Forgotten Juliet

The winter in the North was long.

During the winter, the routine of Duke Carlyle was monotonous as if it was stuck in a mold.

Once the official duties were dealt with, there wasn’t much to do in the winter.

At such times, the Duke would use horse hunting as an excuse to go hunting and wouldn’t return to the castle for days.

Or if that too became tedious, or the New Year’s gathering approached, he’d enjoy a short affair in the capital, get bored, and return.

However, this year, both options were not available to him.

[What are you doing here?]

[Ah… Your Highness.]

The woman, who was crouching in a bedroom without even a light on, startled, recognized him, and smiled shyly with her sleepy face.

[I am glad you returned.]

[…]

It was amazing how she always greeted him with a smile every time he returned, never seeming to tire. It felt strange to know someone had been waiting for him all night.

She was a woman of few words and was quite timid. Yet, in a strange way, she imprinted her presence on him.

Lennox Carlyle knew too well how powerful his handsome looks were and didn’t hesitate to use them.

Because there was nothing as easy to manipulate as a woman in love.

But there was no need to exert much effort to entice Juliet Monad.

She was fundamentally no different from a love-starved child.

Lennox momentarily directed his gaze at the extinguished fireplace.

[I didn’t know when you’d return…]

She looked at him as if making an excuse.

Lennox couldn’t understand her one-sided love.

However, he thought he vaguely understood why some people are enthusiastic about capturing and taming precious animals.

He didn’t ponder much.

Maybe this is the expression of a woman in love.

Lennox looked into her feverish blue eyes with indifferent eyes.

Compared to his experiences so far, he was somewhat surprised that he didn’t find her presence annoying.

He had intended to send her back to the capital when the time seemed right, but surprisingly, Juliet had stayed in the Duke’s mansion all along.

Even her presence didn’t irritate or discomfort him.

But at the same time, he knew how this relationship would end.

He was a person who easily got bored.

Based on his experiences, once the person sending blind love began to harbor expectations, that usually marked the end of the relationship.

[Juliet Monad.]

[Yes?]

Lennox glared at the woman who blinked with a puzzled look for a moment.

Unexpectedly, he didn’t want to break this lukewarm and moderate relationship right now.

Moreover, Juliet Monad was clever and a quick learner, and he wanted to indulge in this thrilling feeling a little longer.

[Promise me one thing.]

He blurted impulsively.

[What is it?]

[Don’t expect anything.]

Her blue eyes shone in surprise even in the darkness.

He continued without hesitating.

[Promise that and I’ll give you anything.]

He wasn’t a reliable partner.

She’d build hopes on her own, pressure emotions on her own, and ultimately get hurt on her own.

[I promise.]

Juliet nodded obediently to his seemingly unreasonable demand.

Lennox doubted for a moment whether she understood his words, but he soon pretended not to care.

‘It’s the long season.’

It’s all because of this cold winter, harsh enough to freeze the monsters lurking around in the North.

Thanks to that, he spent more time in the castle.

Before he knew it, instead of hunting, spending time playing and chatting with the woman, who stayed as a guest in the castle, became part of his routine.

It was something new, but he forcibly ignored some kind of intuition.

Sudden.

[There’s a greenhouse across the lake.]

As she moved the white chess piece, Juliet chattered.

There was nothing else to enjoy in the Duke’s mansion in the North during the winter.

[If I win, will you go to the greenhouse with me?]

There were quite a few of those in the North. Luxurious theaters, glass greenhouses where flowers bloomed out of season.

[Do as you wish.]

Juliet was surprisingly good at chess and card games.

Every time this happened, he was reminded anew that she was from a fallen noble family.

She nagged him now and then for various bets.

To him, a greenhouse was nothing of value, so he didn’t mind if Juliet won a greenhouse.

[If Your Highness wins-]

[I guess you’ll kiss me first.]

Juliet looked at him with surprised eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.

[Alright.]

But his acceptance of the bet was due to boredom on a lazy afternoon, sparking a playful mood.

[Check.]

[Ah…?]

Lennox enjoyed watching a confused expression appear on the woman’s face with a pleasant expression.

Juliet was skilled at chess, but tried to win in an overly elegant manner.

[I think I won.]

Lennox teased.

[We agreed on a bet.]

[…Well, you can’t just do as you please.]

Only then did Juliet realize she had been tricked, momentarily angered, but soon gave in and made a request.

[It might be easier if you don’t look.]

[So?]

[So, if you could close your eyes for a moment…]

[I don’t want to.]

She was momentarily disheartened by the blunt refusal.

[Don’t laugh.]

Lennox couldn’t help but laugh silently, but caught himself immediately.

But the bet was agreed upon to see her awkward expression, what’s the point if he closes his eyes?

[…Fine. I’ll handle it.]

‘Handle it,’ she said. Juliet casually covered her eyes with her left hand.

The afternoon sunlight cast a shadow on her face.

It might’ve been a way to avoid eye contact, but the shadowed face created a more mysterious atmosphere.

Below her palm, her red lips could be seen flinching. Also, her white teeth and small tongue as she parted her lips.

Did Juliet really hate making eye contact so much that she’d rather block her sight and cautiously move in for a kiss?

Her soft lips touched his slowly and cautiously.

[…]

Lennox mustered all his patience, watching her slow movements intently.

Just before their lips parted, her small tongue quickly flicked across his lower lip before retreating hastily.

But by his standards, it didn’t even count as a kiss.

Out of patience, he pulled her thin waist towards him, making her sit on his lap before he knew it.

[Now it’s done-]

Juliet’s eyelids fluttered, shocked by the stark contrast to the gentle kiss from before.

He still didn’t trust Juliet Monad completely.

Having been tormented by various strange assassination threats, he wouldn’t be surprised if Juliet Monad was an assassin sent by Marquis Guinness or one of his enemies.

But if this was acting, it was divine.

A genius to this extent was worth pricking him without realizing, he thought.

Of course, turning red every time their eyes met or fingers brushed.

Where could he find such an easy-to-read and emotionally open opponent?

Lennox thought a woman in love is easy to read, can’t hide her feelings, and is naive.

Still, very occasionally, the tingling feeling in his heart wasn’t bad.

Knock knock.

[Your Highness, it’s Baron Teer.]

Juliet, regaining her senses for a moment, hurriedly moved away from him.

Lennox shot an annoyed glance at the door and responded.

[Come in.]

[It’s been a long time, my lord.]

The door opened and a middle-aged man with a foggy and gentle expression entered.

[…I’ll go.]

With flushed cheeks, Juliet nodded to Baron Teer as a greeting and hurriedly escaped the study.

Whizz.

As the door closed behind her, Baron Teer whistled teasingly.

[It seems like you’ve found a new hobby that you quite enjoy, Your Highness.]

There was a hint of criticism in the Baron’s voice.

[It seems like it was the Baron who advised me to find a hobby.]

[When did I say that… well, I did.]

Baron Teer, recalling his past words, frowned.

He was a knight from a long-serving loyal family to the Dukedom.

When Lennox regained the Duchy, he purged all the close relatives who had been squatting on his land, including his father’s old vassals, but Teer’s family survived.

The Baron was also the uncle of Milan, the vice-captain of the Duke’s Knights..

After passing down the position of vice-captain to his nephew and retiring from the front lines, he was known to be living leisurely, but in reality, he was still working for the Dukedom.

[I suggested you find a hobby to mean something wholesome other than hunting.]

It seemed Milan had told his uncle about Juliet.

[Not going south to pick up an experimental body of the Marquis.]

Lennox unintentionally recalled the first moment he saw the woman.

A body so thin it seemed her bones might protrude, and empty eyes.

Marquis Guinness was obsessed with collecting artifacts and, to use them, he brutally abused young boys and girls who showed even a little aptitude as spirit summoners.

[That woman doesn’t know anything.]

Lennox declared, unknowingly.