Neilson Drake. That was the name of the red-haired man. He passed out and woke up two hours later to a fierce scolding from Diana, who was younger than him.
“Twenty-two years old? How dare you spout such dirty words at such a young age?”
“I was rude because I didn’t notice you. I apologize, Your Highness.”
"You shouldn't speak like that to anyone, not even royalty. And you seem to think money is everything. Ayla's frugal, but she has no material needs compared to you. Don't judge someone based on what you see."
There was a palm-sized bruise on his face, and tissues were stuck in both nostrils. Renier tossed an ice pack at Nielsen's face, who lay there, sighing in various ways like "Ugh" and "Ugh."
“I didn’t know he fainted. It's okay, since he's not dead, right?”
Noah, who was sitting quietly next to Diana, glanced at her.
“Where did you not shoot? You did well.”
At Diana's words, Nielsen dropped the ice pack he had been holding to his face.
“What are you going to do to a guy who got hit by a flower and passed out? It’s a waste of bullets.”
Though his tone was slow, Nielsen felt a chill run down his spine. He'd tried to control his strength by slapping the back of his hand against his cheek, but the force of that single blow left him flat on his back. He felt Noah's demonic gaze turn toward him and sat up abruptly, as if recoiling.
“I am truly sorry, Commander.”
“Why are you lying about your age?”
“I have never lied.”
“Your old age has deceived me.”
"Sorry."
Having been demoted in a single life-changing act, he swallowed his shame and maintained a humble demeanor. This was the typical pattern for young men, who, with their immature minds, indulged in all manner of outrage and bravado. They ended up being brutally manipulated by the powerful and brought to their knees. How pathetic. Diana clicked her tongue.
"You dare to attack a war hero officer with your untrained body. If you wanted to live as a brave man, you should have gone to war. What are you doing during the war, coming home to a family with a child?"
It was Renier's sarcasm. Soon, the sound of deep breathing echoed from the hallway.
“Nielsen! You son of a bitch!”
A middle-aged man with the same red hair burst in with a bang, then quickly became polite upon seeing Diana, Noah, Ayla, and Renier. He must have rushed back as soon as the security guards arrived at the mansion and explained the situation. He took off his fedora and bowed his head.
"I'm Milo Drake, this son's father. This time, my son made a big mistake. I'm truly sorry."
Noah looked at the two men in turn and asked,
"A mistake? Didn't you know your son was a nuisance?"
Milo looked at Noah with a blank expression, then lowered his head after realizing his intentions.
"It's my fault for not being able to teach him well and giving him everything he wanted because I was busy. Living in a small town, I don't have a broad perspective, so please understand. I'll be more careful in the future. You damn brat, get up and apologize!"
Diana, who was stroking Boaz, snickered and muttered.
“So that’s the one who grew up like a flower.”
Nielsen staggered to his feet and bowed. Milo glared at him and questioned him in a low voice.
“I heard you said something to the Princess and this lady that you shouldn’t have said.”
“I didn’t mean it. I was just angry for a moment...”
“If the Princess had not been so lenient, you would have been sent back to Medea according to federal law.”
Diana, sitting on the chair, raised her face proudly and spoke.
"When did I say I'd look after you? The Medea Levani labor camp just happened to be rebuilt. It might be a good experience to move into a newly built labor camp."
The words "labor camp" brought a grimace to the faces of the two men. Milo began to beg and plead.
"Please, just give me a break. I'll give him a hard time. Please show me mercy."
Diana's anger didn't subside easily. Her eyes, filled with calm anger, turned to Rainier.
"It seems the people of this village have said and done something bad to you and Ayla. Could you explain in detail who they were and what they did, Renier?"
“Yes, Princess.”
At Diana's question, Renier extended her elbow and obeyed. Unaware that she was a knight, the man felt a sense of crisis, as if he had made a very wrong move.
"Many people were spreading false rumors and being rude. Government officials, the eldest daughter of the Aiden family, the manager of the Ramesh Hotel, a businessman from the Neville family, the Ellens of the Elkain Jewelry Shop... There are so many of them, I'll compile a document detailing their problematic statements, actions, and personal details."
The voice that came out of her fiercely twisted lips was still calm.
"Yes, the virtue of tolerance doesn't work on the ignorant. Let's try this method."
“I will follow whatever you do.”
What on earth is this method? Pulling out eyes and teeth? Milo's face paled as he glanced at his son, his molars broken and mangled. The Princess who bankrupted Frogen's companies, ravaging the economy, and the commander of the operation that brought a military powerhouse to its knees with a devastating new weapon. Even though Milo was a wealthy landowner and the president of a large factory, he was nothing more than a commoner compared to them.
"Princess, I was planning to move anyway, so don't worry too much. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
Ayla, who had just put Michael to sleep in the cradle, began to speak with an embarrassed expression.
"You have nothing to feel sorry for, Ayla. Why should you leave? Others can kick you out."
"I'm thinking about moving to the capital city, at least for my child's education. It was refreshing to see the right fit, so that's all I need. Thank you so much."
Diana let out a displeased sigh.
“Mr. Drake, my friend Miss Ayla is such a kind person.”
“That’s right. She is a kind lady.”
How dare I say no? If it's what she says, even if it's wrong, it's right. Milo bowed, clutching his fedora. Nielsen looked at Diana and breathed a sigh of relief.
"But not me. You're the central figure in the village, a powerful force, yet you're inciting them just because they don't listen to your personal feelings. It's outrageous. You two must take responsibility and make sure the 'perpetrators' on the list come to Ayla and Renier and apologize. I'll give you until lunchtime tomorrow, before I leave. If even one person refuses to apologize, or if another disrespectful incident occurs..."
Diana paused, her lips curved, revealing a glimpse of her white teeth. Her unusually sharp fangs were exposed, giving the impression of a predator's relaxed smile.
"Then I'll do it my way. Oh, and you're paying your taxes, right? The surcharges are pretty hefty, aren't they? And I heard the law on factory site permits is about to change."
Her eyes were round and round, but they showed a cold warning that he would strip everything away.
In the silence that followed, knock, knock. The nervous tapping of fingernails on the armrest of the chair caused the Drakes to turn pale.
"Answer."
“Yes, yes, I will keep that in mind.”
Diana, who had been glaring at him with a sharp gaze, suddenly changed as if nothing had happened and smiled innocently.
“Under the pretext of revitalizing the local economy, I’m tempted to just throw everything away and build an amusement park instead.”
It didn't take long for the residents to realize the town was in ruins.
News of the scandal—that the son of a wealthy landowner had openly referred to the heir to the throne of Medea as "Little Medea"—spread quickly. It also revealed that the unmarried woman, who had given birth to and raised a child, was in fact the Princess's close friend and heiress to a vast fortune. The people gathered in the hall, seeking a solution, began to whisper.
“It seems the adults weren’t wrong when they said not to touch Medea.”
"Two black-haired outsiders brought disaster to our peaceful village. We shouldn't have accepted them."
“No, isn’t it the fault of that arrogant bastard that caused the accident?”
“If they stop the factory operations and take away the land of the large landowners... what will happen to the tenant farmers and factory workers?”
The town's economy relies on the land and factories of the Drake family, a large landowner. If the income of the factory workers and tenant farmers disappears, the merchants' income will naturally decline as well. Ultimately, everyone will suffer. The townspeople, who had previously ignored, ridiculed, or simply ignored the outsiders, Ayla and Renier, are now gripped by fear.
"The Drake family's servants are reportedly going around town checking the list. It's so urgent that even the family has joined in. They've now gone to Ellen's house."
“I don’t know. I just know that there are quite a few.”
"At this rate, our entire village might perish. And you, too, will be the one who charged double for the fence repairs."
“Didn’t you threaten me with having to pay to use the well?”
The villagers felt their jobs, store revenue, and tenant farms were being taken away by outsiders, leading to a severe level of ostracism and hostility toward them. Even as the countdown to the end approached, the residents were on edge, blaming each other. Voices grew louder as they recounted blatant instances of discrimination, exploitation, and territorial behavior.
"Didn't I tell you to stop? Don't you feel sorry for the young women who have come from far away to settle down? In a small village, we need to rely on each other and help each other."
An old woman who had been listening quietly clicked her tongue and shook her head. She was an upright woman who had helped the two settle in and prevented discrimination and prejudice.
“If there is anything that bothers you, go to them first and apologize.”
At Ayla and Renier's house, Milo, who had gathered the people on the list according to the deadline, kept wiping away the sweat. Nielsen, with the face of a traitor, couldn't bring himself to raise his head. Even those not on the list had come voluntarily, making the living room cramped even with all the furniture pushed to one side. The rest, unable to enter, stood in the yard, trembling in fear. A woman sat with a blank expression amidst the rows of uniformed knights and bodyguards.
“There are this many?”
It was a high and cold voice.
They immediately recognized her as the Princess the moment they saw the cold woman with short, jet-black hair. She sat with her arms crossed and legs crossed, her cold eyes scanning each person's face. Even a fleeting glance sent a chill down her spine, a sense of intimidation.
“Be courteous to Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Diana Spencer Grace of the United Kingdom of Medea!”
At the royal knight's thunderous command, everyone gathered bowed their heads in unison toward the Princess of a powerful nation and her husband, the commander. Diana calmly brought up the main point.
"I didn't call you here to punish you. Of course, if my friends had wanted me to punish you, I would have. Incidentally, most of those who touched my people have died. It wasn't my intention."
The residents, oppressed by the solemn atmosphere, couldn't even raise their heads. They simply stood in a very polite posture, looking down at their feet.
"First, I'd like to set the record straight. My close friend, Ayla Delson, and the baby's father is a field officer who contributed to the downfall of the Empire and died in the line of duty. It's not that they couldn't have a formal marriage during wartime, but rather that the child wasn't conceived through careless manipulation. Who is Lisa Aiden, the one who's been uttering the words without even knowing her?"
“That’s the person.”
Renier pointed her finger at a woman. Everyone's eyes turned to her. The woman whose face was specifically pointed out blushed like a persimmon.
“Miss Aiden, since you spread false rumors, it is your responsibility to correct them.”
“I’m sorry. I lied without even knowing.”
Diana's cold gaze slowly shifted, pressuring the other side.
"I can't help but feel heartbroken at the fact that women who lost their husbands in war are treated this way. They're not the wives of patriotic martyrs or the wives of the deceased, but are called "widows" and "bereaved wives," derogatory terms, pointed at, and looked down on. You even made a bet on her, didn't you? Mr. Jayron, who works at the government office; Mr. Norman, the hotel manager; and Mr. Ellen, the owner of the Elkain jewelry store."
At Diana's call, Renier's fingers moved as if conducting. Diana scanned their faces with a keen gaze.
“There was another easy man. You had a wife and children, I see.”
The men who were called and pointed out at the same time flinched, their shoulders trembled, and their heads bowed.
A woman, who appeared to be his wife, was pinching her husband's arm hard. Diana, seeing the man with his half-bald head, revealed her true feelings, as if she were about to die.
"And you, Mrs. Ellen, who humiliated Ayla by claiming she seduced your husband first and then humiliated her without even looking into it, are the same for you. I wish you'd realize the truth: your husband is only good in your eyes. Instead of blaming the woman he harassed, the problem lies with those who believe that outright, unless they have vision problems."
Diana slowly got up from her seat and let out a long sigh.
"There's no need to go so far as to apologize. They're planning to leave this village anyway, so please be courteous and act wisely during that time. I hope there won't be any unfortunate incidents where they don't understand, even if you try to be nice to them."
The people simply bowed in silence. Only after she turned and left, followed by the knights and bodyguards with measured steps, could they exhale their choked breaths.
Ayla and Renier followed Diana out to see her off. Ayla looked at Diana with sad, drooping eyes and held her hand.
“Princess. For me...”
Her words trailed off, and she finally began to sob. Tears streamed down her large eyes, evidently from the intense sadness and suffering she had endured. She rubbed her eyes with her sleeve and spoke.
“I tried to be strong without crying, but I guess I fell far behind.”
“It’s okay. It’s amazing that you survived and protected your child.”
Diana smiled brightly, taking out a handkerchief and wiping her cheek. Ayla asked.
“Do you think of me as a friend?”
“Yes. You are a precious friend to me, as is Renier.”
As Ayla raised her head and cried like a child, Diana tried to comfort her with a look of embarrassment.
“No, I think I made you cry.”
"I'm crying because I'm happy, Princess. Even when I'm happy, tears flow. You scolded them for my mistakes and called me your friend, and I can't stop crying..."
Why was the dignified knight Renier, standing behind her, crying? Even Michael was starting to cry, which was embarrassing. Should I cry, too, given the atmosphere? Diana was at a loss at this sudden tearjerker.
“Stop crying. You’re ugly.”
It was Noah's monotonous command, sensing Diana's predicament. Noah's inhumane method seemed to have worked, and the two burst into laughter, their faces a mess of tears.
“I’ll visit you often once I move. It’s close to where the Princess lives.”
“We’ll be neighbors. I’m glad.”
After saying goodbye and getting into the car, Diana looked back through the window at the two people moving away. Watching them shrink as they sped away, she felt a pang of sadness.
Once, she took human relationships lightly, believing they weren't eternal and destined to end. Diana had come to this world with a profound realization: that impermanence is precisely what makes them precious. She'd become accustomed to the illusion of eternity, taking things for granted, and forgetting their preciousness. Without even knowing the limits of what was given, she'd have to do her best in the moment. Diana, determined to herself, whispered something in Noah's ear. His ears, listening intently, turned red.
“I didn’t hear you. Say it again.”
“If you didn’t hear it, that’s fine.”
“Actually, I heard that.”
Noah's eyes, looking down at Diana, curved gently.
“You told me you loved me.”
The driver, speaking proudly, smirked at the two through the rearview mirror. Diana, her face flushed like an apple, tugged at Noah's sleeve.
“No, don’t say it so publicly.”
“Was it top secret?”
A warm-looking cloud floated across the sky, bordering the verdant plains. It resembled the smiles of those who had once stayed by her side and now departed.
“Twenty-two years old? How dare you spout such dirty words at such a young age?”
“I was rude because I didn’t notice you. I apologize, Your Highness.”
"You shouldn't speak like that to anyone, not even royalty. And you seem to think money is everything. Ayla's frugal, but she has no material needs compared to you. Don't judge someone based on what you see."
There was a palm-sized bruise on his face, and tissues were stuck in both nostrils. Renier tossed an ice pack at Nielsen's face, who lay there, sighing in various ways like "Ugh" and "Ugh."
“I didn’t know he fainted. It's okay, since he's not dead, right?”
Noah, who was sitting quietly next to Diana, glanced at her.
“Where did you not shoot? You did well.”
At Diana's words, Nielsen dropped the ice pack he had been holding to his face.
“What are you going to do to a guy who got hit by a flower and passed out? It’s a waste of bullets.”
Though his tone was slow, Nielsen felt a chill run down his spine. He'd tried to control his strength by slapping the back of his hand against his cheek, but the force of that single blow left him flat on his back. He felt Noah's demonic gaze turn toward him and sat up abruptly, as if recoiling.
“I am truly sorry, Commander.”
“Why are you lying about your age?”
“I have never lied.”
“Your old age has deceived me.”
"Sorry."
Having been demoted in a single life-changing act, he swallowed his shame and maintained a humble demeanor. This was the typical pattern for young men, who, with their immature minds, indulged in all manner of outrage and bravado. They ended up being brutally manipulated by the powerful and brought to their knees. How pathetic. Diana clicked her tongue.
"You dare to attack a war hero officer with your untrained body. If you wanted to live as a brave man, you should have gone to war. What are you doing during the war, coming home to a family with a child?"
It was Renier's sarcasm. Soon, the sound of deep breathing echoed from the hallway.
“Nielsen! You son of a bitch!”
A middle-aged man with the same red hair burst in with a bang, then quickly became polite upon seeing Diana, Noah, Ayla, and Renier. He must have rushed back as soon as the security guards arrived at the mansion and explained the situation. He took off his fedora and bowed his head.
"I'm Milo Drake, this son's father. This time, my son made a big mistake. I'm truly sorry."
Noah looked at the two men in turn and asked,
"A mistake? Didn't you know your son was a nuisance?"
Milo looked at Noah with a blank expression, then lowered his head after realizing his intentions.
"It's my fault for not being able to teach him well and giving him everything he wanted because I was busy. Living in a small town, I don't have a broad perspective, so please understand. I'll be more careful in the future. You damn brat, get up and apologize!"
Diana, who was stroking Boaz, snickered and muttered.
“So that’s the one who grew up like a flower.”
Nielsen staggered to his feet and bowed. Milo glared at him and questioned him in a low voice.
“I heard you said something to the Princess and this lady that you shouldn’t have said.”
“I didn’t mean it. I was just angry for a moment...”
“If the Princess had not been so lenient, you would have been sent back to Medea according to federal law.”
Diana, sitting on the chair, raised her face proudly and spoke.
"When did I say I'd look after you? The Medea Levani labor camp just happened to be rebuilt. It might be a good experience to move into a newly built labor camp."
The words "labor camp" brought a grimace to the faces of the two men. Milo began to beg and plead.
"Please, just give me a break. I'll give him a hard time. Please show me mercy."
Diana's anger didn't subside easily. Her eyes, filled with calm anger, turned to Rainier.
"It seems the people of this village have said and done something bad to you and Ayla. Could you explain in detail who they were and what they did, Renier?"
“Yes, Princess.”
At Diana's question, Renier extended her elbow and obeyed. Unaware that she was a knight, the man felt a sense of crisis, as if he had made a very wrong move.
"Many people were spreading false rumors and being rude. Government officials, the eldest daughter of the Aiden family, the manager of the Ramesh Hotel, a businessman from the Neville family, the Ellens of the Elkain Jewelry Shop... There are so many of them, I'll compile a document detailing their problematic statements, actions, and personal details."
The voice that came out of her fiercely twisted lips was still calm.
"Yes, the virtue of tolerance doesn't work on the ignorant. Let's try this method."
“I will follow whatever you do.”
What on earth is this method? Pulling out eyes and teeth? Milo's face paled as he glanced at his son, his molars broken and mangled. The Princess who bankrupted Frogen's companies, ravaging the economy, and the commander of the operation that brought a military powerhouse to its knees with a devastating new weapon. Even though Milo was a wealthy landowner and the president of a large factory, he was nothing more than a commoner compared to them.
"Princess, I was planning to move anyway, so don't worry too much. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
Ayla, who had just put Michael to sleep in the cradle, began to speak with an embarrassed expression.
"You have nothing to feel sorry for, Ayla. Why should you leave? Others can kick you out."
"I'm thinking about moving to the capital city, at least for my child's education. It was refreshing to see the right fit, so that's all I need. Thank you so much."
Diana let out a displeased sigh.
“Mr. Drake, my friend Miss Ayla is such a kind person.”
“That’s right. She is a kind lady.”
How dare I say no? If it's what she says, even if it's wrong, it's right. Milo bowed, clutching his fedora. Nielsen looked at Diana and breathed a sigh of relief.
"But not me. You're the central figure in the village, a powerful force, yet you're inciting them just because they don't listen to your personal feelings. It's outrageous. You two must take responsibility and make sure the 'perpetrators' on the list come to Ayla and Renier and apologize. I'll give you until lunchtime tomorrow, before I leave. If even one person refuses to apologize, or if another disrespectful incident occurs..."
Diana paused, her lips curved, revealing a glimpse of her white teeth. Her unusually sharp fangs were exposed, giving the impression of a predator's relaxed smile.
"Then I'll do it my way. Oh, and you're paying your taxes, right? The surcharges are pretty hefty, aren't they? And I heard the law on factory site permits is about to change."
Her eyes were round and round, but they showed a cold warning that he would strip everything away.
In the silence that followed, knock, knock. The nervous tapping of fingernails on the armrest of the chair caused the Drakes to turn pale.
"Answer."
“Yes, yes, I will keep that in mind.”
Diana, who had been glaring at him with a sharp gaze, suddenly changed as if nothing had happened and smiled innocently.
“Under the pretext of revitalizing the local economy, I’m tempted to just throw everything away and build an amusement park instead.”
***
It didn't take long for the residents to realize the town was in ruins.
News of the scandal—that the son of a wealthy landowner had openly referred to the heir to the throne of Medea as "Little Medea"—spread quickly. It also revealed that the unmarried woman, who had given birth to and raised a child, was in fact the Princess's close friend and heiress to a vast fortune. The people gathered in the hall, seeking a solution, began to whisper.
“It seems the adults weren’t wrong when they said not to touch Medea.”
"Two black-haired outsiders brought disaster to our peaceful village. We shouldn't have accepted them."
“No, isn’t it the fault of that arrogant bastard that caused the accident?”
“If they stop the factory operations and take away the land of the large landowners... what will happen to the tenant farmers and factory workers?”
The town's economy relies on the land and factories of the Drake family, a large landowner. If the income of the factory workers and tenant farmers disappears, the merchants' income will naturally decline as well. Ultimately, everyone will suffer. The townspeople, who had previously ignored, ridiculed, or simply ignored the outsiders, Ayla and Renier, are now gripped by fear.
"The Drake family's servants are reportedly going around town checking the list. It's so urgent that even the family has joined in. They've now gone to Ellen's house."
"Goodness, didn't Mrs. Ellen once publicly humiliate a woman at the market, calling her a homewrecker? Who's on the list?"
"At this rate, our entire village might perish. And you, too, will be the one who charged double for the fence repairs."
“Didn’t you threaten me with having to pay to use the well?”
The villagers felt their jobs, store revenue, and tenant farms were being taken away by outsiders, leading to a severe level of ostracism and hostility toward them. Even as the countdown to the end approached, the residents were on edge, blaming each other. Voices grew louder as they recounted blatant instances of discrimination, exploitation, and territorial behavior.
"Didn't I tell you to stop? Don't you feel sorry for the young women who have come from far away to settle down? In a small village, we need to rely on each other and help each other."
An old woman who had been listening quietly clicked her tongue and shook her head. She was an upright woman who had helped the two settle in and prevented discrimination and prejudice.
“If there is anything that bothers you, go to them first and apologize.”
At Ayla and Renier's house, Milo, who had gathered the people on the list according to the deadline, kept wiping away the sweat. Nielsen, with the face of a traitor, couldn't bring himself to raise his head. Even those not on the list had come voluntarily, making the living room cramped even with all the furniture pushed to one side. The rest, unable to enter, stood in the yard, trembling in fear. A woman sat with a blank expression amidst the rows of uniformed knights and bodyguards.
“There are this many?”
It was a high and cold voice.
They immediately recognized her as the Princess the moment they saw the cold woman with short, jet-black hair. She sat with her arms crossed and legs crossed, her cold eyes scanning each person's face. Even a fleeting glance sent a chill down her spine, a sense of intimidation.
“Be courteous to Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Diana Spencer Grace of the United Kingdom of Medea!”
At the royal knight's thunderous command, everyone gathered bowed their heads in unison toward the Princess of a powerful nation and her husband, the commander. Diana calmly brought up the main point.
"I didn't call you here to punish you. Of course, if my friends had wanted me to punish you, I would have. Incidentally, most of those who touched my people have died. It wasn't my intention."
The residents, oppressed by the solemn atmosphere, couldn't even raise their heads. They simply stood in a very polite posture, looking down at their feet.
"First, I'd like to set the record straight. My close friend, Ayla Delson, and the baby's father is a field officer who contributed to the downfall of the Empire and died in the line of duty. It's not that they couldn't have a formal marriage during wartime, but rather that the child wasn't conceived through careless manipulation. Who is Lisa Aiden, the one who's been uttering the words without even knowing her?"
“That’s the person.”
Renier pointed her finger at a woman. Everyone's eyes turned to her. The woman whose face was specifically pointed out blushed like a persimmon.
“Miss Aiden, since you spread false rumors, it is your responsibility to correct them.”
“I’m sorry. I lied without even knowing.”
Diana's cold gaze slowly shifted, pressuring the other side.
"I can't help but feel heartbroken at the fact that women who lost their husbands in war are treated this way. They're not the wives of patriotic martyrs or the wives of the deceased, but are called "widows" and "bereaved wives," derogatory terms, pointed at, and looked down on. You even made a bet on her, didn't you? Mr. Jayron, who works at the government office; Mr. Norman, the hotel manager; and Mr. Ellen, the owner of the Elkain jewelry store."
At Diana's call, Renier's fingers moved as if conducting. Diana scanned their faces with a keen gaze.
“There was another easy man. You had a wife and children, I see.”
The men who were called and pointed out at the same time flinched, their shoulders trembled, and their heads bowed.
A woman, who appeared to be his wife, was pinching her husband's arm hard. Diana, seeing the man with his half-bald head, revealed her true feelings, as if she were about to die.
"And you, Mrs. Ellen, who humiliated Ayla by claiming she seduced your husband first and then humiliated her without even looking into it, are the same for you. I wish you'd realize the truth: your husband is only good in your eyes. Instead of blaming the woman he harassed, the problem lies with those who believe that outright, unless they have vision problems."
Diana slowly got up from her seat and let out a long sigh.
"There's no need to go so far as to apologize. They're planning to leave this village anyway, so please be courteous and act wisely during that time. I hope there won't be any unfortunate incidents where they don't understand, even if you try to be nice to them."
The people simply bowed in silence. Only after she turned and left, followed by the knights and bodyguards with measured steps, could they exhale their choked breaths.
Ayla and Renier followed Diana out to see her off. Ayla looked at Diana with sad, drooping eyes and held her hand.
“Princess. For me...”
Her words trailed off, and she finally began to sob. Tears streamed down her large eyes, evidently from the intense sadness and suffering she had endured. She rubbed her eyes with her sleeve and spoke.
“I tried to be strong without crying, but I guess I fell far behind.”
“It’s okay. It’s amazing that you survived and protected your child.”
Diana smiled brightly, taking out a handkerchief and wiping her cheek. Ayla asked.
“Do you think of me as a friend?”
“Yes. You are a precious friend to me, as is Renier.”
As Ayla raised her head and cried like a child, Diana tried to comfort her with a look of embarrassment.
“No, I think I made you cry.”
"I'm crying because I'm happy, Princess. Even when I'm happy, tears flow. You scolded them for my mistakes and called me your friend, and I can't stop crying..."
Why was the dignified knight Renier, standing behind her, crying? Even Michael was starting to cry, which was embarrassing. Should I cry, too, given the atmosphere? Diana was at a loss at this sudden tearjerker.
“Stop crying. You’re ugly.”
It was Noah's monotonous command, sensing Diana's predicament. Noah's inhumane method seemed to have worked, and the two burst into laughter, their faces a mess of tears.
“I’ll visit you often once I move. It’s close to where the Princess lives.”
“We’ll be neighbors. I’m glad.”
After saying goodbye and getting into the car, Diana looked back through the window at the two people moving away. Watching them shrink as they sped away, she felt a pang of sadness.
Once, she took human relationships lightly, believing they weren't eternal and destined to end. Diana had come to this world with a profound realization: that impermanence is precisely what makes them precious. She'd become accustomed to the illusion of eternity, taking things for granted, and forgetting their preciousness. Without even knowing the limits of what was given, she'd have to do her best in the moment. Diana, determined to herself, whispered something in Noah's ear. His ears, listening intently, turned red.
“I didn’t hear you. Say it again.”
“If you didn’t hear it, that’s fine.”
“Actually, I heard that.”
Noah's eyes, looking down at Diana, curved gently.
“You told me you loved me.”
The driver, speaking proudly, smirked at the two through the rearview mirror. Diana, her face flushed like an apple, tugged at Noah's sleeve.
“No, don’t say it so publicly.”
“Was it top secret?”
A warm-looking cloud floated across the sky, bordering the verdant plains. It resembled the smiles of those who had once stayed by her side and now departed.
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