Chapter 105

* * *

Early in the morning, Juliet was sitting in a dim room.

‘…Not surprising.’

Juliet stared blankly at a thin sheet of paper.

‘I didn’t think I’d see this contract again.’

It was the very contract that Juliet had returned to him a few months ago.

Except for an added paragraph, it was basically the same content.

The duration was six months.

In exchange for extending the contract by 6 months, Lennox promised to tell her what she wanted to know.

But Juliet wondered what he wanted from this contract.

Yet, the proposal seemed harmless and unsurprising.

In fact, Juliet didn’t have high hopes for what he promised.

Juliet now knew that ‘Snowdrop’ was the name of the key that calls the butterflies.

Even though she persistently searched the information guild, she couldn’t find more than that.

But what does it matter?

What bothered her more was the period Lennox mentioned.

‘Six months.’

Juliet quietly counted the remaining days.

When his promised period passed, Juliet would be in the late summer or early autumn of her twenty-fifth year.

Flutter.

As Juliet looked at the contract, a couple of familiar butterflies appeared from somewhere.

She silently watched a butterfly that fluttered around the mirror land on the paper. As if to disturb her reading, it settled on the paper and flapped its wings.

(Will you? Sign?)

Surprised, Juliet laughed softly.

“Have you decided to talk to me again?”

It was the first time the butterflies spoke to her since returning from the snow-covered forest.

(We. Smart.)

(Remember. Everything.)

(Humans, men. Bad.)

(Contractor. Cried. A lot.)

(Huh.)

The butterflies poured out words as if they were tired of their vow of silence. Juliet’s eyes narrowed.

“If we spend half a year as before, he promised to tell me your secret.”

(…)

“Lennox knew your name. But I didn’t. Does that make sense?”

Juliet said, almost teasingly.

“If you had told me from the start, I wouldn’t need such a contract.”

(….)

“You don’t want to talk to me again?”

After a while, the butterflies responded.

(Contractor. Didn’t. Ask.)

(Didn’t.)

It was unbelievable.

Even a five-year-old child lying would sound more convincing.

“Then why did you come back?”

(We. Never. Left!)

(From the start!)

(We were here!)

Their voices sounded very aggrieved.

Juliet was a bit surprised. While the butterflies often chirped, it was rare for them to raise their voices like this.

(Bad! That necklace!)

“Necklace?”

Is it about Genovia’s Soulstone?

(That human man too! The wolf too!)

(Contractor.)

(Contractor.)

(They are after you.)

(We can protect you.)

(Not me, but neither the human man nor the wolf can.)

(They’re just in the way!)

Juliet held her breath.

It wasn’t a good sign when the butterflies spoke so fluently.

(We. Smart!)

(So. Remember.)

A butterfly landed on her hand and whispered.

(In 6 months, half a year.)

(The day you die.)

Juliet gasped.

It felt as if she’d been doused with cold water, and she hurriedly got up.

“…How do you know that?”

It was something Juliet had been contemplating.

Late summer in 6 months.

It was also the season when she died in her past life.

But in her life before regression, Juliet had never met the butterflies. So, these creatures couldn’t know about her past life.

A chill ran down her spine.

(….)

“Answer me!”

As she shouted sharply, the butterflies’ voices became more urgent.

(We know!)

(But we are forbidden to speak of it!)

(It’s because ‘that’ is…)

The once fluent voices of the butterflies faded, and then they hesitantly started to speak again.

(Contractor. Mustn’t. Get angry.)

(Can’t.)

(We. Didn’t deceive.)

(We. Didn’t lie.)

Whoosh!

Suddenly, all the butterflies were engulfed in blue flames and disappeared as if it were a lie.

Juliet knew the meaning of this phenomenon.

It’s a backlash.

When the butterflies, entities from beyond this dimension, interfere too much with her world, this kind of thing happens.

A little time would pass, and they would reappear perfectly fine, so Juliet wasn’t too worried about them.

Juliet, clutching the hem of her dress, pondered over what the butterflies had said earlier.

They claimed they hadn’t deceived her.

Then who, or what, did?

* * *

Descending to the reception room below, Juliet came face to face with familiar faces.

People she hadn’t seen since the night before.

“Eek!”

The people, who were somewhat sneakily tiptoeing around, were startled when they saw Juliet descending the stairs.

Juliet narrowed her eyes and greeted first.

“It’s been a while, Elliot.”

It was Elliot, the Duke’s secretary.

“Ha-have you been well, Miss Juliet?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

“I have an urgent matter that requires His Highness’s approval, so…”

Elliot said, as if making an excuse.

“We promise not to bother His Highness for long! Not at all!”

Ah.

Only after seeing Elliot desperately trying to explain did Juliet realize the situation.

With the lord of the North absent, it seemed the entire administration of the Duke’s house had come looking for him.

But Juliet didn’t care whether Lennox was buried in work or not. She was used to spending time alone.

“Is His Highness inside?”

“Yes, he’s in the library.”

“Then I’ll go see Madam Ilena.”

Since she was staying in the south, she thought it best to explain to her about what happened last night.

“I’ll be back before lunch.”

Juliet left the mansion without even waiting for a response.

“Let me escort you, Miss.”

Elliot followed her out and opened the carriage door for her.

Watching Elliot, Juliet suddenly said:

“Elliot.”

“Yes, Miss?”

“The water lily in the garden is beautiful.”

“Isn’t it? I thought you would like it…”

Oops.

Elliot, who had unintentionally blurted out a friendly response, abruptly stopped talking and hastily tried to gauge Juliet’s reaction.

But Juliet just smiled faintly and got into the carriage.

“Now that I think about it, it looked just like the one at the summer palace.”

“Yes, indeed.”

He regretted not realizing sooner.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Ah… Yes!”

The carriage carrying Juliet exited the mansion’s driveway.

On her way to Madam Ilena’s residence, Juliet cautiously tried to summon the butterflies.

The summoned little butterflies fluttered around perfectly fine, but just like before, they remained silent.

It didn’t take long to reach Madam Ilena’s residence.

Stepping out of the carriage, Juliet glimpsed a carriage parked in front of the mansion. It seemed one of the Madam’s guests was preparing to leave.

“Juliet!”

A cheerful Emma rushed out to greet her. Emma was wearing a daringly bright yellow dress.

“Welcome! I was just about to come and get you.”

“Me?”

Juliet was a bit taken aback by Emma’s warm welcome.

“Yes!”

However, Emma decisively took Juliet by the arm and led her to the greenhouse in the backyard of the mansion.

Madam Ilena’s greenhouse was three times larger than that of the Count of Monad and was magnificent. It was filled with colorful flowers unique to the south, giving it an exotic atmosphere.

“Grandmother said she has something to tell you.”

Emma seemed unusually excited.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Good morning, Madam.”

Madam Ilena, who occupied a large tea table in the middle of the greenhouse, acknowledged Juliet’s presence.

“Take a seat.”

Once Juliet and Emma took their seats, the Madam spoke shortly.

“About what happened yesterday… I apologize, Juliet.”

Juliet was a bit surprised.

She had assumed that the Madam would be upset because of the Duke of Carlyle, who had brandished a sword.

Of course, the whole situation arose due to Viscount Fusilli’s vile behavior.

However, Juliet knew Madam Ilena to be a traditional person and thought she might take the side of the Viscount.

“It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault, Madam.”

“But I should apologize. After all, I invited such a lowly creature as my guest.”

Juliet thought she understood why the Madam didn’t scold Emma for her vibrant dress.

“I have dealt strictly with Viscount Fusilli. He will never set foot in the southern society again.”

“You’ve banished the Viscount?”

“Yes.”

Banishment was a stern action. But compared to what he had done, was it not a light punishment?

While Juliet pondered this, Madam Ilena cautiously said:

“However, Duke Carlyle asked for one thing.”

That was the crux of the matter.

Juliet smiled slyly.