I Will Disappear, Grand Duke

The new Emperor of the empire, Galliard, was a young man who turned 30 this year.

 As the head of the imperial family, Galliard joined Fernan and played a major role in this civil war.

 He was responsible for making measures to minimize damage to the people of the capital and protecting them from this civil war.

 While Fernan dealt with the Emperor and slaughtered the rest of his vassals, Galliard led his army and guarded the interior and exterior of the capital himself.

 During the months he was protecting his people from afar, Galliard naturally won the hearts of his people.

 This was also the strategy suggested by Fernan first.

 The young Emperor, who ascended to the throne safely thanks to the support of the Grand Duke, was changing the corrupt political system of the Empire one by one.

 As a result, recently, Galliard’s work was heavier than anyone else's.

 Inside the newly renovated Imperial Palace office.

 Galliard, who was eagerly reading the papers, lifted his head at the sound of a knock on the door.

 “Your Majesty, this is Chelsea.”

 "Come in."

 The one who came in was an aide who had come to report the soon-to-be-invited list of outsiders for the National Day festival.

 “Your Majesty, this is the list of the delegations.”

 “Well done. Let me review it quickly.”

 Galliard answered in a very solemn tone and accepted the report.

 It was the first National event since the royal family was replaced.  Because of that, the scale was being prepared on a larger scale than at other times.

 Since many delegations from all over the world were scheduled to visit, the capital was currently busy.

  “And, Your Majesty.  Grand Duke Caesar has expressed his wish not to attend this ceremony.”

 "Oh yeah. I already heard it.”

 Galliard nodded his head in an insignificant tone.

 Fernan had already told him once. He no longer touched the political world of the capital, but would do his best to rule his own territory.

 “Your Majesty, as this is the first founding festival, I think it would be better for the Grand Duke to attend.  Apparently, externally, the power of the Grand Duke still has a big influence……  ”

 “That’s enough. Don't rush the Grand Duke."

 In Galliard’s view, Fernan was in need of a rest in many ways.

 A few years after the long war, he had another civil war, so he thought that he would have been seriously hurt.

 “I want to set the Grand Duke free. That is also the condition he asked me to do in this civil war.”

 Galliard shrugged his shoulders slightly and stamped the document.

 In the meantime, he has seen many victims of the wickedness and selfishness of the previous emperor.

 It was not the way for the Emperor to use the imperial power to keep everyone under his feet and obey him.

 In order to develop the Empire into a balanced state that was not biased toward the imperial power, the existence of Fernan, who supported the power in the north, was essential.

 Galliard was well aware that governing the empire with a balanced force was the more beneficial path for the people of the empire.

 In that respect, it was in line with Fernan.  Because of this, Galliard had no intention of demanding allegiance from him.

 The Empire in which the new sun had risen was continuing such innovative steps.

 Around that time.

 The Grand Duchy was also having a busy time due to the changed state of the Empire.

 Taking advantage of the chaos of the Empire, bands of thieves began to appear one after another at each border.

 So for a while, Fernan spent time dealing with the bandits that invaded the borders.

 One afternoon, returning from sweeping, Lloyd shouted in surprise.

 “Your Highness!”

Fernan’s blood was dripping down between his sleeves with his cloak off.

 The amount of bleeding was significant.  Lloyd rushed out and called the medical team.  As the medical team rushed into the barracks, Fernan was unbuttoning his upper garment as if he felt nothing.

 Lloyd looked at him and opened his mouth with a voice filled with anger.

 “Sir, why are you like this these days?”

 This wasn't the first time something like this had happened.  In the battles large and small at the border, Fernan was using his body too recklessly.

He was not a sloppy man to the point of getting hurt while dealing with bandits.

 That was to say, he saw blood without avoiding even a sufficiently avoidable attack.

 Lloyd, who tried to say further with his fists clenched, finally sighed as he looked into Fernan's unfocused eyes.

 As if he couldn't see Lloyd's worries and resentment, Fernan sat down on a small chair and quietly closed his eyes.

 Even though his sleeves were soaked in blood, he had an expressionless face as if he couldn't even feel pain.

  “Your Highness, please raise your arm. I will start with hemostasis.”

 At the request of the medic, Fernan mechanically raised his arm, but he did not open his closed eyes.

 The medic carefully ripped his sleeve and pulled it off, revealing a long cut in his arm.

 “There is no anesthetic, but I have to sew it right away.”

 Fernan did not respond to the medic's words.  He just held up his arm quietly as if to do so.

 Fernan made no expression as he poked and sewed a needle into his bare, muscular arm.

 Lloyd continued to watch him like that, and let out a heavy sigh.

 Several months have passed since the civil war ended.  The Empire was stabilizing, and there were no more forces to threaten Fernan.

 Still, he was like a human who could not die.

No, It felt like he was trying to die somehow.

 Lloyd murmured almost in tears as he watched Fernan’s open skin stitched together.

 "Don't die, Your Highness. Don't even think about dying."

 To Lloyd, Fernan was his lord for the rest of his life, but he was also a close friend after a long war.

 He owed his life many times during the war.  He was the lord who saved Lloyd, who was only a soldier, and gladly established him as a close confidant because of his abilities.

 Since then, Lloyd has vowed to work for him for the rest of his life.

 It wasn't just Lloyd.  Fernan's lieutenants and knights were all ready to give their lives for him.

 As such, Fernan was a man of great responsibility.  So, Lloyd couldn't stand to see him harm himself like that.

 “You’re talking nonsense.”

 Fernan, who opened his eyes only then, let out a low voice for the first time.  His gaze on Lloyd was just silent.

 Lloyd looked at him and sniffled his nose.

 “Please listen to me even if it’s nonsense.”

“…”

“Your Highness’ life is the life of all of us.  So, please don’t die."

 Lloyd continued his words as if vomiting his anger.  Despite his desperate words, Fernan simply lowered his eyelids without answering.

 Looking at him like that, Lloyd struggled to swallow the words he was about to continue.

 If he continued to abuse himself in this way, he couldn’t stand still either.

 Lloyd knew that there was only one person who could bring Fernan back to life.

 Perhaps now, Julia, who was living quietly in a small country, would never want to come back, but Lloyd was thinking of going to find her at least once.

 If his master didn’t speak, he would.

 ‘Please come back. I’m not asking you to become the Grand Duchess again, but can you please come see His Highness just once and try to stop him from killing himself somehow.’

 Lloyd rubbed his reddened eyes, suppressed his inner thoughts.

Rather than letting Fernan break down like this, he thought it would be hundreds of times the right decision to bring her back even if he would be punished.

 ***

 At the end of spring, there was news about the founding festival of the Empire in the daily newspaper Julia received after a long time.

 After reading the daily newspaper for a while, Julia stopped her gaze. Looking at the date, two weeks later was the date of the event.

 In her memory, the National Day festival continued for three days.

On the first day, imperial figures and nobles were convened at the banquet hall to listen to the Emperor's speech.

And on the second day, the Emperor and Empress toured the capital's square for the parade.

 At that time, other members of the royal family and key figures also came out to the square and stayed near the Emperor.  It was the only day that ordinary people would see the imperial family and nobles up close.

 Naturally, she was reminded that Fernan would also attend the ceremony that day.

 He has played a key role in this change of power, so he would at least attend the parade.

 “… ”

 Tak, Julia, who put down the daily newspaper, slowly approached the window.

 Now the world was so peaceful.  As time went on, Julia became more and more detached from her past affairs.

 Even when she saw Fernan's current status, which was written line by line from time to time in the daily newspaper, Julia was now very calm.

 Fernan, who had a friendly relationship with the new Emperor, no longer suffered from threats.

 Perhaps that was why when she thought of him, her heart was no longer heavy.

 Fernan himself believed that everything was getting better now, and that was what Julia believed.

 Then, someone knocked on the door.  After waking up from her thoughts, Julia walked leisurely and opened the door.  Cedric was standing in front of the door.

 “Julia, are you busy?”

 A cautious voice descended from somewhere, and Julia shook her head and asked.

 "No. What's going on, Cedric?"

 Cedric hesitated, but answered in a clear voice.

 “Before I leave, I was wondering if we could spend some time together.”

 A week later, Cedric was due to return to the temple of Ilion.

 Since he had been away for a long time, Julia meekly agreed to his words of returning.

 She knew very well that Cedric had spent so much time with her.  It was time for him to return to his place.

 “Shall we go for an evening walk together like before?”

 Cedric asked her again when she gave no answer. Julia then nodded her head.

 "Okay."

 Under the evening sky that gradually began to darken, the two of them walked for a long time without saying a word.  About when they were talking over the arch gate, Cedric grabbed his hand tightly and tried to say something, then shut his mouth again and again.

 Julia, who had not noticed his signs as she was walking in vain, lifted her gaze from the ground only when he suddenly stopped.

 “Julia.”

 Cedric looked down at her with a determined look on his face as if he had something to say.

 As Julia quietly waited for him to speak, he bit her lip and quietly spoke.

 “If…."

 Cedric, who swallowed his saliva, continued.

 “If you just say one word……  I will stay here.”

 Julia blinked her eyes silently, not understanding his words at once.

 Julia, who was thinking about why he was saying this, realized something and opened her mouth slightly.  As she looked up, she saw Cedric's eyes trembling greatly.

 “If you allow…  I can give up my place.” (*he meant his priesthood)