Episode 28

"… ah."

Surprised by the action she did not know, Yulia widened her eyes.

As he tried to release his hand too late, Fernando grabbed the hand that was falling off again.

Holding his hand as it was, he looked down at Julia. And without a word, she took her steps again.

Julia looked at him as he was walking a little earlier, and lowered her gaze with her clasped hands. Even in the cold air, his hands were warm alone.

Feeling the warmth of Sumi from him, he suddenly remembered the words he had said in the meantime.

'Didn't you say you like me?'

'Then don't ask me why, stay calm by my side.'

Perhaps this man has taken it for granted.

Always blind and passive wife to him. She is a stupid woman who loves him desperately no matter how much he hurts.

To him, I would have been that kind of woman.

Aside from what this marriage was needed for him, I may have come to say that I am getting divorced too late.

So maybe he was trying to lock me in with an obsessive look I've never seen before.

Julia's face became determined in an instant. If that's the case, all she has to do is pretend that she loves him blindly as she used to.

It wouldn't be difficult to do that. Still, on the other side of Julia's heart, her feelings for him were shining faintly.

'… Even after coming to this point.'

Julia, who shut her mouth as if to help herself, went closer to him while capturing her expression.

As I walked side by side with him who was walking in front of me, he looked down at Julia again.

In that state, Julia held his hand tightly.

In the moonlight, Fernan's eyes fluttered slightly. Julia looked up at him and raised her lips slightly.

As if I wanted this time to last forever, like that.

* * *

Since then, Julia has faithfully stayed by Fernan's side.

Like before, we talked meaninglessly and tried to spend time together.

Nevertheless, Fernan still seemed unwilling to bite the knights around her.

On the surface, they were built for escorts, so there was no reason to be defeated in Julia's line.

After all, it was unavoidable that my heart became impatient.

After such a difficult few days, an invitation came suddenly from the imperial palace.

As the birth date of the Crown Princess approached, it was in the name of holding an event to gather the ladies.

Since Yulia was also a member of the imperial family, it became inevitable to go to the monastery.

'… I don't want to go.'

Yulia sighed a little as she received the decorations in the hands of the maids.

When you go to the capital, you have no choice but to meet someone you don't want to see.

The Marquis of Elodie. Because she'd never been in a position like that.

However, since I told Fernan not to divorce, I had to fulfill my duty as the Grand Duchess first.

As she went down the central staircase after she finished dressing up, the knights in charge of her escort suddenly bowed their heads.

The number of knights had increased by two more. It must have been that they increased the surveillance even more when they went to the capital.

Julia sighed weakly and left the doorway.

When they got on the wagon, the knights followed, escorting the wagon around as if it were natural.

As I sat alone in this huge carriage, I suddenly remembered the past.

I remember going to the capital facing Fernando. The indifferent man who never looked at her at all and only looked at her papers.

I liked it just by looking at it, so I remembered spying on him secretly, as if opening each one.

Julia leaned her head against the window to clear her thoughts and closed her eyes.

In the meantime, the rattling wagon ran non-stop.

It took a full half day to arrive at the Imperial Palace, boasting a splendid and majestic view, as always.

"Welcome, Grand Duchess. I will show you where to live."

Following the guidance of the servant, Julia entered the private palace.

The itinerary was quite long, so she had to stay alone in the capital for four days.

Heading to the assigned bedroom, she put on her banquet dress and headed to the salon just in time.

Unfortunately, the first to greet Julia was the Marquis.

"Yulia, how much is this!"

The Marquis, who rushed over to her, opened her arms and embraced her daughter tightly.

As always when others were watching, she was a loving mother, the Marquis.

Yulia greeted her with a very calm face.

"I haven't seen you in a long time, Mom."

But, as always, the voice that came out was firm.

It was because the fear of the Marquis, which she had built up from a very young age, still remained like a scar in her heart.

"Now, all the ladies are gathered. Let's unpack the hoepo later and go to our seats."

The Marquis, who gently grabbed Julia's hand, headed to the reserved seat.

The Crown Princess, the main character of this event, had not yet arrived.

Julia's reserved seat was the seat closest to the top seat. As she sat down at her seat, the ladies who had already sat there glanced at her.

Some of them were familiar, but unlike before, the way they looked at Yulia was somewhat subtle.

"My Majesty, Grand Duchess, it's been a long time since I've seen you. How have you been?"

"Yeah, how was your wife?"

Even while exchanging formal greetings, they exchanged silent glances with each other.

Yulia noticed that curiosity and ridicule were mixed in the eyes looking at her.

Around the time when I was a little dazed by that fact, the servant announced that the Crown Princess had arrived.

"The Crown Princess eats it."

All the ladies got up and greeted her. Veronica nodded her head with her benevolent smile and took a seat at her top.

Veronica was clearly more hungry than when they met at the foundation day.

So the small banquet started with tea time.

About the time the atmosphere was ripening with the ritual conversation, Julia had a short chat with Veronica.

"It must have been a lot of trouble to come this far. It is very reassuring to be able to accompany the Grand Duchess at this official stone statue."

"Thank you for thinking so."

When Julia smiled a little, Veronica, who had been talking as if hesitating for something, quietly opened her mouth.

"Did you know that there was a rumor going around once in the capital?"

"Is it a rumor?"

Julia opened her eyes and tilted her head. Realizing that she didn't know anything, Veronica immediately shook her head.

"You said something. Don't worry about it, it's just a rumor. Well, rather than that, the priests of the Temple of Illion are expected to arrive at the Imperial Palace soon. Priest Matthews will also come."

Yulia was still concerned about the rumor, but she spat out an answer in line with Veronica, who turned the topic.

"okay. I'll have to come see you for Mass."

"okay. Let's go together later."

Veronica smiled brightly and continued the conversation.

In the meantime, the eyes of the ladies sitting at the other tables glanced at Julia.

It was around the afternoon when the small banquet, which had been in full swing, was over. It was only after she had finished the dinner party that Julia was able to get out of her banquet hall.

Just as she was about to return to her residence under the guidance of the attendant, someone grabbed her wrist. was her marquis.

"Julia, which palace was your residence assigned to?"

Before Julia could even answer, the Marquis spoke straight away.

"It's a pity that we broke up like this. Shouldn't we get rid of the trouble we had with our mother? Come on, let me guide you."

Seeing the Marquis standing next to each other as if it was natural, Julia sighed silently.

As they headed to the detached palace together, the gazes around them gradually disappeared. The Marquis wife then cast off her kind face.

"Do you, do you know what rumors have been circulating in the capital?"

Upon arriving at the residence, the Marquis asked in a venomous voice.

Perhaps it was the same story as the rumors that Veronica was talking about.

"… Are there any rumors about me?"

I tried to guess what kind of rumor it was, but nothing came to mind.

Because Julia didn't come to the capital often, and she didn't have a close relationship with the ladies.

"A stupid thing. What if you don't know your story?"

"… … ."

"I knew that the Archduke didn't like you very much, but I didn't know that he even set up a separate mansion to go inside and outside. Let's hear it, are you even thinking of getting a divorce from you?"

The Marquis smirked and glared at Julia, twitching her tongue.

It was only then that Julia could understand what the rumor was and how it started.

It was probably Cornelia, Duke Blair's daughter whom he met at Fernan's residence a few months ago.