Episode 70. A Peach I Want to Swallow
Olivia swallowed unconsciously and faced him head-on. In the dim light, his frame seemed much larger than usual.
Olivia couldn't bear to look at him, so she pulled her chin up and gazed at his chest. Her eyes flushed red.
Noah, who had planned to let this end with just a show, felt his mouth go dry at the embarrassment in Olivia's eyes.
“Raise your head and look at me so I can kiss you.”
Olivia took a deep breath as the words landed on her head, then mustered up her courage and tilted her head back.
But at that moment, ironically, Madame Lehmann's words flashed through her mind.
“The tiara may fall off, so try not to move your neck as much as possible.”
At the same time, the image of the Queen handing over a gorgeous tiara also came to mind.
“It’s something I cherish very much.”
Olivia opened her eyes wide and opened her mouth urgently.
“Your Highness, I plan to wear the tiara Her Majesty lent me tomorrow.”
What does it matter if we kiss?
Noah grumbled inwardly as he looked into the dark eyes, from which the momentary embarrassment had completely evaporated.
But Olivia was serious.
“What if I tilt my head back and Tiara falls backwards?”
"...What?"
Her clear eyes sparkled like beads.
“Her Majesty the Queen said it was something she treasured.”
Noah blinked in bewilderment at her unexpected concern, but eventually burst into laughter at her infinitely serious expression.
“Heh heh. What are you worried about, Tiara?”
Olivia, who had been watching Noah, who was habitually tilting his head back, covering his eyes, and his chest heaving, protested as if she was frustrated.
"Your Highness, the tiara is quite heavy! Madame Lehmann also told me not to move my head too much! If I drop it during the wedding..."
Noah chuckled, then wiped his face and stared at Olivia.
The above-mentioned face looked like a ripe, red peach.
A peach so sweet and sweet that you want to swallow it all in one gulp.
His mind, which had clearly been set on just pretending to do it, suddenly changed, and a rough impulse arose.
The green eyes that had once held a hint of laughter suddenly darkened and sank deep, rippling dangerously.
“Don’t worry. It’ll work this way.”
Noah reached out with both hands and cupped Olivia's ears. And in that moment, he realized something.
It couldn't have ended with just a show, and it would have ended up like this in the end.
Noah bowed his head urgently, his shoulders drooping like a thirsty man.
Whether everything flowed or not, only then did the waves ripple on the island that stood alone.
Noah gazed at her wide, startled eyes from a close distance and kissed her lips. Her lips, tightly shut, unable to utter even a shriek, were surprisingly warm and soft.
A sweet fragrance rose from the pale skin that touched the tip of his nose.
The unfamiliarly sweet scent and soft texture made Noah feel a parched thirst, like a hungry lion about to sink its fangs into the nape of its prey's neck.
At the same time, it felt like Olivia and he were left alone, cut off from everything else in the world. Noah, always yearning to step back from the world, pressed his fingers against Olivia's head, tightening his grip. The urge to pull her closer, to delve deeper, surged within him.
The moment Noah, who had always been numb and tired of thirst, grabbed the back of her neck and shook it, Olivia took a deep breath.
The new sound made his whole body heat up even more, but at the same time, his mind came back.
Noah slowly sucked the corner of her lips, exhaling a suppressed breath, and slowly raised his body.
When their lips, which had been locked without a moment's pause, parted, Olivia finally let out the breath she had been holding. Her breath flowed in gasps from her lips, now translucent and rubbed crimson, and her pitch-black eyes, locked in her reddened rim, were clouded and trembling.
Looking into her eyes, bathed in a dim golden light, Noah vividly felt the desire that had been buried deep inside him surge up again.
Noah slowly ran his fingers through the black hair tangled in his hand. He enjoyed the smooth feel of it brushing between his long fingers.
As Olivia's blurred eyes gradually came back into focus, Noah spoke.
“Don’t worry about the Tiara. I can hold it with my hands.”
Only then did Olivia regain her senses, and her cheeks flushed brightly. Feeling her earlobes flush red, she felt like she wanted to disappear somewhere at any moment.
Noah, looking at her like that, was constantly overcome by the urge to kiss her again. Her flushed face, her ears bulging, her eyes blinking shut, her face as if ready to cry, was a secret.
Noah tilted his head and spoke softly.
“You can’t have a face like this at tomorrow’s wedding.”
Even though he knew that he shouldn't be like that at the next meal, he whispered that, and Olivia suddenly looked up and met his gaze.
Even in moments like this, Noah Astrid seemed so perfect that Olivia felt even more frantic. She desperately tried to calm herself, muttering softly.
“Then... you shouldn’t kiss like this.”
"...What?"
When Noah asked back, flustered by the unexpected words, Olivia protested in a hushed voice.
"Mrs. Lehmann said... it was part of a reverent ritual where you just touch lips for a moment and then pull away in less than a second. She said you wouldn't even know if you touched or not..."
But no matter how much she thought about it, the kiss he just gave her was far from pious.
But Olivia couldn't continue. Noah started laughing again, his chest heaving.
Olivia, who was looking at the Prince laughing so hard that he seemed to be out of breath, gave him a small sigh and scolded him.
“Your Highness, I am serious, but why do you keep laughing..."
Noah looked at her, his face plastered with a smile, as a voice tickled his ear. For some reason, even the slight grumbling on her pretty, small face seemed amusing, so he averted his gaze. Then, he blamed Mrs. Lehmann for nothing.
“Madame Lehmann doesn’t know much.”
“...?”
“It was pious enough.”
Olivia's mouth half-opened, and her eyes widened at Noah's muttering. Facing Olivia, Noah decided it would be best to leave the room.
He artificially assumed a polite demeanor.
“Anyway, I understand what you mean, so let’s be more reverent at tomorrow’s ceremony.”
Then, before Olivia could even react, he bent down, took her hand, and kissed it. Then, neatly releasing her hand, he straightened up and gave a small bow to Olivia, who still looked dumbfounded.
"Then rest, Liv. See you tomorrow."
As Olivia quickly bent down and greeted him, Noah strode across the room with a smile on his face.
And when he disappeared, Olivia unconsciously touched her lips and buried her head in her palm.
Olivia groaned and muttered as the countless types of sleep she had reverently pushed into her head came rushing out.
"Oh my god..."
Olivia ended up staying up all night and barely managed to fall asleep at dawn.
And just when she seemed to have fallen asleep, Madame Lehmann woke her up.
“Miss, wake up. You must get ready.”
The words pierced Olivia's ears like a spell, waking her up.
“Yes, I woke up.”
Olivia's eyes shot open, and she bounced out of bed like a spring.
The maid skillfully dressed her. Olivia had been thinking about this moment all week, so she was already waiting for her turn before the maids even gave her a call.
Her face was made up nicely, and her shiny, jet-black hair was braided back from either side of her ears, then twisted together like rose vines.
Concerned about wearing a veil, the hairpiece was held below the ear level, and a lily-shaped pin studded with tiny diamonds was elegantly placed around the perimeter. This was to be used as decoration when the veil was removed after the ceremony.
The facial makeup and hair care that started when the dawn was just beginning to break ended when the morning sunlight began to penetrate deep into the room.
The maids stared blankly at Olivia, who was blooming like a single flower, and then smiled brightly.
“You are beautiful.”
Olivia also looked at herself in the mirror and felt dumbfounded.
"Thank you."
“Yes, now it’s time to put on your dress. Please stand up.”
Jane Ambrose approached Olivia with a bright smile. Remembering the blue dress he had once made for her, Jane Ambrose personally fitted her with a corset.
“I made it a little looser because you felt uncomfortable with it being too tight.”
Even so, Olivia's breathing was slightly hitched by the pressure on her chest and abdomen.
“How are you? Are you okay?”
She wondered how anyone could wear something like this, but Olivia quickly nodded.
“This is bearable.”
Jane Ambrose smiled brightly and took a step back. Olivia turned and cautiously walked toward the dress the maids had laid out. She felt embarrassed by the outfit, which was practically underwear, but she had no time to feel that way.
Olivia took Jane Ambrose's hand and carefully stepped into her open skirt. As she regained her balance and stood alone, the maids held onto her skirt, pulled it up, tucked her arms in, and finally fastened the numerous buttons on her back.
At the same time, the royal maids of honor placed a large pearl necklace around Olivia's neck. The two-strand pearl necklace was a gift from Queen Beatrix's family, and she reportedly wore it at her wedding to Leonard II.
After putting on the necklace and earrings, the tiara finally appeared.
The tiara, shaped like a rose emerging from a vine, was a work of art in itself. Hundreds of diamonds, large and small, were densely embroidered on the elaborate platinum crown, shining brilliantly.
The maids carefully placed the tiara on Olivia's head, securing it with dozens of pins.
Olivia took a slow breath, feeling the heavy weight on her head.
Soon, after securing the long, transparent veil behind the tiara, Madame Lehmann, her maids, and even Jane Ambrose, who had designed the dress, were all gazing at Olivia, completely entranced.
Olivia swallowed unconsciously and faced him head-on. In the dim light, his frame seemed much larger than usual.
Olivia couldn't bear to look at him, so she pulled her chin up and gazed at his chest. Her eyes flushed red.
Noah, who had planned to let this end with just a show, felt his mouth go dry at the embarrassment in Olivia's eyes.
“Raise your head and look at me so I can kiss you.”
Olivia took a deep breath as the words landed on her head, then mustered up her courage and tilted her head back.
But at that moment, ironically, Madame Lehmann's words flashed through her mind.
“The tiara may fall off, so try not to move your neck as much as possible.”
At the same time, the image of the Queen handing over a gorgeous tiara also came to mind.
“It’s something I cherish very much.”
Olivia opened her eyes wide and opened her mouth urgently.
“Your Highness, I plan to wear the tiara Her Majesty lent me tomorrow.”
What does it matter if we kiss?
Noah grumbled inwardly as he looked into the dark eyes, from which the momentary embarrassment had completely evaporated.
But Olivia was serious.
“What if I tilt my head back and Tiara falls backwards?”
"...What?"
Her clear eyes sparkled like beads.
“Her Majesty the Queen said it was something she treasured.”
Noah blinked in bewilderment at her unexpected concern, but eventually burst into laughter at her infinitely serious expression.
“Heh heh. What are you worried about, Tiara?”
Olivia, who had been watching Noah, who was habitually tilting his head back, covering his eyes, and his chest heaving, protested as if she was frustrated.
"Your Highness, the tiara is quite heavy! Madame Lehmann also told me not to move my head too much! If I drop it during the wedding..."
Noah chuckled, then wiped his face and stared at Olivia.
The above-mentioned face looked like a ripe, red peach.
A peach so sweet and sweet that you want to swallow it all in one gulp.
His mind, which had clearly been set on just pretending to do it, suddenly changed, and a rough impulse arose.
The green eyes that had once held a hint of laughter suddenly darkened and sank deep, rippling dangerously.
“Don’t worry. It’ll work this way.”
Noah reached out with both hands and cupped Olivia's ears. And in that moment, he realized something.
It couldn't have ended with just a show, and it would have ended up like this in the end.
Noah bowed his head urgently, his shoulders drooping like a thirsty man.
Whether everything flowed or not, only then did the waves ripple on the island that stood alone.
Noah gazed at her wide, startled eyes from a close distance and kissed her lips. Her lips, tightly shut, unable to utter even a shriek, were surprisingly warm and soft.
A sweet fragrance rose from the pale skin that touched the tip of his nose.
The unfamiliarly sweet scent and soft texture made Noah feel a parched thirst, like a hungry lion about to sink its fangs into the nape of its prey's neck.
At the same time, it felt like Olivia and he were left alone, cut off from everything else in the world. Noah, always yearning to step back from the world, pressed his fingers against Olivia's head, tightening his grip. The urge to pull her closer, to delve deeper, surged within him.
The moment Noah, who had always been numb and tired of thirst, grabbed the back of her neck and shook it, Olivia took a deep breath.
The new sound made his whole body heat up even more, but at the same time, his mind came back.
Noah slowly sucked the corner of her lips, exhaling a suppressed breath, and slowly raised his body.
When their lips, which had been locked without a moment's pause, parted, Olivia finally let out the breath she had been holding. Her breath flowed in gasps from her lips, now translucent and rubbed crimson, and her pitch-black eyes, locked in her reddened rim, were clouded and trembling.
Looking into her eyes, bathed in a dim golden light, Noah vividly felt the desire that had been buried deep inside him surge up again.
Noah slowly ran his fingers through the black hair tangled in his hand. He enjoyed the smooth feel of it brushing between his long fingers.
As Olivia's blurred eyes gradually came back into focus, Noah spoke.
“Don’t worry about the Tiara. I can hold it with my hands.”
Only then did Olivia regain her senses, and her cheeks flushed brightly. Feeling her earlobes flush red, she felt like she wanted to disappear somewhere at any moment.
Noah, looking at her like that, was constantly overcome by the urge to kiss her again. Her flushed face, her ears bulging, her eyes blinking shut, her face as if ready to cry, was a secret.
Noah tilted his head and spoke softly.
“You can’t have a face like this at tomorrow’s wedding.”
Even though he knew that he shouldn't be like that at the next meal, he whispered that, and Olivia suddenly looked up and met his gaze.
Even in moments like this, Noah Astrid seemed so perfect that Olivia felt even more frantic. She desperately tried to calm herself, muttering softly.
“Then... you shouldn’t kiss like this.”
"...What?"
When Noah asked back, flustered by the unexpected words, Olivia protested in a hushed voice.
"Mrs. Lehmann said... it was part of a reverent ritual where you just touch lips for a moment and then pull away in less than a second. She said you wouldn't even know if you touched or not..."
But no matter how much she thought about it, the kiss he just gave her was far from pious.
But Olivia couldn't continue. Noah started laughing again, his chest heaving.
Olivia, who was looking at the Prince laughing so hard that he seemed to be out of breath, gave him a small sigh and scolded him.
“Your Highness, I am serious, but why do you keep laughing..."
Noah looked at her, his face plastered with a smile, as a voice tickled his ear. For some reason, even the slight grumbling on her pretty, small face seemed amusing, so he averted his gaze. Then, he blamed Mrs. Lehmann for nothing.
“Madame Lehmann doesn’t know much.”
“...?”
“It was pious enough.”
Olivia's mouth half-opened, and her eyes widened at Noah's muttering. Facing Olivia, Noah decided it would be best to leave the room.
He artificially assumed a polite demeanor.
“Anyway, I understand what you mean, so let’s be more reverent at tomorrow’s ceremony.”
Then, before Olivia could even react, he bent down, took her hand, and kissed it. Then, neatly releasing her hand, he straightened up and gave a small bow to Olivia, who still looked dumbfounded.
"Then rest, Liv. See you tomorrow."
As Olivia quickly bent down and greeted him, Noah strode across the room with a smile on his face.
And when he disappeared, Olivia unconsciously touched her lips and buried her head in her palm.
Olivia groaned and muttered as the countless types of sleep she had reverently pushed into her head came rushing out.
"Oh my god..."
Olivia ended up staying up all night and barely managed to fall asleep at dawn.
And just when she seemed to have fallen asleep, Madame Lehmann woke her up.
“Miss, wake up. You must get ready.”
The words pierced Olivia's ears like a spell, waking her up.
“Yes, I woke up.”
Olivia's eyes shot open, and she bounced out of bed like a spring.
The maid skillfully dressed her. Olivia had been thinking about this moment all week, so she was already waiting for her turn before the maids even gave her a call.
Her face was made up nicely, and her shiny, jet-black hair was braided back from either side of her ears, then twisted together like rose vines.
Concerned about wearing a veil, the hairpiece was held below the ear level, and a lily-shaped pin studded with tiny diamonds was elegantly placed around the perimeter. This was to be used as decoration when the veil was removed after the ceremony.
The facial makeup and hair care that started when the dawn was just beginning to break ended when the morning sunlight began to penetrate deep into the room.
The maids stared blankly at Olivia, who was blooming like a single flower, and then smiled brightly.
“You are beautiful.”
Olivia also looked at herself in the mirror and felt dumbfounded.
"Thank you."
“Yes, now it’s time to put on your dress. Please stand up.”
Jane Ambrose approached Olivia with a bright smile. Remembering the blue dress he had once made for her, Jane Ambrose personally fitted her with a corset.
“I made it a little looser because you felt uncomfortable with it being too tight.”
Even so, Olivia's breathing was slightly hitched by the pressure on her chest and abdomen.
“How are you? Are you okay?”
She wondered how anyone could wear something like this, but Olivia quickly nodded.
“This is bearable.”
Jane Ambrose smiled brightly and took a step back. Olivia turned and cautiously walked toward the dress the maids had laid out. She felt embarrassed by the outfit, which was practically underwear, but she had no time to feel that way.
Olivia took Jane Ambrose's hand and carefully stepped into her open skirt. As she regained her balance and stood alone, the maids held onto her skirt, pulled it up, tucked her arms in, and finally fastened the numerous buttons on her back.
At the same time, the royal maids of honor placed a large pearl necklace around Olivia's neck. The two-strand pearl necklace was a gift from Queen Beatrix's family, and she reportedly wore it at her wedding to Leonard II.
After putting on the necklace and earrings, the tiara finally appeared.
The tiara, shaped like a rose emerging from a vine, was a work of art in itself. Hundreds of diamonds, large and small, were densely embroidered on the elaborate platinum crown, shining brilliantly.
The maids carefully placed the tiara on Olivia's head, securing it with dozens of pins.
Olivia took a slow breath, feeling the heavy weight on her head.
Soon, after securing the long, transparent veil behind the tiara, Madame Lehmann, her maids, and even Jane Ambrose, who had designed the dress, were all gazing at Olivia, completely entranced.
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