Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: The Duke's Consideration
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"Dahlia..."
Lennox Carlyle quietly repeated the name.
*How does Juliet know about Dahlia?*
"Your Highness, I don't want to die."
The image of Juliet desperately clinging to him, vomiting blood, flashed through his mind.
There were too many things that nagged at him to dismiss it as mere panic-induced babble.
"Lennox, I'm sorry."
The sight of that woman dying right before his eyes was a nightmarish scene he never wanted to relive.
Lennox closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, his gaze sharpening fiercely.
"Hardin."
"Yes."
"Send someone to Lucerne. There's something I need looked into."
Juliet rode in the carriage, swiftly leaving the Carlyle Duke's residence behind.
Truth be told, she was a little angry.
*To think I went there out of worry, and he...*
On top of that, there was plenty she wanted to say about what she'd supposedly done in Lucerne and the butterflies that had vanished.
Fuming, Juliet only realized upon arriving at the count's residence drawing room that she'd left something behind at the duke's estate.
"...My hairpin."
She'd carefully pinned up her hair when she left, but now the hairpin was gone, and her long locks cascaded down her back.
*It was my favorite.*
It must have fallen out somewhere in the bedroom when she'd tumbled onto the bed.
The leaf-shaped hairpin adorned with clusters of pearls was a treasured possession of Juliet's. But she had no desire to go back for it.
With a light sigh, Juliet sat at the desk before the large floor-to-ceiling window. As she gazed out at the garden beyond, she suddenly noticed something odd.
The garden was impeccably maintained, as if tended by professionals. The round fountain, once left in filthy neglect, had been thoroughly cleaned, and the maze garden now bloomed with fresh rose vines.
*Did Grandfather perhaps pull some strings?*
But then Juliet remembered she'd only been back at the count's residence for a week.
*It would've been impossible to finish those renovations in just a week...*
Moreover, Lionel had abruptly left for the capital yesterday.
"Lady."
Turning at the voice from behind, she saw her nanny Evette standing at the drawing room entrance, holding a tea set.
"Why are you carrying that alone? It's dangerous."
Juliet rose and took the teacups from Evette.
"Lady, I still know this house like the back of my hand."
Evette smiled warmly.
"I can manage this much with my eyes closed."
Juliet nodded, gazing into Evette's silver-gray eyes.
Yet as she sipped her tea and looked around the interior, she realized not just the garden but the entire estate had been neatly repaired.
*...We didn't have the funds to hire gardeners.*
Juliet tilted her head in puzzlement.
"Does it please you?"
Before Juliet could ask what was going on, Evette smiled gently and spoke.
"While you were away, Lady, a certain gentleman came to visit the estate."
"...Pardon? Who?"
"The one you always mentioned every year."
Clink.
Juliet nearly dropped the teacup lid.
"The Duke of Carlyle?"
"Yes."
At the unexpected name, Juliet clamped her mouth shut.
Her face burned.
Ever since she'd followed the Duke of Carlyle north, her visits back to the count's residence had been once a year, around the time of the New Year's ball.
The servants of Monad Count's Estate were like family to her, good people she didn't want to worry.
So even if it wasn't the full truth, she wanted to let them know she was doing well up north.
She figured it didn't matter anyway. Lennox Carlyle never batted an eye at what she did.
And so the lies had begun...
"Just as you said, Lady, he was a kind gentleman."
No way.
Juliet blinked in flustered confusion.
"I didn't see him myself, but I could tell just from his voice. And when he heard how rundown the estate was, he lent us gardeners and repairmen."
Juliet rolled the now-empty teacup in her hands. Then, with a bitter smile, she replied.
"...Yes, you're right. He's truly a kind man."
Warmth lingered in the teacup, but somehow it felt hollow.
"He's kind... and always so considerate of me."
So that's how it was.
Juliet realized her pitiful little lies had long since been seen through by Evette.
In truth, everyone in the estate had probably known for much longer.
That Juliet Monad was the duke's time-limited mistress, liable to be cast aside at any moment—a fact known to all in the capital.
*Even so...*
Even so, the situation struck her as absurdly comical.
She'd thought that by choosing to stay by the side of a man who would never truly love her, she'd already cast aside any pride.
"Lady, a word if I may."
Just then, an elderly butler entered the drawing room and called to her.
"Yes."
When Juliet stepped out, she saw a maid and two manservants standing near the entrance hall.
"What is it?"
"The grocery cart didn't come today, Lady."
Which meant preparing dinner that evening would be difficult.
"Why didn't the cart come?"
Juliet tilted her head.
Preparing dinner could be managed by feeding any undiscerning guests nothing but potatoes.
"I'm sorry, Lady, it's just that—"
After hearing the menservants' explanation, Juliet was dumbfounded.
In short, servants from other houses had been interfering, big and small, making it impossible.
From major things like repairing carriages and harnesses to trivial matters like procuring groceries and sundries. It wasn't one specific house's servant causing trouble—they took turns.
And the ridiculous reason for this sabotage...
"Because I refused the invitation?"
"Yes..."
Juliet's expression turned icy.
It was childish blackmail.
Now she understood how things worked, and she let out a light sigh. So this was it.
"They want to gawk at my pathetic, discarded state, so come be their entertainment of your own accord."
"...You needn't bother, Lady. I'll find alternative markets and merchants."
The elderly butler tried to dissuade her.
But Juliet's intuition told her this wouldn't be so easily resolved.
Noble house servants had their own tight-knit networks. Breaking from them would ripple into all their other connections.
It was just groceries now, but who knew what would come next.
*Unless I retreat to the mountains, this will keep happening.*
"I'll handle it."
Naturally, Juliet had no intention of abandoning the house and estate her parents had left her.
**
Juliet rummaged through the mail piled up near the entrance hall. She dumped it all in the middle of the parlor.
Rustle.
"Wow, what's all this?"
Letters and envelopes scattered across the floor. Passing by, Eselrid and Theo chimed in.
"You must be popular?"
Theo sat down casually, astonished as he counted the invitations.
"I thought you had no friends... guess not?"
Juliet sighed lightly instead of answering.
"They're not friends."
They were all invitations to tea parties or salon gatherings.
Juliet began sifting through them indifferently.
What could one say—it was a sort of custom.
High society, obsessed with Lennox Carlyle's every move, was always dying to know what became of his discarded past lovers.
"One got too uppity with her spending and went bankrupt!"
"The prima donna at some theater got too haughty and couldn't even land a minor role."
"Good heavens, she acted like she was somebody..."
And so on.
Those people wouldn't give up their long-time amusement so easily. This time, they wanted to toy with Juliet to their hearts' content.
"Looks like they want to see me ruined."
It was a universal truth. There were always those who loved gossiping over others' misfortunes like appetizers.
Juliet sighed deeply.
"If that's what they want, I suppose I should oblige."
She couldn't dodge it forever.
"Since it's come to this, I might as well show them exactly what a thoroughly discarded mistress looks like."
Juliet ground her teeth coldly, while muttering on the other hand, "If I'd known it'd come to this, maybe I should've lived a little nicer."
Contrary to her words, Juliet felt no real regret. She had no intention of meekly falling apart or playing the tragic heroine.
"This one."
After much deliberation, Juliet picked out one invitation.
Forgotten Juliet