Episode 53. A Cool and Vibrant Laughter
Olivia also tilted her head at the prickly Prince's reaction and picked up her fork.
After they had eaten a portion of the salad with fresh cheese, the chef himself appeared with the main dish.
A reddish-brown steak was placed in front of the Prince, and an appetizing steamed fish dish was placed in front of Olivia.
It was a greatly simplified course to suit Noah's taste, who doesn't eat a lot for lunch.
Noah, who had been eating in silence for a while, opened his mouth when his stomach was somewhat full.
“How was your class with Mrs. Winfred?”
Olivia, who was savoring the plump flesh of the fish, quickly swallowed her food and answered.
“It’s very helpful. She teaches me various things in a friendly and detailed way.”
“She will only be with you on the ship, and when you return, I will assign you a tutor at the royal level.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Olivia looked down at the road, then glanced up to look at him.
He was tilting his wine glass to his lips. He seemed to enjoy meat dishes and seemed to enjoy sipping wine with his food.
And when about half the food was left, Noah slightly soaked the tip of his napkin in the rose water provided and wiped his mouth.
As he set down his plate, Olivia carefully brought out the words that had been swirling around in her head the entire time she was eating.
“I realized something while taking lessons from Mrs. Winfred.”
“What have you realized?”
"Yes. I... You sent me the Royal Boutique merchants from Pulder. I realized that my actions back then, while the best I could have done at the time, weren't entirely desirable from Your Highness's perspective."
Noah chuckled without realizing it and leaned back in his chair.
“Specifically, what?”
“...I asked for prices and requested some catalogs.”
Olivia answered honestly, then awkwardly bit her lip and smiled with a flushed face.
To be honest, she seemed a bit embarrassed.
"Judging by the fact that Mrs. Winfred didn't say anything further, I'm guessing Your Highness must have spoken to the boutique merchant separately. I apologize for the inconvenience. I'll be more sensible next time."
Noah gazed intently at Olivia, who, despite her flushed face, had finished her speech with a determined expression. It was a refreshing honesty he'd never witnessed before.
The corners of his mouth turned up.
Noah slowly crossed his legs, tilted his head to one side, and playfully nudged her.
“But why on earth did you ask the price?”
He was a man with a completely different set of worries than Olivia. Olivia sighed deeply without realizing it.
"Your Highness clearly told me to buy clothes, but the first thing the merchant showed me was a jewel. He added that small, sparkling things are worth collecting."
Her words made Noah burst out laughing. Olivia, feeling a bit offended by his laughter, maintained a blank expression as she continued her excuses.
"I felt like I was losing my mind. I knew I couldn't just pick out what he suggested. I had a sense of crisis that if I continued like this, I wouldn't be able to choose my clothes until tomorrow. I also didn't want to get caught up in buying unnecessary things and send Your Highness a huge bill."
“Why? Are you afraid I’ll go bankrupt?”
At Noah's joke, Olivia squinted slightly, then widened her eyes and shook her head.
“That’s not what I meant, Your Highness.”
“I’m happy that my future wife is considerate of my financial situation.”
“...”
Olivia remained silent, her ears flushed red, and her lips of the same color pressed together tightly. Even though her face looked as if she were about to cry, Noah felt a jolt of laughter, so he lightly ran a hand over her face.
“Then why did you send some of those catalogs?”
Noah asked, even though he had already guessed.
Olivia sighed again, then looked as if she had something to say.
“Well, when I asked to see the dress, Professor Marguerite—no, the Princess—showed me a very, very gorgeous dress that I’d never seen her wear. It had ten enormous ruby brooches on it...”
Noah finally burst into laughter, barely able to contain his laughter, as he watched her sternly express her discontent. He tilted his head back and covered his eyes with his hands.
Olivia, whose words trailed off as her heart swelled with anger at the sight, stared blankly at him for a moment.
He was smiling, his broad shoulders shaking.
The pointed neck and muscular arms revealed by tilting the head back were strong, and the jawline was sharp yet delicate.
A low, cool laugh, reminiscent of a rugged valley, kept tickling a corner of her heart. The exotic awning hanging overhead, the gorgeous purple centerpiece, the vast blue sea—they were all rubbed away like dust, leaving only his laughter.
He smiled briefly, then slowly lowered the hand that had been covering his eyes, covering his mouth and chin, and slowly lowered his head. His sharp, piercing eyes, a smile etched in them, turned to Olivia.
Olivia, who had been staring blankly at Noah, took a deep breath and quickly looked away.
A rough pulse could be felt at her fingertips. She took a small breath, clenching and unclenching her numb hand.
At that moment, a cool voice descended from above her head.
“You behaved well.”
Olivia looked up, dazed. Noah finished off the remaining wine and gestured faintly to the bodyguard beside him. The bodyguard placed a luxurious box, about the size of two palms, in front of Olivia and stepped aside.
As Olivia stared blankly at the box with her hands folded on her thighs, Noah explained what the box was.
“A gift. Open it.”
Olivia blinked, then carefully opened the box lid. Noah, seeing her pupils dilate slightly, tilted his head slightly to the side to catch a glimpse of the sparkling diamond.
It was a necklace and earring set that was faithful to the 'clean design' he had ordered.
Olivia looked down at the large, sparkling diamond set, dazzling yet transparent. It still felt unreal, and it didn't feel like it belonged to her in the slightest.
But she quickly came to her senses and greeted Noah.
“It’s truly beautiful. Thank you for the gift. I’ll put it to good use.”
“Why, don’t you like it?”
Noah asked, sensing Olivia's subtle demeanor as if he were a ghost. Olivia quickly shook her head.
"Of course not. It's really pretty. Um... I brought the dress that Her Majesty the Queen gave me two years ago. I think it would go well with that dress."
Noah reflexively recalled the deep neckline and the puffed-out lines.
“That design is out of style.”
“...Do you remember what design it was?”
“...”
Noah was speechless for a moment, then he quickly answered.
"You said it was two years ago. It's out of style. Anyway, once we get to Herod, you'll have as many dresses made as you need. There's no need to wear that dress again just because it was a gift from my mother."
Only then did Olivia nod, as if she understood. Then she looked back at the jewelry set, wide-eyed, and smiled.
Noah stared blankly at the sight, then chuckled and turned his gaze towards the sea.
It was a sparkling, very sunny day.
A loud laughter erupted from King Herod's office.
“As expected of Noah Astrid!”
Leonard reread the letter containing the long-awaited news twice, then quickly ran to the Queen.
"Queen!"
Beatrix, who was checking charity-related documents, opened the door to her office and looked at her husband with startled eyes as he barged in.
"Your Majesty?"
Leonard handed her Noah's letter with a triumphant expression.
Beatrix opened her eyes dimly, accepting Noah's letter and unfolding it. As she read it carefully, a strange light flashed across her eyes.
“What did I tell you? I said it was different.”
Unlike Usher, who always did everything with a smile, making it difficult to read his mind, Noah was very blatant when he did something he didn't want to do. Yet, just two days after arriving in Pulder, he successfully proposed and sent him a letter.
Leonard stood at his wife's desk with a face flushed with excitement.
"If it all came together so quickly, Olivia must have found Noah to be a pretty good match. Isn't that right? It's not just because he's my son, but because there's no better groom. He's handsome, of good pedigree, and he makes a lot of money!"
“...or maybe her circumstances pushed her that way.”
Beatrix muttered, remembering the letter from Margot that had arrived that morning.
Margot sent the Queen a long letter about Olivia. She was undoubtedly worried that the Queen might regard Olivia as a vulgar woman who had accepted the Prince's proposal out of a desire for upward mobility.
But what about the vulgar people?
Even if one day an opportunity to rise in social status comes and you grab it, why would that be considered vulgar?
She just wanted Noah to be happy with his wife.
The face of a lovely young woman, her dark eyes sparkling, floated over her son's letter. Beatrix carefully held Noah's letter, then folded it, giving her husband the answer he wanted.
“I’ll start preparing for the wedding right away.”
The King's expression softened even more at her declaration-like words.
“Get the meal ready as soon as they get there, Trixie!”
"I refuse to interfere too much. Go and do your own work."
Although the Queen mercilessly refused the absurd request, the King's expression was brighter and more cheerful than ever.
"Wait a minute. What kind of event will I take Olivia to when she comes? No, I don't care. It doesn't matter what kind."
The face of his second son, who was difficult to handle, had already been pushed far away in the King's mind, and only the face of Olivia, who was like a box office guarantee, lingered.
If Noah had heard this, he would have been furious and said, "Isn't this different from what you promised? Don't you have a conscience?" But Leonard Astrid had no conscience.
“Keep your promise.”
Even though the Queen, who had a keen eye for his thoughts, gave him a cold warning, he just smiled.
“Yes, yes.”
It was an afternoon when warm sunlight poured down like a blessing on the King's head.
And the next day, Leonard called in reporters and admitted that Prince Noah had gone to Pulder to woo Olivia Liberty, and that the royal family supported their love.
Then, the articles about the abolition of the Polian monarchy, which had not disappeared no matter what was done, completely disappeared.
Moreover, national favorability toward the Herodian royal family soared. Needless to say, Leonard's spirits soared higher than the spires of Hamelin Cathedral.
Olivia also tilted her head at the prickly Prince's reaction and picked up her fork.
After they had eaten a portion of the salad with fresh cheese, the chef himself appeared with the main dish.
A reddish-brown steak was placed in front of the Prince, and an appetizing steamed fish dish was placed in front of Olivia.
It was a greatly simplified course to suit Noah's taste, who doesn't eat a lot for lunch.
Noah, who had been eating in silence for a while, opened his mouth when his stomach was somewhat full.
“How was your class with Mrs. Winfred?”
Olivia, who was savoring the plump flesh of the fish, quickly swallowed her food and answered.
“It’s very helpful. She teaches me various things in a friendly and detailed way.”
“She will only be with you on the ship, and when you return, I will assign you a tutor at the royal level.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Olivia looked down at the road, then glanced up to look at him.
He was tilting his wine glass to his lips. He seemed to enjoy meat dishes and seemed to enjoy sipping wine with his food.
And when about half the food was left, Noah slightly soaked the tip of his napkin in the rose water provided and wiped his mouth.
As he set down his plate, Olivia carefully brought out the words that had been swirling around in her head the entire time she was eating.
“I realized something while taking lessons from Mrs. Winfred.”
“What have you realized?”
"Yes. I... You sent me the Royal Boutique merchants from Pulder. I realized that my actions back then, while the best I could have done at the time, weren't entirely desirable from Your Highness's perspective."
Noah chuckled without realizing it and leaned back in his chair.
“Specifically, what?”
“...I asked for prices and requested some catalogs.”
Olivia answered honestly, then awkwardly bit her lip and smiled with a flushed face.
To be honest, she seemed a bit embarrassed.
"Judging by the fact that Mrs. Winfred didn't say anything further, I'm guessing Your Highness must have spoken to the boutique merchant separately. I apologize for the inconvenience. I'll be more sensible next time."
Noah gazed intently at Olivia, who, despite her flushed face, had finished her speech with a determined expression. It was a refreshing honesty he'd never witnessed before.
The corners of his mouth turned up.
Noah slowly crossed his legs, tilted his head to one side, and playfully nudged her.
“But why on earth did you ask the price?”
He was a man with a completely different set of worries than Olivia. Olivia sighed deeply without realizing it.
"Your Highness clearly told me to buy clothes, but the first thing the merchant showed me was a jewel. He added that small, sparkling things are worth collecting."
Her words made Noah burst out laughing. Olivia, feeling a bit offended by his laughter, maintained a blank expression as she continued her excuses.
"I felt like I was losing my mind. I knew I couldn't just pick out what he suggested. I had a sense of crisis that if I continued like this, I wouldn't be able to choose my clothes until tomorrow. I also didn't want to get caught up in buying unnecessary things and send Your Highness a huge bill."
“Why? Are you afraid I’ll go bankrupt?”
At Noah's joke, Olivia squinted slightly, then widened her eyes and shook her head.
“That’s not what I meant, Your Highness.”
“I’m happy that my future wife is considerate of my financial situation.”
“...”
Olivia remained silent, her ears flushed red, and her lips of the same color pressed together tightly. Even though her face looked as if she were about to cry, Noah felt a jolt of laughter, so he lightly ran a hand over her face.
“Then why did you send some of those catalogs?”
Noah asked, even though he had already guessed.
Olivia sighed again, then looked as if she had something to say.
“Well, when I asked to see the dress, Professor Marguerite—no, the Princess—showed me a very, very gorgeous dress that I’d never seen her wear. It had ten enormous ruby brooches on it...”
Noah finally burst into laughter, barely able to contain his laughter, as he watched her sternly express her discontent. He tilted his head back and covered his eyes with his hands.
Olivia, whose words trailed off as her heart swelled with anger at the sight, stared blankly at him for a moment.
He was smiling, his broad shoulders shaking.
The pointed neck and muscular arms revealed by tilting the head back were strong, and the jawline was sharp yet delicate.
A low, cool laugh, reminiscent of a rugged valley, kept tickling a corner of her heart. The exotic awning hanging overhead, the gorgeous purple centerpiece, the vast blue sea—they were all rubbed away like dust, leaving only his laughter.
He smiled briefly, then slowly lowered the hand that had been covering his eyes, covering his mouth and chin, and slowly lowered his head. His sharp, piercing eyes, a smile etched in them, turned to Olivia.
Olivia, who had been staring blankly at Noah, took a deep breath and quickly looked away.
A rough pulse could be felt at her fingertips. She took a small breath, clenching and unclenching her numb hand.
At that moment, a cool voice descended from above her head.
“You behaved well.”
Olivia looked up, dazed. Noah finished off the remaining wine and gestured faintly to the bodyguard beside him. The bodyguard placed a luxurious box, about the size of two palms, in front of Olivia and stepped aside.
As Olivia stared blankly at the box with her hands folded on her thighs, Noah explained what the box was.
“A gift. Open it.”
Olivia blinked, then carefully opened the box lid. Noah, seeing her pupils dilate slightly, tilted his head slightly to the side to catch a glimpse of the sparkling diamond.
It was a necklace and earring set that was faithful to the 'clean design' he had ordered.
Olivia looked down at the large, sparkling diamond set, dazzling yet transparent. It still felt unreal, and it didn't feel like it belonged to her in the slightest.
But she quickly came to her senses and greeted Noah.
“It’s truly beautiful. Thank you for the gift. I’ll put it to good use.”
“Why, don’t you like it?”
Noah asked, sensing Olivia's subtle demeanor as if he were a ghost. Olivia quickly shook her head.
"Of course not. It's really pretty. Um... I brought the dress that Her Majesty the Queen gave me two years ago. I think it would go well with that dress."
Noah reflexively recalled the deep neckline and the puffed-out lines.
“That design is out of style.”
“...Do you remember what design it was?”
“...”
Noah was speechless for a moment, then he quickly answered.
"You said it was two years ago. It's out of style. Anyway, once we get to Herod, you'll have as many dresses made as you need. There's no need to wear that dress again just because it was a gift from my mother."
Only then did Olivia nod, as if she understood. Then she looked back at the jewelry set, wide-eyed, and smiled.
Noah stared blankly at the sight, then chuckled and turned his gaze towards the sea.
It was a sparkling, very sunny day.
***
A loud laughter erupted from King Herod's office.
“As expected of Noah Astrid!”
Leonard reread the letter containing the long-awaited news twice, then quickly ran to the Queen.
"Queen!"
Beatrix, who was checking charity-related documents, opened the door to her office and looked at her husband with startled eyes as he barged in.
"Your Majesty?"
Leonard handed her Noah's letter with a triumphant expression.
Beatrix opened her eyes dimly, accepting Noah's letter and unfolding it. As she read it carefully, a strange light flashed across her eyes.
“What did I tell you? I said it was different.”
Unlike Usher, who always did everything with a smile, making it difficult to read his mind, Noah was very blatant when he did something he didn't want to do. Yet, just two days after arriving in Pulder, he successfully proposed and sent him a letter.
Leonard stood at his wife's desk with a face flushed with excitement.
"If it all came together so quickly, Olivia must have found Noah to be a pretty good match. Isn't that right? It's not just because he's my son, but because there's no better groom. He's handsome, of good pedigree, and he makes a lot of money!"
“...or maybe her circumstances pushed her that way.”
Beatrix muttered, remembering the letter from Margot that had arrived that morning.
Margot sent the Queen a long letter about Olivia. She was undoubtedly worried that the Queen might regard Olivia as a vulgar woman who had accepted the Prince's proposal out of a desire for upward mobility.
But what about the vulgar people?
Even if one day an opportunity to rise in social status comes and you grab it, why would that be considered vulgar?
She just wanted Noah to be happy with his wife.
The face of a lovely young woman, her dark eyes sparkling, floated over her son's letter. Beatrix carefully held Noah's letter, then folded it, giving her husband the answer he wanted.
“I’ll start preparing for the wedding right away.”
The King's expression softened even more at her declaration-like words.
“Get the meal ready as soon as they get there, Trixie!”
"I refuse to interfere too much. Go and do your own work."
Although the Queen mercilessly refused the absurd request, the King's expression was brighter and more cheerful than ever.
"Wait a minute. What kind of event will I take Olivia to when she comes? No, I don't care. It doesn't matter what kind."
The face of his second son, who was difficult to handle, had already been pushed far away in the King's mind, and only the face of Olivia, who was like a box office guarantee, lingered.
If Noah had heard this, he would have been furious and said, "Isn't this different from what you promised? Don't you have a conscience?" But Leonard Astrid had no conscience.
“Keep your promise.”
Even though the Queen, who had a keen eye for his thoughts, gave him a cold warning, he just smiled.
“Yes, yes.”
It was an afternoon when warm sunlight poured down like a blessing on the King's head.
And the next day, Leonard called in reporters and admitted that Prince Noah had gone to Pulder to woo Olivia Liberty, and that the royal family supported their love.
Then, the articles about the abolition of the Polian monarchy, which had not disappeared no matter what was done, completely disappeared.
Moreover, national favorability toward the Herodian royal family soared. Needless to say, Leonard's spirits soared higher than the spires of Hamelin Cathedral.
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