Chapter 42

Juliet looked away from the plate and looked around calmly, pretending to wipe her hands with a napkin.

Thanks to the habit of hiding her emotions, Juliet's excitement did not manifest itself on her face.

Mrs. Riley, who was at the store, smiled broadly and waved her hand when her eyes met Juliet's eyes through the window.

Juliet also smiled broadly and waved her hand back. Then she moaned mentally.

"And why didn't I notice it before?"

Everything was so smooth that she forgot. That her life has never been smooth.

A whole thriller scenario unfolded in Juliet's head.

Even in this idle idyllic town, the criminal scenario could well unfold.

The smaller the city, the easier it is for people to unite. And Lobell was so small that his citizens knew about the new arrivals, less than an hour after the arrival of travelers.

"They could easily catch an unsuspecting traveler and sell him on the black market, and by the time he was grabbed, it would be too late..."

Juliet, of course, suggested the worst development. But there was one thing she still didn't understand.

In their opinion, she was undoubtedly an ordinary girl, in other words, a very easy prey.

But instead of stealing light prey that did not suspect anything, they took a rather complex approach to it. So there must have been some good reason for such a large-scale operation.

"What's the matter?"

She didn't know for what purpose they did it, but these people definitely wanted to detain her in this city.

What do they need? Maybe human trafficking? Sacrificing to some of their bloodthirsty God? Or...

"Is it something to do with the Duke?"

Juliet touched the edge of the cup with her fingertips.

But why should they do that? She didn't do anything to incur someone's anger and resentment, did she?

- ...

"Oh, my God."

Juliet, who has almost become a record holder in the last few days for committing crazy things, bit her tongue. Even if she didn't want to hurt anyone, but surprisingly...

There were quite a lot of them.

She thought she hadn't done much to draw attention to her modest person, but a week after she left the capital, she got into a showdown between the guild and werewolves.

Maybe it's a group of kidnappers trying to transport the kidnapped wolf on the train?

Or, on the contrary, it could be done by werewolves who mistakenly mistook her for a supporter of the guild, instead of the savior Roy.

But it was too difficult for them.

If the guild people who kidnapped Roy did it, it would be much wiser for them to kidnap her in Roadelle. Just when she got a little stooped after she got off the train.

But no matter how much she thought about it, the most likely conspirators seemed to her to be completely different people.

Those who benefit the most from her capture will be...

"Political opponents of the Duke." - Juliet finished her thought coldly.

Lennox Carlisle had many enemies, and what was known about the Duke compared to his sad fame was extremely little.

This was partly due to the special character of the Carlisle family, which did not like to maintain ties with other families and was interested only in the northern territories.

It wasn't very good for opponents who wanted to tear a piece away from the North. And to do this, you must know your opponent well to understand his weaknesses.

She could name at least ten families who could offer huge amounts of money to get information about the duke.

Juliet, who made a preliminary conclusion, began to consider the names of the powerful who could buy a small town, and eventually settled on three names.

With this level of training, the other side certainly had to be a strong player.

- .....

If it were possible, she would like to tell them that even if they kidnapped her, Lennox wouldn't blink an eye. But, of course, no one will believe it.

In fact, she has almost been kidnapped several times, but after repeated failures, this was no longer repeated.

However, if a woman like her herself escaped from the Duke after seven years of cohabitation, how easy prey can she now seem to them?

But even then, she didn't expect anyone to go that far.

Juliet was also somewhat surprised that by this time rumors had already spread through the capital that the Countess of Montagu had been abandoned. Honestly, she didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Probably, the one behind it was powerful enough, since he was informed about it so quickly.

She eventually came to this conclusion.

Then Juliet, slowly savoking the salad, began to think about how to get out of this mess.

Although the fresh salad was crispy and juicy, it completely lost its appetite.

Nevertheless, she understood that she needed strength to escape, so she continued to eat.

"Hmm?"

Juliet, who courageously ate the salad, suddenly found another suspicious scene.

- ...

The scene behind her back was reflected in dishes polished to a mirror shine.

Juliet clearly saw several men who hurriedly hid in the alley when she tried to look back.

Deciding that it would be dangerous to delay further, Juliet got up as imperceptibly as possible and left the cafe.

****

Jin.

About an hour after these events.

- Oh, Mrs. Seneca!

After Juliet entered her rented house, packed all her small luggage and put it in a suitcase, she went to Zachary's law office.

- Hello, Mr. Zachary.

- Good afternoon. It's a good day today, isn't it?

For a moment, Zachary looked puzzled when he saw that Juliet, entering his office, did not close the door behind her, but did not point out of courtesy.

Of course, Juliet wouldn't have closed the door even if he had pointed it out to her.

Because it was important for her now to see ways to retreat.

After a cheerful greeting, Zachary sat down at his desk before speaking again.

- What brought you here today?

Juliet, instead of maintaining a polite conversation, put the key to the house she brought with her on the table.

- I'm here to get the key back.

At the same time, Zachary's face turned white as a canvas.

- Why... did something happen? There was a problem with the house that made your stay in it uncomfortable...?

- No, it's okay.

- Then why are you returning the key?

Juliet looked directly at Zachary, who became deadly pale before answering.

- You can return me half of the prepayment. But I want to get them in cash right now.

- What?!

Zachary, who shouted unconsciously, recovered a moment later, and coughing, politely said:

- If you tell me what happened, I'll solve this problem. ...

- Are you going to solve it? So you know what my problem is?

- Oh, no. Well, I mean, I'll help you solve the problem as much as I can. ...

Juliet's eyes narrowed.

Until she got here, she was only half sure.

But now she clearly saw the whole picture.

Zachary was also a member of this suspicious collusion in the city. And it was obvious that the goal of these urban people was to prevent her from leaving this place.

She didn't know why he also tried to take care of keeping her here, but he was definitely in collusion with other residents.

- I have no money.

- Huh?

Juliet deliberately said that.

- If you need money, your actions are in vain.

It was true.

The funds that Juliet had were minimal.

Although she still had memorable gifts from her mother, or a key given by her father, these antique values could only be of interest to specific collectors, and if they were bought, then for quite modest money.

So this amount would clearly not be enough for a small town to conspire to take possession of them.

That's what Juliet reasoned.

It was clear that these people were looking forward to something grandiose, since they had prepared for a self-created play of this size.

Whether their goal is money or something else, Juliet still wanted to tell them that their actions were a mistake.

And even if these people knew about her and the Duke of Carlisle, and were going to threaten him with her, this idea was even more erroneous.

Lennox Carlisle was not the one who was generous enough to pay a ransom for a woman who cheated on him and ran away.

However, Zachary's expression, which, of course, looked embarrassed, became somewhat guilty after her words.

Then, after a long silence, Zachary carefully asked:

- Um... Miss Seneca, do you still want to work? Are you really in a situation where you desperately need work? If so, then...

- .....

- Oh, that's right! What about the tutor's work? I'm still looking for a good tutor for my Isabella. Ah, Isabella is my daughter. And she's a very smart girl.

"No, just look at that?"

Juliet did not say a word about the work, but Zachary seemed to already know that she was refused in all places.

- My daughter's name is Isabella. Since she is a very obedient and sweet child, it will be easy to teach her. It's much better than working in a library or guild...

Juliet, staring at Zachary while he was carrying all this cockfle, interrupted him, speaking in an icy voice.

- Mr. Zachary.

- Yes?

- Stop it and tell him to go out.

- .... Who do you mean?

Juliet chuckled and pointed to the wall with a nod of her head.

- There's a man inside.

- What? What do you mean...?

Juliet has been closely watching one of the walls of his office for a long time.

Specifically, behind a fake bookcase full of fake books that must have been empty inside.

Chinck.

And indeed, a moment later, the thick door disguised as a bookcase opened with a roar.

Juliet was not surprised by this development, because she expected something like that.

However, seeing the face of the man leaving the secret room, Juliet was very embarrassed.

- .....

- Um, grandpa...?

It was the same good-natured old man she met on the first day of her arrival in Lobell.