I Will Disappear, Grand Duke

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4. Let's be happy for a long time

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Sponsored by Curufin 💖 (5/5)

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After the warm spring, the hot summer came, and by the end of autumn, when the world was colored in five colors, two children were born.

They were a girl and a boy who inherited the black hair of their father and the blue eyes of their mother.

The daughter's name was Daphne, and the son's name was Cain.

The two infants, who were lying quietly in bed, grew little by little, crawling and babbling.

The children did not cry very much.  Every time they saw the two smiling children sitting in the crib, everyone said that they were cute.

"Oh my goodness, Young Master and the Princess look exactly like the Grand Duchess!”

Melissa thought the children looked like Julia. Adrian, the escort, on the other hand, had a different opinion.

“Um, I think the Young Master resembles Her Grace, and the Princess resembles His Highness.”

They said so, but in fact, Julia still couldn't quite figure out who her children looked like more.  Both were just cute and lovely.

One afternoon, Julia went out to the lobby to meet Fernan who returned from a brief reconnaissance.

Daphne was in her arms, and Cain was in the nanny’s.

"Why did you come out? I was going to see you all.”

After Fernan kissed Julia on the cheek, he held children in his arms.

Julia looked at Daphne and Cain in his arms and covered her mouth. Really, they were so cute.

“The children wanted to see Your Highness. Look, they seem to like you more than me.”

Perhaps his arms were more stable for the children, and his face was more comfortable when he hugged them.

She was a little sad, but seeing three people who look alike were together, Julia smiled.

It was then that Julia realized it.  That her children resembled Fernan more than herself.

Fernan looked down at the children digging into his arms and smiled quietly. Then he said something different from what Julia thought.

“Yeah, they both look like you.”

Julia widened her eyes.

"In my eyes, they look more like Your Highness.”

Julia smiled softly as she stretched out her finger and tickled the children's cheeks.  No matter how she looked at them, they looked that way in her eyes.

Fernan whispered, looking at Julia and the children at a glance.

"Look. They like to dig into my arms like you do.”

At those words, Juli blinked her eyes and burst into a small smile.

"Unfortunately, I'll have to give up Your Highness to the children now."

Julia looked up playfully at him and said, and Fernan followed her and replied with a smile.

“That’s not good. Because I prefer to hold you.”

Julia chuckled at his clever reply.  As she laughed out loud, Daphne, who was in Fernan's arms, also smiled with twinkling blue eyes.

Cain had a puzzled expression on his face, but when Daphne laughed, he laughed too.

The spacious lobby quickly became cozy at the sound of lovely laughter.

***

Unlike other noble children, Daphne and Cain were raised by their parents.

Ordinary nobles would not raise their children themselves and would entrust them to a capable nanny, but Julia did not want to do that.

She had never raised children, and she lacked many things, so she had her nanny help, but she wanted to take care of her children herself. Fernan respected her will and followed suit.  As a result, the two children had a deep bond with their parents.

A few years passed and the children began to walk on their own and were able to speak relatively clearly.

The whole castle became a playground for children.

“Can’t he find us this time? Yes?"

A loud voice was heard from behind a large tree in the backyard.

Daphne looked at Cain, who was squatting next to her, and asked.  It was a whisper, but Cain put his index finger to his lips and shook his head.

“It’s too loud, Daphne.”

“No, not loud!”

While Daphne was shouting, a large shadow fell over the two children.

Almost at the same time, the children looked up and said, "Hey!"  and sighed.

"I found you."

Fernan, who was the tagger, chuckled and looked down at the children.  He leaned down and spread his arms out, he was at eye level with the children.

"Come here now that you've been caught."

Cain sighed and hugged his father tightly. He thought it was obvious it was Daphne’s shout that they got caught.

But Fernan had a clear picture of where the two children were hiding each time.

Behind large marble columns in the corner of the lobby or shade trees in the backyard. Sometimes behind the fountain in the greenhouse.

On rare occasions, even when they hid in a place that was difficult to find, passers-by or knights would suggest where the children were headed.

“Father is definitely a wizard. I hid really well this time.

Daphne hugged her father and declared. Then Cain shrugged his  small shoulders.

“Father isn't a wizard. If Daphne didn’t shout, we wouldn’t have been caught.”

“No, Daphne didn’t shout!”

Seeing the children arguing, Fernan smiled. The two children were quite different in appearance and personality.

Even though they were twins and hung out with each other every day, their personality was just the opposite, so Julia was always amazed.

Daphne had a tomboy-like personality and was very talkative and full of emotions. Cain, on the other hand, was meek and calm.

The two children, who turned five this year, were so different and quarreled a lot, but basically they got along. As Fernan returned to the castle with the children in his arms, the sun gradually began to set. 

"Father, when will mother come back?"

Cain looked up at Fernan and asked. Julia went out this morning. This was because there was a donation event in the estate hosted by her recently, so she had to attend. Fernan asked quietly.

 "She’ll be back soon. Do you miss mother?"

During the day, they had fun playing, but now that their energy was gone, they missed Julia.

 "Yes!"

Daphne answered loudly instead of Cain, and Cain pointed it out quietly.

“Daphne, you learned yesterday. You have to use honorifics for your parents.”

 "Ugh, I'll use it tomorrow."

Daphne smiled and dropped her head on Fernan's shoulder. Cain sighed and followed Daphne, resting his cheek on Fernan’s other shoulder.

Fernan smiled softly and hugged the two children deeply.  And he slowly looked towards the gate. It wasn't just the children that wanted to see Julia quickly.

“Grand Duchess, did you have a good time at the event?”

The butler, Richard, greeted Julia and bowed his head.  Taking off her wide-brimmed hat, Julia nodded.

 "Did anything happen? Where are the children?”

 "Yes, Princess and Young Master were playing with His Highness during the day, and they just went up to their bedrooms."

At that, Julia smiled and nodded and headed straight upstairs. Although Fernan was busy with government affairs every day, he did not miss playing with the children.

The active children liked to play with their father more than with her or the servants. 

Her physically fit children liked to play with my father more than she or her other users.  Unexpectedly, Fernan took good care of his children. He looked cold and heartless on the outside, but his wife and children were an exception.

Julia first went to her dressing room and changed into her indoor dress.  After that she went to the bedroom.  When she opened the door, the calm silence greeted her.  In an unexpectedly quiet atmosphere, she tilted her head and went inside her.

Then she saw the three people sitting together on the sofa, and her eyes widened.  Fernan was asleep leaning against the sofa with his two children on both sides.  Cain and Daphne, who were lying in their father's arms, were also sleeping in a frenzy.

Julia muffled the sound of her footsteps, and approached them.  A happy smile spread across her face as she stood still and looked down at her family. She wanted to capture this moment in a painting.  Julia slowly lowered her head and kissed the cheeks of her children.

And finally, after kissing Fernan’s cheek, she turned around with a smile. Because it was summer, the sun was long and the sky was still bright. The world caught in the sunset cast a red light on the window.

Julia looked out the window at the beautiful scenery and closed her eyes.  She felt drowsy and relaxed.  At that moment, she suddenly felt firm hands wrapped around her waist from behind.  Julia opened her eyes wide and turned her head. Fernan, who had woken up, hugged her and whispered.

"I missed you."

In response to his soft voice, Julia responded with a bright smile.

"Me too."

As always, his strong and warm arms melted her tender heart.  Now that she had become accustomed to it, this little moment with him came to her as a deep sense of happiness for her.

 She suddenly had a thought. This background that surrounded them was like a fairy tale. They lived happily ever after.

And the fairy tale that concluded.  A long time ago, she thought that such a fairy tale would never apply to her. 

she could never be such a fairy tale for me.  A fairy tale-like future that premised  the deep love of the two main characters. Julia, who lowered her eyelids slightly, smiled softly as she felt like she finally had a fairy tale of her own.

Now happiness was so close. Her every day was a fairytale.

"You’re my happiness.

Julia whispered as she placed her arms on Fernan’s arms.  At those words, Fernan bowed his head and answered clearly in her ear.

“You are my life.”

Julia turned her body and looked at him. Fernan slowly lowered his head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you."

Then he lowered his lips a little further and kissed her softly.  Feeling the warm touch on her lips, Julia hugged his waist tightly.

The world, as the sun was setting, gradually brought darkness. But she wasn't afraid.

Because there was this man who protected her world and illuminated it so brightly.

So, their end was already set.

Let’s be happy for a long time.

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The end~