NOVPUB
Chapter 165: Forgotten Memories
Zayn blinked.
"You can pour soul energy into it and record a message — just one. Someone else can pour soul energy into it later and hear your message. It’s one-time-use, though. Shatters right after."
Zayn stared at it for a long second, then looked up at Tobias. "So... basically a magic recording."
Bran snorted somewhere behind him.
Tobias shrugged. "If you want to call it that."
"I’m calling it that," Zayn said, already taking the crystal and holding it up to eye level, inspecting it curiously. "This’ll come in handy... Thanks."
He didn’t smile wide or react dramatically, but his voice held a genuine appreciation.
Tobias knew him well enough by now to know that this meant more than it sounded.
"Don’t break it immediately," Tobias teased.
Zayn rolled his eyes. "No promises."
The party had slowly gathered in the main room again, now fully awake and lounging after their hearty breakfast.
Kara was fiddling with the new staff Tobias had given her earlier, muttering incantations under her breath, while Seren practiced flipping her new daggers with frightening precision.
Bran sat nearby, examining the small alchemy tools like a kid in a candy store, already planning what potions he could experiment with.
Celeste, the last addition, sat perched on the armrest of a nearby chair, watching everything unfold with a curious expression.
She flicked her finger playfully, and she seemed amused by how comfortable everyone was around Tobias — and around Zayn, surprisingly enough.
"You all seem... close," she remarked, tilting her head.
"Trauma bonding," Zayn muttered, flicking a grape from the table into his mouth.
She smiled... but there was still one thing the princess couldn’t understand.
Did Zayn Eldrake... truly not remember her?
Celeste sat on the edge of the couch, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
Her eyes watched him as he moved across the room — watched him laugh gently as Seren leaned on him, curled up on his lap like a comfortable housecat.
They were talking softly, Zayn’s grin was lazy, tired, and boyish, like someone who had long given up trying to understand chaos and just learned to survive it.
He looked the same. Yet different.
The Zayn she remembered was awkward and bright-eyed, always tripping over his own words or scribbling in notebooks.
This Zayn, the one leaning back without a care, the one resting a hand gently on Seren’s shoulder while teasing her had matured.
The edges were sharper. The calmness wasn’t something he used to have. And yet...
How could he have forgotten her?
They had grown up together. Spent countless nights sneaking out of the castle to watch the stars, hiding under the garden gazebo with stolen sweets from the pantry.
She was the one who styled his hair first.
The one who stayed up with him when he had nightmares. And when he left for Timberstead nearly two months ago, she had waited. Patiently. Every single day.
Now here he was.
And he didn’t remember.
The feeling crept up in her chest again — a lump forming, too big to swallow. Her hands balled into trembling fists in her lap. 𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖕𝔲𝖇.𝖈𝖔𝖒
She stood abruptly.
Zayn blinked as she walked over. "Hmm? Something wrong?"
"I want to talk to you," she said, forcing the tremor out of her voice. "Alone."
Seren looked up with wide eyes, then slid off his lap. Zayn gave her a pat on the head before standing up. "Sure. My room?"
She nodded.
They walked down the hall in silence.
The air between them was heavy. When they reached his room, Zayn opened the door and let her in first, then closed it behind them. The soft thunk of the door echoed.
"What’s going on, Princess?" he asked gently, leaning against the doorframe. "You look like you’re gonna cry."
"I..." Her voice cracked before she could finish. "Zayn, why did you forget me?"
He blinked. "Forget?"
That was all she needed to hear. The tears burst out as her hands trembled. "Why did you forget me?!"
Zayn’s posture straightened, eyes wide.
"I waited for you!" she sobbed. "I heard that you were chosen by the Hero Of Knowledge, and I waited every single day! And when I heard you were in Timberstead, I was so happy, so relieved... and then I come here, and you look at me like I’m a stranger..."
"Celeste..."
"I’m not some passing noblewoman you danced with once!" she cried, tears spilling over. "You’re the boy who used to sneak me treats! Who promised to marry me under the old stars near the cathedral ruins! We’ve been through so much... and you don’t even remember my name!"
Zayn moved. Quietly. Carefully.
He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her as her fists pounded once, twice against his chest before she melted into him.
"I’m sorry," he whispered.
He held her tightly, letting her sob into his shoulder. His hand gently rubbed her back.
"I didn’t mean to forget," he said. "The day we came to Timberstead... I woke up and could barely remember anything. Just my name. I had no idea who I was, where I came from. It was like everything before that was erased. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear."
He knew this wasn’t a probable excuse, but... how could he say the Zayn she knew was gone? And he had been reincarnated? He would rather lie.
But still why didn’t the author write about the relationship between Zayn and the princess?
Celeste didn’t respond for a while. Her sobs slowly quieted until they were sniffles.
Her hands were still clenched around his shirt, holding on as if letting go would make it all disappear.
"I came all this way," she whispered. "I told myself I would be fine even if you had changed. Even if you didn’t feel the same anymore. But forgetting me... it hurts more than anything else."
"I know," Zayn said softly. "But I’m here now."
There was a long silence.
Then she leaned back just enough to meet his eyes.
"I’ll make you remember," she said.
Before he could say anything, she pushed him back. He fell onto the bed with a surprised grunt, blinking up at her.
Celeste climbed onto him, eyes glowing with fierce determination and something more.
"Celeste?"
She took off her overcoat in one smooth motion, revealing a very revealing sleeveless top underneath.
Her long hair fell over her shoulder, and she leaned forward with a playful smirk.
"Don’t be shy," she teased. "You’ve seen them before."
Zayn choked on his breath.
"I... I really don’t remember that part."
"Well, I do."
She leaned closer, cheeks pink but eyes confident.
