"Sir, sorry for the early morning. Nothing else, the Kalia Kingdom sent me a trade merger issue. I think you should review it quickly."
no anti-aircraft. Lloyd, who hurried into her office, came to her desk and handed out her letter.
Without looking at Lloyd, Fernando took the letter.
"And my Majesty, another thing to say, but what are your plans for this Empress's birthday banquet?"
Lloyd looked into his eyes and asked cautiously.
So far, Fernando has never attended major events in the capital.
However, since this banquet was the birthday celebration of the royal family, it was necessary to attend.
About the time Lloyd swallowed his saliva, Fernando responded by signing the letter.
"Tell me you're attending."
"Yes, yes!"
It was an unexpectedly simple answer. Lloyd sighed in relief.
After finding out Julia's whereabouts, Fernan gradually began to engage in political affairs outside the territory.
'I'm happy with that, but... .'
Half a year has passed since I found Julia and let her go.
However, Fernan still seemed to be lacking something.
In the meantime, courtship letters from all over the world have piled up in the castle like a flood.
If he wasn't going to bring Julia along, it would have been better to consider a new wife.
However, Fernando only ordered the entire courtship book to be burnt untouched.
He even officially declared that he would no longer be engaged in marriage.
Lloyd looked at Fernan, who had her eyes fixed on the papers, and asked a question.
"Your Highness, the plan to bring His Majesty… Are you really not there?"
Fernan, who had only been looking for Julia like a madman, didn't want to go anywhere near her.
If I had let go of my feelings for her, I wouldn't have said anything.
But his nerves were still focused on her.
For half a year, he has been carrying donations to the small monastery where Julia lives.
He even disguised his lieutenant as a member of that place to receive periodic reports of her current status.
Not long ago, when she heard the news that she was ill, she was about to find a senator and send him there.
"… Your Majesty, we cannot leave the Grand Duchess' seat vacant forever. Wouldn't it be better to bring His Majesty the Bishop even now?"
To be honest, there were enough reasons to bring Julia back.
The Grand Duchess who ran away from duty. That fact alone was enough to put her back in her place by her force.
Of course, it would have been better to meet her first and have a conversation with her before that.
However, as he was only watching from an invisible place like this, it was only frustrating as an aide.
About the time Lloyd let out a weak sigh, Fernando handed over a piece of paper with an unfathomable face.
"get out."
In spite of the cold greeting that descended, Lloyd stood hesitantly.
However, as soon as the cold eyes touched him, he had to turn around after being silent.
Even after Lloyd disappeared, Fernando was just looking at the documents for a long time.
Then, suddenly, he raised his head around dawn when the moonlight was just breaking through.
The snow, which had not come in a while, was falling little by little.
He looked at the falling snow with a somewhat depressed gaze. Then he got up and walked slowly towards the window.
After working like crazy, of course, Julia came to mind.
'As you said, we continue to visit the monastery. After taking the prescription, the condition is gradually improving, so there is no need to worry too much.'
I had just received a communication from a lawmaker who had been sent to Shinseongguk a while ago.
I'm glad it's getting better, but it still hurts. Julia said her heart was not good.
When was it? perhaps… Was it ever since I lived in this castle?
Fernando let out a heavy breath as he lowered his eyelids halfway. And he looked back to the window.
'It's nice that it snows a lot here.'
Julia's voice descended like a fantasy. Winter, snow. It was the season when Julia disappeared.
Still, he had no intention of destroying her daily life.
But from time to time, I couldn't help but feel the urge to go see her. It was a daunting task for her just not to act on her.
This could be because he didn't want to become Julia's misfortune again.
The only thing he could do was hold his breath and pretend he didn't see it.
Fernando gently grabbed his trembling hand as if he had been accustomed to it.
The hand tremors that occurred after losing Julia still hadn't gone away.
His life was still like a piece of thin ice. In this place without Julia, only cold air lingered every day.
Only after this happened, he deeply realized the true nature of my feelings for Julia.
And that heart grew helplessly even during this time when I couldn't see her.
* * *
"Gabriel, I'm going to the manor house tomorrow."
Julia opened her mouth with a fresh voice.
Not long ago, Julia was just getting a job at the manor house.
This is because the lord's wife, who had visited the monastery to see the residents, saw the flowers adorning the chapel and asked Julia to decorate the living room of the mansion.
It wasn't made with professional skill, but it seemed that the decoration with her own feel suited the taste of the lord's wife very well.
Gabriel seemed worried that Julia would overdo it, but eventually nodded.
"Yes, Mrs. Lord is a good person, so spending time with you will be beneficial to you as well."
He said that the distance between the lord and the residents of this place was not far.
This is because the land is so small, and the lord couple are people who do not care much about their status.
"I look forward to it. I heard that the mansion is very nice."
Julia laughed softly. She was trying to be the same these days as usual.
So I did not avoid doing new things like this and meeting new people.
He spent time with the children every day, and never missed an evening walk with Cedric.
Cedric had been away for a while. So in the evening, Julia was walking alone in the patronage.
As the colder weather seeped into my skin, I realized once again that winter had arrived.
winter. It has already been a year since I came here.
Yulia, who was walking in thought, suddenly raised her head and stopped.
'It's snow... .'
Julia looked up at the snowflakes that flew like petals above her head. She was her first sight met here.
As I reached out, the snowflakes fell coldly on the palm of my hand.
Like a child seeing eyes for the first time, she stood there for a long time.
Suddenly, someone's voice whispered past my ear.
'There is a legend that when you meet the person you love for the first time, that love will come true. Baby, have you ever heard of it?'
The voice of someone familiar and friendly. And as if in response to those words, a youthful voice came to mind.
'Mom, how do you know I love you?'
'Well… .'
A voice that lengthened the end of his speech as if he was worried. A gentle gaze looking down at her young daughter.
A warm embrace that gently held a child whose ears were red from the cold.
'I want to protect and want to be with you, is that love?'
'Then, does your mother love me?'
It was a memory of a childhood when I was held in my mother's arms under the falling snow.
'then. Mom will always love you, Julia.'
Recalling that day without warning, Yulia raised her lips faintly.
Why have you forgotten all this time? Precious days spent with her mother. That loving voice that told me you loved me.
Until the age of seven, Julia lived with her mother. Until she suddenly appeared and a man named her biological father took her away.
Is it because I thought my mother abandoned me when I was young? So maybe she forgot all the good memories she had.
Julia quietly looked at the snow that had piled up shallowly on the floor.
After thinking of my mother after such a short time, as an extension of my memory, I also drew faces that I did not want to recall.
People of the marquis are stained with greed and evil. How are they doing now?
Although he may not know it, it was clear that he must have suffered considerable damage after his disappearance.
Julia raised her gaze and blinked expressionlessly.
I don't even want to cast a curse on them, but at least I hoped they wouldn't be able to live in awe like they did before.
* * *
"This is not it. This is not this... Your Majesty, you can't do this to me... ."
Marquis Elodie threw the bottle in his hand to the floor. When there was a loud noise, the maids who stood by the door and looked at them shook their heads and bowed their heads.
A year has passed since Julia disappeared. The emperor threw his marquise out of his seat, and never once summoned him.
Until half a year ago, he had been called several times in the name of checking Fernan's current state, but as he could not obtain any information, the emperor now regarded the marquise as useless.
The Marquis, who enjoyed wealth and honor by placing Julia as Grand Duchess, could not fully enjoy everything without her.
The power that the Marquis had built up over the years collapsed futilely and quickly.
"Yulia, that ungrateful girl must have fled. Yeah obviously... ."
"Didn't you say that the boy was dead a while ago?"
Grayson, who was sitting opposite the Marquis, answered in a tone that was strangely calm.
Grayson Elodie. He was the eldest son of the Marquis Elodi, who had recently moved to the capital.
"No, no. That bitch isn't dead. She's the one who runs away with determination and is feeding me. How dare you repay the kindness you've grown so far... !"