Juliet was momentarily shocked to discover that everyone in the Duke’s household was part of the same group.
“Traitors. Did they hand me over and go to sleep?”
As Juliet grumbled, Lennox responded calmly.
“They must be enjoying a real vacation by now.”
Real vacation? Juliet tilted her head for a moment before realizing he was right.
With the Duke Carlyle gone, only the servants would be left in the vast summer palace. The people of the Duke’s residence must be having a festival by now. Juliet was astounded inwardly.
‘So you cooperated?’
But the feeling of betrayal was brief, as Juliet was soon distracted by the scene before her.
Boom. Pop.
Bright fireworks adorned the night sky.
Splash.
“Focus on me.”
As Juliet lost her soul in the scene, Lennox, who was riding behind her, pulled the reins and smiled faintly.
They had ventured a little away from the villa on horseback to explore the night streets. As expected of a resort town, the Velot city streets were bustling.
Vintage streetlights, stone walls, and pretty gravel paths.
The street designed along the old walls up to the central fountain seemed quaint like a scene from a fairy tale, and people in various colorful outfits and masks freely roamed around, fitting the atmosphere of a holiday resort.
As a tourist city, the carnival was in full swing. Juliet recalled the New Year’s festival she briefly attended in the East during winter.
With the carnival in full swing, the streets were flooded with new street vendors and soliciting merchants.
Juliet dismounted and explored around, peering here and there.
Despite people’s gazes, roaming the night streets in casual attire was more enjoyable than she thought.
While looking around, Juliet suddenly stopped in front of a vendor selling big balloons.
‘Nix?’
Seeing a black dragon-shaped balloon, Juliet momentarily thought of the little dragon she left behind.
“It’s made with magic stones, pretty lady. Want one?”
The shrewd vendor didn’t miss his chance and approached Juliet.
“No, it’s okay…”
Seeing the outrageous price typical for a tourist spot, Juliet quickly shook her head.
‘I’m not a kid.’
Even if it was made with magic stones, it was a toy that would deflate by the next day.
“Here.”
But to Juliet’s refusal, a man quickly paid and handed the string to Juliet.
Juliet looked up at the balloon resembling the baby dragon with a slight smile.
This was the first time she bought such a thing since she was nine.
“Oh my, seems like I made a mistake.”
The vendor owner made a fuss as he saw Lennox paying instead, with a surprised look.
An elderly lady asked Juliet in a subtle voice:
“Is he your new husband?”
Juliet grinned.
“He’s not my husband.”
Though dressed in common attire that could be seen anywhere, he was a man who drew people’s attention wherever he went.
After roaming for a while, Juliet went near the fountain to rest a bit and wipe her sticky hands.
She sat casually by the fountain with street food in hand.
A snack of fruits sandwiched between thin crackers and drizzled with condensed milk.
Such junk food would be absolutely forbidden in the castle, with the chef scolding and chasing her, but this cracker with ample condensed milk on fruits surprisingly suited her taste.
“…?”
Suddenly feeling a gaze, Juliet looked up.
She had felt an obsessive gaze as if someone wanted a bite since earlier.
‘Does he want some?’
But he didn’t like sweet things…
Nevertheless, Juliet broke off a less sweet part of the snack and handed it to him.
“Here.”
Lennox looked down at the neatly halved snack in his hand.
He impulsively blurted out:
“Juliet.”
“Yes?”
“Shall we get married?”
Juliet blinked for a moment, then burst into laughter.
“It’s just a snack. Don’t get too emotional.”
“…I know.”
Lennox sighed lightly.
He regretted the words that slipped out in excitement seeing Juliet enjoying herself, the timing was obviously off.
“Are you hungry?”
“No.”
He didn’t fully believe Elliot’s hurried explanation earlier.
-The young lady doesn’t want to get married.
But watching Juliet, who dressed plainly without any decorations and wandered tirelessly, receiving attention from people around, he felt anxious several times.
-Be kind.
Juliet did advise that, but he almost impulsively drew his sword several times.
“Give me your hand.”
Lennox sighed and took out a handkerchief.
Meanwhile, Juliet was enjoying peeking at his expression from a while ago. It was undoubtedly annoying for him when she said, ‘He’s not my husband.’
“Say anything you want. Except for marriage.”
‘But you said that.’
Juliet thought it was funny, knowing yet not knowing the situation.
Having had enough fun teasing, Juliet decided to speak honestly.
“Lennox.”
“Speak.”
“If that was a proposal earlier, I dislike it.”
Flinch.
The man who was wiping Juliet’s hands swayed noticeably.
“Why?”
“Um… It’s annoying, isn’t it?”
“…”
“It’s troublesome, and it’s fine as it is, there’s no need to ruin this relationship unnecessarily.”
Somehow, it was a familiar excuse.
Annoying, troublesome.
‘Damn.’
That’s what he had said to his lover over the past few years.
Lennox was chewing over it for the hundredth time.
It’s a self-made mess.
* * *
By the time they arrived at the villa from their outing, it was well past midnight.
“Come down.”
Lennox gently placed Juliet on the cushioned window seat, and helped her off with her shoes and outerwear.
Having had a hearty meal, feeling a bit leg weary, and maybe due to having a couple of glasses of low-alcohol jelly wine, Juliet was a bit mellow.
Suddenly, it seemed like he would answer anything she asked right now.
“Your Highness, may I ask something?”
“Go ahead.”
Juliet dangled her feet and suddenly spoke.
“How many rings have you bought?”
Lennox’s hands, which were removing her shoes, paused.
They stared at each other as if in a silent confrontation.
The first to break the silence was Juliet.
“Are you angry?”
When Juliet asked gently, Lennox mimicked her tone and answered gently and calmly.
“No, just thinking.”
“What are you thinking?”
“Whose mouth I should shut first.”
“Pfft.”
“…This is driving me nuts.”
Lennox sighed lightly, but Juliet couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
All those gems really seemed to have been bought in secrecy.
As Lennox looked at the laughing Juliet, his eyes narrowed. He chuckled faintly and slowly untied the ribbon on her outerwear.
“It’s a relief that it’s amusing.”
“It’s pointless to keep it a secret. Duke Carlyle is quite famous, you know.”
Juliet teased.
“But there’s something even he can’t do.”
The secret engagement seemed hard even for the Duke of the North.
If it were the Juliet of a long time ago, she might have missed it, but recently she had many friends who would rush to bring her news.
Moreover, he was the famous Duke of the North.
In every auction house across the continent, buying precious stones and metals as they appeared, and recruiting famous craftsmen, it was harder to keep things secret than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.
It’s the attitude of a dignified lover to pretend not to know to some extent, but Juliet was not patient.
And she was very curious.
“Why did you hide the rings you won’t use?”
“…It takes time to nullify the damn excommunication from the temple.”
Lennox brushed his hair back nervously.
The words omitted before and after were obviously curses.
Juliet held back a laugh and asked.
“So you bought the rings while doing it?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.”
This was an expected answer to Juliet as well.
The feud between the House of Carlyle and the Temple was well known. The shrine excommunicated the Duke, which meant the Duke couldn’t participate in the holy ceremonies – marriage, funeral, baptism – blessed by the priest.
So, it was quite known that Lennox Carlyle has been pressuring the shrine recently.
Lennox had been pressuring from all angles to reinstate the Dukedom as soon as possible, and not long ago, the overwhelmed temple finally caved in.
However, it seemed to take quite a bit of time to reinstate the excommunicated Duke.
“Why is the temple important?”
Juliet was curious about why he was so fixated on the procedure.
There was no word that matched Lennox Carlyle less than formality. He admired clear and quick resolutions and didn’t care at all about formality.
However, the hesitant answer given by Lennox was like this.
“It’s important to you.”
Juliet met the calm red eyes looking straight at her.
“Traditions and formalities.”
‘Ah?’
Juliet was slightly surprised at the completely unexpected answer.
“Um, not really.”
Of course, valuing tradition was the custom of the Monad family.
“There’s so much needed for a wedding? Nobody would care about a priest’s blessing.”
Juliet said laughingly but she meant it. Juliet didn’t need the blessing of a stranger.
But Lennox carefully kissed the tips of Juliet’s fingers in turn. Rather than seduction, it was a dry, plain, unconscious action.
With a faraway look, his cool eyes turned back to Juliet.
“When a child is born, you might think differently.”
“A child…?”
“Yes. It might be fine now, but what if you regret it later?”
Lennox, lips parting, spoke calmly without a smile.
“If our child can’t get baptized, you’d definitely be upset.”
Lennox chuckled without heat, and carefully pinched Juliet’s cheek.
“How would I bear to see that?”