The Strongest Brother Lost His Memory-Chapter 40

"Unbelievable! Just unbelievable!"

The moment Cecil left, Heidi snorted and stomped her feet in frustration.

"She acts like some noble madam! What a joke!"

She pressed a hand to her forehead as if the mere thought of Cecil was giving her a headache.

"Ugh... If she weren’t pregnant!"

I sat down in my chair, lost in thought.

She’s definitely a fraud...

Because Julian had never once mentioned another woman to me.

The whole thing about lemon tea and hating meat? I had made that up on the spot.

But Cecil had been so caught off guard by the unexpected detail that she had just blurted out, “That’s me.”

She had walked right into it.

"I just... I seriously can’t believe it. That Julian even had a woman is hard enough to believe, but her? Seriously?"

Heidi was still fuming.

"I was wondering why all the maids were sobbing earlier, and now I get it!"

"...The maids were crying?"

"Yes. Honestly, every maid in the main estate has probably had a crush on Lord Julian at some point."

Heidi furrowed her brows.

"A lot of them were jealous of me because I serve you. It meant I got to see Lord Julian more often."

"So, Heidi... Did you like my brother?"

"Oh, no. I prefer small, cute, and delicate men. Personal taste. So I like you more than Lord Julian."

She winked playfully.

"Besides, Lord Julian has such sharp, upward-slanting eyes... His face is kind of scary, to be honest."

I tilted my head with a thoughtful hum.

Heidi, looking concerned, resumed trash-talking Cecil.

"She’s obviously just a con artist looking for a quick payday. She heard about Lord Julian’s memory loss and swooped in."

"Hmm, I don’t think so."

"Just wait and see. She’ll live it up at the Noart estate, eating fine food and indulging in luxury. Then, right before giving birth, she’ll disappear."

Heidi scoffed and crossed her arms.

"There’s no way she’ll stick around long enough for a paternity test. Because once that happens, the truth will come out. Or she’ll steal something before running off."

"I don’t know... I really don’t think that’s it."

"Ugh! Lady Rosie, you’re too soft! You have no idea how many thieves like her exist in the world!"

Heidi clutched her chest, exasperated.

But I genuinely didn’t believe Cecil was some wandering scammer or petty thief.

Because—

This is really weird. And really dangerous.

I rolled my eyes slightly and sighed internally.

Why would the Temple send a spy into the Noart estate now?

Because Cecil was a priest.

Not just any priest—she had been a high-ranking priest.

And not just any high-ranking priest—she was one of the ones who had personally conducted the experiments on me.

Among the high priests, the ones with truly powerful divine energy rarely left the inner sanctum of the Grand Temple. Cecil had been one of those priests.

That was why, the moment I saw her, my breathing had become strained, my legs trembling.

Because her presence had immediately dragged me back to those horrific experiments.

In this timeline, she didn’t recognize me.

But I remembered her.

And if she was capable of that level of divine power, then faking pregnancy symptoms to fool a doctor would have been nothing for her.

But for what reason?

—

At that moment—

"Kid, are you asleep?"

Julian’s exhausted voice came from outside my door.

"Your light was still on, so I figured you were awake... Can I come in?"

It was well past midnight. He must have been feeling absolutely miserable to come to me at this hour.

I immediately got up and opened the door.

Julian looked like the most tired man in the world.

His voice was completely worn out as he spoke.

"...Did you hear the news?"

"Yeah."

"I can’t believe it."

He trudged forward and slumped down in front of me.

He could walk without crutches now, but his right foot was still heavily bandaged.

Holding his head in his hands, he muttered.

"I did something that irresponsible? Me? At twenty-four? Huh?"

His face was filled with sheer disbelief and anguish.

"I didn’t even get married... And I had a child? That’s completely insane."

Julian roughly raked his fingers through his hair, his self-loathing evident.

"A child born like that... and I, of all people, knowing exactly what kind of life they might have to endure? Does that make any sense?"

Julian's voice was filled with despair.

"What kind of insane bastard does something like this? Seriously? What the hell...?"

Honestly, his reaction was understandable.

Because he was exactly the kind of child he was talking about.

After all, our mother, Valia, had blamed Julian for everything. She had told «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» him countless times, "If you had never been born, I wouldn’t have had to leave the Noart estate."

And each time, Julian’s father would lash out in return, arguing that he had to run away to this backwater place too.

Caught between them, Julian—just a child—had felt like he was the reason everyone was unhappy.

"Sure, there are children who are born like this and still live happily. I know that. Some babies become symbols of love and bring joy to their families."

Julian exhaled heavily, his pain evident.

"But if that's not the case... if that’s not the case, then that child's life will be too hard. And I know that too well."

As I placed a gentle hand on Julian’s shoulder, Heidi abruptly spoke up.

"Forgive me for overstepping, Lord Julian, but may I say something?"

"Go ahead. Say one thing, two things, however much you want."

At Julian’s response, Heidi immediately rolled up her sleeves as if ready for battle.

"The maids are already suspecting that woman is a fraud. Otherwise, how could it be that none of Lord Julian’s close associates know her?"

Julian remained silent.

"Honestly, Lord Julian, you were the one who installed so many magical security stones around Lady Rosie’s annex. But you left your lover unguarded? Does that even make sense?"

She was absolutely right.

Julian fell into a brief silence before his shoulders slumped.

"Yeah. I get why you’d think that. It’s a reasonable assumption."

"Exactly! So—"

Just as Heidi was about to push further, Julian spoke again, his voice subdued.

"But I can’t think that way."

"...What?"

"There’s still a possibility that the child is mine. And as long as that possibility exists... I can’t think like that."

His voice sank lower.

"Even if a million people suspect her... I can’t be one of them."

"..."

"Even if I end up being betrayed later, I can’t start by doubting the child."

"Lord Julian..."

"Because if I do, then when the paternity test confirms the child is mine... I might end up feeling disappointed. And that... that would be too cruel."

Heidi shut her mouth immediately.

This was exactly why I couldn’t ask Julian outright, “Are you sure that woman is really pregnant with your child?”

Because Julian was the one person who couldn’t afford to think that way.

I gazed at him sadly.

"Damn it... Kid, I’m such a mess in front of you."

Julian mumbled, looking utterly defeated.

"I didn’t realize I was this pathetic."

"Huh? No, Julian. That was actually kind of touching."

I quickly waved my hands in protest.

For that moment alone, he seemed far better than the cold, calculating twenty-four-year-old Julian who talked about marriage as a weapon.

"If I were your child, I would have been really moved. You’re an immature butcher’s brat, but... I think you’d actually be a good father. I used to worry a lot about my future niece or nephew, but now I feel relieved."

"Kid... Are you trying to console me right now?"

I patted Julian’s back as I fell deep into thought.

Why is Cecil here now?

She wasn’t here in the previous timeline... So what’s different now?

What had changed? What was the key difference between this timeline and the previous one?

I needed to focus on that.

And then—

Wait.

As my thoughts raced, I suddenly stiffened and turned to look at Julian.

He’s still alive.

In this timeline, Julian was still alive.

Julian blinked at me, confused.

"...Huh?"