Sweet you who doesn’t love me - Chapter 2: Name

The first time Juliet saw Cassio was on the morning of their wedding day.

 

It was a hastily arranged marriage. They got engaged not even half a year after their first meeting, and within three months of their engagement, they exchanged vows.

 

Even at the ceremony where the marriage vows were exchanged, Juliet wasn’t present. Instead, her father and mother signed as her guardians.

 

As Cassio Bellanea received the title of Duke of Escalus upon marriage, Juliet became the Duchess of Escalus as well. Just like that, even though a little while back she was sitting idle, she got married.

 

The wedding took place in Cagliari, renamed Escalus. Until that moment, Juliet didn’t even know what her future husband looked like.

 

When she saw him standing in the church on an early spring day, she was amazed.

 

His fiery red hair and noticeably fair skin, towering height compared to most men, and how well the pristine white naval uniform suited him.

 

“Cassio Bellanea.”

 

“Yes.”

 

A stunning man who left her in awe.

 

The story of how he came all the way to Sardania to marry Juliet was somewhat complicated as well.

 

It was a scandal, a romance so famous that it excited not only the people of Aragon but also the ladies of Sardania. And the result of that romance was a child who could have been seen as a cursed one, not even blessed by the gods. Unfortunate yet loved, loved yet pitiable stories.

 

But those stories were distant from Juliet.

 

‘I haven’t even spoken to him more than a few times…’ 

 

Cassio Bellanea spent only five days and five nights at Escalus before he immediately departed.

 

“Take care.”

 

Without a single promise about returning safely.

 

‘He might not have had any intention of coming back in the first place.’ 

 

It was impossible to consider the place where he spent at most five days and five nights as home, as a place he should return to.

 

‘His true home is probably not here…’ 

 

“Over there!”

 

Someone among the people called out.

 

Juliet, who was lost in thought, snapped back to her senses.

 

In the distance, a cloud of dust rose, and several horses with carriages were approaching.

 

At the forefront of the procession, riding a horse, Cassio’s fiery red hair glinted golden in the sunlight.

 

“It’s the Duke!”

 

It was Cassio.

 

The playboy of Aragon, the hero of the Aragon Navy, and the son of the northern lands who was born and raised in the mainland.

 

He was Juliet’s husband, the current Duke of Escalus, and the ruler of half of Sardania, which was known as Cagliari until a few years ago.

 

“Madam, did you see? The Duke has returned!”

 

“…Yes, I saw.”

 

But he was a man who had lived his life wandering the seas, leaving behind his domain and wife.

 

And now, he was back.

 

“The Duke has returned.”

 

Juliet murmured in confusion.

 

But could it be called a return when he was headed to Sardania, to the Escalus Castle? Was his homecoming truly a homecoming?

 

‘That can’t be.’ 

 

His coming to Escalus was not a homecoming; it was another journey. Now, Sardania, Escalus was his domain and his castle.

 

‘May his voyage be peaceful. For the peace of my summer, at least.’ 

 

Juliet silently made a small wish in her heart.

 

The dusty cloud that had been rising slowly slipped between the rows of white poplar trees. Instead, the sounds of horses’ neighs and carriage wheels became closer.

 

The sound that announced the end or beginning of a journey. The sound approached closer and closer.

 

Suddenly, a large white horse appeared, galloping between the straight tree trunks.

 

Juliet immediately knelt down and cast her eyes downward, as if greeting a precious guest visiting the castle, rather than welcoming a husband she hadn’t seen for a long time. There wasn’t much difference.

 

‘Will he stay for a season and leave, or will he come back again after that?’ 

 

It was an unknown matter. It didn’t matter.

 

‘It’s none of my concern…’ 

 

As her gaze lowered, she saw the legs of the white horse in front of her. And above that, a pair of riding boots worn by the man riding the horse. They were unusually shiny with silver spurs.

 

“Oh, look up, everyone.”

 

A cheerful voice that didn’t sound like that of a soldier fell from above her head.

 

The murmuring behind her spread like waves. Before Juliet could lift her head, her gaze belatedly turned upwards.

 

Slowly.

 

“Hello, Juliet.”

 

He smiled.

 

The golden sunlight fell gently on his fiery red hair. The bandages wrapped around his broad shoulders shone white.

 

***

 

‘Should I go up or go down?’ 

 

It had been three days since Cassio Bellanea returned on a certain afternoon.

 

Juliet was in a brief dilemma.

 

If she went up two floors from the corridor, she would reach the Duke of Escalus’s bedroom. Of course, as the Duchess of Escalus, her own bedroom was on the same floor, so in reality, Juliet climbed those stairs every day.

 

However, she had never entered the Duke’s bedroom, except for the night of their wedding.

 

“Sorry, as you can see, this is a secluded place… I just want to rest for a while.”

 

Even when the Duke of Escalus returned wounded, without even hearing any news, she immediately locked herself in the bedroom.

 

“After I recover from the travels, we can exchange greetings.”

 

With that remark, he had been staying in the bedroom for three days. Thanks to that, the castle was even quieter than the three days they spent waiting for his return.

 

It felt as if he hadn’t come back at all.

 

‘That can’t be true.’ 

 

Just today, several letters congratulating the Duke of Escalus’s return had flown in. There were also letters inviting the couple.

 

Throughout the morning, Juliet read each one of them and wrote replies.

 

As the Duchess, she couldn’t decline the invitation while the Duke was away on his ‘expedition’.

 

She simply wrote a slightly modified version of the sentence she had written several times while Cassio was away.

 

‘I understand that the Duke hopes to remain quiet for now, so I regretfully decline the invitation.’

 

She felt like she was going in circles, but everyone would understand. As everyone knew that the Duke had returned to Sardania, they must also know about his injuries.

 

At least it was fortunate. At least for now, Juliet’s refusal to accept invitations due to her husband’s injuries would be understood by everyone.

 

‘I look forward to the day we meet again.’ 

 

She had written the insincere sentence many times before, so she was quite familiar with it. Thanks to that, writing the replies didn’t take too much time.

 

‘Early summer, Escalus. Juliet Cagliari Escalus.’

 

It took even longer to leave the final signature than to write the contents.

 

Juliet Cagliari Escalus.

 

The name still felt unfamiliar.

 

“I should go down.”

 

Juliet turned her gaze away from the stairs leading upwards.

 

She headed towards the courtyard, as she always did. Her small steps slowly descended the stairs.

 

After descending two more times and passing through the corridor, the sunlight poured down on her head. A short, dark brown shadow followed her slow steps.

 

Her thoughts wandered like the sunlight in the air.

 

“Cagliari and Arvoria?”

 

The time when Sardania was divided into two factions, one under Aragon’s rule and the other resisting it.

 

Cagliari and Arvoria, as the main pillars of each faction, did not hesitate to blame and undermine each other.

 

The verbal battles and conflicts between the two families were nothing out of the ordinary, and there was no shortage of people willing to draw their swords.

 

Regarding Cagliari and Arvoria, the people of Sardania used to say:

 

“They’re like chickens who can’t even catch and eat each other, living under the same sky.”

 

But now, all of that was history.

 

When the conflict reached its peak, they dramatically joined hands.

 

And, as if it were a lie…

 

“Can you believe it, those two?”

 

Rosaline, the daughter of Cagliari, and Romeo, the son of Arvoria, fell in love.

 

It was unexpected, but their love was quite fervent. The sight of Rosaline Cagliari walking out of Romeo’s bedroom in Arvoria Castle left the servants dumbfounded.

 

Rosaline and Romeo, with a look of satisfaction that clearly indicated they had thoroughly enjoyed the night, exchanged regretful farewells and, as if that wasn’t enough, they daringly kissed in front of everyone.

 

“Oh my, young people these days are bold.”

 

“They are, it’s quite scandalous. What will the Cagliari family do now?”

 

“The Duke of Cagliari will probably have a solution, won’t he? They’ll arrange a marriage, I suppose.”

 

The wedding of Cagliari and Arvoria took place somewhat hastily, but it was a grand event. The enmity that had lasted for so long had come to a complete end.

 

And Juliet was left alone. All the people she loved, all the people who loved her, had left.

 

She remained alone in this empty castle, without going anywhere…

 

“…Flowers have bloomed.”

 

Suddenly, a newly bloomed flower caught Juliet’s absent-minded gaze.

 

As early summer approached, the orange and pomegranate trees began to bloom with their white and red flowers.

 

She reached out and gently touched the petals. The soft texture under her fingers made her feel a little better.

 

“So beautiful.”

 

Juliet resumed walking again.

 

The courtyard of Escalus Castle had a somewhat unique atmosphere.

 

The ground, without any paved stones, was covered with lush weeds and flowers, such as pomegranate and orange trees, instead of the well-kept flowering trees. Among the sparsely grown trees, there were old benches and small fountains hidden in between.

 

Although it was supposed to be the garden of a large and grand castle, each scene had an unmatched simplicity.

 

After passing by all those scenes slowly, there was a white gazebo built with white stones hidden among the silver poplar trees that surrounded the garden like a fence.

 

She could find her way there even with her eyes closed. During the summer, Juliet visited that place almost every day.

 

Under the emerald green dress adorned with gold threads, the wildflowers swayed their purple petals. To avoid accidentally stepping on the flowerbed, Juliet gazed at the ground as she walked.

 

“…?”

 

However, when she reached the stone steps leading up to the gazebo, Juliet unexpectedly lifted her gaze and met the eyes of someone unexpected.

 

“Hello, Juliet.”

* * *