Forgotten Juliet

Tl/note: 2 identical chapters were mistakenly uploaded on the site (39 and 40), sorry for this mistake.

Chapter 39 has already been fixed, so please check it and enjoy reading:

Forgotten Juliet

Caiman was quite thrilled by that fact, though he didn’t quite understand it. However, he didn’t show his feelings and spoke in a slightly disdainful tone.

“Yes. They say she’s a spirit mage, according to my subordinate.”

Whether it was the alcohol that made him confident, or whether it was a resolution to teach a lesson to this somewhat naive boy from the North, he doidn’t know.

But what is certain is that Viscount Caiman committed an act there that he would regret for a long time.

“They say a quite impressive woman summons peculiar butterflies. Anyway, it’s a funny thing. That the summoned beast is a butterfly of all things. Isn’t that right?”

“…Interesting.”

Upon that, for the first time, a cunning smile appeared on the face of Lennox Carlyle, who had been sitting somewhat arrogantly.

“I too am looking for a woman.”

“!”

At that remark, Caiman couldn’t hide his excitement. He hadn’t expected this.

In fact, everyone gathered in the ballroom was lining up for the Duke Aquitas.

In other words, they were all bringing bribes to Robert.

Before gathering them, Robert subtly hinted that Duke Carlyle seemed to be looking for someone here.

He could only guess exactly what the relationship was. Whether he was chasing a runaway slave, or perhaps a member of the Duke’s family.

While his audacious behavior didn’t quite suit his taste, if he could help Duke Carlyle here, the ruler of the North would owe a debt to him.

Moreover, the woman the Duke was looking for, even if there was no reward, it was an interesting story that piqued curiosity.

Trying not to seem too excited, Caiman said.

“Who is the person you are looking for? I think I can help you, though modestly.”

In fact, the faces of the two knights sitting next to Lennox Carlyle had already frozen.

However, Caiman didn’t notice this and asked.

Duke Carlyle only faintly moved his lips and slowly put down the cup he was holding.

The past white wines of Aqutaine were the pride of the East. However, now, whether the land had changed or the reputation had long been tarnished.

The aroma was good, but the overly matured wine didn’t suit his taste.

“Or if you’re not looking for a specific person, I can introduce you. There are many beautiful women in the East.”

Robert Aquitas, who was also gauging the mood, encouraged him.

“Tell us, Duke. This guy is a seasoned guy in finding people.”

“Well then…”

Lennox seemed to leisurely take his time and then asked.

“So let me ask you, how long does it take to find the woman I want?”

“A week would be sufficient!”

“A week, huh? If you can’t find her within that time, are you willing to put your neck on the line?”

“Of course… Yes?”

When Caiman couldn’t determine if it was a joke or a serious statement, Duke Carlyle spoke again.

“That’ll be easy then. The woman I’m looking for is also a spirit summoner who controls butterfly demons.”

“Aha. That sounds somehow familiar…”

The next moment, it goes without saying that Viscount Caiman’s face turned pale.

Clatter.

The sound of a metal cup rolling on the floor rang out.

It wasn’t the cup Caiman dropped. The Viscount was already on the floor on his knees.

Caiman’s face turned pale.

“Y-Your Highness”

“You definitely said a week.”

“Yes, yes…?”

“So it would be best to take good care of your neck until then.”

Clang!

Everyone in the banquet hall witnessed it clearly. Duke Carlyle drew a sword out of thin air.

The all-black ceremonial sword, even the blade, was pointing directly at Viscount Caiman’s neck.

“If even a single hair of Juliet’s is not intact, I will take your neck.”

* * *

“Ah.”

As Juliet was drying her hair, she frowned.

It stung for a moment. Sure enough, when she looked down at the towel, there was a long strand of hair. It seems her hair got tangled as she was meticulously drying it.

As she shook the towel, Juliet suddenly felt miserable.

“Eesh.”

Long hair takes a long time to dry. Plus, it requires a lot of care.

Worried about catching a cold, Juliet wrapped her hair loosely with a new towel.

Her hair as smooth as silk didn’t come naturally.

‘This beauty is the result of hard work.’

Her thick and plentiful hair, and each strand being thin, made it easy to get tangled. She remembered how several maids used to carefully comb it two to three times a day, morning and evening.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Juliet chuckled.

If the people at the palace saw my current state, they might be shocked.

She didn’t have any skills, and she didn’t have time to groom herself properly.

Staring into the mirror, Juliet mumbled to herself.

“Maybe I should cut it.”

It’s a shame to cut what she has grown for a long time, but it’s hard to manage and it’s too extravagant.

But she didn’t have the courage to cut her hair by herself. She was afraid of the result, so Juliet decided to go to the town after drying her hair roughly.

Juliet, who was slightly excited, went down the stairs to the square.

The day before, Zachary briefly introduced her to places where she could work.

She didn’t expect much since it’s a small town, but everyone seemed willing to help out and offered her jobs cheerfully.

She wasn’t good at sewing or cooking, but fortunately, Juliet knew how to read and write.

‘How fortunate.’

She was also proficient in keeping accounts. There was a large store in Lobell, and there were quite a few jobs that she could get with that alone.

So, Juliet was somewhat thrilled.

She still had plenty of money left, but if she got a job, she could stay in this village longer than planned.

“…?”

However, it didn’t take long for Juliet’s excitement to turn into confusion.

The villagers who had promised to give her a job cheerfully the day before refused, saying there was no job they could give her right away, with awkward faces.

‘Didn’t you say something different yesterday?’

The librarian Veronica also said that she didn’t need a new librarian.

“I’m sorry. But I asked the director… He said we can’t afford a new librarian…”

Juliet smiled and said it’s okay, then returned to the square. Unlike before, her steps were extremely heavy.

She also visited the Ash store, but for some reason, they rejected her, saying they didn’t urgently need workers.

‘Is it because I’m an outsider?’

Juliet looked a little gloomy.

When Juliet returned to the town center, it was already late for lunch.

Juliet sat down at an outdoor table with an umbrella set up to eat lunch.

‘What should I do?’

There was an unexpected setback.

‘Should I go to the place I originally planned?’

Juliet’s destination wasn’t far from here. And there was still plenty of time before the scene she wanted to see appeared.

She wanted to stay here a little longer because she liked this small and peaceful village. The people were kind, and the food and the small house to stay were good.

There were still historical sites she hadn’t seen, and above all, she wanted to see the Festival of the Dead in the next city, Carcassonne.

Juliet, lost in thought, poked at her sandwich bread with a fork.

She rented a house, but she wasn’t rich enough to hire people.

Juliet was quick to realize her limitations and was willing to compromise.

She decided to eat out and do the cleaning and laundry herself.

Even if she did it herself, the owner of the house, Mrs. Ronda, would come by every two days to help clean and pick up the laundry.

Suddenly, a delicious pie plate appeared in front of Juliet, who was lost in thought.

Juliet looked up with a surprised expression.

“I didn’t order this?”

“I tried making it for practice. Please try it as a dessert.”

The friendly restaurant owner, Mrs. Riley, recommended it with a kind smile.

“Thank you. I will enjoy it.”

Expressing her gratitude, Juliet admired the pie.

Look at this. Where on the continent can you enjoy such a feast for just 8 copper?

‘If it was the capital, it would be 2 silvers, no, 3 silvers.’

The people are kind, and their hospitality is generous.

As she looked at the pie topped with plenty of wild strawberries, Juliet was smiling with satisfaction, but then she felt a sense of incongruity.

Right. Too generous.

Maybe Lobell was the most hospitable village in the whole continent.

When she lost one of her gloves, she was going to buy one, but Mrs. Ronda gave her a high-end lace glove that her niece used to wear. When she spent half a day looking for a hairpin, she got a new hairpin for free from Mrs. Riley.

Yesterday, when she was about to take a carriage, Volen, the general goods merchant, gave her a ride because he was going in the same direction.

On the way back? For some reason, she ran into the Ash merchants again and came back more comfortably than she had gone.

Juliet, who was lost in thought, slightly turned her gaze.

On the table was a bouquet of morning glory flowers, holding fresh dew.

‘Morning glory at this time of the year.’

In the late afternoon on the way to the city center, the flower shop owner Zellazni gave it to her for free because a customer reserved expensive flowers and didn’t come to pick them up.

And this pie.

Juliet cut a small piece of pie with a fork. The crispy surface, the soft inner part, the sweet smell. The texture clearly indicated that they used high-quality butter and sugar generously.

Is this pie something the owner of a restaurant in a rural town in the East made just to try out once? If so, the chefs in the palace should die.

Juliet calmly put down her fork.