Forgotten Juliet

* * *

The swordsmanship competition, as the most popular event, was held over seven days, with five matches per day.

The arena was already packed with spectators.

“The winner! Romeo Pascal!”

The winner of the fifth day’s final match was Roy.

However, even after his opponent, who had admitted defeat, left the arena, Roy didn’t leave his spot.

He picked up the sword that his opponent had dropped and walked to the front row of the audience seats where he could get a good view of the arena.

Then, with a grin, he started talking to Juliet.

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Until Roy approached, Juliet had been blankly watching the departing crowd.

“Huh? About what?”

One of Roy’s eyebrows raised in what seemed to be annoyance.

“I won, so you should praise me!”

It felt as if a tail was swishing behind Roy.

“Pff.”

Juliet sneakily looked at the tournament bracket and then burst into laughter.

Ah, who cares? At this point, what does it all matter?

The opponent who had just dropped his sword and admitted defeat was Fabian, the winner of this tournament in her previous life.

Juliet pretended to pat him on the head as he wanted.

“Yes, you did very well.”

In reality, neither Jude nor Roy should have participated in this swordsmanship competition. Perhaps because of that, Fabian didn’t win.

Juliet felt relieved that she hadn’t bet money on him.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, Juliet felt someone’s gaze.

Lately, she had been feeling these mysterious gazes more frequently.

She looked around but didn’t see anyone suspicious…

Instead, she noticed someone quickly leaving the arena.

“Wait a moment.”

Juliet hurriedly called out to a man walking ahead.

“Jude!”

But he kept walking without even turning around.

“Wait! Jude!”

Juliet didn’t give up and chased after him.

Fortunately, because of the crowd blocking him, Juliet was able to catch up and grab his hand.

“Jude!”

Jude, who had stopped walking, swiftly turned to face her.

“Yes. Why are you doing this, lady?”

Even when their eyes met, Jude’s expression showed no surprise.

His face also lacked any warmth.

Juliet wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

“Jude, are you mad at me?”

“Mad…!”

Jude’s face contorted.

He seemed to take a deep breath while looking away, then looked directly at Juliet again.

“You abandoned all of us! You deceived our master too! Do you know how much…!”

“…I’m truly sorry, Jude.”

“I thought we were like brother and sister!”

Juliet then realized that Jude was more hurt than she thought.

She gave a bitter smile and comforted the tall man as he sobbed.

“How is Sir Cain? Is he okay?”

Juliet always felt guilty towards Sir Cain.

Even though she needed to sidestep him, the sword master, to escape the Duke’s estate, she had deceived the trusting man and secretly drugged him.

“Yes, he’s fine.”

Jude glanced sideways and whispered in a softer voice.

“…He worries a lot about you. He would be happy to hear that you’re doing well.”

After chatting for a while, Jude suddenly changed his demeanor and turned away.

“I’ve seen your face, so I’ll be going.”

“You’re leaving just like that?”

“Yes, take care.”

Jude hesitated for a moment, then briskly walked away.

Milan, a fellow knight waiting for Jude from a distance, looked incredulously between Jude and Juliet. When his eyes met Juliet’s, he nodded slightly.

As Jude approached, Milan snickered and poked him.

“Hey, did you cry?”

“Who cried?!”

* * *

Juliet had expected something grand from the festival, but in reality, it didn’t seem much different from the usual aristocratic society.

In a strange way, Juliet felt both disappointed and relieved. The daily parties were no different from those in the capital’s social circle.

Duke Carlyle was the same.

He never spoke to her when others were watching.

Juliet strangely felt disappointed in herself.

‘Really, nothing has changed. Neither have I.’

That evening’s party was about to peacefully conclude when an unexpected spark ignited.

‘Roy?’

Juliet suddenly saw Roy walking toward someone.

“I’ve heard that the Duke is skilled in swordsmanship.”

The atmosphere in the hall instantly turned cold due to Roy’s sudden statement.

A duel, after all, wasn’t an unusual entertainment for a party.

However…

“So?”

The problem was that the person Roy was speaking to was Duke Carlyle, the youngest sword master known in the North.

With a slight smile, Roy pressed on.

“How about it? Will you give me the opportunity to learn a lesson from you?”

“What is he doing?”

“Who?”

“A duel? A match?”

Whispers spread rapidly among the slightly inebriated guests.

‘No way.’

Juliet looked at Roy with shocked eyes.

The participants weren’t professional swordsmen but knights from noble families, so the swords for the sword-fighting competition were slightly duller than real combat swords.

It means they couldn’t inflict fatal wounds, but they could still cut off arms and legs.

“Roy!”

Juliet wanted to ask if he had lost his mind.

However, before Juliet could stop him, Roy strode away.

“You won’t decline, right, Duke?”

Even if he was a Lycanthrope, superior in physical abilities compared to humans, defeating Lennox Carlyle in swordsmanship was impossible.

The outcome would have been the same even if the sword had been wooden.

“That’s a great proposal!”

Onlookers, ignorant of the situation, began to cheer them on.

“It will be entertaining.”

“This will be fun.”

‘He won’t accept.’

Juliet bit her lip.

Without realizing, her gaze had turned to Lennox. Lennox’s eyes were also looking over Roy’s shoulder at Juliet.

He was a man who hated drawing his sword, especially on the smooth floor of the ballroom, and especially not for a mere spectacle. Yet Juliet found herself staring at him desperately.

‘Lennox wouldn’t fall for such a childish provocation…’

However, the next moment, with a sly smile, Lennox shattered Juliet’s expectations. He bent over to pick up his sword.

“Do you know how to handle a sword, Prince?”

* * *

“Well, the rules will be customary.”

A nobleman, who had become the referee for the impromptu duel, hesitantly stated.

‘Customary’ meant the match would continue until one party conceded defeat or was incapacitated.

However, sensing impending danger, he warned the two once more.

“No fatal injuries! You both understand, right?”

But neither seemed particularly interested in the rules.

Clang!

Their swords clashed lightly and then fell apart.

Clang!

Surprisingly, they seemed to exchange light blows, leading Juliet to wonder if she had overreacted.

The audience simply seemed amused. Witnessing celebrities cross swords was a rare sight. Everyone thought they were fortunate.

But then…

Chang!

“!”

Whoosh.

Few witnessed exactly what happened.

All that was clear was that as Roy’s sword flew toward the Duke’s left side, the Duke’s sword, initially aimed at Roy’s neck, shifted its trajectory, and blood spurted out like a fountain.

Roy clutched his face.

“Ah!”

The ballroom turned to chaos.

People screamed in shock.

Most of them were wealthy nobles, not familiar with the world of swordsmanship.

“Roy!”

Juliet rushed to Roy’s side.

Upon examining Roy’s condition, Juliet turned pale.

“You’re bleeding!”

“It’s okay.”

It wasn’t!

Blood poured non-stop from a gash near Roy’s right eye.

Juliet quickly took out a handkerchief to stem the flow. The onlookers were in an uproar.

“P-priest!”

“Call the priest healer!”

Some called for the healer, some screamed at the sight of the blood on the floor, and others just panicked.

The same spectators who were excitedly encouraging the fight moments before were now shaken by the sight of blood. Or maybe it was because a royal was injured.

It was more likely the latter.

While it was an unwritten rule that there was no liability for injuries in a duel, considering the status of the injured, this could be a major incident.

Amidst the chaos, many screamed in fear, and some even left hurriedly, hoping to avoid involvement.

As Juliet’s white handkerchief became drenched with blood, it seemed like the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

Juliet grew concerned as she observed Roy’s increasingly pale complexion.

However, Roy, in a relaxed manner, covered Juliet’s hand with his own.

“There’s a silver lining to getting hurt.”

He whispered, smiling slyly.

“Now is not the time for such remarks!”

Juliet retorted, but Roy smiled calmly.

“It really is okay. It doesn’t hurt much.”

Juliet bit her lip. Even though he was bleeding profusely, he claimed to be fine. She wished for healing power instead of just magic.

‘If Dahlia would be here-‘

She would have healed such a wound in a blink of an eye.

“We need to treat the wound immediately!”

Priest healers, having rushed over, took over the care of Roy.

Upon removing the blood-soaked handkerchief, it was clear the wound, while long, wasn’t deep. But due to the incessant bleeding, Roy couldn’t open his eye.

His eyelid seemed to be cut. It was a relief that his eye wasn’t injured. Juliet was relieved. Had the blow been slightly off, he might have lost his vision.

Just as Juliet was about to move away to let the healers do their work, she hesitated.

“…?”

Roy, eyes still closed, had a tight grip on Juliet’s wrist and wouldn’t let go.

“Roy, please…”

“Just stay.”

Roy whispered in a low voice.

‘Why?’

Juliet suddenly felt a gaze upon her. She inadvertently met the eyes of Lennox Carlyle.

She couldn’t tell how long he had been watching.

He stood there, as if unrelated to the chaotic scene, exuding an aura of authority.

He was the only one in the room who seemed unfazed by the commotion.

Blood still stained the tip of his sword.

“Lennox…”

Soon, the man who stared at her coldly with his red eyes left the banquet hall without saying a word.