Chapter 87
“I plan to tell my wife that she was simply unconscious for a few months.”
Fernand finally answered, albeit belatedly. From the start, he had no intention of explaining everything that had happened to Yulia.
That she had run away from the castle, settled in a new place, and eventually returned to him due to various reasons… and ended up in this condition.
There was nothing good in reminding her of everything that had occurred over the past two years.
Even if she wanted to leave him again after learning everything, she had no choice now.
No matter where she went outside the territory, the Emperor’s gaze would quickly find her. By now, he was likely watching like a hawk for the woman Fernand had stolen away from the temple.
“Alright. Then I’ll make sure to match my story accordingly.”
Seeing his grave expression, Calrosa agreed without resistance.
Fernand nodded lightly. For now, this was the best course of action.
“…I was unconscious for three whole months?”
Yulia learned of her condition the next morning.
The maid standing before her lowered her head and quickly responded.
“Yes, Your Grace. That’s why you’ll need to meet with the priests regularly from now on. They said they need to keep monitoring your recovery.”
Yulia exhaled a breath in disbelief.
But the maid’s words were supported by everything around her.
She clearly remembered a world that had stretched between spring and summer—yet now, it had suddenly turned into a deeply crimson autumn overnight.
Yulia slowly raised her gaze to study the maid standing in front of her. It was a face she had never seen before.
Not just her—every servant within the castle had changed.
Even Melissa, her personal maid, had submitted her resignation a few months ago and returned to her hometown.
For Yulia, it felt like only a day had passed, but in that time, too many things had changed.
Knock knock. Just then, someone knocked at the door.
While Yulia tried to organize her dizzy thoughts, the maid quickly ran over to open it.
“Your Grace, the priests have arrived.”
At those words, Yulia turned toward the door.
Through the open doorway, an elderly man and a younger one entered.
They were the priests who had been treating her.
“So, how are you feeling?”
The elderly man asked casually as he walked past her toward the table.
“You must’ve been shocked by how much the world has changed. You were unconscious for a long time.”
His words pierced directly through her confusion, and Yulia answered quietly.
“Yes…”
“You’re not fully recovered yet, so we’ll have to continue meeting. You’ll also need to keep taking your medicine regularly.”
His voice, though somewhat rough, had a strangely gentle tone.
Just as Yulia was thinking that his voice didn’t feel unfamiliar, her gaze met the eyes of the younger man who had entered with the priest.
The young man with pale green eyes twisted his lips slightly as soon as their eyes met.
There was something pained about his expression, and Yulia tilted her head slightly in confusion.
“Come, sit down.”
At the elder’s call, Yulia finally turned away from the young man and slowly sat in front of the table.
“May I see your hand?”
When Yulia obediently extended her hand, the priest sprinkled a faint light flowing from his fingertips onto her palm.
Yulia slightly parted her lips in surprise at the strange sight.
It was the first time she had seen divine power with her own eyes, something she had only heard about before.
The priest, noticing her sparkling eyes, began to explain.
“I’m infusing divine power to detect internal changes within your body.”
“Ah…”
Perhaps because of his explanation, Yulia could vaguely feel the divine energy flowing through her body.
While the priest crossed his arms and assessed her condition, Yulia cautiously asked,
“Um… then, what exactly caused me to collapse?”
She had always thought she was free from any chronic illnesses. So, the fact that she had been unconscious for an entire season was deeply shocking.
The old priest lowered his gaze briefly, then casually replied,
“There was an issue with your heart. An acute attack, or something of that nature.”
“…M-my heart?”
Yulia repeated blankly, her eyes wide.
It was shocking enough to hear that there was something wrong with her heart—let alone an acute attack. It was an entirely unexpected cause.
Of course, Yulia couldn’t say she was particularly robust in terms of health. She had often fallen ill as a child.
But she wasn’t allowed to meet her attending physician unless she had a visibly serious symptom.
The Marchioness always blocked her.
Because of that, she had never received a proper health check-up. It was possible she hadn’t even realized her heart had problems.
As she furrowed her brow with a troubled expression, the priest continued.
“You were in quite a dangerous state. You only survived thanks to a highly skilled priest.”
The elder shrugged his shoulders with his arms still crossed.
Yulia stared blankly at him.
She still couldn’t fully grasp the situation, but it wasn’t that she didn’t believe it.
The world had changed overnight, she had collapsed, and this priest before her had saved her.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak, the elder raised a hand to cut her off.
“Don’t thank me—thank your husband. He’s the one who stubbornly dragged me here to save his wife.”
“…”
Yulia blinked slowly, her eyes filled with confusion.
Fernand had sought out a priest to save her…?
The sentence felt so strange that it almost didn’t register as real.
And yet, her heart instinctively began to flutter.
‘His Grace… for me…’
Yulia pressed her lips tightly together and fidgeted with her hands.
Meanwhile, the young man who had remained silent beside the priest finally opened his mouth.
“…You don’t remember anything from just before you collapsed?”
Yulia, who had been bowing her head slightly, looked up at him.
Just like the first time their eyes met, he still looked anxious and pained.
Maybe that was why—he felt strangely familiar to her.
At last, Yulia slowly moved her lips.
“No, not at all.”
“I see…”
The man lowered his gaze, muttering despairingly.
Feeling strangely affected, Yulia watched him quietly. Then the priest spoke again in a casual tone.
“Once you’re fully healed, your memories will return naturally. Don’t worry too much.”
With that, the priest pulled something from his robe and placed a small bottle on the table.
It was filled with red, pearl-like pills.
“Take just one today. Overconsumption can be harmful, so only take these when I bring them myself.”
Thinking the pills looked rather unusual, Yulia nodded obediently.
The maid nearby quickly brought over a glass of water.
Once she confirmed Yulia had swallowed a pill, the priest slowly rose from his seat.
“If you notice even the slightest issue, come find me immediately. I’ll take my leave now.”
Rolling his stiff shoulders a few times, he turned and crossed the bedroom.
Yulia also rose to see them off.
As they reached the door, Yulia met the young man’s gaze again.
She hesitated before giving a small nod. The man returned the gesture with a complicated expression.
Then they walked down the hallway. Yulia watched their retreating figures in silence.
Halfway down the hall, the young man suddenly looked back.
But by then, Yulia had already gone back into her room.
“…Ha.”
A shadow fell across his pale green eyes.
Cedric, who hadn’t been able to leave the castle out of concern for Yulia’s condition, now felt as though reality had hit him like a final blow.
Even after hearing that she had lost her memory, he had held on to a faint hope.
He had thought that if they met eyes and spoke, perhaps she would remember him—if only just him.
But as expected, Yulia didn’t recognize him at all.
‘…There’s no point in staying here. It won’t do her any good.’
Right now, the only person Yulia remembered was her husband—the Grand Duke.
And yet Cedric couldn’t bring himself to leave her side.
What mattered most was Yulia’s heart.
She may have lost her memories and all her emotions now, but if they ever returned—would she still want to stay here?
