Chapter 14

Julia came out of the banquet hall and walked along the long hallway.

Her body and mind were all exhausted. Walking weakly, she paused at the sudden pain.

Perhaps because of the high shoes, her ankle, which she thought was fully recovered, suddenly throbbed.

She was standing still sighing, then she heard footsteps in the hallway that followed,

"Uh…."

Julia raised her head and opened her eyes wide. A priest was walking slowly across the corridor.

He was a priest named Matheus whom she met when she went to Mass with Veronica not long ago.

"Your Highness.”

Matheus, who stopped and talked to Julia, soon stared at her swollen ankle.

"You must have been hurt.”

"Oh, yes…."

Julia stared at him with curious eyes. Seeing him in a priest's uniform at the central palace, where the banquet was in full swing, somehow felt a little strange.

Matheus smiled faintly, as if he had noticed the gaze.

"I got lost while I was walking. The palace is so spacious and complicated."

"Oh, I see.”

The priest gets lost too…As she blinked her eyes curiously, Matheus gently knelt down on one knee.

“May I take a look for a moment?”

"Oh, no, no, I’m fine..”

Julia was perplexed when he suddenly knelt down. Matheus spoke calmly to reassure her.

"I can use my power to heal your injured ankle. I'm confident I can heal you, so you don't have to worry."

Matheus’ gentle tone somehow aroused trust. Julia nodded slightly.

"Then… please.”

Matheus held her ankle lightly in one hand. Soon a blue light leaked out and hovered around his hand.

It felt as if she had dipped her foot in cold water. She could vividly feel the power stinging her ankle.

“Can you try moving it once?"

Julia moved her ankle a little, and to her surprise, she felt no pain. Julia let out an exclamation with her eyes wide open.

How could it heal all at once when he just gently squeezed it? After all this time, Matheus in front of her looked like an amazing man.

"Thank you very much. It doesn't hurt anymore".

“I'm glad I could help.”

Matheus, who was slowly raising his body, gave a small smile and then bowed his head.

“I'll be going now.”

Julia suddenly caught him as he was about to turn around as if he had finished his work.

"Um, may I ask you something, priest?"

"Yes, go ahead.”

Stopping, Matheus leisurely waited for her to speak. Hesitantly, Julia opened her mouth cautiously.

"…Is it possible that we've met before?"

"Ah…”

It had been bothering her that he asked her if she knew him during the mass last time. If she had met such an amazing person in the past, there was no way she wouldn't remember him. Matheus paused for a moment and then nodded.

"Yes, but it's no surprise that you don't know me."

"…Why is that?"

He smiled meaningfully as he looked at Julia’s curious eyes. When Julia remained silent and waited for a reply, Matheus continued in a soft tone.

“Because at that time, you are a newborn baby."

"…Huh?"

Julia froze in place. Her eyes hovered vaguely around his face.

By all appearances, he looked to be of a similar age to herself, or even younger. How could he remember her baby self?

Looking at her stiffly, Matheus let out a small laugh. His gentle voice soon followed.

“Some priests, when their divine powers are overloaded, may cease to age in appearance.”

“…..”

Julia's eyes were filled with doubt.

"I was fifteen when I first saw you. I hope that was the answer."

Julia nodded with a puzzled face. He wasn't as old as she thought, but he didn’t look his age.

Julia, who was watching his face absentmindedly, soon came to her senses.

"Where did you see me, by the way? And how on earth did you notice me….?”

Her curiosity grew and grew. Julia’s hands fidgeted impatiently.

Matheus smiled lazily. And at that moment, there was a commotion from the end of the corridor.

Several people could be seen exiting the banquet hall.

“I'm sure you're wondering what's going on, but I have to go."

"Ah, yes…"

Julia nodded with lingering eyes. Looking at her gently, Matheus whispered quietly.

"I will tell you one thing. You are a very special person to me. I will always wish you the best of luck."

His voice was so warm that it made her chest heave. The sincerity oozed from his words that he wished her happiness.

“I'm sure we'll meet again soon." 

Her heart felt empty, as if a bright light had briefly wrapped around her and disappeared.

Finally, smiling lightly, Matheus disappeared across the hallway.

***

The chaotic festival was over, and there was only silence on the road back to the estate.

Julia looked out the window in a pensive mood. She couldn't get the encounter with Matheus out of her mind.

She couldn't believe he met her when she was just a baby.

‘Then perhaps the priest knows my mother?’

Julia hadn't seen her mother since she left her when she was seven. She had no idea where her mother lived or even what she did for a living.

The Marquis would occasionally mention her mother and threaten her to "listen very carefully," but he didn't seem to know exactly where she was living either.

It was very confusing in her head.

Matheus said he would see her again soon, but she had no idea when that would be…

‘I should have asked which temple he belongs to.'

Julia gave a small, belated sigh.

Julia took her gaze off the window and stared at her ankle in a daze. As she lifted her head, moving her foot for no apparent reason, her eyes met Fernan’s.

He quickly averted his gaze. His senseless profile was quiet.

Julia moved her lips, trying to say something. But she quickly closed her lips. If she tried to speak to him, she would hear that she was annoying again.

Except for the intermittent rumbling, the carriage was silent.

It took half a day to reach the castle that way.

Julia got out of the carriage in the dim darkness and immediately went to her bedroom.

There she found a vase of flowers on the table that she had never seen before.

The clear glass vase was filled with white lily flowers.

While wondering, Julia approached the table and put her face close to the vase.

The pleasant scent completely penetrated her mind.

"Oh, Your Grace? Are you here?”

She turned her head to the side and Melissa, who had just come out of cleaning the dressing room, approached her.

"Melissa, you brought these flowers, didn't you?"

Julia asked, and Melissa nodded with a shy smile.

“You seem to like the flowers, but you couldn't bring them home that day. It bothers me so much…”

Julia’s eyes widened as she looked at Melissa. She couldn't believe that she bought flowers again because she cared about that.

The feeling was gratifying and her heart filled with joy at the moment, but on the other hand, she felt a little complicated. 

"Ummm…don't you like it?"

Melissa asked, and Julia quickly shook her head.

"No, I appreciated it. But… I have nothing to give back to you."

“Oh, I didn't wish for anything! Please don't mind me."

From the beginning until now, Melissa had been uniformly warm. Julia didn't know how to respond to such a favor.

"…Thank you for treating me so well, Melissa." 

It bothered her that she could only say thank you at best. Melissa patted her on the shoulder.

She patted her gently.

Melissa didn't say anything, but she seemed to be comforting her with her warm hand. The hand seemed to make Julia feel a little better, even though she was exhausted.

***

Time passed quickly after the period of the National Day celebration was over.

The territory, where summer had ended, was chillier than before.

On a morning that was no different from any other, a gilded letter brought by a servant was placed on the table in front of Julia. The origin of the letter was, of course, Marquis Elody.

"Hmm.”

Julia, who sighed heavily, opened the envelope with an unwilling face.

The content was obvious even without reading it. It contained words asking if there was any news of her pregnancy, and words pressuring her to have a child as soon as possible.

The aphrodisiac he gave her the other day had completely disrupted her relationship with Fernan. How could she have a child in this situation?

And aside from all that, Julia didn't feel like having a baby yet.

‘If he hates me so much, how can he possibly like me with a child?’