IWDGD 14

Chapter 14

Yulia stepped out of the banquet hall and walked along the long corridor.

Both her body and mind were exhausted. As she walked listlessly, she suddenly felt a pang of pain and halted.

Perhaps because she had been wearing high heels, her ankle—which she had thought was fully healed—suddenly throbbed.

She let out a sigh and stood still, when she heard footsteps approaching from the corridor ahead.

“Oh…”

Yulia looked up and her eyes widened. A priest was slowly walking toward her from down the hallway.

It was the priest named Mateus, whom she had met when she went to mass with Veronica not long ago.

“Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”

Mateus stopped and spoke to her, then quietly gazed at her swollen ankle.

“It appears you are injured.”

“Ah, yes…”

Yulia stared at him with curious eyes. Seeing him in priestly robes in the central palace, where the banquet was in full swing, felt somewhat out of place.

Noticing her gaze, Mateus gave a faint smile.

“I lost my way while taking a walk. The imperial palace is so vast and complicated.”

“Ah… I see.”

*So even priests get lost…* She blinked at the random thought, and Mateus gently knelt on one knee.

“May I take a look?”

“Oh, no. It’s fine, but…”

Yulia looked flustered as he suddenly knelt before her. Mateus spoke calmly, as if to reassure her.

“I can use holy power to heal your injured ankle. I am quite confident in healing, so please do not worry.”

There was something about Mateus’s gentle tone that inspired trust. Yulia gave a small nod.

“Then… I’ll leave it to you.”

Mateus lightly wrapped one hand around her ankle. Soon, a blue light seeped out and hovered around his hand.

It felt cool, as if she had dipped her foot in cold water. She could vividly feel his holy power seeping into her ankle.

“Would you like to try moving it?”

She gently moved her ankle, and remarkably, there was no pain. Yulia’s eyes widened in admiration.

*How could it heal so quickly with just a light touch?* She looked at Mateus before her with newfound awe—he seemed truly extraordinary.

“Thank you. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“I’m glad I could be of help.”

Mateus slowly rose, gave a small smile, and bowed his head.

“Then, I’ll be on my way.”

As he turned as if his task was done, Yulia abruptly stopped him.

“Um, Father, may I ask you something?”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

Mateus paused and waited for her words patiently. After hesitating, Yulia cautiously spoke.

“…Have we met before?”

During the mass the other day, his question of whether she recognized him had lingered in her mind.

If she had met someone this remarkable in the past, surely she wouldn’t have forgotten him.

Mateus paused for a moment, then nodded readily.

“Yes. But it’s only natural that you don’t remember me.”

“…Why is that?”

Seeing her questioning eyes, he smiled meaningfully. Her curiosity only grew stronger.

Yulia pressed her lips together and waited for his answer. Mateus continued in a gentle tone.

“Because at that time, you were a newborn baby.”

“…Pardon?”

Yulia froze on the spot. Her eyes vacantly wandered around his face.

No matter how she looked at him, he appeared to be around her age, or perhaps even younger. How could he possibly remember her as a newborn?

Seeing her stiffen, Mateus let out a small laugh. His kind voice followed.

“Some priests, when their holy power becomes overloaded, experience a halt in their physical aging.”

“Then, Father, you…”

Doubt filled Yulia’s eyes.

“When I first saw you, I was fifteen years old. Does that answer your question?”

“Ah…”

Yulia nodded with a bewildered expression. His age wasn’t as old as she had imagined, but his appearance certainly didn’t match his years.

After blankly studying his face, Yulia suddenly came to her senses.

“Um, but where did you see me? And how did you recognize me…”

Her curiosity surged endlessly. Yulia fidgeted with her hands, showing her impatience.

Mateus smiled serenely. And at that moment, a commotion came from the end of the corridor.

Several people were seen leaving the banquet hall.

“You must have many questions, but I must be going now.”

“Ah, yes…”

Yulia nodded with a disappointed look. Gazing at her warmly, Mateus whispered softly.

“Let me tell you just one thing. You are a very special person to me. I always wish for your happiness.”

His voice was so warm it made her chest ache. In his words about wanting her to be happy, deep sincerity was embedded.

“We will meet again soon.”

With a final light smile, Mateus disappeared beyond the corridor.

It was as if a bright light had briefly enveloped her and then vanished, leaving a hollow feeling in her heart.

—

* * *

After the hectic Founding Day celebrations ended, silence continued on the way back to the territory.

Yulia gazed out the window, lost in thought. Her encounter with Mateus wouldn’t leave her mind.

She still couldn’t believe that he had seen her when she was a newborn, a time she had no memory of.

*’If that’s the case, perhaps he knows my mother.’*

Since she had parted ways with her mother around the age of seven, she had never seen her again. She didn’t even know where she lived or what she was doing.

The Marquis would occasionally mention her mother to threaten Yulia into obeying him, but even he didn’t seem to know where she was living.

Her mind was in utter chaos.

Mateus had said they would meet again soon, but when would that be…

*’I should have asked which temple he belongs to.’*

Thinking this too late, Yulia let out a small sigh.

She tore her gaze from the window and stared blankly at her own ankle. After wiggling her foot meaninglessly, she looked up and met Fernan’s eyes.

He immediately looked away. His impassive profile remained calm.

Yulia’s lips parted as if to say something, but she pressed them shut. If she spoke to him, she would only hear that she was being bothersome again.

Except for the occasional rattling sound, a quiet silence filled the carriage throughout the journey.

—

* * *

It took a full half-day to reach the castle.

As dusk settled, Yulia stepped down from the carriage and headed straight to her bedroom.

Then, she noticed a vase she had never seen before placed on the table and tilted her head in confusion.

The transparent glass vase was filled with white lilies of the valley.

Curious, she approached the table and brought her face close to the vase.

A pleasant fragrance seeped all the way into her head.

“Oh, Your Highness. You’re back?”

Turning her head, she saw Melissa, who had just finished cleaning the dressing room, approaching her.

“Melissa, did you bring these flowers?”

When she asked indirectly, Melissa smiled shyly and nodded.

“You seemed to like flowers, Your Highness, but you couldn’t bring any back the other day because of what happened in the marketplace. It kept bothering me, so…”

Yulia stared at Melissa with wide eyes. *She bought flowers again just because that bothered her?*

Her heart swelled with gratitude at the thoughtfulness, but at the same time, she felt a little complicated.

“Hmm… Do you not like them?”

When Melissa asked with a sulky look, Yulia quickly shook her head.

“No, it’s just that I’m grateful. But… I have nothing to give you in return.”

“Oh my, I didn’t do this expecting anything! Please don’t worry about it.”

From the very beginning to now, Melissa had always been a warm-hearted person. Yulia didn’t know how to respond to such kindness.

“…Thank you for being so good to me, Melissa.”

She felt sorry that she could only say thank you. Melissa gently patted her shoulder.

Melissa didn’t say anything, but her warm touch seemed to comfort her. That touch made her weary and exhausted heart feel just a little lighter.

—

* * *

After the Founding Day period ended, time passed quickly.

After summer ended, the territory had been growing chillier than before.

On a morning no different from any other, a gold-embossed letter brought by a servant was placed on the table before Yulia.

The sender was, as expected, the Marquis of Ellodi.

“Hah…”

Yulia let out a deep sigh and reluctantly tore open the envelope.

She knew the contents without even reading them. There would be questions about whether there was any news of pregnancy, and pressure to bear a child as soon as possible.

Because of the aphrodisiac her father had given her last time, her relationship with Fernan had completely broken down. How could she possibly think calmly about having a child in this situation?

And setting aside all those circumstances, Yulia still didn’t feel ready to have a child.

*’…He’s a man who despises me so much. Would he even love a child?’*