It was an unusually sunny day. The surface of the lake, which Julia had seen countless times, sparkled even more today.
As usual, Julia quietly strolled around the area.
A gentle breeze blew from the forest, lightly tousling her hair.
After crossing the bridge, she stopped in the grass-covered field and bent her knees slightly.
When she reached out and gently touched the purple lavender flowers, a fragrant scent wafted to her nose.
While she was momentarily lost in the flowers, footsteps approached from afar.
Sensing someone nearby, Julia turned around, and in that instant, someone suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
“…!”
Startled by the swift hug, Julia’s eyes widened.
The figure was large enough to fully envelop her. Strong arms. It was Fernan.
Julia was too surprised to speak for a moment. The man holding her tightly also said nothing.
After being dazed in his arms for a while, Julia quickly regained her composure.
As she weakly pushed against his chest, a familiar voice whispered near her ear.
“…Just for a little while.”
The arms around her tightened even more.
“Just for a moment… don’t push me away.”
His trembling voice made Julia stop resisting.
From the hand resting awkwardly on his chest, she could feel the irregular beating of his heart.
“…Why are you doing this?”
After a long silence, Julia finally spoke.
She intended to respond coldly, but her voice came out filled with confusion.
He had left for the capital three days ago, and she had expected him to be gone for at least a week. His sudden return, along with his abrupt embrace, left her bewildered.
When Julia tried to raise her head, the firm hand on the back of her head gently stopped her movement.
With her face still pressed into his chest, Julia blinked blankly.
Fernan, holding Julia tightly in his arms, silently took in the moment.
The heartbeat he felt through their connected bodies. The soft warmth in his arms. Her shallow but clear breaths.
For some reason, Julia, nestled in his embrace, felt like a dream.
Her light brown hair shimmered under the sunlight. He lowered his face and buried it into her hair. She smelled like spring.
“Your Highness.”
Julia pushed against him once more. This time, Fernan loosened his arms.
But the hand on her back still prevented her from pulling too far away.
With a small gap between them, Julia finally looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion.
It was clear to anyone that something was off about him.
While she was trying to figure out what was going on, Fernan gently cupped her pale cheek with his hand.
His eyes were filled with unspoken words. Although many thoughts circled in his mind, only one word escaped his lips.
“…I’m sorry.”
Julia’s expression showed she didn’t understand the sudden apology.
Fernan lowered his head slightly and looked up at her.
He recalled the young girl who had once clung tightly to his hand.
At the same time, the warmest and most beautiful season of his life seemed to stretch out behind her.
Suddenly, he felt blinded by the brightness. Unable to see her clearly, he lowered his gaze again.
There was so much he wanted to say, yet he couldn’t utter a single word. Just saying “I’m sorry” wasn’t enough to convey all of his emotions.
In the end, Fernan swallowed all the words weighing on his heart and bowed his head deeply.
Julia looked up at him with dazed eyes.
Although he couldn’t meet her gaze, his arms, which still held her gently, didn’t let go.
That afternoon, as Melissa tidied up the bedding, she glanced at Julia sitting by the table.
The book Julia had opened had been stuck on the same page for over an hour.
Melissa thought about saying something but could tell Julia was deep in thought.
‘What should I do…?’
Melissa bit her lip anxiously. Earlier today, she had run an errand at Julia’s request, delivering a letter.
But during that process, she had heard some shocking news.
‘You can’t send a letter to the Sacred Kingdom. Don’t you know? They’ve been at war for months.’
It turned out that the Sacred Kingdom, where Julia had lived, was in the middle of a war.
And it seemed Julia didn’t know this. That’s why she had tried to send a letter there.
As she busied herself making the bed, Melissa wondered whether or not she should tell Julia the truth.
There had to be a reason why no one had informed her, right?
While Melissa was worrying on her own, Julia continued to stare blankly at the same page.
Her thoughts kept returning to Fernan’s face from earlier in the day.
She didn’t want to dwell on it, but the memory kept surfacing.
It must be because it felt unfamiliar. The way he looked at her, with an expression she had never seen before—it was unsettling.
Muttering to herself, Julia finally turned to the next page.
At that moment, Melissa, having finished with the bedding, spoke up.
“Your Highness, I’ve changed the bedding to something lighter for spring.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“And, um…”
Sensing that Melissa had something more to say, Julia glanced at her.
“What is it?”
Melissa faltered under Julia’s steady gaze, clearly hesitant to speak.
“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”
Melissa forced a smile and shook her head.
She knew Julia had been troubled recently. And if Julia found out that the place she once lived in was now a war zone, it might worsen her condition.
Having made up her mind, Melissa bowed her head.
“Your Highness, have a good night. Please call if you need anything.”
“Yes, you too. Good night.”
With a polite bow, Melissa quietly left the bedroom.
As the door closed, Julia returned her gaze to the book, trying to focus. But the words still wouldn’t sink in.
Eventually, she closed the book and stood up, walking over to the window. When she opened it wide, the night breeze rushed in.
Julia knew very well that her feelings didn’t suit the current situation.
It was as if she were being swayed by him, constantly replaying his words and thoughts in her mind.
She needed to remind herself again. That she hadn’t come to this place by choice.
Fernan was preventing her from returning to where she belonged.
Of course, aside from that, he didn’t force anything on her. His attitude toward her had softened compared to before.
But that didn’t mean she could accept the situation.
It was too late to simply forgive him for saying he was sorry, for regretting his actions.
‘…Right.’
Julia, having collected her confused thoughts, closed the window. Her expression suddenly became resolute.
* * *
In the early morning, someone visited Fernan’s bedroom.
He was in the middle of fastening his cufflinks when he approached the door and swung it open, expecting his lieutenant to report something.
But standing there, to his surprise, was Julia.
Fernan, startled, blinked at her for a moment, not knowing what to say.
“Your Highness.”
Julia addressed him calmly, her face unreadable.
“I would like to go out.”
Her voice was soft, as though she was asking for permission. Looking down, he noticed she was already dressed for an outing.
While Fernan was still at a loss for words, Julia quickly spoke again.
“You said I could go anywhere.”
At that, Fernan finally collected his scattered thoughts, and a delayed response slipped out.
“Yes.”
It was the first time she had ever asked him to do anything, and it stirred an inexplicable feeling of joy in him.
Of course, she could go wherever she wanted.
“…But are you not going to let me go out alone?”
Her blue eyes met his, questioning.
Fernan briefly averted his gaze, then looked back at her.
As much as he wanted to grant her every wish, it was still too dangerous to let her go alone.
“It’s too dangerous. Your presence in the empire is still unknown.”
“……”
“Let me accompany you.”
Julia lowered her head without answering, and Fernan quickly added,
“Think of me as your escort if you wish. I won’t interfere.”
Hearing that, Julia looked up at him, her expression slightly puzzled. The idea of considering him an escort seemed unfamiliar.
But after a moment, she nodded without further words.
“Alright, then I’ll wait while you get ready.”
Stepping back from the door, Julia turned and slowly disappeared down the hallway.
Watching her retreat, Fernan’s gaze flickered slightly once more.
