I Will Disappear, Grand Duke

The award ceremony for the championship of the hunting festival was held the very next day at the grand banquet hall.  Everyone who heard that Fernan participated in the hunting festival had a premonition for the winner.

 Because it was a fact everyone in the empire agreed that he had no rival as a general.

"I am delighted that the Grand Duke, the protector of the North and the sword of the Empire, has been honored as the winner of the hunting festival."

 On the podium, the young emperor, Galliard, congratulated Fernan on his long-standing achievements.

 As Fernan stood in a disciplined military pose, he accepted the jewel box from the emperor. Inside the velvet-wrapped box lay a silvery-white bracelet.

 A servant who stood next to the emperor handed Fernan a bouquet of flowers to congratulate him on the victory.

 It was a beautiful bouquet made from the roses of the Golden Rose Garden, the pride of the Imperial Palace.

 “Your hard work will be a great help to the people of the Empire who will suffer from famine even at this moment.”

 The emperor's final congratulations were delivered to everyone in the banquet hall.

 And finally, the most awaited order has arrived.

 It was time to choose the queen of the hunting festival, the main character of the ball.

 Everyone paid attention to where Fernan was headed, but his destination had been set from the start.

 Fernan, who came down from the podium without hesitation, found Julia with just one glance.

 Exactly in the center of the banquet hall, Julia in a dark purple dress stood.  He stepped forward without hesitation as if there was only her in his sight.

 When he finally stood in front of her, shouts poured out from all around.

 There was no one to deny that the appearance of them facing each other was absolutely perfect.

 Fernan reached out his hand according to the etiquette.  With a slightly trembling face, Julia put her hand on top of his slowly.

 He gently kissed her on the back of her white, slender hand, and looked at her.

 Her blue eyes, as if studded with stars, shone and dazzled. Her eyes, which looked tense, slowly curved.

 That smile alone made all this worthwhile to him.

 Fernan put the bracelet directly on her slender wrist.  The silvery-white bracelet glided beautifully from the white wrist.

 Coincidentally, the jewel embedded in the center of the bracelet was the same blue color as Julia’s pupils.

 “How beautiful……  ”

 Exclamations mixed with envy and praise poured out from the people.

 Fernand held out the bouquet of flowers. Golden roses with a dazzling light were held in her arms.

 At the same time, the orchestra began to play. A beautiful tune praised Julia, who became the protagonist of today's ball.

 It was an evening where everything went perfectly.

 “I have never seen the Grand Duke look so affectionate to anyone.”

 After the award ceremony, the grand banquet began to ripen.  Centering on today's protagonists, the Grand Duke and his wife, there was a ball with a waltz.

 "Me too. I didn't even know that His Majesty the Grand Duke and his wife were so friendly. They are both young and beautiful, it’s like a painting.”

 “You know what?  Last night, on the day of the picnic, His Highness even came to pick up the Grand Duchess.”

 A lady who covered her mouth with a fan happily spoke.

 “Well, you know why.  Marchioness Jennes had secretly quarreled with the Grand Duchess from the picnic.  But the Grand Duke showed up at the right time. The arrogant Marchioness ran away with a red face, how ridiculous it was…  ”

 At that, the rest of the ladies burst out laughing as if exhilarating.

The ladies didn’t like Cornelia, who had always reigned as if she was the queen of the social circle, so they decided to laugh at her as much as they could this time.

 And naturally, in their minds, a slight favor for Julia, who had pushed Cornelia away, sprouted.

 Meanwhile, Julia, who was at the center of the topic, was clumsily continuing her waltz following Fernan's lead.

 “…  Ah!"

 Julia, who took the wrong step, made a small sound.

 But luckily, no one noticed that she had made a mistake.

 For every time she stumbled like this, Fernan lifted or pulled her with his skillful moves.

 Besides, his expression didn’t change at all even though she had already stepped on his foot several times.

 “……  Obviously, I practiced a lot."

 Julia muttered with a gloomy expression. Fernan immediately answered.

 "You don't have to dance well."

 “But you’re a good dancer.”

 Julia, who was suddenly curious, looked up at him.  It was the first time she had ever danced at a ball.  But he didn't seem to be.  With whom did he dance?  At a ball, it was customary for the gentleman to ask the lady to dance first.

 “Did you have a lot of ballroom experience?”

 When Julia asked with a hint, Fernan gave an answer without thinking once.

 "It was part of the royal education, so when I was young, I often saw other people dancing."

 He spoke slowly.

 "It's the first time I dance like this."

 "Really? But you’re so good at it.”

Julia had a doubtful expression on her face.  Fernan, who watched her reaction, smiled subtly for some reason.  After a while, he lowered his head and made eye contact with Julia.

 “I’m good at everything I do with my body.”

 “…”

"Maybe I was born with it."

 At the somewhat calm but playful voice, Julia paused.  Soon after, she realized something and her face turned red.

 She recalled that one day she had asked him the same question.

 At that time, the difference was that it was not an open place like this, but on the couple's bed.

“Your Highness…. Did you have a lot of experience doing this…?”

They had spent many nights together since they confessed their feelings.

 Naturally, for Julia, Fernan was her first man.  But she probably wasn’t his first.  At least, that was what Julia thought.

 Because….. he was overly skilled in bed.

 He knew better than herself, where and how to provoke her, how to pleasure her, and how to make her moan.

However, no matter how inexperienced she was, Julia knew that his physical strength was not normal.  Surely someone like that could go long and persistent….

 But Fernan was really like a monster.  Julia had never seen him exhausted, because it was she who fell asleep as if she fainted every time.

 She once considered him to be ascetic, but not anymore.

 He was overwhelmingly lustful as much as his large and strong physique, and Julia only found out about it years after they married.

 So she was curious about his past. She wondered what kind of women he met. 

 But to her cautious question, Fernan answered with a calm expression.

“You’re my first.”

 ‘'Oh, that's a lie.  Being this skillful…”

She didn’t seem to believe it, and Fernan at that time slyly gave the same answer as just now.

 “I’m good at everything I do with my body. Maybe I was born with it.”

 “What’s it that made you so red?”

 Fernan whispered softly.  Then, as an extension of her memory, Julia cut off the obscene scenes that continued to flow.

 Unknowingly, she stepped on his foot again.

 "…Ah! I’m sorry.”

 When Julia hurriedly apologized, Fernan replied casually.

 “You can step on it as many times as you like.”

 “… ”

"You can think about what you just did just now."

 It was a mischievous answer and Julia bowed her face red in embarrassment. Fernan pulled her waist in tight as if telling her not to be.

 Naturally, her gaze rose.  As she looked at his golden eyes, his face seemed to be quite pleasant at this moment.

 Then, Julia, who had been glancing at him a little hatefully because he was being mischievous, eventually raised the corners of her lips slightly.  Still, her hot face showed no sign of cooling down.

 ***

 The schedule in the capital was completed after five full days of consecutive banquets including grand banquets, dinner parties and closing ceremony.

 It started snowing early on the way back to the Grand Duchy.

 From that day on, the approaching winter began to color the whole world white.