Chapter 10
Episode 10. Like the Boundary Between Spring and Summer
"Alright, next up is Central Park!"
After capturing a shot with the Magic Dome in the background from the royal family's private villa, Leonard led his family towards Central Park.
Central Park, the bustling heart of Herollington, was a renowned spot lined with luxurious shops.
Ahead of the royal family, the Royal Guard had arrived to secure the route, their imposing presence drawing curious gazes from the citizens.
Soon after, as the King's carriage entered along the path controlled by the Royal Guard, the citizens beyond the barricades cheered at the sight.
Leonard and Beatrix, stepping out of the carriage, responded to the cheers with bright smiles, while reporters diligently scribbled down the scene.
The cheers grew even louder as Usher and Prince Noah alighted from the following carriage.
"Your Highness, Prince Noah!"
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince!"
Olivia, about to step out of the carriage, was startled by the thunderous applause of the crowd, her eyes widening. The bright plaza outside the carriage felt foreign, like another world, and she cautiously leaned out, gathering her breath.
And as she emerged, the cheers that had been so loud nearby suddenly subsided.
People blinked, staring at the woman who had appeared with the royal family. Where had they seen her before?
Then, someone seemed to realize and called out her name loudly.
"Olivia Liberty!"
The shout brought realization to the crowd.
Olivia, the first female university student who had consistently graced the pages of the Herot newspaper!
"Oh my, it really is her?!"
"Olivia!"
People pressed close to the barricades, waving at Olivia.
Olivia, experiencing this for the first time, was flustered, and Margo, who was nearby, took her arm with a smile.
"It's alright. Just relax."
Olivia, already breathing heavily, moved forward with a dazed expression.
Usher and Prince Noah, who were walking ahead, turned to look at them.
"She seems nervous."
Prince Noah raised an eyebrow at Usher's murmur.
"She does."
"Do we really have to take this many pictures?"
Prince Noah gazed at Olivia, who was walking with Margo.
Her white face was pale.
But what good would that do?
"His Majesty will only return to the palace when he gets a satisfactory picture, so actively cooperating is the only way to shorten the time, Your Highness."
The crowd's attention was entirely focused on Olivia.
"Olivia!"
With her name being called from all directions, Olivia forced an awkward smile, beads of cold sweat forming.
Looking around, the royal family seemed accustomed to this, waving casually with relaxed attitudes.
Even young Lucy, walking hand-in-hand with her parents, was the same.
Only Princess Margo didn't wave, but she didn't seem nervous either.
"How should I respond?"
Olivia asked, and Margo paused for a moment to consider. Margo, born into royalty, and Olivia couldn't possibly think the same way.
"Just smile appropriately and occasionally nod your head. Lightly."
Olivia couldn't possibly respond like royalty.
"Yes, I understand.Olivia answered resolutely, steeling herself against the pouring gazes and cheers.
Think back to the day you first entered university. At least there aren't any jeers or taunts flying around.
"Olivia!"
No, what do you mean jeers and taunts? These are welcoming voices, aren't they?
Right. This is nothing.
As she thought that, her racing heart gradually calmed, and a natural smile appeared on Olivia's lips.
With the smile came composure. Soon, she inclined her head towards the crowd, offering a greeting.
"She's adapting faster than I thought."
Usher, glancing back, muttered as he waved, and Prince Noah responded.
"What?"
"Miss Liberty, I mean. She was pale with nervousness, but she seems to have adapted quickly. That's a relief."
"...Stop worrying about her and focus on the event, Your Highness."
Prince Noah continued to offer soulless greetings for a while before turning his gaze back.
Like the boundary between spring and summer, she seemed to be standing on the threshold between girlhood and womanhood.
Her flushed cheeks and sparkling black eyes felt intelligent yet innocent.
She probably doesn't know that more eyes are on her than on the royal family.
Prince Noah thought as he moved with a leisurely pace.
Inviting that woman to Herot was truly an excellent choice.
The royal family's final destination was Golden Lion Statue Plaza, located in the heart of the park. The plaza, where even carriage access was restricted, felt much larger than usual, almost vast.
As they entered the plaza, the distance from the citizens increased considerably, and the cheers that had been deafening subsided.
Beatrix entrusted Lucy to Mrs. Lehman, the nanny, and approached Margo and Olivia.
Olivia quickly bent her knees to offer another greeting, and Beatrix smiled and greeted her in return.
"Thank you so much for agreeing to the interview yesterday, Miss Liberty. I should have waited longer, I'm sorry."
Olivia quickly shook her head at the Queen Consort's unpretentious apology.
"No, not at all. Thank you for inviting me to such a wonderful banquet. I enjoyed it."
"Do you like the room?"
The Queen Consort naturally led Olivia and Margo as she walked.
"Yes, it was really lovely and cozy. The fountain visible from outside the room was also impressive."
She seemed to be nervous, but her calm response was quite something. That's probably why Leonard dragged out the interview for so long.
"Is His Majesty satisfied with today's newspaper?"
Margo, walking on the Queen Consort's left, asked with a slight smile, and Beatrix narrowed her eyes, looking at her husband.
"He was very satisfied. He lamented for a while, saying that he had to resemble Duke of Lightwing of all people."
"Walter will be upset if he hears that."
"I don't know how much I missed this kind of conversation. Can't you come back to Herot?"
"That's something His Majesty would be upset about."
Beatrix, who burst into laughter at Margo's whisper, carefully took care not to exclude Olivia.
"The first female university student, that's really wonderful. It couldn't have been an easy path. Although it's late, congratulations on your graduation."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Olivia walked slowly, matching the Queen Consort's pace, and glanced around the plaza.
Just then, a reporter who had come with them cautiously requested an interview with the Queen Consort and Margo, and Olivia stepped back a few paces from them.
The Queen Consort looked apologetic, telling her to wait a moment, but Olivia was actually pleased.
She reminisced about the old, longed-for past.
The imposing Golden Lion Statue was even more magnificent than she remembered.
The smooth, square black stones that paved the plaza's stone path, and the towering spire of Hamel Cathedral that the Golden Lion was gazing at, were just as she remembered from her childhood.
Even the weather seemed to be just like it was around this time.
Olivia's gaze, which had been on the spire of Hamel Cathedral, turned back to the Golden Lion Statue.
The rough texture of the ice cream cone was vivid. The soft, sweet ice cream touching her lips.
When she exclaimed in admiration at the heavenly taste she had experienced for the first time, her grandfather handed her the ice cream, saying, 'What's the big deal! Eat this too.'
Her mother, saying, 'Oh, no. She'll get a stomachache,' tried to stop him.
Her kind father, asking, 'Liberty, is it that delicious?'
Her grandmother, laughing heartily beside them in a way that was different from now.
"Ah..."
Yes, she wanted to come to Herot so much because she missed this scene.
She wanted to see those people, even if only in her memories, who were melted into this place.
While the King and Queen Consort were distracted by their respective interviews, Lucy was with Mrs. Lehman.
The princess, who would normally be excited about a long-awaited outing and busy looking around, had been staring blankly at one place since earlier.
When Mrs. Lehman followed the princess's gaze, she saw the royal family's guest there.
"If you're curious, go ahead and approach her, Princess."
Because the King doted on the princess so much and tried to raise her in the palm of his hand, people secretly called Lucy the Palm Princess.
Mrs. Lehman felt sorry for the princess, who was confined to the palace at an age when she should be forming relationships and developing social skills.
"Is that alright?"
"Of course."
Lucy moved as if possessed by Mrs. Lehman's suggestion.
Olivia had her back to them. The princess's small feet moved faster and faster.
But Lucy, who had never had to speak to anyone first, couldn't bring herself to speak to Olivia first and stopped behind her.
When she raised her head, she could see the texture of Olivia's white blouse in detail, and the delicate sway of her slightly wavy black hair. She realized now that half of her hair was tied back with a dark navy ribbon.
Mrs. Lehman stood a few steps behind, intending to watch what the princess would do for now.
And Mrs. Lehman wasn't the only one watching Lucy approach Olivia from behind.
"Um... Your Highness, Prince Noah."
"That's enough."
The reporter, who had spoken cautiously, paused at the cold rejection that came out immediately.
Bright autumn sunlight was pouring down on the prince's handsome face, like a painting. It would be really great to take a shot like this and get an interview.
But Prince Noah was not easy to deal with. He was only giving interviews because of his father's orders, not out of his own volition.
Prince Noah casually put one hand in his pocket and slowly turned his gaze.
"Aren't there many people to interview today? Don't waste your energy on me."
"Waste energy? Not at all."
"I'm saying it because I'm losing energy."
"...Yes."
He wanted to ask about Prince Noah's company, which had been doing well recently...
The story that there was a line of entrepreneurs who wanted to receive his investment in the business world because of how good the twenty-three-year-old young prince's skills were was not uncommon.
But the reporter eventually had to step back.
Prince Noah was really sick of these events. It would be bearable if there were only one or two.
Besides, the pouring attention was always burdensome and unwelcome. All the crowd wanted from him was his shiny shell.
Whenever cheers echoed, a twisted question always welled up inside him.
'What do you know about what kind of person I am?'
Prince Noah ignored the reporters who kept glancing at him and leaned casually against a large tree, crossing his arms.
Sunlight, broken several times through the colorful leaves, created a mottled pattern on his face.
Even with the autumn plaza that everyone admired in front of him, Prince Noah was indifferent. In the first place, the only things he was interested in were polo matches or company-related work.
No, in reality, even the company-related work was something he was putting his heart and soul into with the goal of independence from the royal family, so it was safe to say that polo was the only thing he enjoyed.
Could the ennui of a twenty-three-year-old be this deep and intense?
It was then that Olivia and Lucy came into Prince Noah's cold gaze, which was listlessly scanning the world.
