The Strongest Brother Lost His Memory-Chapter 115

“R-R-RosieRosie? You’re her?”

The Emperor stared at the young girl who didn’t resemble Julian much aside from her silver hair and green eyes, and murmured softly.

“...Huh. Why does she look so kind?”

“...Pardon?”

“Ah—no, never mind. Forget I said anything. But this is...”

Rosie gave a sweet smile and whispered,

“The Divine Beasts’ masters will arrive soon. Just say they rescued you.”

It was a plausible excuse—but the Emperor immediately saw through it.

This girl was the one who had moved the Divine Beasts. No one else could remain this calm otherwise.

There was also no way to explain why the Divine Beasts’ masters just so happened to be nearby at the right moment.

“I wasn’t supposed to come here, Your Majesty. But if you keep my secret—I’ll carry out your secret errand in return.”

The Emperor blinked, brow furrowed. She was alive, yes—but nothing made sense.

Rosie blinked her round, green eyes and said gently,

“Julian oppa told me before... He doesn’t remember now, so I came myself.”

“Ah.”

It felt like all the pieces were falling into place.

The Emperor murmured slowly, as if in a dream:

“Julian... Julian would be capable of something like this.”

She knew that Julian had long harbored deep resentment toward the Temple. He had been her most trusted and secret aide for a long time.

But while investigating the map that the previous Duke of Dyfenril had secretly brought back, he was severely injured and lost his memories.

“Then the Divine Beasts too...”

“Oppa must’ve already set everything up back then. But I don’t think we have time to chat about all this right now...”

“...Right. You’re right. Well then, RosieRosie.”

The Emperor composed herself.

“I need to stay here and handle the aftermath. I was the target of the attack, after all.”

She had a million questions, but there was no time to ask any of them.

“Go to the clock tower now, and deliver this to Zahid Dyfenril. Along with what I’m about to tell you.”

Rosie nodded.

The Emperor leaned in and whispered into the girl’s ear, telling her what to deliver—and what to say on her behalf.

“Tell him that, no matter the cost, I promise to ensure the safety of the young Duke of Dyfenril. So he needn’t worry after receiving this.”

In the distance, they could hear servants rushing over. The annex had collapsed—it was only natural.

Rosie listened solemnly. Then, before the crowd could arrive, she grabbed hold of a vine and vanished into the darkness—clutching the small box she’d received from the Emperor.

Watching Rosie’s tiny figure disappear toward the clock tower, the Emperor finally let out a long, weary sigh.

Now, it was her job to make all of this end in the most believable way possible.

Especially now that the Temple had likely caught wind of what was happening—Zahid had to be protected at all costs.

“Sir Luken.”

She took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.

“Light a fire. And burn me with it.”

“...What?”

“I don’t care what kind of burns I get. As long as I survive. Burn everything—my mask, my clothes, all of it.”

So that when the Temple’s spies arrived, they would believe even the map had gone up in flames.

“I promised. That I would take responsibility no matter what.”

After that, she would be taken to the imperial medical ward. Even then, the connection to Zahid would be nearly impossible to trace.

“Your Majesty!”

“There’s no time. That’s an imperial command.”

The Emperor closed her eyes and said calmly,

“We just escaped death by a hair’s breadth. After that, there’s nothing we can’t endure.”

“B-But!”

“Burn scars can be erased later—let the Temple do it for me. They’ll get to monitor me {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} all they want.”

The Temple.

And the High Priest.

That overwhelmingly powerful enemy had taken the lives of the previous Duke and Duchess of Dyfenril. They had left Zahid an orphan.

Julian had returned from the brink of death, memoryless. And Rosie—she was fighting in his place, still so young.

If the Emperor walked away from this without a single injury... she would be ashamed to call herself a ruler.

“Don’t report my injuries. Announce no casualty list. Continue the banquet as planned. It’s a masquerade, so my absence won’t be noticed.”

By using the excuse of the ongoing event, she could prevent Rosie’s name from appearing anywhere.

The Temple’s spies might have seen a maid present in the annex.

But Rosie wasn’t a real imperial maid. So she couldn’t be on any official list. To erase her from suspicion, this was the only option.

RosieRosie... thank you for saving me.

Gritting her teeth through the pain of the burns, the Emperor made a vow in her heart:

I will never forget this debt.

* * *

First dance is with me.

Zahid stood alone at the top of the clock tower, watching the distant annex collapse.

W-What the hell...

He even saw the water rushing in to douse the flames.

Was that the Water Divine Beast?

Zahid narrowed his eyes and anxiously bit his lower lip.

Rosie?

The moment her name crossed his mind, his heart dropped.

The annex was in a remote corner—no one should’ve been there during the banquet—but still, he couldn’t shake the dread. Not knowing Rosie’s whereabouts gnawed at him.

This is bad.

Five minutes had passed since the promised meeting time with the Emperor, and Zahid finally made up his mind.

Just in case... I’ll at least check the list of casualties—

That was when—

Hahhh, huff, huff... hahhh...

He heard panting, labored breathing climbing the spiral staircase.

“...Rosie?”

Zahid rushed to the stairwell.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

A girl in a black mask and palace maid’s uniform was climbing up. Her face was hidden—but he knew.

“What the—why are you—?”

“Z-Zahid!”

Rosie, breathless, clutched her skirt and scrambled up the steps.

“Ughhh, I’m gonna die from exhaustion.”

She collapsed into his arms, grinning as she did.

“You—why are you—”

“I told you, didn’t I?”

Beneath her mask, Rosie’s small lips curled into a smile.

“I’d come find you.”

Zahid blinked in a daze, dumbfounded.

Rosie asked casually, as if she knew everything already:

“You’re waiting for the Emperor, right?”

“...Why are you...?”

Zahid suddenly realized that sometimes, when you’re truly flustered, all you can do is repeat yourself.

Rosie panted, trying to catch her breath.

“His Majesty couldn’t make it. I came instead.”

“Sit down.”

Zahid quickly guided her to the most comfortable spot nearby.

Silence fell. The only sound was Rosie’s ragged breathing as she recovered.

Alone atop the clock tower, just the two of them—even with chaos raging in the distance—it felt strangely far away.

The wind carried the scent of rain.

“Here.”

Rosie rummaged through her pocket and handed him a small box.

“His Majesty wanted me to give this to you. She was on her way here when the annex collapsed. She looked fine, but... I was pretty hurt too.”

“What?! Really?”

“Nah, I’m totally fine.”

“Why would you joke like that?!”

Zahid grumbled, but took the box from her hands.

“What is this?”

“Your parents’ keepsake.”

“...What?”

Rosie paused, then slowly relayed the Emperor’s message.

The previous Duke and Duchess of Dyfenril had secretly stolen the parchment from the Temple. It was likely a map containing the key to defeating the High Priest. And because of it... they were killed.

The Empire had tried to analyze it but failed. Still, because it clearly related to the Divine Beasts, it was returned to the Dyfenril family.

A keepsake...

Zahid clutched the box tightly.

He had never imagined he’d hear about his deceased parents today.

His memories of them returned, vivid and intact.

“Father, why do you oppose the Temple so much? Couldn’t we just live comfortably like the Idra Duchy?”

“No, Zahid. I can’t do that.”

His father had held young Zahid close and spoken gently.

“It’s true that I love you more than anything else in this world. And that’s why—I want to make the world you’ll grow up in a better one.”

“But I heard the Four Great Houses are supposed to serve the Temple...”

“Technically, we serve the will of the divine, not the Temple itself.”

Seeing Zahid’s confused face, the Duke smiled warmly.

“When we meet someone who truly embodies the divine will, they say we’ll know instinctively. That we’ll feel awe and reverence—like we’d protect them even without being told to.”

“Huh...?”

“Haha. I’ve never felt that kind of emotion myself. That’s one reason I can’t bring myself to obey the current High Priest. But maybe you, Zahid, will meet someone like that. If you do—will you tell me? I’d really like to know.”

“Yes, Father!”

“Good. Now, while your mother and I are away, look after the estate, okay? I’ll leave Fire with you. So our most precious son won’t be lonely.”

Zahid clenched his jaw, biting down on his lower lip.

Then, forcing his gaze toward the wreckage of the annex, he asked quietly:

“...So the annex attack was the Temple’s doing?”

“Probably...”

Rosie nodded slowly.

“His Majesty said she’d take full responsibility for keeping you safe. So don’t worry about receiving this.”

Zahid stared at the box in silence.

Maybe this was the price of his parents’ lives.

Or perhaps... it was the thing they most wanted to protect, even at the cost of those lives.

Zahid opened the box without hesitation.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by (f)reew𝒆b(n)ov𝒆l.com