Forgotten Juliet

Chapter 203:

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“…Two months?”

“Yes.”

Having rested well and regained some energy, Juliet got out of bed and prepared to go out.

Though all she had done was lying half-asleep in bed until she was helped by the head maid to change her clothes.

“Miss Juliet!”

She was sitting in the sitting room with her thick coat on, when the door swung open and familiar faces from the Duke’s household came pouring in.

For the past two days, Lennox had monopolized Juliet’s time, so it had been quite a while since she had conversed with anyone else.

And then Juliet learned a shocking fact.

“It’s been two months?”

That couldn’t be. Juliet thought her sense of time was strange.

She had lost consciousness for a moment when being dragged away by the snake, and she had gone through various incidents, but…

The time Juliet felt she had spent underground felt like just three or four days. But now two months had passed? Was this another trick of evil spirits?

On one hand, confused, Juliet was convinced.

She understood why Lennox, who found her, looked like he had seen a ghost, why he acted so strangely.

It wasn’t unreasonable for the people in the Duke’s household to have thought Juliet was dead.

“It’s a relief that you have returned safely.”

The head maid was welling up with tears.

“Everyone was so worried.”

Over the 7 years of staying in the Duchy, people in the Duke’s estate had grown quite fond of Juliet.

But even so, the visitors were extremely pleased with her return.

“Now everything will get back on track!”

The Duke’s secretary, Elliot, too, teared up upon seeing her.

Though, his tears seemed to be of a different kind.

“It’s about time that His Highness started to look at the duties…!”

“…?”

Juliet was puzzled why this was something to be happy about.

A moment later, Lennox, dressed in his outdoor attire, entered the sitting room and all the visitors were shooed out.

“Then have a good trip, Miss.”

As a last greeting, Milan subtly reassured her that he had contacted her grandfather, so there was no need to worry.

Thud.

But instead of going out, Lennox, leaving only the two of them in the sitting room, held out a tray in front of her.

“Eat.”

“What is this?”

“It’s prescription medicine.”

What was neatly laid out on the silver tray was a warm cup with medicine and a round container.

‘Ah.’

Then Juliet faintly remembered seeing a doctor when she was half-asleep during the night.

“There’s only accumulated fatigue, there’s nothing else wrong so you can rest easy.”

‘So it wasn’t a dream.’

Juliet cautiously looked into the cup.

The grape-colored liquid was a kind of potion brewed from various herbs.

Having had it before, Juliet inadvertently frowned.

Though it contained valuable, effective medicinal ingredients, this medicine tasted horrendous.

Whether a child or adult, no one likes the bitter taste of medicine.

Juliet glanced at Lennox, wondering if she could take it later when she returns. But Lennox didn’t look like he would let her go easily. When their eyes met, he tilted his head and said affectionately:

“Shall I feed you?”

Lennox Carlyle had a knack for making even mundane statements sound significantly meaningful.josei

With no choice, Juliet picked up the cup of medicine.

‘It’s expensive, so I’ll drink it.’

The horrendous taste hit her as soon as it touched her tongue. Juliet clenched her eyes shut and somehow swallowed it down.

“You’re a good girl.”

Lennox smiled sweetly as Juliet put down the empty cup.

“Open your mouth.”

“…?”

When she obediently did as told, he placed a candy in her mouth.

She was curious about what was in the round container he brought along with the medicine tray. It turned out to be a candy tin.

“Let’s go.”

Lennox confirmed that Juliet had taken all the medicine before leading her to the horses prepared outside.

He didn’t even let Juliet ride the horse alone.

After seating Juliet on the saddle, he mounted the horse and took the reins.

Slowly rolling the candy in her mouth, Juliet grumbled inwardly.

‘I’m being treated like a patient.’

Their destination, the lake, wasn’t far from the castle.

Lennox had the horse walk slowly.

It was just a little faster than walking.

All the way to the lake, Juliet held a precious jewelry box close to her chest.

Of course, it was precious. She had to deal with this, so the butterflies can drive the snake away and lift the curse.

Fiddling with the box, Juliet suddenly felt a gaze and looked up.

“Why?”

“Just because.”

Juliet furrowed her eyebrows.

Lennox, who seemed somewhat pitiful at first, looked clean and neat now.

Was it because he had cut his somewhat long hair, or had changed his clothes? His look was unusually sparkling, but she couldn’t figure out what was different.

His jawline and cheeks seemed a bit thinner than she remembered, but just two nights ago, the gaze that seemed to want to kill her had now changed to a different kind of obsession.

‘What is it?’

While Juliet was puzzled, they soon arrived at the lake.

Lennox silently helped Juliet down.

“You were told to throw this into the lake.”

Juliet took off her gloves and handed Lennox the box she had kept in the Carlyle vault.

However, Lennox looked at Juliet for a moment, then lowered his head.

“You do it.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Juliet, who hesitated, didn’t refuse. She walked to the end of the lake’s deck, then dropped the tiara adorned with purple jewels straight down.

It sank below the surface without even making a sound.

Juliet leaned over to see what happened to the tiara.

But nothing could be seen due to the unique dark water.

At the spot where she dropped the tiara, small bubbles surfaced for a moment, then that was the end of it.

There was no trace left, as if it had melted away.

Is it really done?

Juliet was slightly excited with half exhilaration and half doubt. She wanted to call out to the butterflies to ask them right away, but she was afraid it might interfere since the butterflies had important work to do.

“Juliet.”

She turned around at the voice calling her.

“Is it over?”

“Perhaps.”

Juliet smiled comfortably for the first time in a long time.

“Spring will come soon.”

Juliet seemed truly happy.

Lennox carefully captured the sight of smiling Juliet.

“Let’s go back.”

Lennox curtly responded and helped Juliet with her cloak.

Juliet seemed quite pleased and chatted cheerfully.

“Goodbye to winter clothes and the fireplace.”

“Is the coming of spring such a joyful event?”

Lennox’s remark was somewhat sharp, and Juliet tilted her head as if to ask what was wrong.

“Of course. The winter is prolonging, and even now crops and wildlife are freezing to death.”

Spring is coming, and then summer. These were more worrying issues for the lord of the North. However, Lennox coldly and calmly prodded her again.

“And then?”

“What?”

“Will you still be with me?”

“Yes?”

“Juliet.”

Lennox eventually couldn’t hold back, stopped, and turned her around.

“I’ve been having dreams of you dying, every day.”

Whenever he closed his eyes, he was tormented by the recurring nightmare. Juliet, covered in blood, was dying, and he could do nothing in the dream.

“I said you didn’t kill me.”

But that was more horrifying.

Juliet thought all along that he had killed her.

“So I’m asking. Will you be by my side even after spring ends and the season changes?”

Juliet blinked with an incomprehensible expression for a moment.

The longer her silence lasted, the more Lennox felt a burning sensation within.

“What if I want to leave?”

His heart sank.

“If I no longer want to be by your side, or if I’ve come to like someone else, and say I’ll leave?”

The blue eyes of Juliet were transparent to the point of being unreadable.

“Can you swear to let me go peacefully?”

Of course, Juliet intended to leave him.

Lennox knew what he had to say here.

If he wanted to hold on to even a shred of hope, he would have to say he’d respect her wishes, but he didn’t want to.

“…No.”

Lennox sighed at his own audacity. However, he didn’t want to make a promise, even a false one, to let her go.

“You won’t forgive me. I know.”

The past few months had been hellish for him.

He pleaded, not knowing to whom, to see the alive Juliet just once.

It was okay to hate him and leave him, just somehow remain alive, and when Juliet miraculously returned, he realized that he never wanted to lose her again.

He didn’t even wish for affection or a smile.

“I won’t ask for anything.”

Even if she found him disgusting and hated him, it didn’t matter.

No, Lennox rather hoped that she pitied him. At least that would mean she had some concern for him.

“Please, just stay by my side.”

“Heh.”

Juliet laughed quietly.

“It’s really funny… Who in the past would have thought I’d hear such words from you?”

Juliet, murmuring self-mockingly, had cheeks flushed by the cold wind.

She looked up at him silently for a while.

“Lennox.”

Juliet quietly reached out and cupped his cheek.

“I will never forgive you in my lifetime.”

“…I know.”

Lennox’s eyes darkened.

“You hate me. So, it’s okay to hate me for a lifetime.”

Lennox desperately clung to her.

But Juliet sighed lightly.

“Listen till the end.”

Suddenly, Juliet tightly gripped the collar of the man who was a head taller than her.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

The man, who had lived a lifetime without knowing humility, had his red eyes tremble slightly.