Chapter 106. The Tiara I Couldn't Give Up On
“…Pardon?”
“I haven’t been myself, so I don’t know exactly.”
The Queen Consort stared into Countess Timberline’s ashen eyes as if to pierce through them. Countess Timberline felt as if she were being pushed into the abyss.
Just as she was wondering if this was a terrible nightmare, she heard more unbelievable words.
“While you were at another table yesterday, the Princess Consort seemed to be suffering from a fever the whole time. Were you aware of this?”
“Ah, th-that is…”
“You know about Corset Sickness, don’t you?”
“…Yes?”
Countess Timberline recalled the corset she had personally tightened for the Princess Consort, and a chill ran down her spine.
“Of course, I cannot entirely hold you responsible for the sickness.”
If Noah had heard that, he would have openly scoffed. However, it was difficult to prove the facts to hold Countess Timberline responsible for the sickness.
Instead, Beatrix coldly pointed out a clear fact.
“But you should have at least stayed by the Princess Consort’s side yesterday and observed her condition.”
“…I am truly sorry.”
“I am so ashamed to my daughter-in-law. I thought she might find it overwhelming and difficult to deal with the noble ladies of the capital, so I specifically contacted you from afar.”
“……”
“You have ultimately repaid my trust in this way. You have tarnished not only the Princess Consort but also my honor, as I personally appointed you.”
“Your Majesty!”
Countess Timberline was overcome with fear and leaned toward the Queen Consort. Her buttocks left the chair, and her knees buckled, but she had no time to recognize such things.
The Queen Consort looked down at her with a cold expression and firmly ordered.
“You no longer need to instruct the Princess Consort. And return to Timberline County today. I do not wish to see you in the capital’s social circles for the time being. I cannot stop you from privately visiting your family, but do not come to official events with the Royal Palace.”
“Please…”
“I am ending this here, acknowledging your efforts in briefly teaching my daughter-in-law. Leave.”
Beatrix was always a person who exuded a gentle atmosphere, but she was also the wife of the inhuman King Leonard and the mother of Prince Noah. Countess Timberline realized that she had no intention of changing her mind.
She said ‘for the time being,’ but there was no way to know if that would be five years or ten years.
Moreover, the entire Timberline County family would undoubtedly be uninvited to the Royal Palace because of her sin. A family uninvited to the Royal Palace would naturally be ostracized.
Countess Timberline wept endlessly.
However, the Queen Consort coldly issued an order to leave, and she had no choice but to return to Timberline County.
Not only had the Duke Retium family turned their backs on her, but she did not even dare to visit the Princess Consort.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Herrington was a military city where the 3rd and 4th Herot Navy Fleets were stationed, three hours by carriage from the capital, Herollington.
Noah sped along the main road that connected Herollington and Herrington in a straight line. Methone and the bodyguards followed behind him, but the distance never closed.
Noah, who rode his horse so fast that even the bodyguards from the Navy Special Forces were amazed, arrived at the venue an hour and a half after leaving the capital.
He straightened his hair and clothes, which had been disheveled from riding the horse, and then boarded the warship in a neat attire. Then, a middle-aged man with an impressive white beard greeted him with a hearty laugh.
“Oh, Prince Noah! Welcome. Thank you for coming.”
Noah smiled brightly and shook the hand he offered.
“It’s been a while, Admiral David. How have you been?”
“Yes, of course. But, where is the Princess Consort?”
The Admiral widened his eyes and glanced to the Prince’s left, and Noah shrugged his shoulders leisurely and replied.
“The Princess Consort suddenly fell ill and was unable to attend. I hope you understand.”
“Ah… I see. I hope she recovers quickly. Come this way. I will show you the warship first.”
Noah chatted lightly with the Admiral and toured the warship. Before the sea party in the evening, the Prince toured the huge warship and had conversations with those involved. He enjoyed the luncheon prepared by the Admiral’s wife and congratulated them on behalf of the King.
The invited reporters were busy capturing his image, and the Prince, who had appeared in front of the media after a long time, was consistently courteous and relaxed.
No one noticed that he had not slept a wink the night before. Furthermore, no one knew that he was still furious, to the point of chilling even his mother’s spine.
“Ah… Why couldn’t the Princess Consort come?”
“I heard she went to Bianca Department Store yesterday… Suddenly sick?”
The invited reporters, who were taking pictures of the Prince, murmured with disappointment.
The commemorative banquet was held on the deck of the newly built warship. Admiral David’s wife had been very busy preparing for this banquet for a month.
The white tablecloths that covered the tables were embroidered with the Navy’s symbol, which she had personally stitched. Various colorful centerpieces and mermaid-shaped candle holders were placed in the center of the tables, and screens to block the sea breeze and dome braziers to ward off the cold were placed everywhere.
The banquet prepared on the warship, which was full of the wildness of the sea, had an exotic romance.
The nobles who went up to the deck in groups of three or five exclaimed in admiration at the atmosphere of the sea banquet against the backdrop of the pink sunset.
And among them were Jackson Coleman and Isabel Seymour.
“How is it, Isabel? Do you like the sea?”
A chill ran down Isabel’s ear at that moment. As if he thought they had become close, Jackson Coleman spoke informally without permission and blurted out whatever he wanted to say.
He walked with his thick chest puffed out as if he were someone important. Isabel, who was walking holding his arm, couldn’t stand the feeling that her value was plummeting to the level of being just Jackson Coleman’s wife.
“Huh? I asked if you like it.”
“…Yes.”
“I see. Then let’s go to the sea for our honeymoon. I have a villa in the south. The southern sea is cleaner than the eastern sea, right? I’ll show you my private beach too.”
It felt like her ears were rotting.
She was about to realize that even someone’s breathing could be disgusting, through the man she had decided to marry.
“I hope you can speak a little further away, Young Master Coleman.”
Isabel, who couldn’t stand it any longer, said with disgust, and Jackson frowned slightly but gave a subtle expression as if he understood.
“Okay. You can be shy.”
“……”
Is he really crazy? How can he make people sick of him with every word he says?
Isabel, who had pulled her hand away from Jackson as soon as she got on the deck, desperately turned her head. Jackson kept whispering something, but it was just meaningless noise to her.
In Isabel’s eyes, who was wishing that the man next to her would just disappear somewhere, he appeared like a lie.
“……”
The flow of time surrounding Isabel stopped.
The magnificent scenery of the vast sea and the ecstatic sunset, as if painted with a brush full of water, were meaningless to her.
Only one person.
Noah Astrid.
He was smiling among the people, wearing a dazzling white navy uniform. It was as if she could hear his laughter carried by the wind.
That unique laughter, which was cool yet full of composure.
The sharp gazes and words that had been directed at her still remained in her consciousness and tormented her, but the size of her desire for him was even greater.
Isabel glanced around him with a fearful heart.
The Princess Consort should be there…
However, the Princess Consort she was looking for was nowhere to be found.
“I heard that the Princess Consort couldn’t come because she was sick, and indeed, the Prince is alone.”
Jackson’s voice, which had been meaningless until now, finally became meaningful.
“The Princess Consort couldn’t come because she was sick?”
When Isabel asked, Jackson nodded and pointed at Noah with his finger.
“He’s alone, isn’t he? Let’s say hello later.”
“……”
Isabel stared blankly at Noah. He smiled, raising his lips as if he was telling an interesting story.
At that moment, her mother’s voice suddenly came to mind.
"Isabel, men are very visual beings. And they are obsessed with maintaining their position. The moment they feel that their wife is a parasite who diminishes their status, let alone being helpful, love will crumble like sand and disappear like dust. I don’t even know if there was love in the first place."
"Go and see tomorrow. Ah… Maybe the Prince won’t bring the Princess Consort to the event tomorrow. He seemed very proud today."
Isabel’s chest swelled strangely. Her heart pounded wildly, and her lips twisted crookedly.
Could it be that the Princess Consort, who had been going to Bianca Department Store until yesterday, was bedridden and unable to come?
Even if she was really sick, how could the Prince, who had left his sick wife behind, be so relaxed?
"I don’t even know if there was love in the first place."
That’s right. There’s no way that man could love someone.
Just as he didn’t love Isabel Seymour, he doesn’t love that woman either.
The sharp gaze that had been directed at her that day was solely for his own honor, and the marriage must have been due to some circumstances.
Isabel lowered her head to hide her smile. Then, the hem of her dress came into view. The pearls studded in the blue dress shone pink in the sunset.
Seeing that, the pearl tiara suddenly came to mind.
The tiara that was placed on the head of Liliana, the daughter of the Duke of Lightwing. Isabel could have anything, but she couldn’t have the tiara, which was only allowed for royalty.
Her grandfather, who was alive at the time, told her that ‘knowing how to give up is also wisdom.’
But her mother secretly bought her a more splendid tiara than the one Liliana had worn.
"What you can’t have will always come to mind. If you have it, you can forget it neatly. Wear it as much as you want."
Her mother was right. After wearing it to her heart’s content, she got tired of it, and the girl soon forgot about it.
Isabel raised her eyes and looked at Noah again.
It was as if the pearl tiara she had secretly possessed in the past was shining above his head.
