Forgotten Juliet

* * *

There’s a potion that can make one fall passionately in love just by secretly feeding it to them.

As the season for lovers approached, such a rumor was swirling around the capital.

“It’s not just a rumor. I experienced it firsthand.”

Juliet was sitting in a boutique selling men’s accessories.

Even among the luxurious shopping street filled with high-end stores, this members-only boutique located to the north was distinguished by its sign.

Customers could sit at a table, enjoy tea, peruse the catalog, and then the staff would bring the selected item over. It was a good place to have a discreet conversation away from prying eyes.

In this luxurious place, Juliet, through her friend Emma, was able to meet the protagonist of the rumors that were stirring the social circles.

“Just three days is enough.”

The young lady, Eunice, who had used the potion and got engaged to her crush, shared her story.

“At first, I was doubtful, but on the third day, I received a marriage proposal,” she shared as she took off her gloves to show her engagement ring.

With rosy cheeks and eyes filled with excitement, Eunice looked like a young lady who had won the heart of her lover and was brimming with happiness.

“Where did you get the potion?”

“The maids from the imperial palace introduced me to Count Jermang.”

“Count Jermang?”

“Yes.”

In fact, Juliet was more interested in the source of the potion than the potion itself.

“Count Jermang is really an amazing person,” Eunice said, blushing shyly.

However, Juliet was more curious about the ‘Count Jermang’ who was anonymously selling this mysterious potion than Eunice’s love story.

In reality, Juliet suspected Elizabeth, the snake disguised as a maid in the imperial palace, as the mastermind distributing the potion. But now, unexpectedly, the name Count Jermang popped up.

‘After all, evil spirits don’t have a gender.’

Moreover, one of the snake’s specialties was to devour humans, steal their appearance, and disguise itself.

Creating a new identity would be a piece of cake for such a creature.

If the potion is indeed part of the snake’s scheme as Juliet speculated, what could be its hidden agenda?

“He’s a very fine gentleman…”

Eunice’s dreamy expression was a bit concerning.

Nonetheless, Juliet wished Eunice well.

“It was nice meeting you, Miss Eunice.”

“Me too. See you at the ball.”

After Eunice and Emma left, Juliet stayed at the boutique, fiddling with her cooled down teacup, deep in thought.

‘Count Jermang.’

That snake had a ghastly ability to sense human desires.

And its exceptional ability to manipulate humans by exploiting their weaknesses came into play.

Lost in thought, Juliet was fidgeting with a silver accessory next to her teacup.

It was a men’s brooch, a boutonniere.

The giving of gifts had a long tradition in Yuno Purification Festival, with the type of gifts also being fairly standardized.

Usually, women would gift a boutonniere to pin on the lapel of men’s jackets, and the men’s boutonniere that Juliet bought today was for that very purpose.

It wasn’t an expensive item, but it was a modest, neat accessory that would easily attach to a jacket lapel.

It wasn’t meant for anyone in particular.

“Excuse me, Miss.”

Just then, someone entered, interrupting Juliet’s contemplation.

“Ah, yes. I’m done, you can take it away.”

Juliet, without looking, tried to hand over the catalog, intending to get up and leave.

The boutique, separated by a sign, handled quite expensive items, and it seemed they were running short on catalogs due to the high volume of customers that day.

But as Juliet looked up, she was startled.

“…Grandfather?”

“?”

Sitting across with a bright smile was the impeccably dressed Lionel Lebatan.

“It’s been a while, Juliet.”

“My goodness. How did you come here?”

Juliet, who thought her grandfather had surely returned to the east, was half surprised and half delighted.

“A granddaughter who seemed to have forgotten my face and didn’t contact me at all, what can I do? An idle old man has to come looking.”

“Oh…”

“Here’s your tea.”

The staff brought fresh tea as they retracted the sign.

With a friendly sales pitch to call them if anything was needed, the staff exited.

Once the staff left, Lionel Lebatan, sitting in modest attire, pretended to seriously browse through the catalog.

Juliet, sitting across, blinked.

Lionel Lebatan was a fugitive, accused of treason by the Emperor.

Of course, from Lionel Levatan’s perspective, it was a false accusation.

Long ago, in the east, when Lionel Lebatan was referred to as the rebel king, as the forces supporting him grew, the threatened imperial family framed him for treason.

Regardless, the verdict from decades ago still stood.

On setting foot on the Emperor’s land, immediate execution.

Right after that verdict, Lionel Lebatan disappeared, and for a long time, lived in hiding in the east.

Even the clerk who had just left couldn’t even guess that a well-dressed, respectable old man was a rebel, but,

‘Is it okay to roam around like this?’

Especially when the Emperor’s palace is right nearby?

“What’s wrong?”

Feeling Juliet’s gaze, Lionel Lebatan asked.

Though slightly worried, Juliet made an absurd remark.

“I’m glad my grandfather is here.”

“You cheeky.”

Juliet smiled bashfully.

“Grandfather.”

“Hmm?”

“You know everything, don’t you?”

“Indeed.”

“Then, I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“If, for instance, someone loathes a family for generations enough to curse them, what might be the reason?”

Lionel Lebatan furrowed his brows, seeming puzzled.

“It’s too vague. Give me some hints.”

“Hints?”

But this was a question even Juliet didn’t know the answer to.

Even Lennox, who is part of the cursed family, wouldn’t know.

“Um… It seems that someone was acquainted with a person named ‘Eleanor’.”

“Eleanor?”

“Yes.”

A very common name.

Juliet regretted that this was not a good clue, but Lionel Lebatan, who had been indifferently expressioned, now frowned.

Then he whispered in a low voice.

“Could that someone be that bastard? Could Eleanor be that woman?”

“No? No! It’s not that.”

Juliet denied it hastily.

“It’s about someone else.”

Technically, that snake wasn’t even a human, but Lionel Lebatan, looking suspicious, was lost in thought for a moment.

“Usually, there’s only one reason to harbor such deep resentment.”

It was a question thrown without much expectation, but Juliet was intrigued.

“What is it?”

“It’s jealousy.”

“…Jealousy? A love feud?”

Juliet felt deflated.

“Are you teasing me?”

However, Lionel Lebatan, seeing his granddaughter’s disappointed expression, only chuckled.

“That’s how the world is. It seems to have some significant meaning, but once you know the truth, haven’t there been times when it was mundane?”

“Yes.”

“See. Life is like that.”

Juliet still seemed unconvinced, shaking her head.

“But why are you so sure? Is it simply because Eleanor is a woman’s name?”

“It’s more about emotions.”

Lionel Lebatan shrugged.

“You said the hatred has been going on for a long time, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I don’t know why, but they seemed to hate obsessively for a very long time.”

“It’s not easy to hate someone to the extent of pouring out one’s emotions and energy. Usually, such obsessive behavior is associated with deep emotions, and the hatred itself could be a result of opposite actions.”

“Opposite actions…? What do you mean?”

Lionel Lebatan smiled broadly.

“What’s the opposite of hatred?”

“Ah.”

Juliet finally realized what Lionel meant by jealousy.

Lionel Lebatan lightly commented as he passed by, but Juliet’s expression chewing over his answer was quite serious.

‘Was that hatred rooted in affection?’

“Heh, there’s no need to take it too seriously. It’s just an old man’s nonsense…”

Thump.

“Hmm?”

Juliet suddenly kicked the rug, stood up, and moved with an urgent motion.

“Grandfather, I need to go.”

“All of a sudden?”

“I just remembered something urgent!”

Lionel Lebatan rose from his seat with a puzzled expression.

Then Juliet gave him a big hug and placed something in his hand.

It was a silver button that had been on the table.

Juliet looked him straight in the eyes and said firmly:

“You are the wisest person I know!”

Then she ran out of the boutique.

“…Hey, Juliet!”

Lionel Lebatan seemed to caution her not to run from behind, but all Juliet had in mind was to rush back to the mansion.