Chapter 4

Fernan’s eyes were cold, and only the edges of his mouth were softly curved. It was an eerie feeling.

"Why did you give me the woman you liked so much? Your Majesty could have her.”

The tone was light as he passed by, but a thin ice silence flowed inside the banquet hall. Everyone was looking at Fernan with bewilderment.

He continued his words, as if he didn't care a bit.

“If Your Majesty wishes, I will step down from this marriage.”

His golden eyes reached Julia on the other side.

“What do you think?"

Julia looked at him with a pale face. Her mind froze blank.

‘What is he saying now?’

Her hands, which had quickly lost their warmth, began to tremble. She couldn't make sense of this situation.

She couldn't understand a word he was saying.

"…… Grand Duke, you joke too much."

It was the Empress who broke the stifling silence. She kept a calm expression among the hardened ones.

The emperor, who had a dumbfounded look on his face, finally spoke.

Yeah, that kind of joke doesn't fit the situation. You didn't mean to humiliate me, did you?”

The emperor's lips quivered. He didn't know whether to be angry or just laugh it off.

Fernan smiled, keeping a single, coquettish look on his face. He didn't look like the man who had thrown the bomb into the middle of a friendly dinner party.

"There’s no way I have such impure intentions toward His Majesty. You are mistaken.”

Julia stared at him blankly. Her heart was beating as if it was about to jump out of her chest, but her mind was still and quiet.

"Your Majesty. In a moment. I would like to speak with you about an international matter…"

Thanks to the Crown Prince's hasty change of subject, the dinner continued in a strange atmosphere.

Occasionally, the Empress managed to talk to Julia, who was stunned throughout, and Julia gave suitable answers.

However, when the dinner was over and she left the banquet hall, she could not remember what she had said at all.

While moving to return to her designated place, Julia touched her cold hands.

Fernan, who was walking ahead, was talking to the Crown Prince about something.

Her legs faltered and she paused for a moment, her lips clenched and she had a tight grip on the hem of her dress.

All the while, he moved further and further away, never once looking back.

Julia held onto the wall and lowered her head. The air was so cold that it stung her lungs.

She looked for a moment at the end of the corridor where Fernan had disappeared. She was the only one left in the empty hallway.

***

The next day, Julia slept through the whole morning.

Occasionally, a maid came to wake her up and offered her food, but she never felt like eating anything.

However, she had to force herself to wake up because the Empress had a tea party in the afternoon. 

"Duchess, you're looking very pale. Are you sure you don't want me to call the doctor?" 

To the maid’s concerned question, Julia nodded, meaning that she was fine.

Her face, bloodless and pale, looked exactly like the patient. It was no wonder that her maid was constantly worried about her.

During the three days stay in the capital, Julia's official itinerary was only the tea parties and dinners hosted by the Empress.

After dressing up, she dragged her tired body to the Central Palace.

It was there that she encountered a completely unexpected person.

"Julia! Why didn’t you call me when you came to the capital!"

Marchioness Elody Was happy and embraced Julia as soon as she got close. Julia's face gradually hardened.

There was no way that the Marchioness would miss the tea party where the capital's noble ladies gathered, but she was too preoccupied to overlook it.

Julia sighed quietly and forced her lips to part.

"How have you been, mother?"

"That mansion got lonely without you. I don’t know how much your father misses you too."

"Yes…”

"How have you been? Are you feeling well?”

The Marchioness took Julia's hand in hers and caressed her affectionately. She seemed to be a kind mother who was concerned about her daughter's well-being.

The sight of the Marchioness, whom Julia hadn't seen in a long time, made her feel horrified. Julia finally answered with a smile that did not come out.

"Yes, please don't worry.”

She felt the same way about herself as she replied to the Marchioness’s performance. Julia sat down in front of the tea table, mocking herself helplessly.

The gazes of the noble ladies poured in like a burden. She was the wife of Grand Duke Caesar, the most powerful man in the empire today. She was enough to be the focus of many people's attention.

"Um, how long is the Grand Duchess planning to stay in the capital?"

"I will be here for about three days, including today."

"It's a pity, I was expecting her to stay all the way until National Day. The Grand Duke has always been a very busy man, so I suppose it can't be helped."

The noblewomen were blatantly kind in order to curry Julia's favor.

She felt a bit bitter even though she felt Fernan's presence was great.

‘It won't do any good to look good to me.’

Julia listened and half-listened to the formal conversation. When the tea party was over, Julia stood up to hurry back. But the Marchioness’s gentle voice caught her feet.

"Julia, how would you like to stop by the house before you leave the capital?"

As Julia faltered and did not answer easily, a meaningful smile appeared on the Marchioness’s face.

"I heard from the Empress that you are free for the entire four days, with the exception of the evening party the day after tomorrow?"

"…… Yes."

Julia could not help but agree, and the Marchioness smiled and raised herself up. She took Julia gently by the arm and said.

"Come with the Grand Duke. All right?"

"I'll go alone. He has a lot of work…"

"Julia."

The marchioness held Julia's wrists with great effort. There was a familiar rejection in her tight touch.

"Be sure to take the Duke with you. You can do that much, can't you?"

Julia remained silent and avoided replying, and soon gave a weary sigh.

She was no match for the marchioness anyway. The Marchioness was a great woman who would not give in until Julia gave her the answer she wanted.

"I’ll ask him."

"Yes, I'll make arrangements, expecting you'll come with him."

The Marchioness smiled brightly as if nothing had happened and patted the back of Julia's hand.

Julia walked out of the parlor, stroking her forehead. A deep sigh escaped from her naturally.

"His Highness will be out for a while. Why don't you come inside and wait for him?”

As she was loitering in front of Fernan’s bedroom door for a while, one of the servants approached and spoke to Julia.

“Do you know when he will be back?"

"I don't know that much. But he went out early this morning, so he will probably be back soon."

Julia nodded. It seemed to be a good thing that she had come to visit him in the late afternoon on purpose.

Still, it seemed impolite to enter a room where the master was not present, so she stood still, and the servant, who understood what she meant, opened the door with a polite gesture.

Julia stood at the door, inadvertently stepping inside.

She was worried that Fernan would be angry that she had come in without permission. Julia thought sadly, but the servant who had just opened the door came into the room with tea and refreshments.

"It's chamomile tea. It has the effect of stabilizing the mind and body. I know it's rude, but… Your Highness looks a little tired."

The servant put the teacup down on the table. With her little consideration, the feeling of being stuck in the mud seemed to be getting a little better.

"Thank you. I'll take it."

The servant blushed when Julia showed her a small smile, and after a quick greeting, she disappeared.

Julia drank the offered tea and looked at the display cabinet on the wall. Fernan did not appear even after the teacup was empty.

Julia looked out the window. It was early evening and quite dark outside.

She wondered when he would come back.

She thought she was used to sitting still, but today she felt more tired than usual.

In the meantime, Fernan was having a meeting in the Crown Prince's audience room.

He wanted Fernand to take charge of the defense of the entire capital for this National Day festival.

In other words, he wanted him to guard that area while the Emperor made his way around the square for the parade.

"I don't know why you would ask me to do this for the Imperial Guard."

Fernan stared at the Crown Prince with an expressionless face. The deception that was in full view in front of him was not a simple matter.

Their intention was for the war hero, Grand Duke Caesar, to take the initiative to protect the Emperor.

In this way, they could build a solid image of the imperial family.