Episode 154. Time, Regret, Lingering Feelings, and Freedom
The moment they heard the servant's words, the three recalled Noah, who had threatened that he could never summon his wife.
There's no way that guy would have changed his mind...
Leonard, suddenly snapping back to reality, hurriedly gestured toward the servant.
"Tell her to come in."
As soon as the King gave his permission, the attendant quickly turned around. And, as the door opened, the sound of calm footsteps gently shook the air of the office.
Leonard narrowed his eyes as he watched Olivia enter.
Dressed in a neat coat, she was carrying a large, worn leather bag. In the brief moment his gaze was drawn to the bag that didn't match her clothes, Olivia bowed her head deeply.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Queen, and Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I apologize for causing you concern.”
Beatrix turned her gaze toward Leonard. Under the unspoken pressure to quickly lift the child with his head bowed, Leonard opened his mouth.
"Lift your head."
Then, Olivia, who had been bending over at the waist with her head bowed, slowly straightened her back. When she fully straightened her back and lifted her head, the King and Queen and the Crown Prince realized that she had changed.
The energy flowing through Olivia's entire body was heavy and chilling, like the slow currents of the deep, deep sea.
"Olivia."
The Queen, her heart sinking, called out to her and approached.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry, Mother."
"No, I'm asking if you're okay."
"I'm fine."
Olivia turned her head and looked directly at the King. Even though she dared to meet the King's eyes, Olivia's gaze was not intimidated. On the contrary, it was piercing, like that of a soldier facing war.
Leonard realized the moment he met her gaze.
That Olivia had broken down the fences of the paradise his son had built on her own. And indeed, someone with such eyes never disappoints.
"Do you have something to say to me?"
The moment King Leonard's question fell, Olivia took a deep breath and opened her bag. And without hesitation, she took out the truth she had kept hidden from view.
What she held in her grasp was her time, regret, and lingering attachment. It was the freedom she had tried to forget, hidden somewhere deep within her heart.
Olivia stood before the King and opened her trembling lips.
“I have something to show you, Your Majesty.”
Leonard gave an order as soon as she finished speaking.
“Unfold.”
In that moment, the time that enveloped Olivia stretched out very long.
She placed the wad of paper on the King's desk, untied the ribbon, and rolled it to the side.
The tightly rolled paper rolled vigorously toward the opposite corner like a wave rushing toward the shore, and finally, the rolled-up truth was fully revealed to the world.
King Leonard, who had been leaning back in his chair, instantly hardened his expression, and the Crown Prince glared at him and approached.
Meanwhile, Olivia took out another bundle of paper and rolled it over the paper that had stunned the King and the Crown Prince, spreading it out.
She was uninhibited. She seemed like someone who had been waiting her whole life for a day like this.
Leonard unconsciously rose from his seat and looked at Olivia. Even at that moment, she boldly rolled and unfolded the last bundle of papers.
Usher, in a daze, creaked his head up toward Olivia.
“Duchess, this is...”
Numbers were densely inscribed on the familiar shape drawn neatly on the white paper. As Usher trailed off, unable to continue speaking, Olivia answered quickly in a clear voice.
“These are detailed blueprints of the two broken Magic Domes. And the two sheets spread out earlier are the blueprints for Magic Domes 1 and 3.”
Leonard stared intently at the blueprints in disbelief, then looked up and gazed at Olivia. The King's piercing blue light was frightening, but Olivia, who had come here prepared to lay down everything, did not back down.
No, there was nowhere to retreat.
Instead, she took out a thick, worn notebook and documents she had kept for a long time from her bag and placed them before the King.
Leonard took the notebook from her and flipped through it. The notebook, worn to the point of fraying edges, was filled with countless drawings. And as the pages turned, the drawings transformed into a shape resembling the current Magic Dome.
The King's gaze lingered on one spot for a moment.
I think the name Magic Dome would be good.
Leonard turned his head and looked down at the documents. Then, without even breathing, he quickly skimmed through them.
When Leonard looked up at Olivia again, her eyes were red. Even so, she did not cry.
Leonard raised the documents in his hand with a stern expression and asked.
“What is this?”
When Olivia didn't answer, Leonard asked another question.
“Who are you?”
At his question, Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. Tears streamed down her face, leaving a trail.
Noah's face, which had confused her with its cold yet warm nature, flashed by like an afterimage. Following that, the wrinkled face of an old woman flashed by.
"You have to win it with your own strength."
Olivia opened her closed eyes and voiced the knot in her heart that she had barely managed to suppress.
"I am the developer and co-patent holder of the Magic Dome."
Silence fell over the office.
Beatrix involuntarily covered her mouth with her hand, and Usher was so shocked that he was left speechless.
Olivia looked at the documents Leonard was holding and spoke calmly.
“That document is proof that I am the developer 'Oliver'.”
Leonard, who had only just come to his senses, frowned and asked back.
“Why did you file a patent under the name Oliver?”
Did she ever imagine that there would be a day when she would answer such a question?
Olivia saw a hallucination of the world flashing white, and she forcibly swallowed the hot emotions welling up inside her.
"It is because Pulder did not recognize women's patent rights."
The helplessness of facing a massive mountain range that seems impossible to climb.
The foolishness of choosing not to climb, rather than climb up and eventually come back down with a miserable heart.
Olivia poured out her past as if making a confession.
"By the time she realized what was hiding behind the name Oliver, it was too late."
With trembling hands, she took out the newspaper and placed it before the King. She was suffocated by the overwhelming pressure, but it was a matter she had to explain.
“I met frequently with Ansen Wilhelm regarding the blueprints for the Magic Dome. The hotel in the photo is the reception room of the Levidien Business Hotel located on the outskirts of Pulder, where I held discussions with Ansen Wilhelm about the designs. My relationship with Ansen Wilhelm is what this article is talking about...”
Contrary to her intention, her voice cracked roughly. It felt as if nausea was rising deep inside her stomach.
But Olivia did not give up. Because she could no longer run away.
She composed herself by taking a deep breath and continued speaking.
"My relationship with Ansen Wilhelm was nothing more and nothing less than that of a business partner. Furthermore, I offered him a formal position about two years ago, but he declined, and I have not met him even once since then. Princess Marguerite will confirm this."
Olivia took a step back, bowed deeply, and apologized again.
"I am truly sorry for causing you concern with this matter. I will do everything I can to resolve this."
It was an honest and neat apology.
She did not run away crying, nor did she ramble on with lame excuses.
It was the moment Beatrix, feeling sorry for the bowed-headed Olivia, was about to make a move herself.
“Raise your head, Olivia Rosemond Astrid.”
Leonard called Olivia in a dignified voice.
As Olivia slowly raised her head at his command, Leonard stared at her with a cold gaze. There was not a shred of pity mixed in his eyes, nor was there any anger.
He glanced down at the documents and papers Olivia handed him and asked.
“Does Noah know this fact, too?”
At that question, Olivia's eyes darkened. She nodded slightly.
"... Yes."
Leonard cursed his son inwardly, but maintained a stern expression on the outside.
"Explain how you can solve this problem."
Beatrix looked back at him with a longing gaze, but Leonard did not budge. Instead, he scrutinized Olivia as if testing her.
“Noah would have said he would take care of everything so that you wouldn’t have to explain yourself like this. The fact that you came to me with these things nevertheless means that you must have a solution in mind.”
Time walks with indifferent steps, trudging along. Even in harsh moments and moments of despair, it goes its own way.
Thus, there is neither compassion nor affection in time.
Olivia slowly raised her eyes and looked at the King.
“...!”
The moment their eyes met, Leonard was overwhelmed by her.
He could feel the intense will of one who realized the time had come, leaving behind the time of despair, resignation, and longing that had accumulated like layers of strata over a long period.
Finally, Olivia spoke up.
"I want to be recognized as the owner of the Magic Dome."
An invisible volcano erupted within her. Overflowing lava grazed her toes, and volcanic ash swirled overhead like snowflakes, but Olivia's soul stood firm.
“I would like to begin by repairing the two broken Magic Domes. After fixing the two Magic Domes, I will go to Pulder and have them recognized as a co-patent holder of the Magic Dome. In doing so, I will construct Herod’s independent Magic Dome, no longer bound by Ansen Wilhelm.”
A thrilling shiver ran from head to toe.
And the thrill she felt was conveyed intact to the King and Queen and the Crown Prince.
Leonard pressed the tingling sensation with his palm and urged in an even more stern voice.
“It won’t be as easy as it sounds. Do you think you can pull it off?!”
The easy way.
Olivia retraced the path she had walked. Was there ever a path that seemed easy, even for a fleeting moment?
She ended up laughing without realizing it.
The moment they heard the servant's words, the three recalled Noah, who had threatened that he could never summon his wife.
There's no way that guy would have changed his mind...
Leonard, suddenly snapping back to reality, hurriedly gestured toward the servant.
"Tell her to come in."
As soon as the King gave his permission, the attendant quickly turned around. And, as the door opened, the sound of calm footsteps gently shook the air of the office.
Leonard narrowed his eyes as he watched Olivia enter.
Dressed in a neat coat, she was carrying a large, worn leather bag. In the brief moment his gaze was drawn to the bag that didn't match her clothes, Olivia bowed her head deeply.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Queen, and Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I apologize for causing you concern.”
Beatrix turned her gaze toward Leonard. Under the unspoken pressure to quickly lift the child with his head bowed, Leonard opened his mouth.
"Lift your head."
Then, Olivia, who had been bending over at the waist with her head bowed, slowly straightened her back. When she fully straightened her back and lifted her head, the King and Queen and the Crown Prince realized that she had changed.
The energy flowing through Olivia's entire body was heavy and chilling, like the slow currents of the deep, deep sea.
"Olivia."
The Queen, her heart sinking, called out to her and approached.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry, Mother."
"No, I'm asking if you're okay."
"I'm fine."
Olivia turned her head and looked directly at the King. Even though she dared to meet the King's eyes, Olivia's gaze was not intimidated. On the contrary, it was piercing, like that of a soldier facing war.
Leonard realized the moment he met her gaze.
That Olivia had broken down the fences of the paradise his son had built on her own. And indeed, someone with such eyes never disappoints.
"Do you have something to say to me?"
The moment King Leonard's question fell, Olivia took a deep breath and opened her bag. And without hesitation, she took out the truth she had kept hidden from view.
What she held in her grasp was her time, regret, and lingering attachment. It was the freedom she had tried to forget, hidden somewhere deep within her heart.
Olivia stood before the King and opened her trembling lips.
“I have something to show you, Your Majesty.”
Leonard gave an order as soon as she finished speaking.
“Unfold.”
In that moment, the time that enveloped Olivia stretched out very long.
She placed the wad of paper on the King's desk, untied the ribbon, and rolled it to the side.
The tightly rolled paper rolled vigorously toward the opposite corner like a wave rushing toward the shore, and finally, the rolled-up truth was fully revealed to the world.
King Leonard, who had been leaning back in his chair, instantly hardened his expression, and the Crown Prince glared at him and approached.
Meanwhile, Olivia took out another bundle of paper and rolled it over the paper that had stunned the King and the Crown Prince, spreading it out.
She was uninhibited. She seemed like someone who had been waiting her whole life for a day like this.
Leonard unconsciously rose from his seat and looked at Olivia. Even at that moment, she boldly rolled and unfolded the last bundle of papers.
Usher, in a daze, creaked his head up toward Olivia.
“Duchess, this is...”
Numbers were densely inscribed on the familiar shape drawn neatly on the white paper. As Usher trailed off, unable to continue speaking, Olivia answered quickly in a clear voice.
“These are detailed blueprints of the two broken Magic Domes. And the two sheets spread out earlier are the blueprints for Magic Domes 1 and 3.”
Leonard stared intently at the blueprints in disbelief, then looked up and gazed at Olivia. The King's piercing blue light was frightening, but Olivia, who had come here prepared to lay down everything, did not back down.
No, there was nowhere to retreat.
Instead, she took out a thick, worn notebook and documents she had kept for a long time from her bag and placed them before the King.
Leonard took the notebook from her and flipped through it. The notebook, worn to the point of fraying edges, was filled with countless drawings. And as the pages turned, the drawings transformed into a shape resembling the current Magic Dome.
The King's gaze lingered on one spot for a moment.
I think the name Magic Dome would be good.
Leonard turned his head and looked down at the documents. Then, without even breathing, he quickly skimmed through them.
When Leonard looked up at Olivia again, her eyes were red. Even so, she did not cry.
Leonard raised the documents in his hand with a stern expression and asked.
“What is this?”
When Olivia didn't answer, Leonard asked another question.
“Who are you?”
At his question, Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. Tears streamed down her face, leaving a trail.
Noah's face, which had confused her with its cold yet warm nature, flashed by like an afterimage. Following that, the wrinkled face of an old woman flashed by.
"You have to win it with your own strength."
Olivia opened her closed eyes and voiced the knot in her heart that she had barely managed to suppress.
"I am the developer and co-patent holder of the Magic Dome."
Silence fell over the office.
Beatrix involuntarily covered her mouth with her hand, and Usher was so shocked that he was left speechless.
Olivia looked at the documents Leonard was holding and spoke calmly.
“That document is proof that I am the developer 'Oliver'.”
Leonard, who had only just come to his senses, frowned and asked back.
“Why did you file a patent under the name Oliver?”
Did she ever imagine that there would be a day when she would answer such a question?
Olivia saw a hallucination of the world flashing white, and she forcibly swallowed the hot emotions welling up inside her.
"It is because Pulder did not recognize women's patent rights."
The helplessness of facing a massive mountain range that seems impossible to climb.
The foolishness of choosing not to climb, rather than climb up and eventually come back down with a miserable heart.
Olivia poured out her past as if making a confession.
"By the time she realized what was hiding behind the name Oliver, it was too late."
With trembling hands, she took out the newspaper and placed it before the King. She was suffocated by the overwhelming pressure, but it was a matter she had to explain.
“I met frequently with Ansen Wilhelm regarding the blueprints for the Magic Dome. The hotel in the photo is the reception room of the Levidien Business Hotel located on the outskirts of Pulder, where I held discussions with Ansen Wilhelm about the designs. My relationship with Ansen Wilhelm is what this article is talking about...”
Contrary to her intention, her voice cracked roughly. It felt as if nausea was rising deep inside her stomach.
But Olivia did not give up. Because she could no longer run away.
She composed herself by taking a deep breath and continued speaking.
"My relationship with Ansen Wilhelm was nothing more and nothing less than that of a business partner. Furthermore, I offered him a formal position about two years ago, but he declined, and I have not met him even once since then. Princess Marguerite will confirm this."
Olivia took a step back, bowed deeply, and apologized again.
"I am truly sorry for causing you concern with this matter. I will do everything I can to resolve this."
It was an honest and neat apology.
She did not run away crying, nor did she ramble on with lame excuses.
It was the moment Beatrix, feeling sorry for the bowed-headed Olivia, was about to make a move herself.
“Raise your head, Olivia Rosemond Astrid.”
Leonard called Olivia in a dignified voice.
As Olivia slowly raised her head at his command, Leonard stared at her with a cold gaze. There was not a shred of pity mixed in his eyes, nor was there any anger.
He glanced down at the documents and papers Olivia handed him and asked.
“Does Noah know this fact, too?”
At that question, Olivia's eyes darkened. She nodded slightly.
"... Yes."
Leonard cursed his son inwardly, but maintained a stern expression on the outside.
"Explain how you can solve this problem."
Beatrix looked back at him with a longing gaze, but Leonard did not budge. Instead, he scrutinized Olivia as if testing her.
“Noah would have said he would take care of everything so that you wouldn’t have to explain yourself like this. The fact that you came to me with these things nevertheless means that you must have a solution in mind.”
Time walks with indifferent steps, trudging along. Even in harsh moments and moments of despair, it goes its own way.
Thus, there is neither compassion nor affection in time.
He had led her to this moment, which had seemed so unlikely to come because he had been so indifferent.
“...!”
The moment their eyes met, Leonard was overwhelmed by her.
He could feel the intense will of one who realized the time had come, leaving behind the time of despair, resignation, and longing that had accumulated like layers of strata over a long period.
Finally, Olivia spoke up.
"I want to be recognized as the owner of the Magic Dome."
An invisible volcano erupted within her. Overflowing lava grazed her toes, and volcanic ash swirled overhead like snowflakes, but Olivia's soul stood firm.
“I would like to begin by repairing the two broken Magic Domes. After fixing the two Magic Domes, I will go to Pulder and have them recognized as a co-patent holder of the Magic Dome. In doing so, I will construct Herod’s independent Magic Dome, no longer bound by Ansen Wilhelm.”
A thrilling shiver ran from head to toe.
And the thrill she felt was conveyed intact to the King and Queen and the Crown Prince.
Leonard pressed the tingling sensation with his palm and urged in an even more stern voice.
“It won’t be as easy as it sounds. Do you think you can pull it off?!”
The easy way.
Olivia retraced the path she had walked. Was there ever a path that seemed easy, even for a fleeting moment?
She ended up laughing without realizing it.
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