As surveillance increased, Julia quietly stayed in her quarters for a while.
The more time she spent alone, the deeper her heart sank.
In the early hours of a day, not knowing how many days had passed, Julia paced by the door, unable to sleep.
After a brief hesitation, she opened the door to a dark and silent hallway. Fortunately, it seemed deserted.
As she carefully stepped out, someone suddenly blocked her path.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
Startled, Julia looked up to see a knight bowing to her, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
“It’s late, Your Highness. May I ask where you are going?”
“I’m just going for a walk.”
Julia replied calmly, and the knight bowed his head and continued.
“I will accompany you.”
“No, I want to go alone, so you don’t need to follow.”
Suppressing her unease, she tried to sound as indifferent as possible. Luckily, the knight stepped aside without protest.
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
Julia, silently relieved by his unexpected compliance, immediately walked past him.
She left the castle and headed to the garden. Walking down the long garden path, she soon stopped in front of a large fountain.
In her hand was a pendant.
Holding the pendant close to her heart, Julia recalled Mateus’s quiet voice.
“The reason I gave you this pendant is because I wished for your peace of mind.”
When she had visited the temple earlier, Mateus had infused the pendant with stronger, more intense holy power and said,
“But since circumstances have changed, I will help you use the holy power within it.”
That day, Mateus had told her something unbelievable. She could use holy power herself.
He said it was because of the holy power that resided in her heart since birth.
“If you bring the pendant close to your heart and resonate with it, you will be able to use its power for a short time.”
In other words, by using the pendant as a medium, she could use the holy power in her heart for a short period.
However, he had warned that using the holy power in this way would come at a cost.
Her body wasn’t stable enough to use holy power, and if she used it indiscriminately, her body wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“Please think of this power as a last resort.”
Finishing her recollection of Mateus’s advice, Julia put the pendant, which emitted a blue glow, back into her bosom.
She then looked around. It was early morning, and there was no one around.
With her robe pulled tight over her head, Julia hurriedly started walking.
She walked and walked without a clear direction.
Knowing that knights guarded the main gate, Julia deliberately headed to a path where there were no patrols.
Looking up at the towering castle wall, Julia steeled her resolve.
“If I use the holy power to hide my presence, I might be able to escape safely.”
There was no chance to escape except at dawn like this.
As she was about to take out the pendant from her bosom, someone grabbed her wrist.
She turned sharply and collided hard with someone’s chest.
“…!”
Looking up in that position, she saw, to her surprise, Fernan standing there.
His disheveled black hair and the fierce golden eyes beneath it were fixed on her.
While Julia was momentarily frozen, Fernan spoke in a chillingly cool voice.
“What are you doing here?”
When Yulia didn’t answer, biting her trembling lips, he asked again.
“Where were you planning to go at this hour?”
“……”
“Tell me. Were you trying to escape?”
When Julia tried to shake him off, his grip on her wrist tightened.
The gaze that seemed to swallow her whole frightened her. Julia quickly lowered her wavering eyes.
The knight who had guarded her quarters had let her go without protest. But had he secretly followed her?
Or perhaps there was someone else watching her from another location.
As Julia remained silent with a grim face, she was suddenly lifted up by rough hands.
“…Ah!”
Fernan picked her up effortlessly and began walking.
Julia, unable to hide her bewilderment, looked at his face that was now close to hers.
Looking down, she saw that the collar of his shirt was loosely unbuttoned. He must have run out as soon as he heard the news, likely while resting.
His hands, gripping her knees and waist, were firm and unyielding.
Without looking at her, he strode forward without hesitation.
Julia didn’t resist and quietly let herself be carried. However, her mind was in turmoil with a whirlwind of thoughts.
He soon reached the castle.
While Julia had been trying to escape, there seemed to have been a commotion, and servants were gathered in confusion in the lobby.
Seeing him enter, the servants quickly bowed their heads.
“…Put me down.”
Disliking the idea of being seen in this state, Julia whispered softly.
But Fernan, ignoring her, continued up the stairs.
He didn’t head towards Julia’s quarters but towards his own.
Entering his room in haste, he placed Julia on the bed.
When she tried to sit up, he effortlessly pushed her back down with minimal force.
“Stay here from now on.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Stay here, in my room. Don’t go anywhere.”
His cold words made Julia involuntarily shrink back.
She thought he might show his desire for her again, as he had before.
However, Fernan didn’t touch her and simply turned away.
He sat on a sofa a little distance away and just stared at her.
As Julia faced him blankly, she slowly sat up. Clutching the blanket tightly, she quietly asked,
“Why are you doing this?”
“……”
“Please tell me what you want from me.”
She thought that if she knew the reason, she could fulfill her purpose and then finally divorce him in peace.
Seeing her intentions clear on her face, Fernan’s brows furrowed.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again. In the end, no answer came.
Silence stretched between them for a long time.
Feeling increasingly desolate, Julia clenched her hands. Her head was spinning.
Sitting resolutely, Julia eventually hugged her knees and buried her head.
Fernan continued to watch her, never taking his eyes off her.
Time passed relentlessly as she remained curled up uncomfortably.
Julia opened her eyes to the bright morning light.
She gathered herself and noticed a thick blanket had slipped off her.
‘When did I fall asleep…?’
She remembered sitting up, but she had somehow ended up lying neatly in bed, fast asleep.
Hurriedly looking around, Fernan was nowhere to be seen. Julia sighed in small relief and got out of bed.
As she crossed the room, the door to the dressing room suddenly opened with a bang.
Standing at the door, Fernan quietly looked at her.
“Where are you going?”
His even voice reached Julia. Hesitating, she met his gaze and replied,
“I’m going back to my room.”
“Who gave you permission?”
His cold voice made Julia bite her lip.
She had hoped that his mind would change by morning about keeping her in his room.
But it seemed it hadn’t. Julia tightly grasped her dress.
“Are you planning to lock me up?”
“If you keep trying to run away, I’ll have no choice.”
At his straightforward response, Julia was momentarily at a loss for words, looking up at him as he approached.
As always, his face was expressionless, giving no explanations, only issuing commands.
Julia released her grip on her dress and lowered her head. Her pale eyes started to redden.
Seeing this, Fernan’s hand twitched involuntarily, but that was all.
What came out was a calm voice, swallowing all emotions.
“Say you’ll stay by my side. Don’t mention divorce again.”
“……”
“Then I won’t confine or monitor you anymore.”
With a face that seemed on the verge of tears, Julia let out a small, bitter laugh.
What he wanted from her was clear. To live as the grand duchess in name only, as she had so far.
Even if despised and neglected, even if this place was hell, quietly by his side, as always.
Julia spoke in a depthless voice, her dry lips moving faintly.
“How can you be so…?”
“……”
“…so cruel to me?”
The last glimmer of light in Julia’s eyes vanished completely.
This man, who had always shown his disdain for her, now suddenly wanted her by his side without giving her a reason.
Ignoring her feelings, he just issued commands.
Julia’s breathing grew more rapid. The dam of emotions she had held back broke completely.
She no longer wanted to understand this man.
