Forgotten Juliet - Chapter 23
Shit.
Things have become complicated.
Baron Gaspar walked quickly towards the cemetery where the funeral was taking place, grumbling to himself.
‘These idiots! They couldn’t even steal a simple key…!’
He shouldn’t have trusted these unreliable bastards.
If those scoundrels had just done their job properly, by now he would have sold the key and been enjoying a luxurious life at his villa in the southern sea.
But at the moment, he was being chased by debt collectors and even under investigation by the capital guards.
Immediately after leaving the scene, Gaspar hurriedly returned there, thinking that he couldn’t let Juliet, who had witnessed everything, live.
However, to his surprise, there was nothing left there.
Only dried blood stains were scattered around.
The group of scoundrels Gaspar had hired for money had disappeared without a trace, and the bodies of the Count and Countess Monad and Juliet had vanished just as swiftly.
It was only after the incident, a few days later, that he heard some news.
Juliet had returned alive, but she had lost her memory, along with the bodies of her parents.
‘I’ve always known that girl was resilient.’
Just like three years ago, she had come back to life once again.
There were also rumors circulating about her not remembering anything due to the shock, but Gaspar was uneasy.
If Juliet were to speak up, she would undoubtedly accuse Gaspar as the culprit.
Sure enough, the day after Juliet’s return, Gaspar was summoned by the capital guards.
Rumors began to spread that Gaspar was somehow connected to the deaths of the Count and Countess.
Indeed, leaving Juliet alive had become a burden.
‘It was a good thing I prepared an alibi in advance.’
Quick-witted Gaspar had arranged for witnesses to testify to his alibi shortly after hiring the group of scoundrels.
Gaspar claimed his innocence, emphasizing that he was unjustly accused.
The fortunate misfortune was that the group of scoundrels who were present that day had completely vanished.
The only evidence of their existence was Juliet’s testimony.
As expected, the capital guards couldn’t incriminate him in court with just that and released him.
But if any of them had survived and testified that Gaspar was the mastermind behind this…
Gaspar trembled with fear.
However, there were still lingering questions. Where did the scoundrels go, and how did that girl return unharmed?
It was a mystery. The scoundrels Gaspar had hired were notorious for being ruthless.
Would those guys suddenly confess their guilt and show sympathy by sparing Juliet?
“You’re late, uncle Gaspar.”
Gaspar stopped in his tracks and froze on the spot.
“You, you…”
In the midst of the dimly lit cemetery, Juliet stood alone, wearing a black dress.
He had heard the story of her return, but seeing it with his own eyes was even more shocking.
Something felt off. However, aside from looking slightly pale, Juliet, dressed in mourning attire, seemed remarkably unscathed.
“The funeral is over. The mourners have all left.”
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
Coincidentally, the sound of bells tolling for the deceased echoed from a nearby temple.
Yes, today was the funeral of the tragic Count and Countess Monad, exactly one week after their untimely death.
Gaspar, astonished and unable to speak, watched as Juliet smirked and tilted her head mockingly.
“Why are you so surprised? As if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I-I’m not the one who’s surprised!”
“Is it so strange that I’m still alive?”
“…What are you talking about? Surely not.”
Baron Gaspar glanced around, taking a full turn.
Even though it was broad daylight, the weather was gloomy, with heavy clouds covering the sky. There was no sound of thunder, but occasional flashes of lightning illuminated the sky.
As Juliet had said, there seemed to be no sign of the mourners.
Apart from Juliet and Baron Gaspar, the only other person at the cemetery was an elderly groundskeeper dozing off in the distance.
“Do you really think I’m involved in your parents’ deaths?”
Realizing that there was no eyes to see, Baron Gaspar shouted louder.
“Well, this works out perfectly! Thanks to your intention to accuse me as the culprit, do you have any idea what I’ve been through?”
As he spoke, his confidence grew.
He didn’t know how that girl was still alive, but in Baron Gaspar’s memory, Juliet was an innocent child.
She was a foolish and easily manipulated child who didn’t even know there was a nail under the saddle of the foal she received as a fifteenth birthday present.
Things had gotten a bit complicated, but it was still manageable.
Since Gaspar’s elder brother and his wife had conveniently died, if he became Juliet’s guardian, he could freely wield the power of the County.
She was barely eighteen years old. If he raised his voice and intimidated her, he could manipulate her as much as he wanted.
With that calculation in mind, Gaspar regained his confidence completely.
“Do you have any evidence? Without evidence, to drive a person like that, you, you scoundrel!”
Innocent until proven guilty, isn’t that right?
“Oh, evidence, you say?”
Suddenly, Juliet burst into laughter.
“You’re seriously delusional, uncle Gaspar.”
Gaspar flinched at her cold laughter.
“Do you really think I brought you here just to get something like that?”
“W-What…”
Gaspar couldn’t understand what she meant.
He thought he came to the funeral because Juliet had called him. If he didn’t attend his elder brother’s funeral, he thought the capital guards would suspect him again.
With red lips, Juliet smiled mischievously.
“I promise. I will never incriminate you in court, uncle.”
“T-Thank you for that.”
Gaspar replied hesitantly, taking a few steps back.
Something was off.
It felt strange to see the girl in black mourning attire smiling so brightly. The wind wasn’t blowing, yet why was the edge of her dress fluttering?
Moreover, the sky had become overcast, and the flashes of light were…
Gaspar, who thought the sky had darkened since earlier due to the thick clouds, instinctively looked up.
And he realized that it wasn’t the clouds that darkened the sky above him.
The Baron’s field of vision was filled with a swarm of butterflies radiating brilliant light.
“Because that trial will never take place, you see.”
As the calm voice ended, the butterflies rushed towards him.
“Ah, ahhhh!”
In the astonished eyes of Baron Gaspar, those creatures were no longer radiant butterflies.
They were gigantic monsters with gaping mouths, unlike anything he had seen even in nightmares.
And that became the last scene that Baron Gaspar witnessed while still alive.
While the swarm of enormous butterflies charged towards Baron Gaspar and completely engulfed him, Juliet never took her eyes off him for a moment.
Thud.
At the sound coming from behind, Juliet quickly turned around.
The old gravedigger, who had been dozing off, dropped his cane.
Blinking for a moment, Juliet lightly pressed her index finger against her lips.
Trembling, the old man covered his mouth with both hands and hurriedly shook his head.
Juliet calmly began walking across the cemetery.
She had completed what could be called revenge, but she felt no sense of accomplishment or satisfaction.
‘In the end, it ended like this…’
Juliet thought calmly.
‘I couldn’t change it.’
She had tried her best, thought she had left almost nothing behind, but in the end, her parents had passed away.
Now, all she had left was herself. She had nothing else to protect or possess.
Eventually, Juliet stopped walking. She had reached the entrance of the cemetery.
There stood a silent black carriage made of ebony wood.
Although there were no inscriptions, as soon as she arrived, the coachman opened the carriage door as if he had been waiting.
Juliet said nothing and obediently got into the carriage.
The man who was already sitting inside the carriage didn’t even flinch when he saw Juliet sitting across from him.
She asked calmly.
“Are you returning to the North?”
“Yeah. Has anything changed regarding the conditions?”
Before answering, Juliet blinked.
If she couldn’t stop the flow of time like in the past no matter how hard she struggled, wouldn’t it be better to stay by his side?
Stay for now, and leave before Dahlia appears.
Juliet was exhausted. She wanted to rest quietly without any thoughts.
To merely protect one’s heart seemed insignificant compared to what Juliet had experienced so far, she thought.
She had confidence in herself.
Unlike in the past, she wouldn’t lose herself by being infatuated with the man before her.
“I’ve thought about it.”
A week ago, the conditions of the deal that Juliet proposed to him were simple.
“I have something to offer to Your Highness. Isn’t that right?”
She would not interfere or seek affection regardless of whom he meets or what he does. In return, Juliet asked for two conditions.
One was to hand over Baron Gaspar to her grasp, and the other was to grant her the ability of a convenient lover who provides stability of demonic powers for at least the next three years.
“That’s not usually called a deal.”
Lennox had said that upon hearing Juliet’s demands.
He said that if the balance of the conditions on both sides was not met, the deal could not be established and that he would give her more time to think.
“So, have you made a decision?”
“Yes, please write up the contract.”
“A contract?”
“Yes. With the condition that either Your Highness or I can leave at any time if either of us desires.”
Lennox’s eyes narrowed.
Seeing that, Juliet tilted her head.
“Is this not an acceptable deal condition?”
“There’s no reason it wouldn’t be.”
Juliet Monad had a strangely poignant expression that didn’t match her age.
She was a peculiar woman.
It was strange that she looked eerily beautiful standing in the cemetery wearing a black dress, far more than when she was dressed in pastel tones at the banquet hall. It was an odd occurrence.
Looking at such a woman intently, Lennox suddenly asked.
“I have one question, why is such a contract necessary?”
Juliet had pale, lifeless skin, and even her neatly twisted long hair was a light color. Except for her red lips, she had an almost fleeting impression that could disappear at any moment.
Nevertheless, she was frighteningly beautiful. Like a flower emitting venom.
“Because I….”
Juliet replied with dry eyes that didn’t convey any warmth.
“Fell in love at first sight.”
It was eyes that showed no signs of falling in love. Assuredly, it was the most insincere confession he had ever heard.
But it didn’t matter. He liked that answer.
“Elliot.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
A polite response came from outside the carriage as if he had been waiting.
“Bring me a pen and paper.”
He continued without taking his eyes off Juliet, who was still sitting across from him.
“And empty the bedroom, inform the staff to leave it vacant, the room next to the study.”
Shortly after, the carriage departed towards the North.