Episode 57. Untimely Attack
Noah's gaze followed Olivia's movements. She tilted her head back, her eyes wide, and stared at the magic dome. He, who had come with her, seemed completely oblivious.
“...”
He brought her here with good intentions, but strangely, his mood was sinking by the minute.
As Ansen Wilhelm inevitably came to mind, the light in his green eyes became increasingly sinister.
At that moment, Olivia, who had been looking around the outside of the Magic Dome, carefully raised her right hand and placed it against the Magic Dome.
It's not like she's communicating with some magic dome or anything.
The sight was so hazy and poignant that he couldn't help but laugh.
"Huh..."
Noah's face hardened, and his eyebrows narrowed.
He brought her here for nothing. He even asked the captain to bring her here, but it only made him feel worse.
He leaned against the railing, put his hands in his pockets, and stood up.
“If you’ve seen everything, then go.”
Olivia, who had been lost in thought as she had never seen the Magic Dome this close before, quickly came to her senses when she heard a cold voice from behind her.
“Ah, yes...!”
As Olivia quickly approached him, Noah immediately turned and walked away. He crossed the iron bridge, stopped in the wheelhouse, and said he had seen the Magic Dome.
Olivia grew increasingly pale as she watched Noah's back, which seemed to drip with cold air.
The Prince seemed angry. Sweat seeped from her palms, making her gloves clammy. Olivia, out of breath, followed him at a brisk pace. As they reached the deserted hallway, she quickly apologized.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
Noah, who was walking briskly with a hardened brow, stopped at the sound of her urgent voice. He then looked at Olivia, who appeared on his right, with impassive eyes.
Standing before Noah, Olivia felt as if she were facing an insurmountable mountain. The cold expression on his face, glimpsed briefly, was so indifferent that she couldn't muster the courage to face him. The chill, biting into her skin, sent goosebumps up her neck.
Olivia opened her mouth, trying not to tremble.
"I'm sorry you asked to see the Magic Dome. I knew it was a military facility, so I needed permission from the administrator, but I apologize for the inconvenience. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."
“...”
Her apology left Noah feeling deeply ashamed of himself. Her dark eyes, unable to meet his own, kept wandering, reflecting her anxious state of mind.
Noah took a deep, long breath, almost like a sigh. His eyes felt heavy, and fatigue washed over him.
Noah consciously frowned and extended his arm to Olivia. Only then did she slowly raise her head to look at him. Faces stiff with tension, Noah nodded at his arm.
Olivia released her grip and carefully took hold of his arm.
Noah sighed deeply at the trembling sensation in his arm.
He asked her to go, but he wondered what she was doing. Her slender fingers kept trembling. She seemed to be trying hard not to tremble, but he wondered if she could control it.
Noah asked, leading Olivia along.
“Why were you curious about the Magic Dome?”
“Yes? Ah..."
Olivia asked in surprise, then trailed off.
Noah glanced at her and added.
“I’m asking because I’ve never seen anyone ask that question, Liv.”
“...”
The word 'Liv', pronounced in a soft voice, gently rubbed Olivia's nerves, which had become as sensitive as a blade.
Olivia hesitated for a moment, choosing her words in her head. Officially, she had no connection to the Magic Dome. There was no record of that happening anywhere.
But she couldn't possibly give a vague answer like she was just curious.
Olivia's lips twitched, then she finally blurted out the vague truth.
"Actually, I helped out occasionally when the Magic Dome was being built. But I never had the chance to actually see it."
“You helped create the Magic Dome?”
Noah raised his voice and looked down at Olivia. Olivia nodded, feeling her pulse pounding strangely.
“My main job was to look at blueprints.”
“...”
When Noah remained silent, Olivia glanced at him and forced a smile.
“You probably won’t believe me.”
But she couldn't help but feel bitter.
Olivia decided to leave it at that. Noah hadn't proposed to Olivia Liberty because he needed her as an engineer, and she had no desire to live by his side as an engineer.
But Noah's words that came down from above were completely unexpected.
“Then you know Ansen Wilhelm, too?”
“Is this Ansen?”
Noah's brow furrowed slightly as Olivia glanced up at him and asked again.
“Were you close?”
"No, not really. We were close... I went to school with Ansen around the same time. And since I helped him build the Magic Dome, we met a lot."
“What kind of cooperation?”
"We were reviewing blueprints. Ansen usually came to me with the blueprints himself. He would relay the engineers' opinions, which I would then incorporate into the blueprints. Conversely, he would also relay my own opinions to the engineers."
“But why isn’t your name on the developer list?”
Olivia smiled bitterly at his direct question and then spoke calmly.
“They said that if a female engineer built a military facility, no one would buy it.”
Olivia's eyes darkened like the deep, slow abyss. The feeling of being blocked by a vast, towering mountain range came back to her.
Noah led her along silently.
The cold, suffocating atmosphere had disappeared, and her trembling hands had calmed down.
And just as they reached the outer corridor of the ship, Noah spoke.
“Are you still in contact with Ansen Wilhelm?”
Olivia also responded lightly to the seemingly indifferent question.
"No."
"It seems like Wilhelm is having quite a bit of trouble upgrading the Magic Dome. Haven't you heard from him?"
"I had differences of opinion with Ansen, and we couldn't narrow the gap. So, about a year ago, we ended our relationship."
Noah, who had been gazing out at the distant sea, released Olivia's grip on his arm and leaned back against the railing. The moon, which had disappeared and then reappeared, rose brightly behind Noah, his face obscured by the moonlight. However, even in the darkness, his eyes shone brightly, captivating Olivia's gaze.
Olivia forgot to breathe, caught in his aura and gaze. Then, he whispered, his lips curled into a seductive curl.
“Then don’t call him Ansen again, Liv.”
"... Yes?"
"You said your relationship ended. Then the title should change, too. Instead of Ansen, how about Representative Wilhelm or Mr. Wilhelm?"
Olivia, who had been blinking blankly, nodded slowly as if in a trance.
“I will do that.”
Only then did Noah smile at her.
A fierce smile curled his eyes, delicate lips curled upwards. The wind that passed through Noah carried his own scent and seeped into Olivia's lungs.
Olivia's face slowly turned red at the dark, alluring scent.
Her whole world shook with his gaze, his atmosphere, and a single careless word.
Suddenly, the words of her late grandmother came to mind.
"Liv. Don't make promises on happy days, and don't make resolutions on sad days."
This devilishly beautiful man appeared on her most miserable day, and Olivia decided that day: she would take the hand he offered her.
Grandma, am I... okay?
But that was just then.
Suddenly, the entire world seemed to collapse beneath her feet, their eye level shifting abruptly. Olivia stared down at Noah, her eyes wide open in surprise at the complete shift in eye level.
The sea supporting the huge ship began to swell violently, causing the ship to tilt to one side.
With nothing to hold onto and wearing high heels, Olivia eventually lost her balance and slid onto the railing.
Noah, who was leaning against the railing, gritted his teeth and stretched out his arm toward Olivia.
“Olivia!!!”
Then, he hugged her slender waist, which was about to bend, with his strong arms. His back was pressed against the railing, but Noah didn't groan; instead turning his head and gazed out at the sea.
Amidst the tumultuous sounds of something breaking and screams erupting from all directions, the previously calm seas began to churn violently, and an unbelievably large creature leaped out from right beside the ship. Its massive body obscured the moonlight, casting a dark shadow.
Olivia's chin trembled in Noah's arms. The ship, which had tilted sharply to port due to its movements, seemed to gradually regain its balance.
But Noah quickly scooped Olivia up and ran to the opposite wall, leaning against it. Then, as if waiting, the ship tilted to starboard, and the railing soared upward, almost reaching for the sky.
The sound of heavy artillery fire began to mix in with the piercing screams.
As the ship, which had tilted to starboard, regained its level, the creature rose above the water once more. Noah's eyes hardened coldly.
The arms around Olivia's shoulders and waist tightened.
As the black-bodied creature opened its mouth, hundreds of ferocious teeth flashed in the moonlight.
It was a megalodon.
Noah's gaze followed Olivia's movements. She tilted her head back, her eyes wide, and stared at the magic dome. He, who had come with her, seemed completely oblivious.
“...”
He brought her here with good intentions, but strangely, his mood was sinking by the minute.
As Ansen Wilhelm inevitably came to mind, the light in his green eyes became increasingly sinister.
At that moment, Olivia, who had been looking around the outside of the Magic Dome, carefully raised her right hand and placed it against the Magic Dome.
It's not like she's communicating with some magic dome or anything.
The sight was so hazy and poignant that he couldn't help but laugh.
"Huh..."
Noah's face hardened, and his eyebrows narrowed.
He brought her here for nothing. He even asked the captain to bring her here, but it only made him feel worse.
He leaned against the railing, put his hands in his pockets, and stood up.
“If you’ve seen everything, then go.”
Olivia, who had been lost in thought as she had never seen the Magic Dome this close before, quickly came to her senses when she heard a cold voice from behind her.
“Ah, yes...!”
As Olivia quickly approached him, Noah immediately turned and walked away. He crossed the iron bridge, stopped in the wheelhouse, and said he had seen the Magic Dome.
Olivia grew increasingly pale as she watched Noah's back, which seemed to drip with cold air.
The Prince seemed angry. Sweat seeped from her palms, making her gloves clammy. Olivia, out of breath, followed him at a brisk pace. As they reached the deserted hallway, she quickly apologized.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
Noah, who was walking briskly with a hardened brow, stopped at the sound of her urgent voice. He then looked at Olivia, who appeared on his right, with impassive eyes.
Standing before Noah, Olivia felt as if she were facing an insurmountable mountain. The cold expression on his face, glimpsed briefly, was so indifferent that she couldn't muster the courage to face him. The chill, biting into her skin, sent goosebumps up her neck.
Olivia opened her mouth, trying not to tremble.
"I'm sorry you asked to see the Magic Dome. I knew it was a military facility, so I needed permission from the administrator, but I apologize for the inconvenience. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."
“...”
Her apology left Noah feeling deeply ashamed of himself. Her dark eyes, unable to meet his own, kept wandering, reflecting her anxious state of mind.
Noah took a deep, long breath, almost like a sigh. His eyes felt heavy, and fatigue washed over him.
Noah consciously frowned and extended his arm to Olivia. Only then did she slowly raise her head to look at him. Faces stiff with tension, Noah nodded at his arm.
Olivia released her grip and carefully took hold of his arm.
Noah sighed deeply at the trembling sensation in his arm.
He asked her to go, but he wondered what she was doing. Her slender fingers kept trembling. She seemed to be trying hard not to tremble, but he wondered if she could control it.
Noah asked, leading Olivia along.
“Why were you curious about the Magic Dome?”
“Yes? Ah..."
Olivia asked in surprise, then trailed off.
Noah glanced at her and added.
“I’m asking because I’ve never seen anyone ask that question, Liv.”
“...”
The word 'Liv', pronounced in a soft voice, gently rubbed Olivia's nerves, which had become as sensitive as a blade.
Olivia hesitated for a moment, choosing her words in her head. Officially, she had no connection to the Magic Dome. There was no record of that happening anywhere.
But she couldn't possibly give a vague answer like she was just curious.
Olivia's lips twitched, then she finally blurted out the vague truth.
"Actually, I helped out occasionally when the Magic Dome was being built. But I never had the chance to actually see it."
“You helped create the Magic Dome?”
Noah raised his voice and looked down at Olivia. Olivia nodded, feeling her pulse pounding strangely.
“My main job was to look at blueprints.”
“...”
When Noah remained silent, Olivia glanced at him and forced a smile.
“You probably won’t believe me.”
But she couldn't help but feel bitter.
Olivia decided to leave it at that. Noah hadn't proposed to Olivia Liberty because he needed her as an engineer, and she had no desire to live by his side as an engineer.
But Noah's words that came down from above were completely unexpected.
“Then you know Ansen Wilhelm, too?”
“Is this Ansen?”
Noah's brow furrowed slightly as Olivia glanced up at him and asked again.
“Were you close?”
"No, not really. We were close... I went to school with Ansen around the same time. And since I helped him build the Magic Dome, we met a lot."
“What kind of cooperation?”
"We were reviewing blueprints. Ansen usually came to me with the blueprints himself. He would relay the engineers' opinions, which I would then incorporate into the blueprints. Conversely, he would also relay my own opinions to the engineers."
“But why isn’t your name on the developer list?”
Olivia smiled bitterly at his direct question and then spoke calmly.
“They said that if a female engineer built a military facility, no one would buy it.”
Olivia's eyes darkened like the deep, slow abyss. The feeling of being blocked by a vast, towering mountain range came back to her.
Noah led her along silently.
The cold, suffocating atmosphere had disappeared, and her trembling hands had calmed down.
And just as they reached the outer corridor of the ship, Noah spoke.
“Are you still in contact with Ansen Wilhelm?”
Olivia also responded lightly to the seemingly indifferent question.
"No."
"It seems like Wilhelm is having quite a bit of trouble upgrading the Magic Dome. Haven't you heard from him?"
"I had differences of opinion with Ansen, and we couldn't narrow the gap. So, about a year ago, we ended our relationship."
Noah, who had been gazing out at the distant sea, released Olivia's grip on his arm and leaned back against the railing. The moon, which had disappeared and then reappeared, rose brightly behind Noah, his face obscured by the moonlight. However, even in the darkness, his eyes shone brightly, captivating Olivia's gaze.
Olivia forgot to breathe, caught in his aura and gaze. Then, he whispered, his lips curled into a seductive curl.
“Then don’t call him Ansen again, Liv.”
"... Yes?"
"You said your relationship ended. Then the title should change, too. Instead of Ansen, how about Representative Wilhelm or Mr. Wilhelm?"
Olivia, who had been blinking blankly, nodded slowly as if in a trance.
“I will do that.”
Only then did Noah smile at her.
A fierce smile curled his eyes, delicate lips curled upwards. The wind that passed through Noah carried his own scent and seeped into Olivia's lungs.
Olivia's face slowly turned red at the dark, alluring scent.
Her whole world shook with his gaze, his atmosphere, and a single careless word.
Suddenly, the words of her late grandmother came to mind.
"Liv. Don't make promises on happy days, and don't make resolutions on sad days."
This devilishly beautiful man appeared on her most miserable day, and Olivia decided that day: she would take the hand he offered her.
Grandma, am I... okay?
But that was just then.
Suddenly, the entire world seemed to collapse beneath her feet, their eye level shifting abruptly. Olivia stared down at Noah, her eyes wide open in surprise at the complete shift in eye level.
The sea supporting the huge ship began to swell violently, causing the ship to tilt to one side.
With nothing to hold onto and wearing high heels, Olivia eventually lost her balance and slid onto the railing.
Noah, who was leaning against the railing, gritted his teeth and stretched out his arm toward Olivia.
“Olivia!!!”
Then, he hugged her slender waist, which was about to bend, with his strong arms. His back was pressed against the railing, but Noah didn't groan; instead turning his head and gazed out at the sea.
Amidst the tumultuous sounds of something breaking and screams erupting from all directions, the previously calm seas began to churn violently, and an unbelievably large creature leaped out from right beside the ship. Its massive body obscured the moonlight, casting a dark shadow.
Olivia's chin trembled in Noah's arms. The ship, which had tilted sharply to port due to its movements, seemed to gradually regain its balance.
But Noah quickly scooped Olivia up and ran to the opposite wall, leaning against it. Then, as if waiting, the ship tilted to starboard, and the railing soared upward, almost reaching for the sky.
The sound of heavy artillery fire began to mix in with the piercing screams.
As the ship, which had tilted to starboard, regained its level, the creature rose above the water once more. Noah's eyes hardened coldly.
The arms around Olivia's shoulders and waist tightened.
As the black-bodied creature opened its mouth, hundreds of ferocious teeth flashed in the moonlight.
It was a megalodon.
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