CHAPTER 60: MADAM’S WARDROBE

The two walked side by side out of the room and into the living room. Julian was trailing behind, and it was obvious that the mansion felt emptier than usual tonight.

He naturally knew the reason. He looked down and picked up a fork from the dining table, Losiya’s face, along with everything she had done for him, would occasionally flash through his mind.

If she were still here, she would’ve likely ignored his objections, pulled him to her side, carefully introduced what was for dinner, then walked around to help him tie his scarf from behind.

Julian lowered his head and happened to catch sight of a dish so clean it gleamed like new. Reflected in it was his current expression.

His face, the tip of his nose, the corner of his mouth — all silently revealed a sense of loneliness.

Alice, having brought over the delayed meal to the dining table, glanced at Julian’s perfectly sculpted yet melancholic profile and softly reminded him: "Julian, would you like me to help you tie your scarf?"

"Hm?" Julian came back to his senses and smiled, nodding at Alice.

Even he didn’t realize how charming he had become when he smiled after starting to open up.

Seeing the smile coming from Julian’s heart, it was as if Alice had been struck by a spell. Though she was probably the first one in the mansion to have contact with Julian, she still couldn’t help but stare at him in a daze.

"I’ll do it."

The voice came from one side — it was Catherine. It broke Alice’s daze immediately, and she lowered her head and stepped aside.

"Of course, madam."

Catherine walked behind Julian and gently wrapped a soft white scarf around his neck, tying it into a neat bow. Only after doing so did she sit down beside him with a satisfied expression.

"That... Can I start?" Julian asked, pointing at the dinner knife.

"Please, go ahead." Alice respectfully replied from the side.

Dinner proceeded as usual, but the one notable difference was how quiet everything felt in Losiya’s absence.

Yet Julian didn’t feel uncomfortable. Even though the people present weren’t as lively or talkative as Losiya, both Catherine and head maid Alice were deeply important to him now. And so, despite the fewer words spoken, he felt a warm silence in their presence.

For example, Alice had a special talent for reading people. After spending several days observing Julian’s preferences, she had quietly removed all the dishes he disliked from the menu. Looking at the table full of colorful, flavorful dishes, Julian even felt a nostalgic sense of eating at a restaurant from his previous life.

As for Catherine, she required no explanation. Like a true mother, she was constantly paying attention to Julian during the meal — personally preparing his food, watching him eat, observing his puffed-up cheeks as he chewed, the way his lips moved while savoring the flavors, and the contented look on his face brought on by delicious food. No matter how she looked at him, she never got tired of it — even forgetting to eat herself.

Unconsciously, Julian ended up finishing all the food that Catherine had placed in front of him. After putting down his knife and fork, he suddenly couldn’t hold back and let out a burp.

In the quiet room, the sound was particularly loud. Even Alice, with her usual icy and expressionless face, couldn’t help but show a barely noticeable smile.

Catherine, laughing softly, reached out to rub his stomach, channeling a bit of magic to help him feel more comfortable.

Julian blushed and lifted his head, suddenly wondering if eating this much would make him gain weight.

Imagining his face becoming rounder in the future, Julian couldn’t help but touch his cheeks, feeling a strange kind of worry about putting on weight.

It was a worry he had never experienced before — in the past, he had never even eaten his fill. Now, even though it was a concern, it transformed almost immediately into a quiet kind of happiness.

"Alice, I’ll be helping Julian review some studies later. If you have anything to say, just knock," said Catherine as she set down her utensils, dabbing at the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

"Huh?" Julian looked at Catherine in confusion, wondering what studies she meant. He had no idea.

Alice explained to him from the side: "Every transcendent must accumulate knowledge and experience to become stronger. This can be done through their own efforts or with the guidance of a mentor. Catherine, after all, is a renowned scholar on the continent. You should be honored."

"Why would I be upset\~"

Julian immediately grabbed Catherine’s arm, smiling: "Being able to study alongside you is an honor for me. I’m genuinely happy about it."

His sweet and sincere words made Catherine a bit flustered. She poked Julian’s forehead and said sternly, "Flattery won’t work. Go wait in my room. I’ll be there shortly."

Watching the almost motherly interaction between the two, Alice initially frowned slightly, but then, as if realizing something, smiled to herself in a self-mocking way, her face relaxing before she nodded in agreement.

Leaving the living room, Julian entered Catherine’s room and pulled out a chair at the desk, sitting down with his hands neatly placed on his lap.

When Catherine didn’t arrive immediately, Julian took the chance to look around the room.

The environment was clean and tidy, decorated with understated luxury. Catherine and Losiya truly did have a mother-daughter bond — even their tastes and styles were strikingly similar.

When he looked toward the wardrobe, Julian’s gaze suddenly paused.

Whether by accident or not, the wardrobe door was left half open.

With good intentions, he walked over and reached for the wardrobe handle to close it. Just as he was about to shut it, he saw the clothes inside.

Suddenly, he closed the door and shut his eyes, his lips slightly twitching.

If he wasn’t mistaken, he had just seen an assortment of Catherine’s underwear — including various thigh-high stockings and nightgowns.

He could even tell what colors she preferred: mostly violet and rose-colored lingerie. Inevitably, he started thinking of certain books he’d read in his past life, analyzing a woman’s personality based on her choice of lingerie colors...

Such thoughts, even just thinking about them, felt disrespectful — even offensive — toward Catherine. Julian shook his head and sat back down.

Not long after, the door finally opened. Catherine entered and, as usual, patted Julian’s head, asking gently, "You didn’t have to wait too long, did you?"

"No, I just sat down."

Catherine immediately took out the teaching materials she had prepared, placing them on the desk for Julian to browse through while she went to the bed — it was unclear for what purpose.

Julian flipped through the materials. As someone who enjoyed reading, he now felt like he was discovering a whole new continent as he dove into the lessons.

"Don’t turn around," Catherine’s voice called from behind.

At that moment, with her back to Julian, she slowly reached for the hem of her clothes, the curve of her graceful figure pushing forward.

Snow-white peaks rose into view — tall and majestic, untouched, awaiting conquest.

Opening the wardrobe, Catherine immediately fell into a small dilemma.