Forgotten Juliet

* * *

When Elliot stepped out of the bedroom, he paled upon seeing Juliet walking down the corridor.

The only thing Lennox, who was calm as if it was someone else’s problem even when he was on the brink of consciousness, had earnestly asked was for Juliet not to find out about his condition.

Quickly closing the bedroom door, Elliot blocked her path.

“Miss Monad! I don’t know what’s going on, but…”

“I came to see His Highness.”

“You can’t enter…!”

“Move. Now.”

The coldness in her voice made not only Elliot but also the guard at the door flinch.

As they hesitated, Juliet pushed past the two and flung open the bedroom door.

Bang!

“Miss!”

As the bedroom door opened, Elliot rushed in after Juliet.

Elliot didn’t know what to do.

‘The physician should still be inside the bedroom.’

Juliet would certainly recognize the physician…

“What’s going on?”

However, only the Duke, casually changing his clothes, was in the bedroom.

“Ah…”

Elliot glanced at the door leading to the reception room.

It seemed the physician had narrowly hidden himself.

“What happened?”

When Lennox asked, glancing at the door, Elliot realized he had to explain the situation to his master.

“Ah, master, Miss Juliet is here.”

“Leave.”

“Yes.”

A moment later, the door closed.

Juliet stood there, staring intently at the side profile of the Duke as he changed his shirt.

“You came here to say something, didn’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“As you can see, I’m in the middle of something. It would be nice if you could finish quickly.”

Lennox buttoned up his shirt leisurely, his slow-moving hands seemed sensually deliberate.

“I’ll leave without disturbing you as soon as possible.”

“Sit.”

Lennox gestured to a chair.

The view of the bedroom, with the curtains drawn back, looked much the same as it had when she visited a few days ago.

Upon reflection, he still seemed to be confined to the mansion these days.

Was he still unwell?

Without looking at him, Juliet spoke.

“I went to the palace and heard a strange rumor. I came to ask about it.”

“A strange rumor?”

“I met the second prince.”

“I see.”

Lennox leaned back in his chair.

He seemed to have an inkling about what she was referring to and looked unsurprised.

“He said I’m to enter the palace as a princess, what does that mean?”

The second prince, Cloff, whispered a significant secret to Juliet.

Its content was quite absurd.

“His Majesty said he will take Miss Juliet as a princess. Didn’t you know?”

“Duke Carlyle personally proposed it, saying he wanted to marry you.”

For some reason, Cloff seemed pleased.

If Juliet became his step-sister and married Duke Carlyle, they would become in-laws. In other words, without even trying, Cloff would become superior to the Duke.

However, Juliet had no intention of participating in this bizarre pretend family game.

“It’s exactly as you heard.”

Lennox said without a hint of a smile.

“You’ll become the Empire’s sole princess.”

It was hard to tell if he was joking or serious, but Juliet wasn’t fooled.

“Is it because of my status?”

Was the Count Monad’s family perhaps not prestigious enough for a marriage to a Ducal family? In these times when even minor nobles like Glenfield were intermarrying with the imperial family, this seemed odd.

But considering the Ducal family’s longer history compared to the current imperial family, it might make sense.

“No.”

However, Lennox’s following answer was a bit unexpected.

“I thought you’d want to get married at the temple.”

Caught off guard by his statement, Juliet was at a loss for words.

The Duke family’s ill-fate with the temple was well-known. Under Lennox Carlyle’s reign, the relationship with the temple completely collapsed.

He had destroyed the northern temple, and in return, the temple excommunicated Lennox Carlyle.

Being excommunicated meant the Duke couldn’t receive the priest’s blessings for his marriage, nor could any future heir receive baptism.

‘Right, it was.’

In fact, the Duke himself firmly stated he had no intention of getting married, and didn’t even bat an eye at the temple’s extreme reaction.

In such a situation, it sounded like a good solution to make her the Emperor’s daughter.

After all, the temple had an obligation to bless any marriage that had a religious alliance with the imperial family.

‘But, were you even concerned about that?’

“It’s a story that’s already over. I don’t need any family other than my parents.”

Juliet calmly informed.

“Please tell His Majesty to consider it as something that never happened. I don’t want it.”

“I’ll do as you’re told, Your Highness.”

After a long silence, he sarcastically replied.

“Is that the end of the matter?”

Lennox’s gaze was cold.

Juliet thought that Lennox, who wasn’t looking at her, seemed strange.

She was surprised that he backed down more easily than she thought.

Suddenly, Juliet remembered something she had lost in this room.

“Ah, my hairpin.”

“Hairpin?”

“Yes, I lost it when I came here a few days ago. Have you seen it?”

Sinking deeper into his chair, Lennox inquired with a deep voice.

“Is it important?”

“Not really… but it shouldn’t be hard to find. It’s a gold pin shaped like a leaf with pearls…”

Before she could finish, Juliet paused. In the center between the two was a small mahogany side table.

Her hairpin was on it.

It seemed like someone had picked it up while cleaning the room and placed it there.

“I don’t know.”

…But why?

Juliet’s puzzled gaze turned to him.

But why didn’t Lennox see it?

“Ask Elliot to find it.”

Lennox replied monotonously, as if he truly couldn’t see the hairpin right in front of him.

For a moment, Juliet blankly looked at the side of his face and then suddenly realized something.

Since she entered the room, he hadn’t met her gaze even once.

Not only that.

The locked door, the unusually dim lighting, his disheveled appearance with some buttons undone.

Even the way he sat deep in his chair felt defensive. Uncharacteristically so.

Normally, this wouldn’t be easy to notice.

But thanks to her nanny, Juliet was familiar with those who are blind.

Instinctively, when one’s vision is blocked, they naturally sit slightly slanted in a defensive posture.

To prepare for unexpected stimuli.

‘Could it be…’

“Your Highness.”

Hoping her voice wouldn’t tremble, Juliet carefully stood up and approached him.

“…Do you remember saying blue suits me well?”

“What are you trying to say?”

Juliet’s hand touched his knee.

“The dress I’m wearing today. It’s your favorite color…”

But before she could finish, his arm swiftly pulled her onto his lap.

“Juliet Monad.”

Over the long span of 7 years, they had become familiar with each other. He immediately knew what she was getting at.

“When given the chance, you should’ve just pretended not to know.”

With a voice barely holding back anger, Lennox grumbled.

There’s no point in pretending.

Even if she had realized his condition, she should have pretended not to. She should have naturally left him, and this place, as if she knew nothing. Whether he lost his sight or was dying, it had nothing to do with her.

It seemed.

She should have just left.

“You came like this, and I can’t pretend anymore.”

Now, he had no choice but to cling to her desperately.

His gaze upon her was slightly off-focus.

Juliet knew it wasn’t him avoiding her gaze.

‘It’s because he can’t see, he can’t meet my eyes.’

With a lump in her throat, Juliet whispered.

“Lennox.”

“…”

“You can’t see me right now, can you?”