Episode 167. Noah's Waiting
Noah was enduring hell.
Olivia cries.
Cries bitterly as if dying.
Nevertheless, he could not dare to open this door. He could not dare to open this door, which was so old and worn that it looked like it would open with just a light touch.
Noah stood still in front of the entrance and heard Olivia crying.
She was someone who held back her tears.
She was someone who somehow managed to hold back tears even when they welled up in her eyes, because she didn't want to show herself crying.
She even cries out loud.
There must have been a dam deep within the heart holding back tears.
How deep was that dam? How wide was it?
And how many tears did Noah himself add to that dam?
The sound of crying made his heart feel like it was breaking. He wanted to run over right away, hug the crying Olivia, and pat her back.
However, since he could not do so, Noah had no choice but to endure it like a person receiving punishment.
Noah turned his reddened eyes to look at the window from which tears were escaping, then staggered toward it and leaned his back against the wall next to the windowsill.
Then, hearing the heart-wrenching sobs, he whispered softly.
"I'm sorry, Olivia."
Noah's voice seeped into Olivia's tears.
"Sorry."
It seeped into the house that raised her,
"I was wrong."
Tears trickled down his chin and soaked the dry grass at his feet.
Olivia, who had fallen asleep as if fainting in Mrs. Betty's arms, opened her eyes to a reddish light.
She hadn't eaten much and had cried until she fainted, so there was no way she could have had any strength in her body, yet strangely, Olivia felt light.
Olivia sat on the bed, catching her breath slowly as she gazed at the light that had dyed the ivory curtains pink.
Is it around sunset?
At that moment, before she could even stop him, he appeared, occupying a corner of her mind. The boundless sea, the dreamlike pink sunset, and the man who overwhelmed it all.
Olivia slowly lowered her head and looked at her hands.
Noah, who was perfect at every moment, wasn't even wearing gloves last night.
“Once all of that is over...”
"No."
Let's get a divorce.
"No."
“...”
“No, Liv.”
Olivia saw the tears welling up and flowing from Noah's eyes.
For some reason, her heart ached, so she averted her gaze. Then, as she simply walked to find her grandmother, he hurriedly followed her.
“Where are you going?”
“...”
When she didn't answer, he eventually hugged her from behind.
“Let’s go together. Wherever you go, whatever you do, I won’t tell you not to do it. In return, I’ll go with you. No, let me go with you.”
Olivia blinked as she listened to the damp, low voice, like a fallen leaf soaked in rain and stuck to the ground.
The embrace holding her, the one she had always considered to be as big and solid as a barrier, was unbelievably trembling.
Why was he trembling?
What could it have been that made him, who seemed to fear nothing in the world, tremble so much?
The darkness and fog within her were fading in the faint light. The truth beyond seemed barely visible.
However, unrecovered health was a problem that prevented Olivia from groping for the truth behind the dim outlines.
Although it had gotten a little better, the surgical site still hurt when she stood up. Olivia lifted the hem of her dress to look at the wound. The mark was quite large and distinct.
What happened?
Olivia narrowed her eyes. Emotions surged through the memories that seemed on the verge of surfacing. Feeling as if tears were about to well up, Olivia quickly pushed the memories away.
'You shouldn't waste your energy by crying anymore.'
Olivia comforted herself and left the bedroom. As soon as she stepped out the door, the first thing she saw was a painting hanging in the hallway.
Between the modest wall lamps hung Olivia's clumsy drawings. And beneath them, on the old console, grandmother's knitted lace was neatly arranged.
Olivia walked down the short hallway, slowly running her fingertips over the console.
"Your Highness."
Mrs. Betty approached, perhaps sensing someone's presence.
Olivia smiled gently at her, then continued to scan the house with her eyes. As the egg cracked and the young heart grew, the sadness that had always lingered there surprisingly faded. Feeling the grooves carved in the wood with her fingertips, Olivia spoke to Mrs. Betty.
“Madam, this is a mark my grandmother made for me every time I was growing up.”
Then Mrs. Betty bent down and examined the mark closely. Straightening up again, she nodded and spoke in a gentle voice.
"It looks like you asked them to measure it often. The lines are very tight."
"That's right. I wanted to see myself growing taller with my own eyes."
Olivia chuckled and resumed walking. She entered the kitchen. Filled with a savory aroma, the kitchen felt as if a time from her grandmother's lifetime had been transported there.
She hadn't even realized she was hungry until now, but for some reason, she suddenly felt hungry.
Olivia turned to Mrs. Betty and spoke softly.
"Madam, I'm hungry."
At that, Mrs. Betty's face lit up. She beamed and quickly nodded.
"Please take a seat. I prepared fish stew. I thought you might want some if you get up."
Mrs. Betty, who was hurriedly pouring a bowl of stew into a bowl taken from the cupboard, paused for a moment. She turned slightly and gazed far out the window. Although she could not see, she knew.
That Noah Astrid is still there.
Mrs. Betty hesitated for a moment, then put down the ball she was holding and cautiously approached Olivia.
“...?”
As Olivia looked puzzled with a clear expression, Mrs. Betty bent her knees to lower her eye level and spoke in a low voice.
“Actually, Your Highness.”
"Speak."
“His Royal Highness the Prince is outside the door.”
Olivia blinked blankly and asked back.
“...Why him?”
Mrs. Betty recalled Olivia's tears from the past. When she thought of Olivia, withering away alone in the paradise the Prince had created, she wondered what it mattered whether he was waiting outside or not.
However, he, who stayed by the unconscious Olivia's side until the end, kept shaking Mrs. Betty's heart.
So she slowly chose her words and opened her mouth.
"He arrived early in the morning. And he has been waiting outside until now."
Olivia frowned as if she couldn't understand at all, then looked around. Then, widening her eyes, she asked back.
"You said he was waiting?"
Mrs. Betty answered as if she had read her mind.
“Even though I said I would contact him when you woke up, he said he would just wait. And when I told him that if that wasn't the case, he should just come inside and wait instead...”
“...”
“He said that he could not do so because there was no permission from Your Highness.”
Olivia wore a look of complete incomprehension. Mrs. Betty gazed at her blankly, then whispered softly.
“He waited continuously, even on the warship. From the moment of the surgery—no, from even before that until the moment you woke up—His Royal Highness the Prince never left Your Highness's side for a single moment.”
Olivia stood frozen in a daze, then asked about one thing.
“...Do you mean surgery was performed on a warship?”
"Yes."
“...”
Olivia was lost in thought. Mrs. Betty quietly stepped back so as not to disturb her thoughts.
Surgery, warships... Yes, let’s leave that aside for now.
It was only then that Olivia began to wonder why she had come to Pulder.
“Yes. Let’s go home, Olivia.”
Olivia held her breath for a moment as she recalled the gentle voice that had woken her up, when suddenly a low voice was heard from beside her.
"It is such a relief to see you getting much better, Your Highness."
When Olivia turned her head, a strange middle-aged man was standing there. As if he had read her doubts, he bowed politely and introduced himself.
"I am Royal doctor Leon Brick."
“...Lord Brick, why are you here?”
At the Princess's flustered tone, the doctor laughed as if asking the obvious.
"Of course, since I performed the surgery on Your Highness, it is only natural that I am here."
“...But in royal protocol...”
Olivia’s voice trailed off. As she slowly blinked, the doctor carefully placed the medicine he was holding in front of her and glanced out the window.
Good heavens. Who would have imagined that 'that' Noah Astrid would show such a side of himself?
“His Royal Highness the Prince ordered that Your Royal Highness the Princess be saved at all costs. When I mentioned that royal protocol was a problem, he dispatched warships to leave the Herodian waters, and if that is not enough...”
The doctor whispered in a very low voice, just in case.
"His Highness has stated that you will renounce his status as a Prince."
"... Yes?"
“He said that since Your Highness is not of royal blood either, wouldn't I be able to perform the surgery?”
The doctor gazed intently at the shimmering eyes of Olivia, then smiled and spoke.
"So please, get well soon."
Olivia watched blankly as the doctor entered the small room.
Her heart pounded.
What the doctor said was so unrealistic that she couldn't believe it. How could he give up his identity to save her?
Furthermore,
"Jonan."
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“His Highness... did he come to Pulder commanding a warship?”
As Olivia realized the situation as if putting together a puzzle, she asked in disbelief, and Jonan, who was standing by the door, hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“...That is correct.”
"Did he get His Majesty's permission?"
"I understand that it did not exist."
“...”
Olivia's mind went blank.
This was because she could not even dare to guess the extent of the sin, or what price Noah would have to pay if he returned to Herod.
Olivia stood up without a second thought. As she staggered from the sudden onset of pain, Jonan rushed over.
However, she ultimately refused his hand and walked quickly toward the door that had been closed until now.
Flames shot up for unknown reasons.
Olivia flung her hair and threw open the front door before anyone could stop her.
The time when the night descends upon the reddish sunset and colors the world dark.
As soon as Olivia opened the door, she felt him and saw him.
Noah was enduring hell.
Olivia cries.
Cries bitterly as if dying.
Nevertheless, he could not dare to open this door. He could not dare to open this door, which was so old and worn that it looked like it would open with just a light touch.
Noah stood still in front of the entrance and heard Olivia crying.
She was someone who held back her tears.
She was someone who somehow managed to hold back tears even when they welled up in her eyes, because she didn't want to show herself crying.
She even cries out loud.
There must have been a dam deep within the heart holding back tears.
How deep was that dam? How wide was it?
And how many tears did Noah himself add to that dam?
The sound of crying made his heart feel like it was breaking. He wanted to run over right away, hug the crying Olivia, and pat her back.
However, since he could not do so, Noah had no choice but to endure it like a person receiving punishment.
Noah turned his reddened eyes to look at the window from which tears were escaping, then staggered toward it and leaned his back against the wall next to the windowsill.
Then, hearing the heart-wrenching sobs, he whispered softly.
"I'm sorry, Olivia."
Noah's voice seeped into Olivia's tears.
"Sorry."
It seeped into the house that raised her,
"I was wrong."
Tears trickled down his chin and soaked the dry grass at his feet.
Olivia, who had fallen asleep as if fainting in Mrs. Betty's arms, opened her eyes to a reddish light.
She hadn't eaten much and had cried until she fainted, so there was no way she could have had any strength in her body, yet strangely, Olivia felt light.
Olivia sat on the bed, catching her breath slowly as she gazed at the light that had dyed the ivory curtains pink.
Is it around sunset?
At that moment, before she could even stop him, he appeared, occupying a corner of her mind. The boundless sea, the dreamlike pink sunset, and the man who overwhelmed it all.
Olivia slowly lowered her head and looked at her hands.
Noah, who was perfect at every moment, wasn't even wearing gloves last night.
“Once all of that is over...”
"No."
Let's get a divorce.
"No."
“...”
“No, Liv.”
Olivia saw the tears welling up and flowing from Noah's eyes.
For some reason, her heart ached, so she averted her gaze. Then, as she simply walked to find her grandmother, he hurriedly followed her.
“Where are you going?”
“...”
When she didn't answer, he eventually hugged her from behind.
“Let’s go together. Wherever you go, whatever you do, I won’t tell you not to do it. In return, I’ll go with you. No, let me go with you.”
Olivia blinked as she listened to the damp, low voice, like a fallen leaf soaked in rain and stuck to the ground.
The embrace holding her, the one she had always considered to be as big and solid as a barrier, was unbelievably trembling.
Why was he trembling?
What could it have been that made him, who seemed to fear nothing in the world, tremble so much?
The darkness and fog within her were fading in the faint light. The truth beyond seemed barely visible.
However, unrecovered health was a problem that prevented Olivia from groping for the truth behind the dim outlines.
Although it had gotten a little better, the surgical site still hurt when she stood up. Olivia lifted the hem of her dress to look at the wound. The mark was quite large and distinct.
What happened?
Olivia narrowed her eyes. Emotions surged through the memories that seemed on the verge of surfacing. Feeling as if tears were about to well up, Olivia quickly pushed the memories away.
'You shouldn't waste your energy by crying anymore.'
Olivia comforted herself and left the bedroom. As soon as she stepped out the door, the first thing she saw was a painting hanging in the hallway.
Between the modest wall lamps hung Olivia's clumsy drawings. And beneath them, on the old console, grandmother's knitted lace was neatly arranged.
Olivia walked down the short hallway, slowly running her fingertips over the console.
"Your Highness."
Mrs. Betty approached, perhaps sensing someone's presence.
Olivia smiled gently at her, then continued to scan the house with her eyes. As the egg cracked and the young heart grew, the sadness that had always lingered there surprisingly faded. Feeling the grooves carved in the wood with her fingertips, Olivia spoke to Mrs. Betty.
“Madam, this is a mark my grandmother made for me every time I was growing up.”
Then Mrs. Betty bent down and examined the mark closely. Straightening up again, she nodded and spoke in a gentle voice.
"It looks like you asked them to measure it often. The lines are very tight."
"That's right. I wanted to see myself growing taller with my own eyes."
Olivia chuckled and resumed walking. She entered the kitchen. Filled with a savory aroma, the kitchen felt as if a time from her grandmother's lifetime had been transported there.
She hadn't even realized she was hungry until now, but for some reason, she suddenly felt hungry.
Olivia turned to Mrs. Betty and spoke softly.
"Madam, I'm hungry."
At that, Mrs. Betty's face lit up. She beamed and quickly nodded.
"Please take a seat. I prepared fish stew. I thought you might want some if you get up."
Mrs. Betty, who was hurriedly pouring a bowl of stew into a bowl taken from the cupboard, paused for a moment. She turned slightly and gazed far out the window. Although she could not see, she knew.
That Noah Astrid is still there.
Mrs. Betty hesitated for a moment, then put down the ball she was holding and cautiously approached Olivia.
“...?”
As Olivia looked puzzled with a clear expression, Mrs. Betty bent her knees to lower her eye level and spoke in a low voice.
“Actually, Your Highness.”
"Speak."
“His Royal Highness the Prince is outside the door.”
Olivia blinked blankly and asked back.
“...Why him?”
Mrs. Betty recalled Olivia's tears from the past. When she thought of Olivia, withering away alone in the paradise the Prince had created, she wondered what it mattered whether he was waiting outside or not.
However, he, who stayed by the unconscious Olivia's side until the end, kept shaking Mrs. Betty's heart.
So she slowly chose her words and opened her mouth.
"He arrived early in the morning. And he has been waiting outside until now."
Olivia frowned as if she couldn't understand at all, then looked around. Then, widening her eyes, she asked back.
"You said he was waiting?"
Mrs. Betty answered as if she had read her mind.
“Even though I said I would contact him when you woke up, he said he would just wait. And when I told him that if that wasn't the case, he should just come inside and wait instead...”
“...”
“He said that he could not do so because there was no permission from Your Highness.”
Olivia wore a look of complete incomprehension. Mrs. Betty gazed at her blankly, then whispered softly.
“He waited continuously, even on the warship. From the moment of the surgery—no, from even before that until the moment you woke up—His Royal Highness the Prince never left Your Highness's side for a single moment.”
Olivia stood frozen in a daze, then asked about one thing.
“...Do you mean surgery was performed on a warship?”
"Yes."
“...”
Olivia was lost in thought. Mrs. Betty quietly stepped back so as not to disturb her thoughts.
Surgery, warships... Yes, let’s leave that aside for now.
It was only then that Olivia began to wonder why she had come to Pulder.
“Yes. Let’s go home, Olivia.”
Olivia held her breath for a moment as she recalled the gentle voice that had woken her up, when suddenly a low voice was heard from beside her.
"It is such a relief to see you getting much better, Your Highness."
When Olivia turned her head, a strange middle-aged man was standing there. As if he had read her doubts, he bowed politely and introduced himself.
"I am Royal doctor Leon Brick."
“...Lord Brick, why are you here?”
At the Princess's flustered tone, the doctor laughed as if asking the obvious.
"Of course, since I performed the surgery on Your Highness, it is only natural that I am here."
“...But in royal protocol...”
Olivia’s voice trailed off. As she slowly blinked, the doctor carefully placed the medicine he was holding in front of her and glanced out the window.
Good heavens. Who would have imagined that 'that' Noah Astrid would show such a side of himself?
“His Royal Highness the Prince ordered that Your Royal Highness the Princess be saved at all costs. When I mentioned that royal protocol was a problem, he dispatched warships to leave the Herodian waters, and if that is not enough...”
The doctor whispered in a very low voice, just in case.
"His Highness has stated that you will renounce his status as a Prince."
"... Yes?"
“He said that since Your Highness is not of royal blood either, wouldn't I be able to perform the surgery?”
The doctor gazed intently at the shimmering eyes of Olivia, then smiled and spoke.
"So please, get well soon."
Olivia watched blankly as the doctor entered the small room.
Her heart pounded.
What the doctor said was so unrealistic that she couldn't believe it. How could he give up his identity to save her?
Furthermore,
"Jonan."
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“His Highness... did he come to Pulder commanding a warship?”
As Olivia realized the situation as if putting together a puzzle, she asked in disbelief, and Jonan, who was standing by the door, hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“...That is correct.”
"Did he get His Majesty's permission?"
"I understand that it did not exist."
“...”
Olivia's mind went blank.
This was because she could not even dare to guess the extent of the sin, or what price Noah would have to pay if he returned to Herod.
Olivia stood up without a second thought. As she staggered from the sudden onset of pain, Jonan rushed over.
However, she ultimately refused his hand and walked quickly toward the door that had been closed until now.
Flames shot up for unknown reasons.
Olivia flung her hair and threw open the front door before anyone could stop her.
The time when the night descends upon the reddish sunset and colors the world dark.
As soon as Olivia opened the door, she felt him and saw him.
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