Episode 51

"Right now, it is most likely that there is an internal injury, so it would be best to take the medicine and wait for consciousness to return… ."

Fernan, who put his forehead darkly, shook his head to signify to get out.

The legislator bowed his head and left the room, and then a deep silence fell into the room.

Julia was lying neatly without a single blood color. Quietly, barely making a sound of breathing.

Fernan, who was lying on the bed next to the bed, looked at her motionless eyelids.

Stayed here for three days. Julia showed no sign of waking up at all.

Julia said she had heart disease. If it was because of that, there would be no reason why he couldn't get his pulse.

Fernan involuntarily grabbed her slender hand. But there was no warmth in her hands as cold as ice.

"Yulia."

I repeated her name several times without meaning. There was complexity in her voice as she sat down.

Julia, who was lying within reach of her reaching out her hand, did not look at him with her bright eyes as before.

It's so close I can't even make eye contact.

Fernando reached out slowly to her face. A large hand gently stroked his cold cheek.

At that time, Yulia suddenly started to make a coughing sound.

The first time she saw her fine movements after coming here, a difference came into Fernan's eyes for the first time.

The dry cough followed several more times.

Fernan, looking at her chapped lips, took up a glass of water on the side table.

Then, with one hand on her shoulder, she lifted her up and leaned the glass of water on her dry lips.

But a stream of water she couldn't swallow ran down her chin and wet the sheet.

Fernan, who was watching the scene, without hesitation, tilted the glass of water to my lips.

After putting water in their mouths, as they bowed their heads to her, their lips touched softly.

She opened the gap to let the water through, and the white nape of her neck moved slightly. He repeated it a few more times and then raised her head.

She gently wiped her wet lips with her thumb. Her hand roamed the corner of her lips for a moment, then returned to her proper place.

As soon as Julia's droopy body was laid down, the sound of coughing in the field stopped.

The sound of her breathing began to come out clearly for the first time.

Then, slightly relieved, he closed his eyes. Then he took off his hand and touched Julia's cheek again.

At the end of the careful touch stood a feeble tenacity that had disappeared for a while.

"… I may not be able to let you go anymore."

"… … ."

"It's not too late now… Wake up, Julia."

He muttered as if to notify an unconscious woman, and he helped himself helplessly.

Acting like an inappropriately nice person was enough once.

Even if Julia pushed me away and resented me, I couldn't help it.

It'd be better than having her out of my sight and being dangerous.

No, even that is just an excuse.

He just doesn't want to let Julia go any longer.

I don't even deserve to have her by my side, I just want to keep her in my eyes and within reach.

"… Julia."

Fernan continued to repeat her name meaninglessly.

I hope that her clear and transparent eyes will open and look at me just once like before.

* * *

After that, Julia's condition gradually improved. Both breathing and body temperature returned to normal.

However, consciousness still hadn't returned.

It was only around that time that Fernando left for the Empire with Julia.

To prevent the news of her coming back alive, she was moved to a villa instead of his castle.

It was an old villa at the southern tip of the Grand Duchy, which had hardly been visited.

"Why did your sire bring you here?"

Adrian, one of Fernan's lieutenants, murmured, staring blankly over the villa.

Lloyd, who was standing next to him, answered with a gentle tone.

"You must have considered the time after His Majesty woke up."

The villa was located in a quiet mountain village away from the city center.

A vast field and a blue lake beyond the villa. A clean and transparent landscape suitable for a winter cottage.

Perhaps, the atmosphere was very similar to the small town in the holy country where Julia lived.

"Adrian, how have you been in the Holy Land?"

Lloyd, who had her elbow on the railing, suddenly asked a question.

Adrian was one of Fernan's pawns planted in the Holy Kingdom.

It was Adrian who had faithfully reported on Julia's current situation, and it was Adrian who escorted the monastery this time.

"It is exactly what it says in the report. He had a very monotonous life."

The monastery where Julia lived was easy to access, so there was no need to hide.

If you pretend to be a believer and attend Mass, it wasn't difficult to know her current status.

"Do you know anything about a more personal life?"

Lloyd asked cautiously. I was wondering if there might be a story that could be of some help to the master.

The biggest issue right now was after Julia woke up.

Will she be able to accept this situation?

It would have been better to get information that would change her mind, even if it was trivial.

Adrian, who was slowly closing his eyes, traced his memory.

"If it's your personal life… Oh, it's not a big deal, but His Majesty seemed to have good dexterity."

"handicraft?"

"Yes, there were things like wreaths made of flowers in front of the monastery.

"okay?"

Lloyd listened carefully to Adrian's words.

I think it would be better to keep the lord's advice on making a separate flower garden for him.

"Well, and this is something I didn't report to Your Majesty, but… ."

Adrian tapped his chin and tried to bring back his memories, and whispered quietly.

"Actually, I have heard at first glance that the relationship between the priest and His Highness there is not serious."

"what?"

When Lloyd shrieked with a startled look, Adrian continued to speak as if he was arguing.

"Hey, I was just picking up what people were saying! It was not reported due to doubts about its credibility."

Adrian was belatedly shutting his mouth as if he wanted to say something for nothing. But Lloyd was already struggling with her serious face.

Should I tell you about this? It's just a rumor, but isn't it just touching the plantings... .

But even before the troubles could be over, Lloyd felt an unexpected presence.

When I glanced back with a stiff face, I saw Fernan, who had been quietly standing behind them for some time.

Lloyd, who almost screamed in surprise, licked his lips.

"I, Your Majesty, since when… ."

"Yes?"

Only then did Adrian realize Fernan's existence and belatedly say 'Evil!' shouted

Unlike the two people who were surprised as if they had seen a ghost, Fernan was just an expressionless face.

However, as soon as they saw that the bright forehead gradually narrowed, they realized that Fernand had been listening to this conversation from the beginning.

"continue."

Soon, Fernando shook his head and looked at Adrian.

Although his voice was indifferent, his deep feelings were revealed in his slightly distorted eyes.

"How was the relationship between the priest and Julia?"

"Ah, that… ."

Flickering, Adrian looked at Lloyd for help, but Lloyd avoided his gaze and just shrugged.

Adrian was crying, and he had no choice but to calmly answer the master's questions that followed as if interrogated.

* * *

Tock, tock.

The intermittent sound of water drops tickled my ears.

Yulia felt a faint sense of returning to her place, and slowly raised her eyes.

Between her half-opened eyelids, her blue eyes gleamed dryly.

Julia's eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, then turned to the familiar face sitting next to me.

"… Rain, my lord rain?"

The woman who was soaking wet towels by the bed got up in surprise.

Julia's eyes, staring blankly at the woman, began to widen.

"balm… ?"

It was Melissa. Her hair was a little longer than she remembered, but her large features and brown eyes were definitely the Melissa I knew.

Julia pondered for a moment if she was dreaming.

"iced coffee… what should we do. I really only knew that His Majesty Bi was unable to wake up... ."

Melissa wept and grabbed her hand.

However, Julia did not understand the situation and just stared blankly at Melissa.

Why is Melissa here? Where the hell are you... .

Effortlessly trying to control her hazy mind, Yulia tried to trace her last memories.

Obviously, he was on his way to the manor house for a garden party.

Julia's eyes, who had been pensive in thought for a long time, began to shake violently in an instant.

What happened after that, I don't remember.

On the way to the manor house in a carriage. It was her last memory to watch the snow fall through her window.