Romeo and Rosaline - 3

In Juliet’s tone, which was like soothing a stubborn child, Rosaline realized how much of a mess she had been in making her demands. Blushing with embarrassment, she nodded while suppressing her expression. Her mind was in turmoil, but since it was Juliet’s command, her body responded involuntarily.

Looking back, Rosaline rarely spoke out about what she wanted in the first place, and she rarely even considered what she desired. So she was inexperienced in making demands or requests.

Ah, truly pitiful.

“More importantly, are you feeling dizzy? Can you stand up?”

Juliet said, patting Rosaline’s shoulder, who had been absent-minded. Then she noticed a slight pain in her back and jaw. When Rosaline furrowed her brow, Juliet smiled as if she had expected it.

“Just stay seated. I would like to lie you down again, but there’s someone you need to see briefly.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. The person who saved you. They said they wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Juliet nodded her head, a strange expression on her face as if she had some dissatisfaction.

“If it weren’t for that person, your throat would have been slit.”

My throat? Rosaline instinctively touched her jaw, which had been slightly grazed. It seemed like her jaw had been lightly cut instead of her throat.

In an instant, the doubts that she had pretended not to have came flooding back. Did someone save her when she was caught up in a fight in the past, before the regression? Moreover, at that time, it was the back of her neck that was cut. Although she didn’t die because the carotid artery was avoided, she was seriously injured in any case.

It was too strange to just let it go.

Juliet, who was unaware of Rosaline’s concerns, smirked.

“Don’t be surprised. The one who saved you is Montague’s mischievous prince.”

“…Mischievous prince?”

Not a ‘delicate prince’?

“I’ll ask him to come in for a while. Even if I called for him later, he wouldn’t leave the house because he had to see if you were okay. He’s been here all night.”

Juliet, who didn’t hide her annoyance, got up and went to the door.

Meanwhile, Rosaline became anxious as she deduced the person who had been waiting for her. If it was a prince, it would be a man, but Montague only had one male and one female sibling. Romeo and… Romeo’s younger sister, Angela.

There’s no Romeo. By now, Romeo would be traveling to the capital with his cousin Benvolio.

At the end of the thought with no answer, all that remained was a warning not to meet him, whoever he may be. Rosaline stood up to stop Juliet from opening the door.

“Julie…”

But the moment she took a step, a pain surged up her spine, causing her to stumble and her step to falter.

Her back felt severely injured, just like in the past. She hadn’t noticed it because she was concerned about Juliet.

Between the open door in her falling vision, she saw a human figure. Please, let it be Benvolio. If it’s Montague’s young lord, please let it be Benvolio. Rosaline tightly closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impending pain.

“Rosaline.”

Instead of the expected excruciating pain, strong arms wrapped around Rosaline’s waist. The arms were as unyielding as iron, but the voice was hauntingly familiar.

It was subtly different from the gentle voice of Romeo, but it was undoubtedly a familiar voice. As the image of the blade that pierced Juliet’s throat and death flashed through her mind, her heart began to race madly.

“T-Thank you. P-Please… let go.”

With her waist firmly held, Rosaline managed to speak, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched, even though she wasn’t looking at the person. The broad chest that pressed against her back and the persistent gaze that traveled down her neck was as palpable as the pain.

She pretended not to know and tried to push the person away, but they embraced her waist even tighter.

“Please, let go.”

“If I let go, you might collapse.”

Following the lowered head, a voice echoed in her ear. The low pitch seemed to spread throughout her body, sending shivers down her spine.

“Please give strength to your legs and back so that you can stand alone. If you do that, I’ll let go.”

With his large hand wrapped around her waist, he pressed firmly against her side. Unknowingly, she exerted strength in response to the pressing touch, and a faint sound of laughter was heard.

“Well done.”

Along with the praise that felt like scratching the jaw of a dog, the arm that encircled her waist slowly loosened. Rosaline lowered her head deeply, sitting on the bed without looking at the person. She wanted to say something, but like a rabbit burying its head in the ground out of fear of the predator, she could only glare at the floor.

Is it really Romeo, he shouldn’t be here right now.

Rosaline wasn’t in a state where she could properly comprehend anything. She was only confused, as the death of Juliet and her own cries echoed in her mind.

Amidst the dizzying consciousness, she heard the sound of someone dragging a chair and plopping down on it. Through her fixed gaze on the floor, she saw the blunt end of boots. It was an unexpected sensation.

“Did you spend the night in the corridor? I provided a separate room for you.”

When Juliet stood up to speak, she heard him snort.

“Is there a rule in Capulet that you can’t spend the night in the corridor? Juliet.”

The lady’s name melted into Romeo’s smooth response like fruity nectar.

No way.

Rosaline, who had been staring at the floor all along, instinctively lifted her head. And their eyes met.

Romeo, drawing a perfect smile.

“Now you finally notice me, Rosaline.”

Rosaline stiffened as if possessed. The tousled golden hair and exquisite features that twisted like a waving stalk in front of dusk clearly belonged to Romeo. But the muscular shoulders, sturdy waist, and tanned skin were not the Romeo she knew.

Romeo and Rosaline were almost the same height, and his fair skin and dark eyes resembled a prince from a fairy tale. But the man in front of her now looked every bit physically fit like a Montague, no, even more so, as if he had honed his body to perfection.

He was even dressed differently from his usual flamboyant attire, wearing a black tunic with a subtly shimmering grey cloak. The only decoration was the gold ring on his right index and middle fingers. It was when she couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“I’ll get worn out when you stare like that.”

He whispered with a smile. Rosaline hurriedly averted her gaze, but she couldn’t dispel her suspicions. Romeo was a lackluster man who couldn’t even meet Rosaline’s eyes properly. Yet now, he observed her so intently that he seemed almost clumsy.

Not only Rosaline but also Juliet, who had been watching them, was quite taken aback. It seemed as if Rosaline was afraid of Romeo.

Suddenly, the thought crossed Juliet’s mind that Rosaline might have suffered something serious entangled in the fight between the servants.

“Lord Montague, could it be that Rosaline…?”

“No, no. Miss.”

Juliet tried to firmly deny it, but Rosaline interjected hastily. Rosaline’s intention was to intervene to prevent Juliet and Romeo from conversing, but it only served to amplify Juliet’s misunderstanding.

“It’s not like it’s nothing. If it’s uncomfortable, there’s no need to talk about it.”

“Miss, I’m really fine.”

“…You don’t look fine, so I thought maybe you two knew each other from before?”

“Yes, we know each other.”

The atmosphere turned cold immediately at Romeo’s prompt response. Despite the glances of the women who were captivated by him, he only lifted the corner of his mouth and smirked.

“Oh, I see. Should we have kept it a secret after all? I didn’t expect Lady Capulet to be so reluctant about whom you meet.”

Unconsciously, Rosaline glared at him. It wasn’t so much because she had strong emotions towards him, but rather, it was a gaze that sought to find out what adversity had befallen her.

Romeo showed no sign of concern despite the rude behavior. On the contrary, he lifted his chin as if inviting Rosaline to admire him and locked eyes with her without blinking.

If Rosaline’s gaze was restless, his gaze was devoid of emotion. It seemed as if he was looking at a piece that had once been sturdy but had now crumbled.

His eyes grazed Rosaline’s black hair and light chestnut-colored irises, which shimmered with a faint touch of blue. Those eyes, which seemed golden as tears hadn’t yet dried.

Thanks to that, Rosaline could scrutinize him closely.

Romeo Montague seemed to have changed over the years. His extroversion had also transformed somewhat, and his personality appeared different. Even when making the same jokes, there was a hint of awkwardness, and the lines that formed his body were bold, with a chilling coldness in his gaze.

Looking back, Romeo had never been involved in fights with the servants in the past.

What had changed, and what remained the same? Rosaline needed to find out, but the current situation of Juliet and Romeo being in the same space was causing her too much concern. She couldn’t exclude the possibility that Juliet, with her better appearance and flexible personality, would fall in love with Romeo again.

“…For saving me…”

Rosaline struggled to calm her trembling voice.

“I am truly grateful. If the opportunity arises, I will definitely repay you.”

“What’s to be grateful for.”

He drew his finger across his lips and smiled, seemingly innocent, to the point of being mistaken for naivety.

“I saved what belongs to me.”

The tone of treating the found item as if it were on the street brought silence once again. Romeo’s attitude remained consistently light, and his frivolous jokes seemed to come naturally, like he was breathing.

“Since I saved you, you’re mine.”