Chapter 321: Emissary of Fate

"What are you apologizing for?"

As Julian heard that, the strength holding him together seemed to dissolve in an instant, those few gentle words from his mother stripping away whatever tenuous resolve he had left.

Julian trembled.

The emotions he had desperately tried to suppress only swelled painfully inside his chest.

However, before his tears could trail any further down his face, he felt a gentle pull drawing him closer until he was completely enveloped in his mother’s embrace.

Marielle said nothing for a moment, simply allowing him to remain there, her hand slowly caressing his small back.

"I’ve told you before, haven’t I? If ever there is something weighing upon your heart, you need not carry it all by yourself. You may always share it with me, Julian."

The warmth of her body and the softness of her voice... felt like a sanctuary from everything Julian had been trying so desperately to endure.

And with that final barrier gone, Julian finally broke down and let everything he had kept buried inside spill out.

"I’m sorry, Mother, I... I failed again," Julian choked out, his small fingers clutching tightly at the fabric of her dress. "I embarrassed our family again, and I’m sorry... I’m really sorry for being so weak."

His voice cracked as another sob escaped him.

"But I tried, Mother... I tried as hard as I could."

Knowing that her son had more to say, Marielle did not interrupt him. She simply listened to every one of his broken confessions.

Julian buried his face deeper against her.

"I kept thinking that if I worked harder, then maybe next time would be different, but... but no matter how much I try, I’m still not good enough."

Julian swallowed painfully before finally forcing the words out.

"Maybe... maybe I don’t deserve to be a Rozenberg. Everyone in our family is supposed to be strong, but I’m not, so maybe I shouldn’t have our name."

His shoulders shook harder.

"Maybe Father would be happier if his son was someone else."

Marielle’s expression immediately changed.

"Julian..."

Julian hesitated before slowly lifting his face. His eyes were swollen and red, with tears still running freely down his cheeks.

She waited until his trembling gaze finally met hers.

"Did Father ever tell you that? Did Mother ever tell you that? No, of course, not. So there is no reason for you to condemn yourself over words we never once said to you."

"Whether you become the strongest man in this family or the weakest will never determine whether you deserve our name. From the moment you were born, from the very first time I held you, you were Julian Rozenberg, my precious son... nothing in this world will ever change that."

Her gaze softened, but the conviction in her voice did not waver.

"And Mother truly means this, Julian... if the world — or anyone — ever dares to divest you of that name, then they had better be prepared to divest me of mine as well."

Rubbing his eyes, Julian felt some of the weight leave his chest, but one thought still refused to go away.

"But still... I’m weak. I’ll never become like you or Father."

Hearing that, his mother reached out and gently took his right hand into hers. Compared to her own, Julian’s hand was still so small.

"No, Julian. I think you’ll become someone even stronger."

Julian looked up at her, confused. Marielle only smiled before turning his hand over and lowering her gaze toward his palm.

"Look at your hand, Julian. Do you know what Mother sees when she looks at this?"

Her thumb slowly brushed over one of the calluses.

"I see how hard you’ve been trying."

Julian lowered his eyes toward his palm.

"Effort never betrays us, or at least, that’s what I was taught when I was young. And from what Mother has seen, you work harder than almost anyone your age, perhaps even harder than most people I know."

She paused for a moment before continuing.

"But people don’t all grow the same way, Julian. Some people learn quickly, some take longer, and others only begin to shine after everyone else has."

Marielle gently curled his fingers around her own.

"So don’t look at someone who is ahead of you and think that means you’ve already lost. You’re still growing, and there’s nothing shameful about needing more time."

Her eyes returned to his.

"I know that being talented is a wonderful thing. A blessing, even. But blessings are only what we’re given at the start. They don’t decide the kind of person we become."

She gently squeezed his hand before smiling.

"Perhaps you’re still too young to understand what Mother means by that. But you trust Mother’s words, don’t you? After all, has Mother ever once been mistaken in what she foresaw?"

Marielle let out a small chuckle as she joked, and Julian quietly stared at her through his reddened eyes.

"But jokes aside, I mean it, sweetheart... I truly believe you’ll become someone great one day."

She paused.

"After all, your fate is in good hands."

For some reason, her final words carried a strange weight. Then, Marielle suddenly glanced toward the corner of the room.

For a fleeting second, her eyes lingered on an empty spot nearby.

Except it was not empty.

That was precisely where Ruvian was standing.

Ruvian’s expression immediately stiffened. For a second, he could have sworn Marielle was looking directly at him.

Then her gaze moved away just as naturally as it had come, returning to Julian as though nothing strange had happened.

Ruvian narrowed his eyes, staring carefully at her from across the room.

Was he imagining it?

Still, the faint chill running down his back refused to disappear.

Marielle held Julian’s small hand for a little longer, then her smile softened.

"How about this, Julian? Let’s make a promise."

"A promise?"

Julian asked, blinking at her through his wet eyes.

Marielle nodded gently.

"Yes, a promise."

Her fingers closed a little more firmly around his hand.

"You have to promise Mother that no matter what happens, you will never again believe that you are unworthy of the Rozenberg name."

Julian quietly listened as she continued.

"Carry that name proudly, but don’t spend your whole life trying to prove that you deserve it. Promise me that you’ll work hard because you want to become stronger for yourself and to protect others, not because you think you have to earn the right to be a Rozenberg."

Julian said nothing. His crimson eyes lowered toward their joined hands as her words slowly settled in.

Then, after a small sniff, he finally nodded.

"Sure, I... I can promise that, Mother."

His voice was still weak from crying, but there was more strength behind it now.

Marielle smiled and gently wiped away the last tear beneath his eye.

"Good."

She tilted her head slightly before asking.

"Then what about you, Julian?"

A playful warmth entered her voice.

"What would you like me to promise you in return?" The faint smile on Marielle’s lips looked almost expectant.

Julian rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, thinking hard about her question. Marielle simply waited. For several seconds, he seemed unsure of what to ask for, until his small hands suddenly curled into fists.

"Then... how about you promise me that you’ll watch me become stronger."

Marielle’s smile softened by the smallest degree, with no trace of surprise in her eyes.

Julian lifted his head, and a faint spark returned to his crimson eyes.

"I don’t like people looking down on me. So... I’m going to keep training, training, and training until one day I surpass everyone in the Rozenberg family."

He puffed out his small chest proudly as he spoke.

"So strong... like The Seven Virtuous Paragons." Julian’s crimson eyes burned with childish determination.

Marielle quietly watched him, her gaze lingering on his face for a little longer.

It was an absurdly bold dream for a child who had been crying only moments ago. Yet Marielle did not laugh at him, nor did she tell him such a thing was impossible.

If anything, her gaze softened with an almost bittersweet warmth, as though she were trying to memorize this moment.

Then she reached forward and gently placed her hand against his cheek.

"Of course... I’ll watch you, Julian."

Her smile remained as she met his burning crimson eyes.

"Every step of the way, Mother promises."

For a few more seconds, Ruvian remained still, watching Marielle and Julian.

Then everything around him suddenly began to slow. Marielle’s hand froze halfway against Julian’s cheek.

Ruvian frowned and looked around the room. The colors were fading one by one, turning the walls, shelves, and even their figures pale.

The sounds around him also grew quieter.

The memory was ending.

Or at least, that was what Ruvian thought.

Because suddenly... a calm, almost unnervingly serene voice spoke directly toward him:

"Now then... Emissary of Fate, surely you understand how terribly improper it is to intrude so freely upon the memories of my precious son, do you not?"

Reeling from the shock of the moment, Ruvian turned toward the owner of the voice, his eyes widening.

It came from Marielle Rozenberg.

Her furtive smile deepened by the smallest degree.

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[Chapter 321: Emissary of Fate]