio’s brow at the absurd notion.

Though he hadn’t found convincing evidence yet, Ludrio still couldn’t dismiss the possibility that Uncle was behind the woman.

“…”

If that wasn’t the case…

Ludrio briefly thought of his second brother who had been missing for ten years.

The thought briefly crossed his mind that perhaps Iban might be the missing emperor’s son.

The child’s blue eyes and bright blonde hair resembled his brother so much.

Perhaps his brother was alive and had sent his son to Count Roderich’s Estate to protect him…

It was truly an absurd assumption.

Ludrio erased the foolish assumption from his mind with a deep sigh.

Hadn’t he already lost too much to naively believe in things like coincidence or fate?

When Ludrio rang the bell, a knight entered as if he had been waiting.

“Kairon, among the missing person reports that came into the Capital, is there still no one similar to the woman?”

“Yes. There are still no missing persons with similar appearance to the woman.”

Iban said he first met the woman at the Capital’s market.

So if the woman had really left where she was living with lost memories, there should be at least one missing person report filed.

She was a woman he couldn’t figure out at all.

Sometimes it seemed like there were no lies, sometimes it seemed like all of this really was coincidence.

He thought that perhaps it was his brother who had told the woman about the brooch’s owner.

But then again, it always came back to the Regent.

“…I should go hunting in the outskirts tomorrow.”

“I’ll prepare for it.”

“I’ll go with the woman, so prepare accordingly.”

“Understood.”

So finally, he decided to check just one more thing.

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I was waiting for Hark and fumbling through reading the thin book he had given me to read a few days ago.

Knock knock.

At the sound of knocking on the door, I got up from my seat, but when I opened the door, it wasn’t Hark but a servant.

“Servant?”

“Count Roderich said he would take Luna on an outskirts hunt today.”

The servant who bowed lightly quickly got to the point.

An outskirts hunt with Ludrio.

“…Me?”

When I pointed to myself and asked back, the servant nodded lightly as if I understood correctly. He opened the door a bit more and said.

“The carriage heading to the hunting grounds is waiting at the main gate. Please go.”

“What? Right now?”

“Yes, it’s a bit cold today so you should bring an outer coat.”

“Ah…”

After saying that, the servant looked at me quietly as if urging me. Feeling subtle pressure, I went straight into the small room and opened the wardrobe.

‘Did he include me because it would be awkward to go alone with Iban?’

Since Iban still found his father intimidating, perhaps Ludrio wanted to take me along as well for that reason.

“But taking a mere seven-year-old child hunting is a bit…”

I frowned slightly as I was taking out a coat.

Watching Ludrio hunt probably wouldn’t be a very beneficial experience for Iban.

However, I soon shook my head and left the room.

This was definitely a good thing for Iban.

The fact that Ludrio, who was rumored to enjoy hunting, invited Iban to his most cherished time meant he wanted to get closer to the child.

“Please go.”

When I came out of the room, the servant said hurriedly.

The servant leading the way walked quickly as if we were already late, and I hurried my steps to keep up with him.

As we exited the entrance, the carriage that the servant mentioned was parked there came into view at a glance.

“It’s a bit cold.”

My shoulders hunched momentarily from the fierce wind, but I had no time to stop and adjust my outer garments as I followed the servant who was still walking hurriedly like someone pressed for time.

In the end, I pulled my coat closer to my chest and started walking again.

“Please board.”

Only after the servant opened the carriage door could I understand why he had been in such a hurry.

“Ah…”

Ludrio, who was sitting inside, seemed to pay no mind to me being later than him and was only looking out the window.

“Count, I apologize.”

I carefully greeted him as I boarded the carriage.

Ludrio, who finally turned his head, looked me over once before turning his gaze back to the window.

“…”

It was just the familiar garden with nothing particularly eye-catching about it.

Following Ludrio, who seemed to have no intention of conversing, I also turned my head toward the window.

“Huh?”

The wheels rattled as the carriage slowly began to move.

“Iban hasn’t come yet though?”

I looked at Ludrio in surprise, pressing my hand against the carriage window.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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