Chapter 98:

Chapter 98:

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Let me down.

He desperately tried to find some emotion in Juliets expression, but he found nothing.

As the silence stretched, others walking a short distance away with torches also stopped.

Alright. Lets go back.

In the end, he was the first to relent.

He didnt let Juliet down, but he gave up on his plan to take her to the North.

Only after he turned his gaze towards the distant lights of the palace did Juliet lean on him.

Your Highness, why are you here?

Asking so soon, Lennox thought to himself.

Who would lose their horse

Lennox glanced at the butterflies emitting a faint glow.

All thanks to you wandering fearlessly.

It seems you got my letter.

Juliets voice was calm.

But contrary to her composed response, he felt choked up.

Lennox gripped the reins tighter with his other hand. He could feel the regular motion every time Juliet, leaning on his head, breathed.

Yet, she seemed somewhat absent.

The relief he felt when he checked the Soulstone was truly momentary.

[The butterflies are gone.]

After checking the short note, he left the North.

He opened the gate and, after confirming Juliets whereabouts, managed to arrive just in time.

By just in time, he had only found Juliet, who had fainted deep in the hunting grounds, but next to her was dazed Lycanthrope and fluttering butterflies.

Your eyes?

Whos worrying about whom now?

Are you better?

No.

As he answered, Lennox tightened his grip on the hand that wrapped around her waist. Juliet briefly looked suspicious, but he protested his innocence.

The physician had said that, although the recovery rate was faster than expected, pushing too hard might result in permanent blindness.

Apart from a woman who keeps crying in his bothersome dream.

Im getting better.

Thats good.

Juliet exhaled a small sigh, her face looking as if shed shed some weight.

Because of her reaction, Lennox felt even more ambiguous.

He didnt want her pity or her taking care of him out of sympathy.

But was it just guilt she felt?

Moreover, Juliet didnt seem too surprised to see him. Shes always been calm, but this seemed different.

Lennox was concerned about the expression that flashed across Juliets face the moment she opened her eyes.

It looked like she was scared and about to cry.

Yet now, her attitude seemed indifferent, and this made him anxious.

His throat felt tight.

Despite the late hour, torches lit up everywhere, making the palace look like daylight. People were outside the buildings.

Oh, my God!

Please sit down carefully.

As instructed, Juliet stepped into the bathtub. The hot water calmed her down.

Elsa.

Juliet, making sure no one else could see, discreetly called Elsa over.

Elsa, carefully looking around, approached the bathtub.

What is it, Juliet?

Juliet showed Elsa a silver key she was holding. But Elsa, unlike Graham, just looked at it blankly.

Well, Roy, as well as Elsa and Nathan, had seen the key many times, but they never told a strange story like the wolf did.

Why?

I met a wolf in the forest who said he was Roys brother.

Elsas face turned pale with shock.

He said his name was Graham.

Graham? Graham came here? How

Juliet grabbed Elsas arm, who was in shock.

And Graham called this Snowdrop.

Snowdrop?

Elsas eyes widened.

Do you know what that is?

Yes, I know.

Elsa glanced between Juliet and the silver key, then with an unprecedented serious expression, she said:

Its the name of a flower.

Yes, it is.

Juliet gave a small laugh.

I knew that too.

The bathtub was steadily filling with hot water. But Elsa wasnt done speaking.

Our grandmother said its a very, very old and dangerous thing.

She continued with a serious face.

They were so malicious that they were banished from the forest and must never be allowed back in.

But that was all Elsa could tell. Her words were vague, like an old tale.

(.)

But Juliet was more bothered by something else than Elsas vague words.

The butterflies, which were previously loud enough to give her a headache, had gone silent since they mentioned that word.

It was strange.

This artifact was as old as the Empires history, being around for three hundred years.

Passed down in Juliets family since the establishment of the County Monad.

But why did a Lycanthrope know the name of this key? Especially a name that not even the people of the Monad family knew?

Artifact.

To Juliets knowledge, artifacts didnt have names.

Even the term artifact was a word created for convenience to denote treasures with indescribable powers.

Well, famous jewels often have grand names like Tears of the Sun, but it was the first time she heard of an artifact having a name.

This silver key, passed down in the Monad House, looked like an ordinary silver toy at first glance. Artifacts seemed like not-so-precious antiques.

Is this your name?

(.)

But the butterflies remained silent.