The atmosphere of the castle was noticeably different from before.
Julia narrowed her eyes as she watched the maids bowing politely to her. These were all faces she had never seen before.
“His Majesty ordered all the employees to be replaced.”
Next to Julia, Melissa whispered softly. Julia looked at Melissa with a slightly puzzled expression.
‘Could it be because of this incident?’
Julia, lost in her thoughts, quickly shook her head.
Fernan may have simply wanted to clear up the chaotic atmosphere. It’s not like that for her.
“By the way, Your Majesty, aren’t you cold? “I don’t know if you came out dressed too thinly.”
“are you okay. “It’s cool so it’s perfect.”
Melissa blames herself for this happening because she was away, and she never thought about leaving Julia’s side.
Thanks to Melissa’s extreme care for her, Julia was able to quickly restore her body.
Julia, who was walking around the backyard, glanced at the workers gathered in her garden.
Her butler, Bennett, who was standing near her, spotted her and bowed down to her.
It was strange. She said she needed Fernan’s permission to repair her garden, and she was making a fuss about it.
Julia looked at his appearance for a moment and then withdrew her gaze, unimpressed.
“I want spring to come soon and see the garden filled with flowers.”
Melissa added with a bright smile.
“When spring comes, let’s decorate the garden together! “I also planted a lot of lilies of the valley, which Her Majesty likes.”
“Okay, then.”
Julia’s face, which had been smiling slightly, gradually darkened.
The truth was she wasn’t sure. Will She be able to stay here until next spring?
Because She had no idea when this marriage that Fernan was talking about would end.
‘Do you think this marriage will last forever?’
Thinking of Fernan indifferent eyes as she said those words, Julia fell into her melancholy again.
She knew long ago that he hated her, but what she didn’t know was that he was planning her end.
Julia quietly lowered her gaze. This marriage, which I don’t know when will end, felt like a life with a limited time limit.
Suddenly, the words her father used to say to her came to mind.
‘If Her marriage with the Archduke is broken, She will no longer be His daughter.’
The Marquis thought that Julia would be frightened by those words, but instead he realized that Julia did not want to live as his Daughter.
However, after the death of her mother, she lived alone without the support of the mother, so she had absolutely nothing.
Of course, there was no way her marquis would let her go gracefully before that.
Julia sighed heavily and soon began walking towards a bend in the road.
“uh? “I guess His Majesty has returned.”
When she raised her head at Melissa’s words, she heard the bell ringing, announcing the return of castle lord.
She was puzzled because he had never returned this early before.
Fernan may not be pleased, but she cannot pretend not to know that he has returned, so she turns on her heel and returns to the castle.
Julia, who entered the lobby at a slow pace, stood still and waited for Fernan.
And soon her servant swung open the large door.
Fernan, who had been walking inside while staring at her in front, suddenly sensed her presence and turned his attention to Julia, who was standing on one side.
“Your Highness, you came early.”
Fernan stopped in his tracks at Julia’s quiet greeting.
Fernan, who had been looking at her without answering, glanced down at her in her street clothes.
“Where are you going?”
“ah… sorry. “It’s a little frustrating to stay in my room.”
Fernan looked at her with a strange expression. He was about to ask what she was sorry about, but stopped for a moment.
It was because he suddenly remembered the words he had said to her.
‘He would have quietly told her to stay in the bedroom. Seeing Julia running around so excitedly, He guess what he said was quite funny.’
Fernan, whose expression hardened for a moment, gently pursed his lips.
After being silent for a moment, he quickly passed by Julia with an urgent attitude.
Julia looked at his back in confusion.
Fernan, who had been climbing the main stairs with her behind him, stopped at his landing and frowned at her.
It was because she couldn’t understand why she had run away just moments ago.
He turned his head and looked down the stairs into the lobby.
Julia, who had been standing still, was leaving through her door again, taking her maid with her.
Fernan kept her back in his eyes until the end without even realizing it.
Then he immediately twitched his eyebrows.
He couldn’t figure out what this feeling he was feeling right now was.
Why i am so anxious and my heart pounding?
Fernan turned and climbed the remaining stairs with confused eyes.
* * *
The changed atmosphere of the castle continued.
Not only the employees, but also the butler Bennett’s attitude had completely changed.
“Uh, Your Highness.”
Sometime in the afternoon, Julia stopped as she headed toward the dining room.
When she looked behind her, she saw Bennett bowing politely to her.
These days, Bennett often talks to her or asks her permission, even though it’s not a big deal to her.
“The garden repairs you mentioned earlier. “I think it will be completed in just one month.”
“okay?”
When her response was vague, Bennett showed signs of his impatience.
“The greenhouse will be built soon. We need to decide which flower seedlings to plant inside, and it would be better for Her Highness to choose… .”
“Well, you figure it out.”
Julia answered expressionlessly and took her steps again. She was no longer interested in managing the castle.
Perhaps because she had been locked in the study, she seemed to have developed an instinctive aversion to the Great Siege itself.
Bennet, who had been fidgeting with her, hurried after Julia.
“Your Highness , I am sorry for being rude to you.”
Julia stopped again and looked back at Bennett with her puzzled face.
“I will accept any punishment for my rudeness. Please forgive me.”
Bennett lowered his head so deeply that she felt like she was going to hit the floor. Julia blinked her eyes in confusion.
Since she felt like he would fall if she was left alone, Julia obediently gave an answer.
“okay. “I will forgive you, so get up.”
Bennett then gently raised his head. There was relief and regret on his face.
In fact, on the day that Julia was locked in her study, Bennet was briefly outside her.
She felt very embarrassed when she was belatedly informed of his situation.
She, too, had previously subtly ignored her hostess, but she never expected other employees to do the same.
Of course, that didn’t make his fault go away, so he had no room to make excuses.
Moreover, Fernan seemed unusually angry about the incident.
He was a master who was not interested in internal affairs. Especially when it came to his wife, He was not the kind of person who would show interest if he disliked her.
However, with his usual expressionless face, he ordered actions that seemed a bit excessive.
All the maids involved in this matter were purged, and the other employees who had been openly harassing Julia disappeared without a word.
“May I ask why you suddenly changed your attitude?”
Julia quietly asked Bennett, who was standing apologetically.
Then Bennett lowered his head again with a helpless expression on his face.
“The unfortunate incident that happened to Her Highness a few days ago was all my fault for failing to properly educate the employees. The attitude I showed so far must have encouraged them… .”
“… … .”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. “If you want to punish me, you can do so.”
Julia looked at Bennett in surprise at her unexpectedly honest answer.
In fact, she didn’t have any bad feelings toward Bennett.
Of course, his tone was sometimes rude, but basically he never tried to annoy or harass her.
Moreover, since Bennett was the first person to confess his mistake and ask for forgiveness, she did not feel like punishing him now.
No, I just didn’t want to worry about anything anymore.
“it’s okay. “Let’s go now.”
“Yes, yes. Well then, have a nice meal.”
Julia started walking again, leaving behind Benet, who lowered his head.
As I slowly entered the dining room, I unexpectedly saw Fernan sitting there first.
Holding his papers in his hand, he raised his head and looked at Julia, unlike usual.
“Good evening, Your Highness.”
Julia, who greeted him as was her custom, sat down across from Ceaser. She thinks it’s been quite a while since she had a meal with Fernan.
Soon the servant placed the appetizers on her seat. Julia, holding her silverware, glanced at Fernan across from her.
He was always looking at his work, whether he was eating or moving somewhere. Come to think of it, She’ve never seen him rest.
“Aren’t you tired?”
In response to her quiet question, Fernan took his eyes off the document and quietly asked back.
“Why do you ask that?”
“just… “I thought you might be tired.”
Actually, She asked because She was worried, but she knew that if he answered like that, he would be a man she would hate.
In the first place, she probably hated the very idea of talking to him.
When she didn’t hear back from him, Julia resigned herself to silently engrossed in her meal. The silence continued for a long time.
Fernan, who was reading a part of the document, clicked his tongue slightly. He had so many issues to consider, but couldn’t concentrate.
To be exact, it was after Julia appeared in the dining room.
Fernan had no choice but to admit that he cared very much for her.
Rather than being offended by that fact, He feel more confused.
