Forgotten Juliet

On the day when the cursed tiara was dropped into the lake in the North, the long winter brought by the snake also ended.

But that wasn’t the only strange occurrence.

Juliet, who had vanished for a while, realized something from what had transpired during her absence.

Except for a few who knew the identity of the snake directly, no one could remember the existence of the snake.

For instance, the heavy snowfall in spring was simply abnormal weather, and all the mischief caused by the snake was blamed on the Second Prince, as if the snake never existed from the start.

(If forgotten from memory, existence also disappears.)

Thus, Juliet suspected that her butterflies had succeeded.

“Thank you. Really.”

(…Hmm.)

It was a sincere thank you, but the butterflies fluttered around Juliet, pretending not to care.

Anyway, since the butterflies chased the snake away, Juliet also had to keep her promise.

Not wanting to return to the villa wet, Juliet took off her shoes and stepped barefoot on the gravel by the water.

Inside Velot’s forest.

This small, uninhabited valley was what the butterflies referred to as ‘soft water.’

-The water itself is a powerful summoning circle.

When Juliet sought advice, the wizards of Matop shared this hypothesis.

-‘Soft water’ is likely a specific place where ancient spirits were summoned using water.

When spirits were summoned here, water from a specific region acted as a medium, and in the case of the butterflies, it was this small valley.

‘But isn’t it much smaller compared to the northern lake?’

It was the same ‘water’ where spirits were summoned, yet the valley of Velot in front of her eyes was small and ordinary.

She doubted, but the butterflies were quite clear.

(We, came through here.)

It seemed that any water would do for a summoning circle.

‘So this is why I am here at dawn.’

Releasing the spirits from the binding was simpler than thought. After handling the artifact first, just like she had thrown the purple treasure into the lake to get rid of the snake, to release the butterflies she had to immerse the silver key in this valley.

Carefully adjusting her skirt to prevent it from getting wet, Juliet cautiously walked into the shallow valley.

The valley water only reached Juliet’s calves but despite it being summer, it was quite cold.

Feeling it was enough, she stopped and hesitated for a moment, gazing at the shallow water.

Should she drop the key or go deeper?

When she disposed of the artifact that had bound the snake, the tiara, she had thrown it into the lake as the butterflies had instructed.

The northern lake was very deep.

Juliet couldn’t see how the tiara vanished beneath the dark surface, but at least believed that no one could ever find it again.

But here, the valley was shallow.

‘Just immersing it in the water should do?’

Juliet alternately looked at the key in her hand and the shallow water.

The clear water in the valley was exceedingly ordinary compared to the dark lake. Juliet was lost in thought.

Nevertheless, it was an object that had bound a powerful evil spirit as a slave for hundreds of years.

It didn’t seem like the strong binding would vanish just by dropping the key into the water casually.

Hesitating, Juliet suddenly realized the eerie silence around her.

(…)

The fluttering butterflies around were unusually quiet.

It was now her turn, so they should be urging her to keep her promise, right?

“What’s wrong?”

The butterflies seemed to be eyeing her for some reason.

(…Really?)

(Are you, really going to keep the promise?)

(Really going to release us?)

Juliet tilted her head.

“Don’t you want to be released?”

(It’s not like that…)

Then what’s the problem? Juliet was puzzled.

It was the butterflies who had threatened her with scary faces that she must keep the promise.

(But we… are really smart and useful, right?)

(Now we’re stronger than the snake! We can help, contractor…)

(We, not needed?)

At the last word, Juliet let out a chuckle.

“I know. Smart and useful.”

Juliet fiddled with the key.

“But you already helped a lot, really, if it weren’t for you, I would have died a long time ago.”

(…)

“Thank you. So now you can go wherever you want.”

(…Right!)

(Smart, we!)

(Helped!)

The simple butterflies soon became delighted and, self-praising, they became chatty again.

Just as Juliet was about to drop the silver key into the water, a butterfly hurriedly intervened.

(Tantalus!)

“Huh?”

(Our name, Butterfly of Tantalus.)

Although she didn’t know what it meant, it was said that names are important to spirits.

Juliet smiled slightly and nodded her head.

“Goodbye, Butterfly of Tantalus.”

Leaving Juliet’s hand, the intricately crafted silver key slowly sank into the cold water.

She eagerly looked into the clear water, her heart fluttering with anticipation of what might happen.

Suddenly, Juliet widened her eyes.

Whoosh.

The solid silver key vanished before it even touched the valley ground, as if it had melted into the water.

“Is this okay…?”

As Juliet lifted her head to ask the butterflies, she doubted what she was seeing.

‘A door?’

In the dark dawn sky, right next to the huge shining full moon, a bright white light appeared, in the shape of a small door.

And the butterflies fluttered past Juliet, dancing and fluttering up in turns.

The scene of blue-light butterflies flying in line into the air was spectacular.

She could see them disappearing through the door that appeared in mid-air.

Juliet was entranced as she watched the scene.

(Contract peace!)

(See, meet again…)

(… yes! Remember…)

Pop.

The door in the air disappeared as suddenly as it appeared, and the chirping of the butterflies ceased.

Left alone, Juliet collected her senses.

“…They really left.”

Her butterflies used to disappear and reappear annoyingly without warning. But this time, Juliet felt it was really the end.

It felt somehow empty, and bittersweet.

Juliet sighed, thinking that she should head back too.

She had been standing barefoot in the cold water for a while, and she started to feel chilly.

However, just as Juliet was about to step out of the water, she suddenly noticed something blue sparkling between the pebbles on the valley floor.

‘What is this?’

Driven by curiosity, she picked it up, and it was a stone of the same color as the gem crafted on the silver key.

Did it fall off from the key?

(That’s a command stone.)

Lifting her head, Juliet locked eyes with a black panther half-laying on a huge rock.

Juliet smiled softly.

“Hello, Meow.”

When had it started watching?

The appearance of the black panther meant Lennox was nearby.

“What is this?”

(Even a normal stone, when it absorbs the power of spirits, it accumulates fearsome magic power. It allows the use of magic power indefinitely.)

Indefinite magic power…?

It looked like just a gem that fell off from the key, Juliet asked without much interest.

“What can you do with this?”

(You can do anything you want, but hundreds of years ago, humans mainly used it to glimpse into the future.)

In other words, a stone of prophecy.

Juliet played with the shiny beautiful stone for a moment.

“But there must be a price, right? As always.”

(Right. You are quite clever, for a human.)

The black panther seemed satisfied as it wagged its tail.

However, Juliet was more captivated by the black panther than the stone of prophecy.

‘Doesn’t that Meow want to go home?’

It was said that spirits disliked being used by humans.

If it asked to be released, Lennox would probably let it go willingly. Wouldn’t he?

However, maybe because both the snake and the butterfly had disappeared, the black panther seemed more relaxed and comfortable than any other time Juliet had seen it.

(Are you going to use it?)

“Huh?”

(This stone.)

Ah, this.

“Well…”

(It’s said that ancient humans even waged wars over it. They believed it’s a precious item that can show the future?)

The black panther gently teased Juliet.

It’s been a long time since she heard such a demonic line, Juliet thought, smiling inwardly.

Just then, a familiar voice called her from behind.

“Juliet.”

Juliet turned around.

Swish.

Under the moon, a man on a black horse stood like a picture.

His hair was disheveled over his forehead, as if he had rushed over. Like Juliet in her pajamas, he too was dressed simply.

It seemed like he chased her after finding the bed empty.

“…What are you doing there?”

With a voice mixed with relief and worry, the man asked.

He glanced at the black panther lying on the rock but said nothing.

Instead, Lennox seemed a bit incredulous looking at Juliet standing in the water.

“Ah, Lennox.”

Splash.

Attempting to approach him, Juliet slipped in the water and almost fell.

Seeing her stagger, Lennox quickly restrained her.

“Just stay still. I’ll come.”

Letting go of the reins, the man stepped into the water without any hesitation.

Embarrassed, Juliet nodded slowly.

“…Yes.”

Deep in the forest, under the bright full moon, Juliet stood in the cold water. And she watched the man coming towards her without blinking an eye.

Juliet was looking at the man who made the most reckless and foolish gamble in the world.

To save her from the past, he offered his future.

‘Where in the world is such a gamble?’

Juliet had wondered for a very long time.

Who had sent her back here? If there really was such a thing as fate, why had she come back to this man again?

But now Juliet knew the answer.

‘It was you from the start.’

“Come here.”

Instead of taking his extended hand, Juliet just looked at him, soaked, and smiled silently.

“Why?”

I made the right choice.

“Just, just because.”

“It’s bland.”

Lennox smiled lightly, then carefully lifted her up so her skirt wouldn’t get wet.

Despite being soaked himself.

Juliet bit her lips slightly to hold back her laughter.

A faint satisfaction welled up inside her.

The moment he extended his hand, for the first time, Juliet could vividly envision a future.

They would have a child, and raise a young dragon together. There will always be warm lights flowing out of the windows of the castle, and different colored flowers blooming in the garden every season.

“Lennox.”

“Tell me.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“The bed was empty, and the back door was open. It was obvious.”

“So, the moment you saw the empty bed, you rushed out on horse to chase after me?”

“…I walked.”

“That’s too much. You don’t trust me that much.”

As Juliet grumbled, Lennox’s eyes narrowed.

“Obviously. How many times have you run away from me? You are not trustworthy.”

He said, but then lightly kissed her forehead.

Of course, they knew each other too well. As always, they’d fight and reconcile over and over, but…

One thing was clear. They would never regret choosing each other.

Realizing such an obvious future, they didn’t need a demonic power or any inscrutable force.

As he carried her out of the water, Juliet threw the blue stone far into the water.

From afar, it seemed like the black panther was smiling slyly.

And Juliet never looked back to the past again.

(Main Story: THE END)