Episode 127. The Darkness Seeping Behind Me
Leonard chuckled as he recalled Olivia, who, despite trembling, never averted her gaze. She didn't add a long preamble, was clear, and didn't ask twice.
It had been that way in the past as well, but hadn't Leonard treated Olivia as a royal guest back then? The atmosphere was different from today.
Leonard was someone who knew how to manipulate the atmosphere like dough to completely control his opponent.
"That's pretty good. Quite good."
"Are you planning to have the Duchess of Rosemond give the congratulatory speech?"
“Who could be more suitable than her? To think she even wrote the congratulatory speech herself. And she wrote it really well, too. Huh? I’m telling you, it was incredibly well done. Hahahahaha!”
Leonard's voice grew louder as he answered the secretary's question, until he finally burst into hearty laughter.
“So that Harold Beam, who spouts nonsense about the Royal School, can never take issue with it again! I told you, she wrote down exactly what I wanted to say! Hahahahaha!”
Usher looked at his father in disbelief.
"Then why didn't you treat her a little more kindly?"
“Hehehe, Olivia is much better than those guys who came to greet me yesterday! Look at her, trembling but still managing to say everything she wanted to say before leaving! And she even greeted me in the midst of that! Those guys yesterday forgot to even say goodnight to me and just ran away!”
“...If Noah finds out, it will be chaos.”
Leonard's laughter stopped abruptly at his eldest son's remark. Judging by the fact that she had delivered the congratulatory speech and assessed the situation alone, it was certain that Noah was unaware of this matter.
He muttered while stroking his chin with a serious expression.
"Olivia might have to get over the mountain named Noah first."
“...”
But for some reason, it seemed as though Olivia would easily defeat her son. She recalled Noah's face, fretting over getting her to eat even one more piece of steak.
However, that affectionate expression changed as quickly as flipping a hand, becoming very menacing.
“That guy is definitely going to break in as soon as it gets light tomorrow.”
His head throbbed at the thought of his son's fierce face. He heard that Seymour is about to be driven out of the capital because of that fellow's revenge.
Leonard turned his head sharply toward his staff and gave an order.
"All of you, come to the office as soon as it gets light tomorrow morning."
Huh? Why would we...??
Ignoring the devastated expressions on the faces of his advisors, the King spoke as if he were the shrimp caught in the whale's fight.
“Come and testify that I wasn't the one who brought it up first. Understand?”
How could you be so despicable?
Usher squeezed his eyes shut and let out a sigh.
To the Prince, who asked about Olivia's whereabouts as soon as she returned home from work, Mrs. Betty gave an unusual answer for the first time.
"She has not returned from the palace yet."
“...”
The Prince nodded lightly at this and entered the mansion. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed over the winter-clad garden.
Click, click.
The smiles vanished from the faces of the servants who had been tidying the garden with a smile. It felt as if an inexplicable chill was coldly brushing against their chests.
The sound of footsteps fading into the distance seemed to further heighten the silence of the mansion. Even the laughter that was about to escape was pushed back by the silence and completely disappeared.
The gardener, who had worked at this mansion for a long time, cleared his throat and muttered.
“What did I tell you? I said that if Her Highness isn't here, the atmosphere will go back to how it used to be, didn't I?”
“...Even so. To think things would change so immediately just because she’s gone...”
“She’ll be here soon, so... let’s get to work.”
The gardener quickly turned around and started sweeping the fallen leaves.
Meanwhile, Noah went straight to the bathroom, washed up, and changed his clothes.
The maids who had entered to tidy up the clothes Noah had taken off glanced at the Prince sitting by the window. The Prince, with his handsome looks, was mesmerizing to behold, yet he exuded an aura that was somehow inhuman. The maids felt a chill run down their spines and quickly fled.
There was another person today who was sick and tired of Noah's mood.
It was Meson.
Noah's characteristic sharp aura had disappeared at some point, but today he was radiating that energy all day, leaving Meson completely exhausted.
Noah's green eyes sank deeply. His heart pounded restlessly the whole time.
It was because of Olivia. She had gone to the royal palace today to teach Lucy. She hadn't even gone to a social gathering. Since he had thrown away countless invitations, Olivia probably wouldn't even know such an invitation had arrived. Even so, he felt anxious.
Noah thought of the small bird that had fallen alone into the world of wild beasts. It had been at ease while existing within the paradise he had created, but upon leaving it, he felt unbearably anxious. This was true even if it were a royal palace.
"Hmm..."
It was then that he was slowly letting out a long sigh while looking at a landscape that didn't even register in his eyes.
The sound of carriage wheels rolling reached his sensitive ears. Noah sprang from his seat like a spring and looked out the window. Through the bare branches, he saw the familiar roof ornament of a carriage.
Suddenly, his heart pounded loudly.
Olivia came.
The servants welcomed Olivia with unusually joyful expressions.
"Welcome, Your Highness."
"Have you returned?"
Olivia caught her breath, still unable to calm, and returned their greetings. After taking off her gloves and handing them to the maid who had accompanied them, she entered the mansion, at which point Mrs. Betty immediately made an announcement.
“His Royal Highness the Prince is here.”
"Is it so?"
At the same time, a sluggish voice was heard from the landing.
“Liv.”
As she turned her head, she saw her husband leaning diagonally against the stair railing.
“Noah!”
As Olivia ran toward him with delight, a smile finally appeared on the lips of the Prince, who had previously exuded an inhumanly cold aura.
At that moment, the atmosphere of the mansion changed. It was because the spring sunlight, silently melting the thin ice, had arrived.
While the servants exchanged secret glances, Noah very naturally picked up her bag and wrapped his arms around her waist.
However, a crack appeared in Noah's expression as he wrapped his arms around Olivia's waist. It was because their bodies were trembling intermittently. Upon closer inspection, even his breathing was unstable.
“What happened?!”
It was an assertive tone.
Olivia quickly shook her head, grabbed his hand, and went up the stairs.
"No."
However, Noah immediately placed his hand on the nape of her neck. The pulsating heartbeat was different from usual.
"What's the matter?"
A fierce aura immediately surged in those green eyes. She could feel the determination to find out by any means necessary if he wasn't told properly.
"I'm going to my room."
Noah hardened his lips, took her hand, and strode toward the room. As soon as he entered, he closed the door and asked.
"Speak properly."
Olivia quickly opened her mouth to calm him down.
"Nothing unusual happened. I had good lessons with Princess Lucy."
“...”
"I might end up giving a congratulatory speech at the Royal School founding ceremony."
At the unexpected remark, Noah asked back a beat late.
"...What?"
Olivia smiled sweetly, took a notebook out of her bag, and handed it to him.
"After finishing class, I went to see His Majesty for a moment."
Noah took the notebook in a daze. The handwriting was neat and orderly. However, not a single word of the content registered in his eyes.
Noah raised his eyes, slightly furrowing his brow.
"Did His Majesty order this? Did he tell you to do this?"
Olivia met his darkening eyes and shook her head slightly.
"No. I told His Majesty first."
"Why?"
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you first."
“So, why did you say you would do this?”
She was confused by his unexpected reaction. Enduring the strange atmosphere, Olivia stammered her answer.
“Actually... Princess Lucy and His Majesty had a bit of an argument right in front of me.”
"However."
“I wanted to tell His Majesty right then and there that it would be good to send the Princess to school. But I simply couldn't bring myself to say it. How could I even suggest such a thing when I haven't actually done anything?”
Noah's eyes narrowed. This was because none of her words resonated with him.
“So... you’re saying you said you would do this just to say that we should send Lucy to school?”
"That is true, and..."
"It's fine. I'll go tell Father to send Lucy to school right now, so don't worry."
As Noah cut her off, Olivia quickly added.
"I told you because it is something I can do, Noah. I wanted to try doing what I can."
More ultimately, she hoped that by doing so, she would not be ashamed of the crown on her head. She hoped to create her own place to stand and have the right to speak.
It was Olivia's sincerity. Her dark eyes felt firmer than anything else.
So Noah couldn't bring himself to tell her that he had done something useless.
He couldn't bring himself to speak. It was because he was reminded of Olivia, who had cried silently without even a sound. He felt that the moment he said those words, she would cry just like that again.
Noah slowly composed himself and suppressed his temper.
“...You want to?”
Olivia felt that Noah was a complete stranger. Her pulse was pounding strangely. However, she had a hunch that she had to give the right answer now.
Olivia mustered up the courage to speak.
"I want to."
“...”
Noah remained silent for a while. A moment later, he returned the notebook to Olivia and turned around.
Olivia, suddenly terrified, grabbed him.
“Noah, what’s wrong?”
Then Noah smiled, lifting his red lips. Nevertheless, the reason for the chilling sensation must be the somber look in his eyes, unlike his lips.
He spoke slowly in a dry, parched voice.
"Since you want to do it, I should give it a try."
“...”
"Instead, tell me anytime if you're having a hard time."
It seemed as though the moment she said it was too hard, he would make it as if it never happened. Whether the opponent was King Herod or God. It seemed as though he would do so by any means necessary.
Noah slowly let go of Olivia's hand and left the room. His touch was so cold and heartless that Olivia could not bring herself to hold him back.
For some reason, she felt as though she had committed a sin. At the same time, she felt suffocated, as if someone were strangling her.
Darkness clung to Olivia's back as she stared at the closed door.
Leonard chuckled as he recalled Olivia, who, despite trembling, never averted her gaze. She didn't add a long preamble, was clear, and didn't ask twice.
It had been that way in the past as well, but hadn't Leonard treated Olivia as a royal guest back then? The atmosphere was different from today.
Leonard was someone who knew how to manipulate the atmosphere like dough to completely control his opponent.
"That's pretty good. Quite good."
"Are you planning to have the Duchess of Rosemond give the congratulatory speech?"
“Who could be more suitable than her? To think she even wrote the congratulatory speech herself. And she wrote it really well, too. Huh? I’m telling you, it was incredibly well done. Hahahahaha!”
Leonard's voice grew louder as he answered the secretary's question, until he finally burst into hearty laughter.
“So that Harold Beam, who spouts nonsense about the Royal School, can never take issue with it again! I told you, she wrote down exactly what I wanted to say! Hahahahaha!”
Usher looked at his father in disbelief.
"Then why didn't you treat her a little more kindly?"
“Hehehe, Olivia is much better than those guys who came to greet me yesterday! Look at her, trembling but still managing to say everything she wanted to say before leaving! And she even greeted me in the midst of that! Those guys yesterday forgot to even say goodnight to me and just ran away!”
“...If Noah finds out, it will be chaos.”
Leonard's laughter stopped abruptly at his eldest son's remark. Judging by the fact that she had delivered the congratulatory speech and assessed the situation alone, it was certain that Noah was unaware of this matter.
He muttered while stroking his chin with a serious expression.
"Olivia might have to get over the mountain named Noah first."
“...”
But for some reason, it seemed as though Olivia would easily defeat her son. She recalled Noah's face, fretting over getting her to eat even one more piece of steak.
However, that affectionate expression changed as quickly as flipping a hand, becoming very menacing.
“That guy is definitely going to break in as soon as it gets light tomorrow.”
His head throbbed at the thought of his son's fierce face. He heard that Seymour is about to be driven out of the capital because of that fellow's revenge.
Leonard turned his head sharply toward his staff and gave an order.
"All of you, come to the office as soon as it gets light tomorrow morning."
Huh? Why would we...??
Ignoring the devastated expressions on the faces of his advisors, the King spoke as if he were the shrimp caught in the whale's fight.
“Come and testify that I wasn't the one who brought it up first. Understand?”
How could you be so despicable?
Usher squeezed his eyes shut and let out a sigh.
***
To the Prince, who asked about Olivia's whereabouts as soon as she returned home from work, Mrs. Betty gave an unusual answer for the first time.
"She has not returned from the palace yet."
“...”
The Prince nodded lightly at this and entered the mansion. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed over the winter-clad garden.
Click, click.
The smiles vanished from the faces of the servants who had been tidying the garden with a smile. It felt as if an inexplicable chill was coldly brushing against their chests.
The sound of footsteps fading into the distance seemed to further heighten the silence of the mansion. Even the laughter that was about to escape was pushed back by the silence and completely disappeared.
The gardener, who had worked at this mansion for a long time, cleared his throat and muttered.
“What did I tell you? I said that if Her Highness isn't here, the atmosphere will go back to how it used to be, didn't I?”
“...Even so. To think things would change so immediately just because she’s gone...”
“She’ll be here soon, so... let’s get to work.”
The gardener quickly turned around and started sweeping the fallen leaves.
Meanwhile, Noah went straight to the bathroom, washed up, and changed his clothes.
The maids who had entered to tidy up the clothes Noah had taken off glanced at the Prince sitting by the window. The Prince, with his handsome looks, was mesmerizing to behold, yet he exuded an aura that was somehow inhuman. The maids felt a chill run down their spines and quickly fled.
There was another person today who was sick and tired of Noah's mood.
It was Meson.
Noah's characteristic sharp aura had disappeared at some point, but today he was radiating that energy all day, leaving Meson completely exhausted.
Noah's green eyes sank deeply. His heart pounded restlessly the whole time.
It was because of Olivia. She had gone to the royal palace today to teach Lucy. She hadn't even gone to a social gathering. Since he had thrown away countless invitations, Olivia probably wouldn't even know such an invitation had arrived. Even so, he felt anxious.
Noah thought of the small bird that had fallen alone into the world of wild beasts. It had been at ease while existing within the paradise he had created, but upon leaving it, he felt unbearably anxious. This was true even if it were a royal palace.
"Hmm..."
It was then that he was slowly letting out a long sigh while looking at a landscape that didn't even register in his eyes.
The sound of carriage wheels rolling reached his sensitive ears. Noah sprang from his seat like a spring and looked out the window. Through the bare branches, he saw the familiar roof ornament of a carriage.
Suddenly, his heart pounded loudly.
Olivia came.
The servants welcomed Olivia with unusually joyful expressions.
"Welcome, Your Highness."
"Have you returned?"
Olivia caught her breath, still unable to calm, and returned their greetings. After taking off her gloves and handing them to the maid who had accompanied them, she entered the mansion, at which point Mrs. Betty immediately made an announcement.
“His Royal Highness the Prince is here.”
"Is it so?"
At the same time, a sluggish voice was heard from the landing.
“Liv.”
As she turned her head, she saw her husband leaning diagonally against the stair railing.
“Noah!”
As Olivia ran toward him with delight, a smile finally appeared on the lips of the Prince, who had previously exuded an inhumanly cold aura.
At that moment, the atmosphere of the mansion changed. It was because the spring sunlight, silently melting the thin ice, had arrived.
While the servants exchanged secret glances, Noah very naturally picked up her bag and wrapped his arms around her waist.
However, a crack appeared in Noah's expression as he wrapped his arms around Olivia's waist. It was because their bodies were trembling intermittently. Upon closer inspection, even his breathing was unstable.
“What happened?!”
It was an assertive tone.
Olivia quickly shook her head, grabbed his hand, and went up the stairs.
"No."
However, Noah immediately placed his hand on the nape of her neck. The pulsating heartbeat was different from usual.
"What's the matter?"
A fierce aura immediately surged in those green eyes. She could feel the determination to find out by any means necessary if he wasn't told properly.
"I'm going to my room."
Noah hardened his lips, took her hand, and strode toward the room. As soon as he entered, he closed the door and asked.
"Speak properly."
Olivia quickly opened her mouth to calm him down.
"Nothing unusual happened. I had good lessons with Princess Lucy."
“...”
"I might end up giving a congratulatory speech at the Royal School founding ceremony."
At the unexpected remark, Noah asked back a beat late.
"...What?"
Olivia smiled sweetly, took a notebook out of her bag, and handed it to him.
"After finishing class, I went to see His Majesty for a moment."
Noah took the notebook in a daze. The handwriting was neat and orderly. However, not a single word of the content registered in his eyes.
Noah raised his eyes, slightly furrowing his brow.
"Did His Majesty order this? Did he tell you to do this?"
Olivia met his darkening eyes and shook her head slightly.
"No. I told His Majesty first."
"Why?"
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you first."
“So, why did you say you would do this?”
She was confused by his unexpected reaction. Enduring the strange atmosphere, Olivia stammered her answer.
“Actually... Princess Lucy and His Majesty had a bit of an argument right in front of me.”
"However."
“I wanted to tell His Majesty right then and there that it would be good to send the Princess to school. But I simply couldn't bring myself to say it. How could I even suggest such a thing when I haven't actually done anything?”
Noah's eyes narrowed. This was because none of her words resonated with him.
“So... you’re saying you said you would do this just to say that we should send Lucy to school?”
"That is true, and..."
"It's fine. I'll go tell Father to send Lucy to school right now, so don't worry."
As Noah cut her off, Olivia quickly added.
"I told you because it is something I can do, Noah. I wanted to try doing what I can."
More ultimately, she hoped that by doing so, she would not be ashamed of the crown on her head. She hoped to create her own place to stand and have the right to speak.
It was Olivia's sincerity. Her dark eyes felt firmer than anything else.
So Noah couldn't bring himself to tell her that he had done something useless.
He couldn't bring himself to speak. It was because he was reminded of Olivia, who had cried silently without even a sound. He felt that the moment he said those words, she would cry just like that again.
Noah slowly composed himself and suppressed his temper.
“...You want to?”
Olivia felt that Noah was a complete stranger. Her pulse was pounding strangely. However, she had a hunch that she had to give the right answer now.
Olivia mustered up the courage to speak.
"I want to."
“...”
Noah remained silent for a while. A moment later, he returned the notebook to Olivia and turned around.
Olivia, suddenly terrified, grabbed him.
“Noah, what’s wrong?”
Then Noah smiled, lifting his red lips. Nevertheless, the reason for the chilling sensation must be the somber look in his eyes, unlike his lips.
He spoke slowly in a dry, parched voice.
"Since you want to do it, I should give it a try."
“...”
"Instead, tell me anytime if you're having a hard time."
It seemed as though the moment she said it was too hard, he would make it as if it never happened. Whether the opponent was King Herod or God. It seemed as though he would do so by any means necessary.
Noah slowly let go of Olivia's hand and left the room. His touch was so cold and heartless that Olivia could not bring herself to hold him back.
For some reason, she felt as though she had committed a sin. At the same time, she felt suffocated, as if someone were strangling her.
Darkness clung to Olivia's back as she stared at the closed door.
Comments
Post a Comment