Forgotten Juliet

Chapter 144:

* * *

Early in the morning, Juliet welcomed a special guest from the South.

Peep.

“…What is this?”

“It’s a messenger bird, miss.”

A messenger bird had arrived from the south.

The well-trained bird stretched out its leg, which had a message attached to it, toward her.

The letter was more like a note than a full-length letter. Its content was brief.

[Return soon, and don’t do anything dangerous. Wait for me.]

There was no word of the welfare of Duke Carlyle in the brief message sent by Lennox. However, Juliet instantly read the implicit message between the lines, saying he was alright and she shouldn’t worry.

The bird had arrived at dawn today, so Lennox was expected to arrive in the capital in a day or at most in three days.

It was a fairly ordinary letter.

Up to that point.

The problem was…

[Trust no one. Until I return.]

This short sentence was hastily added at the end of the message, almost like a postscript.

Juliet stared at this ominous last line.

The Lennox Carlyle she knew wasn’t someone who’d say such things lightly.

Did ‘no one’ include family and friends?

After a moment of thought, Juliet lifted her head and made eye contact with people who were fervently watching her.

The secretaries of the Duke were looking at her with an expression of intense curiosity about the contents of the letter.

“He’s coming.”

“And?”

“He’ll arrive within two days at the latest, and it seems he’s not hurt.”

“…Is that all?”

“Yes. He said to stay indoors and not to roam around until he arrives.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

“Indeed.”

Juliet neatly folded the letter.

The Duke’s attendants quickly began to open other letters in turn, but none contained any news beyond what had been conveyed to Juliet.

“There are no injuries.”

“That’s a relief.”

“It’s fortunate that he’s safe. Miss, please don’t worry too much.”

Juliet smiled broadly.

“I’m not worried.”

“Pardon?”

She wasn’t particularly worried about his safety. She was contemplating what would happen after his return.

‘I’ll have to tell him.’

When he returns, Juliet had something to inform him about.

Who is currently at the palace.

Juliet gazed out of the window.

While the North was deep in winter, the capital located in the southwest of the continent was already warming up, almost as if spring was arriving.

The Dahlia he had been searching for wasn’t in the south but in the capital.

What kind of expression would Lennox have when he encountered Dahlia upon his return to the capital?

Although Lennox had told Juliet never to wander around without an escort, there was something she needed to confirm before he returned.

For instance, whether Dahlia truly collaborated with Marquis Guinness to harm her, and what her intentions were.

However, two impressive escorts joined Juliet when she attempted a brief outing.

A mage from Marigold Merchant Guild, Eshelrid, and Juliet’s distant cousin Teo followed her.

“Why are you going there?”

“Why are you following?”

“Why can’t you just be grateful?”

Teo grumbled.

Today, Juliet’s destination was the palace. She wanted to drop by and check on something discreetly.

The carriage carrying them arrived at their destination soon after. However, Teo and Eshel, both with swords at their waists, weren’t allowed to enter the palace.

“Escorts must wait outside.”

The captain of the guards stopped them.

“What? What nonsense is that?”

“Teo.”

Although Teo was irritated, Juliet pushed him back and quickly scanned the interior of the palace.

At a glance, she noticed banners in deep red, symbolizing the Emperor, hung around.

It seemed like the envoys of the Emperor had brought the holy flame for the Full Moon Festival.

During the stay of the Emperor’s envoys, any weapons were prohibited within the imperial palace.

“It’s alright. The two of us will go in.”

While Teo tried to protest and Eshel tried to restrain him, Juliet passed through the palace’s main gate with a maid wearing a bonnet.

“Who is accompanying you?”

In response to the guard captain’s question, the woman in the large bonnet briefly showed her face.

Juliet quickly responded.

“She’s a maid from the Count’s household.”

“You may enter.”

The captain of the guards allowed Juliet and the maid with the bonnet to enter without suspicion.

As soon as the maid entered the palace and tried to remove her bonnet, Juliet quickly grabbed her hand.

“Why?”

“If Dahlia recognizes you, it will be problematic.”

Upon hearing this, Dolores, looking frightened, put her bonnet back on.

The one disguised as Juliet’s maid wearing the bonnet was Dolores.

“Do you think that woman will recognize Dolores?”

“If she’s the one who manipulated Marquis Guinness, she would. Let’s quietly confirm her face and leave.”

Dolores, once the daughter of Marquis Guinness, had been imprisoned in a clock tower until Juliet rescued her, and since then, she had been seeking refuge in the Count’s house.

Juliet didn’t particularly favor Dolores, who had once been bought by the Marquis to harm her, but she bore no malice either.

Above all, Dolores had something to do for her today.

Dolores was one of the few who could confirm that Dahlia had manipulated the Marquis to harm Juliet.

Juliet, disguised as a maid along with Dolores, headed to the Empress’s residence.

“Evil is in your hearts!”

“Guard against desires and purify your bodies!”

Knights in crimson tunics shouted as they walked around. They were paladins escorting the archbishops.

The Spring Full Moon Festival begins when a high-ranking priest dispatched from Lucerne visits the imperial family with a sacred flame.

For this reason, the figures of the priests were visible here and there.

“This year’s Full Moon Festival seems a bit early.”

“I heard rumors that the Pope would be visiting this year.”

The palace officials were discussing this.

Juliet, who had never been in the capital at this time of year, naturally found the scene new.

Come to think of it, Esherlid did mention this news.

– Public opinion on the imperial family isn’t great. Due to continuous scandals and events.

The Emperor, in a desperate move, hosted a large event to show off the imperial family’s prestige, trying to suppress public opinion.

– I’ve also heard rumors of a prophecy being found in the temple.

And there was another story.

If the existence of the prophecy was revealed, the Emperor would be in quite a predicament.

Given the temple was already a threat to the monarchy, the appearance of a prophecy at this time would not be favorable for the Emperor.

“Oh my, Countess Monad.”

As they approached the Empress’s palace, tables lined up in the outer courtyard came into view.

Ladies sitting at a secluded table noticed Juliet and greeted her first.

Some recalled their awkward previous encounter and gave a vague smile.

“I didn’t expect you to come.”

“Did Countess Monad come to receive a blessing too?”

Juliet tilted her head.

“Blessing?”

“Yes. The Archbishop is currently speaking with the Empress.”

Beyond the wide-open terrace window, the figure of the Empress was visible. Sitting opposite her was an Archbishop in a crimson priest’s robe.josei

Around them were influential courtiers, including the chamberlain and the Empress’s close associates.

Juliet blinked when she spotted a woman with rich blonde hair attending to the Empress right next to her.

She discreetly glanced inside.

Everyone seemed eager to receive blessings from the high-ranking priest from afar, but only the close ladies of the Empress could approach the Archbishop.

However, Juliet, uninterested in the blessing, deliberately chose a secluded spot to sit.

That’s when it happened.

Dolores, excited, tugged at Juliet’s dress.

“…It’s her! That woman!”

Dolores whispered to Juliet.

“She’s the woman the Marquis treasured!”

Curious ladies nearby inquired.

“Oh my, who is that lady?”

“…She’s my maid.”

Juliet briefly explained to the ladies and then quietly asked Dolores.

“You’re sure you recognize her?”

“Yes! Dolores saw her clearly!”

Dolores seemed both surprised and excited to see the woman whose name she couldn’t even remember.

“Marquis Guinness treated her like a goddess!”

Dolores passionately described the times when Dahlia stayed at the Marquis’s house.

“That woman taught the Marquis how to turn people into magic stones.”

Juliet gazed at Dolores for a moment.

Not long ago, Dolores couldn’t even recall Dahlia’s name properly. But seeing Dahlia from afar brought all her memories back.

‘That’s exactly like me.’

Juliet had a similar experience. Her memory of Dahlia was fuzzy, but seeing her again made everything come back vividly, including what Dahlia had done to her while she was staying in the eastern tower.

Dolores’s story was lengthy, but the main point was that Marquis Guinness revered every single word Dahlia said.

“But how is that woman in the palace?”

Dolores asked, seeming curious.

“That’s what I’m wondering.”

Juliet’s eyes narrowed.