Chapter 17

"Your Highness."

At that moment, Julia suddenly opened her mouth again.

"I'm sorry to keep bothering you, but I really want to ask you something."

Julia hesitated for a moment. It was something she had to ask at some point, but it didn't just feel good to let it out.

“When are you going to divorce me?"

Fernan’s expression hardened for a moment at her words, but slowly returned to normal.

"Why, do you intend to inform the Marquis?"

“No, I didn't ask you with that intention. …."

“Well, I don't trust you, after all, you’re your father’s obedient daughter.”

Julia's face turned pale as Fernan recited in a low voice.

She had always been soft and reluctant, but when the Marquis was mentioned, she would freeze.

Fernan couldn't understand why. Because the Marquis he had seen was a father who truly cared only for his daughter.

From the very beginning, when the marriage was first arranged, the Marquis used to praise Julia to the point where he was repulsed.

Not only the Marquis, but also the Emperor and Empress were extremely fond of Julia.

She would have grown up to be quite arrogant, but she didn't seem to have that side.

So at first he thought she was pretending to be quiet.

Then again, who knows if she'll get some drugs and try to make him drink.

Fernan gave a small mocking smile. The reminder that she was the daughter of Marquis Elody seemed to soften his increasingly confused feelings. 

Weak or timid, she was the daughter of the Marquis after all. That fact alone has not changed.

"…"

Julia bowed her head in silence. She didn't look as hurt as she usually did. It was just a face that showed signs of being tired of everything.

"I'm sorry. I won't bother you any more."

She didn't get the answer she wanted from Fernan, but she could tell that he hadn't changed his mind about divorcing her with his usual cold words.

Her heart swelled for a moment. Not wanting to continue eating anymore, Julia slowly got up from her seat.

With her head low, Julia crossed the spacious dining room.

When the servant opened the door, Julia left without hesitation. She didn’t look back to see the last of Fernan’s expression.

*******

It was in the afternoon when early autumn arrived.

When Julia was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace, reading a book, she raised her head at the sound of a knock on the door. 

Melissa, who was arranging her bedding, hurriedly opened the door and found Bennett standing in front of it.

"Your Grace, you have a visitor from the palace."

"A visitor?"

Julia tilted her head. She followed Bennett curiously to the reception room, where the attendant standing inside greeted her politely.

"Grand Duchess. I am the immediate attendant to Her Imperial Highness the Crown Princess.”

The servant held out something. It was an envelope with an imperial pattern on it.

Bennett held out the letter opener he had prepared in advance. Julia opened the envelope, took out the contents, and immediately read the letter.

The sender was Veronica, the Crown Princess. The letter contained a question about her safety.

And the words that an important guest would be arriving at the Grand Duke's castle shortly were added. It did not say who the precious guest was, perhaps as a deliberate attempt to arouse curiosity. Julia thought of Veronica's kind face for a while.

Veronica was in the last trimester of her pregnancy and was concentrating on her prenatal care. She looked very happy as she held her swollen belly by the Crown Prince’s side.

Julia gave a small smile, but the end of it transformed into a somewhat sad one. It was because her current circumstances were completely opposite from Veronica’s.

Julia tried her best to shake off her thoughts. Then she concentrated on worrying about who was the guest Veronica was referring to.

But her worries faded, and the guest came to visit the very next day.

***

It was a little late afternoon and Julia was staring blankly at the man in the main hall.

"How have you been?"

A tall man in a white priest's uniform greeted her with a friendly smile.

It was Matheus, the priest she had met at the National Celebration Day.

"The guest the Crown Princess mentioned in the letter is you, priest?”

Murmuring, Julia slowly approached Matheus.

She never thought she’d see Matheus again like this.

Matheus smiled as she looked at him with a mixture of surprise and happiness.

"After the prayer for Princess Veronica, I stopped by on my way back to the temple."

Matheus took a leisurely look around. Some of the servants who were standing in the lobby glanced at him, for his holy appearance seemed somewhat alien to the dark and heavy airiness of the temple.

“May I see His Highness first and say hello?"

"Ah, His Highness is currently not at the castle. He’s out for some political affairs, but I am not sure when he will be back….."

Fernan’s return times were different lately, so Julia couldn't be sure when he would arrive.

Julia first led Matheus to the parlor.

The servant who opened the door disappeared to go prepare some refreshments, and then Julia opened her mouth.

"There were many words I wanted to hear from you, priest. I did not expect to see you like this.”

"The Crown Princess is very worried about you. She was concerned about your pale complexion the other day. So she asked me to stop by the castle and pray for Lady Julia."

"…I see.”

Veronica's warmth was fully felt, and Julia had a faint smile appear on her lips.

"You said you had many questions for me. I will answer everything sincerely."

Matheus’ relaxed voice descended. Julia asked one question at a time, feeling his relaxed demeanor calm her down as well.

"To which temple do you belong, priest?"

"‘The Temple of Ilion. It’s not too far from Caesar's territory."

The Temple of Ilion was not a temple belonging to the Empire.

Matheus traveled throughout the empire and was asked by the imperial family to stay at the imperial palace for a while. He was a capable and trusted priest.

Julia calmly organized her thoughts. She wasn’t sure what to ask first.

Matheus, who had been staring at her, spoke up first.

"You are very much like your mother."

Julia stared blankly at him. Her clear eyes began to shake.

"Do you know my mother?"

"Yes, because I was there when you were born."

Julia's hands began to tremble slightly. Her heart began to beat fast.

Matheus reached out his hand to her. Julia looked at his hand absentmindedly and held it as if possessed.

She could instinctively feel his divine power flowing through her hand.

"I've told you before that I'm confident in my healing."

Julia took a deep breath as she felt the power flowing along her entire body. My wild heart slowly began to return to its normal speed.

“You were the first life I saved with this holy power.”

Once upon a time, Matheus, a novice priest in a small temple, saw a young woman who came alone to pray every night.

She was always crying, and sometimes she would laugh with her hand wrapped around her stomach.

Young Matheus watched her every day, and from a certain moment he would wait for her to come.

Day by day her belly grew fuller and fuller.

“One day, a midwife and a doctor rushed to visit the temple. They said the pregnant woman had fainted and there was nothing they could do to help her."

They visited the priest as a last resort, but of all people, only a young novice priest was in the monastery that day. Matheus rushed to her house, but was unable to give any help.

"All I could do was pray, so I prayed with all my heart. Please help the woman in labor and the child."

After Matheus took a moment to catch his breath, he continued his story.

“And that day, God made me realize the holy power that was latent in me."

Matheus transferred some of the enlightened power into the woman's belly, and she woke up safely and gave birth to a child.

The heart of the newborn child was filled with the holy power of Matheus.

“The first blessing I gave as a priest was that the child would grow up happier than anyone else.”

Matheus stared at Julia and asked, 

“Are you happy now?"

Julia stared at him blankly, but quickly turned away.

She raised her hand and brought it to her chest, feeling her heart pounding as she answered,

“I…”

She wasn't happy. So she couldn't continue to answer.

Gazing at Julia's complicated face, Matheus whispered quietly,

“If you’re not happy, it's my fault.

He averted his gaze and looked at the window. Then he slowly opened his mouth again.

"You are still as special to me as ever."

"…"

"So, whenever you need help, you can come to me."

Julia raised her head and looked at Matheus. 

His story was so so amazing that it was hard to believe, but unlike the complexity of her mind, her heart was calm.

She could instinctively know. That thanks to the holy power that resides in her heart, she could regain stability if he was by her side.

“I…”

Just as Julia was about to open her mouth, someone opened the door without knocking. When she turned to look, she saw Fernan was standing there, having just returned to the castle.