I brushed past lightly, but the traces that had been thickly imprinted on me left me frozen like a statue, at a loss.
The fragrant wine, with its hint of cinnamon and the taste of tangerines and oranges, lingered on his moist lips. Noah sat down casually and drank his orange and tangerine-infused vinchaud.
Even something so vague as to be a kiss would make me fall for it, but if it were to actually happen, I might have a heart attack. Noah, watching me sink into silence, put down his glass and let out a low sigh.
“Well, I guess you don’t like it.”
“I don’t like it.”
“I know. I asked because I wanted to hear it.”
He smiled playfully, his expression the height of wistfulness. His expression was still as charming as ever.
At a loss for words, I fanned myself and gulped down my lukewarm Earl Grey. It's nice being with him, but he's so charming, it's a pain. This man always causes me trouble.
That night, too, we were still holding hands, as healthy as ever, on the wide hotel bed. Noah, lying on his side with his head resting on his arm, gazed intently at me and asked me affectionately.
“Please sleep with me from now on.”
“...I’ll think about it.”
Those innocent, feigned eyes were strangely decadent, so I bit the inside of my mouth. "You're so fearless. What do you think I'm capable of?"
But I don't dare to be the first to challenge a man who is both ascetic and sexy.
It's just that my mind is unsound and corrupted, and I'm suffering. Everything is a matter of the mind. I closed my eyes as if practicing Taoism, trying to fall asleep.
Just don't be conscious of the occasional, oddly-sounding breath. Just don't think about the unnerving sensation of a hand grasping yours with pure intentions.
“I like you because you are like me.”
As I was falling into a hazy sleep, I heard Noah's soft voice.
“What is similar?”
“There is nothing.”
Even though I've thrown everything away, I still have money to spend. Are you trying to deceive me, who is truly broke? He spoke with a tone brimming with satisfaction, but his voice was hollow. In the darkness, his voice, mingled with muffled breath, continued quietly.
"I don't like it when you think of anyone else but yourself. I liked it when you were selfish."
Could that be a feeling stemming from the death of the Duke and Duchess of Rotsilt? As Jace had said at the Royal Exchange, "The Esatians you saved."
Although it was an accident, he was likely killed while helping the Esatians. The Esatians are a people reduced to a small minority due to the massacre committed by the Frogens during their invasion.
Noah may have felt a kinship with me because of his experience of being left alone at a young age.
With those last words, a long exhalation and an empty silence descended. I waited for the long silence to break before closing my eyes again.
His hand, which had been gripping mine, slipped away and cupped the hollow beneath my neck. "Are you giving me a pillow now? How cute."
The night with the cute, crazy man was long, but long in a different way. The morning that came, like the fruit of my patience, was terribly tiring.
I can't seem to sleep more than two hours since we started sharing a bed. Exhausted, I finished getting ready and sat down on the sofa, wearing a black velvet dress with a white lace collar and a coat.
How can that man be so vibrant and vibrant? He wore a black officer's uniform with red stripes on the sleeves and neckline, and a cap. His jet-black hair was naturally swept back, revealing his handsome forehead.
"This time, it's a cruise. If you go out onto the deck at night, you can even see the Northern Lights. Sounds fun, right?"
"I'm looking forward to it. Where's that uniform from? It suits you well."
"Medea officer's uniform. Since the Frogen side has sent a search warrant here, there may be a search before boarding the ship."
“Ah. Then I guess I’ll have to call you something different.”
“Did you see that the fake ID says ‘Dianne Allen’? I’m Captain Daniel Allen.”
“Why do they have the same last name? Are they siblings?”
“No. We’re a married couple. We even have the same hair color.”
...The concept is clear.
Noah crinkled his eyebrows and let out a pleasant, nasal laugh. We had a quick breakfast and left the hotel to board the boat to Medea.
At the dock, large passenger ships awaiting departure swayed slowly in the rolling waves. Seagulls flew over the sea, their soft cries echoing the sound of the waves and the horns of the ships.
In the distance, soldiers in Frogen uniforms could be seen tearfully saying goodbye to what appeared to be lovers or family members. It seemed they were passing through here on their way to the front lines.
Noah, who had loaded the vehicle onto the passenger ship, followed my gaze and gazed at the soldiers. His gaze was fierce, as if he saw something different from what I was seeing.
The signal for our ship to depart sounded. The crew lined up the ship's entrance steps onto the dock.
I felt a little nervous as I showed my ID to the Coast Guard before boarding. I was wearing a long wig just in case. The young coast guard, who was examining my ID, spoke to me.
“You are Medea’s captain. Are you returning from Frogen?”
Fortunately, Noah's appearance was different from the typical bold and dark appearance of the Frogen.
With sharp eyes, a slender jawline, and a straight, straight nose, they possess an overall urbane and refined appearance. With his hair dyed black, we could easily be considered a Medea couple.
"Yes. I'm a member of the Medea Army Staff Headquarters. I came here with my wife and am returning."
Noah answered casually, wrapping his hand affectionately around my shoulder. His serious, military tone felt unfamiliar.
"It seems you're still newlyweds. The woman wanted with you this time is a Medea half-blood, so things are going to be quite difficult. If you make a mistake, Medea's side will be very sorry. I hope you don't mind."
“I understand. Thank you for your hard work.”
Noah smiled and politely saluted the chatty coast guard. The coast guard quickly gained our trust and allowed us to board.
As soon as I safely stepped onto the deck, my body, which had been so stiff that it was difficult to even breathe, seemed to melt away.
The passenger ship was filled with women in simple dresses and wide-brimmed hats, as well as gentlemen in suits. Noah, holding a square leather suitcase in one hand, whispered softly in my ear, as if giving me a secret instruction.
“There are soldiers and police inside the ship, so be careful.”
"All right."
“We’ll arrive early tomorrow morning, so until then, let’s act like a real couple.”
“I don’t really know what real couples do...”
I tilted my head, recalling my parents' impassive, expressionless faces and cold air. Even as a child, my parents, who had married through political arrangements, seemed completely unfriendly.
“Married couples even have different titles, right?”
Noah took off his hat, swept it back, and adjusted it, then spoke softly. A breeze, thick with the scent of the sea, blew through the waves, ruffling my long hair. Noah's delicate hands smoothed my tangled hair as he added.
“It’s cold, let’s go inside, honey.”
His cloudy blue eyes, which had been speaking in a somewhat heavy voice, shone with joy. The bags beneath his elegantly curved eyes were plump. He smiled so beautifully and called me "honey." If I stayed with him any longer, my heart would be broken.
He started to use the word 'honey' indiscriminately, as if he liked the title.
“Honey, I see some thawing over there.”
“...”
“The weather is really nice, honey.”
He looked at me persistently, as if demanding that I call him that too, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything.
While he was looking at the sea ice floating on the sea, a black-haired woman who appeared to be in her twenties approached Noah with a gentle smile and her green eyes closed.
She wore a simple, narrow-cut satin dress with a flowing skirt and a flamboyant hat decorated with feathers and corsages. She looked like a woman of the upper class, sensitive to fashion.
“Oh, you must be an officer in Medea’s army. Judging by your rank, you’re a captain.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“My name is Zelda Mason.”
Noah stared at her dryly. Despite her charming charm, with her wavy, voluminous hair and charming features, his gaze was as disinterested as a seagull perched on a sail.
I rested my chin on my hand and looked out across the sea, thinking simply, 'As expected, he's popular.'
“Do you have any business with me?”
When Noah asked the woman named Zelda directly, her white cheeks turned slightly flushed.
“I was worried because I didn’t have a partner to go to the nighttime party on board.”
“That’s too bad.”
Despite Noah's monotonous tone, the woman covered her mouth and laughed nonchalantly.
"I'm asking you to be my partner. My father is a personnel officer in the Medea Army. If you don't grant my request, you might be transferred to a harsh region of the colony."
At her insistence, Noah's smile twisted into an unfamiliar and eerie look, the corners of his mouth twisting upwards.
“If you want to be thrown into the sea, go ahead, Sir Zelda.”
At the cold tone, the woman named Zelda's eyes widened, and she studied my face, not Noah's. The rich feathers on her hat fluttered like wings as she moved.
“It’s strange, your expression hasn’t changed at all.”
What are you talking about? She giggled, covering her mouth as I made a bewildered expression.
"I was just kidding. I'm Zelda Mason, a knight and maid of honor to Queen Medea. My title is Baroness."
“Medea, are there still knights left?”
"Yes. It's the Royal Knights who protect Her Majesty the Queen. They're divided into four ranks and awarded honors and titles based on their achievements. I've come at Her Majesty's behest. I hope you two arrive safely."
Baroness Mason smiled brightly, took my hand, and continued speaking briskly.
"Regardless of origin, anyone with Medea blood flowing through their veins is protected at the national level. Furthermore, the Rotsilt family and the Queen share a deep connection. While a separate bloodline investigation would normally be required, you have a guarantor, and your appearance is undeniably Medea."
I smiled at her, holding her hand.
“Yes, thank you, Baroness.”
“Are you two a couple?”
“We are about to get married.”
Noah, interrupting, corrected Baroness Zelda Mason and held my hand up. Baroness Mason, with an envious expression, pulled the hat ribbon pinned to her chin taut.
"I'm jealous. Anyway, have a good time. I won't bother you and will just watch from the sidelines. See you again at the port."
As Baroness Mason turned around, the gentlemen, as if they had been waiting, began courting her. I watched them and asked Noah.
“Are you that close with the Queen?”
“We’re close. I told you in advance that I was taking Medea, the woman who had been falsely accused.”
Noah, who answered my question, brought up another story.
“When you get to Medea, Vincent and Molly will be waiting for you.”
“They went to Medea?”
“There’s nothing I can do. Since they’re accused of helping me, neither of them will be safe if they stay there.”
The thought of Molly and Vincent's expressionless, gloomy faces made me feel a little ashamed.
It was late afternoon, and the sun was sinking below the horizon. The sky was streaked with blue and orange, gradually turning purple. Noah's blue eyes, as they watched the sunset together, also caught the light of the setting sun.
“I think the sunset seen from the boat is really pretty.”
“That’s right.”
Noah simply replied to my words of admiration as I gazed at the scenery. While I admired the sunset over the sea, finding it beautiful, he was watching me gaze at the sunset.
To be exact, he was watching my expression and reaction.
Only after seeing the smile on my lips did satisfaction slowly spread across his dry face.
“Pretty.”
He wasn't looking at the sunset.
Noah was indifferent to the sights of nature, the natural landscapes sculpted by time, the beautiful skies, the lakes tinged with opal from melting glaciers. When I told him they were beautiful, he simply agreed.
Earlier, I mentioned that we could see the Aurora, and added the somewhat incongruous expression, "Wouldn't that be fun?"
I thought about how, no matter what I wore or how I looked, he always reacted the same way, only talking about change. I recalled what I'd been feeling subconsciously while with him.
Noah is very different from ordinary people.
The reactions and emotions he shows are not the result of empathizing with others' feelings, but rather the result of keen observation and seem to be learned.
I don't know that man's heart. From the beginning to the present, I can only guess at the motivations and reasons for his blind devotion to me. His insistence that he was like me is the only hint.
Of course, there is no reason to like someone, but our relationship feels abstract because it seems to lack something.
I simply accepted that no ordinary person could possibly understand the thoughts of a man whose sanity defied common sense. So we decided to get to know each other.
However, Noah was a man who faithfully carried out and embodied the words he spoke.
I didn't know at the time that the words, "I can give you the world," weren't just sweet words in the usual sense.
The fragrant wine, with its hint of cinnamon and the taste of tangerines and oranges, lingered on his moist lips. Noah sat down casually and drank his orange and tangerine-infused vinchaud.
Even something so vague as to be a kiss would make me fall for it, but if it were to actually happen, I might have a heart attack. Noah, watching me sink into silence, put down his glass and let out a low sigh.
“Well, I guess you don’t like it.”
“I don’t like it.”
“I know. I asked because I wanted to hear it.”
He smiled playfully, his expression the height of wistfulness. His expression was still as charming as ever.
At a loss for words, I fanned myself and gulped down my lukewarm Earl Grey. It's nice being with him, but he's so charming, it's a pain. This man always causes me trouble.
That night, too, we were still holding hands, as healthy as ever, on the wide hotel bed. Noah, lying on his side with his head resting on his arm, gazed intently at me and asked me affectionately.
“Please sleep with me from now on.”
“...I’ll think about it.”
Those innocent, feigned eyes were strangely decadent, so I bit the inside of my mouth. "You're so fearless. What do you think I'm capable of?"
But I don't dare to be the first to challenge a man who is both ascetic and sexy.
It's just that my mind is unsound and corrupted, and I'm suffering. Everything is a matter of the mind. I closed my eyes as if practicing Taoism, trying to fall asleep.
Just don't be conscious of the occasional, oddly-sounding breath. Just don't think about the unnerving sensation of a hand grasping yours with pure intentions.
“I like you because you are like me.”
As I was falling into a hazy sleep, I heard Noah's soft voice.
“What is similar?”
“There is nothing.”
Even though I've thrown everything away, I still have money to spend. Are you trying to deceive me, who is truly broke? He spoke with a tone brimming with satisfaction, but his voice was hollow. In the darkness, his voice, mingled with muffled breath, continued quietly.
"I don't like it when you think of anyone else but yourself. I liked it when you were selfish."
Could that be a feeling stemming from the death of the Duke and Duchess of Rotsilt? As Jace had said at the Royal Exchange, "The Esatians you saved."
Although it was an accident, he was likely killed while helping the Esatians. The Esatians are a people reduced to a small minority due to the massacre committed by the Frogens during their invasion.
Noah may have felt a kinship with me because of his experience of being left alone at a young age.
With those last words, a long exhalation and an empty silence descended. I waited for the long silence to break before closing my eyes again.
His hand, which had been gripping mine, slipped away and cupped the hollow beneath my neck. "Are you giving me a pillow now? How cute."
The night with the cute, crazy man was long, but long in a different way. The morning that came, like the fruit of my patience, was terribly tiring.
I can't seem to sleep more than two hours since we started sharing a bed. Exhausted, I finished getting ready and sat down on the sofa, wearing a black velvet dress with a white lace collar and a coat.
How can that man be so vibrant and vibrant? He wore a black officer's uniform with red stripes on the sleeves and neckline, and a cap. His jet-black hair was naturally swept back, revealing his handsome forehead.
"This time, it's a cruise. If you go out onto the deck at night, you can even see the Northern Lights. Sounds fun, right?"
"I'm looking forward to it. Where's that uniform from? It suits you well."
"Medea officer's uniform. Since the Frogen side has sent a search warrant here, there may be a search before boarding the ship."
“Ah. Then I guess I’ll have to call you something different.”
“Did you see that the fake ID says ‘Dianne Allen’? I’m Captain Daniel Allen.”
“Why do they have the same last name? Are they siblings?”
“No. We’re a married couple. We even have the same hair color.”
...The concept is clear.
Noah crinkled his eyebrows and let out a pleasant, nasal laugh. We had a quick breakfast and left the hotel to board the boat to Medea.
At the dock, large passenger ships awaiting departure swayed slowly in the rolling waves. Seagulls flew over the sea, their soft cries echoing the sound of the waves and the horns of the ships.
In the distance, soldiers in Frogen uniforms could be seen tearfully saying goodbye to what appeared to be lovers or family members. It seemed they were passing through here on their way to the front lines.
Noah, who had loaded the vehicle onto the passenger ship, followed my gaze and gazed at the soldiers. His gaze was fierce, as if he saw something different from what I was seeing.
The signal for our ship to depart sounded. The crew lined up the ship's entrance steps onto the dock.
I felt a little nervous as I showed my ID to the Coast Guard before boarding. I was wearing a long wig just in case. The young coast guard, who was examining my ID, spoke to me.
“You are Medea’s captain. Are you returning from Frogen?”
Fortunately, Noah's appearance was different from the typical bold and dark appearance of the Frogen.
With sharp eyes, a slender jawline, and a straight, straight nose, they possess an overall urbane and refined appearance. With his hair dyed black, we could easily be considered a Medea couple.
"Yes. I'm a member of the Medea Army Staff Headquarters. I came here with my wife and am returning."
Noah answered casually, wrapping his hand affectionately around my shoulder. His serious, military tone felt unfamiliar.
"It seems you're still newlyweds. The woman wanted with you this time is a Medea half-blood, so things are going to be quite difficult. If you make a mistake, Medea's side will be very sorry. I hope you don't mind."
“I understand. Thank you for your hard work.”
Noah smiled and politely saluted the chatty coast guard. The coast guard quickly gained our trust and allowed us to board.
As soon as I safely stepped onto the deck, my body, which had been so stiff that it was difficult to even breathe, seemed to melt away.
The passenger ship was filled with women in simple dresses and wide-brimmed hats, as well as gentlemen in suits. Noah, holding a square leather suitcase in one hand, whispered softly in my ear, as if giving me a secret instruction.
“There are soldiers and police inside the ship, so be careful.”
"All right."
“We’ll arrive early tomorrow morning, so until then, let’s act like a real couple.”
“I don’t really know what real couples do...”
I tilted my head, recalling my parents' impassive, expressionless faces and cold air. Even as a child, my parents, who had married through political arrangements, seemed completely unfriendly.
“Married couples even have different titles, right?”
Noah took off his hat, swept it back, and adjusted it, then spoke softly. A breeze, thick with the scent of the sea, blew through the waves, ruffling my long hair. Noah's delicate hands smoothed my tangled hair as he added.
“It’s cold, let’s go inside, honey.”
His cloudy blue eyes, which had been speaking in a somewhat heavy voice, shone with joy. The bags beneath his elegantly curved eyes were plump. He smiled so beautifully and called me "honey." If I stayed with him any longer, my heart would be broken.
He started to use the word 'honey' indiscriminately, as if he liked the title.
“Honey, I see some thawing over there.”
“...”
“The weather is really nice, honey.”
He looked at me persistently, as if demanding that I call him that too, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything.
While he was looking at the sea ice floating on the sea, a black-haired woman who appeared to be in her twenties approached Noah with a gentle smile and her green eyes closed.
She wore a simple, narrow-cut satin dress with a flowing skirt and a flamboyant hat decorated with feathers and corsages. She looked like a woman of the upper class, sensitive to fashion.
“Oh, you must be an officer in Medea’s army. Judging by your rank, you’re a captain.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“My name is Zelda Mason.”
Noah stared at her dryly. Despite her charming charm, with her wavy, voluminous hair and charming features, his gaze was as disinterested as a seagull perched on a sail.
I rested my chin on my hand and looked out across the sea, thinking simply, 'As expected, he's popular.'
“Do you have any business with me?”
When Noah asked the woman named Zelda directly, her white cheeks turned slightly flushed.
“I was worried because I didn’t have a partner to go to the nighttime party on board.”
“That’s too bad.”
Despite Noah's monotonous tone, the woman covered her mouth and laughed nonchalantly.
"I'm asking you to be my partner. My father is a personnel officer in the Medea Army. If you don't grant my request, you might be transferred to a harsh region of the colony."
At her insistence, Noah's smile twisted into an unfamiliar and eerie look, the corners of his mouth twisting upwards.
“If you want to be thrown into the sea, go ahead, Sir Zelda.”
At the cold tone, the woman named Zelda's eyes widened, and she studied my face, not Noah's. The rich feathers on her hat fluttered like wings as she moved.
“It’s strange, your expression hasn’t changed at all.”
What are you talking about? She giggled, covering her mouth as I made a bewildered expression.
"I was just kidding. I'm Zelda Mason, a knight and maid of honor to Queen Medea. My title is Baroness."
“Medea, are there still knights left?”
"Yes. It's the Royal Knights who protect Her Majesty the Queen. They're divided into four ranks and awarded honors and titles based on their achievements. I've come at Her Majesty's behest. I hope you two arrive safely."
Baroness Mason smiled brightly, took my hand, and continued speaking briskly.
"Regardless of origin, anyone with Medea blood flowing through their veins is protected at the national level. Furthermore, the Rotsilt family and the Queen share a deep connection. While a separate bloodline investigation would normally be required, you have a guarantor, and your appearance is undeniably Medea."
I smiled at her, holding her hand.
“Yes, thank you, Baroness.”
“Are you two a couple?”
“We are about to get married.”
Noah, interrupting, corrected Baroness Zelda Mason and held my hand up. Baroness Mason, with an envious expression, pulled the hat ribbon pinned to her chin taut.
"I'm jealous. Anyway, have a good time. I won't bother you and will just watch from the sidelines. See you again at the port."
As Baroness Mason turned around, the gentlemen, as if they had been waiting, began courting her. I watched them and asked Noah.
“Are you that close with the Queen?”
“We’re close. I told you in advance that I was taking Medea, the woman who had been falsely accused.”
Noah, who answered my question, brought up another story.
“When you get to Medea, Vincent and Molly will be waiting for you.”
“They went to Medea?”
“There’s nothing I can do. Since they’re accused of helping me, neither of them will be safe if they stay there.”
The thought of Molly and Vincent's expressionless, gloomy faces made me feel a little ashamed.
It was late afternoon, and the sun was sinking below the horizon. The sky was streaked with blue and orange, gradually turning purple. Noah's blue eyes, as they watched the sunset together, also caught the light of the setting sun.
“I think the sunset seen from the boat is really pretty.”
“That’s right.”
Noah simply replied to my words of admiration as I gazed at the scenery. While I admired the sunset over the sea, finding it beautiful, he was watching me gaze at the sunset.
To be exact, he was watching my expression and reaction.
Only after seeing the smile on my lips did satisfaction slowly spread across his dry face.
“Pretty.”
He wasn't looking at the sunset.
Noah was indifferent to the sights of nature, the natural landscapes sculpted by time, the beautiful skies, the lakes tinged with opal from melting glaciers. When I told him they were beautiful, he simply agreed.
Earlier, I mentioned that we could see the Aurora, and added the somewhat incongruous expression, "Wouldn't that be fun?"
I thought about how, no matter what I wore or how I looked, he always reacted the same way, only talking about change. I recalled what I'd been feeling subconsciously while with him.
Noah is very different from ordinary people.
The reactions and emotions he shows are not the result of empathizing with others' feelings, but rather the result of keen observation and seem to be learned.
I don't know that man's heart. From the beginning to the present, I can only guess at the motivations and reasons for his blind devotion to me. His insistence that he was like me is the only hint.
Of course, there is no reason to like someone, but our relationship feels abstract because it seems to lack something.
I simply accepted that no ordinary person could possibly understand the thoughts of a man whose sanity defied common sense. So we decided to get to know each other.
However, Noah was a man who faithfully carried out and embodied the words he spoke.
I didn't know at the time that the words, "I can give you the world," weren't just sweet words in the usual sense.
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