FJ 22

Chapter: 22

“What kind of deal?”

“I’ll give you anything Your Highness wants, so please help me.”

A flicker of surprise passed through Lennox Carlisle’s red eyes.

But the man soon let out a soft, mocking laugh.

Was she foolish—or naive?

“You, the daughter of a count, are quite confident, aren’t you?”

He poured amber liquid into two crystal glasses placed beside him and set one in front of Juliet.

“Do I look so desperate that I’d ask something from you?”

“No.”

“Then why do you act so brazenly? You think I’ll just give you what you want?”

Juliet let out a faint, powerless laugh at his blatant mockery.

Facing him like this brought back painful memories of her past life when she had been foolishly innocent to such a degree.

Her lover in her previous life—who didn’t even remember her—had been the wealthiest man in the world.

And, of course, the man whose heart she had been captivated by was of untouchably high status and ridiculously wealthy.

In her past life, she had often wished she weren’t so pitiful.

Now, Juliet thought nothing had changed. She was still pitiful, impoverished. Compared to a man with overflowing wealth, Juliet had nothing but a feeble pretense and herself to offer.

But you’re different.

If she could just borrow even a fragment of his power, she would give anything.

“I know,” she said.

“Know what?” The man swirled his glass, already looking bored.

“I know that whatever you ask, Your Grace will accept my proposal.”

The man let out a short, incredulous laugh.

“Why would I—”

The polite tone of her speech had, in the middle of her sentence, fallen to casual words, but Juliet didn’t mind. She said calmly:

“Because Your Highness called me to the bedroom and hasn’t kicked me out yet.”

“….”

The man’s hand paused mid-motion as he tilted his glass.

At the same time, the faint smirk of mockery vanished from his face, caught off guard.

Juliet spoke politely but not submissively:

“Therefore, I believe I still have something to offer Your Highness.”

Or do I not?

When he didn’t smile, the man’s gaze was chillingly cold.

Yet Juliet did not flinch from his temperatureless red eyes, instead meeting his gaze calmly.

The man, who had been watching her with a cold look, set down his glass and smiled enigmatically.

The man, now wearing the mask of courtesy again, spoke:

“It’s late. I’ll escort you home at first light.”

Juliet Monad made her appearance at the official event on the last day of the seven-day Blue Deer Ball.

It was also the third day since she had miraculously returned alive.

“My goodness, Miss Monad!”

Nothing spreads faster in the capital than rumors.

Kind-hearted socialites hurried to console the poor countess, sitting alone at one side of the imperial ballroom.

“I’ve heard everything.”

“You must have been so distressed.”

A flood of cheap sympathy and shallow concern poured over her, inevitably followed by gossip.

Everyone is worried about you. You’ll attend the last day of the ball, right?

Yesterday, her childhood friend Fatima had sent a letter to her estate.

Of course, Juliet didn’t attend the ball solely because of Fatima’s letter.

When Juliet arrived, she didn’t even get to speak with Fatima. But she wondered who ‘everyone’ referred to.

“How stubborn. Even after losing her parents, she still comes to the ball.”

“She’s just a child. Naive.”

For the people who offered conventional comfort, the moment they turned away, gossip poured forth.

Since it was the last day of the Blue Deer Ball, Juliet had only attended the first and last days of the seven-day event.

Normally, attention would have been on who would receive the Bluebell Garland on the final day, but today, no one seemed interested.

The main topic of conversation was Juliet Monad, sitting awkwardly in a corner, unable to dance because of her injured leg.

Juliet remembered six days ago, on the first day of the Blue Deer Ball, leaving this place with her parents—how distant that moment felt.

She sat in the same place, in the same clothes.

Juliet had told the capital guards everything—except for the parts about Lennox Carlisle and the demon butterflies.

“Based on testimony alone, we cannot arrest Baron Gaspard.”

As expected, the guards had said this.

Baron Gaspard naturally denied his charges. Like the previous life, when Juliet’s parents died in a carriage accident, Gaspard had an alibi.

There was no link tying the killers, who murdered the count and countess and abducted her, to Baron Gaspard.

“I heard bandits attacked the carriage on the way home.”

“The count and countess’s bodies were in a dreadful state.”

“But she returned alone?”

“How on earth did those vile men let a noble lady return unharmed?”

“Apparently the guards found her in the slums…”

Officially, Juliet was found at her house. The Duke’s knights had dropped her off there.

But the rumor mill had exaggerated things maliciously.

“…If nothing happened to her, how could she have returned unharmed?”

“Isn’t that right, Miss Glenfield?”

The gossipers turned to Fatima Glenfield, who had kept quiet, and pressed her to speak.

“Uh? W-well…”

Caught off guard, Fatima faltered. She had sent the letter urging Juliet to attend the ball, as prompted by others.

But now, she was the one being asked to talk about Juliet.

“You were close with Miss Monad, right?”

“N-not really!”

Her voice was so loud that Juliet glanced at her inadvertently.

Fatima hurriedly hid her face as their eyes met, but Juliet lowered hers again expressionlessly.

No matter what people whispered around her, Juliet felt nothing.

It was as if some part of her emotions was broken.

Juliet now had only one thought:

What if he doesn’t come?

She glanced at the grand clock in the center of the ballroom.

The Blue Deer Ball officially ended when the clock struck twelve. The hands pointed to eleven-thirty.

Her concern was singular: whether Lennox Carlisle had sent someone or not.

It had been four days since she returned from Duke Carlisle’s townhouse.

“Send someone on the last day of the Blue Deer Ball if you want to make a deal with me.”

That day, the Duke had escorted her only to the carriage.

Juliet, anxious, had made that final request just before boarding.

Her attendance, despite her fragile condition, was solely because of that request. But Lennox Carlisle had not contacted her.

Not everyone takes pleasure in others’ misfortune.

Juliet believed there were just as many good people as bad. Her father, Count Monad, had many good friends.

They had asked after her well-being with warm words, offering help if she needed it.

Juliet had considered asking them, but she knew:

Then Baron Gaspard would escape again.

It had happened in her previous life.

Even if her father’s friends listened, the most they could do was bring Gaspard to court.

Baron Gaspard had certainly employed bandits with red spider tattoos and foreign accents, but now there was no evidence. Her butterflies had eaten them all, saving her life.

She needed Lennox Carlisle.

Carlisle was the most unscrupulous man she knew. He could ignore morality or legality to grant her request—provided he came, of course.

Just days ago, she had avoided him desperately, not wanting to meet him this life. Now she worried he might not come.

But she feared leaving Baron Gaspard alive far more than being hurt by the man who had cruelly abandoned her in her previous life.

What if I misread it?

The first time she had faced him this life, alone in his dressing room, seeking help, his gaze mixed boredom and curiosity.

Yet Juliet believed she saw desire in his cold red eyes.

Because in her previous life, he had looked at her the exact same way.

Those were the eyes that had made her heart flutter, expectant, and confused.

Of course, now I know it wasn’t affection but mere desire.

But she had no choice but to cling to it, even if, as before, only she would be hurt in the end.

What if I misread it?

If Lennox Carlisle refused, if he did not appear, what would she do?

It’s fine. There must be a way. Somehow…

What should she do?

Even as she reassured herself, she felt helpless. No matter how she struggled, if her fate mirrored her past life, what could she do next?

I’m alone now.

Her parents, whom she had desperately wanted to protect, were gone. She felt like a lost child.

Lost in thought, Juliet did not notice the sudden silence around her.

Step by step.

She did not notice the sound of approaching footsteps stopping right before her.

“Excuse me, Miss.”

Startled, Juliet looked up at the familiar voice.

“…Your Highness?”

The man with red eyes, dressed neatly in formal attire, knelt on one knee before her, meeting her gaze.

“May I request a blessing from your merciful self?”

Juliet couldn’t understand it at all. Carlisle, following the Blue Deer Ball’s rules, was reciting a silly greeting.

Juliet replied slowly, almost half a beat late:

“…The forest’s radiance upon you.”

The man’s eyes smiled.

“I came to ask if your offer is still valid.”

Those were the kind eyes filled with desire that had confused Juliet in her past life.

He had a talent for controlling the atmosphere just by appearing.

Juliet noticed every gaze in the now silent ballroom was fixed on him.

Her skin tingled.

“Why…”

She parted her lips but didn’t know where to begin. Before she could speak, Lennox swiftly grabbed her wrist.

His lips brushed lightly across the back of her hand. A murmur of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

Juliet looked down at her wrist.

A bracelet-like garland of lush blue flowers had been haphazardly tied around it.

“Guess this isn’t the proper way,” Lennox murmured casually.

He must have snatched the Bluebell Garland from the servant as he entered the ballroom.

Indeed, he had no interest in the ball’s rules. It was impressive enough that he even knew the greeting.

Juliet fiddled with the flowers on her wrist and whispered:

“I thought you would refuse.”

“Why?”

“You dislike bothersome things.”

For a moment, Lennox’s eyes narrowed.

She was right. He would never have come otherwise.

From the first moment he saw Juliet Monad, he instinctively knew this irritating woman would be trouble.

Everything annoyed him—the calm demeanor beyond her age, the deceptively shaded eyelashes.

Her forehead was cut, her cheek bruised.

She entered his dressing room and, with clean eyes, asked for help. The audacity was laughable.

Her request was simple enough, but her unusually calm blue eyes irritated him, stirring something deep inside.

He would rather have gotten rid of Juliet Monad entirely.

The first thought that came to mind: indulge desire until bored, then leave. But even imagining it felt messy and unpleasant.

Why take such a troublesome path? He could have left her to die.

Even if she were devoured by the butterfly demons, it wouldn’t concern him. At least he’d feel relieved.

“Count Monad was well-respected; there will be many to help that poor girl.”

If Commander Milan hadn’t said that, he wouldn’t have come.

Milan had reminded him of one overlooked point:

Juliet Monad, with her clear, honest—or stubbornly crazy—blue eyes, would seek someone else to make an absurd request if he refused.

“I can give Your Highness whatever you want.”

She dares to say that, not knowing anything…

Even imagining her boldly offering herself to someone else made his neck stiff and stomach hot. The impulsive dash to meet him was a childish secret she would take to the grave.

“This performance is enough. Let’s go.”

But Juliet hesitated, looking up at him.

“I… um…”

“What?”

His gaze, frowning, fell on Juliet’s bandaged ankle.

“How did you get in?”

“The head servant…”

Lennox’s eyebrow shot up. He muttered something like a curse, interpreting her words.

Next moment, Juliet found herself being carried out of the ballroom by him.

He supported me, that’s what it meant.

It seemed too late to correct that now.

Over his shoulder, Juliet saw the astonished faces of the crowd. She thought she caught a glimpse of a flustered Fatima.

Blinking slowly, Juliet realized:

Her second summer at eighteen—the happiness-filled, endless-nightmare summer—was coming to an end.

She was saying farewell to her childhood forever.