Episode 141. Ansen's Plan
Ansen, who had been staring blankly at the scene for a long time, asked in a suppressed voice.
“What is the whereabouts of the Prince and Princess?”
"I hear that the reporters who went to the mansion to cover the Princess had all their cameras confiscated by the Prince. I heard that the Princess received business cards from the reporters."
Ansen laughed at the secretary's words.
“Olivia must have realized that in the end, everyone is the same, and that Prince Noah and I are no different. What about Les Duans?”
“The reaction was explosive. At the very least, no one in Herod’s capital does not know Les Duants. And news regarding Magic Dome 2 will be delivered to Herod this evening via an extra edition.”
"My image will get worse, and Prince Noah will be in a bit of a predicament, too."
"Yes."
"That’s good."
What is the reason that Ansen is said to have done well in the current situation?
The secretary, who had not been able to understand it at all, was able to understand the reason only after reconsidering the hidden purpose he was pursuing.
The secretary's gaze fell upon the Princess in the newspaper held in Ansen's hand. The Princess was smiling broadly in the Prince's arms.
And Ansen was staring at the scene with a face that looked like it was about to collapse.
Isabelle Seymour covered her ears.
She hated the sight of the messy house, but she hated the sound of her mother crying the most.
Still, one fortunate thing was that the Coleman family did not cancel the marriage.
Isabelle gazed at her wedding dress placed at the entrance of the room. Recently, wedding dresses adorned with a shower of small pearls have been in fashion among brides. The originator of this trend was none other than Princess Olivia.
“I heard this design is trending these days. What do you think? Wearing a dress with this design to a wedding?”
Marchioness Coleman also asked the same, but Isabella refused, saying she would never wear that design even if she died and came back to life.
Isabelle stood up from her seat and opened the jewelry box sent by the Coleman family.
Pearls symbolize wealth and honor, rubies symbolize passion, and diamonds symbolize eternity. Various gemstones were displaying their splendid beauty amidst the red carpet, but there was no tiara there.
“That’s strange... I thought I had used it to my heart’s content and forgotten about it.”
A heart that cannot be cut off will subside for a while and then burst out when the time is right.
However, the world does not so easily open its embrace to those who cannot give up and still harbor lingering feelings. This was true for Tiara, and it was true for Noah Astrid.
“Do not make any contact with the Prince, Isabelle. Watch closely as your father is driven out of the capital.”
“Me, me having to leave the capital!!!”
Mother's angry scream could be heard faintly in the distance.
After closing the jewelry box, Isabelle opened the drawer and took out the flashlight. She wanted to throw it away, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, so she kept it.
"I’ll have to return it to the owner."
It was right then.
Just as she heard the sound of someone running fast down the hallway, someone roughly pounded on the door.
“Isabelle!”
Startled by her brother's voice, Isabelle quickly put away her flashlight and shouted.
"What's the matter?"
Her brother burst through the door, holding what appeared to be an extra edition of a newspaper. With a twisted smile on his face, he handed the newspaper to her.
“It’s breaking news that the operation of Magic Dome Unit 2 has been suspended. It’s been suspended for quite a while, but the Royal Family kept it quiet. And to make matters worse, their relationship with Wilhelm & Co. soured over Prince Noah’s matter, so even repairs seem a long way off.”
“...”
“It’s satisfying to think about how that arrogant face will contort with embarrassment. Don’t you?”
Young Master Seymour's malicious voice seeped into the darkness and scattered.
The royal family was thrown into turmoil by a breaking news report published in an extra edition.
This is because if the operation of the two Magic Domes is suspended, the safety of the nearby coast cannot be guaranteed as early as next spring.
There were many businesses related to import and export lined up along the coast, and Harold Beam, the representative of the Guild Alliance, requested an urgent audience with the King.
“Your Majesty! How can you remain silent on such a momentous matter?”
Leonard, feeling uneasy, put a cigarette in his mouth.
“Your Majesty, has there been no response from Wilhelm Company? Do you intend to wait indefinitely without receiving repairs?”
“What is the current condition of Magic Dome Unit 2? I understand that Magic Dome Unit 2 covers the widest range, so if it is completely inoperable...”
“The volume of goods stored in the coastal warehouse is enormous. If a problem arises next spring, we...!”
The aides fidgeted nervously and glanced nervously at the King. However, regarding this matter, even the King had nothing to say. Suppressing his rising anger, he silently endured the protests of the crowd that had gathered.
“I regret keeping quiet. I didn’t want to cause unnecessary unrest by informing you before finding a solution.”
If Herod wavers, Wilhelm will tighten the noose around their necks even more.
Harold Beam stepped forward and asked.
"Wilhelm Company is certainly doing this as retaliation for the unpleasant incident with Duke Rosemond, isn't it?"
At that, Usher, who had been silent until now, furrowed his brow and retorted.
“What do you mean by an unpleasant incident, Sir Beam? Duke Rosemond saved the lives of countless passengers through his wise judgment. How far must we tolerate Wilhelm Company’s preposterous claims?”
“Your Royal Highness, I was not saying that the Duke of Rosemond’s actions were wrong. However, isn’t it true that he provided the cause?”
Then, the man standing next to Harold Beam quietly added.
“Yes... At the very least, shouldn't the Duke step forward and somehow smooth this over...?”
“Where is the Duke of Rosemond...”
The man who had been asking the King about the Prince's whereabouts trailed off at the piercing blue glint in his eyes and backed down.
It was right then.
The door suddenly opened, and the person they had been waiting for appeared. Everyone's gaze turned to one spot at once.
Despite the sudden summons, the Prince was impeccably dressed. A perfectly fitted white naval uniform, a hat held in one hand, and even his neatly combed blonde hair.
From the perspective of those who had rushed over in a single breath, pale as blood, it appeared to be devoid of even a shred of humanity.
Noah, who had been walking slowly toward the people, looked at the King and spoke.
"I am a little late, Your Majesty."
Harold Beam said as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“Duke Rosemond, shouldn’t you be making an effort to improve relations with Wilhelm & Co.? Next spring is just around the corner.”
At those words, Noah let out a chuckle.
Those who were about to say a word to him following Harold Beam hesitated at the Prince's cold reaction and fell silent.
Noah turned to look at the brazen face and savagely articulated each syllable one by one.
“How good a relationship should I maintain with someone who says I should have been drowned in the middle of the ocean?”
“B-but...!”
Noah looked at the King as if he no longer wanted to even face him.
“Your Majesty, I will go to Hammington immediately and move the warship equipped with the Magic Dome to Harolington Bay. I will temporarily return to the military to guard the waters off Harolington until the two Magic Domes are ready for maintenance.”
Leonard nodded as he looked at his son's sharply sculpted face. He was very satisfied that his son had made a wise and quick decision to wear a naval uniform.
He scribbled his opinion on a piece of paper, stamped it with his seal, and handed it to Noah.
“Very well. Go and bring the warships, Duke of Rosemond.”
Noah accepted the order handed to him by the King with a disciplined gesture. Then, without even glancing at Harold Beam's group, he turned around and pulled his hat down.
The shadowed, dark eyes brought to mind a beast roaming the dark night.
Noah walked away at a pace that was neither slow nor fast, and those who had intended to protest strongly against him held their breath, unable to add a single word.
As Noah, with his hat pulled low, hurried across the hallway, the lamps swayed in unison. Then, Noah's shadow also swayed long.
“Grandma, Grandma...”
Whenever the damp voice clinging to his ears came to mind, Noah quickened his pace as if trying to shake it off.
When he returned to the bedroom, Olivia was asleep without even taking off her coat. Her fair and elegant face was unusually haggard, and her cheeks, which were already slender, had lost so much weight that they felt sharp.
And she cried.
Watching Olivia cry silently, Noah felt like he had become a lost person.
A strange, stifling sensation he had never felt before consumed his entire body, seemingly dragging him into the abyss.
The calculation is wrong.
He never imagined that the peace he had hoped to gain by marrying Olivia would be held hostage in her hands. He never dreamed she would drive him into such a corner.
A sudden voice stopped his steps as he darted across the hallway.
"Noah."
As Noah stopped and turned his head, his mother was there.
Beatrix recognized him at a glance, the shaky mess beneath the cold mask. She took a step out of the darkness.
"So, in the end, you are returning to the military for a while."
Noah remained silent for a moment, then spoke.
“Yes. That is correct, Mother.”
“Noah...”
"And Olivia will not be able to attend the daycare event tomorrow."
Beatrix's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
At that moment, Noah's vulnerability, which had been barely concealed by a cold mask, erupted like a volcano and flowed out.
Noah took a step closer to his mother and growled softly.
“Mother, if you ask why, what am I supposed to do?”
However, Beatrix did not back down either. The atmosphere of the hat, infused with golden-red light, was intense.
“So, do you want to lock Olivia up tightly in your castle?”
“...”
"Do you want to intercept and destroy all the ladies' invitations, plug her eyes and ears, and lock her up in your castle?"
Noah's face contorted miserably. Nevertheless, perhaps unable to bring himself to reveal his temper to his mother, he bowed his head and slowly composed himself.
However, the unrefined and surging energy was extremely fierce and ferocious.
Eventually, Noah, having returned wearing a cold mask, lifted his eyes.
"I'll be going now. I have a long way to go."
"I know that is your own form of protection."
“...”
"But Olivia won't feel like that is protection.'
“Since she carries the heavy label of a Princess of commoner origin, isn't it true that everyone is recklessly trying to harass Olivia? Harold Beam did it yesterday, Timberlin—whom Mother chose—did it, and Seymour and Letium did it too. Now even some insignificant newspaper...!”
“So, are you going to lock her up in your castle until time passes and no one cares about Olivia anymore? Does Olivia feel that it is protection?”
Eventually, Noah exploded.
Ansen, who had been staring blankly at the scene for a long time, asked in a suppressed voice.
“What is the whereabouts of the Prince and Princess?”
"I hear that the reporters who went to the mansion to cover the Princess had all their cameras confiscated by the Prince. I heard that the Princess received business cards from the reporters."
Ansen laughed at the secretary's words.
“Olivia must have realized that in the end, everyone is the same, and that Prince Noah and I are no different. What about Les Duans?”
“The reaction was explosive. At the very least, no one in Herod’s capital does not know Les Duants. And news regarding Magic Dome 2 will be delivered to Herod this evening via an extra edition.”
"My image will get worse, and Prince Noah will be in a bit of a predicament, too."
"Yes."
"That’s good."
What is the reason that Ansen is said to have done well in the current situation?
The secretary, who had not been able to understand it at all, was able to understand the reason only after reconsidering the hidden purpose he was pursuing.
The secretary's gaze fell upon the Princess in the newspaper held in Ansen's hand. The Princess was smiling broadly in the Prince's arms.
And Ansen was staring at the scene with a face that looked like it was about to collapse.
***
Isabelle Seymour covered her ears.
She hated the sight of the messy house, but she hated the sound of her mother crying the most.
Still, one fortunate thing was that the Coleman family did not cancel the marriage.
Isabelle gazed at her wedding dress placed at the entrance of the room. Recently, wedding dresses adorned with a shower of small pearls have been in fashion among brides. The originator of this trend was none other than Princess Olivia.
“I heard this design is trending these days. What do you think? Wearing a dress with this design to a wedding?”
Marchioness Coleman also asked the same, but Isabella refused, saying she would never wear that design even if she died and came back to life.
Isabelle stood up from her seat and opened the jewelry box sent by the Coleman family.
Pearls symbolize wealth and honor, rubies symbolize passion, and diamonds symbolize eternity. Various gemstones were displaying their splendid beauty amidst the red carpet, but there was no tiara there.
“That’s strange... I thought I had used it to my heart’s content and forgotten about it.”
A heart that cannot be cut off will subside for a while and then burst out when the time is right.
However, the world does not so easily open its embrace to those who cannot give up and still harbor lingering feelings. This was true for Tiara, and it was true for Noah Astrid.
“Do not make any contact with the Prince, Isabelle. Watch closely as your father is driven out of the capital.”
“Me, me having to leave the capital!!!”
Mother's angry scream could be heard faintly in the distance.
After closing the jewelry box, Isabelle opened the drawer and took out the flashlight. She wanted to throw it away, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, so she kept it.
"I’ll have to return it to the owner."
It was right then.
Just as she heard the sound of someone running fast down the hallway, someone roughly pounded on the door.
“Isabelle!”
Startled by her brother's voice, Isabelle quickly put away her flashlight and shouted.
"What's the matter?"
Her brother burst through the door, holding what appeared to be an extra edition of a newspaper. With a twisted smile on his face, he handed the newspaper to her.
“It’s breaking news that the operation of Magic Dome Unit 2 has been suspended. It’s been suspended for quite a while, but the Royal Family kept it quiet. And to make matters worse, their relationship with Wilhelm & Co. soured over Prince Noah’s matter, so even repairs seem a long way off.”
“...”
“It’s satisfying to think about how that arrogant face will contort with embarrassment. Don’t you?”
Young Master Seymour's malicious voice seeped into the darkness and scattered.
***
The royal family was thrown into turmoil by a breaking news report published in an extra edition.
This is because if the operation of the two Magic Domes is suspended, the safety of the nearby coast cannot be guaranteed as early as next spring.
There were many businesses related to import and export lined up along the coast, and Harold Beam, the representative of the Guild Alliance, requested an urgent audience with the King.
“Your Majesty! How can you remain silent on such a momentous matter?”
Leonard, feeling uneasy, put a cigarette in his mouth.
“Your Majesty, has there been no response from Wilhelm Company? Do you intend to wait indefinitely without receiving repairs?”
“What is the current condition of Magic Dome Unit 2? I understand that Magic Dome Unit 2 covers the widest range, so if it is completely inoperable...”
“The volume of goods stored in the coastal warehouse is enormous. If a problem arises next spring, we...!”
The aides fidgeted nervously and glanced nervously at the King. However, regarding this matter, even the King had nothing to say. Suppressing his rising anger, he silently endured the protests of the crowd that had gathered.
“I regret keeping quiet. I didn’t want to cause unnecessary unrest by informing you before finding a solution.”
If Herod wavers, Wilhelm will tighten the noose around their necks even more.
Harold Beam stepped forward and asked.
"Wilhelm Company is certainly doing this as retaliation for the unpleasant incident with Duke Rosemond, isn't it?"
At that, Usher, who had been silent until now, furrowed his brow and retorted.
“What do you mean by an unpleasant incident, Sir Beam? Duke Rosemond saved the lives of countless passengers through his wise judgment. How far must we tolerate Wilhelm Company’s preposterous claims?”
“Your Royal Highness, I was not saying that the Duke of Rosemond’s actions were wrong. However, isn’t it true that he provided the cause?”
Then, the man standing next to Harold Beam quietly added.
“Yes... At the very least, shouldn't the Duke step forward and somehow smooth this over...?”
“Where is the Duke of Rosemond...”
The man who had been asking the King about the Prince's whereabouts trailed off at the piercing blue glint in his eyes and backed down.
It was right then.
The door suddenly opened, and the person they had been waiting for appeared. Everyone's gaze turned to one spot at once.
Despite the sudden summons, the Prince was impeccably dressed. A perfectly fitted white naval uniform, a hat held in one hand, and even his neatly combed blonde hair.
From the perspective of those who had rushed over in a single breath, pale as blood, it appeared to be devoid of even a shred of humanity.
Noah, who had been walking slowly toward the people, looked at the King and spoke.
"I am a little late, Your Majesty."
Harold Beam said as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“Duke Rosemond, shouldn’t you be making an effort to improve relations with Wilhelm & Co.? Next spring is just around the corner.”
At those words, Noah let out a chuckle.
Those who were about to say a word to him following Harold Beam hesitated at the Prince's cold reaction and fell silent.
Noah turned to look at the brazen face and savagely articulated each syllable one by one.
“How good a relationship should I maintain with someone who says I should have been drowned in the middle of the ocean?”
“B-but...!”
Noah looked at the King as if he no longer wanted to even face him.
“Your Majesty, I will go to Hammington immediately and move the warship equipped with the Magic Dome to Harolington Bay. I will temporarily return to the military to guard the waters off Harolington until the two Magic Domes are ready for maintenance.”
Leonard nodded as he looked at his son's sharply sculpted face. He was very satisfied that his son had made a wise and quick decision to wear a naval uniform.
He scribbled his opinion on a piece of paper, stamped it with his seal, and handed it to Noah.
“Very well. Go and bring the warships, Duke of Rosemond.”
Noah accepted the order handed to him by the King with a disciplined gesture. Then, without even glancing at Harold Beam's group, he turned around and pulled his hat down.
The shadowed, dark eyes brought to mind a beast roaming the dark night.
Noah walked away at a pace that was neither slow nor fast, and those who had intended to protest strongly against him held their breath, unable to add a single word.
As Noah, with his hat pulled low, hurried across the hallway, the lamps swayed in unison. Then, Noah's shadow also swayed long.
“Grandma, Grandma...”
Whenever the damp voice clinging to his ears came to mind, Noah quickened his pace as if trying to shake it off.
When he returned to the bedroom, Olivia was asleep without even taking off her coat. Her fair and elegant face was unusually haggard, and her cheeks, which were already slender, had lost so much weight that they felt sharp.
And she cried.
Watching Olivia cry silently, Noah felt like he had become a lost person.
A strange, stifling sensation he had never felt before consumed his entire body, seemingly dragging him into the abyss.
The calculation is wrong.
He never imagined that the peace he had hoped to gain by marrying Olivia would be held hostage in her hands. He never dreamed she would drive him into such a corner.
A sudden voice stopped his steps as he darted across the hallway.
"Noah."
As Noah stopped and turned his head, his mother was there.
Beatrix recognized him at a glance, the shaky mess beneath the cold mask. She took a step out of the darkness.
"So, in the end, you are returning to the military for a while."
Noah remained silent for a moment, then spoke.
“Yes. That is correct, Mother.”
“Noah...”
"And Olivia will not be able to attend the daycare event tomorrow."
Beatrix's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
At that moment, Noah's vulnerability, which had been barely concealed by a cold mask, erupted like a volcano and flowed out.
Noah took a step closer to his mother and growled softly.
“Mother, if you ask why, what am I supposed to do?”
However, Beatrix did not back down either. The atmosphere of the hat, infused with golden-red light, was intense.
“So, do you want to lock Olivia up tightly in your castle?”
“...”
"Do you want to intercept and destroy all the ladies' invitations, plug her eyes and ears, and lock her up in your castle?"
Noah's face contorted miserably. Nevertheless, perhaps unable to bring himself to reveal his temper to his mother, he bowed his head and slowly composed himself.
However, the unrefined and surging energy was extremely fierce and ferocious.
Eventually, Noah, having returned wearing a cold mask, lifted his eyes.
"I'll be going now. I have a long way to go."
"I know that is your own form of protection."
“...”
"But Olivia won't feel like that is protection.'
“Since she carries the heavy label of a Princess of commoner origin, isn't it true that everyone is recklessly trying to harass Olivia? Harold Beam did it yesterday, Timberlin—whom Mother chose—did it, and Seymour and Letium did it too. Now even some insignificant newspaper...!”
“So, are you going to lock her up in your castle until time passes and no one cares about Olivia anymore? Does Olivia feel that it is protection?”
Eventually, Noah exploded.
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