Chapter 102
Fernan studied Yulia’s face for a long moment before finally noticing her eyes were wet.
His urgent gaze softened faintly as he reached out and gently pressed his thumb to her tear-streaked cheek.
“Are you hurt?”
Though he tried to keep calm, his voice betrayed a trace of anxiety.
Yulia blinked slowly, as if unable to believe the man before her.
“No…”
Her hand, which had been trembling, relaxed. The dagger she held dropped to the floor with a soft thud.
Fernan bit his lip, watching the red marks on her hand from her tight grip.
Then his expression became composed again as he whispered low:
“You’re safe now.”
Without hesitation, Fernan stretched out his arms and lifted her from the cabinet.
Yulia felt his strong hands supporting her waist and knees as she was pulled out in an instant.
At that moment, a loud noise came from outside.
“Your Highness, the knights are rushing here. You must hurry.”
A knight standing by the door rushed over to inform them.
Fernan nodded, tightened his hold on Yulia, and started walking swiftly.
Yulia looked up at him blankly, then slowly lowered her gaze—and saw his shirt collar stained red.
Only then did her mind begin to clear.
“Your Highness, are you hurt?”
Yulia’s hesitant question was met by Fernan’s steady gaze as he kept walking.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
Though his answer was clear, Yulia bit her pale lips and touched his neck.
The faint bloodstain on his throat rubbed away easily under her hand, thankfully not his own wound.
Still, guilt overwhelmed her and she lowered her head.
Soon after, they left the villa and Yulia saw the battle raging before them.
She winced at the sight of the bloody chaos.
Everywhere was a battlefield—such fierce fighting it looked like a rebellion.
As Yulia’s gaze faltered, Fernan drew her closer protectively.
In the closer space, Yulia whispered with effort to hold back tears:
“I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise. If I hadn’t been taken here…”
“It’s not your fault.”
Fernan answered immediately without stopping.
“Even if it weren’t you, it would have happened.”
His calm, reassuring voice made Yulia’s heart flutter even more.
The fighting continued around them relentlessly, but Fernan pressed on, carrying her through a world apart from the bloodshed.
They hurried in the direction furthest from the battle.
As palace knights spotted them, they shifted their attacks toward Fernan and his group.
At the same time, Fernan’s knights guarding and accompanying them shouted:
“Protect Their Highnesses!”
Under their escort, Fernan quickened his pace.
Carrying Yulia steadily, he headed for a carriage waiting in the sprawling garden.
“When we leave here, my knights will take you somewhere safe.”
Fernan’s calm voice settled over Yulia.
Naturally excluded from the plan, Yulia gripped his shirt tightly.
“And Your Highness?”
Fernan glanced down at her hand holding him.
Then he lifted his eyes to meet hers.
Her question held the meaning of how long this battle might last and whether he would return safely.
Fernan averted his gaze without a word.
Soon the carriage approached.
A knight opened the door and Fernan helped Yulia inside.
Only after seating her did he withdraw his hand.
Straightening, Fernan whispered softly:
“This place is dangerous. Stay out of the empire. Since the Marchioness is involved in this civil war, you won’t be able to remain here much longer.”
“…”
“I’ll come for you again when the time is right.”
Yulia stared at him with trembling eyes.
His promise to come back sounded strangely hollow.
Behind the composed Fernan, brutal scenes of battle unfolded.
As Yulia took in the stark contrast, his words continued:
“So forget everything that happened here.”
“…”
“Forget it all, and for once…”
The calm Fernan briefly looked at her with pain in his eyes.
Veins bulged on his clenched hand.
“Live happily… You have nothing left to bind you.”
He whispered slowly, then took Yulia’s hand in his.
Lowering his head, he pressed his lips gently to her delicate hand.
Despite telling her to forget, his kiss was deep—like leaving a mark.
Love, guilt, and his still-burning desire poured into that stubborn kiss.
Looking up, Fernan met Yulia’s eyes with fierce intensity.
Only then did she realize he was saying goodbye.
His words of returning were just empty promises; he was letting her go.
The man who once vowed never to leave her side until death now let her hand slip away with a bittersweet smile.
Yulia silently watched his retreating hand.
Her heart pounded, but she couldn’t tell if it was guilt or relief at finally gaining freedom.
Fernan held her gaze for a moment before straightening.
He turned toward the approaching palace knights.
“Your happiness will, in the end, be my happiness.”
With those cryptic words, Fernan stepped forward.
Before Yulia could watch him disappear, the carriage door shut.
Through the window, she saw him draw his sword.
She watched until he vanished from sight.
That was the last of him.
“With evidence revealing Emperor Formene’s assassination attempt on Duke Kaiser, the Duke led his forces to invade the capital. Geranian joined the Duke’s army, escalating the civil war…”
Autumn. The empire was engulfed in chaos from civil war.
Fernan’s rebellion was known as the “civil war,” sparked by evidence and testimony of the Emperor’s assassination attempt.
Fernan exposed not only the assassination plot but widespread corruption within the Emperor’s regime.
Since the empire’s founding, the royal family’s power was central, and corruption among pro-Emperor nobles had become rampant.
Recent heavy taxation had sparked public discontent among commoners, who quickly turned against the regime.
The Geranian Kingdom, recently allied with the Duke, joined the civil war.
The tense conflict began shifting in the Duke’s favor with Geranian support.
“…”
Cedric closed the daily paper and pondered deeply.
Two months had passed since the war began. Cedric was in a foreign land far from the empire’s turmoil.
Two months earlier, Yulia had been silently kidnapped and imprisoned in the palace but had escaped safely before the current chaos.
Before meeting her, Cedric had received word from Fernan’s side to flee with her, warning of disaster.
Since then, Cedric and Yulia had crossed the empire’s border.
Recalling that day, Cedric’s expression was troubled.
He looked up and gazed at Yulia standing by the window.
Yulia silently stared out at the sunset sky.
“…Yulia.”
After much hesitation, Cedric spoke.
She turned quietly to him.
For the past two months, Yulia had appeared strangely calm, as if deliberately hiding all her feelings.
“The empire… will probably endure this civil war for a long time.”
Even as Cedric spoke cautiously, Yulia only bowed her head slightly without answering.
“They say the battle is going in the Duke’s favor.”
“…”
“So don’t worry too much.”
Despite Cedric’s comforting words, Yulia showed no expression.
He found it hard to guess what she was thinking.
His worried gaze lingered on her endlessly.
