Romeo and Rosaline - 8

His hand overlapped with hers, resting on the doorknob. Before Rosaline could say anything, the doorknob turned and the door opened. Pushed by Romeo’s chest, she entered the tavern with a startled ‘Uhh.’

The pungent smell of alcohol, metallic odor, and the faint scent of mixed herbs attacked her senses along with the raucous laughter. Rosaline felt dizzy for a moment, but since she had already entered the tavern, she didn’t want to hesitate. Shaking off her hesitation, she quickened her steps towards the counter.

“Rosaline, long time no see!”

The busy tavern owner behind the bar immediately recognized Rosaline, even with her cloak on. Rosaline nodded slightly and returned the greeting.

“Mr. Hormon.”

Hormon momentarily set down the cup he was polishing and crossed over the long table. His movements were smooth, like he was wearing winged shoes. He also didn’t forget to apologize to some of the customers along the way.

“Oh, you’re not alone today.”

Hormon glanced at Romeo, who was standing a few steps behind him, and hesitated for a moment. It seemed like Romeo’s presence made him cautious, especially since his face was not visible.

“He’s my escort. The lady assigned him to me.”

“Ah! I’ve always been concerned when you came alone.”

At the casual lie, she flushed and stepped closer.

“I didn’t know you were concerned. Thank you.”

Rosaline forced a smile, but she felt uneasy knowing that Romeo was behind her, like a bolt of lightning ready to strike at any moment. She wanted to leave this place immediately.

“The item I mentioned before…”

As she tried to take out the gold coins from her waist pouch, Hormon’s gaze didn’t waver.

“Mr. Hormon, is there any other issue?”

“No, it’s just…”

Hormon tilted his head to get a better look at Rosaline’s face hidden beneath her cloak. The Rosaline he knew was consistently stoic, leaving an uninteresting impression. But at this moment, her cheeks were flushed, and various emotions that he hadn’t quite grasped flickered in her reddened eyes.

The impression was as though everything had completely changed…

“I thought you might be upset for some reason.”

Hormon bowed his head and whispered like they were close friends. He naturally had a friendly personality, but he was also quite interested in Rosaline, who was a close associate of Juliet Capulet, the owner of the Merchant Association. Perhaps it was because they both had black hair, and there were also rumors circulating openly about them being relatives.

But it was hard to find an opportunity to even greet her properly, but today, there was a noticeable sense of disarray. Believing it was a chance to get closer, he gestured with his eyes to the man standing behind her and spoke unnecessary words.

“If the escort has caused any trouble for you, Rosaline…”

It was the moment Hormon took a step closer to Rosaline. His view was obstructed by the navy blue cloak that was almost black. Romeo, who had silently positioned himself in front of Rosaline as usual, coldly intervened.

“Present the goods.”

In a voice devoid of any tone, he took out several gold coins from his pocket and placed them on the counter. Gold coins. It was a substantial amount that would not fall short for any item.

Although his arrogant tone was unpleasant, Hormon turned pale and entered the counter area. Even if he cursed with his eyes, it had been several years since he had made any moves in the tavern, and it was strange that he was acting merely on a single word.

Not only she, but several gazes gathered, finding it strange. Startled, Rosaline grabbed his cloak and tried to stop him.

“Romeo, I told you to behave…”

The words couldn’t continue until the end. His fierce eyes clearly showed his anger. Rosaline was puzzled, not because he was intimidating, but because she couldn’t figure out what had made him so uncomfortable and angry.

“Is it better to behave quietly than to foolishly get into trouble.”

“Who would get into trouble…?”

“Here it is.”

In the blink of an eye, Hormon quickly took out an item. It was a wooden box about the length of his forearm. Romeo, without even opening the box to check, took it and tucked it by his side. Then, he firmly grabbed Hormon by the collar, pulling him up.

“My master and I were never here today. Do you understand?”

Hormon nodded his head under the overpowering force. Romeo let go of him and walked past Rosaline towards the entrance.

No, instead of going towards the entrance, he reached out again to the man who had been sitting and smoking the whole time. This time, instead of grabbing his collar, Romeo held the end of the cigarette between his thumb and index finger, extinguishing it in the same manner as picking up something dirty.

“It seems to be mixed with opium.”

As the man tried to stand up with a fierce expression, Romeo pressed his shoulder with one hand. Although the man was bigger than Romeo, he seemed to be crushed like being pressed down by a giant, with only his anger showing. He hesitated with his mouth agape, then gradually turned pale.

“If you don’t want to end up dead…”

With his elbow pressed against the man’s back, Romeo whispered in his ear.

“Keep your mouth shut until I and that woman leave.”

Romeo’s eyes slowly scanned the surroundings. When not even a sound could be heard around, he left the tavern.

A nervous voice broke the silence in the gloomy atmosphere as if a storm had just passed.

“Why do you just take the beating?”

He was one of the companions sitting at the same table as the man who was hit by Romeo. As his companion taunted him, the man whimpered and mumbled in fear instead of defending himself.

“No, when our eyes met, my body froze. I swear.”

“That’s nonsense! You were just scared.”

“You crazy bastard, I’m telling you it’s true!!!”

As a fight seemed imminent, Rosaline seized the opportunity when no one paid attention to her and quickly left the tavern. The table trembled and the sound of shattering bottles echoed as she left. Romeo, leaning against the wall with a view of the tavern entrance, was looking at her as though they had met earlier that day.

Rosaline glanced at the box peacefully tucked by his side and passed him, saying,

“Follow me.”

Perplexed, bewildered, and somewhat amused. There was no time to analyze or make sense of it all. For now, they had to walk, even if it was just to gather their thoughts.

Their final destination was never meant to be this place.

* * *

Friar Lawrence smiled softly as he looked at the flowers placed on the altar. It must have been Rosaline who left them. After offering her dawn prayers, she used to place the larkspurs blooming in the garden on the altar.

But Rosaline occasionally placed flowers not only on the altar but also behind the shadow, and he couldn’t understand the reason. He thought he should ask her properly next time and inserted the purple flowers into the vase.

“Father.”

There was a sister who had been visiting since late afternoon on a day when there was no mass. Lawrence, seeing her, put down the vase on the altar and went to greet her.

“Oh, Sister. What brings you here?”

“My daughter skipped meals today and went out… I came out of concern.”

Capulet’s wet nurse, Rosaline’s biological mother, showed a basket in her arms. The somewhat thin woman smiled after glancing at the small temple.

“She’s nowhere to be seen.”

“She was sent to the village to fix a broken candlestick.”

Lawrence lied knowing that Rosaline was distant from her mother. Although Rosaline was mostly silent, being together for over ten years revealed things that she didn’t want him to know.

Her blue eyes gazed at the altar behind Lawrence.

“Candlesticks…”

Perhaps she was looking at the silver candlesticks diligently placed on the pedestals and the altar. The candlesticks that Rosaline polished and maintained every day seemed to sparkle like they were brand new, without any signs of damage. Lawrence realized this, but he didn’t show it.

“If you brought something to eat, please give it to me. It will take some time because there are quite a few candlesticks that I found while organizing the warehouse.”

“Well, then.”

She smiled back at Lawrence’s casual laughter and handed him the covered basket. After Lawrence accepted it, she looked at the statue of the sun god, Kata, in silence before speaking.

“Father, did Kata mention the price?”

“Yes.”

Lawrence responded smoothly and sincerely.

“Just as there are shadows where there is intense sunlight, there is always a corresponding price for anything. Whether it be a reward or a punishment. Nothing simply happens by chance.”

“Well, then it would be more fitting for my daughter to go to a larger and nobler manor than this small temple.”

She spoke with a cool smile.

“Father, do you also think so?”

Lawrence knew that Juliet was lobbying to have Rosaline placed here again. But Rosaline’s mother seemed to have different thoughts. Lawrence hardened his expression, speaking neither coldly nor warmly.

“The value of reward and punishment lies not in material things.”

“Ah, is that so?”

This time, she seemed to genuinely smile. Her unique icy gaze resembled Rosaline’s, yet it was not the same.

“After living, I’ve come to consider that as everything. I’ve always hoped for my child to go to a bigger place. There is nothing to gain by staying by my side.”

She whispered like a sorrowful mother with nothing more to give. Lawrence could hear a faint sympathy from her, seemingly genuine.

“I’ve spoken nonsense in a cold-hearted position. I should come here often, following Rosaline.”

She, who had drawn the statue, gazed at it for a while and then lightly greeted before stepping outside. A breeze blew from the door she had left. Lawrence looked inside the uncovered basket.

There was nothing.

He remembered the sight of Rosaline’s small, slender back as she went back and forth between the house and the temple. When he asked if she was okay, he recalled the child smiling faintly, saying she was fine. Occasionally, young Rosaline would say, “Please take care of Miss Juliet,” and that she didn’t want to disappoint anyone.

In his eyes, Rosaline was a child in need of affection. She wasn’t ignorant of affection, but she only knew how to receive it, not how to give it. And that was the problem. Even the sea becomes alive by gathering rivers, so it was certain that she would grow tired if she created emotions for others from the depths of her heart.

He felt sorry for Rosaline. He felt even more sorry because he knew why her mother was distancing herself from her.

“Father, I have something to confess.”

The confession of the former governess, who had left the Capulet family over a decade ago, was directed towards Rosaline’s mother. As a result, Lawrence came to understand why Rosaline’s mother was keeping her distance. But he couldn’t speak about it hastily because the truth could hurt both the mother and daughter more than the priest’s duty.

“Perhaps… Perhaps it might be better for Rosaline to leave. It would be beneficial for her to meet different people in a broader world.”

If Rosaline stayed here, with Juliet’s help, she could build a bigger temple. But as it was, it was enough. Lawrence entered his study to write a letter to the central diocese.

Only the faint scent of violets and silence remained in the temple.