Episode 160. Hang in There, Olivia
“Noah, the Princess...!”
Just as Usher, who had witnessed the scene from close by, was about to approach Olivia in surprise, Noah pulled Olivia back into his arms and held her.
He, who had maintained perfection even at the slightest moment, slumped to the floor, desperately hugged Olivia, and held his breath. He wrapped his whole body in her embrace, as if trying to prevent even God, who had come to pronounce death, from taking Olivia away.
No, no, please... please, no.
Like a child vaguely making a wish to the sky, Noah prayed blindly.
I wish this were a dream.
Then, the smell of blood filling his lungs with a sudden inhale cruelly woke him.
Noah opened his eyes wide and checked Olivia's heartbeat with a slightly trembling hand.
“...”
Fortunately, her pulse was very faint but clearly beating.
Noah pressed his forehead against hers.
At that scene, not only the soldiers surrounding them but even Usher remained silent, unable to dare approach.
Olivia's forehead was cold.
Noah whispered to Olivia.
"Go sleep for a bit and wake up, okay?"
It was a gentle voice that did not fit at all with the hellish scenery of swirling sleet.
Noah, having whispered affectionately to Olivia, lifted his head. Then, he carefully opened the coat wrapped around her body.
The white blouse under the coat was already covered in blood, and dark blood was still gurgling from what looked like a wound.
Noah felt a chilling sensation as the abyss pulled at the nape of his neck, but he opened his eyes wide to regain his senses.
He pressed the towel the soldiers hurriedly handed him against Olivia's wound and shouted angrily.
“Meson!!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
"Go to the palace right now and bring a doctor."
There was no time to move Olivia. The streets would be packed with people due to the commotion, so moving Olivia by carriage was not an option. It was a situation where a mobile horse was needed.
"All right!"
As Meson spurred his horse on, Noah lifted Olivia up in her blanket.
“Noah, you're exhausted, so maybe...”
Usher opened his mouth to stop him, but trailed off in front of Noah's blood-red eyes.
"I'll do it."
Noah walked quickly past Usher to the nearest building and gave an order to Jonan, who had approached him.
“Bring fire, a clean towel, water, medical tools, and a military doctor.”
Jonan paused at Noah's final command.
This is because it was an era when a statute existed stating that only female doctors could treat royal women.
"All right."
Noah tightened his grip on Olivia. He did so desperately, as there was nothing else he could do but hold her tightly like that.
And he prayed earnestly.
Please, please.
Without knowing to whom he was praying, just desperately.
As soon as Leonard heard the news that Magic Dome 2 was functioning properly, he jumped up from his seat.
"Yes!!"
Olivia, who appeared with a bold gaze, finally pulled it off!
She was so admirable and lovely that he felt like he wanted to give her the land she owned.
“Are the Crown Prince, the Prince, and the Princess all safe?!”
While Leonard was filled with joy, Beatrix asked a worried question.
"Everyone is safe."
Then, Leonard looked at the servant and shouted.
“Contact the newspapers right now and tell them to distribute extra editions!!”
As the servant, acting on Leonard's orders, quickly stormed out of the office, the aides standing nearby spoke up.
“What a fortunate thing this is, Your Majesty.”
“That is correct. Hearing that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Duke of Rosemond, along with the navy, managed to defend the warehouse, isn’t that also a relief?”
"And, according to news just airlifted in, there is testimony that the Magic Dome did not operate when the cruise ship carrying President Pulder's daughter sank in the middle of the ocean."
“I hear the President has personally ordered a search of Wilhelm & Co. Ansen Wilhelm will likely try to return to Pulder immediately.”
Leonard's eyebrows curled up at the press secretary's words.
"Things are turning in your favor, Your Majesty."
“Of course, Your Highness will have to handle a killer schedule starting tomorrow.”
As Noah's angry and fierce expression flashed through everyone's minds, a solemn silence fell.
Even so, to think the Princess kept such an important matter a secret just to avoid being harassed by the press. Wouldn't that be reprehensible even if a mere noble had done the same?
Beatrix took a step back from the men and approached the window.
It had been a mild day all day, but before she knew it, snowflakes were fluttering. As she gazed blankly at her reflection in the darkened window, her heart stirred for some reason, as if she were looking into an abyss.
It’s kind of strange.
They say all the children are safe and the matter has been resolved, but what could be stirring up such unease?
Beatrix continued to gaze beyond the window, stroking her chin with her cold fingertips.
She wondered how long it had been like that.
It was just as she was about to turn around, thinking it was unnecessary anxiety.
The loud sound of horses' hooves drew closer, shaking the earth. Beatrix pressed herself against the window and looked down.
A man who looked ominous at first glance suddenly jumped off his horse and sprinted towards the inside of the building!
Beatrix's heart began to pound loudly.
She turned around and looked at the door, hoping that it would not open.
However, contrary to her wishes, the firmly closed door burst open. And behind the servant, a familiar figure entered with an unfamiliar appearance.
“Good heavens, Lord Loktar...!”
Beatrix covered her mouth with her hand.
Meson's uniform was tattered like a rag, but even more serious was the deep wound on one side of his face. Seeing the sight that vividly conveyed the horrors of the battlefield, even the staff officers were left speechless as they stared at him.
“What’s going on!!”
As Leonard approached him and asked urgently, Meson assumed a rigid posture and quickly replied.
“We must take a doctor, Your Majesty.”
"Who got hurt?!"
Beatrix instinctively thought of Noah.
A cold, chilling sensation spread across her skin, as if all the blood were draining from her body.
However, Meson's answer was different from what she expected.
"Her Highness is injured."
“Olivia, how did this happen?! No, how badly is she hurt!”
“While heading from the Magic Dome to the mainland... I apologize, Your Majesty, but there is no time to explain right now. There were too many people to transport Her Highness in a carriage. Please send a doctor. I will take her.”
As Meson acted as if he were in a hurry, a servant standing nearby intervened with a serious expression.
"Currently, all female doctors have left the palace to treat the Grand Lady."
Meson muttered ominously, recalling Noah from when Olivia was sick a while ago.
“If you do not distinguish between men and women when taking the doctors, Duke Rosemond will likely come rushing in in a manner never seen before.”
Olivia's condition looked serious.
Meson was about to open his mouth again to persuade the king.
“Chief Chamberlain, send all remaining palace doctors to the Princess Consort immediately. Spare no necessary support, and move swiftly!”
As Beatrix raised her voice to give the order, the chamberlain involuntarily looked at the King. In response, Beatrix also glared at Leonard, raising her eyes fiercely.
“I have never liked that bizarre palace protocol. What does gender matter when people are dying?! Isn't that right?!!”
Leonard flinched at the frost-like rebuke and nodded reflexively. He stared at the chief chamberlain and spoke firmly.
“Do as the Queen says. Right now!”
"All right!!"
As the chief attendant left the office like a beast with its tail on fire, Meson also bowed respectfully and followed him out of the way.
The place where they had disappeared was in disarray, as if a storm had swept through.
Beatrix pressed her hand firmly against her chest.
It felt as if her tears, falling drop by drop from her eyes, stained red like a sunset, were welling up somewhere in her heart.
'Please, stay safe.'
She bowed her head with her hands clasped together.
While Noah moved Olivia to the infirmary inside the residence, an unexpected person appeared.
It was none other than Mrs. Betty. Mrs. Betty, who had been hiding inside the residence as Jonan had been immediately deployed into battle, turned pale and rushed over upon seeing the Princess, who had lost consciousness in Noah's arms.
The lady, who was clutching the bag entrusted to her by the Princess as if it were her life, saw the soldiers who had followed the Prince hesitating and daring not to lay a hand on the Princess, so she quickly rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward.
"Move aside."
Mrs. Betty skillfully removed the coat from the lying Olivia. As she did so, the flashlight in the coat pocket fell to the floor with a thud.
While she was taking off her coat, Noah was busy stopping the bleeding from Olivia's wound.
Just then, the military doctor he had summoned rushed over with a surprised look on his face. However, the doctor also hesitated, unable to dare lay a hand on the Princess, who was lying there with an equally pale face.
Seeing that pathetic sight, Noah spat out a rebuke.
"Don't just stand there like an idiot; come here right now and look at the wound."
Every single syllable was so sharp and fierce that if he delayed even a little longer, it seemed as though Noah would personally grab him by the collar and force his face into Olivia's wound.
“...Yes, yes!!”
Meanwhile, Mrs. Betty unbuttoned the bottom button of Olivia's blouse, exposing her abdomen.
"Oh my..."
Mrs. Betty let out a groan at the exposed wound. The military doctor also frowned the moment he saw the wound.
Something must have burrowed into her abdomen.
"Flashlight!"
As the military doctor gave the order to the person who had come with him, Noah picked up Olivia's flashlight that had fallen to the floor.
"I'll do it, so focus on the wound."
As soon as he finished speaking, a light of brightness incomparable to a lamp poured down.
When the military doctor glanced at Noah in surprise, his expression was stern and cold beyond measure. At first glance, he did not look like a husband with a wife bleeding to death, but the doctor's instinct told a different story.
'If I can't save her, I might die.'
The military doctor's whole body stiffened with tension. He quickly disinfected his hands and used a tool to examine the Princess's wound.
Mrs. Betty closed her eyes at the pitch-black hole in Olivia's once-smooth abdomen.
A moment later, the military doctor examining Olivia's wound looked up at Noah and spoke quickly.
“A metal fragment is embedded in the internal organ. To remove it, open surgery must be performed immediately. It is impossible here. We must go to a facility equipped with surgical equipment, Your Highness.”
“...”
Noah's eyes were darkly shadowed, like the other side of the light.
How long will it take to get to the nearest place?
Time was of the essence.
He remained in heavy silence, like an officer making a decision that would determine the life or death of a large army, then gave an order.
“I will perform the Princess’s surgery on the warship. Jonan, prepare the boat. As soon as Meson brings the doctor, send him straight to the warship.”
It was an unprecedented order.
But what does that matter?
The soldiers who were on standby quickly moved to carry out Noah's order.
At that moment, Noah's top priority was saving Olivia.
Customs, laws, or the gaze of others did not matter at all. If they stood in the way of saving Olivia, he was prepared to break them, even if they were the law of God.
Running alongside Olivia on the stretcher, Noah gripped her hand tightly.
So please hang in there, Olivia.
I will definitely save you.
“Noah, the Princess...!”
Just as Usher, who had witnessed the scene from close by, was about to approach Olivia in surprise, Noah pulled Olivia back into his arms and held her.
He, who had maintained perfection even at the slightest moment, slumped to the floor, desperately hugged Olivia, and held his breath. He wrapped his whole body in her embrace, as if trying to prevent even God, who had come to pronounce death, from taking Olivia away.
No, no, please... please, no.
Like a child vaguely making a wish to the sky, Noah prayed blindly.
I wish this were a dream.
Then, the smell of blood filling his lungs with a sudden inhale cruelly woke him.
Noah opened his eyes wide and checked Olivia's heartbeat with a slightly trembling hand.
“...”
Fortunately, her pulse was very faint but clearly beating.
Noah pressed his forehead against hers.
At that scene, not only the soldiers surrounding them but even Usher remained silent, unable to dare approach.
Olivia's forehead was cold.
Noah whispered to Olivia.
"Go sleep for a bit and wake up, okay?"
It was a gentle voice that did not fit at all with the hellish scenery of swirling sleet.
Noah, having whispered affectionately to Olivia, lifted his head. Then, he carefully opened the coat wrapped around her body.
The white blouse under the coat was already covered in blood, and dark blood was still gurgling from what looked like a wound.
Noah felt a chilling sensation as the abyss pulled at the nape of his neck, but he opened his eyes wide to regain his senses.
He pressed the towel the soldiers hurriedly handed him against Olivia's wound and shouted angrily.
“Meson!!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
"Go to the palace right now and bring a doctor."
There was no time to move Olivia. The streets would be packed with people due to the commotion, so moving Olivia by carriage was not an option. It was a situation where a mobile horse was needed.
"All right!"
As Meson spurred his horse on, Noah lifted Olivia up in her blanket.
“Noah, you're exhausted, so maybe...”
Usher opened his mouth to stop him, but trailed off in front of Noah's blood-red eyes.
"I'll do it."
Noah walked quickly past Usher to the nearest building and gave an order to Jonan, who had approached him.
“Bring fire, a clean towel, water, medical tools, and a military doctor.”
Jonan paused at Noah's final command.
This is because it was an era when a statute existed stating that only female doctors could treat royal women.
However, Jonn eventually couldn’t bring himself to question his orders. After all, Noah surely knew the palace protocol just as well as he did.
Noah tightened his grip on Olivia. He did so desperately, as there was nothing else he could do but hold her tightly like that.
And he prayed earnestly.
Please, please.
Without knowing to whom he was praying, just desperately.
***
As soon as Leonard heard the news that Magic Dome 2 was functioning properly, he jumped up from his seat.
"Yes!!"
Olivia, who appeared with a bold gaze, finally pulled it off!
She was so admirable and lovely that he felt like he wanted to give her the land she owned.
“Are the Crown Prince, the Prince, and the Princess all safe?!”
While Leonard was filled with joy, Beatrix asked a worried question.
"Everyone is safe."
Then, Leonard looked at the servant and shouted.
“Contact the newspapers right now and tell them to distribute extra editions!!”
As the servant, acting on Leonard's orders, quickly stormed out of the office, the aides standing nearby spoke up.
“What a fortunate thing this is, Your Majesty.”
“That is correct. Hearing that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Duke of Rosemond, along with the navy, managed to defend the warehouse, isn’t that also a relief?”
"And, according to news just airlifted in, there is testimony that the Magic Dome did not operate when the cruise ship carrying President Pulder's daughter sank in the middle of the ocean."
“I hear the President has personally ordered a search of Wilhelm & Co. Ansen Wilhelm will likely try to return to Pulder immediately.”
Leonard's eyebrows curled up at the press secretary's words.
"Things are turning in your favor, Your Majesty."
“Of course, Your Highness will have to handle a killer schedule starting tomorrow.”
As Noah's angry and fierce expression flashed through everyone's minds, a solemn silence fell.
Even so, to think the Princess kept such an important matter a secret just to avoid being harassed by the press. Wouldn't that be reprehensible even if a mere noble had done the same?
Beatrix took a step back from the men and approached the window.
It had been a mild day all day, but before she knew it, snowflakes were fluttering. As she gazed blankly at her reflection in the darkened window, her heart stirred for some reason, as if she were looking into an abyss.
It’s kind of strange.
They say all the children are safe and the matter has been resolved, but what could be stirring up such unease?
Beatrix continued to gaze beyond the window, stroking her chin with her cold fingertips.
She wondered how long it had been like that.
It was just as she was about to turn around, thinking it was unnecessary anxiety.
The loud sound of horses' hooves drew closer, shaking the earth. Beatrix pressed herself against the window and looked down.
A man who looked ominous at first glance suddenly jumped off his horse and sprinted towards the inside of the building!
Beatrix's heart began to pound loudly.
She turned around and looked at the door, hoping that it would not open.
However, contrary to her wishes, the firmly closed door burst open. And behind the servant, a familiar figure entered with an unfamiliar appearance.
“Good heavens, Lord Loktar...!”
Beatrix covered her mouth with her hand.
Meson's uniform was tattered like a rag, but even more serious was the deep wound on one side of his face. Seeing the sight that vividly conveyed the horrors of the battlefield, even the staff officers were left speechless as they stared at him.
“What’s going on!!”
As Leonard approached him and asked urgently, Meson assumed a rigid posture and quickly replied.
“We must take a doctor, Your Majesty.”
"Who got hurt?!"
Beatrix instinctively thought of Noah.
A cold, chilling sensation spread across her skin, as if all the blood were draining from her body.
However, Meson's answer was different from what she expected.
"Her Highness is injured."
“Olivia, how did this happen?! No, how badly is she hurt!”
“While heading from the Magic Dome to the mainland... I apologize, Your Majesty, but there is no time to explain right now. There were too many people to transport Her Highness in a carriage. Please send a doctor. I will take her.”
As Meson acted as if he were in a hurry, a servant standing nearby intervened with a serious expression.
"Currently, all female doctors have left the palace to treat the Grand Lady."
Meson muttered ominously, recalling Noah from when Olivia was sick a while ago.
“If you do not distinguish between men and women when taking the doctors, Duke Rosemond will likely come rushing in in a manner never seen before.”
Olivia's condition looked serious.
Meson was about to open his mouth again to persuade the king.
“Chief Chamberlain, send all remaining palace doctors to the Princess Consort immediately. Spare no necessary support, and move swiftly!”
As Beatrix raised her voice to give the order, the chamberlain involuntarily looked at the King. In response, Beatrix also glared at Leonard, raising her eyes fiercely.
“I have never liked that bizarre palace protocol. What does gender matter when people are dying?! Isn't that right?!!”
Leonard flinched at the frost-like rebuke and nodded reflexively. He stared at the chief chamberlain and spoke firmly.
“Do as the Queen says. Right now!”
"All right!!"
As the chief attendant left the office like a beast with its tail on fire, Meson also bowed respectfully and followed him out of the way.
The place where they had disappeared was in disarray, as if a storm had swept through.
Beatrix pressed her hand firmly against her chest.
It felt as if her tears, falling drop by drop from her eyes, stained red like a sunset, were welling up somewhere in her heart.
'Please, stay safe.'
She bowed her head with her hands clasped together.
***
While Noah moved Olivia to the infirmary inside the residence, an unexpected person appeared.
It was none other than Mrs. Betty. Mrs. Betty, who had been hiding inside the residence as Jonan had been immediately deployed into battle, turned pale and rushed over upon seeing the Princess, who had lost consciousness in Noah's arms.
The lady, who was clutching the bag entrusted to her by the Princess as if it were her life, saw the soldiers who had followed the Prince hesitating and daring not to lay a hand on the Princess, so she quickly rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward.
"Move aside."
Mrs. Betty skillfully removed the coat from the lying Olivia. As she did so, the flashlight in the coat pocket fell to the floor with a thud.
While she was taking off her coat, Noah was busy stopping the bleeding from Olivia's wound.
Just then, the military doctor he had summoned rushed over with a surprised look on his face. However, the doctor also hesitated, unable to dare lay a hand on the Princess, who was lying there with an equally pale face.
Seeing that pathetic sight, Noah spat out a rebuke.
"Don't just stand there like an idiot; come here right now and look at the wound."
Every single syllable was so sharp and fierce that if he delayed even a little longer, it seemed as though Noah would personally grab him by the collar and force his face into Olivia's wound.
“...Yes, yes!!”
Meanwhile, Mrs. Betty unbuttoned the bottom button of Olivia's blouse, exposing her abdomen.
"Oh my..."
Mrs. Betty let out a groan at the exposed wound. The military doctor also frowned the moment he saw the wound.
Something must have burrowed into her abdomen.
"Flashlight!"
As the military doctor gave the order to the person who had come with him, Noah picked up Olivia's flashlight that had fallen to the floor.
"I'll do it, so focus on the wound."
As soon as he finished speaking, a light of brightness incomparable to a lamp poured down.
When the military doctor glanced at Noah in surprise, his expression was stern and cold beyond measure. At first glance, he did not look like a husband with a wife bleeding to death, but the doctor's instinct told a different story.
'If I can't save her, I might die.'
The military doctor's whole body stiffened with tension. He quickly disinfected his hands and used a tool to examine the Princess's wound.
Mrs. Betty closed her eyes at the pitch-black hole in Olivia's once-smooth abdomen.
A moment later, the military doctor examining Olivia's wound looked up at Noah and spoke quickly.
“A metal fragment is embedded in the internal organ. To remove it, open surgery must be performed immediately. It is impossible here. We must go to a facility equipped with surgical equipment, Your Highness.”
“...”
Noah's eyes were darkly shadowed, like the other side of the light.
How long will it take to get to the nearest place?
Time was of the essence.
He remained in heavy silence, like an officer making a decision that would determine the life or death of a large army, then gave an order.
“I will perform the Princess’s surgery on the warship. Jonan, prepare the boat. As soon as Meson brings the doctor, send him straight to the warship.”
It was an unprecedented order.
But what does that matter?
The soldiers who were on standby quickly moved to carry out Noah's order.
At that moment, Noah's top priority was saving Olivia.
Customs, laws, or the gaze of others did not matter at all. If they stood in the way of saving Olivia, he was prepared to break them, even if they were the law of God.
Running alongside Olivia on the stretcher, Noah gripped her hand tightly.
So please hang in there, Olivia.
I will definitely save you.
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