Forgotten Juliet

* * *

“That’s a look of utter annoyance.”

Lennox opened his mouth leisurely as he observed Juliet nervously adjusting her dress.

“…”

Juliet didn’t respond.

However, Lennox didn’t look hurt at all. Instead, he shrugged casually.

Juliet couldn’t understand why he had shown up now.

She thought, he hated being bothered the most in the world.

‘Surely, he was annoyed with me before…’

Then she suddenly remembered one fact he might still be misunderstanding.

“Ah, I see.”

Juliet let out a deep sigh.

“Yes. I lied about being pregnant because I hated Your Highness.”

“…”

“That’s enough? I’m not pregnant.”

At that, he didn’t respond.

Instead, from his half-reclined position, he rose, turned Juliet to face him as if half-embracing her from behind.

“Juliet.”

“…Why?”

Internally, Juliet was a bit frightened. Although she had acted impulsively, she had deceived him and ran away.

And he had crossed the continent, enraged by her lie.

She thought he had every right to be angry. However, Lennox was surprisingly calm.

Instead of getting angry, he bent slightly to meet Juliet’s eyes and asked seriously:

“Did I ever tell you not to have a child?”

“…”

For a moment, Juliet was at a loss for words.

“There are no ‘ifs’.”

“Even if you become pregnant, I won’t allow you to give birth.”

“Juliet?”

Technically, he hadn’t said those words yet.

Juliet clenched the hem of her dress, recalling the voice she had heard before her regression.

She remembered everything clearly.

Especially all the events from the year she died.

For a brief moment, she had been hopeful about having a child.

She remembered everything he had said and done at that time.

“You thought hiding it from me would solve everything?”

“It would be troublesome if you’re mistaken, Juliet Monad.”

“Juliet!”

Snapping back to the present, Juliet found Lennox’s face dangerously close to hers.

“Excuse me…”

Hastily, Juliet adjusted her dress.

“I’ll be going now.”

Clutching the crumpled hem of her dress, she almost ran out of the Rose Maze Garden.

“Did I ever tell you not to have a child?“

Why would he ask that? He probably wouldn’t want one anyway.

Juliet bit her lip. She didn’t want the ‘permission’ to have a child.

Every child deserves to be loved. Juliet was determined not to give such a life to her unborn child.

‘I’m enough on my own.’

Suddenly, she recalled the man at the lake in Algerio, who had knelt before her.

Perhaps what he said back then was somewhat true. Perhaps there was a chance he was sincere about wanting to marry her.

But by now, Juliet was too weary to believe and hope in that.

After all, once Dahlia appeared, she’d be cast aside again.

Juliet was no longer concerned about why Dahlia hadn’t appeared before him yet.

For the first time, Juliet realized how selfish and wicked she was.

It was utterly miserable for Juliet to think that somewhere in the world, there was a woman whom he loved more, or would love more, than her.

Although she hadn’t been running, her heart raced.

* * *

In the sacred city Lucerne, the breeding festival can be described as a festive time where everyone enjoys themselves.

During this time, everything from swordplay competitions to bullfighting, hunting, and even gambling is permitted.

Because of this, tourists from all over the continent came to see the festival.

After the festival, there’s a long week of fasting to purify the body and soul. Teo explained it as a time to enjoy before the fasting week.

However, Juliet was distracted by her encounter with Lennox the previous night.

What was he thinking when he said that?

‘…Maybe I overreacted.’

Juliet glanced across the spectator seats, where 48 nobles sat.

They were seated in the tournament arena where the swordplay competition was taking place.

The designated seat for Duke Carlyle was directly opposite to that of the Lebatan family. Thanks to that, Juliet could steal glances at him openly.

Since the beginning of the festival, Lennox hadn’t approached Juliet or pretended to know her in front of others

Now, seated far from her, he was engaged in a serious conversation with the vice-captain. It seemed like he had no interest in the swordplay competition happening below.

“We are starting the tournament!”

“Participants, come out in the order you are called!”

In the meantime, the fencing tournament began.

‘Why did you even come to the arena if you were going to do that?’

Juliet decided to ignore Lennox’s discontented face and focused on watching the competition.

* * *

The fencing tournament held during the breeding festival was a historic event in the eastern region.

“The winner will receive a Golden Laurel Wreath!”

Teo and Juliet sat side by side in the front row and watched the competition.

This was Juliet’s first time watching a fencing tournament. She closely observed the participants with curiosity.

Seeing her, Teo asked as if curious:

“What is it? Do you want to eat that?”

“What? No.”

It seemed he misunderstood that Juliet was looking at snacks someone was eating in the audience.

“Why do you keep looking over there?”

“…”

The moment Lennox said, ‘I’d try doing things my way too,’ the first thing Juliet thought of was the safety of her family.

‘I thought there was nothing precious, but…’

Juliet knew a man named Lennox Carlyle well. He was someone who would do anything to get what he wanted.

He wouldn’t hesitate to exploit what was precious to his opponent.

He might not know about her new family yet, but he will realize it soon.

The uncomfortable thought crossed her mind that they might get hurt because of her.

“Teo.”

“What. Why. What.”

Theo responded nonchalantly, taking a sip of his wine.

“Live long.”

“…”

Upon hearing Juliet’s words, he was startled and spilled his wine.

Splosh.

“Ah! What the hell are you doing!”

Eshelrid from the next seat made a fuss.

“You… Did you eat something wrong?”

Juliet also said to Eshel next to her,

“Eshel too.”

“I will live long. Don’t worry.”

Eshel replied with a mischievous smile.

* * *

The fencing tournament was a tournament style where knights from each family competed in swordsmanship.

There were no complicated techniques, no participation restrictions. The rules were also very simple.

Just win by any means.

This was completely different from the capital where focused more on the duel than the victory.

For this reason, the organizers deployed many priests with divine power, encouraging participants to trust and fight, knowing that healers would always be standing by. There were records that even if an arm or leg got severed, they were immediately healed.

Suddenly, Juliet spotted someone among the knights.

‘Who is that…?’

He was a boy shorter than other participants. His small stature made him stand out even more.

Around this time, she recalled hearing rumors of a poor, fallen boy swordsman who won the tournament.

What was his name?

“Fabian Bordeaux!”

The knight reading the participants’ names conveniently informed her.

Yes, that was the name.

‘The youngest winner.’

She heard that during the festival period, gambling was allowed, making the participation rate astonishingly high. In other words, the payout rate was also huge.

Who would think that little boy would win?

‘There are variables, but there’s also probability. Should I bet too?’

Juliet thought it might be worth a gamble.

‘Huh?’

Then, Juliet spotted a familiar head of hair.

A flashy orange hair that was easily recognizable from a distance. The slender height and glamorous mask…

‘Jude?’

Juliet’s eyes widened.

It was definitely Jude Hayon, a knight of the Carlyle Duchy.

‘Of course.’

Since the Duke of Carlyle made his procession, it was natural for them to also have participation rights.

Jude, being the youngest knight of the Duchy, usually ended up being the one to partake in such bothersome events.

As Jude turned to their direction, their eyes met.

Elated, Juliet smiled brightly.

‘Uh…?’

But before she could wave, Jude’s face stiffened and he turned his head.

‘It wasn’t like he didn’t see me…’

It was clear he deliberately avoided her gaze.

Given that they had been close and she had left that place without any notice, he might be feeling upset.

Lowering her hand, Juliet gave a bitter smile.