Episode 162. Oliver, That Hateful and Resentful Name
Ansen desperately held back his facial muscles from contorting. However, he could not stop his fingers, gripping the newspaper, from trembling slightly.
The front page of the extra edition featured the news that Olivia had repaired the Magic Dome. A paragraph also occupied the content, stating that she was the one who had previously repaired the ship-shaped Magic Dome.
A cold wind woke Ansen, who was momentarily stunned by the unbelievable reality.
Ansen took a short breath, glared at Usher with his eyes glaring, and then tensed his stomach and protested.
"This is a clear breach of contract!!'
"How dare you!!"
His shout echoed through the harbor. As the guards standing behind the Crown Prince prepared to rush out with menacing expressions, Usher stopped them and spoke.
"How did the Princess fix the Magic Dome, which was said to be unfixable due to a lack of parts?"
“The machine room, under any circumstances...”
“It turns out there was a victim of that selfish clause, regrettably.”
Like lions that spot weaknesses with uncanny accuracy, both Astrid brothers seemed to have a knack for touching the opponent's raw nerve.
"Weren't you just about to head to Pulder in a hurry because of that problem?"
Usher raised an eyebrow and took a step back. Then he spoke coldly.
"Herod will surely hold you accountable for attempting to threaten the safety of Herod's people under the pretext of the Magic Dome."
“...”
"At the same time, we will spare no support in reclaiming the rights of the Princess Consort that were unjustly taken away."
Ansen clenched his fist tightly and gritted his teeth.
“What right are you talking about? What right?”
As Usher stared at Ansen with his cold blue eyes, Ansen growled as if having a seizure.
“It won’t be easy. Even the Herodian royal court cannot arbitrarily infringe upon my rights. For I am not a beggar of Herod, but an entrepreneur of Pulder.”
Usher nodded. Then, turning elegantly, he whispered softly.
“I heard that Pulder is busy raiding your business.”
“...”
“Anyway, I wish you good luck.”
Ansen felt a sudden throbbing pain in his face where Noah had struck him. Usher Astrid, who was said to be the epitome of a gentleman, was a man worthy of being Noah Astrid's older brother. The two were identical, differing only in whether or not they wore a mask of a gentleman.
“CEO...!”
"Did you get it?"
"It is said that all ship operations have been canceled due to the sinking of the Sunrise. Currently, even detour routes are blocked."
“Damn it! I should have paid extra to get a fishing boat!!”
“Yes, yes. I have actually already arranged for a fishing boat to head out.”
The greatest luck of the day was that Usher disappeared, and the secretary, who arrived late, fortunately managed to secure a late boat.
Fortunately, the Kraken situation has subsided, so they say they will depart around midnight.
Ansen rubbed his face and threw the newspaper into the trash can.
It was a terribly long night.
The news of the Princess's accident also spread rapidly, like a fire spreading across a dry field. Reporters who saw the scene from afar relayed the news, and those who could not sleep passed it on from mouth to mouth.
“Oh my god... what should I do?”
“They say that if Her Royal Highness the Princess had not repaired the Magic Dome at that time, the damage would have been even greater.”
“Why wouldn’t she? That is why she risked her life to cross that dangerous sea. I wouldn’t have even dared to attempt it.”
Public opinion was overturned again, like flipping a coin.
Olivia, who had gone from a seductress seducing men to a pitiful victim whose abilities were stolen, had become a hero who got injured while trying to save people in just a few hours.
And the news reached the ears of the Princess in the palace.
Lucy ran down the hallway with a pale face. The girl, who had never run in the hallway even when she was much younger, sprinted, disregarding all etiquette.
The hallway where the King's office was located was much more chaotic than usual.
The attendant guarding the office cautiously stood in the way of Lucy, who had run from afar.
"Princess."
"I’m going to ask my father just one thing before I go."
"The Admiral is currently having an audience with His Majesty."
The attendant looked at Madame Lehmann with a reproachful gaze, but she, too, was as pale as Lucy.
Lucy took a step back and spoke with a stubborn expression.
"Then I just need to wait."
That stubbornness must surely run in the family.
A short while later, as Admiral David, whose warship had been hijacked by Noah, came out of his office, Lucy entered the office as if she had been waiting for it.
As soon as the girl saw her parents' serious faces, tears burst out.
"Lucy."
At Beatrix's call, Lucy ran to her and asked.
"Is Her Highness badly hurt?"
"Since the surgery is in progress right now, she should be fine."
Leonard also approached and stroked the head of his daughter, who was consumed by worry. Even the face of the King, who was cynical about everything, was etched with anxiety.
"Father..."
Leonard looked down at his daughter and forced a smile.
"She'll be fine."
Leonard and Beatrix's eyes met.
About an hour after the royal doctor left, Admiral David arrived with a serious expression.
“His Royal Highness the Prince has ordered the warships to set sail. When the doctor refused to operate on Her Royal Highness the Princess, he asked if they would perform the surgery once they crossed into Herod’s waters...”
Even for a Prince, sending a warship out of the sea without the King's permission was strictly illegal. This must be proof that the situation was critical enough for him to make such a choice.
That is why Leonard also issued an unexpected order.
“Send a speedboat to the Bahma Common Area Management Office. Reveal in advance why the warship led by Noah passed through the area.”
Bahma Community Area Management Office.
It was a kind of gateway jointly established by the nations surrounding the ocean. All warships passing through this zone without a military purpose must obtain permission from the management office.
If he finished the surgery at sea and returned to Herod, there would be no reason to seek permission, but for some reason, it seemed as though Noah would not bring Olivia to Herod.
Leonard gazed at Olivia's blueprint spread out on the desk. Written in such detail, as if one had examined a magic dome held in the palm of their hand, the blueprint encapsulated Olivia's past.
Leonard hugged his daughter and spoke as if wishing in his heart.
"Make sure you come back alive, Olivia."
Due to the sinking of the Sunrise, the operation of all passenger ships sailing the ocean was completely suspended. As this was an unprecedented situation where even detour routes were halted, Marguerite was also unable to leave for Herod.
She slowly gasped for breath and gazed at the distant sea beyond the window.
It seemed as though the heart-wrenching cries of Pulder Harbor were carried on the wind. The bereaved families of countless people who had been buried in the deep sea and whose remains could not even be found gathered at the harbor every day and wept toward the sea.
Some of them went to Pulder Castle, where the President's office was located, and demanded an investigation day after day, while others rushed to Wilhelm headquarters and protested day and night.
Margot looked down at the newspaper she was holding.
[Where is Ansen Wilhelm?]
Day after day, the bereaved families demanded that Ansen Wilhelm personally explain the defect in the Magic Dome, which was identified as the cause of the incident, but Ansen Wilhelm was not in Pulder.
In the middle of the article, there were testimonies from captains stating that the sound was strange when the Magic Dome was activated after the ship-type Magic Dome upgrade.
And at the end, there was a testimony from a former Wilhelm Company engineer stating that the ship-type Magic Dome upgrade was merely an unreasonable increase in the number of cannons.
[“...They forcibly mounted a massive number of guns that the cooling system or engine couldn’t handle, and called it an upgrade. There was a lot of internal talk. People said that doing this would cause problems.”]
Margot muttered with a cynical smile on her lips.
In the end, people will wonder why Ansen Wilhelm failed the Magic Dome upgrade.
Just then, the butler came in with a small knock.
"The lawyer has arrived."
Although she was unable to go to Herod, the sea route will open at any time. It is better to do what needs to be done in advance than to kill time.
Margot nodded lightly and moved to the seat of honor, and in the meantime, the lawyer she had called entered the room.
Dressed like a gentleman, like Herod, he bowed respectfully toward Margot as soon as he entered the room.
"I greet Your Highness, the Princess. My name is Rick Winfred."
“Lift your head, Sir Winfred. Take a seat.”
“To call it a marvel is preposterous.”
"I understand since it is more convenient for you to call me that."
As Rick Winfred sat down cautiously, Margot, true to Astrid's nature, spoke directly.
“I called you here to ask for your advice. What must be done to regain women’s patent rights that the Pulder court did not recognize?”
Of course, since she did not have Olivia's permission, she had absolutely no intention of mentioning her name. She simply wanted to know in advance if there was a way to resolve the situation.
Rick Winfred, who was asking such a question for the first time, finally spoke after quite a while.
“I apologize, Princess. As this is an unprecedented matter... May I carefully examine the legal provisions for now and return to give you an answer?”
“By any chance. However, I would prefer it to be as soon as possible. Is it possible within this week?”
“Yes, I will do so.”
Shortly after Rick Winfred hurriedly left, other visitors entered Margot's study.
The reporters, holding notebooks and pens, cleared their throats softly and bowed their heads before the Princess, who was like a finely honed blade.
"Did you call, Princess?"
Margot leaned deeply back against the chair and spoke lazily.
"Do you know that Ansen Wilhelm is not the sole patent holder of the Magic Dome, but a co-patent holder?"
For a moment, the reporters reminded Margot of jackals eyeing their prey. He could even sense a chilling obsession in them as they suddenly lifted their heads and glared.
“A joint patent holder... do you mean there is another patent holder?”
Margot shrugged her shoulders and picked up her teacup.
"Well, I just heard it, but it sounds quite credible, so you should dig into it. The co-patent holder's name is... Oliver, or something."
No sooner had she finished speaking than the reporters quickly jotted something down in their notebooks.
It is obvious what they are writing without even looking.
Oliver.
Wouldn't you have written down that hateful and bitter name?
Margot's eyes gleamed coldly as she looked at the reporters' notebooks.
Ansen desperately held back his facial muscles from contorting. However, he could not stop his fingers, gripping the newspaper, from trembling slightly.
The front page of the extra edition featured the news that Olivia had repaired the Magic Dome. A paragraph also occupied the content, stating that she was the one who had previously repaired the ship-shaped Magic Dome.
A cold wind woke Ansen, who was momentarily stunned by the unbelievable reality.
Ansen took a short breath, glared at Usher with his eyes glaring, and then tensed his stomach and protested.
"This is a clear breach of contract!!'
"How dare you!!"
His shout echoed through the harbor. As the guards standing behind the Crown Prince prepared to rush out with menacing expressions, Usher stopped them and spoke.
"How did the Princess fix the Magic Dome, which was said to be unfixable due to a lack of parts?"
“The machine room, under any circumstances...”
“It turns out there was a victim of that selfish clause, regrettably.”
Like lions that spot weaknesses with uncanny accuracy, both Astrid brothers seemed to have a knack for touching the opponent's raw nerve.
"Weren't you just about to head to Pulder in a hurry because of that problem?"
Usher raised an eyebrow and took a step back. Then he spoke coldly.
"Herod will surely hold you accountable for attempting to threaten the safety of Herod's people under the pretext of the Magic Dome."
“...”
"At the same time, we will spare no support in reclaiming the rights of the Princess Consort that were unjustly taken away."
Ansen clenched his fist tightly and gritted his teeth.
“What right are you talking about? What right?”
As Usher stared at Ansen with his cold blue eyes, Ansen growled as if having a seizure.
“It won’t be easy. Even the Herodian royal court cannot arbitrarily infringe upon my rights. For I am not a beggar of Herod, but an entrepreneur of Pulder.”
Usher nodded. Then, turning elegantly, he whispered softly.
“I heard that Pulder is busy raiding your business.”
“...”
“Anyway, I wish you good luck.”
Ansen felt a sudden throbbing pain in his face where Noah had struck him. Usher Astrid, who was said to be the epitome of a gentleman, was a man worthy of being Noah Astrid's older brother. The two were identical, differing only in whether or not they wore a mask of a gentleman.
“CEO...!”
"Did you get it?"
"It is said that all ship operations have been canceled due to the sinking of the Sunrise. Currently, even detour routes are blocked."
“Damn it! I should have paid extra to get a fishing boat!!”
“Yes, yes. I have actually already arranged for a fishing boat to head out.”
The greatest luck of the day was that Usher disappeared, and the secretary, who arrived late, fortunately managed to secure a late boat.
Fortunately, the Kraken situation has subsided, so they say they will depart around midnight.
Ansen rubbed his face and threw the newspaper into the trash can.
It was a terribly long night.
***
The news of the Princess's accident also spread rapidly, like a fire spreading across a dry field. Reporters who saw the scene from afar relayed the news, and those who could not sleep passed it on from mouth to mouth.
“Oh my god... what should I do?”
“They say that if Her Royal Highness the Princess had not repaired the Magic Dome at that time, the damage would have been even greater.”
“Why wouldn’t she? That is why she risked her life to cross that dangerous sea. I wouldn’t have even dared to attempt it.”
Public opinion was overturned again, like flipping a coin.
Olivia, who had gone from a seductress seducing men to a pitiful victim whose abilities were stolen, had become a hero who got injured while trying to save people in just a few hours.
And the news reached the ears of the Princess in the palace.
Lucy ran down the hallway with a pale face. The girl, who had never run in the hallway even when she was much younger, sprinted, disregarding all etiquette.
The hallway where the King's office was located was much more chaotic than usual.
The attendant guarding the office cautiously stood in the way of Lucy, who had run from afar.
"Princess."
"I’m going to ask my father just one thing before I go."
"The Admiral is currently having an audience with His Majesty."
The attendant looked at Madame Lehmann with a reproachful gaze, but she, too, was as pale as Lucy.
Lucy took a step back and spoke with a stubborn expression.
"Then I just need to wait."
That stubbornness must surely run in the family.
A short while later, as Admiral David, whose warship had been hijacked by Noah, came out of his office, Lucy entered the office as if she had been waiting for it.
As soon as the girl saw her parents' serious faces, tears burst out.
"Lucy."
At Beatrix's call, Lucy ran to her and asked.
"Is Her Highness badly hurt?"
"Since the surgery is in progress right now, she should be fine."
Leonard also approached and stroked the head of his daughter, who was consumed by worry. Even the face of the King, who was cynical about everything, was etched with anxiety.
"Father..."
Leonard looked down at his daughter and forced a smile.
"She'll be fine."
Leonard and Beatrix's eyes met.
About an hour after the royal doctor left, Admiral David arrived with a serious expression.
“His Royal Highness the Prince has ordered the warships to set sail. When the doctor refused to operate on Her Royal Highness the Princess, he asked if they would perform the surgery once they crossed into Herod’s waters...”
Even for a Prince, sending a warship out of the sea without the King's permission was strictly illegal. This must be proof that the situation was critical enough for him to make such a choice.
That is why Leonard also issued an unexpected order.
“Send a speedboat to the Bahma Common Area Management Office. Reveal in advance why the warship led by Noah passed through the area.”
Bahma Community Area Management Office.
It was a kind of gateway jointly established by the nations surrounding the ocean. All warships passing through this zone without a military purpose must obtain permission from the management office.
If he finished the surgery at sea and returned to Herod, there would be no reason to seek permission, but for some reason, it seemed as though Noah would not bring Olivia to Herod.
Leonard gazed at Olivia's blueprint spread out on the desk. Written in such detail, as if one had examined a magic dome held in the palm of their hand, the blueprint encapsulated Olivia's past.
Leonard hugged his daughter and spoke as if wishing in his heart.
"Make sure you come back alive, Olivia."
***
Due to the sinking of the Sunrise, the operation of all passenger ships sailing the ocean was completely suspended. As this was an unprecedented situation where even detour routes were halted, Marguerite was also unable to leave for Herod.
She slowly gasped for breath and gazed at the distant sea beyond the window.
It seemed as though the heart-wrenching cries of Pulder Harbor were carried on the wind. The bereaved families of countless people who had been buried in the deep sea and whose remains could not even be found gathered at the harbor every day and wept toward the sea.
Some of them went to Pulder Castle, where the President's office was located, and demanded an investigation day after day, while others rushed to Wilhelm headquarters and protested day and night.
Margot looked down at the newspaper she was holding.
[Where is Ansen Wilhelm?]
Day after day, the bereaved families demanded that Ansen Wilhelm personally explain the defect in the Magic Dome, which was identified as the cause of the incident, but Ansen Wilhelm was not in Pulder.
In the middle of the article, there were testimonies from captains stating that the sound was strange when the Magic Dome was activated after the ship-type Magic Dome upgrade.
And at the end, there was a testimony from a former Wilhelm Company engineer stating that the ship-type Magic Dome upgrade was merely an unreasonable increase in the number of cannons.
[“...They forcibly mounted a massive number of guns that the cooling system or engine couldn’t handle, and called it an upgrade. There was a lot of internal talk. People said that doing this would cause problems.”]
Margot muttered with a cynical smile on her lips.
In the end, people will wonder why Ansen Wilhelm failed the Magic Dome upgrade.
Just then, the butler came in with a small knock.
"The lawyer has arrived."
Although she was unable to go to Herod, the sea route will open at any time. It is better to do what needs to be done in advance than to kill time.
Margot nodded lightly and moved to the seat of honor, and in the meantime, the lawyer she had called entered the room.
Dressed like a gentleman, like Herod, he bowed respectfully toward Margot as soon as he entered the room.
"I greet Your Highness, the Princess. My name is Rick Winfred."
“Lift your head, Sir Winfred. Take a seat.”
“To call it a marvel is preposterous.”
"I understand since it is more convenient for you to call me that."
As Rick Winfred sat down cautiously, Margot, true to Astrid's nature, spoke directly.
“I called you here to ask for your advice. What must be done to regain women’s patent rights that the Pulder court did not recognize?”
Of course, since she did not have Olivia's permission, she had absolutely no intention of mentioning her name. She simply wanted to know in advance if there was a way to resolve the situation.
Rick Winfred, who was asking such a question for the first time, finally spoke after quite a while.
“I apologize, Princess. As this is an unprecedented matter... May I carefully examine the legal provisions for now and return to give you an answer?”
“By any chance. However, I would prefer it to be as soon as possible. Is it possible within this week?”
“Yes, I will do so.”
Shortly after Rick Winfred hurriedly left, other visitors entered Margot's study.
The reporters, holding notebooks and pens, cleared their throats softly and bowed their heads before the Princess, who was like a finely honed blade.
"Did you call, Princess?"
Margot leaned deeply back against the chair and spoke lazily.
"Do you know that Ansen Wilhelm is not the sole patent holder of the Magic Dome, but a co-patent holder?"
For a moment, the reporters reminded Margot of jackals eyeing their prey. He could even sense a chilling obsession in them as they suddenly lifted their heads and glared.
“A joint patent holder... do you mean there is another patent holder?”
Margot shrugged her shoulders and picked up her teacup.
"Well, I just heard it, but it sounds quite credible, so you should dig into it. The co-patent holder's name is... Oliver, or something."
No sooner had she finished speaking than the reporters quickly jotted something down in their notebooks.
It is obvious what they are writing without even looking.
Oliver.
Wouldn't you have written down that hateful and bitter name?
Margot's eyes gleamed coldly as she looked at the reporters' notebooks.
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