Forgotten Juliet

* * *

Boom!

As Juliet shot the lamp, she swiftly threw herself out of the door.

“!”

She narrowly avoided the loud explosion, but it seemed to have been a close call.

Her ears began to ring, followed by a high-pitched tinnitus.

“Ugh…”

Juliet wobbled a bit, trying to get up and find her balance.

She felt dizzy.

It’s simple common sense.

In a dry winter, you shouldn’t play with fire in a confined space where flammable powder easily floats around.

“It’s fortunate you’re a wolf without common sense…”

After all, a Lycanthrope from the forest wouldn’t know how dangerous a dust explosion could be.

It was a relief that the hunting territory’s charcoal powder used for snow removal was hanging up to keep it dry.

‘I really didn’t think it would work.’

Her legs wobbled.

Juliet fell onto the snow again. That explosion would certainly bring people running unless they were deaf.

They would then find the collapsed 2nd prince and his group, and also her…

But just as Juliet was pondering this-

Creak!

“Damn! This woman…!”

With a slightly annoyed expression, Juliet looked up.

There, a half-man, half-beast with fire on his back was rushing out of the storage room.

The furious Graham seemed ready to charge at Juliet any second.

Seeing the monstrous healing power of the Lycanthropes she had only heard of, Juliet was at a loss for words.

Her face turned pale and she blinked her eyes.

She didn’t even think of running away because she was so exhausted.

‘Ah, it seems I’m really going to die this time.’

That was the only thought in her mind. Her eyes kept closing. In an unusually quick manner, she felt drained.

Juliet fell face-down on the snow.

Then-

Flutter.

A butterfly, emitting an out-of-place bluish glow, appeared in the middle of the snow-covered forest.

Graham, who seemed about to charge at the fallen human woman, paused for a moment.

“What? What… What’s this?”

It seemed like these creatures, radiating bright light, weren’t living organisms. Their numbers quietly, but rapidly, increased.

“…?”

The scene was picturesque, but all Graham could feel was terror.

He didn’t know the exact reason, but instinctively felt an ominous presence and kept looking around nervously.

“Aaaargh!”

Shortly after, a spine-chilling scream echoed through the forest.

The woods were once again enveloped in peaceful silence.

* * *

Juliet found herself sitting in a blank white space.

‘I was in the middle of a snow-covered forest just moments ago.’

The last thing she remembered was the threatening figure of the wolf-man approaching her.

‘If I lose consciousness in the snow, won’t I freeze to death?’

While thinking this, Juliet didn’t even realize something was odd.

Creak.

Suddenly, a huge door she hadn’t noticed before opened a little.

And from that gap, a small blue butterfly gently flew out.

‘Ah.’

Watching the cute butterfly fluttering around her, Juliet suddenly realized she had seen this giant door before.

She gazed intently at the door, and the butterfly landed on the back of her hand.

Then it slowly closed and opened its wings.

Creak.

The scene suddenly changed.

Lifting her head, Juliet found herself in a familiar setting.

It was a familiar bedroom. She was sitting on a luxurious canopy bed.

Juliet lowered her head and wept.

She didn’t know why, but she felt as if the world was ending.

‘Ah, this is the memory from that day.’

Juliet realized instantly.

Is this a flashback? The kind that flashes before one’s eyes before death?

Juliet felt a bit bitter inside.

If it’s a flashback, why of all memories this day? This isn’t even from this life; it’s a memory from her first life.

“…Now, you must feel relieved.”

From her mouth flowed the dialogue from a memory.

She lifted her head to look somewhere, but no one was visible in the room, which was a mess from her tears.

“It’s because the nuisance is gone.”

The face of the man standing by the door was hidden in the shadows.

She couldn’t recall the expression he had worn.

* * *

“…You’ll be alright. You… you’re just sleeping, which means you’ll regain consciousness soon.”

Amidst the faint murmur of voices, Juliet regained consciousness.

As soon as she opened her eyes, a gloved hand gripped her cheek.

“Juliet.”

The touch was aggressive yet delicate, as if handling a piece of fragile glass.

And it was a familiar voice and gaze.

However, even after meeting the man’s gaze, Juliet was lost in thought.

She couldn’t forget the scene she had just seen in her dream.

The expression of the man she couldn’t identify kept bothering her.

The memory of that day was one Juliet had never forgotten in her two lifetimes.

Yet, as if someone had forcibly cut that part out, she couldn’t remember it.

It wasn’t that important, but she wondered what expression the man standing quietly by the door had when he looked at her.

“…Lennox.”

She wanted to ask him directly, but it was impossible.

Even if she asked, he wouldn’t be able to answer. Because it was something that had happened in her past life. It was entirely Juliet’s memory alone. How could he comment on a situation he hadn’t experienced?

Juliet tried to get out of his grasp, but he held her back. A sharp voice rang out, and the arm that held the reins tightened.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah.”

Only then did Juliet realize that they were at a height.

She wasn’t just leaning against something; she was on a horse.

That wasn’t all.

She felt uncomfortable, and realized she was wrapped tightly in several layers of a cloak.

Moreover, the expression on Lennox, who was looking down at her, was quite fierce. He looked as if he could kill someone with just his gaze, and he was glaring intensely at her.

‘So be it.’

Juliet wasn’t particularly scared.

She was disoriented from the recent memories. Old, buried emotions had resurfaced.

Looking around, she noticed palace knights holding torches, watching their every move.

Juliet surmised the situation.

After she had fallen in the forest, the palace folks who heard the commotion had rushed over and found her.

‘I don’t know why Lennox is here.’

She was cold and her mind was still foggy, so she couldn’t even think to ask if he was alright.

‘Ah.’

The lights around weren’t just the torches held by the knights.

Twinkling.

She finally noticed.

As if they had never left, butterflies fluttered around her.

“They’re back.”

Part of her was intrigued, thinking about the dream from earlier.

“What about the wolf?”

“…What did that beast do to you?”

“Answering a question with a question isn’t good.”

Being in the same position was uncomfortable, so Juliet shifted a little. She felt Lennox flinch.

“He did nothing.”

Looking at the darkened sky, Juliet suddenly realized something.

They were still in the forest. If Juliet’s memory served right, this was the imperial hunting grounds.

She didn’t know how long it had been since she was found or where exactly in the forest, but given their movement, she should have been able to see lights from the palace buildings.

But instead of the main building of the palace, they seemed to be headed deeper into the forest.

‘Where are we going?’

“Lennox.”

With a sigh, Juliet pulled on his collar.

“Let me down.”

“Where to.”

“Put me down. Right now.”

Lennox didn’t let her down, but he stopped the horse. They locked eyes, silently exchanging intense gazes.