Chapter 42

After throwing up blood, Julia immediately lost consciousness.

Several months had passed since staying here, but Julia had never collapsed like this.

She sometimes said that she felt a throbbing pain in her heart, but this was the first time she coughed up blood with such intense pain.

After fainted, Julia didn’t wake up until the next day.

"…Julia, are you okay?"

Julia turned to Cedric, who sat next to her with a worried look in his eyes. Cedric, who had been watching her all night, had a look of guilt on his face. Julia closed her eyes and gently nodded her head in reply. 

"I'm sorry. I should have paid more attention. I didn't realize how serious your condition was getting…"

Cedric dropped his gaze with an embarrassed expression. Julia struggled to open her mouth at his remorseful words. 

"Please don't say that. I'm fine."

But as soon as she spoke, her heart began to palpitate again.

Julia bit her lip as trying to catch her breath, her hands trembling.

"I could endure this before, but why all of a sudden…"

Suddenly, the words that Matheus had said a long time ago came to Julia's mind as she endured the pain. 

He said if she used the holy power randomly, her body would not be able to hold on. 

Of course she knew it well, but she didn’t have any serious problems during that time, so she thought it was okay.

As soon as she was relieved, her body started to break down little by little.

"I'll try to find a cure somehow ……."

"…"

"If we go to the temple and search through all the old documents, I'm sure we can find out more about Julia's condition."

Cedric opened his mouth decisively, as if to reassure her. But he couldn't be sure, and his expression was gloomy.

Julia nodded lightly, lacking the energy to reply. Cedric looked at her worriedly as she struggled.

"Julia, sleep some more. I'll be by your side.”

Julia slowly closed her eyes at the quiet voice. Her whole body was heavy as if she was drowning in the water.

***

Cedric left the monastery as planned.

In the meantime, Julia's body had made some improvement, but she was still not ready to return to her daily routine.

So her routine at the monastery became lighter than before. She moved at a comfortable pace for her body and then had longer rest periods. 

One fine morning, Julia opened the window and sat down in front of the woodworking table.

On the table were branches of colorful flowers and a half-finished flower crown.

She was making a crown and a bouquet for the bride, as there was going to be a wedding at the monastery in a few days.

"Julia, have a snack and take a rest.”

Gabrielle, who visited her in her room, said as she placed the tray on the table.

“Oh, thank you.”

Julia looked up after letting her flower crown down for a while.

With her hair tied loosely, Julia smiled brightly. She looked the most comfortable she had lately, but she was a little thinner than before.

Gabrielle pushed the plate with the madeleines towards Julia with a worried look on her face.

"If it's too much work, you don't have to do it. I'm always worried that you'll collapse again.”

"Don't worry. I’m just sitting.”

After answering bravely, Julia stopped working and began to eat madeleines.

Gabrielle looked at her pitifully.

But Julia was calm, and the others seemed rather anxious about her condition.

Despite Gabrielle’s concern, Julia's appetite had returned after a long time, and she ate more than half of the madeleines.

The sweet and soft texture spread in her mouth, making her feel even better.

“But I'm relieved that you’re eating well."

Gabrielle gave a small sigh. Julia chuckled as she watched Gabrielle.

"It's thanks to Gabrielle's cooking skills.”

"I’ll bring you more, so eat slowly."

Gabrielle eventually smiled and talked in a better mood.

All of a sudden she heard a cute voice interrupting the conversation.

"Julia."

Julia turned her head with her eyes wide open. Through the gap in the door, she could see a small child standing there.

"Oh, it's Rose.”

Rosemary, her hair tied up in pigtails, was standing there, her big eyes fluttering.

Julia hurried over and opened the door. She could also see Theo hiding behind Rosemary.

"Hey, Theo wanted to see Julia. And so do I.”

Rosemary spoke loudly, and Theo, who was standing behind her, shook his head wildly.

"No, no, no! I was just following Rosemary…"

Theo, who was mumbling with his red face, bowed his head.

Julia smiled at the cute sight and bent her knees to meet the children’s eye level.

She had purposely not seen the children for the past few days.

She was worried that she might suddenly collapse again and shock the children.

Julia couldn't hide the smile that naturally appeared on her face when she saw the children running around like this, saying that they hadn't been able to play with her for a few days.

While Julia held the children's hands and sat them down in front of the wooden table, Gabrielle said she would bring more snacks and left the room.

"Julia, does it hurt anymore?”

Theo watched Julia as she hesitated.

Julia gently stroked the child's hair.

"It doesn't hurt anymore. I'm better now.”

Anytime she was with the children, she felt at peace.

In a way, it was because of the children that she was able to love this small town so quickly.

They were the ones who sought affection and gave her so much love.

It was here, exchanging unconditional love, that Julia was able to heal the wounds she had suffered. 

"Come on, guys. Hurry up and eat."

A few moments later, Gabrielle came in with a tray piled high with snacks.

The worries that filled a corner of Julia's mind gradually faded away while she spent time with the people she cared about.

***

Fernan was still madly frantic searching for Julia. 

He searched the entire continent without a break, but there was still no trace of Julia. He looked like a corpse, acting as if all his feelings and thoughts were gone. In his blank stare, only the recurring despair was submerged.

Time was flying by when, to his surprise, he was able to find a clue about Julia.

[I have learned of a sighting in the Elemion territory of a woman of similar appearance to Her Highness] 

The message was sent by a knight who was searching in other regions. Elemion was a small territory in the south bordering the Grand Duke's domain.

Strangely enough, he only searched around other countries even with clues right near him.

[About six months ago, a young woman they had never seen before was lying on the outskirts of the village. She was unconscious.

A villager took care of the woman for about a month at a nearby clinic.]

And it was reported that as soon as the woman woke up, she asked the villager to take her to a certain monastery.

Fernan immediately sought out the monastery in question.

He pursued all the priests there and found out that they had a woman, presumed to be Julia, with them for some time.

The description, the clothes, and the time of the disappearance were exactly the same as when Julia disappeared.

The priests would not open their mouths further, but it was not difficult to force them to speak out. As a result, Fernan learned that someone had taken her with him to another country.

Matheus, who had given Julia the pendant, did not fall under this category.

This was because of the circumstances that Matheus had remained in the imperial palace at the time she disappeared.

In the end, it meant that there was a third person.

When he had made that assumption, a thought occurred to Fernan.

It was the report of the knight who had returned from watching Julia at the Imperial Palace a while ago.

"It doesn’t seem to be any to pay much attention to, but Her Highness was accompanied by 2 priests on her walks. One was a young priest and the other was an older priest.”

All of the priests who visited the Imperial Palace that day belonged to the Temple of Ilion. Fernan quickly checked the entire list of priests from the temple.

There were not one or two young priests. However, there were no priests who could be considered very young.

After questioning and digging deeper, it was found that there was a priest who could take the shape of a "young child."

It was not a private list that could be confirmed externally, but information obtained from military documents.

The military documents contained the numerical value and utilization of holy power of priests that could be deployed in times of war.

From the documents, he found a priest who could change his "appearance" with holy power.

In other words, he could also change his age at will.

And there was only one priest in the Temple of Ilion with such ability.

It was a priest named Cedric Lapheod.

It was said that he had been away from the temple since last winter.

All the circumstances were in place.

"Your Highness, in a week's time, on the day of the High Priest’s tour, that young priest will surely appear.”