Forgotten Juliet

* * *

[Shall I reveal the secret?]

Just before being trapped in the storage, the snake demon muttered such words.

[You might want to blame the curse, but in fact, you probably know. The misery of that woman is not because of the curse, but because of you.]

[Just like your parents and bloodline, eventually, she will come to despise you too.]

[Young Carlyle, you will never be happy.]

The snake muttering the curse was sealed more blandly than expected.

Eventually, it was trapped in the eastern tower as it had been for hundreds of years. At least it believed so.

Even upon entering the banquet hall, Lennox was chewing on those words.

You will never be happy.

[Your Highness, I wish you a happy birthday.]

Though it was said to be his birthday, it was not a day worth commemorating to him.

He didnt have memories from his youth, and after being chased away from the family, there was no way to casually celebrate something like a birthday.

He mindlessly gulped down strong drinks, but his consciousness didnt blur easily.

[Y-Your Highness]

How much time had passed in the trivial banquet, tipsy guests slowly started to catch his eye, and suddenly, sir Milan rushed over with a flustered face.

But before Milan could say anything, the entrance of the banquet hall became noisy.

[Hey, look over there.]

Creak.

A woman who walked into the banquet hall silently at a very late hour effortlessly captured the attention of the people.

The banquet hall quieted down in a breath.

Lennox was momentarily flabbergasted.

Her light-colored hair tied up elegantly and detailed facial features fastened with a silver pin, it was undoubtedly Juliet.

Suddenly appearing in the banquet hall wearing a white dress, she was dazzlingly beautiful.

It was exactly the appearance he had imagined many times over, only without the veil.

[Could that woman be]

[The insane one?]

Despite the buzzing of the crowd, Juliet who walked into the banquet hall without care, smiled sweetly.

[Im sorry for being late.]

Only then did Lennox remember how lively and beautiful Juliet was.

[Your Highness the Duke.]

For the rest of the banquet, no matter who spoke to him from the side, he didnt pay any attention.

All his nerves were directed only towards Juliet.

How did she know to come here, whether he could ask for forgiveness again now. There were thousands of questions he wanted to ask.

But since she entered the banquet hall, Juliet hadnt spoken to him, not even casting a glance his way.

[I am Juliet Monad.]

Instead, she kindly smiled at the people who crowded around her out of curiosity.

She must have noticed him glaring, but Juliet didnt refuse the people inviting her to dance.

The crafty guests were completely enchanted by the beauty surrounded by mysterious rumors.

[Your Highness hid and didnt show, but youve monopolized such a beauty?]

Duke Carlyle just emptied his glass silently, not saying anything to Juliet.

The guests, who were already somewhat drunk, had impaired judgment. They lost fear and threw compliments and questions at her.

[Excuse me, Miss Monad, what is your relationship with His Highness the Duke?]

[Just as you know.]

Juliet deflected smoothly with a refined tone.

[His Highness saved me from the south, and graciously allowed me to stay in the castle as a guest.]

[Oh, I see.]

[Indeed, gracious!]

Guest?

Lennoxs eyes turned fierce.

He couldnt believe it.

[Oh my, look at that scar.]

[Seems like the relationship with the Duke is ending, and shes looking for the next candidate?]

The rude guests who flattered Juliet in front, were badmouthing her behind.

He wanted to cut the tongues of those who were gossiping, and gouge out the eyes of those who were peeping, but Lennox barely restrained his impulses.

But what infuriated him most was Juliet. She danced elegantly like a butterfly among the people and laughed cheerfully.

Please, dont smile like that.

Suddenly, he felt a twist in his stomach. He couldnt appreciate that she had bravely shown herself.

For a moment, the snakes whisper came to mind.

[Its all your fault that shes miserable.]

[Its the nature of you Carlyle bastards to make those you love miserable.]

Juliet Monad was unlucky.

Had she not been caught by him, she might have lived a smooth life.

Looking at Juliet smiling brightly, it was hard to shake off such thoughts.

If it werent for him, Juliet would have been much happier, perhaps met a relatively good and decent man, without losing a child.

[Oh, how about Miss Monad giving a toast?]

The smiling Juliet tilted her head slightly.

[Toast?]

He wasnt sure what brought her here, but one thing was for sure.

She clearly came to this banquet without knowing what kind of occasion it was.

[A toast means you speak a few words of congratulations.]

Why did she come? To punish him in front of people?

Though they hadnt exchanged a word, Lennox had unknowingly become accustomed to reading Juliets expressions.

The last time he saw such an unburdened smile from Juliet, she had said she was having a baby, and would leave him.

Suddenly, a bad premonition clouded his vision.

Could it be, shes saying shell leave again.

[Your Highness, the glass.]

[]

Upon the suggestion of those around him, he reluctantly handed over a modest silver cup that had been on the table to Juliet.

He hadnt thought about how long the cup had been there, or whether it was alcohol in it.

His mind was a total mess.

Looking back, they had already fallen into the snakes scheme from that moment.

It was the first time Juliet looked him in the eyes, but she wore a mask-like smile.

[]

However, the moment Juliet took the silver cup from him, she hesitated.

She seemed startled for a moment as she looked at what was in the cup.

Juliet blankly lifted her head. Lennox discovered her composed face turning pale.

Why?

The meeting gaze trembled. The blue eyes gradually sank into astonishment, despair, and resignation.

The foolish man didnt realize that it was the last chance given to him.

[Miss Monad?]

[Ah.]

It seemed as if Juliet had suddenly come to her senses, she blinked her eyes.

[Thank you, Your Highness.]

[]

With an incomprehensible greeting, Juliet, for the first time in a long while, smiled brightly at him.

Somehow an ominous hunch brushed through his mind. A hunch that he shouldnt let Juliet drink that

But before he could hastily reach out, Juliet had already brought the cup to her lips.

?

Clang.

The silver cup fell from her hand.

Juliets body swayed as her long hair fluttered. Before he realized it, he rushed out and held her in his arms.

[Juliet?]

Cough.

Juliet, nestled in his embrace, coughed up violently. Simultaneously, the hem of what looked like a wedding dress turned red.

What is this?

His focus lost, his eyes trembled.

The scattered droplets of blood looked like dried petals.

Juliet, who seemed in pain as she coughed up blood, writhed. She shivered as she clutched his lapel, then her eyelashes trembled.

Her red painted lips seemed to try to say something. But Juliet just drooped down.

And no longer moved.

[Juliet?]

The sluggish man hesitatingly caressed her cheek, but she was no longer there.

[Aaaaah!]

Belatedly regaining consciousness, someone among the guests screamed.

[It, its poison!]

An uproar occurred.

Blocking the exits, terrified people threw their cups and attempted to flee, doctors rushed over, but breath had already ceased. No one among them could pull Juliet from his arms.

His lost focus eyes discovered the cup on the floor.

The inside of the silver cup, which had contained red wine, had turned black.

The clever woman couldnt have been unaware of what the blackened cup meant.

[No?]

It couldnt be.

He blankly held Juliet on the spot, not moving.

[Please, say it isnt so.]

His breath was stifled. It was clear that Juliet played a cruel joke.

To punish him, the most terrible punishment being losing her.

Juliet wouldnt have drank from that cup knowing it contained poison. Surely, she wouldnt have chosen death thinking he tried to poison her, right

In the midst of the pandemonium in the banquet hall, he held Juliet tightly for a long time.

Not knowing how much time had passed, a shadow of a snake appeared before his eyes, who had been absent-minded on the marble floor.

[Want to save that woman?]

The snake whispered in a hissing tone.

With lost focus eyes, Lennox lifted his head.

He couldnt even feel the strangeness of how the definitely sealed snake was freely roaming around.

[Get lost.]

Lennox spat out as if chewing. At the same time, everything became clear.

The snake, which should have been confined, looked feeble but was out and about perfectly fine.

Like a desert soaking up the rain, he realized.

That Juliet tried to escape from him, that she lost the child, that she died, all were fooled by that snake.

And the one who brought that snake here was none other than him.

[Want to save that human woman? Huh?]

The snake giggled.

Lennox glared at the snake with bloodshot eyes. If this snake had the ability to revive Juliet, he would even sell his soul.

But this snake didnt have such an ability.

[Yeah, right. I cant. But I do know how you can save her.]

The snake whispered sweetly.

[You cant kill me. Yeah, at most you can imprison me. But will that bring the dead woman back?]

The snake moved as if sliding smoothly.

[I told you, choice is always in the hands of you humans.]

It was an obvious trap.

Falling for the snakes trick was like voluntarily walking into a pit of fire.

[You can, save her?]

But a man who lost his lover had no choice.

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