Episode 95. Are you happy with your marriage?
A splendid reception room bathed in warm autumn sunlight.
“Did I hold the teacup perfectly?”
“How do you do that hand gesture? I guess I should learn it too.”
The servant waiting in a corner of the reception room desperately suppressed the urge to pick his ear.
He wasn't the only one. Olivia, hearing those words, licked her lips several times, while Countess Timberline simply stared blankly.
Only Noah Astrid, who had thrown the words, was relaxed.
"Try again, Liv. How did you stop it?"
Olivia glanced at Noah, but he maintained his impudent demeanor and nodded at her teacup. Finally, Olivia let out a small breath, put down her teacup, and corrected Noah's fingers.
Noah watched Olivia's fingers touching his with satisfaction, then glanced at Mrs. Timberline, who was in a daze.
In an instant, Noah's eyes, which had been as warm as the afternoon sunlight, froze like frost.
It was obvious what that woman was trying to do.
After tormenting Olivia to the point of burning her to ashes, she wanted to place her on her hands.
Or maybe she wanted to shake the Princess and be intoxicated with a sinister self-consciousness.
'Where do you dare?'
“Countess Timberline.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
"I don't think the Princess's posture needs any correction from now on. It seems like she should just observe and learn."
“...”
“Isn’t that so?”
Whether Olivia was flustered or not, Noah grinned and drove the wedge in.
'I don't want to hear that damn thing about Olivia standing there all day ever again.'
In front of a lion determined to bite her throat, Mrs. Timberline couldn't even dare to resist.
“Yes, Your Highness. I will do so.”
Herod's messenger suddenly jumped into the fight between Olivia and Mrs. Timberline, and ended up shaking things up.
Very, very easy and light.
Mrs. Timberline fled from the Prince's mansion.
As she trembled with a chill, she felt a belated sense of humiliation as she left the mansion.
"No matter how much the world changes, commoners are commoners, and nobles are nobles. No matter how much you wrap it in fancy wrapping paper, the essence remains unchanged."
The woman ground her teeth as she remembered Noah, who had been by Olivia's side.
“The Prince was blinded by beauty and became dull.”
The Princess must have whispered something vulgar to the Prince.
She must have complained and offered it to him because she was having a hard time accepting the teachings as teachings!
So, the dull Prince would have appeared out of nowhere and caused trouble.
“It’s obvious even without looking.”
Mrs. Timberline shivered as she entered the drawing room of the Marquis of Letium.
“You’re early today? Come sit down.”
She sat down in front of the Marchioness with a very aggrieved expression on her face.
“Oh, what happened?”
“..Marchioness.”
“Please speak.”
Mrs. Timberline paused to consider her words, then leaned toward the Marchioness and whispered.
“I wish we could have a social gathering soon. What do you think?”
After Mrs. Timberline left, Noah told her to bring Olivia some food.
“Noah, I ate earlier.”
“I heard you didn’t eat properly, so stop complaining and just eat.”
“I’m not that hungry.”
“If you miss the right time, you won’t know you’re hungry.”
“...”
When did Herod's Prince miss the opportunity to say something like that?
As Olivia's gaze grew dimmer, Noah gestured to the utensils as if telling her to stop thinking and eat.
Finally, Olivia picked up her fork and began to eat her belated lunch. At first, she was reluctant, not knowing she was hungry, but as she ate, the thick steamed fish seemed to melt in her mouth.
Noah watched Olivia eat in silence.
Then, when Olivia was about to put down her fork, he got up and urged her on.
“Eat more.”
“No, that’s enough. But why are you here early today?”
But Noah didn't answer Olivia's question and asked something else.
“How long did you plan on holding out?”
“What?”
"That ridiculous posture correction thing. How long would you have lasted if I hadn't intervened? Didn't you realize she was nitpicking?"
"All right."
“Then you should have told me. What were you trying to do?”
Olivia's two inner selves slowly peeked out.
Olivia opened her mouth calmly, feeling the strange conflict between her younger self, who had longed for endless protection, and her self, who had to face everything on her own.
"I tried to hold out for a week. I believed that if she kept nitpicking, then I'd have something to say."
But Noah remained expressionless and silent in response to her words. It was clear that he did not agree with her opinion in the slightest.
Olivia thought for a moment and then asked him.
“How do you think I handled it right?”
Noah remained silent a little longer in response to her question.
If it were up to me, I would have told you to just take etiquette classes, attend social events, and do nothing else but study what you wanted to do.
But even Noah, no matter how shameless, couldn't bring himself to say that.
Finally, he forced a sigh and spoke in a weary tone.
“If anyone ever picks on something ridiculous in the future, don’t be foolish and just let me know.”
“Noah, that is...”
"Yeah, it's not normal. But there are a lot of crazy people in the world, right? When dealing with crazy people, it's difficult to stick to 'normal.'"
“...Don’t you hate it?”
Noah's eyes sank deeply at Olivia's words.
“Liv.”
He sat up and looked at Olivia as if he was going to devour her.
“Since you are my wife, that is also my job.”
For a moment, King Leonard's voice overlapped.
"It's not because he's my son, but Noah, no matter how much he hates it, takes responsibility for what he has to do. If you become his wife by marrying him today, Noah will do his best as a husband."
As Olivia's eyes sparkled, Noah stood up and kissed her cheek lightly.
Then he put on the gloves he had taken off and picked up his jacket.
“Where are you going?”
“I have business to attend to at the palace. Don’t come out and finish eating.”
Noah gently pressed Olivia's shoulder as she tried to get up, then walked away.
It seems that the heartless and boring man came all the way here to personally interfere in her class.
Looking at his back, she remembered the moment she encountered Noah at the police station, just before she'd been slapped. But strangely enough, she remembered herself, disheveled and disfigured, before she remembered Noah.
When Olivia thought about how she must have looked in his eyes, how shabby she must have looked with her wrinkled skirt and disheveled appearance, jer heart felt heavy, and she could die.
A splendid reception room bathed in warm autumn sunlight.
“Did I hold the teacup perfectly?”
“How do you do that hand gesture? I guess I should learn it too.”
The servant waiting in a corner of the reception room desperately suppressed the urge to pick his ear.
He wasn't the only one. Olivia, hearing those words, licked her lips several times, while Countess Timberline simply stared blankly.
Only Noah Astrid, who had thrown the words, was relaxed.
"Try again, Liv. How did you stop it?"
Olivia glanced at Noah, but he maintained his impudent demeanor and nodded at her teacup. Finally, Olivia let out a small breath, put down her teacup, and corrected Noah's fingers.
Noah watched Olivia's fingers touching his with satisfaction, then glanced at Mrs. Timberline, who was in a daze.
In an instant, Noah's eyes, which had been as warm as the afternoon sunlight, froze like frost.
It was obvious what that woman was trying to do.
After tormenting Olivia to the point of burning her to ashes, she wanted to place her on her hands.
Or maybe she wanted to shake the Princess and be intoxicated with a sinister self-consciousness.
'Where do you dare?'
“Countess Timberline.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
"I don't think the Princess's posture needs any correction from now on. It seems like she should just observe and learn."
“...”
“Isn’t that so?”
Whether Olivia was flustered or not, Noah grinned and drove the wedge in.
'I don't want to hear that damn thing about Olivia standing there all day ever again.'
In front of a lion determined to bite her throat, Mrs. Timberline couldn't even dare to resist.
“Yes, Your Highness. I will do so.”
Herod's messenger suddenly jumped into the fight between Olivia and Mrs. Timberline, and ended up shaking things up.
Very, very easy and light.
Mrs. Timberline fled from the Prince's mansion.
As she trembled with a chill, she felt a belated sense of humiliation as she left the mansion.
"No matter how much the world changes, commoners are commoners, and nobles are nobles. No matter how much you wrap it in fancy wrapping paper, the essence remains unchanged."
The woman ground her teeth as she remembered Noah, who had been by Olivia's side.
“The Prince was blinded by beauty and became dull.”
The Princess must have whispered something vulgar to the Prince.
She must have complained and offered it to him because she was having a hard time accepting the teachings as teachings!
So, the dull Prince would have appeared out of nowhere and caused trouble.
“It’s obvious even without looking.”
Mrs. Timberline shivered as she entered the drawing room of the Marquis of Letium.
“You’re early today? Come sit down.”
She sat down in front of the Marchioness with a very aggrieved expression on her face.
“Oh, what happened?”
“..Marchioness.”
“Please speak.”
Mrs. Timberline paused to consider her words, then leaned toward the Marchioness and whispered.
“I wish we could have a social gathering soon. What do you think?”
At her question, the eyes of the Marchioness widened in surprise before narrowing into slits.
***
After Mrs. Timberline left, Noah told her to bring Olivia some food.
“Noah, I ate earlier.”
“I heard you didn’t eat properly, so stop complaining and just eat.”
“I’m not that hungry.”
“If you miss the right time, you won’t know you’re hungry.”
“...”
When did Herod's Prince miss the opportunity to say something like that?
As Olivia's gaze grew dimmer, Noah gestured to the utensils as if telling her to stop thinking and eat.
Finally, Olivia picked up her fork and began to eat her belated lunch. At first, she was reluctant, not knowing she was hungry, but as she ate, the thick steamed fish seemed to melt in her mouth.
Noah watched Olivia eat in silence.
Then, when Olivia was about to put down her fork, he got up and urged her on.
“Eat more.”
“No, that’s enough. But why are you here early today?”
But Noah didn't answer Olivia's question and asked something else.
“How long did you plan on holding out?”
“What?”
"That ridiculous posture correction thing. How long would you have lasted if I hadn't intervened? Didn't you realize she was nitpicking?"
"All right."
“Then you should have told me. What were you trying to do?”
Olivia's two inner selves slowly peeked out.
Olivia opened her mouth calmly, feeling the strange conflict between her younger self, who had longed for endless protection, and her self, who had to face everything on her own.
"I tried to hold out for a week. I believed that if she kept nitpicking, then I'd have something to say."
But Noah remained expressionless and silent in response to her words. It was clear that he did not agree with her opinion in the slightest.
Olivia thought for a moment and then asked him.
“How do you think I handled it right?”
Noah remained silent a little longer in response to her question.
If it were up to me, I would have told you to just take etiquette classes, attend social events, and do nothing else but study what you wanted to do.
If the teacher had wanted to, he could have saved her anytime. Then, when the time came, it would have been nice to just sit around in Hamuel for months, killing time.
Finally, he forced a sigh and spoke in a weary tone.
“If anyone ever picks on something ridiculous in the future, don’t be foolish and just let me know.”
“Noah, that is...”
"Yeah, it's not normal. But there are a lot of crazy people in the world, right? When dealing with crazy people, it's difficult to stick to 'normal.'"
“...Don’t you hate it?”
Noah's eyes sank deeply at Olivia's words.
“Liv.”
He sat up and looked at Olivia as if he was going to devour her.
“Since you are my wife, that is also my job.”
For a moment, King Leonard's voice overlapped.
"It's not because he's my son, but Noah, no matter how much he hates it, takes responsibility for what he has to do. If you become his wife by marrying him today, Noah will do his best as a husband."
As Olivia's eyes sparkled, Noah stood up and kissed her cheek lightly.
Then he put on the gloves he had taken off and picked up his jacket.
“Where are you going?”
“I have business to attend to at the palace. Don’t come out and finish eating.”
Noah gently pressed Olivia's shoulder as she tried to get up, then walked away.
It seems that the heartless and boring man came all the way here to personally interfere in her class.
Looking at his back, she remembered the moment she encountered Noah at the police station, just before she'd been slapped. But strangely enough, she remembered herself, disheveled and disfigured, before she remembered Noah.
When Olivia thought about how she must have looked in his eyes, how shabby she must have looked with her wrinkled skirt and disheveled appearance, jer heart felt heavy, and she could die.
She couldn't understand why she felt so miserable, even though it was clearly the protection she so desperately wanted. It was so strange.
Olivia hesitated for a moment, then blurted out a question to Noah, who was holding the doorknob.
“The Magic Dome thing... is it resolved?”
Then Noah opened the door and replied lightly.
“I told you not to worry about that.”
“But if you ever need my help, please let me know.”
But Noah disappeared without saying anything.
Noah headed straight for the palace. When he entered the King's office, it was filled with acrid tobacco smoke.
Noah shook his head and immediately opened the window.
Then Leonard, who had been nervously looking at the documents, suddenly got angry.
“Close it!!”
“I can’t stay in a place like this for even a moment.”
As Noah retorted indifferently, Leonard groaned and started flipping through the papers.
“Why is he so upset?”
When Noah asked Usher, who was standing by the window, Usher tilted his head slightly and whispered in his ear.
“Lucy has finally declared war on His Majesty.”
“Lucy, declare war?”
“I heard she said that if he didn’t send her to school right away, she would never see her father’s face again.”
At that moment, Leonard raised his voice and shook the papers he had been nervously handing over.
"What kind of a mess is this graduation trip going abroad?! What? And it's a school rule that security guards aren't allowed on campus! Do you know what's going on inside!!"
He thought it was an important document because it was being looked at so seriously, but it turned out to be a document related to a school Lucy might attend.
Usher said with a look of disgust on his face.
“It was the same rule when Noah and I were attending school, Your Majesty.”
Then Leonard opened his eyes wide and glared at his eldest son, then said without missing a word.
“Lucy is just like you guys?!!”
“...”
“...”
Noah and Usher looked at their father with trembling faces and simultaneously put their hands in their pockets.
Yes, yes, you must be foolish.
Noah was about to add something, but changed his mind when he saw the King's face full of irritation.
Noah straightened his posture politely and spoke quickly and concisely.
“We have completed preparations to recover the funds that went into Wilhelm’s company.”
Leonard's gaze changed like a palm turning over.
He looked at Usher, silent like a lion before the hunt.
“Usher, are you ready to announce your statement?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The King looked at his sons one by one and then gave an order to the secretary who was by his side.
“Make a statement today and report back in real time.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Noah, you can collect the funds tomorrow afternoon.”
"All right."
Leonard cocked his eyebrows in satisfaction, then looked back at Lucy's school papers and grabbed his head.
“What on earth is missing that you’re suddenly making me feel so bad about this!”
Noah and Usher left the office silently, lamenting their father's behavior.
The King's groans could be heard from behind, but even the secretaries seemed to pretend not to hear.
“I wish Lucy victory.”
Usher chuckled as Noah muttered.
The heavy office door closed, and the brothers, as if by agreement, began walking side by side down the hallway. Usher glanced at Noah's profile and playfully tapped him on the shoulder.
When Noah saw him, Usher smiled and asked.
“Are you happy about getting married?”
Noah then turned his gaze straight ahead again and raised the corners of his mouth.
Olivia hesitated for a moment, then blurted out a question to Noah, who was holding the doorknob.
“The Magic Dome thing... is it resolved?”
Then Noah opened the door and replied lightly.
“I told you not to worry about that.”
“But if you ever need my help, please let me know.”
But Noah disappeared without saying anything.
***
Noah headed straight for the palace. When he entered the King's office, it was filled with acrid tobacco smoke.
Noah shook his head and immediately opened the window.
Then Leonard, who had been nervously looking at the documents, suddenly got angry.
“Close it!!”
“I can’t stay in a place like this for even a moment.”
As Noah retorted indifferently, Leonard groaned and started flipping through the papers.
“Why is he so upset?”
When Noah asked Usher, who was standing by the window, Usher tilted his head slightly and whispered in his ear.
“Lucy has finally declared war on His Majesty.”
“Lucy, declare war?”
“I heard she said that if he didn’t send her to school right away, she would never see her father’s face again.”
At that moment, Leonard raised his voice and shook the papers he had been nervously handing over.
"What kind of a mess is this graduation trip going abroad?! What? And it's a school rule that security guards aren't allowed on campus! Do you know what's going on inside!!"
He thought it was an important document because it was being looked at so seriously, but it turned out to be a document related to a school Lucy might attend.
Usher said with a look of disgust on his face.
“It was the same rule when Noah and I were attending school, Your Majesty.”
Then Leonard opened his eyes wide and glared at his eldest son, then said without missing a word.
“Lucy is just like you guys?!!”
“...”
“...”
Noah and Usher looked at their father with trembling faces and simultaneously put their hands in their pockets.
Yes, yes, you must be foolish.
Noah was about to add something, but changed his mind when he saw the King's face full of irritation.
Noah straightened his posture politely and spoke quickly and concisely.
“We have completed preparations to recover the funds that went into Wilhelm’s company.”
Leonard's gaze changed like a palm turning over.
He looked at Usher, silent like a lion before the hunt.
“Usher, are you ready to announce your statement?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The King looked at his sons one by one and then gave an order to the secretary who was by his side.
“Make a statement today and report back in real time.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Noah, you can collect the funds tomorrow afternoon.”
"All right."
Leonard cocked his eyebrows in satisfaction, then looked back at Lucy's school papers and grabbed his head.
“What on earth is missing that you’re suddenly making me feel so bad about this!”
Noah and Usher left the office silently, lamenting their father's behavior.
The King's groans could be heard from behind, but even the secretaries seemed to pretend not to hear.
“I wish Lucy victory.”
Usher chuckled as Noah muttered.
The heavy office door closed, and the brothers, as if by agreement, began walking side by side down the hallway. Usher glanced at Noah's profile and playfully tapped him on the shoulder.
When Noah saw him, Usher smiled and asked.
“Are you happy about getting married?”
Noah then turned his gaze straight ahead again and raised the corners of his mouth.
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