CHAPTER 20: DINNER

Helping Julian sit up from the bed, Catherine’s close-fitting long dress inevitably brushed against him as they leaned together. She looked down at Julian’s chest—he had just claimed he didn’t need any help, yet the clothes he had put on were still wrinkled and disheveled, clearly not worn properly.

As she adjusted the collar and sleeves for him, Catherine busied herself around Julian and couldn’t help but offer a few words of gentle advice, reminding him of things to watch out for when dressing.

A warm feeling bubbled up in his heart. Julian, who had originally been tense and embarrassed, gradually relaxed, feeling Catherine’s warm body and soft fragrance. Suddenly, he recalled something he had long forgotten—the embrace of a mother.

For Julian, this was a very special experience. Catherine’s tone and attitude toward him at the moment were purely that of a caring elder, with no other mixed intentions.

He wasn’t unfamiliar with the experience of receiving attention from mature women, but those experiences had always left him feeling drained and uneasy.

They merely treated him as a special kind of prey, aiming to establish some twisted "mother-son" relationship to satisfy their own perverse desires.

Catherine, however, also felt something different. Julian’s body, clearly not yet developed, was small and delicate in her ample embrace—soft and boneless like a newborn child, fragile and easily broken.

If her own marriage had been normal, wouldn’t her child be around this age?

Such melancholic emotions quietly brewed in her heart. Thankfully, she could at least use Julian now as an outlet for her feelings, sparing her from internal despair.

As she stroked Julian’s head, the soft feel of his hair was irresistibly comforting. The faint scent of it lingered in her nose, and Catherine truly savored this moment.

Now and then, her hand would brush past Julian’s abdomen, and strange thoughts would rise in her heart. Though Julian was still young, in some aspects, he could no longer be called a child.

Once the side effects of his magical energy depletion had mostly subsided, Catherine helped Julian to his feet, preparing to take him to the drawing room for a late-night meal.

As they stepped out of the room, they ran into Alice.

"Madam, how is Julian’s condition now?" Alice first bowed respectfully, then asked softly.

"The Holy Seal awakening went very smoothly. Julian’s small body wasn’t harmed. If I must say something... He’s probably very hungry now." Catherine replied.

Almost as if on cue, Julian’s stomach growled loudly, making him awkwardly clutch his belly and look down at his slipper-clad feet in embarrassment.

"The young lady is also waiting in the drawing room. Madam and Julian, please come together," Alice said with a smile.

In the drawing room, the table was lit by several candles, just enough to faintly illuminate the spacious room. Losiya sat in the host’s seat, head lowered as she polished a blade, her expression indifferent, her mood seemingly not too pleasant.

"Young lady."

Hearing Alice’s voice, Losiya paused for a few seconds before reacting. She looked up in Julian’s direction.

His familiar face looked a bit different under the dim lighting. Losiya immediately stood up, the calm expression on her face unconsciously replaced by a familiar confident smile and slightly narrowed eyes.

Julian instantly understood the meaning in Losiya’s gaze.

She’s coming.

Increasing his pace, Julian had only taken a few steps before Losiya suddenly moved behind him, her slender form pressing close to his. Julian immediately lost control of his body as she enveloped him in an embrace.

Losiya ran her hand through his hair with unprecedented gentleness, reminding Julian of how he used to pet cats in his past life—lightly and carefully, afraid of startling or hurting the fragile kitten.

"As long as you’re okay... If I remember correctly, you still haven’t had dinner, have you?"

This seemingly casual comment made Alice chuckle softly, and Catherine smiled with warmth and kindness.

Julian nodded. Before he could say anything, Losiya pulled him over to sit at the dining table. Under the candlelight, he finally saw the feast laid out before him—an array of delicious dishes.

There were starters of vegetables and bread, main courses of various meats that dazzled him, broths, and sweet desserts to finish the meal.

Sitting beside Julian, Losiya gazed at him in the candlelight.

Her goddess-like beauty appeared soft and warm under the glow. The warm tone reflected in Julian’s eyes, enhanced by the joy within them, creating a stunning visual effect.

For a moment, Losiya was so captivated she forgot to invite Catherine to sit. Alice shook her head and cast Catherine an apologetic glance.

Catherine didn’t feel offended at all. On the contrary, she found the scene before her exceptionally heartwarming.

Under the candlelight, Losiya and Julian leaned closely together. Their black and silver hair occasionally intertwined due to the proximity, creating a beautifully artistic image.

Such thoughts arose in her mind, and she couldn’t help but recall the things she had done earlier that night in a moment of madness. Guilt once again gnawed at her conscience.

Meanwhile, Julian had just taken a bite of his steak when Losiya gently offered him a strawberry from her fruit salad with a fork.

Alice, seated quietly on the side, sipped her soup and occasionally reminded Losiya to eat herself, rather than sneaking off to the kitchen again late at night.

Catherine felt even more exhausted than Julian tonight. After preparing extraordinary magical items, adjusting formulas, carving magic circles, and drawing seals, her body had finally calmed down and left her feeling utterly drained.

Still, her maternal instinct compelled her to keep caring for the three younger ones. As she picked up food for them, she also gently offered them well-meaning reminders.

In this space shared by the four of them, with no one else around, their conversation gradually turned more personal.

"Now that I think about it, I’ve never met little Julian’s family. We should get to know them properly someday," Catherine said with a sigh.

She didn’t mean anything by it—just admiration for Julian’s parents, able to raise such a brilliant boy. She was simply curious whether his heterochromatic eyes were natural or caused by something else, a question that had puzzled her for a long time.

Upon hearing Catherine’s words, Losiya was stunned. Then she panicked, glancing at Julian beside her. Seeing his silent, unfocused expression, she thought Catherine had unknowingly touched upon a painful memory and began to worry about how to comfort him.

Alice also leaned toward Catherine and whispered a few words in her ear. Only then did Catherine understand Julian’s background. Guilt flooded her, and she immediately put down her utensils and stood up, unsure how to console him.

But in truth, they were overthinking it. Though influenced by the memories of his original body and holding some faint emotions for his now-deceased mother, Julian didn’t have that many deep feelings.

He was only stunned because Catherine’s words had reminded him—who was his father? Not even a trace or hint of him existed in his memories. It was as if the man had never existed at all.