Chapter 72

"I knew you were stupid, but I didn't expect it to be this much."

Fernan threw something roughly with a sullen voice.

What was thrown in front of the Marquis was the spy the Marquis had planted in the Grand Duke’s Castle the other day.

The spy, who was trembling and lying in front of the Marquis, murmured.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Marquis……"

Realizing that the spy confessed everything, the Marquis jumped up with a pale face.

‘D*mn, what should I do?’  The Marquis, who licked his tongue harshly, squealed first.

“What a rude thing to do! How dare you visit me out of the blue and be so violent!"

As he reacted ignorantly and shouted loudly, Fernand approached the Marquis without changing his expression.

Without hesitation, he lifted the sword in his hand, and the Marquis fell back with a squeal.

Fernan muttered while rubbing the arm of the fallen Marquis.

"If you had done it in moderation and stopped, I wouldn't have thought of killing you."

Fernan thrust his sword into the other arm of the Marquis.  The Marquis screamed in pain.

“I can’t keep you alive when I listen to that filthy mouth.”

“Ah! Ah!”

Fernan, who looked down at the screaming Marquis with a dazzling gaze, pulled out the sword and put it back down again.

At the blade that dug deep into his thigh, the Marquis began to squirm and struggle.

Fernan, who twisted the blade, adding to the pain, tilted his head slowly.

“No need to tremble, Marquis, I won’t kill you straight away.”

What the Marquis had done to Julia in the past could not be compared to a single pierce.

Therefore, the marquis should die as slowly as possible, after repeated pain and suffering.

So that he never put his shameless face in front of Julia in the name of her father again.

“Ah, save, save me….”

The following words were swallowed by the sharp knife that was thrust into his mouth.

The floor was instantly stained with blood.

It was concluded that the Marquis' servants were killed with their possessions taken away by bandits.

Since only the bodies of his subordinates were found, the Marquis was treated as missing.  However, no one thought he was alive, as blood-stained belongings and clothes were found.

The influence of the Marquis Elody had already weaned for a long time. This incident quickly passed without being a big topic of discussion in the capital.

However, at the news of the Marquis, the Marchioness fainted, and his son, Grayson, did not shed a single tear.

The Emperor seemed convinced that the Grand Duke was behind this, but he did not rush to speak of the possibility.

It was because he knew very well that if he touched the Grand Duke with no proof would only harm himself.

Meanwhile, the Marquis was imprisoned in a dungeon and tortured, and died on the third day.

***

It had been four days since Fernan returned to the mansion.

He told Julia that he would be back soon, but he felt nervous because it took longer than planned.

He headed straight to Julia's bedroom and knocked on the door.  However, it was not Julia who came out from inside, but her maid.

“Where is Julia?”

The maid, who bowed her head to his question, answered quickly.

“In the morning, she went to the shore to see the ocean.”

“She went alone?”

"No. The knight went with her.”

Fernan immediately turned and walked out of the mansion.

The promise to go to the sea together was postponed due to various things, so it seemed like she was going to go alone.

Fernan got on his horse and rode along the road leading to the shore.

Now that he had removed the elements that would break Julia's tranquility, she would now be able to live comfortably here without any disturbance.

She might be happy to settle in Richel.

The last time, she seemed very happy with the old lady and the children. She seemed to depend a lot on the old lady as well.

If she visited them often, she may laugh more often than now.

It was enough for him to see her smile as long as she was in his realm.  Soon he entered a gravel road near the shore.

With the horse tied up nearby, he loosened the collar of his shirt.

Just as he was about to enter the beach road, a knight who was running madly from afar found him and suddenly stopped.

“Your Highness!”

From the voice of the knight shouting urgently, Fernan immediately felt an unusual momentum.

Soon, words like thunder poured out from the knight.

“Her Grace is gone!”

***

On the second day when Fernan did not return, Julia went to the beach alone that evening. Unlike the daytime when the scorching heat continued, in the evening, the air was cool. So, after looking at the distant horizon for a long time, she returned to the mansion.

Until the next day, Julia looked through her window and checked several times to see if Fernan had returned.

She thought he would be back in a day or two, but he seemed very busy.

Another day passed, and a week had passed since she came here, and the day she agreed to meet Cedric came.

She thought she would leave after she saw Fernan’s face, but she knew the truth.  Now his absence was her opportunity to escape.

So she came to the beach again.

After a long walk along the pebbly and sandy beach, Julia subtly hardened her lips.

‘The sea……  After all, we didn't see it together.’

Blue eyes mingled with various emotions shone faintly.

She thought it was better.  If she had spent more time with Fernan than this, her mind would become more complicated.

Julia looked at the blue summer sea for a long time. It was particularly sunny today, but slightly cool with the breeze.

That evening.

Right across from Lian Harbor, at the Peribel Inn, Julia and Cedric were reunited safely.

“Julia!”

Cedric looked at Julia, who had entered the inn without hiding his happy emotions.

Cedric looked at her hastily and sighed in relief.  Her condition didn't look as bad as she thought.

“Cedric, how have you been?”

Julia asked with a smile as she looked at him. She finally met Cedric for the first time in two seasons.

The winter when war broke out in the Holy Kingdom. Late winter and spring when she went to Fernan's villa.  And here in the coastal city, it was a perfect summer.

“I’ve been doing well, but Julia…  Are you okay?”

Seeing Cedric's worried gaze, Julia quietly nodded.

The problem was that she was getting along with Fernan much better than she expected.

“I thought I would have to wait at least a few more weeks for Julia to come. Did he just let you go?”

Julia replied calmly with a low gaze.

"I ran away while His Highness was away. I used my power to trick the knight. But I don't think there's a big strain on my body."

"……”

Cedric’s green eyes looked at her with concern. Because she shouldn't have used her powers anymore.

Julia noticed his gaze and shrugged as if it was okay.

"When should we leave?"

To the question that changed the subject as if evoking, Cedric turned his gaze away at that moment and gave an answer.

"We should leave as soon as possible."

Not knowing when Julia would come, Cedric bought tickets every evening.

"It'd be better to leave right away this evening. That way, it'll be easier to avoid the Grand Duke’s search.”

Julia nodded resolutely.  As Cedric said, the sooner she left this place, the better.

At least today the search would not extend to this port. She disappeared near the mansion, so Fernan would probably start searching the coast and surrounding villages.

While Julia was organizing her thoughts, Cedric stared at her outfit.

"Julia, you should change first. It’ll be a long journey, comfortable clothes will be better.”

At that, Julia looked down at her clothes for a moment.  It was obvious that she would stand out wherever she went if she wore this gorgeous dress.

As Julia nodded, Cedric soon borrowed a plain robe from the innkeeper.

After changing and packing necessary luggage, the sun began to set.

It was around that time that the two left the inn.