Chapter 52

"I'll call someone first. When Your Grace wakes up, I should call the doctor right away…"

"Wait, wait."

Julia hurriedly caught Melissa who was about to leave.

Then, after arranging her thoughts for a while, she opened her mouth in confusion.

“Melissa…. Where am I?"

"Yes?  Ah, this is the Grand Duke's villa in the southern part of the Grand Duchy."

As soon as she heard her answer, Julia, whose complexion became white, squeezed Melissa's sleeve tightly and let out a trembling voice.

"Why? Why did I …..His Highness….”

Julia, who stuttered and muttered, covered her mouth with her hand.

‘Did Fernan find me and bring me all the way here?’

‘I can't believe it. How…’

Julia lowered her trembling hands and glanced around.

She couldn’t remember anything.

How did she encounter Fernan and how did she get to this place?

This situation was just too sudden for her.

As Julia began to tremble anxiously, Melissa, surprised, grabbed her hand tightly.

“Your Grace, are you okay?  I need to call the doctor first…."

After hearing Melissa's flustered words, Julia lowered her gaze to her body.

Her outfit wasn't the dress she had in her last memory. And for some reason, her palms were bandaged.

Stuttering and hugging her arm, Julia opened her mouth again.

“Melissa, I…  Why am I here?"

“…  ”

"I really…. I can't remember anything…"

To the desperate question, Melissa could not easily come up with an answer.

It was because Melissa did not know the details of the situation either.

She was just doing her chores at the castle as always.

Then one of the knights came and took her somewhere saying it was His Highness’ orders.

It was at this villa that she followed the knight with her bewildered heart.

And unbelievably, Julia was here. Julia, whom Melissa had missed so much, was lying on her deathbed.

"I only heard orders from the Grand Duke to take care of the Grand Duchess. How did you come to this place, I don’t know…"

“…  ”

“Your Grace, your complexion is too pale. Once again, lie down and I’ll get the doctor….”

Even before Melissa's words were over, Julia rose up urgently.

At this moment, all she had in her mind was to get out of this place immediately.

“Huh, Your Grace, where are you going!”

Julia stepped on the floor, leaving Melissa behind, who was trying to stop her.

Julia stumbled across the room in a thin chemise.

Not even conscious of her bare feet, there was no hesitation in her steps through the hallway.

“Your Grace, wait….”

As Melissa, who had followed her helplessly, tried to grab her by force, someone appeared from beyond her hallway.

It was Fernan who came back after talking with the doctor for a while.

“… Julia?”

At the soft voice calling her, Julia raised her head in an instant.

And she found Fernan standing a little further away.

Fernan strode closer to her with his unusual startled face.

Julia, as if she couldn't believe what she saw, slowly backed away from him.

“How ….."

While Julia was muttering in the distance, Fernan, who approached, looked carefully at her complexion.

“When did you wake up?  Is your body okay?"

“…  ”

"Wait.  I'll call the doctor…  .”

He said so and grabbed her trembling hand. Julia, who flinched, reflexively shook off his hand.

Fernan, who looked at his fallen hand for a moment, turned to look at Julia again.

It was only after seeing the frightened appearance that he noticed that Julia's condition was unusual.

“Now, why… .”

Julia murmured continuously with a cracked voice. Her legs were shaking and she couldn't even stand properly. She felt nauseous and her head was about to break. Her nerves were breaking off one by one.

“Julia, calm down.”

Fernan stared at her with a calm face. But Julia stepped back again when his words sounded like he was trying to lock her up.

Julia has been living peacefully so far, thinking she was completely freed from the past.

She never thought for any reason that she would ever see Fernan again.

"No. I'll go, I'll go…"

Unable to control her trembling lips, Julia passed him with a precarious step.

But soon after, she had to turn around after being held by a firm hand.

"Where are you going?”

“Are you planning to go to the ruined monastery?”

Fernan, who held her wrist lightly, asked calmly, and Julia looked up at him with an exasperated face.

"No way…  Did you do any harm to the monastery?”

“…  ”

“Hey, let me go! I…I…”

Julia twisted her shaky hands, but Fernan’s big hand didn't budge.  And at this moment, Fernan was feeling that there was something oddly wrong with her words.

"Julia."

Looking at Julia, who could hardly regain her reason, Fernan spoke with a clear voice.

"Can't you remember what happened?"

“…  ”

At his question, Julia stopped her struggling movements and lifted her gaze. Fernan, who read her reply from her silence, gradually released the strength from his hand that had held her.

After a while, Fernan looked at her with a slightly more subtle face and lightly touched her forehead.  

“Bring the doctor right away.”

"Yes. Yes!"

Melissa, who had stood at a distance and fidgeted, gave a quick reply, and then disappeared.

Julia looked up at Fernan with her unwavering gaze, and then she took her steps again.

Fernan, who had let her walk staggeringly for some time, sighed heavily and caught up with her at once.

Then he gently grabbed her slender waist and picked her up.

“Let me down!"

Ignoring Julia, who was hanging like a load of luggage, Fernan hurriedly walked back to the bedroom.

Bang!  Unlike the tightly closed door, the hand that put Julia down on her bed was careful.

Julia didn't even have the strength to make any sound, she just looked at him as she squirmed.

Her eyes filled with tears.  The hem of her dress was pushed up from the struggle. Below that, the ankles with only bones left.

Fernan, who was staring at her ankles, soon bent one knee slowly to meet her eye level.

"Julia, how far do you remember?"

He calmly waited for Julia, who could not answer right away.

After a while, Julia opened her mouth with a slightly awakened face.

“…  I was in a carriage.”

“…  ”

“I was going to the Lord’s house.”

Julia sporadically continued her words and tried to bring back her memories, but still couldn't think of anything after that.

Did she fall asleep in the carriage?  But she didn’t even remember falling asleep.

Julia nervously grabbed the blanket and she couldn't continue her words anymore.

"okay…  Is that so?”

Fernan, who understood the situation to some extent, lowered his gaze and narrowed his brow.

Perhaps Julia only remembered the situation before she encountered the monsters.

Fernan contemplated for a long time in silence.

Even if he told the truth, he was not sure if Julia would be able to handle it.

Perhaps Julia didn’t know she had lost her memory for a moment because of the horror she had experienced for the first time in her life.

"Your Highness, it’s Lockman."

Meanwhile, someone's voice was heard.

The doctor, Lockman, who hurriedly opened the door and came in, looked surprised as he saw Julia awake.

“Your Grace, you are conscious!  I am very happy.”

Lockman was also very familiar to Julia. She was treated by him a few times at the Grand Duke’s mansion.

But now she couldn't afford to face him. Her head felt like it was going to explode.

"Ah….”

She tried to bring back her memories somehow, but the more she did it, the more her breathing became urgent.

Even though she had no memory of it, her body had not forgotten the horror of that time.

Julia looked down at her hands, which did not stop trembling.

She had to know what happened, but she had a strange feeling that she shouldn't know.

For a moment, it seemed as if a loud roar was heard from somewhere.

Julia closed her eyes tightly and covered her ears. She crouched down and started sobbing involuntarily.

“Ah …”

As she was closing her eyes for a while, someone gently wrapped her shoulders. Julia, who felt the touch, raised her eyes at that moment.

Her face, wet with tears, turned to Fernan.

“Julia, why….”

In her tearful eyes, Fernan had an expression that seemed to be somewhat bewildered and helpless.

Reaching out, he gently caressed Julia's wet eyes.

As he wiped her tears with his bewildered face, he then pulled her into his arms tightly.

Julia felt his hand stroking her back with a dazed face.

Her head, which had been engulfed by her fear, was gradually turned white by the sudden great warmth. It was strange.

She had to push this man away, but somewhere a clumsy hand seemed to loosen her tension.

“…  ”

Julia slowly lowered her hand, as her trembling gradually subsided.

She blinked a few times, then slowly lowered her eyelids.

Her stiff body gradually loosened up.