I bit my lip, feeling the color drain from my face. Queen Grace II and Noah were close, but a monarch of a nation isn't moved by affection. It was worth accepting the high-ranking official who betrayed Frogen.
Use value and exchange value. In the modern capitalist era, with its accelerating industrialization, the value system is indispensable. This holds true even in interpersonal relationships. Noah didn't just abandon his property, title, and position.
Is he inescapable from war? Even if he was a capable field officer who played a key role in victory, I don't want it. I don't want my husband to be driven to his death. No matter how intelligent or tactically gifted a person may be, death in war is fair, like rolling the dice. If you're unlucky, anyone can die.
“I don’t like that. I know that when that day comes, I’ll run away with you.”
I furrowed my brows and warned him. "If that happens, I'll have to tie him up, put him in the car, and take him somewhere else. Molly's strong, so she'll be able to help me out." Noah smiled cutely at my serious expression.
"Don't worry. I'm cooperating with the other side, so I won't have to go to war myself."
“Really?”
"Yeah, I hate getting covered in dirt and getting my clothes dirty. The thing is, I have to be away from you for a long time, right? I don't think I can stand it."
Looking at Noah's calmly smiling face, I felt a little like crying. Of course, I didn't. I didn't want to spend my honeymoon depressed and worried about something that hadn't happened yet, so I quickly tried to lighten the mood.
I'll figure it out somehow. Since procrastination is my specialty, I've decided to leave my current worries to my post-honeymoon self and focus on the present.
“I should go to a hot spring. I’m so tired.”
This villa was a private residence, offering a separate seawater hot spring where guests could enjoy a view of the ocean. Noah narrowed his eyes and rubbed the corners of his mouth.
"Do you remember when you asked me to go to the hot springs with you? I was taken aback when you said you were conservative, and then you were so proactive."
When did I ever make such a bold statement? I blushed, barely remembering what happened during my stay at Frogen last winter.
“I wasn’t talking about this kind of place back then.”
“Yeah, yeah. It was good, though.”
That man is ignoring me again. He has a look on his face, as if he's reminiscing about a happy event.
“It ended up like this, didn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
When I came to, I found myself married to this man and on our honeymoon. It was hard to grasp the thoughts of the strange and beautiful man sitting before me, but whatever.
I've always been curious about him. Perhaps it's even fascinating. Perhaps, as I live, there will come a time when I truly understand him. I tied my hair up, soaked in the hot springs with petals, and gazed out at the night sea and the shining lighthouse beyond. In the silence, the sound of the water lapping and the waves blended pleasantly.
“Oh no, not here.”
The intention of his lips gently brushing against my neck was so fatal that I quickly rejected him. Noah looked disappointed, but didn't press any further.
"All right."
Yet, his body, filled with warmth, pressed against mine. His wet hair brushed against my bare shoulders. Noah, leaning his head against me like a playful cat, asked.
“Will you be with me forever?”
“That’s what I’m going to do.”
Isn't that obvious? I'm so content with this moment right now. I'm ready to throw all my worries away and leave them for my future self.
“No sincerity in answering.”
Noah complained about my curt reply. He looked at me with pity, his eyes and nose reddened, which was quite adorable. I slowly stroked his head, and he lowered his head.
“I promise. I’ll be with you no matter what.”
Only after hearing my best answer did Noah raise his head and give me a faint smile.
“Diana, it’s morning.”
Once she falls asleep, she sleeps like the dead. Sometimes she mumbles incomprehensibly and responds when spoken to.
“I’ll go tomorrow, instructor... It’s so hard...”
“Who is the instructor? No.”
“Ugh, I’ll just refund the remaining amount.”
When Noah kissed her on the cheek, she opened her eyes in surprise.
“Why is the Pilates instructor kissing me, huh?”
Her green-gray eyes, blinking repeatedly, looked at him. Diana sometimes looked at him with a look of disbelief.
“Noah? This isn’t a dream.”
She sometimes confuses dreams with reality. When asked about her dreams, she refused to tell, claiming she couldn't remember them. Diana stretched out her slender arms, yawned like a cat, and yawned, her fangs were sharp and pointed.
“If you’re sick, should I give you some medicine?”
"No."
“We decided to go on a date, didn’t we? It’s our honeymoon.”
"I don't remember very well, but I think I had a bad dream. Can I go tomorrow?"
“We have to go back to Medea tomorrow, don’t we?”
Diana sighed pitifully. Noah got her up, not wanting to get ready at all, and carried her to the bathroom. She's a lazy person with a tendency to procrastinate, but she has a minimal sense of responsibility, so she's quick to get things done when they're right in front of her or when she needs to get them done. Like brushing her teeth before bed.
"If you want any souvenirs, just let me know. I'll buy them all. After all, we're still economically active."
After showering, she proudly spoke, toweling her wet hair vigorously. Most soldiers dried themselves like that when they were in the military. Diana grumbled that she looked fat in the frilly blouse and gray corset dress he's given her before. Noah didn't respond, but instead retied the ribbon on her collar and attached a brooch. He heard that there was no such thing as a wise answer to that question.
"Hmm..."
She lined up the shoes she'd brought and began to ponder them. She seemed to be struggling with the aesthetics of wearing high heels and having to carry them around all the time.
“If it gets hard, I’ll carry you again.”
“No. I want to wear these.”
Diana picked up her flat-heeled shoes. Was she feeling overweight and not wanting to be carried? He wondered. She's not that weak. He remembered her crossing the Mariposa Mountains in full gear, weighing 38 kilograms, but she didn't say a word.
They went outside and walked among the all-white buildings. The blue doors and roofs were a pain in the eyes, but Diana said it was beautiful. Soon they reached the beach. She spread out the blanket she'd brought, sat down without hesitation, and looked up at him. He hesitated, worried that sand might get on his pants, but her eyes turned fierce. Noah quickly sat down next to her, and she seemed satisfied.
“It’s nice. The sea breeze, the smell of the sea.”
Diana folded her arms, lost in her emotions. All he could smell was salty and fishy. Pretending to understand, he agreed.
“Please give me a lap pillow too.”
Noah asked her out while she was lying down with her knees on his legs, but she refused outright.
“I don’t like it. It’s a humiliating angle, isn’t it? Not you.”
After a moment, she gestured absently, indicating that she should go. Noah shook out the blanket, wondering why she'd come, considering she wouldn't be there for even ten minutes.
They ate at a restaurant famous for its Mittelzier Sea cuisine, but it didn't suit his taste. In fact, the food at Medea was even worse.
Diana doesn't complain about food. She just takes a few bites and leaves them. If she doesn't leave any, it means she likes it. She said this while munching on roasted chili peppers.
“I want to eat raw fish.”
“What is that?”
“It’s raw fish.”
“You’re eating it raw? You have to cook it.”
“Hey, people here don’t know anything.”
She had a unique palate and was good at spicy food. Even after finishing her meal, Diana continued eating. She sat at an outdoor cafe table, ordered a large selection of desserts to go with her black tea, and gave a hearty military clap.
“Oh, so pretty.”
Diana was delighted by the sight of the beautifully decorated cakes and cookies on the lace-trimmed tablecloth, though she couldn't finish them all. Noah doesn't particularly like sweets, but he can tolerate one or two. She held out the fourth chocolate and the fifth sugar cookie.
“Noah, try this. This too.”
“Ugh, stop it. My tongue feels like it’s going to melt.”
“Hey. It’s delicious.”
That's the expression of someone who's feeling sad. Noah mustered up the patience to swallow the lump of sugar she offered him. He covered his mouth and frowned, and she secretly seemed pleased. Noah doesn't know why. Perhaps it's a sadistic tendency.
“What do we do now?”
Diana asked with an expectant look on her face. Noah pulled out Plan 1, which he had prepared.
“After we finish dessert, shall we go see the ancient temple?”
"No."
He knew this would happen, so he had already prepared Plan 2. Jace said it. Even if a man takes the lead on a date, the woman makes the final decision.
"How's the park? I heard they recently spent a lot of money importing and planting tulips. There are even animals there."
"Great."
Diana responded positively. Noah followed her decision, which felt like his superior's. They headed to the park he's seen in the tourist guide. Perhaps because the entrance fee was high and the tulip bulbs had been planted there, their prices skyrocketing due to speculation, there weren't many people there.
“It’s cute. It looks like a ball of fluff.”
Diana approached the pen where the lambs were gathered and quickly became angry.
“Hey, you idiot, why are you biting my hand? Do you want to be a lamb skewer?”
Noah approached her and looked down at her silently. She covered her mouth and smiled. She was pretty.
“I’m just kidding. I like animals, not just words.”
"Yes."
“They bite. They’re so fierce.”
“Then let’s go the other way.”
Diana, who was walking hand in hand, went to the place where the tulips were planted and pointed to a red tulip.
“The meaning of each flower is different depending on the color.”
"But how do you figure out what flowers mean? Do flowers speak? Do they interact or signal something?"
“No... I mean.”
Diana crouched down and began reciting the meanings of flowers. Red meant love, yellow meant empty love, white meant broken heart, and so on. She knew a lot, even though she hadn't attended school.
“I see. Do you dream of becoming a botanist?”
“I wanted to open a flower shop, but that dream never came true.”
Knowing that she wasn't in a position to do that, Noah crouched down beside her, silently waiting for her next words. She spoke.
“Because it’s annoying.”
"How about I open a flower shop and buy all the flowers, and give them back to you? That way, you won't have to worry about anything, and you'll make money."
“It’s a huge creative economy.”
"Yeah, yeah. It'll feel like running a flower shop. You and your customers."
"I don't want to. I find life the most enjoyable when I just do nothing and collect royalties."
"I see."
Noah likes how she strives to live comfortably. It's even better because she's so lazy that she doesn't make friends and only hangs out with him. She always brags about making friends and shows off by attending tea parties, but she never makes any plans for personal socializing.
Diana jumped up as she saw a small pony running in the distance with a flower in its mane.
“It’s cute. Is it a foal, or rather a calf?”
“He’s all grown up.”
“This is all big.”
Diana got angry again when Pony dug under Diana's skirt while she was stroking his hair.
“Oh, I hate you. Go away.”
She's so fickle and easily bored, it's scary. What if she talks to him like that? She turned her head around, as if searching for something to see next.
“Noah, there’s a flock of white ducks over there.”
“Are you going to get mad at them again?”
“Haha, when was I? The duck is so cute. If you look closely...”
But she got sick of the ducks in less than a minute.
“Oh, it’s noisy.”
“I won’t bite, I won’t dig into your skirt, and I won’t make any noise.”
“Suddenly?”
“You get bored easily, don’t you?”
“No way. I don’t get bored easily.”
She took Noah's hand and brought their faces closer. "Hmm, I've never kissed like this outside before." She approached him aggressively and whispered a secret phrase in my ear.
“Let’s go back. I’m tired.”
She's not as mentally strong as she is physically. Their dates were always like this: she'd hang out for a bit, then insist on going home, and when she got home, she'd immediately collapse, groaning and looking like she'd just finished a march. Even their honeymoon was no exception.
Still, Noah enjoyed it. Even if they couldn't understand each other, he enjoyed the dissonance of their discordant parts meshing together in different ways. The more you couldn't understand each other, the more conversations you had to understand and learn from each other.
Use value and exchange value. In the modern capitalist era, with its accelerating industrialization, the value system is indispensable. This holds true even in interpersonal relationships. Noah didn't just abandon his property, title, and position.
Is he inescapable from war? Even if he was a capable field officer who played a key role in victory, I don't want it. I don't want my husband to be driven to his death. No matter how intelligent or tactically gifted a person may be, death in war is fair, like rolling the dice. If you're unlucky, anyone can die.
“I don’t like that. I know that when that day comes, I’ll run away with you.”
I furrowed my brows and warned him. "If that happens, I'll have to tie him up, put him in the car, and take him somewhere else. Molly's strong, so she'll be able to help me out." Noah smiled cutely at my serious expression.
"Don't worry. I'm cooperating with the other side, so I won't have to go to war myself."
“Really?”
"Yeah, I hate getting covered in dirt and getting my clothes dirty. The thing is, I have to be away from you for a long time, right? I don't think I can stand it."
Looking at Noah's calmly smiling face, I felt a little like crying. Of course, I didn't. I didn't want to spend my honeymoon depressed and worried about something that hadn't happened yet, so I quickly tried to lighten the mood.
I'll figure it out somehow. Since procrastination is my specialty, I've decided to leave my current worries to my post-honeymoon self and focus on the present.
“I should go to a hot spring. I’m so tired.”
This villa was a private residence, offering a separate seawater hot spring where guests could enjoy a view of the ocean. Noah narrowed his eyes and rubbed the corners of his mouth.
"Do you remember when you asked me to go to the hot springs with you? I was taken aback when you said you were conservative, and then you were so proactive."
When did I ever make such a bold statement? I blushed, barely remembering what happened during my stay at Frogen last winter.
“I wasn’t talking about this kind of place back then.”
“Yeah, yeah. It was good, though.”
That man is ignoring me again. He has a look on his face, as if he's reminiscing about a happy event.
“It ended up like this, didn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
When I came to, I found myself married to this man and on our honeymoon. It was hard to grasp the thoughts of the strange and beautiful man sitting before me, but whatever.
I've always been curious about him. Perhaps it's even fascinating. Perhaps, as I live, there will come a time when I truly understand him. I tied my hair up, soaked in the hot springs with petals, and gazed out at the night sea and the shining lighthouse beyond. In the silence, the sound of the water lapping and the waves blended pleasantly.
“Oh no, not here.”
The intention of his lips gently brushing against my neck was so fatal that I quickly rejected him. Noah looked disappointed, but didn't press any further.
"All right."
Yet, his body, filled with warmth, pressed against mine. His wet hair brushed against my bare shoulders. Noah, leaning his head against me like a playful cat, asked.
“Will you be with me forever?”
“That’s what I’m going to do.”
Isn't that obvious? I'm so content with this moment right now. I'm ready to throw all my worries away and leave them for my future self.
“No sincerity in answering.”
Noah complained about my curt reply. He looked at me with pity, his eyes and nose reddened, which was quite adorable. I slowly stroked his head, and he lowered his head.
“I promise. I’ll be with you no matter what.”
Only after hearing my best answer did Noah raise his head and give me a faint smile.
***
“Diana, it’s morning.”
Once she falls asleep, she sleeps like the dead. Sometimes she mumbles incomprehensibly and responds when spoken to.
“I’ll go tomorrow, instructor... It’s so hard...”
“Who is the instructor? No.”
“Ugh, I’ll just refund the remaining amount.”
When Noah kissed her on the cheek, she opened her eyes in surprise.
“Why is the Pilates instructor kissing me, huh?”
Her green-gray eyes, blinking repeatedly, looked at him. Diana sometimes looked at him with a look of disbelief.
“Noah? This isn’t a dream.”
She sometimes confuses dreams with reality. When asked about her dreams, she refused to tell, claiming she couldn't remember them. Diana stretched out her slender arms, yawned like a cat, and yawned, her fangs were sharp and pointed.
“If you’re sick, should I give you some medicine?”
"No."
“We decided to go on a date, didn’t we? It’s our honeymoon.”
"I don't remember very well, but I think I had a bad dream. Can I go tomorrow?"
“We have to go back to Medea tomorrow, don’t we?”
Diana sighed pitifully. Noah got her up, not wanting to get ready at all, and carried her to the bathroom. She's a lazy person with a tendency to procrastinate, but she has a minimal sense of responsibility, so she's quick to get things done when they're right in front of her or when she needs to get them done. Like brushing her teeth before bed.
"If you want any souvenirs, just let me know. I'll buy them all. After all, we're still economically active."
After showering, she proudly spoke, toweling her wet hair vigorously. Most soldiers dried themselves like that when they were in the military. Diana grumbled that she looked fat in the frilly blouse and gray corset dress he's given her before. Noah didn't respond, but instead retied the ribbon on her collar and attached a brooch. He heard that there was no such thing as a wise answer to that question.
"Hmm..."
She lined up the shoes she'd brought and began to ponder them. She seemed to be struggling with the aesthetics of wearing high heels and having to carry them around all the time.
“If it gets hard, I’ll carry you again.”
“No. I want to wear these.”
Diana picked up her flat-heeled shoes. Was she feeling overweight and not wanting to be carried? He wondered. She's not that weak. He remembered her crossing the Mariposa Mountains in full gear, weighing 38 kilograms, but she didn't say a word.
They went outside and walked among the all-white buildings. The blue doors and roofs were a pain in the eyes, but Diana said it was beautiful. Soon they reached the beach. She spread out the blanket she'd brought, sat down without hesitation, and looked up at him. He hesitated, worried that sand might get on his pants, but her eyes turned fierce. Noah quickly sat down next to her, and she seemed satisfied.
“It’s nice. The sea breeze, the smell of the sea.”
Diana folded her arms, lost in her emotions. All he could smell was salty and fishy. Pretending to understand, he agreed.
“Please give me a lap pillow too.”
Noah asked her out while she was lying down with her knees on his legs, but she refused outright.
“I don’t like it. It’s a humiliating angle, isn’t it? Not you.”
After a moment, she gestured absently, indicating that she should go. Noah shook out the blanket, wondering why she'd come, considering she wouldn't be there for even ten minutes.
They ate at a restaurant famous for its Mittelzier Sea cuisine, but it didn't suit his taste. In fact, the food at Medea was even worse.
Diana doesn't complain about food. She just takes a few bites and leaves them. If she doesn't leave any, it means she likes it. She said this while munching on roasted chili peppers.
“I want to eat raw fish.”
“What is that?”
“It’s raw fish.”
“You’re eating it raw? You have to cook it.”
“Hey, people here don’t know anything.”
She had a unique palate and was good at spicy food. Even after finishing her meal, Diana continued eating. She sat at an outdoor cafe table, ordered a large selection of desserts to go with her black tea, and gave a hearty military clap.
“Oh, so pretty.”
Diana was delighted by the sight of the beautifully decorated cakes and cookies on the lace-trimmed tablecloth, though she couldn't finish them all. Noah doesn't particularly like sweets, but he can tolerate one or two. She held out the fourth chocolate and the fifth sugar cookie.
“Noah, try this. This too.”
“Ugh, stop it. My tongue feels like it’s going to melt.”
“Hey. It’s delicious.”
That's the expression of someone who's feeling sad. Noah mustered up the patience to swallow the lump of sugar she offered him. He covered his mouth and frowned, and she secretly seemed pleased. Noah doesn't know why. Perhaps it's a sadistic tendency.
“What do we do now?”
Diana asked with an expectant look on her face. Noah pulled out Plan 1, which he had prepared.
“After we finish dessert, shall we go see the ancient temple?”
"No."
He knew this would happen, so he had already prepared Plan 2. Jace said it. Even if a man takes the lead on a date, the woman makes the final decision.
"How's the park? I heard they recently spent a lot of money importing and planting tulips. There are even animals there."
"Great."
Diana responded positively. Noah followed her decision, which felt like his superior's. They headed to the park he's seen in the tourist guide. Perhaps because the entrance fee was high and the tulip bulbs had been planted there, their prices skyrocketing due to speculation, there weren't many people there.
“It’s cute. It looks like a ball of fluff.”
Diana approached the pen where the lambs were gathered and quickly became angry.
“Hey, you idiot, why are you biting my hand? Do you want to be a lamb skewer?”
Noah approached her and looked down at her silently. She covered her mouth and smiled. She was pretty.
“I’m just kidding. I like animals, not just words.”
"Yes."
“They bite. They’re so fierce.”
“Then let’s go the other way.”
Diana, who was walking hand in hand, went to the place where the tulips were planted and pointed to a red tulip.
“The meaning of each flower is different depending on the color.”
"But how do you figure out what flowers mean? Do flowers speak? Do they interact or signal something?"
“No... I mean.”
Diana crouched down and began reciting the meanings of flowers. Red meant love, yellow meant empty love, white meant broken heart, and so on. She knew a lot, even though she hadn't attended school.
“I see. Do you dream of becoming a botanist?”
“I wanted to open a flower shop, but that dream never came true.”
Knowing that she wasn't in a position to do that, Noah crouched down beside her, silently waiting for her next words. She spoke.
“Because it’s annoying.”
"How about I open a flower shop and buy all the flowers, and give them back to you? That way, you won't have to worry about anything, and you'll make money."
“It’s a huge creative economy.”
"Yeah, yeah. It'll feel like running a flower shop. You and your customers."
"I don't want to. I find life the most enjoyable when I just do nothing and collect royalties."
"I see."
Noah likes how she strives to live comfortably. It's even better because she's so lazy that she doesn't make friends and only hangs out with him. She always brags about making friends and shows off by attending tea parties, but she never makes any plans for personal socializing.
Diana jumped up as she saw a small pony running in the distance with a flower in its mane.
“It’s cute. Is it a foal, or rather a calf?”
“He’s all grown up.”
“This is all big.”
Diana got angry again when Pony dug under Diana's skirt while she was stroking his hair.
“Oh, I hate you. Go away.”
She's so fickle and easily bored, it's scary. What if she talks to him like that? She turned her head around, as if searching for something to see next.
“Noah, there’s a flock of white ducks over there.”
“Are you going to get mad at them again?”
“Haha, when was I? The duck is so cute. If you look closely...”
But she got sick of the ducks in less than a minute.
“Oh, it’s noisy.”
“I won’t bite, I won’t dig into your skirt, and I won’t make any noise.”
“Suddenly?”
“You get bored easily, don’t you?”
“No way. I don’t get bored easily.”
She took Noah's hand and brought their faces closer. "Hmm, I've never kissed like this outside before." She approached him aggressively and whispered a secret phrase in my ear.
“Let’s go back. I’m tired.”
She's not as mentally strong as she is physically. Their dates were always like this: she'd hang out for a bit, then insist on going home, and when she got home, she'd immediately collapse, groaning and looking like she'd just finished a march. Even their honeymoon was no exception.
Still, Noah enjoyed it. Even if they couldn't understand each other, he enjoyed the dissonance of their discordant parts meshing together in different ways. The more you couldn't understand each other, the more conversations you had to understand and learn from each other.
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