Episode 59

The very first thing Marcus did was buy shoes for Juliet. He marched straight into his sister’s favorite dress shop and demanded, in no uncertain terms, that they bring out women's shoes immediately. The attendants blinked in confusion, then laid out several pairs that seemed likely to fit Juliet. Once the shoes were handled, it was on to clothing. Dressing Juliet in the finest and most expensive outfit they had on hand, Marcus finally sat across from her and asked, almost pleadingly, a single question.

The whereabouts of Elouise.

However, just as Logan had predicted, the conversation went nowhere. More precisely, Juliet failed to grasp the context of what Marcus was trying to say. Overjoyed at seeing Marcus again after so long, she simply chattered on about her happiness, and while Marcus responded warmly enough, he was visibly anxious.

“Marcus Hanger, these are mine? I can't accept gifts.”

“Elouise told you that, didn’t she, Juliet? Of course, you were taught not to accept gifts from strange men, but you know me, don’t you? But Juliet, Elouise—where is she…?”

“I know!”

And once again, it was Logan who stepped in. Pushing Marcus aside with a firm, “Step aside,” he sat down in front of Juliet. She puckered her lips into an O shape again.

“Loooo…”

“My name is Logan.”

With that, Logan opened his mouth once more.

“{Miss Juliet, where is Lady Elouise? I’m asking where she lives.}”

He spoke in Toulous. Marcus’s eyes widened. Juliet blinked twice, then broke into a bright, toothy grin.

“{Auntie is at home!}”

Logan had recalled that Juliet communicated fairly well in Toulous. And he was far more fluent than Marcus in the language.

Soon enough, Logan learned that the “home” Juliet referred to was a village within the Bellona estate, and that Elouise was living there. Marcus gazed at Logan as though beholding a genius. Logan barely managed to suppress his pride as he turned to Marcus and said,

“Give me a raise.”

“I’ll triple it!”

“Thank you. {Now, Juliet—}”

Logan soon gleaned more information from Juliet. Three years ago, Juliet had left Cliff during the night with Elouise in the duchess’s carriage headed for the north, and Abigail had been among their party. The mention of Abigail Rependers left both men staring at each other in astonishment.

“That’s right… Abigail was there.”

Marcus groaned.

He had believed, without a doubt, that Elouise would never head toward the Bellona duchess, whom she detested. But if Abigail Rependers had been involved, the story changed. Perhaps Elouise had agreed to join her, if only for Juliet’s sake.

I truly didn’t know her at all…

While Marcus clutched his head in regret, Logan asked again,

“{Then, Juliet, let me ask. If you alone came here following the duchess, why did you come? And Lady Elouise—why did she not come with you?}”

It was a valid question. Elouise, who had cared for Juliet as if she were her own child, would never have allowed only Juliet to be sent to the capital with the duchess. There had to be some other reason.

They say words can come true… could she really be ill?

A sudden wave of worry overtook Marcus. Juliet let out a thoughtful hum before answering.

“{Auntie can’t come here. Because of the baby.}”

Marcus’s eyes widened like lanterns. Logan was equally stunned. A baby? Their gazes met in mid-air, both filled with disbelief. Logan pressed urgently.

“{A baby? Lady Elouise has a baby? Whose…?}”

His urgency made even his Toulous falter. Juliet fluttered her eyebrows and smiled brightly.

“{Uncle Alby’s baby!}”

It was a shocking revelation. The two men were left speechless.

Logan recovered a moment sooner and tried to continue his questioning. Uncle Alby? Who was that? A stranger’s name? Could Elouise really be involved with another man? But Logan’s questions never made it past his lips.

Because the door to the private fitting room burst open with a loud bang.

The one who entered was none other than Evenia Bellona.

Behind her trailed the apologetic-looking designer and attendants of the boutique, peeking in anxiously. The duchess wore a rare expression of fury. Her usual composed demeanor had been replaced with one of evident anger. Though no one knew how she had found this place, it was clear she had come knowing Marcus had taken Juliet.

Logan stood reflexively. Juliet’s eyes lit up.

“Evenia!”

She jumped to her feet and ran toward the duchess. Evenia opened her mouth, paused, then said, “Oh, Juliet. I was worried. Are you all right?” and gently patted the girl. Juliet laughed gleefully and hugged the duchess tightly around the waist.

The boldness of that gesture left the staff wide-eyed. They, too, had heard the rumors spreading through society about the duchess’s female companion.

Regardless, the Duchess of Bellona held Juliet in her arms and stared directly at Marcus.

“Sir Hanger, I didn’t take you for this kind of man. What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you mean, Duchess Bellona?”

Marcus had collected himself by now and rose to meet her gaze. The warm, longing look he had shared with Juliet was gone, replaced by cold, steely green eyes.

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that? Where is Elouise?”

“I have no idea what you're talking about.”

The duchess feigned ignorance.

“This girl is my niece, Liet. You come into my home and attempt to abduct her, and you expect me not to inform His Majesty immediately…?”

“Liet?”

It was clear the duchess had fabricated an identity for Juliet to conceal her true origins. But the girl’s innocent confusion at hearing the name shattered the pretense completely. Marcus, while privately satisfied, chose confrontation over amusement.

“You and I both know the truth, so let’s drop the farce, madam. Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize Juliet? Enough games. Return Juliet to me. And Elouise, too.”

“…”

“Ha! Unbelievable. So that’s why she vanished without a trace. To think she’d be with someone she despised so much. Just what did you do to lure her?”

Given the circumstances, it was far more likely Elouise had asked the duchess for help than been lured by her.

But Marcus ignored all reason and simply wanted to blame the duchess. Because of the way she had toyed with him during the earlier meeting.

She had known all along—where Elouise was, why she couldn’t come to the capital—and yet she had played him for a fool.

To think he had entangled himself with a woman like this!

But in the end, Marcus knew it was his own fault. So rather than hurl more accusations, he clenched his jaw and continued.

“I’ve already heard from Juliet that she’s in the northern estate. You—”

But the duchess raised her eyebrows and retorted.

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“Duchess Bellona!”

“Say whatever you like. The fact remains—you entered my home and tried to abduct a girl under my protection. And you seem well aware that I’m a duchess, which means you also know what happens to intruders who trespass into a duchess’s residence…”

Yet the duchess’s tirade was abruptly cut off. Marcus, burning with fury yet still mindful of who he was, spoke with quiet, deliberate weight in each syllable.

“Duchess Bellona, it appears you’re mistaken. In truth, you are the one who has abducted a girl under my protection.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Juliet!”

Marcus called out firmly. Juliet, clinging to the duchess’s waist with unease, turned to look at him.

“That child is my goddaughter.”

“…”

The duchess’s face turned pale. Yes—Marcus had remembered that long ago, on a whim, he had agreed to be the girl's godfather.

If her parents were absent, Juliet was legally and morally entitled to his protection. In this moment, the one who held guardianship over Juliet was not the Duchess of Bellona—but Marcus Hanger.

“The church in Cliff will have the paperwork on record. Juliet Starwood is the godchild of Marcus Hanger. You have no legal authority over her.”

But the duchess was far more shameless than Marcus had anticipated. Quickly regaining her composure, she lifted her chin. That elegant gesture reminded Marcus uncomfortably of someone else’s habits.

“But surely you know who entrusted her to me.”

“…”

“Sir Hanger. If you lay a hand on that girl now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

And she was right. Elouise had likely entrusted Juliet to the duchess herself.

The circumstances behind such a decision—why she would leave her beloved niece with a woman she detested—remained a mystery. But one thing was certain: if Marcus tried to take Juliet away now, the outcome would not be in his favor.

“…Then perhaps I should report to His Majesty at once that you’ve abducted my wife.”

Juliet, sensing the escalating tension, nestled once more into the duchess’s arms. There was no stronger display of trust than that. The duchess let out a scoffing laugh as she embraced the girl.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Not if you truly care about your goddaughter.”

“You’re one to talk—”

“Fool! Who do you think designed that schematic?”

Marcus froze. The duchess swiftly continued.

“Juliet is an artist I sponsor. Understand?”

“You can’t mean—”

“Don’t say something as foolish as that you can’t believe it. And don’t you dare say you never even imagined in your wildest dreams just how extraordinary Juliet is. The moment you utter such nonsense, I’ll take you for the greatest fool in the world.”

It was staggering. Who could have imagined such a situation? Marcus gaped at Juliet in disbelief. Juliet merely blinked and glanced back and forth between the two. At that moment, Logan whispered softly.

“Miss Juliet was quite skilled at drawing. She was also good at creating things…”

Only then did Marcus recall how Juliet used to stack teacups, or occasionally sit and pile up blocks into bizarre shapes.

And the very next moment, he remembered the model of the Starwood Estate that had stood in the woods belonging to the Marchioness of Noskina. Along with that, the floor plan the King had repeatedly praised flashed through Marcus’s mind—and he turned to Juliet with a dumbfounded expression.

That artist supported by the Duchess—was Juliet?

His chest burned with the inability to comprehend the situation, yet everything else—the Duchess’s words, the surrounding evidence—all pointed to the truth. Of course she hadn’t stubbornly insisted on introducing her protégé to the King.

Juliet was a very lovely young girl, and her speech was slightly unrefined.

Even if she were to appear before the King as that very artist, he would never for a moment suspect that such a girl was behind the works.

Her astonishing beauty would surely make her a topic of fascination, but the slightly offbeat way she spoke would just as surely turn her into the subject of ridicule. The rigid King would never accept that a seventeen-year-old girl had designed the World Exposition Pavilion—he would annul everything. And that wasn’t all. Marcus could now understand why Elouise had refrained from selling her jewels.

The inheritance the Duchess had received upon the Duke of Bellona’s death was enormous. Providing for two women was nothing to her. It was also understandable why Juliet had been entrusted to her. With Abigail Rependers at her side and the Duchess’s financial power, Juliet could have easily received not only a high-class education but even one at a university level.

“Juliet, are you alright?”

While Marcus stood stunned, the Duchess cradled Juliet in her arms. The gesture was so tender, as if she were holding her own daughter, that Marcus felt a surge of irritation. Yet regardless, Juliet glanced around cautiously and then raised her foot. The red leather shoes on her bare feet came into view.

“Marcus Hanger bought me.”

The way that clumsy girl seemed to be defending Marcus stirred his heart despite everything. But the Duchess furrowed her brow.

“…Juliet, I bought you a variety of shoes as well. That man must have abducted you, didn't he?”

“Pardon me, Your Grace, but I believe that statement requires some correction.”

It was Logan who belatedly stepped forward. Adjusting his glasses, he faced the Duchess of Bellona squarely.

“We have never once entered your townhouse.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. If that’s true, then how did you—”

“Miss Juliet came over the wall herself. The stone wall along the shaded south side. There are witnesses—the Dahlron family. I took note of their carriage parked there myself. You’re welcome to go and check.”

The Duchess’s eyebrow twitched. Logan continued smoothly.

“We were just as shocked. Imagine walking down the street and suddenly seeing a familiar face climbing over the wall of the Duchess’s townhouse. And not just any face, but one we’d searched for over three years. Miss Juliet recognized us too—and climbed over to us.”

“Juliet, he’s lying, isn’t he?”

At the Duchess of Bellona’s words, Juliet looked up at her and thought for a moment, then replied.

“Evenia… Looo…”

“Logan.”

The fact that she couldn’t remember such a simple name—Logan—made one question whether she was really a genius. Logan opened his mouth just then, and Juliet beamed at him. Logan flinched and stepped back. But Juliet promptly turned her gaze back to the Duchess and said:

“{Logan is not lying.}"

“Heavens, Juliet. Climbing over a wall—do you know how dangerous the outside world is…?”

“That’s enough.”

Marcus’s cold voice cut through the Duchess’s words. She instinctively tightened her embrace around Juliet and looked at him. Marcus stared at her icily and spoke.

“Very well. I now fully understand why I cannot report you to His Majesty. It’s despicably cunning—but I accept it. You’re holding none other than my goddaughter hostage; how could I possibly run to the King?”

“…”

“But you won’t be able to stop me.”

“What are you—”

“You have to be at the royal palace tomorrow morning, don’t you? Because of Juliet.”

The Duchess of Bellona frowned. Marcus continued without care.

“And it takes a full day’s train ride to reach the northern territory. It’s a vast estate. Juliet told me she lived near the foot of Bellona, the central district.”

“…Sir Hanger!”

Marcus bowed courteously to her.

“As someone who treasures my goddaughter so deeply, surely you would never abandon your scheduled audience with His Majesty tomorrow. But I can. I’m just a merchant, someone who merely throws money around. I don’t need to be in the palace.”

He was right. The Duchess’s face turned pale. Marcus walked up to her without hesitation and glared at her from close range.

“You cannot stop me.”

“…Sir Hanger!”

“I’m going to my woman.”

Having declared that to the Duchess, Marcus then knelt down, all previous fierceness vanished, and looked into Juliet’s eyes. Juliet called out to him with an anxious face—but without fear.

“Marcus Hanger?”

“Juliet, stay well with the Duchess. Eat plenty of delicious food, wear beautiful clothes, and sleep soundly.”

“Julie sleeps well… listens well, too.”

“Yes. Good girl.”

Marcus laughed.

“Just sleep ten more nights, and when you wake up, I’ll be there—with your aunt.”

“Really?”

“Sir Hanger!”

Juliet’s voice, bursting with joy, and the Duchess’s startled cry clashed in the air. But Marcus didn’t look back as he walked out of the atelier. Taking the whip from the hand of the coachman waiting by the Hanger family carriage, he immediately unfastened the reins. Logan came rushing out behind him in a panic.

“Sir!”

Marcus didn’t respond. He untied the rope restraining the horse, leapt swiftly onto its back, and struck its hindquarters with the whip. The horse neighed and began to gallop.

“Ugh! Damn it all!”

Logan’s furious scream echoed behind him.

But Marcus only urged his horse forward, faster.

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