Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: The Wolf in the Snow
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Snow foxes were magic beasts with docile temperaments and small builds.
Juliet wondered if it was right to call hunting something a little bigger than a rabbit a "subjugation," but she figured it was just a pastime for idle capital nobles.
At least the imperial palace forest didn't house anything more dangerous than snow foxes, so it should be safe.
"Please take care of yourself, Your Highness!"
But the prospective crown princess, her eyes brimming with tears, seemed to think otherwise. Fatima, still furious from the previous incident, didn't even return Juliet's greeting with a nod.
Juliet deliberately lagged behind the hunting procession. Riding through the snow-covered woods in quiet solitude wasn't so bad.
"There's blood here!"
It was just unfortunate that the Second Prince's group happened to head in the same direction as her.
"Is it a snow fox?"
"Judging by the blood trail, it looks like a big one!"
Tired of watching them noisily hunt, Juliet turned her horse around.
Just as she was about to venture deeper into the forest.
Thud.
Thump.
The chatter that had filled the air moments ago cut off abruptly.
"......?"
Neigh!
When she looked back, the horses ridden by the Second Prince's group were fleeing wildly into the woods.
"Your Highness... the Second Prince...?"
Turning further, she saw the Second Prince and his entire entourage collapsed in the snow.
Standing before them was a massive man.
'I didn't even hear footsteps.'
Juliet tensed, gripping the reins tightly. The man glaring at her with fierce eyes was a stranger.
But instinct told her his identity.
'A wolf.'
**
It was her first time seeing a Lycanthrope who wasn't Roy or his group.
Come to think of it, she remembered Elza, who had stayed behind in the empress's palace.
"Familiar scent. So you're Juliet."
It seemed that presence belonged to this man.
"Human woman. Are you Juliet Monad?"
When the stranger spoke her name, Juliet asked the question she'd been curious about.
"And who might you be?"
"I'm Graham."
Juliet blinked for a moment, then looked him up and down.
Graham was huge and intimidating, but something was off. He looked ragged, like someone on the run, and his shoulder was bandaged, suggesting an injury.
The bloodstains the Second Prince's group had found earlier must have been his.
"Are you Roy's brother?"
He'd mentioned a missing older brother.
Somehow, she had a hunch this was him.
"Roy... ha!"
It seemed she'd guessed right.
A savage expression crossed Graham's face.
"So the brat Romeo got bewitched by a human wench."
The blatant hostility reminded her of her first encounter with Roy.
Graham strode threateningly toward Juliet.
"Sorry, but you'll come with me."
"Where to?"
"I'm taking you to Katia's Forest."
"Why?"
"Damn it, that bastard snapped my neck...!"
Surprisingly, he'd been answering her questions straightforwardly, but his face twisted at that.
Hearing it, Juliet realized this Graham must be the third brother Roy had broken the neck of.
"But that's not an answer.
What does that have to do with me?"
Juliet pointed out calmly.
She couldn't buy the idea that just because he held a grudge against Roy, he was dragging her off.
But Graham said it with confidence, as if it were enough.
"If I take you hostage, that arrogant Romeo brat will have no choice but to listen to me."
In short, she was bait for blackmail.
"What if I refuse to go?"
"Then I'll have to get violent."
Grrr.
The menacing growl alone was intimidating. But Juliet furrowed her brow.
"......Again?"
"What?"
Faced with Graham, Juliet let out a heavy sigh. At this point, it felt like the entire universe was out to kill her.
'And no butterflies this time.'
On top of that, they were in the middle of a deserted forest.
The unconscious Second Prince's group wouldn't be much help. Juliet adjusted her grip on the crossbow with one hand and unclasped her cape.
Thud. The cloak fell to the ground.
Whether she ran or shot, it'd just get in the way.
"Wait."
But Graham's eyes, which had been so intimidating, widened in shock.
"One question, human woman."
His gaze was fixed on Juliet's neck.
"Why do you have the Snowdrop?"
"......?"
Snowdrop? What?
Juliet glanced down at her outfit. With the cape off, the silver key around her neck was exposed.
Was he talking about this?
"No way Romeo found it? No, he's too young to even know it exists."
The wolf called Graham started muttering to himself. Half-doubting, Juliet held up the silver key.
"This?"
"Yes. How does a pathetic human wench like you...?"
The human woman listening grew offended.
She no longer cared why the wolf called the countess family's heirloom by that strange name.
Roy had never once called her that.
Now she understood why Lycanthropes were said to be arrogant.
Anyway, Juliet was angry, and the wolf in front of her was flustered, rambling incoherently—a perfect opportunity.
Snort.
Juliet patted her frightened horse soothingly, glanced around, and...
"Snowdrop, how..."
Seizing the moment while Graham muttered, she decided to flee.
Juliet swiftly turned her horse and galloped off in the direction she'd scouted earlier.
Neigh!
"Where do you think you're going!"
Graham roared belatedly and gave chase.
Terrified by the pursuing wolf, the horse bolted at full speed.
But Juliet knew getting caught was only a matter of time. Outrunning a wolf in a snowy forest was impossible.
'There.'
As she rode frantically, scanning around, something suitable caught her eye.
A small building that looked like a gamekeeper's lodge and storage shed.
Without a second thought, Juliet halted the horse and dashed inside.
Bang!
"......!"
But before she could shut the door, the pursuer thrust his arm through the gap.
Crack.
The door was ripped open forcibly.
"Ha! You thought you could escape!"
Graham strode into the shed with a smug grin.
What to do.
Backing away to put as much distance as possible between her and Graham, Juliet decided to buy some time.
She had to maneuver with her back to the door, without letting the wolf notice.
"You're Roy's brother, so why the bad blood?"
Juliet threw out whatever came to mind. Surprisingly, Graham took the bait.
"Human woman, you can't even imagine the cruel things that bastard's done to me."
Graham replied grimly.
"Compared to him, what I did was..."
The content worried her a bit, but right now, her life was the priority.
Juliet let him ramble on, then glanced down at the crossbow in her hand.
She could shoot.
The northern ducal castle had all sorts of weapons, and she'd learned to use them.
But Juliet didn't think her skills were all that great.
'Plus...'
She peeked at Graham.
The Roy she'd seen on the train was a massive wolf that filled an entire car.
Dreaming of taking down one of his kind with a mere crossbow seemed foolish.
'But no butterflies...'
And she only had two bolts left. Juliet acutely felt her own helplessness.
'No choice.'
Once decided, she acted fast.
Bang!
Graham flinched at the sharp crack slicing through the air.
But Juliet's bolt missed him.
Thud!
With a sound, some sack hanging from the ceiling behind him fell.
"Ha! You little...!"
"Hah...!"
Graham bared his teeth in a mix of glee and relief.
Thinking her aim was terrible, he stepped forward.
Crash.
The heavy sack tore open, spilling powder-like substance throughout the empty shed.
The dust clouded the air like a sandstorm, obscuring vision, but Graham sneered at the human woman's folly.
"Trying to escape with this cheap trick?"
A wolf's sight worked even better in the dark; such ploys were useless.
But Juliet smiled and reloaded the crossbow with a click.
Clack.
"You're scared, huh."
"What?"
Graham sensed something off in her relaxed demeanor.
Too calm for a human on the brink of death.
But he knew the bolt she'd just loaded was her last.
Juliet casually aimed the crossbow at him.
Curious to see how far this human woman would go, Graham bared his teeth.
"Farewell, stupid wolf."
Twang!
Crash!
Her bolt missed Graham again.
But her aim had precisely shattered the lamp hanging in the center of the ceiling.
Boom boom boom!
"......!"
The air exploded.
Forgotten Juliet