Episode 30. The Contract with Isabelle Seymour
The prodigal sons, who were about to play polo, looked at Noah with puzzled faces as he suddenly barged in.
Noah asked, unbuttoning his gloves.
“Are you going to play a game?”
“Oh! It seems like you have some free time after a long time.”
Even before reaching the locker room, Noah had already taken off his jacket and held it out to his right, a familiar gesture. As always, a servant would come and take it.
“Get my words ready.”
“Yes, I will convey that.”
At that moment, Noah, who had been walking briskly, suddenly stopped and turned his head.
He assumed it would be the same all the time, but a red-haired woman was holding his clothes and gloves and smiling.
It was Isabelle.
Before he could say anything, she handed Noah's clothes and gloves to the attendant, then took the uniform from him and held it out to Noah.
Noah laughed at the more daring behavior and went into the changing room with his clothes.
He began to wonder if what she wanted from him was just a rumor.
As Noah, now dressed, stepped outside, Isabelle, who had been waiting, handed him his mallet. She blushed, feeling extremely shy, as the prodigal sons' sly glances and brief cheers followed.
Noah whispered in a cold tone to Isabelle, who followed him as if it were natural.
“I said I wouldn’t take responsibility for your honor.”
“Yes, I know.”
When he glanced at her, Isabelle just smiled.
Noah mounted his horse with a blank expression, and Isabelle took a few steps back.
Finally, the stadium doors opened, and as if he had been waiting, he kicked the ground and ran onto the wide grass field. Without even sparing her a glance, he ran without mercy.
Isabelle stared blankly at the sight and then turned away.
The human heart is truly fickle. Her heart, once overwhelmed by the mere fact that she was the only woman hovering by his side, began to sink into complacency and yearn for greater stimulation.
How would I feel if he smiled at me?
Can I really marry that man?
Since the rumor spread, she hasn't received any marriage proposals. Recently, even her parents have been secretly asking her if she's received a proposal from the Prince.
As a feeling of despair welled up in her, Isabelle deliberately tried to think of something positive.
According to Madame Zuberne, the Queen already knew about him and his rumors. She even asked the Prince several times. So, she must have mentioned marriage as well.
So Prince Noah must have considered marrying her in some way. He must have considered her as his wife at least once.
When she entered the club, the attendant was just hanging Noah's jacket on a hanger.
“Leave it. I’ll do it. I’ll organize the clothes in the changing room.”
Even the servants, who were busy with other tasks, glanced at her, as if she were a wife, but soon looked away. For months, they had been watching Isabelle act like Noah's lover, and Noah accept it without a word.
Isabelle took his jacket and slowly ran her fingertips over it. When he wore it, it had the slenderness of a leopard, but when she wore it, it was wide enough to cover her shoulders and still leave plenty of room.
How would it feel to hug him?
Isabelle pursed her lips and straightened her clothes.
As she was about to take a step back, something popped out of her pocket.
“...?”
As she was about to put it back in properly, thinking it was a fountain pen, the conversation with herolder brother Matt came to mind.
“Is there something Prince Noah is obsessed with? Something he cherishes?”
"He's the one who doesn't deserve the word 'obsession.' So he doesn't particularly cherish anything. He didn't even give his polo pony a name."
"Yes?"
"But lately, there's something he's been carrying around with me every day. It's been about a year now, I think? He's been carrying around something strange in his jacket."
Isabelle's heart pounded.
This must be the "strange thing" her brother had mentioned. She glanced around briefly and then carefully took it out.
It was a silver object, about the size of a palm, and even she, Seymour's famous daughter, was unfamiliar with it.
“What is this?”
Isabelle looked around and noticed that the top part was designed to be turned. But even when she turned it, there was no reaction. Furthermore, there was no engraving.
It's not a case, it's not a cigarette, it's not a seal.
“What is this that you are carrying around?”
Isabelle, who had no idea what it was for, quickly put it back in its place, mindful of the servants' eyes.
But she feels really uneasy.
It's definitely nothing... but...
There's no way Noah Astrid would carry around something so insignificant every day.
The polo match, consisting of six chukkas, has ended.
Today's race was so intense that the horse's rough breathing and the hot heat it exhaled reached the rider's face.
“...Oh my. Noah, what’s going on today?!”
When Lawrence grumbled with a face that said he was fed up, El, who was nearby, agreed.
"I'm telling you. It's a good thing the mallet didn't break. If that was what was going to happen, you should have told me to wear a face shield, Your Highness! I almost died playing polo!"
Then Noah let out a sharp sneer.
“Sitting around indoors all day, drinking and sulking, everyone must be weak.”
“Oh, you really are so harsh when you say that!”
Noah jumped down from his horse, patted the guy on the back of his neck, and headed straight to the shower room.
His whole body was drenched in sweat, but he still felt like he was going to survive.
He wanted to escape the royal court, but there was no escape. The King pretended to listen to his suggestion to compromise by reducing the number of ceremonies, but when the Polia incident broke out, he increased them again.
He understood what was happening, but he was going crazy. Honestly, he didn't even want to understand.
Standing in front of the press was so nerve-wracking.
Some may say, "What's the big deal?" But isn't there something that everyone can't stand?
He was overcome with anxiety that he might be forced to live a life of luxury and slavery, unable to escape this miserable existence.
Noah stayed in the cold water for a while before coming out.
Thinking that he should go back and rest after having a drink or something.
The candlelight flickering inside the darkened club was secretly illuminating it.
The prodigal sons were already drinking around the sofa where he was sitting. And Isabelle was there too.
As Noah sat down on the sofa, Isabelle offered him a cocktail, as if she had been waiting for it. He took the glass with a familiar air, but suddenly heard a name, familiar yet unfamiliar.
“Did you hear that Olivia Liberty became Professor Harrington?”
Noah rolled his eyes, still holding his cup, and looked at the person who had thrown the question.
“Did you know that now? It was even in the newspaper.”
“Oh, really? I didn’t know.”
As he blinked and shrugged his shoulders in embarrassment, Lawrence, who was across from him, leaned in and lowered his voice as if telling a secret.
"My cousin runs a business in Pulda. He came to my house yesterday while he was in Herod. He told me a funny story."
“Why, is he talking about Olivia Liberty?”
Isabelle clicked her tongue at the prodigal sons' profligate expressions and got up from her seat.
“I really can’t listen to you.”
“Oh, Lady Seymour. I’m sorry.”
As Lawrence offered an exaggerated apology, Isabelle sighed deeply and glanced at Noah. She'd been maintaining a certain line for months, but wasn't it time to cross it a little?
The strange object aggravated her anxiety, and that anxiety made her impatient.
“Your Highness, shall we go that way?”
At that moment, the prodigal sons looked at the two people with their eyes brightening as if they had witnessed an interesting incident.
But Noah found her actions absurd.
When he stared at her with his brows hardened, Isabelle realized she had been hasty and quickly backed away.
“Oh, come to think of it, if you go that way, the ladies will be surprised. I think it would be better if I went alone.”
She quickly turned her back, but her heart was pounding hard.
The gaze directed at her was so cold and indifferent that she felt like tears were welling up in her eyes.
“Give up on dating. He's not that kind of guy.”
Isabelle clutched her skirt, recalling Madame Jouverne's words. After months of being around him, she must have grown a little greedy.
She wonders what it would be like to date that guy.
The desire to think, what if that man moves at my word?
Isabelle, without realizing it, took a moment to put on some loose clothing and walked briskly towards the ladies who were looking at her.
“Men feel uncomfortable because I’m here.”
Meanwhile, as Isabelle drifted away, the prodigal sons began to recruit Lawrence.
“Oh, so?”
Noah also stared at Lawrence's mouth, which looked incredibly vulgar, while holding a glass of wine.
Lawrence licked his thin lips with his tongue, then opened his mouth with a sly expression.
"Ansen Wilhelm, the representative of Wilhelm Corporation. He's got his eye on Olivia Liberty."
For a moment, a brief silence fell over the heads of the prodigal sons.
“Wow, really?”
When someone suddenly asked, Lawrence nodded.
"So, they actually went to college at the same time? Even after Ansen Wilhelm dropped out, he still visited Olivia often."
"Hmm, I get the gist of it. After all, the political and financial worlds are dominated by nobles, right? In that situation, Olivia Liberty would be a bit too low-class to take as a wife, so I guess he was just trying to enjoy a romantic relationship."
"But now that woman is a professor, right? Who knows? Olivia Liberty might become Olivia Wilhelm."
Just then, Noah stood up. He placed his empty cup on the table and ordered his servant to bring him some clothes.
“Are you leaving already? You only had one drink?”
"You guys have nothing better to do. You guys can go talk to each other across the ocean."
Noah didn't even put on the jacket the servant handed him, just draped it over one shoulder and walked past them.
As a cold wind blew, Lawrence scratched the back of his head and muttered.
“Why do you feel so bad?”
“Leave it. It wasn’t that great since the polo game.”
The prodigal sons, who were about to play polo, looked at Noah with puzzled faces as he suddenly barged in.
Noah asked, unbuttoning his gloves.
“Are you going to play a game?”
“Oh! It seems like you have some free time after a long time.”
Even before reaching the locker room, Noah had already taken off his jacket and held it out to his right, a familiar gesture. As always, a servant would come and take it.
“Get my words ready.”
“Yes, I will convey that.”
At that moment, Noah, who had been walking briskly, suddenly stopped and turned his head.
He assumed it would be the same all the time, but a red-haired woman was holding his clothes and gloves and smiling.
It was Isabelle.
Before he could say anything, she handed Noah's clothes and gloves to the attendant, then took the uniform from him and held it out to Noah.
Noah laughed at the more daring behavior and went into the changing room with his clothes.
He began to wonder if what she wanted from him was just a rumor.
As Noah, now dressed, stepped outside, Isabelle, who had been waiting, handed him his mallet. She blushed, feeling extremely shy, as the prodigal sons' sly glances and brief cheers followed.
Noah whispered in a cold tone to Isabelle, who followed him as if it were natural.
“I said I wouldn’t take responsibility for your honor.”
“Yes, I know.”
When he glanced at her, Isabelle just smiled.
Noah mounted his horse with a blank expression, and Isabelle took a few steps back.
Finally, the stadium doors opened, and as if he had been waiting, he kicked the ground and ran onto the wide grass field. Without even sparing her a glance, he ran without mercy.
Isabelle stared blankly at the sight and then turned away.
The human heart is truly fickle. Her heart, once overwhelmed by the mere fact that she was the only woman hovering by his side, began to sink into complacency and yearn for greater stimulation.
How would I feel if he smiled at me?
Can I really marry that man?
Since the rumor spread, she hasn't received any marriage proposals. Recently, even her parents have been secretly asking her if she's received a proposal from the Prince.
As a feeling of despair welled up in her, Isabelle deliberately tried to think of something positive.
According to Madame Zuberne, the Queen already knew about him and his rumors. She even asked the Prince several times. So, she must have mentioned marriage as well.
So Prince Noah must have considered marrying her in some way. He must have considered her as his wife at least once.
When she entered the club, the attendant was just hanging Noah's jacket on a hanger.
“Leave it. I’ll do it. I’ll organize the clothes in the changing room.”
Even the servants, who were busy with other tasks, glanced at her, as if she were a wife, but soon looked away. For months, they had been watching Isabelle act like Noah's lover, and Noah accept it without a word.
Isabelle took his jacket and slowly ran her fingertips over it. When he wore it, it had the slenderness of a leopard, but when she wore it, it was wide enough to cover her shoulders and still leave plenty of room.
How would it feel to hug him?
Isabelle pursed her lips and straightened her clothes.
As she was about to take a step back, something popped out of her pocket.
“...?”
As she was about to put it back in properly, thinking it was a fountain pen, the conversation with herolder brother Matt came to mind.
“Is there something Prince Noah is obsessed with? Something he cherishes?”
"He's the one who doesn't deserve the word 'obsession.' So he doesn't particularly cherish anything. He didn't even give his polo pony a name."
"Yes?"
"But lately, there's something he's been carrying around with me every day. It's been about a year now, I think? He's been carrying around something strange in his jacket."
Isabelle's heart pounded.
This must be the "strange thing" her brother had mentioned. She glanced around briefly and then carefully took it out.
It was a silver object, about the size of a palm, and even she, Seymour's famous daughter, was unfamiliar with it.
“What is this?”
Isabelle looked around and noticed that the top part was designed to be turned. But even when she turned it, there was no reaction. Furthermore, there was no engraving.
It's not a case, it's not a cigarette, it's not a seal.
“What is this that you are carrying around?”
Isabelle, who had no idea what it was for, quickly put it back in its place, mindful of the servants' eyes.
But she feels really uneasy.
It's definitely nothing... but...
There's no way Noah Astrid would carry around something so insignificant every day.
The polo match, consisting of six chukkas, has ended.
Today's race was so intense that the horse's rough breathing and the hot heat it exhaled reached the rider's face.
“...Oh my. Noah, what’s going on today?!”
When Lawrence grumbled with a face that said he was fed up, El, who was nearby, agreed.
"I'm telling you. It's a good thing the mallet didn't break. If that was what was going to happen, you should have told me to wear a face shield, Your Highness! I almost died playing polo!"
Then Noah let out a sharp sneer.
“Sitting around indoors all day, drinking and sulking, everyone must be weak.”
“Oh, you really are so harsh when you say that!”
Noah jumped down from his horse, patted the guy on the back of his neck, and headed straight to the shower room.
His whole body was drenched in sweat, but he still felt like he was going to survive.
He wanted to escape the royal court, but there was no escape. The King pretended to listen to his suggestion to compromise by reducing the number of ceremonies, but when the Polia incident broke out, he increased them again.
He understood what was happening, but he was going crazy. Honestly, he didn't even want to understand.
Standing in front of the press was so nerve-wracking.
Some may say, "What's the big deal?" But isn't there something that everyone can't stand?
He was overcome with anxiety that he might be forced to live a life of luxury and slavery, unable to escape this miserable existence.
Noah stayed in the cold water for a while before coming out.
Thinking that he should go back and rest after having a drink or something.
The candlelight flickering inside the darkened club was secretly illuminating it.
The prodigal sons were already drinking around the sofa where he was sitting. And Isabelle was there too.
As Noah sat down on the sofa, Isabelle offered him a cocktail, as if she had been waiting for it. He took the glass with a familiar air, but suddenly heard a name, familiar yet unfamiliar.
“Did you hear that Olivia Liberty became Professor Harrington?”
Noah rolled his eyes, still holding his cup, and looked at the person who had thrown the question.
“Did you know that now? It was even in the newspaper.”
“Oh, really? I didn’t know.”
As he blinked and shrugged his shoulders in embarrassment, Lawrence, who was across from him, leaned in and lowered his voice as if telling a secret.
"My cousin runs a business in Pulda. He came to my house yesterday while he was in Herod. He told me a funny story."
“Why, is he talking about Olivia Liberty?”
Isabelle clicked her tongue at the prodigal sons' profligate expressions and got up from her seat.
“I really can’t listen to you.”
“Oh, Lady Seymour. I’m sorry.”
As Lawrence offered an exaggerated apology, Isabelle sighed deeply and glanced at Noah. She'd been maintaining a certain line for months, but wasn't it time to cross it a little?
The strange object aggravated her anxiety, and that anxiety made her impatient.
“Your Highness, shall we go that way?”
At that moment, the prodigal sons looked at the two people with their eyes brightening as if they had witnessed an interesting incident.
But Noah found her actions absurd.
When he stared at her with his brows hardened, Isabelle realized she had been hasty and quickly backed away.
“Oh, come to think of it, if you go that way, the ladies will be surprised. I think it would be better if I went alone.”
She quickly turned her back, but her heart was pounding hard.
The gaze directed at her was so cold and indifferent that she felt like tears were welling up in her eyes.
“Give up on dating. He's not that kind of guy.”
Isabelle clutched her skirt, recalling Madame Jouverne's words. After months of being around him, she must have grown a little greedy.
She wonders what it would be like to date that guy.
The desire to think, what if that man moves at my word?
Isabelle, without realizing it, took a moment to put on some loose clothing and walked briskly towards the ladies who were looking at her.
“Men feel uncomfortable because I’m here.”
Meanwhile, as Isabelle drifted away, the prodigal sons began to recruit Lawrence.
“Oh, so?”
Noah also stared at Lawrence's mouth, which looked incredibly vulgar, while holding a glass of wine.
Lawrence licked his thin lips with his tongue, then opened his mouth with a sly expression.
"Ansen Wilhelm, the representative of Wilhelm Corporation. He's got his eye on Olivia Liberty."
For a moment, a brief silence fell over the heads of the prodigal sons.
“Wow, really?”
When someone suddenly asked, Lawrence nodded.
"So, they actually went to college at the same time? Even after Ansen Wilhelm dropped out, he still visited Olivia often."
"Hmm, I get the gist of it. After all, the political and financial worlds are dominated by nobles, right? In that situation, Olivia Liberty would be a bit too low-class to take as a wife, so I guess he was just trying to enjoy a romantic relationship."
"But now that woman is a professor, right? Who knows? Olivia Liberty might become Olivia Wilhelm."
Just then, Noah stood up. He placed his empty cup on the table and ordered his servant to bring him some clothes.
“Are you leaving already? You only had one drink?”
"You guys have nothing better to do. You guys can go talk to each other across the ocean."
Noah didn't even put on the jacket the servant handed him, just draped it over one shoulder and walked past them.
As a cold wind blew, Lawrence scratched the back of his head and muttered.
“Why do you feel so bad?”
“Leave it. It wasn’t that great since the polo game.”
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