Episode 156. The Peace You Expected
Jonan swallowed hard without realizing it.
Stepping calmly out of the dim carriage, the Princess did not shout at him, nor did she wear a malicious expression. She did not show any hostility toward him, nor did she utter any harsh words.
However, the gentleness that had resided in her elegant face disappeared, and the tenderness that had been in her eyes as black as a new moon night vanished.
However, that was not all.
Something indescribable has clearly changed.
"Jonan."
When the Princess called him, not only Jonan but also the other colleague standing by his side flinched.
The Princess, who had been gazing at the Magic Dome towering over the pitch-black night sea, turned her head to look at Jonan.
Her hair assimilated into the darkness, and her dark eyes, contrasting with her white face, felt chilling. The aura emanating from her was heavy and cold.
As the Princess Consort stared at Jonan with an expressionless face, Jonan suddenly snapped out of it and quickly approached her.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As Jonan approached, the Princess looked back at the Magic Dome and gave an order in a cold voice.
“I’m going to fix the two broken Magic Domes right now. Please call Pierre Pimate.”
"... Yes?"
At the unexpected words and name, Jonan asked back a beat late. Then, the Princess Consort took the King's command letter from her bosom and held it out. Jonan lowered her gaze to the creaking command letter engraved with the King's seal.
"Don't make me say it twice."
The moment Jonan looked up and met the Princess's gaze, he was overwhelmed by her, who was much shorter than him. Even if it hadn't been for the King's decree, Jonan would not have been able to disobey her order.
"...All right."
As Jonan turned and ran toward the residence, Mrs. Betty, who had been waiting behind her, approached her.
"Your Highness."
Olivia glanced at her as she put the King's order into her coat.
"Are you alright?"
When Mrs. Betty asked cautiously, Olivia, who had been gazing at the dark sea, parted the corners of her lips. Olivia, who had been silent for a moment with her red lips curled up, took a short breath and spoke.
"Do you know how to tame an elephant?"
“An elephant? Well, I don’t know.”
“They say that when they are young, their ankles are tied with a rope connected to a stake.”
“...”
“If a frustrated young elephant tries to break the rope tied to the stake, they whip it to prevent it from doing so. I heard that once the young elephant realizes, ‘I cannot escape the stake,’ it does not dare to even think about leaving that place even after it grows up and gains the strength to break free.”
Olivia looked up at the huge magic dome.
“What would the elephant think after being freed from the stake it thought it could never escape from...?”
Olivia stared blankly at the huge stake inside her.
Before she knew it, love had been superimposed on the stake named discrimination. Because of this superimposed love, she could not bring herself to break free from the stake and just kept circling around and around.
Olivia took a deep breath while gazing at the vast ocean. The wind brushing against her neck was unusually warm.
"Looking at the stake that bound my feet with a sense of futility, I will likely vow never to be tied to that stake again."
“Your Highness... what do you intend to do?”
As Mrs. Betty, startled by fear, approached, Olivia smiled gently and pushed her away.
"Madam, go back to the mansion first."
"No, I can't do that."
"Then you can wait in the carriage."
Just then, the sound of boots drew closer. Olivia turned her eyes toward the source of the sound. A tall man in a navy uniform strode toward her and stopped a few steps away.
“Greetings, Your Highness. I am Pierre Pimate. Did you call?”
Olivia took the order back out and handed it to him. Pierre took another step closer, took the order with a disciplined movement, and quickly scanned the contents. The cursive handwriting, which looked as if it had been scribbled, was undoubtedly King Leonard's distinctive script.
Pierre felt a chill run down his spine, and at the same time, his heart raced. He lifted his head and asked.
"Can you fix the Magic Dome?!"
Olivia countered Pierre's foolish question with a question of her own.
“Lord Pimate, are you capable of repairing the Magic Dome at my command?”
As Pierre stood there speechless, Olivia smirked and gave an order.
"I’ll guide you to Magic Dome Unit 2. I’m going to take apart the machine room right now and fix the broken parts."
As Olivia turned around, the bodyguards standing behind her parted to the sides to clear a path. Noah's order was to escort her to the mansion, but none of the bodyguards remembered his command properly.
Pierre was spaced out for a moment, then suddenly snapped back to reality and followed Olivia as she made her way down to the dock, weaving effortlessly through the huge bodyguards.
Then, after going down the stairs ahead of her, he untied the boat that was moored at the dock. There was no reason to ask twice.
Such intense determination could be felt from the Princess. There was not even a reasonable doubt as to how she would repair the Magic Dome or on what grounds the King had issued such an order.
Furthermore, since this was a direct order from the King, Pierre did not need to seek permission from his superior, Noah.
Pierre, having skillfully boarded the ship, reached out his hand toward Olivia.
"Take my hand and ascend carefully, Your Highness."
"You just need to step on the bow and climb up with force."
“Uh, wait, Your Highness. Your shoes are getting wet!”
The guards who swarmed around her dared not lay a hand on the Princess and were at a loss for what to do out of worry. Both the Prince and they treated her like a child left by the water's edge.
Olivia let out a deep sigh and gestured to the bodyguards who had gathered around her.
"I'll take care of myself, so everyone, please go over there."
"but...!"
“Uh...!”
Olivia quickly jumped onto the deck before the bodyguards could say anything more, and before Noah could come running. The boat swayed slightly under her weight, but Olivia held onto a mast at the stern to maintain her balance.
Pierre widened his eyes at the Princess's unexpectedly agile movements and withdrew his hand. He then went to the front and started the ship's engine.
It was right then, when the loud sound of the engine starting shook the calm sea.
"Olivia!!"
Olivia felt her heart sink at the sound of a familiar voice.
At the urgent call, like a dying scream, everyone standing at the dock turned their eyes in unison.
Olivia's eyes met Noah's as he stood on the stairs. His blonde hair fluttered in the blowing wind.
He looked like the embodiment of royalty again today, and he seemed perfect.
Olivia slowly exhaled the air filling her lungs and tightened her grip on the pillar.
Vowing never to be tied to a stake again.
At that moment, the calm sea rippled like the movement of a snake. While Pierre, holding the rudder, watched the sea with a sharp gaze, Noah leaped over the stairs in a manner that could be described as almost flying, and in an instant grabbed the mast of the ship carrying Olivia.
“...!!”
While Olivia looked at Noah, who was standing between the pillars, with surprised eyes, Noah was also glaring at the surging sea just like Pierre. He soon reached out his other hand to her and shouted.
“Get down quickly, Olivia!”
However, Olivia instead let go of the hand holding the pillar and took a step back.
“...!”
Noah covered his mouth as he watched Olivia walk away from him in disbelief.
Then, the sea surged again and shook the boat.
"Your Highness!"
Jonan, who had been glaring at the sea with a serious expression, urgently called out to Noah. Noah, snapping back to his senses, glanced at the turbulent sea and raised his voice toward Olivia again.
“Get off quickly, please!”
Olivia shook her head.
"I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult situation."
"You don't need to apologize!"
"Since this started with me, I want to resolve it myself."
"Olivia!!!"
As Noah's voice grew louder, Olivia's emotions soared without end.
The helplessness of having her feet bound to a stake, the foolishness of merely circling around, unable to break free, the towering wall, and the humiliation of turning away because she did not dare to climb it—all these things struck her in succession.
Olivia could not hold back her boiling anger and screamed with all her might.
"What the heck!!!"
“...!!”
“Seriously, how long are you going to keep treating me like an idiot?!!”
Her shout echoed loudly across the low-lying dock.
Not only Noah, but even the bodyguards were surprised and stared blankly at Olivia. Olivia glared at Noah with shimmering eyes.
“Stay still. Do nothing. Just, just... just breathe and live as if you are dead!!!!”
Tears filled with malice dripped from her eyes.
“...Olivia...”
Noah shook his head and barely managed to call out to her.
“I don’t want to live like I’m dead, just breathing. I...!”
Olivia barely managed to hold her breath and covered her eyes with her hands.
It was right then.
Along with the loud ringing of the alarm bell, shouts erupted.
"It's the Kraken!!"
Olivia, who had buried her face in her palms, lifted her head. As she turned, she saw a pitch-black figure suddenly poke its head out from the far side of the sea before disappearing underwater.
Noah was stepping onto the boat with one foot, as if to say he would no longer wait for Olivia.
"I'm going to fix Magic Dome Unit 2."
"It's dangerous."
"You said it was a Kraken, right? It will be even more dangerous if we don't fix Unit 2."
"Then I'd rather go together."
"I'm sorry that I'm not the peace you expected."
“...”
While Noah was speechless, she approached him. She wrapped her hand around the back of his deep bruise. The strong hand that had been roughly pulling at his stomach was slowly pulled away from the pillar, guided by her gentle touch.
"You stay behind and do your work. I will do what I have to do."
Olivia pushed his chest back. He, who never backed down even in front of the King, was pushed back as if by magic.
And as he was completely pushed off the ship, Olivia gave an order to Pierre, who was standing behind her.
“Sir Pimate, let’s go!”
Jonan swallowed hard without realizing it.
Stepping calmly out of the dim carriage, the Princess did not shout at him, nor did she wear a malicious expression. She did not show any hostility toward him, nor did she utter any harsh words.
However, the gentleness that had resided in her elegant face disappeared, and the tenderness that had been in her eyes as black as a new moon night vanished.
However, that was not all.
Something indescribable has clearly changed.
"Jonan."
When the Princess called him, not only Jonan but also the other colleague standing by his side flinched.
The Princess, who had been gazing at the Magic Dome towering over the pitch-black night sea, turned her head to look at Jonan.
Her hair assimilated into the darkness, and her dark eyes, contrasting with her white face, felt chilling. The aura emanating from her was heavy and cold.
As the Princess Consort stared at Jonan with an expressionless face, Jonan suddenly snapped out of it and quickly approached her.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As Jonan approached, the Princess looked back at the Magic Dome and gave an order in a cold voice.
“I’m going to fix the two broken Magic Domes right now. Please call Pierre Pimate.”
"... Yes?"
At the unexpected words and name, Jonan asked back a beat late. Then, the Princess Consort took the King's command letter from her bosom and held it out. Jonan lowered her gaze to the creaking command letter engraved with the King's seal.
"Don't make me say it twice."
The moment Jonan looked up and met the Princess's gaze, he was overwhelmed by her, who was much shorter than him. Even if it hadn't been for the King's decree, Jonan would not have been able to disobey her order.
"...All right."
As Jonan turned and ran toward the residence, Mrs. Betty, who had been waiting behind her, approached her.
"Your Highness."
Olivia glanced at her as she put the King's order into her coat.
"Are you alright?"
When Mrs. Betty asked cautiously, Olivia, who had been gazing at the dark sea, parted the corners of her lips. Olivia, who had been silent for a moment with her red lips curled up, took a short breath and spoke.
"Do you know how to tame an elephant?"
“An elephant? Well, I don’t know.”
“They say that when they are young, their ankles are tied with a rope connected to a stake.”
“...”
“If a frustrated young elephant tries to break the rope tied to the stake, they whip it to prevent it from doing so. I heard that once the young elephant realizes, ‘I cannot escape the stake,’ it does not dare to even think about leaving that place even after it grows up and gains the strength to break free.”
Olivia looked up at the huge magic dome.
“What would the elephant think after being freed from the stake it thought it could never escape from...?”
Olivia stared blankly at the huge stake inside her.
Before she knew it, love had been superimposed on the stake named discrimination. Because of this superimposed love, she could not bring herself to break free from the stake and just kept circling around and around.
Olivia took a deep breath while gazing at the vast ocean. The wind brushing against her neck was unusually warm.
"Looking at the stake that bound my feet with a sense of futility, I will likely vow never to be tied to that stake again."
“Your Highness... what do you intend to do?”
As Mrs. Betty, startled by fear, approached, Olivia smiled gently and pushed her away.
"Madam, go back to the mansion first."
"No, I can't do that."
"Then you can wait in the carriage."
Just then, the sound of boots drew closer. Olivia turned her eyes toward the source of the sound. A tall man in a navy uniform strode toward her and stopped a few steps away.
“Greetings, Your Highness. I am Pierre Pimate. Did you call?”
Olivia took the order back out and handed it to him. Pierre took another step closer, took the order with a disciplined movement, and quickly scanned the contents. The cursive handwriting, which looked as if it had been scribbled, was undoubtedly King Leonard's distinctive script.
Pierre felt a chill run down his spine, and at the same time, his heart raced. He lifted his head and asked.
"Can you fix the Magic Dome?!"
Olivia countered Pierre's foolish question with a question of her own.
“Lord Pimate, are you capable of repairing the Magic Dome at my command?”
As Pierre stood there speechless, Olivia smirked and gave an order.
"I’ll guide you to Magic Dome Unit 2. I’m going to take apart the machine room right now and fix the broken parts."
As Olivia turned around, the bodyguards standing behind her parted to the sides to clear a path. Noah's order was to escort her to the mansion, but none of the bodyguards remembered his command properly.
Pierre was spaced out for a moment, then suddenly snapped back to reality and followed Olivia as she made her way down to the dock, weaving effortlessly through the huge bodyguards.
Then, after going down the stairs ahead of her, he untied the boat that was moored at the dock. There was no reason to ask twice.
Such intense determination could be felt from the Princess. There was not even a reasonable doubt as to how she would repair the Magic Dome or on what grounds the King had issued such an order.
Furthermore, since this was a direct order from the King, Pierre did not need to seek permission from his superior, Noah.
Pierre, having skillfully boarded the ship, reached out his hand toward Olivia.
"Take my hand and ascend carefully, Your Highness."
"You just need to step on the bow and climb up with force."
“Uh, wait, Your Highness. Your shoes are getting wet!”
The guards who swarmed around her dared not lay a hand on the Princess and were at a loss for what to do out of worry. Both the Prince and they treated her like a child left by the water's edge.
Olivia let out a deep sigh and gestured to the bodyguards who had gathered around her.
"I'll take care of myself, so everyone, please go over there."
"but...!"
“Uh...!”
Olivia quickly jumped onto the deck before the bodyguards could say anything more, and before Noah could come running. The boat swayed slightly under her weight, but Olivia held onto a mast at the stern to maintain her balance.
Pierre widened his eyes at the Princess's unexpectedly agile movements and withdrew his hand. He then went to the front and started the ship's engine.
It was right then, when the loud sound of the engine starting shook the calm sea.
"Olivia!!"
Olivia felt her heart sink at the sound of a familiar voice.
At the urgent call, like a dying scream, everyone standing at the dock turned their eyes in unison.
Olivia's eyes met Noah's as he stood on the stairs. His blonde hair fluttered in the blowing wind.
He looked like the embodiment of royalty again today, and he seemed perfect.
Olivia slowly exhaled the air filling her lungs and tightened her grip on the pillar.
Vowing never to be tied to a stake again.
At that moment, the calm sea rippled like the movement of a snake. While Pierre, holding the rudder, watched the sea with a sharp gaze, Noah leaped over the stairs in a manner that could be described as almost flying, and in an instant grabbed the mast of the ship carrying Olivia.
“...!!”
While Olivia looked at Noah, who was standing between the pillars, with surprised eyes, Noah was also glaring at the surging sea just like Pierre. He soon reached out his other hand to her and shouted.
“Get down quickly, Olivia!”
However, Olivia instead let go of the hand holding the pillar and took a step back.
“...!”
Noah covered his mouth as he watched Olivia walk away from him in disbelief.
Then, the sea surged again and shook the boat.
"Your Highness!"
Jonan, who had been glaring at the sea with a serious expression, urgently called out to Noah. Noah, snapping back to his senses, glanced at the turbulent sea and raised his voice toward Olivia again.
“Get off quickly, please!”
Olivia shook her head.
"I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult situation."
"You don't need to apologize!"
"Since this started with me, I want to resolve it myself."
"Olivia!!!"
As Noah's voice grew louder, Olivia's emotions soared without end.
The helplessness of having her feet bound to a stake, the foolishness of merely circling around, unable to break free, the towering wall, and the humiliation of turning away because she did not dare to climb it—all these things struck her in succession.
Olivia could not hold back her boiling anger and screamed with all her might.
"What the heck!!!"
“...!!”
“Seriously, how long are you going to keep treating me like an idiot?!!”
Her shout echoed loudly across the low-lying dock.
Not only Noah, but even the bodyguards were surprised and stared blankly at Olivia. Olivia glared at Noah with shimmering eyes.
“Stay still. Do nothing. Just, just... just breathe and live as if you are dead!!!!”
Tears filled with malice dripped from her eyes.
“...Olivia...”
Noah shook his head and barely managed to call out to her.
“I don’t want to live like I’m dead, just breathing. I...!”
Olivia barely managed to hold her breath and covered her eyes with her hands.
It was right then.
Along with the loud ringing of the alarm bell, shouts erupted.
"It's the Kraken!!"
Olivia, who had buried her face in her palms, lifted her head. As she turned, she saw a pitch-black figure suddenly poke its head out from the far side of the sea before disappearing underwater.
Noah was stepping onto the boat with one foot, as if to say he would no longer wait for Olivia.
"I'm going to fix Magic Dome Unit 2."
"It's dangerous."
"You said it was a Kraken, right? It will be even more dangerous if we don't fix Unit 2."
"Then I'd rather go together."
"I'm sorry that I'm not the peace you expected."
“...”
While Noah was speechless, she approached him. She wrapped her hand around the back of his deep bruise. The strong hand that had been roughly pulling at his stomach was slowly pulled away from the pillar, guided by her gentle touch.
"You stay behind and do your work. I will do what I have to do."
Olivia pushed his chest back. He, who never backed down even in front of the King, was pushed back as if by magic.
And as he was completely pushed off the ship, Olivia gave an order to Pierre, who was standing behind her.
“Sir Pimate, let’s go!”
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