Thus, the monthly meeting had officially ended. Grandfather seemed truly busy now.
Since it’s been a while since he came back to the manor, that’s only natural. He has to deal with Julian’s absence, and also...
I watched Murloc’s back as he trembled with rage, passing by us before storming away.
However, I didn’t have the luxury of gloating over his misery. There were far more important matters to consider.
Grandfather said he wasn’t interested, but he will definitely look into the marriage proposal from the Dyfenril Duchy.
It seemed genuine when he said he had no intention of using me as a political tool for an arranged marriage.
But that didn’t change the fact that the proposal was already on the table. Even if the chances were slim, it still needed to be reviewed.
...Soon, the Dyfenril Duchy will have to choose Zahid’s fiancée.
Right now, I wasn’t the only candidate under consideration.
Zahid had lost both parents in an instant and had only just inherited his title as the young Duke.
On top of that, he was barely able to move due to constant physical pain and was on the verge of going mad from impending mana overload.
The Dyfenril Duchy had once been a powerful force.
And for that very reason, it was now nothing more than a prime target, ripe for scavenging.
In the midst of this, Zahid’s aunt—the real power behind the scenes—was using his engagement as a business transaction.
The competition must be fierce.
I blinked, deep in thought.
Right now, every single day must be an unbearable struggle for him.
Ugh, I want to save him quickly...
I wanted to meet him as soon as possible.
But at this moment, I had nothing—nothing that could save him.
Just wait a little longer, Zahid. I’ll come to you soon. It won’t be much longer now.
I recalled the image of the young Zahid I had seen in the newspapers, standing beside his Divine Wolf Beast.
This time, I won’t let the Temple take your beast from you.
Meanwhile, Julian was still chuckling to himself about Murloc’s misfortune. Eventually, he let me support him as he slowly began to walk, one careful step at a time.
Since we were moving so slowly, the corridor outside the meeting hall was completely empty by now.
As I held onto him, I caught sight of a bruise under Julian’s arm, visible through his loose clothing.
"Brother! What happened to you?!"
Julian lazily dug a finger into his ear and answered without any real interest.
"Let’s go, kid. I’ll take you back."
I glanced at the spot where he was using the crutch—right where the bruise had formed.
A realization hit me, and I asked in alarm, "Don’t tell me... Did you get this from the crutch? From walking too much?"
Even as I voiced the question, I already knew the answer.
Until today, I had never seen Julian use a crutch.
This must have been his first time.
As we reached the end of the hallway, Shulva, who had been waiting for us, clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"...You should have used a wheelchair."
Julian scoffed and answered bluntly.
"That’s lame. No style."
I had no idea what kind of logic a teenage boy followed.
"So, there’s another monthly meeting next month? Let’s go together from now on," Julian muttered.
"My money—seriously, what the hell kind of nonsense—"
Those words made my toes tingle.
The old Julian had never called me that before.
But even so, the affection behind those words was unmistakable.
"I don’t care if you blow it on mana stones or gambling. Why the hell should they have a say in it?"
"Brother, you shouldn’t blow it on gambling," I said worriedly.
"Otherwise, you’ll end up like your dad, and the butcher shop will go under."
"Goddamn it, how the hell do you know that?"
"You told me before."
"The hell was wrong with me? Why would I say something so damn embarrassing?"
Julian scowled and mumbled a curse under his breath.
Julian’s father—the kitchen servant who had an affair with his mother—wasn’t exactly a great person. He had gambled away all the money from the butcher shop.
When Julian was nineteen, his father died in ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ a gambling den. Meanwhile, his mother, Valia, drowned herself in alcohol, always lamenting her miserable life while neglecting Julian.
Then one day, she got pregnant with me and ran away.
It seemed she was abandoned by my father too and died alone somewhere.
Julian let out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair.
"Well... I don’t know a damn thing about what a happy family is supposed to look like."
I stared at him in silence.
"And looking at this place now... Yeah, there’s no way in hell I’m getting one here. Everyone’s a stranger, and they all suck."
Julian started to meet my gaze but suddenly wobbled on his crutch, letting out a pained grunt. He quickly adjusted himself and forced a neutral expression.
"We’re in the same boat, so let’s at least stick together. Neither of us had any luck with family, right?"
For some reason, tears welled up in my eyes.
His words overlapped with something the old Julian once told me.
"You and I... we really have no luck with parents. So let’s be each other’s fortune."
Back then, Julian had been different—dressed in his military uniform, pristine and orderly.
But the essence of his words was exactly the same.
Julian cleared his throat and continued.
"Unlike those people... Let’s, uh, actually have each other’s backs. You know, like a real family."
Tears filled my eyes as I looked up at him.
"Let’s not live like our parents. Let’s take care of each other, cherish each other, and be the only ones in this world we can truly rely on."
Even though he had lost his memories... even though he had changed in so many ways...
For a moment, it felt like Julian had come back to me.
I looked up at him and nodded firmly.