Episode 151. Olivia Liberty
Noah got up from his seat and took the unfinished newspaper from Meson.
"We obtained testimony that Ansen Wilhelm was the actual owner of Les Duants."
As the battered branch manager was crawling toward Ansen, Meson grabbed him by the back of the neck.
“M-Mr. CEO..."
Ansen protested harshly to Noah.
“In this day and age, how can you resolve matters like this?!! If it becomes known that Herod’s Prince committed the acts of a commoner, the Herodian royal court will also be in trouble...!”
As Noah waved the unfinished newspaper right in front of his nose, Ansen trailed off.
"I know. Considering the times. I wonder what will happen if news gets out that CEO Wilhelm tried to stir up trouble for Herod by touching Princess Herod."
Noah approached Ansen and took the gun from his hand. It was a relaxed movement, but Ansen dared not even resist and had his gun taken away.
Noah stared intently at Ansen, pulled out the magazine, and turned it over. The bullets inside the magazine fell to the floor with a thud.
Noah threw the empty gun at Ansen's feet and whispered sincerely.
“Inspect the Magic Dome Unit 2 yourself and fix it. Also, publish the correction article for this trashy piece of paper yourself.”
“...”
“And do not come to Herod again.”
Ansen closed his eyes involuntarily, feeling as if he could hear the lion's growl.
“I assume you understood.”
With those words, Noah turned around. As he turned, the bodyguards melted into the darkness, silently clearing a path.
Ansen gasped for breath as he listened to the sound of receding footsteps.
This was not what he wanted.
The reason for picking a reckless fight against the Herodian royal family was...
Beneath the white, round forehead, black eyes that flashed with intellectual sparkles flashed through his mind like a hallucination.
“Ansen!”
The healthy and cheerful voice, too.
Ansen tightened his stomach.
In a fleeting moment, he made a decision, staking his entire fate on it.
He said he would bring her out even if he had to go into the lion's cage himself.
Ansen slowly opened his eyes and asked softly.
"Is Olivia doing well?"
The Prince's steps came to a sudden halt just before he was about to leave the door.
"Does she sleep well? She has insomnia, so she can't sleep well."
As soon as those words were finished, Noah turned around. He, who had always maintained a nonchalant attitude no matter what he did, ran explosively and grabbed Ansen by the neck.
Ansen continued speaking fearlessly while being held by the neck.
"Make sure she doesn't take the insomnia medicine. She coughs and has a really hard time after taking it."
"Shut your mouth."
Puck!
Pow, pow!
Noah mercilessly punched Ansen in the face. Red blood splattered with every time the fist grazed the face, and the strength slowly drained from Ansen's body.
Although he had always exercised and trained his body, he could not even be compared to Noah, who wielded magical power.
Even in the midst of that, Noah's face was strangely calm.
“Hooooh...”
The branch manager, who had been slumped on the floor, crawled toward the wall in disgust at the sight of the Prince, who seemed to be quietly insane. However, what was even more frightening was the attitude of the bodyguards who were watching this bizarre scene without any emotion.
A moment later, Meson, who had been observing the situation with his arms crossed, approached Noah and Ansen, who were entangled together. Just as Noah raised his right fist high, Meson spoke in a low voice.
“If you intend to kill, this is not a suitable place.”
The branch manager buried his face in the floor and curled up, feeling that no one in the place felt like a human being.
Noah looked down at the gasping Ansen with a cold gaze. Ansen looked up at him and giggled. The liquid that kept welling up in his mouth seemed to be blood.
What does it matter?
Ansen glared at the mad green eyes and spat out the words ferociously.
"To Olivia, you and I are the same kind of guy."
“...You fearless bastard, all you do is run your mouth..!”
Noah raised his fist again, but Ansen sneered, spitting blood.
“What’s different?”
“...”
“You’re saying that in exchange for me setting things right, you’ll pretend not to know that Olivia is Oliver. Does Olivia know this?”
The Prince's breathing, which had been calm, suddenly became ragged. Ansen smiled broadly, not missing the slight trembling in his green eyes, which had been permeated with madness.
"Olivia is more stubborn and free-spirited than you might think. And she... does not forgive those who infringe upon her freedom."
Olivia Liberty.
Just like the name.
Noah, who seemed about to trample on him again, glared at him for a long time with reddened eyes before finally turning away.
Olivia opened her eyes and habitually turned her head to look to the side.
“...”
The pillow showed no signs of indentation, and the blanket was neat.
Olivia looked up at the ceiling. She was sure she had gone to Noah's office yesterday and fallen asleep... He must have dropped her off and returned to the residence.
"I love you."
Olivia, recalling the confession from the night before, rubbed her face with her hands and jumped up from her seat.
“Seriously... what is that when you’re drunk...”
She shook her head to herself, but the embarrassment did not go away. Olivia roughly threw on a robe and went out onto the balcony. She thought that getting some fresh air might help relieve her shyness.
As the cold wind pierced the back of her neck, goosebumps rose up her arms. Olivia hunched her shoulders and took deep breaths in and out. Her exhaled breath shattered into white fragments and swirled like smoke.
Olivia, who was staring blankly at the winter morning landscape shining silver-gray from the frost, felt that something was strange as time passed.
The interior of the mansion was excessively quiet and desolate, yet the faint noise coming from afar was ominous. Moreover, upon closer inspection, it appeared that the number of armed guards protecting the mansion had increased.
Olivia tilted her head and turned her gaze away. Then, she happened to make eye contact with a gardener who was tidying up the garden; he quickly bowed his head and hurriedly left.
It was not just the gardener. Several maids stared at her intently, but when their eyes met Olivia's, they disappeared as if fleeing, and the servants did the same.
A cool breeze swept through his heart.
Olivia entered the room and immediately called Mrs. Betty.
“Madam, is something wrong?”
Even after asking that, Olivia expected to hear the answer, "Nothing unusual." After all, that was Mrs. Betty's nature, and underlying her was a hope that nothing bad had happened.
However, Mrs. Betty silently lowered her gaze. Her wrinkled eyes gave off a stubborn impression, and her lips were tightly closed. She was clearly choosing her thoughts and words.
Olivia's fingertips turned white and cold as she felt a terrifying intuition.
"Is something wrong with His Highness?"
“...”
"Mrs. Betty."
As Olivia could no longer bear it and pressed her, Mrs. Betty, who had been keeping her gaze down until then, looked up. Mrs. Betty gazed at Olivia with a look of anguish, then opened her mouth as if she had made a decision.
“Please wait a moment, Your Highness.”
Mrs. Betty quickly turned and left the bedroom, then returned soon after. She was holding a newspaper in her hand.
Olivia's gaze, pacing back and forth in the room, fell upon a newspaper folded vertically. It felt as though the fear harbored within that paper was surging in like a tidal wave to engulf her.
Olivia caught her trembling breath and opened her eyes wide. She puffed out her chest, tightened her stomach, and calmly took the newspaper and unfolded it.
Unfortunately, however, when Olivia saw the photo and headline on the front page of the newspaper, her legs gave way involuntarily, and she staggered.
“Your Highness!”
If Mrs. Betty had not quickly supported her, Olivia would have collapsed.
A chilling coldness washed over her, leaving her pale as if all the blood had drained from her body. Her heart beat abnormally slowly, then violently, and her fingers were so cold that they felt as if they were buried in snow.
Mrs. Betty calmly led Olivia to the bed. After seating her, she quickly brewed some warm tea and brought it out.
Olivia finally came to her senses as the hot tea went down her throat, composed herself again, and opened the front page.
The front page of the newspaper struck her mind hard like a tidal wave.
[On the long-standing relationship between Princess Olivia and Ansen Wilhelm]
Under a shocking title, a photo of her and the man was published.
Olivia read the entire article without even breathing.
Their relationship began about seven years ago at the Harrington College Pulder campus... That is why acquaintances say that Ansen Wilhelm still cannot forget her...
The newspaper was crumpled up. Olivia buried her face in the newspaper and gasped for breath.
Mrs. Betty, who was keeping watch, said.
"This is a newspaper that was released as an extra edition around midnight. After escorting Your Royal Highness, the Princess, he went to the royal palace to resolve this matter."
“...”
"And this is today's morning newspaper."
Olivia, who had been holding her breath with her head bowed, finally looked up. Then, she calmly took the morning newspaper and read it. As expected, the front page was about an extra edition.
...The royal spokesperson dismissed the extra edition around midnight as not even worth responding to... Furthermore, evidence was secured that Ansen Wilhelm was the true owner of Les Duants...
Olivia narrowed her eyes and muttered.
“Ansen Wilhelm is the real owner of Les Duants?”
“Yes, that is said to be the case. So, Ansen Wilhelm must have personally issued yesterday’s extra edition.”
"Has there been no contact from the royal family?"
"Yes, there wasn't."
“...”
Olivia glared coldly at Ansen's photo at the very bottom of the morning newspaper. The brief article reported that he had entered the country through Polia.
She turned her gaze and stared at the photo of a boy and a girl smiling brightly.
Long-held emotions, hidden deep within her heart, burst forth as if they had been waiting for this moment. As the seething sensation starting from her solar plexus spread throughout her chest, Olivia could not possibly remain still.
Olivia put down the newspaper and looked up.
“Mrs. Betty, I must go to the royal palace now. Please get ready.”
However, upon hearing that, Mrs. Betty hesitated, unable to answer readily. Olivia felt a chill run down her spine and asked as if she could not believe it.
“Surely... His Highness didn’t order that I... be prevented from leaving the mansion?”
Mrs. Betty was about to say something with a troubled expression on her face.
Clunk, the bedroom door opened.
There was only one person in this mansion who could open the door to the Prince and Princess's bedroom without permission.
Noah got up from his seat and took the unfinished newspaper from Meson.
"We obtained testimony that Ansen Wilhelm was the actual owner of Les Duants."
As the battered branch manager was crawling toward Ansen, Meson grabbed him by the back of the neck.
“M-Mr. CEO..."
Ansen protested harshly to Noah.
“In this day and age, how can you resolve matters like this?!! If it becomes known that Herod’s Prince committed the acts of a commoner, the Herodian royal court will also be in trouble...!”
As Noah waved the unfinished newspaper right in front of his nose, Ansen trailed off.
"I know. Considering the times. I wonder what will happen if news gets out that CEO Wilhelm tried to stir up trouble for Herod by touching Princess Herod."
Noah approached Ansen and took the gun from his hand. It was a relaxed movement, but Ansen dared not even resist and had his gun taken away.
Noah stared intently at Ansen, pulled out the magazine, and turned it over. The bullets inside the magazine fell to the floor with a thud.
Noah threw the empty gun at Ansen's feet and whispered sincerely.
“Inspect the Magic Dome Unit 2 yourself and fix it. Also, publish the correction article for this trashy piece of paper yourself.”
“...”
“And do not come to Herod again.”
Ansen closed his eyes involuntarily, feeling as if he could hear the lion's growl.
“I assume you understood.”
With those words, Noah turned around. As he turned, the bodyguards melted into the darkness, silently clearing a path.
Ansen gasped for breath as he listened to the sound of receding footsteps.
This was not what he wanted.
The reason for picking a reckless fight against the Herodian royal family was...
Beneath the white, round forehead, black eyes that flashed with intellectual sparkles flashed through his mind like a hallucination.
“Ansen!”
The healthy and cheerful voice, too.
Ansen tightened his stomach.
In a fleeting moment, he made a decision, staking his entire fate on it.
He said he would bring her out even if he had to go into the lion's cage himself.
Ansen slowly opened his eyes and asked softly.
"Is Olivia doing well?"
The Prince's steps came to a sudden halt just before he was about to leave the door.
"Does she sleep well? She has insomnia, so she can't sleep well."
As soon as those words were finished, Noah turned around. He, who had always maintained a nonchalant attitude no matter what he did, ran explosively and grabbed Ansen by the neck.
Ansen continued speaking fearlessly while being held by the neck.
"Make sure she doesn't take the insomnia medicine. She coughs and has a really hard time after taking it."
"Shut your mouth."
“Has she ever cried? She's holding back the tears, trying not to...”
Pow, pow!
Noah mercilessly punched Ansen in the face. Red blood splattered with every time the fist grazed the face, and the strength slowly drained from Ansen's body.
Although he had always exercised and trained his body, he could not even be compared to Noah, who wielded magical power.
Even in the midst of that, Noah's face was strangely calm.
“Hooooh...”
The branch manager, who had been slumped on the floor, crawled toward the wall in disgust at the sight of the Prince, who seemed to be quietly insane. However, what was even more frightening was the attitude of the bodyguards who were watching this bizarre scene without any emotion.
A moment later, Meson, who had been observing the situation with his arms crossed, approached Noah and Ansen, who were entangled together. Just as Noah raised his right fist high, Meson spoke in a low voice.
“If you intend to kill, this is not a suitable place.”
The branch manager buried his face in the floor and curled up, feeling that no one in the place felt like a human being.
Noah looked down at the gasping Ansen with a cold gaze. Ansen looked up at him and giggled. The liquid that kept welling up in his mouth seemed to be blood.
What does it matter?
Ansen glared at the mad green eyes and spat out the words ferociously.
"To Olivia, you and I are the same kind of guy."
“...You fearless bastard, all you do is run your mouth..!”
Noah raised his fist again, but Ansen sneered, spitting blood.
“What’s different?”
“...”
“You’re saying that in exchange for me setting things right, you’ll pretend not to know that Olivia is Oliver. Does Olivia know this?”
The Prince's breathing, which had been calm, suddenly became ragged. Ansen smiled broadly, not missing the slight trembling in his green eyes, which had been permeated with madness.
"Olivia is more stubborn and free-spirited than you might think. And she... does not forgive those who infringe upon her freedom."
Olivia Liberty.
Just like the name.
Noah, who seemed about to trample on him again, glared at him for a long time with reddened eyes before finally turning away.
***
Olivia opened her eyes and habitually turned her head to look to the side.
“...”
The pillow showed no signs of indentation, and the blanket was neat.
Olivia looked up at the ceiling. She was sure she had gone to Noah's office yesterday and fallen asleep... He must have dropped her off and returned to the residence.
"I love you."
Olivia, recalling the confession from the night before, rubbed her face with her hands and jumped up from her seat.
“Seriously... what is that when you’re drunk...”
She shook her head to herself, but the embarrassment did not go away. Olivia roughly threw on a robe and went out onto the balcony. She thought that getting some fresh air might help relieve her shyness.
As the cold wind pierced the back of her neck, goosebumps rose up her arms. Olivia hunched her shoulders and took deep breaths in and out. Her exhaled breath shattered into white fragments and swirled like smoke.
Olivia, who was staring blankly at the winter morning landscape shining silver-gray from the frost, felt that something was strange as time passed.
The interior of the mansion was excessively quiet and desolate, yet the faint noise coming from afar was ominous. Moreover, upon closer inspection, it appeared that the number of armed guards protecting the mansion had increased.
Olivia tilted her head and turned her gaze away. Then, she happened to make eye contact with a gardener who was tidying up the garden; he quickly bowed his head and hurriedly left.
It was not just the gardener. Several maids stared at her intently, but when their eyes met Olivia's, they disappeared as if fleeing, and the servants did the same.
A cool breeze swept through his heart.
Olivia entered the room and immediately called Mrs. Betty.
“Madam, is something wrong?”
Even after asking that, Olivia expected to hear the answer, "Nothing unusual." After all, that was Mrs. Betty's nature, and underlying her was a hope that nothing bad had happened.
However, Mrs. Betty silently lowered her gaze. Her wrinkled eyes gave off a stubborn impression, and her lips were tightly closed. She was clearly choosing her thoughts and words.
Olivia's fingertips turned white and cold as she felt a terrifying intuition.
"Is something wrong with His Highness?"
“...”
"Mrs. Betty."
As Olivia could no longer bear it and pressed her, Mrs. Betty, who had been keeping her gaze down until then, looked up. Mrs. Betty gazed at Olivia with a look of anguish, then opened her mouth as if she had made a decision.
“Please wait a moment, Your Highness.”
Mrs. Betty quickly turned and left the bedroom, then returned soon after. She was holding a newspaper in her hand.
Olivia's gaze, pacing back and forth in the room, fell upon a newspaper folded vertically. It felt as though the fear harbored within that paper was surging in like a tidal wave to engulf her.
Olivia caught her trembling breath and opened her eyes wide. She puffed out her chest, tightened her stomach, and calmly took the newspaper and unfolded it.
Unfortunately, however, when Olivia saw the photo and headline on the front page of the newspaper, her legs gave way involuntarily, and she staggered.
“Your Highness!”
If Mrs. Betty had not quickly supported her, Olivia would have collapsed.
A chilling coldness washed over her, leaving her pale as if all the blood had drained from her body. Her heart beat abnormally slowly, then violently, and her fingers were so cold that they felt as if they were buried in snow.
Mrs. Betty calmly led Olivia to the bed. After seating her, she quickly brewed some warm tea and brought it out.
Olivia finally came to her senses as the hot tea went down her throat, composed herself again, and opened the front page.
The front page of the newspaper struck her mind hard like a tidal wave.
[On the long-standing relationship between Princess Olivia and Ansen Wilhelm]
Under a shocking title, a photo of her and the man was published.
Olivia read the entire article without even breathing.
Their relationship began about seven years ago at the Harrington College Pulder campus... That is why acquaintances say that Ansen Wilhelm still cannot forget her...
The newspaper was crumpled up. Olivia buried her face in the newspaper and gasped for breath.
Mrs. Betty, who was keeping watch, said.
"This is a newspaper that was released as an extra edition around midnight. After escorting Your Royal Highness, the Princess, he went to the royal palace to resolve this matter."
“...”
"And this is today's morning newspaper."
Olivia, who had been holding her breath with her head bowed, finally looked up. Then, she calmly took the morning newspaper and read it. As expected, the front page was about an extra edition.
...The royal spokesperson dismissed the extra edition around midnight as not even worth responding to... Furthermore, evidence was secured that Ansen Wilhelm was the true owner of Les Duants...
Olivia narrowed her eyes and muttered.
“Ansen Wilhelm is the real owner of Les Duants?”
“Yes, that is said to be the case. So, Ansen Wilhelm must have personally issued yesterday’s extra edition.”
"Has there been no contact from the royal family?"
"Yes, there wasn't."
“Why? Even if he was abroad, we should have summoned him.”
Olivia glared coldly at Ansen's photo at the very bottom of the morning newspaper. The brief article reported that he had entered the country through Polia.
She turned her gaze and stared at the photo of a boy and a girl smiling brightly.
Long-held emotions, hidden deep within her heart, burst forth as if they had been waiting for this moment. As the seething sensation starting from her solar plexus spread throughout her chest, Olivia could not possibly remain still.
Olivia put down the newspaper and looked up.
“Mrs. Betty, I must go to the royal palace now. Please get ready.”
However, upon hearing that, Mrs. Betty hesitated, unable to answer readily. Olivia felt a chill run down her spine and asked as if she could not believe it.
“Surely... His Highness didn’t order that I... be prevented from leaving the mansion?”
Mrs. Betty was about to say something with a troubled expression on her face.
Clunk, the bedroom door opened.
There was only one person in this mansion who could open the door to the Prince and Princess's bedroom without permission.
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