Forgotten Juliet

Cast a spell.

The Count’s mouth fell open.

Indeed, it was the doing of this woman.

The rumors were true, that the Duke’s lover practiced wicked enchantments.

“Do you understand? Then nod your head.”

The Count simply nodded absentmindedly with a bewildered expression.

Juliet smiled satisfactorily, turned around effortlessly, and walked away.

“My lord, are you alright?”

“What’s the matter? Are you okay?”

“This, this is unbelievable…”

As Juliet gracefully left the area, people finally gathered.

Count Casper, meanwhile, was trembling as if he had seen something incredibly terrible.

Amidst the clamor from behind, Juliet didn’t turn back. She watched and thought indifferently the people parting ways on both sides, just like the parting of the sea.

‘Sometimes, it seems fitting for a crazy woman to do such things.’

Flutter.

Behind Juliet, a blue butterfly followed her whimsically, fluttering around her.

Juliet caught a glimpse of the butterfly landing on the back of her hand.

The blue butterfly was an adorable disguise for the fearsome monster that existed beyond dimensions. It was said that the butterfly borrowed its form to captivate human eyes because if seen with the naked eye, it would drive one insane.

These butterflies bestowed nightmares upon the targets Juliet desired.

They showed the victims the most dreadful monsters or scenes imaginable and feasted on their emotions. They transformed into a cluster of azure light and were absorbed back into her. Once the butterflies consumed enough magical power and grew, they would be able to manipulate even more diverse illusions.

However, complete mental control, like the command to jump off a rooftop while asleep, as she had just threatened Count Casper, was still beyond her reach.

‘Besides, it wouldn’t work on a sword master.’

In other words, the notion that she could seduce Lennox Carlyle with enchantments was originally impossible.

‘If such a thing were possible, I wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.’

After all, he had already been famous as the youngest sword master since 10 years ago.

* * *

“Miss.”

The young man was Jude, one of the knights of the Duke’s household.

Jude Hayon was relatively young among the Duke’s vassals and was considered the youngest in the knight order.

He had a friendly and lively personality that endeared him to anyone he encountered. He was so friendly that at times he treated Juliet, the Duke’s lover, like a younger sister, which was rather disrespectful.

After glancing around for a moment, Jude lowered his voice and whispered to Juliet.

“What happened inside?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why is everyone looking at you?”

“I don’t know.”

Juliet casually brushed off the conversation, as if talking about someone else, but Jude nodded as if he understood.

Like Juliet, Jude Hayon came from a noble family.

It wasn’t difficult to guess what might have happened inside. After all, the social circles in the capital were always full of gossip, whether now or in the past.

“Miss.”

Jude, who had been smiling meaningfully, knelt down before Juliet and extended a box, exaggerating his gestures instead of opening the carriage door for her.

“It was sent by His Highness, Duke Carlyle.”

It was a deliberate action, conscious of the surroundings.

She could feel the sudden attention from those around. Juliet quietly looked down at Jude.

‘…Why would he give something that could be handed to me inside the carriage, outside.’

And in front of the temple, where all the attention was focused, in front of the Duke’s carriage adorned with the crest of the noble household.

Jude winked at Juliet.

Being of noble birth, Jude was accustomed to handling ‘noble’ situations.

“He specifically prepared it for you, and it’s called ‘Tears of the Sun.'”

Jude pronounced it loud enough for everyone around to hear as he opened the velvet box.

Inside was a dazzling necklace.

As befitting its name, it had a large sunset-colored diamond at its center, surrounded by smaller, transparent diamonds.

It was truly a magnificent and radiant splendor.

Even at a glance, the luxurious necklace appeared incredibly expensive.

“Oh my god.”

“Oh, just look at that brilliance.”

Before Juliet could react, a chorus of admiration erupted among the onlookers who had been glancing in this direction from a distance.

Hearing the murmurs, Juliet shrugged it off indifferently.

Now that those who witnessed this spectacle would diligently go and spread rumors about what they had seen. So by the time the New Year’s Eve banquet arrived, the entire capital would know.

They would learn how the lover of the Duke, who had visited the capital after a long absence, had behaved so nonchalantly towards other nobles.

And of course, how Duke Carlyle had gifted such an extravagant necklace to his unconventional lover.

But Juliet, with an unimpressed gaze, glanced briefly at the resplendent necklace and then turned her head.

“That’s enough. Let’s go.”

“Yes, miss.”

Jude deliberately closed the box slowly before opening the carriage door. He also made sure to glance at the curious crowd before they boarded the carriage.

As the carriage carrying the two of them turned the corner, the coachman asked about their destination from the front seat.

“Where shall I take you?”

Jude, sitting across from Juliet, asked her as if it were obvious.

“You’re going back to the mansion, right?”

“No.”

“Yes?”

“I’m going to Monad county. Can you drop me off along the way?”

While Jude blinked with a bewildered expression, the coachman didn’t find it unusual at all for Juliet, the rightful owner of the Count’s estate, to be heading there.

But Jude was puzzled.

“Aren’t we going back together?”

“Yes, and take this back as well.”

“Yes?”

Jude, feeling somewhat foolish for persistently asking, momentarily closed his mouth and then asked again with a serious expression.

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

“No, it’s beautiful.”

“Then why? It’s a bit blunt to say it, but it’s quite expensive. Specially commissioned as a birthday gift for Lady Monad… “

But instead of answering, Juliet quietly chuckled.

“It may not be as good as a mana stone, but it’s still useful.”

Although not as potent as a condensed mana stone, the large and pure gem contained a trace amount of mana.

The person who first taught her about it was that man.

She gently touched the necklace placed in the flat velvet box.

A cool energy flowed through her fingertips.

The necklace, intricately crafted with large diamonds, was undoubtedly beautiful.

She might not know for certain, but as Jude said, it must be a very expensive and precious item.

However, Juliet had no curiosity about how much it would cost several estates in the capital.

Perhaps one of the Duke’s secretaries had picked it out. That man probably signed a blank check without even seeing what the necklace looked like, just as he did every year on her birthday.

Juliet knew the meaning behind this expensive gift. No matter what she did, Lennox Carlyle would never change.

The day that man would set aside his pride and seek affection from her would never come.

To realize such a foolish lesson, Juliet had wasted seven years.

Click.

Juliet closed the box.

In that case, it was her turn to respond in the same manner.

With a gentle smile, Juliet handed the box containing the necklace back to Jude.

“This isn’t the birthday gift I agreed to accept.”