You Are Gentle, But You Don’t Love Me - Chapter 58

The second day of the summer banquet began with a hunt.

Unlike the previous day, the men rose early and headed straight to the hunting grounds. In contrast, the ladies and young maidens slept in late—just as their husbands and sons had done the day before. Only after a leisurely morning did they begin to prepare themselves and make their way to the hunting grounds.

However, going to the hunting grounds did not mean they would wield bows or blades themselves. Under a spacious canopy set up in a corner of the field, the women sat in small groups, chatting idly. It resembled more an outdoor tea gathering than a proper hunt.

The only real difference was the occasional sound of gunfire. Bang! At the sound of distant gunshots, the more delicate ladies flinched and trembled.

“Oh dear, my heart can hardly take it…”

“I don’t care if he doesn’t catch anything—I just want my husband to come back safely.”

Despite its beautiful scenery, Sardegna was not a land of abundance, and so hunting was not a particularly common pastime. On this peaceful island, even the sound of gunfire felt foreign and strange.

In the midst of all this, the Countess of Logudoro, beaming with delight, approached Juliet with words of congratulation.

“Congratulations, Your Grace.”

“…Pardon?”

Juliet, who had been sitting with her shoulders hunched like the other ladies, suddenly found all eyes on her.

“The Duke of Escalus has claimed yet another prize, it seems.”

“Ah…”

Though she had experienced this same situation several times before, Juliet still blushed in the same flustered way. Before long, a page returned from the hunting party carrying a deer leg adorned with a pale green ribbon.

“How do you always know so quickly?”

“You can tell by the sound. His Grace uses a firearm with an especially long barrel, and that alone…”

The Countess of Logudoro could tell who had made the shot just by hearing the gunfire from afar—an impressive feat, no doubt. But the long-winded explanation about gun types was entirely lost on Juliet.

“They say there’s a new kind of pistol that fits right in one hand. Isn’t that incredible? Now even we ladies can learn to shoot with ease! No matter how slender one’s build, a pistol should be manageable.”

As the Countess continued, now thoroughly excited about the invention of these new pistols, Juliet half-listened and glanced over toward the cart where the game was being gathered.

There were already five animals marked with pale green ribbons. Not only were they numerous, but they were also impressive in quality—a large deer, a wild boar, and three large birds.

Meanwhile, the game marked with other colored ribbons amounted to little more than a rabbit or two.

“It seems His Grace is quite eager to win your favor.”

Noticing Juliet’s gaze, the Countess chuckled, clearly amused. Juliet’s cheeks flushed once more.

“…His marksmanship is among the finest in Aragon. Even if that’s not his intention.”

“Oh, of course, he’s remarkable… But you know, among men, hunting is often a matter of pride. It can even lead to real fights. Normally, once they’ve bagged three or four animals, they start yielding to one another. Ah—”

Bang! Bang!

At the sudden sound of two consecutive shots, Juliet’s cheeks turned pale once again, as if the earlier blush had never been.

It was not uncommon for delicate ladies to be startled by gunfire, but Juliet seemed especially sensitive. She flinched every time a shot rang out—so much so that even the Countess of Logudoro, who had approached with congratulations, now looked at her with concern.

“Your Grace, are you alright?”

“Yes, I… I’m fine.”

Straightening her back with effort, Juliet bit her lip. She couldn’t understand what was wrong with her. It wasn’t as if she was used to the sound of gunfire, but it wasn’t entirely unfamiliar, either.

There had been hunting and shooting for sport at the reception following her wedding to Cassio. Though she hadn’t stayed in the immediate vicinity the whole time, she remembered witnessing it from nearby.

‘It didn’t bother me then…’

Back then, the explosive cracks of gunfire had echoed even closer than now, and while she had flinched a little, she hadn’t reacted like this. Perhaps her mind had simply been too distracted by other matters at the time.

‘But this is different… too much.’

She was thankful that Rosaline wasn’t there. Had Rosaline seen her like this, she would’ve made a scene and insisted they return at once. Fortunately, Rosaline hadn’t even come near the hunting grounds today.

‘No, this won’t do.’

Just yesterday, Rosaline had been buzzing with excitement at the thought of witnessing the hunt—but Romeo had opposed it fiercely. Understandably, it was for her safety.

Of course, Rosaline had completely ignored his objections. At the time, the two of them hadn’t reconciled yet, and she still hadn’t told Romeo about her pregnancy.

‘It must!’

“Rosa, do you really think I’m a fool?”

But Romeo was not so oblivious.

He had likely suspected something even before Rosaline fled Arborea and arrived in Escalus. Rarely did Romeo ever act so firmly with Rosaline—and rarer still did she yield to him. But this time, she had a guilty conscience.

And so, while most of the guests left for the hunting grounds, Rosaline remained behind at Escalus. Romeo stayed with her as well. He had likely never intended to join the hunt in the first place—it wasn’t something he enjoyed.

Honestly, I don’t know what Rosaline was thinking, wanting to watch a hunt in that condition.

She was, after all, with child. While she had recently regained her appetite, her frail figure—wasted from those early days of barely eating—had yet to recover. Romeo, too, looked haggard, as if worn down by his own share of anxiety.

Just the night before, they had fought for a long while, right in front of Juliet—leaving even her feeling drained.

I really hope they make up soon…

All the resentment and bitterness that had built up between them had long since melted away in Juliet’s heart. Now, with nothing left to burden her, that wish was all that remained.

Bang!

“Eek!”

The fleeting peace she’d felt while thinking of Romeo and Rosaline was shattered once more. Juliet’s hand trembled faintly. The Countess of Logudoro, who had been watching her with quiet concern, tilted her head slightly—then smiled gently.

“Just a little longer, Your Grace.”

“…Pardon?”

“I believe this tiresome wait may soon be over.”

It didn’t take long for Juliet to understand what she meant.

“…Ah.”

From a distance came the rhythmic pounding of hooves against the earth.

Even before she could place the sound, a lone figure crested the hill. Upon a magnificent white steed, his hair glinting red-gold in the sun—Cassio.

As soon as she recognized him galloping toward them at full speed, Juliet rose to her feet without even realizing it. He showed no intention of slowing, even as he descended the steep hill. The white horse raced forward at a breathtaking pace.

“Kyaah!”

“What is he thinking—!”

The ladies gathered beneath the canopy shrieked and gasped in alarm, fearing the galloping beast might not halt in time and trample them.

But Juliet laughed instead. Her chair scraped back behind her as she stepped forward. And just like that, as if by magic, Cassio reined in his horse. With one fluid motion, he leapt down.

“Juliet.”

As he called her name and reached out his arm, she was already scurrying out from under the canopy, skirting around the long table. Of course, he reached her first. Striding quickly, Cassio pulled her into a firm embrace.

Even as he caught her in his arms so suddenly, Juliet didn’t flinch. She forgot entirely about the watching eyes around them. She was simply glad—for the solid arms around her shoulders, for the warmth in his body.

It wasn’t pain or fear that made her cling to him. It was the vibrant, living heat of him that enveloped her completely.

“Ahaha, Juliet. I didn’t expect you to welcome me like this.”

Though it was he who had pulled her close, Cassio spoke as if she had thrown herself into his arms. His voice, low and warm, rolled like velvet over her head, carrying a heat that matched his breath, still slightly labored.

She knew, then, that he had ridden hard—just to reach her. Rather than shy away, Juliet inhaled deeply. His broad chest smelled of forest air and damp grass.

Ah, the comfort of it.

“Juliet? Are you alright?”

“…Yes.”

The cold that had lingered in Juliet’s limbs finally began to thaw.

Her heart, which had been beating in erratic bursts of fear, slowly began to calm. The trembling in her fingers faded. She flexed them once, twice—then gently wrapped her arms around Cassio’s waist.

“…Oh, Juliet.”

Cassio drew in a sharp breath.

“Were you really that happy to see me?”

Though his words were lighthearted, his hand patted her back with a gentleness meant for soothing a frightened child.

It was strange. Yes, she’d been more frightened than she wanted to admit, but not to the point of tears. Or so she thought. Yet hearing his tender voice now, she suddenly felt as if she might cry. A strange sense of relief filled her chest to the brim.

“….”

“My goodness, Juliet…”

As she gave a faint nod, he sighed again, and pulled her closer with a bit more strength.

“If I’d known I’d be welcomed like this, I would’ve returned sooner.”

His voice, thick with joy, made Juliet want to cry for real. She didn’t even know why.

But that feeling didn’t last long.

Bang! Another shot rang out from somewhere in the distance.

“Ahem, ahem.”

The Countess of Logudoro, who had remained respectfully silent through it all, finally cleared her throat with a cough.