Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: The Merciful Lady
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"Deal?"
"Yes."
A rare, cool smile curved Lennox's lips. It was a handsome sight, but Juliet knew better.
It was a sneer.
But Juliet wasn't disappointed.
"I'm useful to Your Highness."
Juliet took a cautious step toward him.
Lennox was leaning back against the couch, so his gaze was lower than hers.
Since she was standing, Juliet could look down at Lennox.
"Useful?"
"Yes, as you can see."
Right on cue, Juliet's butterflies fluttered their wings in the darkness.
Who would have thought that the count's key, whose purpose no one knew, was an artifact that great nobles had vied for desperately in her first life.
Yet Lennox replied coldly all the same.
"I have no need for a half-baked spiritist."
Even at his cold words, Juliet didn't back down. She took another step closer to the chair where Lennox sat.
"I'll learn not to be half-baked.
If you teach me..."
"Teach you?"
Lennox scoffed openly.
"I don't have a hobby of teaching women who can't even read."
Instead of answering, Juliet took yet another step forward. They were now so close that their knees nearly touched.
"But you haven't even heard my terms yet."
"I doubt hearing them would change anything."
"Closing off your magic power, like you mentioned yesterday. What is that...?"
Juliet's left hand gripped the backrest of the couch where Lennox sat.
Juliet asked quietly.
"Will you teach me?"
Five days later.
Juliet sat in one corner of the imperial palace's banquet hall.
"Oh my, Miss Monad!"
In the capital, was there anything faster than gossip?
The kindly socialites flocked to the poor count's daughter left all alone, vying to comfort her.
"I've heard all about it."
"You must be so heartbroken."
Cheap pity and fleeting attention poured in. And inevitably, whispers followed.
[Everyone's worried about you.
You'll attend the ball on the last day, right?]
A few days ago, Fatima had sent a letter to the mansion.
Of course, the fact that Juliet, still unwell, attended the final day of the ball wasn't solely because of Fatima's letter.
By the time Juliet arrived at the banquet hall, she hadn't even exchanged a word with Fatima. She wondered who these "everyone" Fatima mentioned were.
"That girl's vicious. Her parents die, and she still has the mind to come to the ball."
Because the moment these people turned away after their perfunctory comforts, they all gossiped viciously.
Today was the final day of the Blue Deer Ball.
In the end, Juliet had only attended the first and last days of the seven-day Blue Deer Ball.
Normally, the biggest topic would have been who would win the Bluebell Coronet on the last day, but today was different.
No one cared about the Bluebell.
"Testimony alone isn't enough to arrest Baron Gaspal."
But that was what the guards said.
Baron Gaspal naturally denied the suspicions against him. He testified to his alibi, just as he had in the past.
In the end, there was no link connecting Juliet's murder of the count and countess, the bandits who abducted her, and Baron Gaspal.
"Ah, I heard. It was bandits.
Right?"
"Yes, they say the count couple's bodies were too gruesome to look at."
"And yet she came back alive alone.
Right?"
"It happens."
They didn't even bother lowering their voices.
"Tsk, you don't know what you're talking about. Bandits aren't the type."
"They say the guards found her in a brothel..."
Officially, Juliet had been found in front of her home. A ducal knight had dropped her off there.
But rumors had been maliciously exaggerated.
"How else would she have survived?"
"You don't think they went that far, do you?"
"Right, Miss Glenfield?"
The people, who had been chattering away, suddenly clammed up like shells and openly pointed at Fatima Glenfield.
She glanced at the large grandfather clock.
The Blue Deer Ball officially ended when the clock struck twelve.
The hands pointed to half past eleven.
Juliet's sole concern right now was one thing. Would Duke Carlyle send someone, or not?
Five days had passed since Juliet returned from the ducal residence, but she had received no word from Duke Carlyle.
"If you're willing to join hands with me, please send someone on the last day of the Blue Deer Ball."
Juliet had clearly said that.
'Maybe it's better if he doesn't come.'
If Lennox Carlyle refused her request, if he didn't show up here.
'No need to worry. Just keep doing what I've been doing.'
Just like how she'd desperately avoided him and kept her distance all this time.
'I'll find a way. And after that...'
What came after that?
It was daunting.
No matter how much she struggled, if she couldn't escape the miserable life of her past life, what should she do from now on?
Lost deep in thought, Juliet didn't notice the surroundings fall silent in an instant.
The sound of footsteps crossing the suddenly hushed banquet hall stopped right in front of her.
And the throbbing headache that had plagued her vanished in a moment, but she didn't realize it.
"Excuse me, Lady."
At the low voice, she looked up reflexively and jumped in shock.
"...Your Highness?"
The red-eyed man knelt on one knee before her, matching her eye level.
"May I request a blessing from the merciful lady?"
Juliet couldn't comprehend it at all. Duke Carlyle reciting the silly greeting as per the Blue Deer Ball's rules.
Her lips moved on instinct, replying.
Fiddling with the flower on her wrist, Juliet whispered.
"I thought you'd refuse."
"Why?"
"Because you hate troublesome things."
For a moment, Lennox's eyes narrowed. Juliet, with her head bowed deeply, didn't see it, but Lennox extended his hand.
"I think that's enough of the act. Let's go."
But Juliet looked at the hand and shook her head.
"I can't walk. My ankle."
"How did you get here then?"
"The head butler over there..."
When Juliet pointed to the head butler standing to the side, Lennox's eyebrow arched sharply.
Whatever he made of her words, Lennox muttered something like a curse.
The next moment, Juliet was in his arms, leaving the banquet hall gracefully.
'I meant he supported me.'
It seemed too late to correct herself now.
Over his shoulder, Juliet could vividly see the shocked faces of the crowd. Among them, she even caught a glimpse of Fatima's flustered expression.
Blinking slowly, Juliet had a gut feeling.
Her childhood days were gone forever.
Forgotten Juliet