Forgotten Juliet

* * *

The snow fox was a magical creature, but it had a gentle disposition and a small physique.

Juliet wondered if they could even call hunting a creature slightly bigger than a rabbit a ‘subjugation’, but she thought it might just be a leisurely hunting game for the idle aristocrats.

At least, in the forest of the imperial palace, there weren’t creatures more dangerous than the snow fox, so it must be safe.

“Please be careful, Prince!”

However, the prospective crown princess, with teary eyes, seemed to think differently. Fatima was still angry about the previous incident and didn’t even acknowledge Juliet with a nod.

Juliet intentionally fell behind the hunting procession. Riding through the snow-covered forest in silence wasn’t too bad.

“Here, there are bloodstains!”

Annoyingly, the second prince’s group was heading in the same direction she was.

“Could it be the snow fox?”

“Judging by the blood, it looks like a big one!”

Not wanting to watch their noisy hunt, Juliet turned her horse around.

Just as she was about to venture deeper into the forest.

Thud.

Crash.

The noise of the chattering group suddenly ceased.

“…?”

Neigh!

Turning around, she saw the horses the second prince’s group had been riding on fleeing in a panic.

“Second Prince…?”

When she looked back, she saw not only the second prince but all his entourage sprawled out on the snow.

Standing in front of them was a large man.

‘I didn’t hear him approach.’

Juliet tensely gripped her reins. The man, with a sharp gaze, was a stranger to her.

But instinctively, she knew who he was.

‘He’s a werewolf.’

* * *

It was her first time seeing a lycanthrope other than Roy and his group.

It reminded her of Elsa, who had stayed in the imperial palace.

“It’s strange. I keep smelling something familiar.”

Apparently, this man was the source of the scent.

“Human woman. Are you Juliet Monad?”

When the stranger mentioned her name, Juliet couldn’t help but ask:

“Who are you?”

“I am Graham.”

For a moment, Juliet eyed him up and down.

Graham was imposing and tall, but something was off. He looked like a man on the run, his appearance was ragged, and he had a bandage wrapped around his shoulder.

The bloodstains the second prince’s group had discovered seemed to belong to Graham.

“Are you Roy’s brother?”

Didn’t he mention a missing older brother?

For some reason, she had a feeling that this man was that missing brother.

“Roy… Ha!”

It seemed she was right.

A fierce expression appeared on Graham’s face.

“That Romeo guy got captivated by a human woman.”

His blatant hostility was similar to when she first met Roy.

Graham menacingly approached Juliet.

“I’m sorry, but would you mind coming with me?”

“To where?”

“To the forest of Katia.”

“Why?”

“Damn it, that brat broke my neck…!”

Surprisingly, Graham was answering her every question, though his face twisted with anger.

Hearing this, Juliet thought that this Graham might be the third brother, whom Roy had supposedly ‘broken the neck’ of.

“But that’s not an answer. What does that have to do with me?”

Juliet calmly pointed out.

It didn’t make sense to her that because he held a grudge against Roy, he would want to take her away.

However, Graham confidently said:

“If I take you, that arrogant Romeo won’t have a choice but to listen to me.”

In other words, she would be a hostage to threaten him.

“What if I refuse?”

“Then I’ll have to resort to violence.”

Growl.

The mere sound was threatening. However, Juliet narrowed her eyes.

“…Again?”

“What?”

In front of Graham, Juliet heaved a sigh. At this point, it felt as if the universe wanted her dead.

‘And there’s no one around.’

Especially not in the middle of this secluded forest.

The unconscious second prince and his entourage didn’t seem like they’d be of any help. Juliet gripped her crossbow and pulled off the clasp of her cape.

Thump. The cloak fell to the ground.

Whether she was going to run or shoot the crossbow, the cloak would only get in the way.

“Wait.”

Graham, who had been intimidating so far, looked at her with wide eyes.

“I have a question, human woman.”

His gaze was fixed on Juliet’s neck.

“Why do you have the Snowdrop?”

“…?”

Snowdrop?

Juliet looked down at herself. Thanks to removing her cloak, the silver key around her neck was visible.

Was he talking about this?

“Did that Romeo guy find it? No, he’s too young to know about it.”

The werewolf named Graham started babbling alone. Juliet showed the key hesitantly.

“Is it this?”

“Yes. Why would such a lowly human woman…”

The human woman, upon hearing this, felt offended.

She was no longer curious about why he referred to the family heirloom of the Count with a strange name.

Roy had never once called Juliet that.

She seemed to understand why Lycanthrope was so arrogant.

Anyway, Juliet was angry, and the opportunity for her was the werewolf in front of her panicking and babbling.

Swiftly.

As if calming the frightened horse, Juliet looked around and…

“Snowdrop, how…”

Seizing the moment when Graham murmured, she decided to run away.

Juliet quickly turned the horse’s head and started running in the direction she had seen beforehand.

Nieghhh!

“Where!”

Graham, realizing belatedly, roared and chased after her.

When the werewolf pursued, the horse, filled with terror, began to speed up.

However, Juliet realized that her capture was only a matter of time. It was impossible to fend off a wolf in a snow-covered forest.

‘There it is.’

As she ran haphazardly, something appropriate caught Juliet’s eye.

It looked like a hunter’s lodge, doubling as a storage room.

Without a second thought, Juliet halted her horse and darted inside.

Bang!

“…!”

But before she could close the door, the entity that had been following her thrust its arm through the gap.

Creak.

The door was forced open.

“Ha! Did you think you could escape!”

Graham entered the storage room with a smug expression.

What to do?

As Juliet backed away from Graham, she decided to buy some time.

She had to move towards the door without the werewolf noticing.

“You’re Roy’s brother, why don’t you get along?”

Juliet blurted out whatever came to her mind. Surprisingly, Graham took the bait.

“Human woman, you can’t even imagine the vile things he’s done to me.”

Graham replied darkly.

“Compared to him, the things I’ve done…”

Although she was concerned about what he meant, saving her life was the immediate priority.

Juliet let him ramble on and sneaked a peek at the crossbow she held.

I can shoot.

The Duke’s castle in the North had all kinds of weapons, and Juliet had learned how to handle them.

However, she didn’t think her skills were particularly good.

‘Furthermore…’

Juliet glanced at Graham in front of her.

The true form of Roy she saw on the train was a wolf so large it filled an entire train compartment. Dreaming of taking down such a creature with a mere crossbow seemed foolish.

‘But I have no choice..’

There were only two arrows left. Juliet felt the weight of her own powerlessness.

‘No choice.’

Once she made up her mind, she acted swiftly.

Bang!

Startled by the sharp sound, Graham flinched.

However, the arrow Juliet shot missed him.

Thud!

With that sound, something hanging from the ceiling fell.

“Ha! This woman…!”

With a mix of exhilaration and relief, Graham bared his teeth.

As he stepped forward, thinking she has missed-

Whoosh.

A thick substance spilled, filling the entire warehouse like a sandstorm.

Graham laughed at the futile attempt of the human woman.

“You thought you could avoid the situation with this little trick?”

In the wolf’s dark-adapted vision, such a trick would be useless.

However, Juliet smiled and loaded another arrow into her crossbow.

Click.

“A bit scared?”

“What?”

Graham felt uneasy with her relaxed demeanor.

It was too calm for a human in a life-threatening situation.

Yet, the arrow she just loaded was surely the last.

Juliet calmly aimed the crossbow.

With the mindset of seeing how far this human woman would go, Graham bared his teeth.

“Goodbye, stupid wolf.”

Clack!

Crash!

Again, her arrow missed Graham.

But she aimed precisely, breaking a lamp hanging in the middle of the ceiling.

Boom!

“…!”

The air exploded.