Chapter 15

The situation might be different if she had a child because it was a matter of succession, but she still had to be afraid. It would be unbearable if those cold and heartless eyes of Fernan directed at the child.

‘His Highness doesn't even want to share a room with me let alone have a baby…’

Julia, who was stroking the stiff paper absentmindedly, immediately rose from her seat. Trying to call Melissa out of habit, Julia quickly remembered that Melissa had left for vacation today. She felt very lonely without Melissa, who was the only person she could talk to by her side.

As it was, Julia came out of the bedroom and walked slowly to the end of the hallway.

She was going to spend some time in the study today.

There were a total of five study rooms here in the Grand Ducal Palace of Caesar. Julia's favorite study was located on the fourth floor.

It was a quiet place where no one came and went except when the servants were cleaning.

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

The two servants who had just come out from cleaning the study bowed to her.

As Julia nodded and turned to go inside, she heard the servants talking quietly behind her.

She already knew that the servants have been mocking her and laughing at her behind her back.

Being treated poorly by the master and even ignored by the servants was something she had experienced many times during her time at the Marquis' mansion.

They were well aware of the fact that their master would not take any action even though they bullied her.

Julia also didn't want to cause any unnecessary noise, so she put up with their whispers as usual.

With a deep sigh, she chose any book from the bookshelf and sat down at the table. Immersing herself in the book allowed her to forget all about the reality surrounding her. Today, Julia was desperately absorbed in the book to calm her emotions.

Time passed quickly. It was around morning when she came to the study, and before she knew it, the study was dimly lit. Julia got up from her seat, left her books in their original positions, and approached the door. 

Click.

Julia, who turned the doorknob, froze for a moment. It was because the door didn't open. … Could it be that the door was locked from the outside? For some reason, Julia had a bad premonition, and she quickly turned the handle and shouted.

"Is there anyone there? The door is locked!"

She shouted loudly as she pounded the door harder and harder, but it was quiet outside.

"No one?"

After screaming for a long time, she soon sank into place. Her heart began to beat like crazy.

In the morning, the servants had clearly seen her enter the study.

Moreover, it was still far from lights out, so there was no need to lock the door at this hour.

So the maid deliberately locked the door knowing she was inside.

Julia bit down on her trembling lip and looked out the window, which was completely dark before she knew it.

If no one came after all the screaming and pounding, they either didn’t really hear her or they heard her but pretended not knowing.

Melissa wasn't here, so there was no one to look for her, knowing that she was gone.

"Ha…”

A wry smile escaped her lips. 

‘Why on earth would they do this to me?’

Julia, who curled up with her knees up, held her trembling hands together. The inside of the study without a fireplace quickly became chilly as the sun set.

After looking at the floor in a daze for a while, a faint expectation suddenly arose from her.

‘Perhaps His Highness will notice that I'm gone. …….’

"…No, of course not."

Julia quickly mumbled to herself. Fernan couldn’t care less about her.

He wouldn't care if she disappeared or escaped, and even if he knew… he was a man who wouldn't do anything about it.

For a moment, her heart went cold.

Julia nuzzled her face into her lap and let out shaky breaths. Her mind was spinning with countless thoughts.

After crouching for a long time, Julia raised herself up again. Then she approached the door and pounded on it until her hand crushed.

But no matter how hard she pounded, no one came.

Julia lowered her red and swollen hand weakly.

It was hard to accept the fact that out of all the people in the castle, no one would listen to her cries.

‘What have I done so wrong to deserve this?’

Her eyes started to get wet. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help it.

After a long time she was locked in and scared, Julia suddenly felt comfortable and cozy.

Then her breathing became more and more labored.

When she finally opened her heavy eyelids, the first thing Julia saw was a tall man.

Even in her blurred vision she could recognize him immediately. The man was Fernan.

"She needs to get plenty of rest. Her body has been injured a lot, but I think it’s the mental stress that’s the underlying cause.”

There was a mixture of a doctor speaking in a serious tone and Fernan's voice answering in between.

Julia closed her eyes again. She did not want to get up.

“When will she regain consciousness?"

Fernan’s somber voice burned in her ears.

It was casual, but that voice, which she had always thought was good to hear, did not sound so pleasant now. Julia closed her eyes and let sleep take over. Her body felt heavy as if it was being sucked into the bed. Sleep came quickly. 

When she woke up again, Julia couldn't help but be surprised.

Fernan was still by her side. He was sitting on the chair next to her bed, staring at her.

"Are you awake?"

His voice sounded heavy. After watching him for a while, Julia turned away to the other side without answering.

Despite her clear intention to turn her back on him, he continued to speak without faltering.

“The servants in charge of the study are locked in the basement."

"…"

"They insisted that the door was locked by mistake.”

Julia lifted her lips helplessly. She didn't have the strength to resent the blatant lie of a mistake. She had less and less energy to pursue and question him.

"I'll do whatever you want." (Fernan)

“…”

"I hope it doesn't end up just kicking them out."( Fernan)

“I’m not going to do anything about it….”

"What?"

Fernand lifted one eyebrow. Julia turned away, but murmured blithely,

"As a matter of fact, it seems that Your Highness wishes it to be so."

"…What do you mean by that?"

"‘That I may disappear…You want it more than anyone else, don't you? Then you must be grateful to those servants.”

Was it because of the medicine? The words began to flow by themselves.

Julia wasn't trying to say this, but it sounded as if she was questioning him.

"…Don't you know why the servants did this to me?"

If it was a normal day, she would have said thank you for your concern first, but she couldn't quite get those words out.

Because she didn’t feel grateful, not even a little bit.

Fernan just kept staring at her in silence. Julia couldn't tell if he was silent because he understood her words or because he couldn't.

Julia didn't speak anymore either.

After a long silence, Fernan lifted the bowl on the small table.

"Why don't you eat something first?"

He presented a soup made of oatmeal. It was freshly made and warm to the touch.

Julia opened her eyes slowly as she accepted the bowl. Suddenly, the situation seemed unfamiliar to her.

She turned her gaze and faced Fernan straight on.

He was expressionless, as usual, but there was no sign of the coldness that he always had.

He suddenly seemed strange to her.

Call a doctor, treated her, and stayed by her side until she woke up. She didn't know why he did all this.

"…I don't understand Your Highness’ behavior."

Julia gripped the bowl tightly and murmured softly.

“You said that this marriage will not last forever, and that my heart would not be of the slightest use to you.”

"…"

“You don't like me, but what are you doing now? Why are you so generous?”

Fernan was heartless and cruel every moment, but the next moment he was strangely not cold to her. He kept changing.

Like when she was in his room, or when she chased him down the hall, and now…

Fernan’s expression tightened at her words, and he said slowly, as if suppressing something.

"I'm still thinking about the end of this marriage. Still, your heart is of no use to me."

His brows narrowed gently, and he continued somewhat hesitantly.

“And I don't know why, either. I don't know why I'm becoming more vulnerable to you every moment."

His face saying so was unfamiliar. He looked confused as if he didn't understand his own feelings.

Julia felt mixed feelings too, but she didn't speak to him any further. Without saying a word, she drank the soup and even took the medicine. Afterwards, Julia finally fell asleep again. Fernan watched her face for a while as she slept soundly.

The emotions and discomfort that had flared up like a flame whenever he saw her were gone.

For this moment, his mind was strangely quiet.

A while later, he came out of the room and called Lloyd, who was standing at the door.

"Lloyd.”

"Yes, Your Highness.”

His face turned cold as usual as he walked along the corridor.

"‘Those servants in the basement, deal with them."

"Yes."

Understanding his words immediately, Lloyd bowed silently and disappeared.

Julia had told him that no action would be taken against the servants, but he had no intention of listening to her from the start.

A furry who mocked his master had to pay for it.

Locked in her study all night, Julia was found the next morning. It was Melissa, her exclusive maid who returned from her vacation that found Julia.

No one would have looked for Julia if it weren't for Melissa.

Fernan pursued Melissa and arrested all of the servants, not only the maids who had caused the incident, but also some of the servants who usually bullied and belittled Julia.

In spite of this, he still felt inexplicable.

"Don't you know why the servants did this to me?”

Julia's small voice rang in his ears. Then, as if something was holding him down, his chest became heavy.

Fernan frowned nervously. He didn't know what he wanted to do with himself.