* * *

The Emperor’s birthday banquet was, unusually, planned as a masquerade ball.

Of course.

I thought as I read the instructions telling guests to prepare a mask and enter individually.

Just like Zahid told me before.

The Emperor wasn’t simply looking for a decadent party. That wasn’t why this event was being held.

Before the regression, the Emperor had tried to meet Zahid secretly at this very banquet. But before they could meet in secret—he was killed.

“I don’t know what he was trying to give him. He only said it was their parents’ keepsake…”

“A keepsake? Why would His Majesty have something like that?”

“No idea. It completely vanished that day.”

After that, Zahid never attended another banquet. It had left only bad memories.

Following the Emperor’s death at the masquerade, a five-year-old child from a cadet branch of the imperial family was placed on the throne.

In such a situation, the Empress Dowager—essentially a puppet of the Temple—assumed regency. And thus, the imperial authority once again fell into the Temple’s hands.

“It was only a matter of time. The Emperor already harbored resentment toward the Temple. There’s no way the Temple would’ve left him alone.”

Which meant, conversely—we had to save the Emperor at all costs.

And there’s an advantage for me, too, in this masquerade.

That was, I could hide my identity just as well.

So I had already planned out my banquet attire well in advance.

“Miss Rosie… do you really have to go this far?”

Heidi, who had been fussing to dress me up prettily, asked with clear reluctance.

“Yep.”

I answered with complete certainty.

“I have to.”

“…”

“This way, no one will recognize me at all. Isn’t that the whole point of a masquerade?”

Heidi sighed again as she looked at my outfit.

“D-Do you really have to take the theme this seriously…?”

“Of course. Diligently following the test-giver’s intent is the duty of a developing child.”

“Miss Rosie… sometimes you say such strange things far too convincingly…”

Heidi muttered under her breath, then sulked as she added:

“…Who knows when you’ll get to go to another banquet like this…”

In the end, tears welled up in her eyes.

My plan was to leave directly for the Magic Tower before the banquet ended. I’d received a message from faraway Yuta.

Rosie’s power is returning to her much faster than expected. You should move as quickly as possible.

But I still had to attend the imperial banquet. So the plan was to finish my business there and sneak out through the stables, riding the prepared horse straight to the Tower.

Publicly, it would seem as if I hadn’t attended the masquerade at all.

Of course, I’d already contacted the Tower.

You’re coming to the Tower? That’s amazing! We’ll be sweeping the rooftop nonstop in anticipation!

P.S. I’m sorry, but when I see you—can I touch your cheeks again? I can’t forget that softness, that warmth, that memory from that day…

Why the Tower Master—an elegant, slender beauty—was so obsessed with my cheeks, I had no idea…

Anyway, the plan was flawless.

I had even sent all my luggage to the Tower in advance.

Oh—and included in that luggage was the mysterious diamond brooch.

A ridiculously expensive jewel that had appeared in my bed while I was asleep, without a trace.

Even after Ethan had painstakingly investigated it from end to end, he couldn’t find anything suspicious.

Must’ve really wanted to apologize to Rosie. That horrible embroidery of Etez flowers must’ve been sincere.

Yeah but… who the hell was it?

How would I know? Even a great archmage doesn’t know everything.

Ethan, I feel like you keep forgetting—you’re not a great archmage yet. You can’t go around bragging prematurely…

Well, since it was valuable, I decided to bring it along anyway.

“Rosie.”

Before going to the banquet with my family, I had to say my goodbyes.

“All this time… it was thanks to you that Noart held strong.”

Grandfather pulled me into a hug.

“While you’re at the Tower, I’ll make Noart into a place strong enough to protect you.”

According to the information Yuta had sent, the Temple’s power was still too great for the Noart Count Family to confront them head-on.

But they’d begun to keep us in check—meaning we weren’t completely powerless, either.

“I’m sorry I can’t protect you just yet.”

He gently stroked my back as he whispered.

I hugged him tightly and said,

“It’s okay. You just have to work really hard from now on. Since I can’t do much at the Tower, I’ll eat and play as much as I can. You have to work even harder to make up for my share…”

Then Theo came up.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“You know I’m extremely good at my area of study, right?”

With a perfectly steady hand, he stroked my hair.

“I’ll do my best to create a magical tool that lets you move freely, Rosie.”

He smiled faintly as he said it.

“I’ll work hard. So the future you protected for me can help you in return.”

“Ugh, this farewell is too sad. Give me some of that aggressive affection you never show.”

Listening intently, Theo hesitated—then carefully picked me up and swung me into the air.

Surprised, I murmured:

“Whoa… you really did it. Didn’t think you’d even do that for your daughter someday.”

“I’m not getting married. I’ll just live as a researcher.”

“Then do your best for me. Carry me around all you want. Even if you die surrounded by your research papers, experiences like this make life richer, you know…”

“People usually say, ‘you never know what the future holds,’ don’t they?”

And then Julian, who had been pacing awkwardly, finally stepped forward last.

“Runt.”

He fiddled with my mask and gave a small smile.

At the end of that shy grin, a faint trace of sadness appeared.

“What do I do? I still don’t remember you… or us. And now we’re parting for a long time like this.”

“It’s okay.”

The mask I was wearing had a flower decoration on it—one Julian had bought me long ago. But I didn’t mention it.

“Actually…”

Julian hesitated like he was about to say something really difficult.

“I think… I might never get my memories back.”

“Ugh, I said it’s fine.”

“But… I’ll become strong again, like I was before. I’ll become a proud heir to Noart who can protect you. Just like I promised.”

His green eyes looked directly into mine.

“But you know… if the old me told Yuta to just die quietly, he must’ve had a real crap personality.”

“Yeah… I appreciated how much he cared about me, but I was a little worried too. Like maybe behind that perfect exterior, there was a side of him [N O V E L I G H T] I didn’t know—one that was broken.”

“…I won’t grow up like that this time. I’ll grow into someone better—make up for those lost seven years. And I’ll take care of my personality this time, too.”

Julian gave me an awkward smile, then personally adjusted my mask.

I was grateful. It hid the expression on my face, which was on the verge of crumbling.

“I’ll become a better big brother for you. We’ll meet again.”

The Julian from before would’ve let Yuta die if it meant keeping me close. But now he was saying goodbye—calmly.

He looked so regretful, but also like he understood what was right.

“Oppa.”

I took his hand and said,

“Of course I was really sad when you lost your memories. But I also liked seeing you as a kid.”

And I meant it. I got to see a side of him I never could have otherwise.

Julian opened his mouth, hesitated, then asked:

“…Then do you prefer this version of me who doesn’t remember anything?”

“That’s not it.”

I answered honestly.

“Watching you throw tantrums like some overgrown baby wasn’t that fun. Obviously, I liked the strongest version of you better—even if his personality was a mess, he doted on me.”

“…”

“But people can’t always keep only the best things in their lives. You should remember that too.”

“…Yeah. I’ll keep that in mind.”

I smiled softly, then pulled a notebook out of the drawer.

“Oppa.”

Julian’s eyes widened as he received the densely filled notebook.

“This… what is this, runt?”

“I tried organizing all the things the old you told me.”

It was actually what Zahid had told me before the regression—about what would happen in the coming years. I’d written it all down in vague terms.

Julian flipped through it and his eyes grew round.

“Wait, the old me came from the future? Damn, I’m amazing.”

I couldn’t step up directly now, so I was leaving things in Julian’s hands.

Of course, I couldn’t exactly say I knew the future, so I pinned everything on the pre-amnesia Julian.

“Use it as a reference, Oppa. Since they were just your predictions, things might change.”

“Damn… I…”

Julian mumbled as he flipped through the pages.

“Why was I such a genius? You think I’ll turn out like this in seven years?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep