You Are Gentle, But You Don’t Love Me - Chapter 9

Juliet lowered her gaze. The cool sensation brushing over her eyebrows felt unusually ticklish today.

“All done!”

“Thank you.”

The maid stepped aside, but instead of checking the mirror, Juliet hurriedly stood up.

There’s no time for mirrors.

The waiting maids immediately began dressing her.

First, an ivory bodice and underskirt were placed over her underdress, followed by a pale pink robe embroidered with gold thread.

As the maids behind her tightened the laces on the robe, another maid helped her change into her shoes. Juliet slid her feet into pearl-adorned shoes and stood, prompting another maid to approach.

“Just make it quick—they’re waiting.”

“It’ll only take a moment. Your hair is a bit messy…”

“It’ll just get messed up again on the way.”
“I promise, it’ll be done in no time.”

At Juliet’s insistence, the maids—already working briskly—moved even faster. She felt a twinge of guilt for rushing them, but there was no time to waste.

I really shouldn’t have overslept…

The sleepless nights—not just the previous one but many before it—had finally caught up to her. On this most important day, she had slept in, waking with the sun already high in the sky. She had been utterly startled.

Though it wasn’t just because of the oversleeping…
The maids quickly smoothed out her disheveled hair and carefully checked that the small ruby hairpiece was securely in place and that the matching earrings weren’t crooked. Satisfied, they stepped back like a receding tide.

Juliet’s soft footsteps echoed as she approached the door. The moment she neared it, the door swung open to reveal the man waiting outside. He turned his head slowly toward her.

Ah.

His ruby-red hair shimmered gold in the light, swaying slightly.
Cassio Bellanea Escalus. Her husband, who had been waiting for her all this time.

Leaning casually against the corridor wall, his posture was relaxed, but his expression was unreadable. The blank look on his face was unfamiliar, lending him an unexpectedly cold, distant air.

But the moment their eyes met—

“…Wow.”

His nose crinkled for a brief second before his wide eyes softened, curving into a gentle arc. The chill that had surrounded him dissolved instantly, replaced by a tender warmth.
It was a smile like that of someone caught in an awkward situation—or someone who had bitten into an overly sweet candy.
“…”

For a brief moment, Juliet was mesmerized. It felt as though she had witnessed something she wasn’t meant to see.

“Hello, Juliet.”

Cassio’s casual greeting snapped her wandering thoughts back to reality.

“Your Grace.”

Cassio smiled again, nose crinkling slightly, and offered her his arm. Juliet curtsied lightly before resting her hand on it.
“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

Their footsteps echoed softly as they walked side by side on the carpeted floor.

Unaccustomed to the high heels she hadn’t worn in a long time, Juliet tread carefully. Cassio, matching her slower pace, suddenly spoke as they descended the stairs.

“The rubies look perfect on you.”

The ruby hairpiece and earrings had been a gift from Cassio the previous night.

“Such vivid rubies! How beautiful…”

“And the craftsmanship—so exquisite. They suit you perfectly, Madam.”

Even the older maids, typically reserved around Juliet, had been unable to hide their admiration. The rubies were neither too large nor overly ornate, perfectly aligned with Juliet’s taste.
“I wish I’d thought of it sooner. The idea only came to me last night.”

It had been an abrupt and unexpected gift.

Already flustered from oversleeping, Juliet had woken to find the jewelry delivered to her. She had then agonized over what to do. Should she change all her planned accessories and outfit to match the rubies, or simply swap out the jewelry?

Not changing wasn’t an option. Wearing a gift in the presence of the one who gave it was an unspoken rule of etiquette.
“…The maids couldn’t stop praising them. They said they’d never seen such vivid rubies before.”

“Jewels from the Southern Continent are known for their quality.”

Indeed, the rubies were from the Southern Continent, a region where even princesses struggled to acquire such treasures. Cassio must have obtained them as spoils of war during his conquest of the Canary Isles.

No wife anywhere on the continent could dismiss such a gift from her husband.

The strange part is how casually he gave me something so extraordinary…

The real issue was that the dress Juliet had originally prepared for today didn’t match the rubies at all.

In the end, her maids had scoured her wardrobe for a suitable alternative, stitched together pieces removed for cleaning, and ironed out every last wrinkle. They even adjusted her shoes, gloves, and hairstyle to match.

“…Thank you, really.”

“There’s no need to thank me. Seeing how well they suit you makes me happier than anything.”

In truth, Juliet’s delayed preparations were entirely Cassio’s fault.

So no, I’m not apologizing for making him wait.

Juliet bit back the words rolling around in her mind and instead focused on carefully placing one foot in front of the other.
By the time they reached the castle’s front entrance, three carriages were waiting.

One was for the maids and luggage they would need during their stay in Rogudoro. Another carried the attendants and the gifts they would present. The last was meant for Juliet.
“And me.”

Cassio had chosen to ride with her.

Initially, he had planned to ride on horseback to Rogudoro. However, the family physician, Juan, had vehemently opposed the idea.

“You can’t!”

“I’ll be fine. I rode back from the port on horseback.”

“That was different! The journey to Rogudoro Castle is at least two or three hours, even at full speed. That kind of exertion—no, absolutely not…”

“Hmm.”

“This isn’t military training, Your Grace. Please take care of yourself.”

Juliet couldn’t help but agree with Juan’s opinion. A casual outing might be one thing, but it was unthinkable to ask someone who still occasionally smelled of medicine to ride a horse for hours.

“Not that I’m particularly thrilled about it.”

Carriages were cramped.

The enclosed space couldn’t compare to the sprawling gardens or even the sunlit drawing room where she often sat across from him. It was a confined area, barely half the size of the latter, with no watchful eyes to distract them. Just Juliet and Cassio. Alone.

“Did you know that, in Rogudoro, married couples share a bedroom?”

The idea of sitting so close to him, close enough that a slight movement could bring their hands together, and brushing knees every time the carriage swayed… and doing so for at least three hours…

“If we attend the soirée, we’ll likely have to stay a day or two.”

She didn’t exactly dislike it, but there was an unmistakable awkwardness.

It was the kind of discomfort akin to walking on the beach and finding sand unexpectedly slipping into your shoes, tickling your toes. Or sipping tea accidentally oversweetened with sugar, the sticky granules lingering on your tongue.

“Do you think we’ll share a room?”

…That kind of unease lingered, quietly gnawing at Juliet.

“So, it seems Juan finally bested you.”

“If you had taken my side, I might have stood a chance.”

“…Not even I can win against Juan.”

“Haha, doctors are terrifying, aren’t they?”

Cassio playfully shrugged as he supported Juliet’s arm, helping her into the carriage. He followed her in, and the door shut firmly behind them.

“Well, we’ll just have to endure it. Even if it feels suffocating.”
Sitting across from her, Cassio seemed particularly fragrant today.

A floral scent.

“I don’t mind.”

“Ah, of course. I’m the one feeling suffocated, right? I’ll do my best to endure.”

“…Yes.”

Seeing her small nod, Cassio knocked twice on the carriage wall. The coachman responded with two knocks in return before snapping the reins. The sound of hooves echoed as more than a dozen horses began their synchronized steps, and the carriage rolled into motion.

It took nearly four hours to reach Rogudoro. During that time, Juliet never once leaned back against the plush seat.
Each time her body began to relax, the carriage would inevitably jostle, causing her knee to bump against Cassio’s in the narrow space.

And every time that happened, Juliet would—
“Oh, I’m sorry.”

She would apologize, for reasons even she didn’t fully understand. Then she would stiffen like a statue, her gaze locked on the invisible view beyond the window.
Cassio didn’t press her.

“No need to apologize, Juliet. It’s not your fault.”
“….”

“Not the coachman’s fault either… It’s just unavoidable.”
Whenever she apologized, he would respond with a soft smile, his tone calm and reassuring. His composed demeanor was so natural, so completely unchanged, that Juliet found herself flushing in embarrassment.

I’m the only one feeling awkward… This is so uncomfortable.
Despite the awkward tension, time moved steadily onward.

The carriage climbed and descended rolling hills, occasionally tilting as it took sharp turns. Finally, it slowed, lurched to a stop, and after a few more hesitant rolls forward, came to a complete halt.

“Juliet.”

Cassio stepped out first and extended his hand to her. She hesitated briefly before placing her hand in his and stepping down.

“Watch your step.”

“Yes.”

The maids and attendants, who had disembarked earlier, stood in a neat line, heads bowed deeply. Among them, a man stood out—taller by a head than anyone else.

While the others remained bent at the waist, he alone held his head high. Before their eyes could meet, he brought his fist to his chest in a salute.

“Colonel.”

The young man’s face, though framed by a massive build, was surprisingly youthful. His genial smile made Cassio grimace openly, furrowing his brow in clear displeasure.