Forgotten Juliet

Juliet asked playfully with a gentle smile.

[Am I a toy?]

[…Of course not.]

He denied hastily, grabbing her wrist.

If not, he had a hunch that Juliet would leave the room at any moment, and never come back.

For some reason, smiling Juliet felt strange. He couldn’t figure out why she was smiling.

Over the past few months, she didn’t seem like the person he knew.

Juliet Monad was an easy person to understand.

She couldn’t hide her emotions, and it was fascinating how transparent she was. So, even though he knew she was continually observing him, he pretended not to notice.

She was starved for human warmth and affection, afraid of being abandoned.

Whenever their eyes met, she smiled brightly, and her face flushed with the slightest touch. It was easy to confirm her affection.

But what did he call such a woman?

A new hobby.

[I see.]

As if reading his momentary guilt and thoughts, the smile on Juliet’s face gradually faded.

It might be less painful to take a knife instead.

Lennox thought he would pay any amount if he could only fix this situation.

What should he say? That he would never get tired of her?

[Juliet.]

She lowered her head with a pale, bored face, looking like she was thinking deeply about something. He didn’t like her expression.

[How can I become smarter even a little bit?]

[You don’t need to.]

Knowing what kind of person he is and hearing it from her were entirely different.

All he could think of was not wanting to be hated by any means.

[Whatever you do, the things you worry about won’t happen. Understand?]

Lennox didn’t realize that he was almost begging.

Juliet stared blankly at the shaking man for a moment and then opened her mouth.

[Your Highness is a kind person.]

[…]

Lennox flinched for a moment.

Apparently, the bar for ‘kindness’ from a woman was ridiculously low.

As if she wanted to believe so, Juliet repeated.

[So I’ll trust you.]

* * *

Ursula has been looking at his face painstakingly since the theater incident.

Lennox didn’t kick her out immediately. Thanks to that, Ursula thought she got away without being held responsible.

Lennox didn’t bother correcting Ursula’s misconception.

[It’s not her fault.]

Juliet defended her.

The reason he left Ursula alone was simply because Juliet needed her.

After the ‘Night of Sponsorship,’ Juliet hardly went out.

Except for a few times he took her out with the excuse of teaching her horse riding, and stopping by high-end stores and greenhouses a few times.

Instead, Juliet spent more time in her bedroom.

She got tired easily as if spring fever had hit, falling asleep even when they were together.

However, Juliet flatly refused even the mention of calling a doctor.

[I’m just tired.]

Juliet stayed holed up in her bedroom, not coming out.

The more she did so, the more anxious Lennox became.

He couldn’t believe he was noticing her mood, but with spring, Juliet rarely looked at him and smiled brightly as before.

He couldn’t be next to her all day to monitor what she was thinking.

[Don’t talk nonsense and take good care of yourself.]

All he could do was to urgently ask Juliet, then rush to deal with his piled-up work and return to the castle as soon as possible.

The news from Baron Teer, who went east to find ‘Dahlia,’ had been cut off, and due to not visiting the capital last winter, he inevitably had to travel to the capital once.

Of course, as soon as the Emperor heard that Duke Carlyle had entered the capital, he immediately called him in.

[Everyone was curious why you didn’t attend the New Year’s ball, what’s up?]

The reason he didn’t attend the New Year’s ball was simple.

He was distracted by Juliet.

[I was busy.]

Lennox briefly nodded.

[Is the Duke twenty-nine this year?]

[Yes.]

[Huh.]

The Emperor, resembling an old raccoon, mumbled nonsense like [Come to think of it, he’s the same age as the second prince, and the second prince is about to have a child-] as he looked at him.

[Is the Duke still not considering marriage?]

The gaze was impure contrary to the content.

Everyone knew that the imperial family bore a grudge against the Duke’s house for rejecting several marriage proposals to the Emperor’s beloved niece, whom he adored as a daughter.

[No.]

There were five Dukes in the Empire, but only Carlyle had no blood relation to the imperial family.

The only Duke Carlyle’s house that the imperial family couldn’t influence.

Despite the extraordinarily long history of the house, the names recorded as Duchess were ridiculously few.

Carlyle House boasted a unique family tradition, so it wasn’t unusual for the mistress seat to be vacant in the family.

However, if he were to marry someday, the Emperor would undoubtedly be bothered by whoever becomes the Duchess.

[…]

For a brief moment, while letting the Emperor’s words go in one ear and out the other, he thought of someone in a white dress.

But really.

It was just for a moment, and he didn’t even realize he had such imagination.

He hurried as much as possible, but it took another six days to deal with the affairs in the capital and return to the north.

[What’s going on?]

The aide’s eyes widened as he came out to greet him in front of the castle gate.

The Duke had brought a gentle hazelnut-colored young foal.

[I bought it.]

Lennox replied bluntly, seemingly annoyed.

He had been thinking hard all the time he was away from the castle.

What could relieve the depression and pique the interest of Juliet, who showed no interest in jewels or dresses? From his countless observations, Juliet had a talent for horseback riding, and she liked young animals.

So, the good horse he thought of was a big deal.

Lennox was amazed at his own feeble imagination, but he didn’t know anything else Juliet might like.

The gentle but sturdy, two-year-old horse stood quietly, blinking its eyes.

But contrary to his expectations, the woman he expected to come out to greet him was not seen.

[Ah, Miss Julliet is in the garden!]

Elliot quickly informed him, seeing his expression harden.

As directed by the aide, he headed to the garden, where the chattering and conversations could be heard.

[Madam Ursula’s disciples came to visit.]

Elliot subtly informed him.

In the middle of the garden where spring flowers began to bloom, Ursula and a few women were sitting around a table chatting.

He easily found Juliet among the gathered noblewomen.

With light hazelnut-colored hair decorated with a black hair tie, and elegant lace covering her neck and back of hands on a dark green dress, Juliet looked lively as suited the season.

But Juliet didn’t notice his approach, as she was too engrossed in chatting with the women seated at the table.

What Juliet was gazing at with envious eyes was a young baby cradled in a woman’s arms.

[Hem hem. Miss?]

Elliot coughed to call her, and Juliet finally turned to him.

[Ah, Your Highness.]

Like before, Juliet greeted him with a bright smile.

It was only after the unfamiliar guests hurriedly left that Juliet discovered the young foal he had brought.

[What’s with this horse?]

Juliet’s face lit up as she discovered the gentle animal.

[It’s yours.]

[Pretty…]

Watching Juliet caress the two-year-old foal in ecstasy, Lennox felt a sense of relief internally.

[I haven’t seen such a beautiful horse since I was fifteen.]

Rather than placing a saddle and taming it, she was closer to not knowing what to do with its beauty.

[What shall we name it?]

Juliet seemed to have regained her spirits while he was away and smiled brightly at him as before.

However, the topic had changed again by the time they put the foal in the clean stable and returned to the castle.

Crossing the garden, Juliet told him about what she had been doing while he was away.

[It was very cute.]

The group chatting with Juliet a while ago were said to be disciples of Madam Ursula.

One of the disciples who visited to meet Ursula had brought a young baby.

Juliet softly spoke about the cute things the baby did.

[It’s so fascinating to see nails on such tiny hands.]

Is it fascinating?

Lennox thought it was something he didn’t know. He couldn’t understand why she was so fond of a baby that wasn’t even hers.

Juliet, who was quick to notice, sneaked a look at him and cautiously asked:

[Do you dislike babies?]

Are you asking me if I dislike children now?

[I don’t dislike. Just haven’t given much thought.]

[But someday, Your Highness will get married, and have children…]

[That won’t happen.]

At his firm response, Juliet’s blue eyes widened in surprise.

[…Why?]

Lennox suddenly thought of the casually mentioned Emperor and became more alert.

[It’s bothersome. Annoying.]

[…]

Juliet seemed a bit taken aback.

He felt uncomfortable again.

[Let’s go back.]

For a while, they walked side by side on a well-maintained rose bush path.

This spring was quite warm, and the colorful roses were blooming brilliantly, but all the while, Juliet seemed lost in thought.

Without realizing it, Lennox glanced sideways to check on her complexion.

…Damn it.

It was clear that his answer had made Juliet uneasy.

Should he not have said that?

What does it matter whether he really likes children or not? He should have lied and said he liked them.

Lennox decided that he should calmly explain it to her.

[What I meant was…]

But before he could say anything, Juliet suddenly spoke.

[But a child that looks like Your Highness would be really cute.]

He was momentarily speechless. Was she sincere?

If the child looked like her, maybe. A child with pale cheeks, light brown-colored hair, and round blue eyes would surely be adorable.

Even if not of his lineage.

[…]

But children born to the Duke’s family always have ominously red eyes.

Moreover, the first child of each generation devours its mother from inside the womb and is born. He suddenly stopped walking and realized.

[Such damned genes.]

[Why?]

He smirked just with the curve of his lips.

[My father didn’t think so.]

Juliet blinked, not understanding his implication.

He didn’t want to confess his bleak family history, nor did he want to terrify Juliet with tales of a curse passed down in his lineage.

[…Still, I believe the Duke will be a good father.]

Juliet, who had been gazing at him intently, said a bit stubbornly.

[Because Your Highness is kind.]

[…]

[Isn’t it?]

As if she wanted to believe it.

Lennox looked into her eyes for a moment.

To want to believe means it might not be the truth.

He wasn’t kind, he had no intention of giving Juliet a child, and he didn’t believe he’d be a good father.

However, those blue eyes, filled with trust and affection, looked at him. And he didn’t want to lose that, whatever the cost, whatever lies he had to tell.

He smirked and pulled her close.

[Maybe I will be.]