Episode 134. Sharp and Precarious
“No. It was accessibility. Although scholarships are difficult to obtain, they were still achievable through my own efforts; however, accessibility was something I could not resolve on my own. If the school is too far away, I cannot attend.”
The lives of nobles who had villas here and there or wealthy relatives differed from those of commoners, starting from that.
"When I attended Roland School, it took about five hours round trip by carriage from school to home."
At her words, Noah thought of the old stone road.
"Since classes started at nine in the morning, I left home with my grandmother at six every day. And when classes ended, we would return home together, with my grandmother having waited for me outside the school all day. By the time we arrived home, it was always pitch dark."
The reporters frantically jotted down her words in their notebooks. The sound of pen nibs scraping against the paper poured down like rain.
Harold Beam's face hardened.
“Looking back now, I wonder how a mere ten-year-old managed to do that. Still, since that school was the closest to my home, even if I went back in time, I would still travel that distance back and forth. It was the only option available to me.”
Olivia slowly looked around at the silent nobles and spoke firmly.
“In schools for the common people, the most important thing is not the number of restrooms, nor the quality of chairs and desks. The most important thing is accessibility.”
“...”
“Only a small number of commoners can study abroad, and most must walk to school on their own two feet. What the majority of Herodian citizens need is a school where students can walk on their own. To achieve this, schools would have to be established everywhere, and the cost would be considerable.”
Olivia stared directly at Harold Beam.
“The source of funding for aristocratic schools is the money of the nobles, whereas the source of funding for royal schools is taxes. Sir Beam, we could certainly decorate this school for show, but if we truly care for the majority of commoners, we should use the money spent on lavishly decorating one school to build another.”
The Princess, displaying the dignity befitting a Princess, rebuked Harold Beam with a stern expression.
“That is precisely the purpose for which the Royal School was founded. Therefore, do not obscure the true significance of this school with what is visible. If you truly care for Herod’s people, you should not be discussing matters such as the number of toilets, but rather contemplating where the next school should be established.”
“...”
Harold Beam was speechless, his face turning bright red from the neck up.
To him who tried to trample on the Princess's honor and the purpose of establishing the Royal School with the provocative word "restroom," the Princess completely crushed him by turning the word back on him.
The sound of the reporters' writing sounded like the hoof ring of a warhorse trampling him, and the gaze of the nobles felt like an arrow piercing his heart.
I didn't want to admit it, but I had no choice.
He means the fact that he suffered a crushing defeat in the political struggle against the Princess.
And Herod's messengers showed absolutely no mercy to the one who lost the battle.
Leonard sprang to his feet before Harold Beam could wrap up his defeat with fancy words. Then, looking at the Princess with a satisfied expression, he clapped very loudly.
As the King stirred the silence of the hall, the Queen, the Crown Prince, and Noah rose from their seats and applauded Olivia. The King's aides and nobles also rose from their seats in unison.
Therefore, the Ruble Party members, led by Harold Beam, had no choice but to rise from their seats.
Eventually, everyone gathered in the main hall stood up and applauded Olivia.
Olivia felt the applause pouring down on her as refreshing as the sound of a midsummer shower. It felt as though the thick, cool raindrops were washing away the grime that had been tied up deep in her heart.
It felt as if the egg that had been constricting her had broken, and thus, she had finally shaken off her wet wings that had been curled up.
Feeling the thrilling sensation of hot blood flowing vigorously through every nook and cranny of her veins, Olivia smiled broadly.
The Royal School's founding ceremony ended very successfully.
As soon as the official event ended, the Ruble Party, led by Harold Beam, fled in panic, and King Leonard, overjoyed, called Olivia to his side.
“You truly are worthy of being the top graduate of Harrington College. I was so moved by the Princess’s speech that I shed a few tears!”
“Did you see Harold Beam flee without saying a word, Your Majesty?”
“Hahaha, do you know what? I heard the Princess has memorized that chaotic royal family tree from beginning to end! They say she memorized it after seeing it just once, right, Olivia?”
As Leonard turned to Olivia, who was nearby, and asked affectionately, Olivia smiled awkwardly but gently and lowered her head.
At that moment, the bravest of the invited reporters, who had been eagerly awaiting an opportunity, requested an interview with the King.
“Your Majesty, may I dare to request an interview? I am John Kinter of the Heritage newspaper!”
“Oh, isn’t that the Editor-in-Chief of Heritage’s Political Department? Long time no see!”
“It is an honor that you remember me, Your Majesty!”
He quickly squeezed his way through the nobles and glanced at the Princess. Prince Noah, standing beside her, wore an expression as cold as frost, but did the Prince's look matter right now?!
King Leonard was in such a good mood that it was a golden opportunity to secure an exclusive interview with the Princess if things went well.
“I was deeply moved by Her Highness the Princess’s congratulatory remarks. So, if you do not mind, would you be interested in an interview with our newspaper...?”
As the reporter trailed off, Leonard stealthily turned his head to look at Olivia. Although his face stung at the murderous look in his son's eyes, Leonard feigned ignorance and asked his daughter-in-law.
“Will you be alright, Olivia?”
Who would dare refuse when the King asks like that?
The Princess nodded lightly with a sociable smile.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
The eyes of the other reporters, who had been staring only at her mouth, changed at that moment to look like jackals spotting prey.
"Hey, hey! Grab your camera and come over here, hurry!"
"Hey, move aside! Don't you remember our newspaper staff gave up their seats at the wedding?!"
"Is that a concession? You were robbed."
"This person is for real!"
While the reporters were engaged in a silent war of nerves, the brave reporter John Kinter approached the Princess and began bombarding her with questions about everything he had been curious about.
“Your Highness, you mentioned that it took five hours round-trip by carriage from Roland School to your home. Did you experience any difficulties?”
“Of course, there were difficulties, Mr. Reporter. Once, on the way back, a carriage wheel came off, and I even had to spend the night in the middle of a field with other passengers.”
“Ah... that’s right. It is troublesome when a carriage breaks down occasionally.”
"Yes. But as time passed, that, too, became a memory."
"What did you usually do inside the carriage?"
"Since it was my commute to school, I usually studied."
Except for John Kinter, the other reporters also pricked up their ears and were busy taking notes on what the Princess was saying.
"So, a five-hour commute is what made the top graduate from Harrington?"
"You are too kind, Your Majesty."
Before long, King Leonard also naturally joined the interview.
Reporters didn't even think about asking Noah for an interview. Until a few years ago, they were desperate to get an interview with him by any means, but starting with the wedding, everyone's attention shifted to the Princess.
From the start, there was no journalist who did not know that Prince Noah was disillusioned with and detested the press.
Reporters are human, too. It is highly unlikely that they would be pleased to approach someone who intensely dislikes them. A kind Princess Consort is a much better choice!
Noah stepped back from all the commotion.
He stared at Olivia for a long time as she sincerely answered the reporter's questions and took her picture, then quietly turned around.
When Olivia realized Noah's presence, he was making his way through the crowd alone and crossing the door.
"Ah..."
Just like that day in the past when he slipped away alone from the masterpiece 'Love and Comfort'.
As Olivia covered her lips while watching Noah walk away, a reporter called out to her.
“...Your Highness, the Princess?”
In the meantime, Noah had completely disappeared from her sight. Olivia stared blankly at the spot where he had vanished, then turned to the reporter and asked.
“Oh, sorry. What did you say?”
And in the end, just like that day, Olivia could not follow him.
Olivia glanced at the door and looked around throughout the interview, but Noah never returned.
Beatrix whispered to Olivia.
“Noah doesn’t really like these kinds of events. He’s probably outside. If you’re concerned, go out first. We’ll be out soon, too.”
"Would it be okay if I did that?"
"Then."
Having received Beatrix's permission, Olivia quickly turned around. Beatrix fell into a deep groan as she watched Olivia's retreating back in a hurry. The cold, piercing gaze in her son's eyes weighed heavily on her mind.
Meanwhile, Jonan, who was waiting outside the venue, quickly approached Olivia as soon as she came out.
“Jonan, do you know where His Highness is?”
"Please come this way, Your Highness."
The nobles were watching her, but perhaps because of Jonan, they hesitated before approaching and moved away.
With every breath, white vapor shattered. Although the weather was said to be warmer than usual, Herod's characteristic bone-chilling cold burrowed into her thick coat, making her shiver.
It was so cold, yet Noah stood at the entrance of the desolate garden where the wind was blowing.
Unfamiliar white smoke was continuously rising beyond his silhouette, with his back to Olivia. The blowing wind carried the acrid scent of the smoke.
Olivia, who had been momentarily thrilled by a sense of accomplishment, felt numb from the acrid scent carried by the wind.
Noah was smoking a cigarette.
Just then, sensing a presence, he turned his head to look at her. His nose and eyes, illuminated by the sunlight, felt particularly sharp today.
“No. It was accessibility. Although scholarships are difficult to obtain, they were still achievable through my own efforts; however, accessibility was something I could not resolve on my own. If the school is too far away, I cannot attend.”
The lives of nobles who had villas here and there or wealthy relatives differed from those of commoners, starting from that.
"When I attended Roland School, it took about five hours round trip by carriage from school to home."
At her words, Noah thought of the old stone road.
"Since classes started at nine in the morning, I left home with my grandmother at six every day. And when classes ended, we would return home together, with my grandmother having waited for me outside the school all day. By the time we arrived home, it was always pitch dark."
The reporters frantically jotted down her words in their notebooks. The sound of pen nibs scraping against the paper poured down like rain.
Harold Beam's face hardened.
“Looking back now, I wonder how a mere ten-year-old managed to do that. Still, since that school was the closest to my home, even if I went back in time, I would still travel that distance back and forth. It was the only option available to me.”
Olivia slowly looked around at the silent nobles and spoke firmly.
“In schools for the common people, the most important thing is not the number of restrooms, nor the quality of chairs and desks. The most important thing is accessibility.”
“...”
“Only a small number of commoners can study abroad, and most must walk to school on their own two feet. What the majority of Herodian citizens need is a school where students can walk on their own. To achieve this, schools would have to be established everywhere, and the cost would be considerable.”
Olivia stared directly at Harold Beam.
“The source of funding for aristocratic schools is the money of the nobles, whereas the source of funding for royal schools is taxes. Sir Beam, we could certainly decorate this school for show, but if we truly care for the majority of commoners, we should use the money spent on lavishly decorating one school to build another.”
The Princess, displaying the dignity befitting a Princess, rebuked Harold Beam with a stern expression.
“That is precisely the purpose for which the Royal School was founded. Therefore, do not obscure the true significance of this school with what is visible. If you truly care for Herod’s people, you should not be discussing matters such as the number of toilets, but rather contemplating where the next school should be established.”
“...”
Harold Beam was speechless, his face turning bright red from the neck up.
To him who tried to trample on the Princess's honor and the purpose of establishing the Royal School with the provocative word "restroom," the Princess completely crushed him by turning the word back on him.
The sound of the reporters' writing sounded like the hoof ring of a warhorse trampling him, and the gaze of the nobles felt like an arrow piercing his heart.
I didn't want to admit it, but I had no choice.
He means the fact that he suffered a crushing defeat in the political struggle against the Princess.
And Herod's messengers showed absolutely no mercy to the one who lost the battle.
Leonard sprang to his feet before Harold Beam could wrap up his defeat with fancy words. Then, looking at the Princess with a satisfied expression, he clapped very loudly.
As the King stirred the silence of the hall, the Queen, the Crown Prince, and Noah rose from their seats and applauded Olivia. The King's aides and nobles also rose from their seats in unison.
Therefore, the Ruble Party members, led by Harold Beam, had no choice but to rise from their seats.
Eventually, everyone gathered in the main hall stood up and applauded Olivia.
Olivia felt the applause pouring down on her as refreshing as the sound of a midsummer shower. It felt as though the thick, cool raindrops were washing away the grime that had been tied up deep in her heart.
It felt as if the egg that had been constricting her had broken, and thus, she had finally shaken off her wet wings that had been curled up.
Feeling the thrilling sensation of hot blood flowing vigorously through every nook and cranny of her veins, Olivia smiled broadly.
The Royal School's founding ceremony ended very successfully.
As soon as the official event ended, the Ruble Party, led by Harold Beam, fled in panic, and King Leonard, overjoyed, called Olivia to his side.
“You truly are worthy of being the top graduate of Harrington College. I was so moved by the Princess’s speech that I shed a few tears!”
“Did you see Harold Beam flee without saying a word, Your Majesty?”
“Hahaha, do you know what? I heard the Princess has memorized that chaotic royal family tree from beginning to end! They say she memorized it after seeing it just once, right, Olivia?”
As Leonard turned to Olivia, who was nearby, and asked affectionately, Olivia smiled awkwardly but gently and lowered her head.
At that moment, the bravest of the invited reporters, who had been eagerly awaiting an opportunity, requested an interview with the King.
“Your Majesty, may I dare to request an interview? I am John Kinter of the Heritage newspaper!”
“Oh, isn’t that the Editor-in-Chief of Heritage’s Political Department? Long time no see!”
“It is an honor that you remember me, Your Majesty!”
He quickly squeezed his way through the nobles and glanced at the Princess. Prince Noah, standing beside her, wore an expression as cold as frost, but did the Prince's look matter right now?!
King Leonard was in such a good mood that it was a golden opportunity to secure an exclusive interview with the Princess if things went well.
“I was deeply moved by Her Highness the Princess’s congratulatory remarks. So, if you do not mind, would you be interested in an interview with our newspaper...?”
As the reporter trailed off, Leonard stealthily turned his head to look at Olivia. Although his face stung at the murderous look in his son's eyes, Leonard feigned ignorance and asked his daughter-in-law.
“Will you be alright, Olivia?”
Who would dare refuse when the King asks like that?
The Princess nodded lightly with a sociable smile.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
The eyes of the other reporters, who had been staring only at her mouth, changed at that moment to look like jackals spotting prey.
"Hey, hey! Grab your camera and come over here, hurry!"
"Hey, move aside! Don't you remember our newspaper staff gave up their seats at the wedding?!"
"Is that a concession? You were robbed."
"This person is for real!"
While the reporters were engaged in a silent war of nerves, the brave reporter John Kinter approached the Princess and began bombarding her with questions about everything he had been curious about.
“Your Highness, you mentioned that it took five hours round-trip by carriage from Roland School to your home. Did you experience any difficulties?”
“Of course, there were difficulties, Mr. Reporter. Once, on the way back, a carriage wheel came off, and I even had to spend the night in the middle of a field with other passengers.”
“Ah... that’s right. It is troublesome when a carriage breaks down occasionally.”
"Yes. But as time passed, that, too, became a memory."
"What did you usually do inside the carriage?"
"Since it was my commute to school, I usually studied."
Except for John Kinter, the other reporters also pricked up their ears and were busy taking notes on what the Princess was saying.
"So, a five-hour commute is what made the top graduate from Harrington?"
"You are too kind, Your Majesty."
Before long, King Leonard also naturally joined the interview.
Reporters didn't even think about asking Noah for an interview. Until a few years ago, they were desperate to get an interview with him by any means, but starting with the wedding, everyone's attention shifted to the Princess.
From the start, there was no journalist who did not know that Prince Noah was disillusioned with and detested the press.
Reporters are human, too. It is highly unlikely that they would be pleased to approach someone who intensely dislikes them. A kind Princess Consort is a much better choice!
Noah stepped back from all the commotion.
He stared at Olivia for a long time as she sincerely answered the reporter's questions and took her picture, then quietly turned around.
When Olivia realized Noah's presence, he was making his way through the crowd alone and crossing the door.
"Ah..."
Just like that day in the past when he slipped away alone from the masterpiece 'Love and Comfort'.
As Olivia covered her lips while watching Noah walk away, a reporter called out to her.
“...Your Highness, the Princess?”
In the meantime, Noah had completely disappeared from her sight. Olivia stared blankly at the spot where he had vanished, then turned to the reporter and asked.
“Oh, sorry. What did you say?”
And in the end, just like that day, Olivia could not follow him.
Olivia glanced at the door and looked around throughout the interview, but Noah never returned.
Beatrix whispered to Olivia.
“Noah doesn’t really like these kinds of events. He’s probably outside. If you’re concerned, go out first. We’ll be out soon, too.”
"Would it be okay if I did that?"
"Then."
Having received Beatrix's permission, Olivia quickly turned around. Beatrix fell into a deep groan as she watched Olivia's retreating back in a hurry. The cold, piercing gaze in her son's eyes weighed heavily on her mind.
Meanwhile, Jonan, who was waiting outside the venue, quickly approached Olivia as soon as she came out.
“Jonan, do you know where His Highness is?”
"Please come this way, Your Highness."
The nobles were watching her, but perhaps because of Jonan, they hesitated before approaching and moved away.
With every breath, white vapor shattered. Although the weather was said to be warmer than usual, Herod's characteristic bone-chilling cold burrowed into her thick coat, making her shiver.
It was so cold, yet Noah stood at the entrance of the desolate garden where the wind was blowing.
Unfamiliar white smoke was continuously rising beyond his silhouette, with his back to Olivia. The blowing wind carried the acrid scent of the smoke.
Olivia, who had been momentarily thrilled by a sense of accomplishment, felt numb from the acrid scent carried by the wind.
Noah was smoking a cigarette.
Just then, sensing a presence, he turned his head to look at her. His nose and eyes, illuminated by the sunlight, felt particularly sharp today.
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