I Will Disappear, Grand Duke

 

Not long after, the summer sun rose.

The lush villa was filled with the fresh scent of grass.

“Your Highness, it’s Rockman. May I come in?”

It was morning, and Rockman, the personal physician, had arrived for his regular check-up.

When Julia gave a slight nod of approval, Melissa rushed over to open the door.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

Rockman’s face was as gentle as always, radiating kindness.

Julia extended her hand without hesitation, a gesture that had become familiar. Rockman began to check her pulse.

She quietly observed him as he worked, lost in thought.

Rockman had served as her physician since her time in the Grand Duchy.

He had likely been by Fernan’s side even before their marriage.

“Your pulse is steady. Your temperature is normal, and it seems your strength has improved since our last check-up.”

Rockman smiled softly, wrinkles gathering at the corners of his eyes. Julia hesitated briefly before speaking in a low voice.

“Rockman, how long have you been His Highness’s personal physician?”

Rockman blinked, surprised by the unexpected question. Julia had rarely asked him anything directly until now.

“It’s been over twenty years. I’ve served him since his time in the Imperial Palace.”

“I see…”

Noticing her curiosity, Rockman gently spoke first.

“Are you interested in learning more about His Highness?”

After a moment of hesitation, Julia gave a small nod.

Lately, she had found herself wanting to know more about Fernan’s past—curious if there was some hidden reason he had once harbored such disdain for her.

“I want to know what kind of life he has led.”

All she knew about him was that he was the emperor’s nephew.

And that he was a brilliant knight who had commanded battlefields from a young age, earning great accolades.

Rockman paused, as if considering how much he could disclose.

“I can’t claim to know everything, but… His Highness has likely lived a lonely life.”

The young Fernan, whom Rockman had first encountered two decades ago, was a boy who neither knew how to cry nor allowed himself to.

Even under constant pressure, the child had never once shown a hint of distress.

Rockman still remembered something Fernan had said before heading to the battlefield.

‘Will anyone even be glad if I come back alive?’

He had spoken those words with a calm, indifferent expression—neither bitter nor sorrowful.

Snapping back from the memory, Rockman continued quietly.

“He is not as perfect and unyielding as he seems to the world.”

“……”

“He didn’t have everything from the start, either.”

That was as much as Rockman could share.

When he finished, Julia gazed at him with a slightly puzzled expression.

A lonely man. A man neither perfect nor invincible.

A man who didn’t have everything…

Everything Rockman described clashed with the image she had built of Fernan over the years.

She had always thought of him as a man who feared nothing—someone so noble that he made her feel small by comparison.

Rockman stood slowly, observing her as she sank deeper into thought.

“Well, Your Highness, I’ll take my leave now. If you feel unwell at any point, don’t hesitate to call me.”

“Oh… Yes, thank you.”

Rockman offered a polite bow before leaving the room.

Left alone, Julia remained lost in thought for a long time.

—

Moonlight slipped through the cracks in the window.

In the early hours of that morning, Julia woke up with a sharp pang of pain.

Just the previous day, Rockman had mentioned that her condition had improved. And for a while, she truly had felt fine.

But something was wrong now. Julia wiped her damp forehead, feeling cold sweat gather there.

It was that familiar sensation again—something turbulent stirring deep within her chest.

After taking several deep breaths, Julia finally rose from the bed. She felt suffocated, craving fresh air to clear her mind.

She left the bedroom and walked down the corridor, her footsteps soft against the floor.

Passing through the central door that led to the annex, she found a small terrace beyond.

The open archway offered a clear view of the back garden.

Julia sat down on a bench to cool off.

She had just closed her eyes when she heard voices drifting from below.

“…Lately, the emperor’s behavior has been strange.”

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of the conversation.

“They say he’s sent more men to the border. Recently, some of His Highness’s guards caught a few who seemed to be the emperor’s spies…”

The terrace was high enough that she could only hear fragments of their conversation—but enough to understand.

Julia recognized the voices as those of Fernan’s aides.

Unaware of her presence, the men continued their discussion.

“And apparently, Marquis Elody is working for the emperor again.”

Julia’s eyes widened slightly at the mention of her father.

“Just recently, they say he planted agents in the castle to track His Highness’s movements.”

“It’s no surprise. If Her Highness disappears, the marquis wouldn’t sit quietly.”

The mention of the emperor and her father made Julia’s mind race. Though the full story was unclear, she could sense the underlying tension in their words.

Her once-foggy thoughts sharpened with clarity.

“The emperor must be trying to stop the marriage,” one aide said flatly.

Their conversation faded as the men left the terrace.

Julia remained frozen, listening until their voices disappeared completely.

‘…Marriage.’

She replayed the snippets of conversation in her head.

Though she couldn’t grasp all the details, she had a sense of what was unfolding.

A marriage proposal had come for Fernan. And to prevent it, the emperor was using her father to keep tabs on him.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she tried to process everything.

It wasn’t surprising that a marriage proposal had come for Fernan.

After all, the whole empire likely believed she had vanished. It was only natural for Fernan to take a new bride.

Julia bit her lip, lost in thought.

But why would the emperor want to block Fernan’s marriage?

It was clear now—there were things she hadn’t known.

From the aides’ words, the emperor seemed hostile toward Fernan. But why? Wasn’t Fernan the emperor’s only nephew?

Her brow furrowed in confusion.

“…Ah.”

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her chest.

Julia curled forward, gripping the armrest of the bench as she fought to endure the pain.

Her body, which had felt feverish moments before, now grew cold and shivery.

After a long while, she straightened herself with effort and slowly stood up.

Her thoughts were in disarray, overwhelmed by the revelations.

“Your Highness, what are you thinking about?”

Melissa’s voice broke the silence, but it barely registered in Julia’s mind.

She had been staring at the table for hours, lost in thought.

Melissa spoke cautiously, but Julia’s mind remained tangled with unanswered questions.

No matter how much she thought about it, there were limits to what she could deduce.

But one thing was certain.

The emperor and Fernan were at odds. And her father was involved in the conflict.

Looking back, it had been obvious all along.

Her father had always pressured her to bear Fernan’s child, insisting that it was the only way to secure the marriage.

And Fernan had always been wary of her from the start.

‘…So it was because of my family.’

The realization hit her like a blow. Fernan hadn’t wanted this marriage from the beginning—he had been forced into it.

In the past, she had been too preoccupied with her own emotions to consider his side of the story.

But now, the answer seemed so obvious.

Julia’s hand tightened on the edge of the table before slowly releasing it.

Even if she now understood the reason, it didn’t make his coldness toward her any easier to accept.

But at least… she could understand.

The way her father continued to antagonize Fernan, even in her absence, only confirmed it.

And yet, one question remained: Why was Fernan still looking for her? Why had he asked her to stay by his side now?

Was it because he genuinely regretted everything?

‘Even so…’

It didn’t matter.

There was no going back to her former position as the Grand Duchess.

And Fernan hadn’t asked her to return to it, either.

Yes… that’s right.

Julia slowly unclenched her hands, her resolve firming.

There was only one thing left for her to do.

Stick to her original plan and leave.

That was the only answer.