I Will Disappear, Grand Duke

When Fernan returned to his office, a knight who had been waiting in front of the door promptly bowed his head.

As he entered and sat down, the knight began reporting the surveillance of the past few days.

“Your Highness, Lady Julia has shown no particular movements apart from attending the four-day banquet.”

Julia believed that the knights only escorted her up to the palace gates.

However, within the palace, the knights discreetly followed her every move.

Fernan, reviewing a document, nodded slightly, indicating the knight should continue.

“Additionally, although it may not be of significant concern, she was accompanied by a priest twice during her walks.”

“A priest?”

Fernan looked up from his documents to face the knight. The knight nodded and continued speaking.

“Yes, they were priests who visited for the Crown Princess’s childbirth mass. One was a young priest, and the other was older. Due to the difficult terrain, we couldn’t overhear their conversations.”

Fernan, nodding indifferently, gestured for the knight to leave. The report thus far was nothing special.

The knight, having saluted again with precision, exited the office.

Once the knight had left, Fernan returned his gaze to the documents, reviewing the accumulated reports for a while.

After some time, having completed the review of an entire file, Fernan closed his eyes slowly and leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.

‘I will stay by your side, Your Highness.’

‘I won’t think about divorce anymore.’

Recalling the words Julia had once said to him, a subtle expression crossed his face.

For a moment, his heart had wavered, but he did not believe those words were her true feelings.

She might be saying such things just to get by, with the intention of deceiving him.

Fernan ran a large hand lightly over his face.

It was not yet time. He still did not have the certainty that she would remain completely by his side.

So until he had that certainty, he had no choice but to continue watching her from the shadows.

Fernan slowly closed his heavy eyelids.

Due to lack of proper sleep for several days, the area around his eyes was dark and sunken.

* * *

Julia woke up the next morning.

She had heard that Fernan had moved her while she slept last night, but she showed no particular reaction to the news.

After sending Melissa away temporarily, Julia took out the pendant she had hidden in a drawer.

She immediately brought the pendant over the orb she had hidden. It was to check Cedric’s message.

As Cedric had said, when the two holy relics approached, the orb began to emit light gradually.

With a cracking sound, the orb fractured into pieces. Simultaneously, small glass shards scattered into the air.

Left in its place was a small note.

Julia opened the note with a slightly tense face.

[Western outskirts of the central square of the Grand Duchy, the monastery in the Radell district.]

The letter indicated that Cedric would stay at the monastery for a long time after finishing his business in the palace.

It meant she could meet him there anytime.

If she succeeded in escaping the Grand Duke’s castle, Cedric would accompany her from that point on.

[No matter how long it takes, I will gladly wait for you, so please do not hurry.]

Julia’s eyes softened with warmth. It felt as if she could hear Cedric’s kind and youthful voice, just like in the palace.

After carefully folding the letter and storing it, Julia briefly planned her next steps.

She was still under the watchful eyes of knights assigned to guard her.

Running away was out of the question, and even if she left the castle under the pretext of an outing, they would surely follow her.

‘…What should I do?’

Despite her efforts, it seemed Fernan still did not trust her.

She couldn’t figure out what more she needed to do here.

‘Cedric said he would come to the monastery in a week.’

Julia stared into space with a determined face. For now, all she could do was give Fernan more assurance. She had to create a situation where dismissing the knights wouldn’t raise suspicion.

Julia caressed the pendant on the table.

But if nothing worked, she was prepared to use this holy power, risking danger if necessary.

That evening, heavy snow began to fall over the territory.

Climbing the stairs after dinner, Julia was momentarily captivated by the sight of the snowstorm beyond the glass windows.

Suddenly, she heard someone’s footsteps.

“Good evening, Lady Julia. Have you been well?”

Turning her head, she saw an elderly man with white hair. It was Lokman, the long-serving physician of the Grand Duchy.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

Nodding her head, Julia asked, and Lokman answered politely.

“I was summoned by His Highness to visit his chamber for a moment.”

Julia’s eyes widened momentarily. She had wondered why he hadn’t appeared in the dining room.

A man who seemed never to suffer from minor ailments, could he possibly be ill?

“Then I will take my leave. Have a pleasant evening.”

As she remained silent, Lokman bowed courteously and disappeared.

Climbing the rest of the stairs, Julia hesitated before entering the corridor leading to her bedroom.

After hesitating for a moment, she found herself turning towards Fernan’s chamber.

Standing before his chamber door, Julia remained still, filled with an inexplicable feeling.

‘…What am I doing right now?’

Murmuring inwardly, she shook her head and turned to leave. Whether he was ill or not, it had nothing to do with her.

As she coldly took a step away, she heard the sound of something breaking from inside.

Startled, Julia stopped and turned back.

“…Your Highness?”

Approaching the door quickly, she called out to him, but there was no response from inside.

Hesitating, Julia cautiously opened the door. As she stepped inside, the dark room greeted her.

“Uh…”

The sudden darkness made it difficult to distinguish objects.

Julia groped her way towards the bed. She stumbled upon something under the bedside table.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a broken water cup. This must have been the source of the earlier noise.

Looking up, Julia saw Fernan lying on the bed, his eyes closed.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

There was no answer from him. Julia hesitated before reaching out.

His hair was still slightly damp, as if he hadn’t been out of the bath for long.

She touched his forehead, but he didn’t seem to have a fever.

However, his face, with eyes closed, seemed tired.

“…What should I do?”

She wondered whether she should call the physician again just in case, but Fernan stirred slightly.

Julia leaned closer to check his breathing. Hearing his steady breathing, she concluded that he must be in a deep sleep.

The glass shards on the floor seemed to have been from the water cup he had dropped in his sleep.

Just as Julia was about to call a servant to clean up the glass, she stopped suddenly. She turned back to look at him again.

Lying there in just a robe, he looked more disheveled and vulnerable than usual.

For a long time, she watched him before impulsively reaching out to smooth the furrow between his brows.

She had always wanted to smooth that furrow, which seemed to crease every time he saw her.

Her hand gently moved from his forehead to his cheek before quickly pulling away.

Letting out a silent sigh, Julia turned to leave.

At that moment, a large hand grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace.

“Ah!”

Falling into his arms, Julia froze.

Fearing he might have woken up, she carefully looked up, but his eyes were still closed.

Julia struggled to get up, but the strong arm around her waist didn’t budge.

“Your Highness?”

She cautiously called out to him, but his eyelids didn’t move.

There had been a similar incident before. Could this be his sleep habit?

With a troubled expression, Julia tried to move again, but it seemed he had no intention of letting go.

“…Ha.”

With a small sigh, Julia eventually relaxed in his arms.

Resting her head against his chest, she could feel his heartbeat, irregular and pounding.

Watching him quietly, she finally spoke in a soft voice.

“Your Highness.”

Still, there was no answer. Julia, calming her breath, spoke again.

“…Fernan.”

It was the first time she had called his name aloud, and it felt strange and unfamiliar.

Memories flashed through her mind, from their first meeting as children to their wedding day.

He wouldn’t know how much that first meeting meant to Julia.

Nor how happy she was to meet that warm man from her memories again.

Walking down the wedding aisle with him might have been a moment of true happiness for her.

That’s why his harshness hurt more than anything else.

Even though it was foolish, she couldn’t easily forget these feelings.

Her feelings for him were like a treasured emotion she had cherished since childhood.

That’s why Julia knew she had to leave him.

She wanted to live, even if just for a day, free from this emotion that bound and crushed her.

Dreaming of such a life, even if it was a futile hope, helped her endure the present.

Closing her eyes, Julia repeatedly told herself that everything would work out fine.