424 – Amnesia…?
What do you think memory is?
It’s the brain’s way of storing and recalling information.
Looking at it from another perspective, memory could be seen as the individual pieces that make up a person’s life.
It’s a kind of identity that defines your existence.
Of course, due to the nature of memory, it’s not infinite and tends to fade over time.
However, in that process, memories continue to accumulate, and layers of memories establish your identity.
Although it’s a contentious issue to assert this definitively.
If you insert only memories into a machine body, can it be considered yourself or not?
Can you define a completely identical replica as yourself?
Is the phenomenon of possessing someone’s body a way to awaken your original self, or rather to lose it? Or is it to acquire a new self?
If I have sex with another me that has been TS’d with my memories, is it masturbation, incest, or just pure love?
It’s definitely a complex question that is still being debated today.
But putting everything else aside.
Memory plays the largest role in defining oneself.
“Can’t you recognize me…?”
“Who are you…?”
“Hyeji! It’s Hyeji!”
“…I’m sorry…”
Can a person who has completely lost such memories really have an identity?
“Please try to remember…”
“And who…am I…?”
Just like Shinwoo right now.
“Shinwoo, do you remember who you are?”
“Is that…my name…?”
Hyeji desperately tried to talk to Shinwoo, acting out of character.
But Shinwoo just stared blankly at her.
He had an innocent expression of someone who couldn’t remember anything.
“Come on, stop joking! Please! Think of anything!”
“I’m sorry… I can’t remember a thing…”
Thanks to that, Hyeji felt like she was going insane.
Even though she was pleading and holding Shinwoo tightly right in front of her.
Shinwoo merely lowered his head like a sinner when looking at her.
He wore a face mixed with guilt of not remembering and confusion about the situation.
Then, Hyeji suddenly hugged Shinwoo tightly.
Shaking uncontrollably, she began to cry.
Her actions and tears were infused with countless negative emotions.
The sadness of not remembering all the memories they shared.
The sense of loss for the Shinwoo she once knew.
Worry and helplessness about what to do next.
The powerlessness feeling that she couldn’t handle this situation on her own.
“Don’t do this… sniff You were with me for the very first time… this is too much…”
In that moment, Shinwoo suddenly started to cry.
With trembling hands, he gently grabbed Hyeji.
His expression was completely different from a moment ago.
“sniff… sniff…”
“Oh! Shinwoo, could it be!”
When Hyeji saw that, her tear-streaked face brightened.
Relief washed over her that he remembered something.
And gratitude that Shinwoo had recalled her.
Even a bit of embarrassment for crying in front of everyone.
But the moment Hyeji heard Shinwoo’s next words.
“I can’t believe I lost my virginity to a guy…”
“Hey, what the f*ck!”
Hyeji wiped away all her tears and instead started to pull her hair in frustration.
“I-I’m sorry!!!”
“I’m a girl!!!”
Seeing that, Shinwoo shrank away in fear.
But even in that state of sheer terror, Shinwoo opened his mouth to express his opinion.
As if it was the obvious thing to do.
“Guys can wear skirts in this day and age, right…?”
“Can that even happen in this novel!!!”
Thanks to that, Hyeji’s negative emotions completely transformed into anger.
Still, she couldn’t bring herself to hit Shinwoo.
If he had said that on a normal day, she’d have instinctively punched him hard.
“And no matter how much I hug you, it’s so hard… I never thought you were a girl…”
“Fck! Fck! Seriously! Argh! F*ck!”
It was a display of incredible patience stemming from her worry about Shinwoo’s condition.
“Hey, let me handle this.”
“Haah… Fine…”
Saying that, Elcia switched places with Hyeji and gently took Shinwoo’s hand.
Just like handling a delicate glass sculpture that might shatter with the wrong touch.
“Husband, do you remember me?”
“Husband…? So does that make me a married man…?”
At that moment, Elcia froze and placed Shinwoo’s hand on her chest.
“Yes, of course. I’m your first wife.”
“I-I can’t believe that… It’s hard to accept…”
Although the heroines shot Elcia sharp glares during their conversation.
“What the fck is this btch saying? Fix Shinwoo and you’re changing the facts?”
“I never knew you were this shameless.”
“Hey, are you crazy?”
“Wait a minute, everyone. First things first, we need to get Shinwoo better.”
Once Elcia said this, they stopped throwing more insults.
Indeed, it was a situation where Shinwoo’s recovery was the priority, as Elcia pointed out.
For that purpose, they could tolerate this kind of nonsense.
Of course, beating him afterward was a separate matter.
“Anyway, Husband, don’t worry too much. I am here for you.”
“…Uh… your hand… is on my chest…”
Meanwhile, Shinwoo was quite flustered.
To the naked eye, Elcia looked quite beautiful.
It was surprising enough that she suddenly placed his hand on her chest.
Shinwoo carefully tried to withdraw his hand, thinking it was an accident.
“It’s okay. It all belongs to you, Husband.”
“Is that so…?”
Elcia then used both hands to engulf his hand in her chest.
“If you want, I can show you even more secret places.”
“Ah, no… it’s too sudden…”
Seeing Shinwoo’s reaction, Elcia smiled gently, as if pleased.
“You must still be confused, right?”
“…Yeah… to be honest, I am… I don’t know what’s what…”
“Then while we look for your memories, I’ll keep your potential funds safe.”
“Okay, um… please take care of it…?”
“Hehe. That’s the least a wife should do.”
“But how…?”
At those words, Shinwoo tilted his head in curiosity, and Elcia beamed a bright smile.
That smile carried an implicit trust that told him to rely on her.
But before Elcia could finish speaking.
“The trustworthy currency known as Elf Coin—”
“Shut up with the nonsense, you b*tch!!!”
Suddenly, Shinwoo reflexively shouted at Elcia.
Unintentionally, Elcia let go of his hand, lost in confusion.
But even without her hand, she just had a blank expression.
Shinwoo’s response was such a shock that she couldn’t even think about that fact.
“…Husband…?”
“I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”
By now, Shinwoo was fidgeting with his fingers, wearing an apologetic expression, but Elcia didn’t care about that and locked eyes with him.
She held his head firmly as if telling him not to run away.
“F*ck! Did your memory come back, Husband? Tell me!!!”
“Oh, no… it just suddenly…”
For a moment, Elcia showed a fierce glare.
“Concubines, get out of the way. The main consort Caressy is coming through.”
“Sigh, it definitely seems like Husband’s memory is returning.”
This time Elcia pulled away, and Caressy confidently approached.
Caressy plopped down next to Shinwoo and, contrary to her rough movements, gently wrapped her tail around his wrist.
It was an action born from a tiny concern that he might get hurt.
“Shinwoo, do you recognize me?”
“Uh…? Uh!”
“Exactly! You definitely recognize me!”
Caressy’s energy surged at Shinwoo’s surprised reaction.
“Uh… why…!”
“Everyone saw it! This is the dignity of the main consort!”
But the moment Shinwoo spat out something mixed with confusion.
“Even so, who would abandon a dog at the hospital! Isn’t that too much?”
“No way, you b*tch!!!”
Caressy expressed her anger just as loud as Shinwoo’s protest.
“How could you betray my expectations… you are undeniably a traitor.”
“…Is this f*cking dog really back to normal?”
A sharp counterattack rolled in next.
That she hadn’t strangled him with her tail was already quite commendable, but no one thought to praise Caressy.
They only scoffed at her overconfidence.
“Main consort? Main consort? At your level?”
“It’s not a main consort, it’s a bathroom, isn’t it?”
“Ah, that applies to me too!”
“Everyone, shut the f*ck up!!!”
In that moment, Shinwoo suddenly pointed at Ayeon with his finger.
Tilting his head, he began to express a perfectly reasonable question.
“…But I never called a girl… should I go to someone else…?”
At those words, Ayeon abruptly stopped moving and then grabbed Shinwoo by the collar, shaking him fiercely.
That action was a blatant rejection of Shinwoo’s words.
“No, I’m not a prostitute!!!”
“Then what the hell am I supposed to say!”
This time Shinwoo countered with an awfully unfair tone.
With alluring wings, horns on her head, and even a tail.
Given that, it made sense for the amnesiac Shinwoo to have such doubts.
“I’m a proud succubus!!!”
“What’s that different from a prostitute!”
Right after Ayeon retorted with vigor.
“Succubi pay taxes!!!”
“Oh.”
Shinwoo nodded quietly in agreement.
“Moreover, they regularly hire pest control services!”
“Well… I guess that’s true… sorry…”
He immediately offered an apology.
Even though the heroines tried to revive Shinwoo’s memories.
The situation hadn’t improved at all compared to the beginning.
In fact, only wounds would be etched deeper in each of their hearts.
“I’m a girl, you f*cking dog…”
“No, f*ck! Shinwoo’s memory is definitely back!”
“Unlike hunters, succubi have human rights…”
“Kyaru, who had to betray, must have been sadder.”
And it wasn’t much different for Shinwoo.
In fact, he displayed a level of confusion greater than theirs.
“Was I capable of being that clueless…? What kind of person am I…?”
While everyone clutched at their wounds.
Someone had quietly approached Shinwoo’s bed.
The figure was someone very familiar in the context of a hospital.
A clean but slightly frayed white coat, a tired look around the eyes with deep wrinkles carved by time.
And footsteps that wobbled from sheer fatigue.
“Are you the guardians?”
The doctor appeared.
