SOIC - Chapter 49

Episode 49. Can't I call you by your name?

Finally, when they arrived at the mansion, he got out of the carriage with an elegant gesture.

The shadows of reporters hiding their bodies, along with the sparkling gazes flying in from all over the place.

Noah pretended not to notice them and smiled, straightening his back.

The servants of the mansion, noticing the Prince's carriage's arrival, quickly began carrying Olivia's luggage.

But that luggage was just a single bag. Of course, there was a separate bag for the clothes she ordered from the boutique.

Noah's gaze followed the servant passing by.

Meson's burden must be more than that.

Just then, a presence was felt at the entrance of the mansion. Behind the stately footsteps, a short, thumping sound was heard. Noah straightened his expression and looked straight ahead.

As Margot appeared, her dress fluttering, Noah smiled brightly and bowed politely, as if he had forgotten the intense tantrums of a few days ago.

Margot, too, had no reason to show such envy, so she accepted his greeting gently.

As Noah raised his head, Olivia took a step forward from behind Margot.

The first thing that caught his eye was the green velvet headband, a gift he had chosen for Lucy.

Although it was a bit early for the season, it suited her just as he had pictured it in his head.

She was wearing a white silk blouse and a green flared skirt and was holding a small black bag in her hand.

Noah's eyebrows twitched slightly.

She spent millions of kertes on one suit like that, and honestly, he doesn't know what the difference is.

In fact, Olivia was the same no matter what she wore. Unless she was wearing something like the plunging, sheer dress her mother had made her wear the other day, she wasn't particularly drawn to clothes.

Meanwhile, Olivia gently bent down to greet Noah, whom she hadn't seen in a few days, and Noah greeted her politely in return.

As Noah raised his head, Margot opened her mouth affectionately as if she had been waiting for him.

“Go carefully. I will follow you shortly. Let’s meet at Herod’s.”

“Yes. Then I’ll see you at Herod, Aunt.”

As Noah approached, Margot held out her hand as if it were natural, and Noah bent down and gave her hand a brief kiss.

Margot gently patted Olivia's back, and Olivia gently bent her knee toward her.

“See you at Herod.”

"Yes. Then you'll call me aunt too. See you at Herod's, Olivia."

Olivia's gaze, which had been fixed on Margot's eyes, finally turned to Noah.

He stood with his back to the sunlight, looking down at her, then raised his eyebrows, folded his arms, and extended his elbows toward her.

It was a different shape from the ones she had reached out to before.

Olivia carefully placed her hand on his arm, and Noah walked away gently.

His muscular arms, too bulky to fit in one hand, were at odds with his delicate and agile image. As she walked, clutching his rock-hard arms, she was suddenly reminded of that autumn night.

She was no longer the nineteen-year-old girl who had always harbored romance and dreams in her heart, but whenever she stood before Noah, she felt as if she were being transported back to that day.

He led her to the carriage, his expression moderately cool and moderately affectionate, as they met after a few days. Then he gently released her arm and took her hand as if it were a given.

When Olivia looked up at him, Noah, instead of answering, turned over his hand as if supporting it, and Olivia was escorted up the carriage steps by him.

Noah followed her up the stairs, looking off into the distance.

Ansen Wilhelm.

The unpleasant person was watching this scene.

Noah chuckled, then got into the carriage and closed the door himself.

Olivia folded her legs and placed her bag aside as Noah sat down across from her. She put on her dainty white summer gloves, her fingers intertwined, and the carriage pulled away.

He looked out the window, craning his neck to see if there was anything to see.

His golden hair and delicate eyelashes sparkled in the sunlight. His head was turned to the side, revealing a prominent jaw and neckline as sharp as his high nose.

Olivia, who had been stealing glances at his unrealistically handsome appearance, turned her head to follow his gaze and looked out the window.

As soon as he got into the carriage, Noah glared at the spot where Ansen Wilhelm had been, and when his face disappeared from his sight, he turned his head inside the carriage.

Olivia, sitting across from him, was looking out the window with her small hands clasped tightly together.

Suddenly, he felt the urge to ask her about Ansen Wilhelm. But Noah quickly hardened his lips and wore a languid expression.

What should I ask?

Did they once like each other? Nothing ever sparked a scandal, but documents can't contain the subtle emotions between people.

But even if that were the case, what difference does it make?

Olivia took his hand and didn't even bother to meet Ansen, who had rudely come to her. Even if Ansen had existed in her past, it had nothing to do with Noah Astrid. And from now on, it shouldn't concern her either.

Noah pushed away his thoughts and looked at the headband on her head.

He was wondering why an adult would wear a ribbon headband, but it suits her amazingly well.

'I guess I have good taste.'

Noah, who was feeling somewhat proud, suddenly spoke to Olivia, who was stubbornly looking out the window.

"How have you been doing?"

Olivia turned her head in surprise at the sudden voice.

“Huh? Oh, yeah...”

“...”

“So... how have you been?”

Noah ended up chuckling as she asked in surprise with a new voice and kept blinking her eyes.

“Are you going to be so surprised every time I say something?”

Olivia felt her cheeks flush and quickly shook her head.

“No, that’s not possible.”

“Is that all you have?”

“Yes. I packed everything.”

“Meson will have more luggage than that.”

Olivia bit her lip at those words.

Noah chuckled and slowly crossed his legs. As he crossed his long legs, his shins barely touched hers.

She was busy kicking her feet, biting her tiny lips, and trying to avoid the legs this way and that.

Noah, who was leisurely watching the bride-to-be struggling to keep her legs from touching in the narrow carriage, noticed that her earlobes had turned red.

That's funny.

This woman knows in her head that she is on her way to marry him, but at the same time, she doesn't seem to know.

“Olivia.”

"Yes?"

Olivia, who was slightly agitated by the playful shaking of her legs, quickly raised her head, and Noah tilted his head and smiled.

“Liv.”

Olivia stiffened and opened her eyes wide at the familiar yet unfamiliar name pronounced without a care.

Noah smiled more deeply at her expression.

“Lucy calls you that. Can I call you that, too?”

It also bewitches people.

Olivia quickly looked down and nodded.

“Yes, please do. There’s no way it won’t work.”

“That headband, is that a gift for Lucy?”

At Noah's question, Olivia looked down and gently touched her hairband.

“Yes. She sent it to me about a year ago. Thanks to her. I really enjoyed it.”

“She chose well.”

“I think she has a good eye.”

The corners of Noah's mouth rose at that.

Olivia didn't even realize when he stopped talking.

Olivia ended up sitting awkwardly, her legs stretched out even further, and pressed against one of the walls. But she couldn't dare scold the Prince.

When she glanced up, he was leaning back comfortably and looking at her.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“...”

Olivia's delicate eyebrows twitched. Her pursed lips and upturned eyes were far more appealing than her timid, hesitant expression.

Noah smiled leisurely and spoke lightly.

“Then you stretch your legs too.”

As soon as her eyes widened in shock, Noah laughed even longer.

Olivia looked at the Prince's long, stretched legs, leaned her shoulder against the wall, and straightened her legs.

Noah added, closing his eyes lazily as he saw her reject him with actions rather than words.

“I don’t mind crossing my legs, so if it’s uncomfortable, just stretch.”

Was this Prince originally like this?

Olivia turned her head and looked out the window, feeling like her cheeks were going to turn red again.

When there was no answer and no sign of stretching his legs, Noah slowly opened his closed eyes. Olivia, dazzled by the sunlight, opened her eyes dimly but stubbornly stared outside.

No matter what, she couldn't hide the flushed, fluffy hairs on her earlobes. Noah closed his eyes again and chuckled.

It took about an hour by carriage to get from Margot's mansion to the Pulder International Port.

The Prince, who had been enjoying leisure with his eyes closed, opened them at some point and read a newspaper, then a book, and then checked some documents.

And it didn't seem like he'd stretched his legs out on purpose to tease her. He'd fold them when the extended position became uncomfortable, then stretch them out again.

Her worries about the terrifying silence were unfounded, as he was alone, self-sufficient, and well-off. He didn't even glance at her.

Olivia, feeling rather fortunate, quietly plucked a book from the wall of the carriage. It was a classic that was always on display in Margot's carriage.

The title is “The Same Side of Love and Hate.”

It was a classic novel Olivia had reread countless times during her teenage years. Revisiting her favorite book after a long absence, Olivia opened it with excitement.

When Noah, who had been reviewing documents for a while, glanced up, she was sitting upright, absorbed in a book. Then she bit her lip and suppressed a laugh.

Where is the fun in that boring novel?

Noah couldn't stand silence and awkwardness, and he hated people who tried to strike up a conversation. Being around such people would infect him with anxiety, making him uncomfortable.

As for Meson, he didn't expect Noah to respond, just opening his mouth. He dismissed it as noise, and when it became annoying, he simply told him to be quiet.

Olivia, on the other hand, seemed unwilling to speak to him in the first place. Come to think of it, even two years ago, at the palace, she had done her best to avoid him.

At that moment, Olivia's lips twitched again.

She's laughing again. He didn't see it that way, but he didn't know her tastes were similar to Meson's.

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