Episode 110. Night of Loss
As soon as Olivia snapped open her eyes, she desperately pulled the nearby blankets close to her. Loss had arrived without warning and shaken her life to its core. Her comfortable cradle was shattered in an instant.
Olivia struggled with a sense of loss that had surfaced from her subconscious. Even though more than a decade had passed, the shock of that day seemed to still be coiled within her.
When she turned her head, she saw an empty bed.
The violent pulsation showed no signs of subsiding.
Once triggered, the fear and sense of loss surged in like a raging storm, engulfing the girl within.
That night, could I have ever imagined that I would never see my parents and grandfather again?
Olivia jumped up from her seat and ran out to the balcony as if fleeing. She hugged the blanket, slumped onto the floor, and looked out through the gap in the railing.
And then, she waited vaguely for Noah.
Clutching her heart that felt like it was about to burst, she desperately hoped he would appear.
Ironically, after her grandmother passed away, Olivia lived forgetting the fear of loss. Since there was nothing left to lose, she was not afraid either.
However, that fear reared its head above the surface once again.
The soul of the girl who had not yet fully grown was still lingering in the night of loss.
“Noah...”
His name mingled with the white, shattered breath.
Noah isn't coming today anyway.
He would only return tomorrow. Nevertheless, Olivia waited for him, looking out over the railing.
Noah.
Reciting that name as if it were a spell.
“...Noah.”
The moment his name finally fell from the corners of her lips.
Cutting through the thick darkness, the sound of horses' hooves began to be heard like a lie.
Olivia held her breath and listened intently.
The sound of hooves was gradually drawing closer. Olivia rose from her seat and stared intently into the deep darkness.
The pulsation, which had subsided for a moment, surged rapidly again.
Thump, thump, thump.
Soon, the sound of the mansion's iron gate opening and closing was heard.
Just as the moon, which had been hiding behind the clouds, peeked its head out, the silhouette of the garden was revealed in the blue moonlight.
When the figure that had burrowed into the dark outline of the garden tree revealed itself under the moonlight, Olivia's heart pounded loudly, beating much more fiercely than it had at that moment.
The soul of the girl who had been eagerly waiting for him finally escaped the night of loss.
Olivia turned around, kicked out of the room, and ran out.
Her footsteps quickened as she crossed the hallway and went down the stairs.
Deep beneath the desire to hide whenever she saw him, there was always an urge to run toward him. Olivia ran out through the open door and called out to him.
“Noah!”
Noah, who was just climbing the stairs, opened his eyes wide when he saw Olivia running toward him. Dressed in white pajamas, she stretched out her arms toward him, her hair as black as night, fluttering in the wind.
Noah dropped the luggage he was holding onto the floor and tightly hugged Olivia as she clung to him. Olivia burrowed deeper into his embrace than ever before.
Noah's heart pounded wildly. It was astonishing how fast his pulse was beating, even faster than when he had run madly down the rough night road.
And he realized.
It is not that he returned because he couldn't sleep, but that he returned because he missed Olivia.
Olivia gasped for breath and tightened her grip on Noah.
A tremor of unknown origin was felt intensely beyond the touching body heat.
“Liv.”
As he called her name in a whisper, Olivia, who had been burying her head in his chest, slowly lifted it. Seeing that her face was still pale, Noah placed his hand on her forehead to check her temperature. Fortunately, she had no fever, but her pajamas were too thin.
Noah quickly took off his clothes, wrapped them around her shoulders, and lifted her up.
He lightly kissed the corner of Olivia's eye as she gasped in surprise, then strode into the mansion.
Meanwhile...
As soon as Olivia snapped open her eyes, she desperately pulled the nearby blankets close to her. Loss had arrived without warning and shaken her life to its core. Her comfortable cradle was shattered in an instant.
Olivia struggled with a sense of loss that had surfaced from her subconscious. Even though more than a decade had passed, the shock of that day seemed to still be coiled within her.
When she turned her head, she saw an empty bed.
The violent pulsation showed no signs of subsiding.
Once triggered, the fear and sense of loss surged in like a raging storm, engulfing the girl within.
That night, could I have ever imagined that I would never see my parents and grandfather again?
Olivia jumped up from her seat and ran out to the balcony as if fleeing. She hugged the blanket, slumped onto the floor, and looked out through the gap in the railing.
And then, she waited vaguely for Noah.
Clutching her heart that felt like it was about to burst, she desperately hoped he would appear.
Ironically, after her grandmother passed away, Olivia lived forgetting the fear of loss. Since there was nothing left to lose, she was not afraid either.
However, that fear reared its head above the surface once again.
The soul of the girl who had not yet fully grown was still lingering in the night of loss.
“Noah...”
His name mingled with the white, shattered breath.
Noah isn't coming today anyway.
He would only return tomorrow. Nevertheless, Olivia waited for him, looking out over the railing.
Noah.
Reciting that name as if it were a spell.
“...Noah.”
The moment his name finally fell from the corners of her lips.
Cutting through the thick darkness, the sound of horses' hooves began to be heard like a lie.
Olivia held her breath and listened intently.
The sound of hooves was gradually drawing closer. Olivia rose from her seat and stared intently into the deep darkness.
The pulsation, which had subsided for a moment, surged rapidly again.
Thump, thump, thump.
Soon, the sound of the mansion's iron gate opening and closing was heard.
Just as the moon, which had been hiding behind the clouds, peeked its head out, the silhouette of the garden was revealed in the blue moonlight.
When the figure that had burrowed into the dark outline of the garden tree revealed itself under the moonlight, Olivia's heart pounded loudly, beating much more fiercely than it had at that moment.
The soul of the girl who had been eagerly waiting for him finally escaped the night of loss.
Olivia turned around, kicked out of the room, and ran out.
Her footsteps quickened as she crossed the hallway and went down the stairs.
Deep beneath the desire to hide whenever she saw him, there was always an urge to run toward him. Olivia ran out through the open door and called out to him.
“Noah!”
Noah, who was just climbing the stairs, opened his eyes wide when he saw Olivia running toward him. Dressed in white pajamas, she stretched out her arms toward him, her hair as black as night, fluttering in the wind.
Noah dropped the luggage he was holding onto the floor and tightly hugged Olivia as she clung to him. Olivia burrowed deeper into his embrace than ever before.
Noah's heart pounded wildly. It was astonishing how fast his pulse was beating, even faster than when he had run madly down the rough night road.
And he realized.
It is not that he returned because he couldn't sleep, but that he returned because he missed Olivia.
Olivia gasped for breath and tightened her grip on Noah.
A tremor of unknown origin was felt intensely beyond the touching body heat.
“Liv.”
As he called her name in a whisper, Olivia, who had been burying her head in his chest, slowly lifted it. Seeing that her face was still pale, Noah placed his hand on her forehead to check her temperature. Fortunately, she had no fever, but her pajamas were too thin.
Noah quickly took off his clothes, wrapped them around her shoulders, and lifted her up.
He lightly kissed the corner of Olivia's eye as she gasped in surprise, then strode into the mansion.
Meanwhile...
“...”
“...”
Meson and the bodyguards left behind watched the couple's reunion with sour expressions.
Jonan wrinkled his nose and then smoothed it out while muttering.
"So... you didn't come here because something huge happened, right?"
Then Meson smacked his lips and turned around.
"Isn't he the one who ran all the way to Pullder out of anxiety? This distance is nothing. Ugh, seriously."
"I need to get married soon."
The bodyguards' silent sighs vanished into the cold autumn night air.
Noah returned to the room carrying Olivia and set her down on the bed. However, the blanket that should have been on the bed was missing. Upon closer inspection, he saw the blanket beyond the open balcony window.
“Ah, that...”
Olivia, flustered, was about to make an excuse, but Noah nonchalantly closed the balcony window and had Mrs. Betty bring a new blanket.
"Bring a wet towel, too."
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As Mrs. Betty left, Noah personally lit the fireplace to raise the temperature in the cool room.
The silhouette of the man sitting, blocking the golden-red light, appeared even larger and longer due to the long shadow. Olivia ran her fingers along the edge of his jacket wrapped around her shoulder and asked.
“Noah, I thought you would come tomorrow. What happened? Is something wrong?”
However, Noah only kindled a fire and gave no answer.
The faint flames soon grew in size, threatening to engulf the fireplace, and the room beyond the open window, which had been deprived of warmth, also became warm.
Around that time, Mrs. Betty returned, spread a new duvet on the bed, handed a wet towel to the Prince, and left.
"I don't have a fever anymore."
Olivia spoke as she watched Noah approaching with a towel, but Noah ignored her. Instead, he quietly knelt at her feet and unhesitatingly wrapped his hand around one of her feet.
“...?!”
"What were you doing that you came running out without even putting on your shoes?"
He carefully wiped the small, white feet with a wet towel. Only then did Olivia realize that she had run toward him barefoot.
Her face flushed in an instant.
The blankets were scattered on the balcony, and the barefoot Princess.
It seemed like something that could easily lead to rumors that she was crazy, but Noah appeared completely calm.
“I’ll wipe it!”
"That's enough. Just stay as you are."
He thoroughly wiped one foot, then placed the other foot on his knee. After turning the towel inside out and folding it, he wiped the remaining foot as well.
The touch was warm and soft.
Olivia quietly took in his appearance.
As the fear in her young heart that he, too, might not return vanished, it was as if a balloon had settled in the place where it had been. The balloon gradually inflated.
Olivia looked at his face, bathed in golden light, and cautiously began to speak.
"It's because I'm glad to see you."
Noah, who had been kneeling, slowly raised his head at the whisper like a flower petal that had landed on him.
As their eyes met, Olivia smiled as if she were lying.
"I am glad to see you, Noah."
Noah looked at Olivia, holding his breath. After staring at her lovely face for a long time, Noah asked back in a low voice.
"Were you waiting for me?"
Olivia answered his question honestly.
"Yes."
Noah slowly reached out and placed his palm on Olivia's cheek. Her cheek was cold compared to his hand, which had been warmed from tending the fire.
He pictured Olivia sitting on the balcony under the covers, waiting for him. For some reason, Noah felt a lump in his throat and furrowed his brow slightly.
"You know when I'll come, so wait for me. You knew I wasn't coming today."
Olivia whispered as she carefully cupped the back of his hand against her cheek.
"I wanted to see you."
The words that flowed from the corners of the pale lips drifted into Noah's ears and settled in his heart.
One day, his heart, which had been indifferent and weary of everything, began to stir. Then, finally, this night, he made a preposterous choice and ran all night down a rough and dark road.
"You don't love her, do you?"
For some reason, that remark felt really funny.
For some reason, that verbose and ambiguous word felt very easy.
Noah could no longer hold back and sat up to kiss Olivia's pale lips. Grabbing the back of her head as it slid back limply, she collapsed onto the bed.
Rough, dry lips and the touch of a hand wrapping around his neck poured down like refreshing rain into his life, which had been like a parched desert.
Even the sound of the wind and the faint moonlight that had bothered him became meaningless in the presence of Olivia. In that sense, she, too, was his barrier.
As he hugged the soft body and took a deep breath, his anxiously fluttering heart seemed to finally settle back into place.
Noah slowly stroked Olivia's hair.
With her presence, Noah's night became peaceful.
“What? Noah returned to the capital last night?”
Leonard raised his voice in surprise at the breakfast the King, Queen, and Crown Prince were having together for the first time in a long while.
The aide quickly added a businesslike explanation.
"His Highness attended both the naval parade and the banquet celebrating the construction of the warship yesterday afternoon. His original schedule included attending breakfast today as well, but I hear he returned overnight after asking Admiral David for understanding."
"Why?"
“..”
"Well, you wouldn't know either. How could you, a complete stranger, know a son's heart when even his father doesn't?"
As the aide remained silent with an expressionless face, Leonard waved his hand to send him away and muttered.
“Well... skipping breakfast is fine. Is there work at the office? I haven’t heard anything like that.”
Then Beatrix, who was drinking tea across from her, shook her head slightly and replied.
“Noah must go because the Princess is sick.”
“...?”
At her words, Usher blinked, looked at his mother, and
“...?????”
Leonard widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows. The corners of his lips turned downward. Then he said just one word.
“Noah?”
“...”
“Noah was planning to come today anyway?”
“...It’s getting cold. Please eat.”
“...”
Meson and the bodyguards left behind watched the couple's reunion with sour expressions.
Jonan wrinkled his nose and then smoothed it out while muttering.
"So... you didn't come here because something huge happened, right?"
Then Meson smacked his lips and turned around.
"Isn't he the one who ran all the way to Pullder out of anxiety? This distance is nothing. Ugh, seriously."
"I need to get married soon."
The bodyguards' silent sighs vanished into the cold autumn night air.
Noah returned to the room carrying Olivia and set her down on the bed. However, the blanket that should have been on the bed was missing. Upon closer inspection, he saw the blanket beyond the open balcony window.
“Ah, that...”
Olivia, flustered, was about to make an excuse, but Noah nonchalantly closed the balcony window and had Mrs. Betty bring a new blanket.
"Bring a wet towel, too."
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As Mrs. Betty left, Noah personally lit the fireplace to raise the temperature in the cool room.
The silhouette of the man sitting, blocking the golden-red light, appeared even larger and longer due to the long shadow. Olivia ran her fingers along the edge of his jacket wrapped around her shoulder and asked.
“Noah, I thought you would come tomorrow. What happened? Is something wrong?”
However, Noah only kindled a fire and gave no answer.
The faint flames soon grew in size, threatening to engulf the fireplace, and the room beyond the open window, which had been deprived of warmth, also became warm.
Around that time, Mrs. Betty returned, spread a new duvet on the bed, handed a wet towel to the Prince, and left.
"I don't have a fever anymore."
Olivia spoke as she watched Noah approaching with a towel, but Noah ignored her. Instead, he quietly knelt at her feet and unhesitatingly wrapped his hand around one of her feet.
“...?!”
"What were you doing that you came running out without even putting on your shoes?"
He carefully wiped the small, white feet with a wet towel. Only then did Olivia realize that she had run toward him barefoot.
Her face flushed in an instant.
The blankets were scattered on the balcony, and the barefoot Princess.
It seemed like something that could easily lead to rumors that she was crazy, but Noah appeared completely calm.
“I’ll wipe it!”
"That's enough. Just stay as you are."
He thoroughly wiped one foot, then placed the other foot on his knee. After turning the towel inside out and folding it, he wiped the remaining foot as well.
The touch was warm and soft.
Olivia quietly took in his appearance.
As the fear in her young heart that he, too, might not return vanished, it was as if a balloon had settled in the place where it had been. The balloon gradually inflated.
Olivia looked at his face, bathed in golden light, and cautiously began to speak.
"It's because I'm glad to see you."
Noah, who had been kneeling, slowly raised his head at the whisper like a flower petal that had landed on him.
As their eyes met, Olivia smiled as if she were lying.
"I am glad to see you, Noah."
Noah looked at Olivia, holding his breath. After staring at her lovely face for a long time, Noah asked back in a low voice.
"Were you waiting for me?"
Olivia answered his question honestly.
"Yes."
Noah slowly reached out and placed his palm on Olivia's cheek. Her cheek was cold compared to his hand, which had been warmed from tending the fire.
He pictured Olivia sitting on the balcony under the covers, waiting for him. For some reason, Noah felt a lump in his throat and furrowed his brow slightly.
"You know when I'll come, so wait for me. You knew I wasn't coming today."
Olivia whispered as she carefully cupped the back of his hand against her cheek.
"I wanted to see you."
The words that flowed from the corners of the pale lips drifted into Noah's ears and settled in his heart.
One day, his heart, which had been indifferent and weary of everything, began to stir. Then, finally, this night, he made a preposterous choice and ran all night down a rough and dark road.
"You don't love her, do you?"
For some reason, that remark felt really funny.
For some reason, that verbose and ambiguous word felt very easy.
Noah could no longer hold back and sat up to kiss Olivia's pale lips. Grabbing the back of her head as it slid back limply, she collapsed onto the bed.
Rough, dry lips and the touch of a hand wrapping around his neck poured down like refreshing rain into his life, which had been like a parched desert.
Even the sound of the wind and the faint moonlight that had bothered him became meaningless in the presence of Olivia. In that sense, she, too, was his barrier.
As he hugged the soft body and took a deep breath, his anxiously fluttering heart seemed to finally settle back into place.
Noah slowly stroked Olivia's hair.
With her presence, Noah's night became peaceful.
***
“What? Noah returned to the capital last night?”
Leonard raised his voice in surprise at the breakfast the King, Queen, and Crown Prince were having together for the first time in a long while.
The aide quickly added a businesslike explanation.
"His Highness attended both the naval parade and the banquet celebrating the construction of the warship yesterday afternoon. His original schedule included attending breakfast today as well, but I hear he returned overnight after asking Admiral David for understanding."
"Why?"
“..”
"Well, you wouldn't know either. How could you, a complete stranger, know a son's heart when even his father doesn't?"
As the aide remained silent with an expressionless face, Leonard waved his hand to send him away and muttered.
“Well... skipping breakfast is fine. Is there work at the office? I haven’t heard anything like that.”
Then Beatrix, who was drinking tea across from her, shook her head slightly and replied.
“Noah must go because the Princess is sick.”
“...?”
At her words, Usher blinked, looked at his mother, and
“...?????”
Leonard widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows. The corners of his lips turned downward. Then he said just one word.
“Noah?”
“...”
“Noah was planning to come today anyway?”
“...It’s getting cold. Please eat.”
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