Chapter 112

Translator: Nox

112. Overture to Revenge

True to form for the secretary of an impatient prince, Methone's work was swift. He took the investment withdrawal document that Noah had prepared and went directly to Duke Retium.

Duke Retium felt an ominous premonition at the unexpected visit from the prince's secretary, and he fidgeted in his seat.

Methone placed the document before the duke with a polite demeanor, and the duke, concealing his trembling heart, quickly opened it.

However, as the duke read through the document, he couldn't help but shake his hand.

"...Why, why suddenly...!"

The mine excavation was imminent, and if Noah, the largest investor, withdrew his investment, other investors were sure to be shaken. In the worst case, the excavation could be canceled due to lack of funds.

How much money had the family put in! It was a matter that could jeopardize the entire family.

The duke half-rose from his seat and looked at Methone, but Methone gave a mechanical answer with an expressionless face.

"The Norfolk Investment Company will pay the penalty. Furthermore, please understand that I cannot presume to explain the detailed reasons."

"This can't be. The excavation is imminent, and it's impossible without His Highness's funds! I, I want to meet His Highness in person!"

Methone paused for a moment before replying calmly.

"I will inform His Highness that you have requested a meeting."

"Yes, Lord Roctar. I ask for your favor."

"I will contact you."

Methone, who gave a naval salute, was about to leave the room when the duke, lost in thought, suddenly asked in a low voice.

"Perhaps... is His Highness angry because of Countess Timberine's matter?"

Methone slowly turned around.

He personally hoped that this matter would be resolved smoothly. What Noah wanted was a warning to the nobles and an apology from those involved, and if that was resolved, there was no reason to withdraw the investment.

So, it was a problem that could end with this level of threat.

So Methone gave Duke Retium a small hint.

"His Royal Highness has been suffering from a high fever for several days. And the fever... started at the department store's VIP cafe. His Highness is convinced that there was a Shine Party at that cafe."

At Methone's hint, the duke's face turned pale. He trembled his chin and then roughly rubbed his face.

"I understand."

"Then."

As the door closed quietly, only the duke's rough breathing filled his office. After panting for a long time, the duke slammed his fist on the desk and immediately called for the duchess.

As the surprised duchess ran into his office, the duke asked her, seething.

"You, you went to that cafe with Juliana that day, didn't you?"

"Yes?"

As the surprised duchess blinked and asked back, the duke asked back in a suppressed voice.

"Did you have a Shine Party with Juliana, putting down the Princess consort?"

The duchess almost screamed without realizing it. She covered her mouth with her hand and stammered with a flustered face.

"N, no, th, that's...!"

"Are you out of your mind?!! Don't you know that I'm receiving investment from the prince's money?! You should be inviting the Princess consort and treating her well, what?! A Shine Party?!"

The duchess's spine turned cold at those words. The green eyes that shone like a beast vividly came to mind.

"D, darling...!"

"You had to provoke Noah Astrid of all people!!"

"It wasn't a Shine Party... no, it wasn't!"

The duke nervously pushed back his disheveled hair and even took off the jacket he was wearing. Then he said sharply.

"Whether it's true or not doesn't matter. The problem is that the prince saw it as a Shine Party. It's no use saying it's not a hundred times."

"...Then what should I do?"

"Tell Juliana Timberine to come. Right now."

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Olivia's fever subsided quickly, and the doctor wrote a week's worth of medicine and returned to the palace as if fleeing.

Leaving behind the words, "Your Highness, you must always be healthy. Understood?"

Meanwhile, some of the servants were hiding behind the trees, peeking at the prince and princess.

"...Even if she's just recovered from an illness, why bother in this weather..."

Fastidious.

Fastidious. Behavior or condition that is very different from the norm.

The word that the servants and Methone of the mansion had in mind while looking at Noah for the past two days.

Olivia seemed to have given up and accepted Noah's touch. He insisted on taking off Olivia's coat and putting on a thick fur that she would wear in the middle of winter. Olivia muttered as she watched him skillfully tie the blue ribbon attached to the end of her neck.

"You're being fastidious."

"Just because your fever has gone down doesn't mean you're all better."

"I know that. But it's not fur yet."

"You don't seem to remember the Herot Flu, but the Herot Flu is worse than the flu. The weather is different from Pulder."

"But Your Highness isn't wearing a coat either."

"I don't know how long you're going to call me Your Highness, Duchess? You have good words like 'darling,' 'honey'? You even use them sometimes?"

Noah shrugged and changed the subject, and in the end, Olivia had to wear fur and take a walk. Of course, it was only natural that the walk was stopped because it was too hot.

Noah's fussiness didn't end there.

It seemed like he had decided to take care of all of Olivia's meals.

Olivia chewed on her steak and glanced up. Then she immediately met Noah's eyes.

As soon as their eyes met, he naturally picked up the water glass and held it to her mouth. It was something that didn't exist in any country's etiquette.

Olivia quickly put down her utensils and took the water glass from him and put it down.

"Are you going to feed me the steak too?"

The shoulders of the maids who were serving the meal twitched.

Her face was burning, and she didn't know what to do.

"Aren't you going to work today?"

"I'm planning to work here for the time being? If you want me to work, then hurry up and finish your steak, Duchess Rosemond."

"...Don't keep putting the water glass to my mouth."

As Olivia whispered, poking at her steak, Noah rested his chin on his palm and asked back slyly.

"Is that embarrassing too?"

As soon as the words were finished, she frowned and looked at him, and Noah burst out laughing.

Seeing the doll-like, elegant face with a displeased look, he kept wanting to feed her this and that.

He deliberately put the water glass to her mouth and suddenly picked her up and carried her around because he wanted to see this face.

Noah straightened his posture and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"Anyway, I have to go to the company for a while today. The merchants are scheduled to come this afternoon, and of course, I'm planning to be there. If I don't come, pick out the goods first."

"Okay. Don't worry and go!"

Olivia said deliberately energetically.

A little later, after seeing him off at the front door, she headed to the study for the first time in a while.

She took out the old leather bag that she had placed in one corner of the study and took out a thick textbook. She stroked the worn surface of the book for no reason.

When I was carrying this book around and studying, I was as busy as if I was running around a battlefield.

There were four hours left until the appointment time with the merchants.

Olivia rested her chin and tapped the desk with her finger.

The sound of birds could be heard from the window behind her. She suddenly turned her head and looked outside, and the servants of the mansion were moving very busily.

Olivia, who was staring blankly at the busy people, touched the smooth corner of the textbook with her fingertips and muttered.

"What should I do...?"

Olivia, who was always busy living, was very embarrassed by the situation where she had nothing to do.

In the end, she started reading all the newspapers that she hadn't been able to read recently, and her gaze stopped on one side.

[The first Royal School for commoners established in Norfolk Continent.]

It was an article about the establishment of the first Royal Commoner School on the continent, with King Leonard directly ordering the establishment of the school.

The article, which was a mixture of objective facts and appropriate praise for the king, changed its color slightly in the middle and late parts.

"...However, the Ruble Party argued that even if it was the first Royal School, there was a significant qualitative difference from schools for nobles..."

Olivia stroked her chin and carefully read the contents of the article.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Meanwhile, Count Seymour and Duke Retium were pacing around the drawing room with pale faces. Their minds were filled with thoughts of how to change Noah's mind.

A moment later, the drawing room door opened and the prince appeared, and Count Seymour and Duke Retium bowed to him with delight.

"Your Highness!"

Noah glanced at the two and went to the head seat and sat down.

"Please sit down."

Count Seymour carefully sat next to the prince and asked.

"Your Highness, if you suddenly notify us of the cancellation of the investment like this... please tell us the reason."

"......"

Noah stared at Count Seymour and then turned to Duke Retium, who was sitting opposite him.

Duke Retium, who had a determined expression, suddenly lowered his head.

"I sincerely apologize for the rudeness that my sister and wife committed against Her Highness, Your Highness."

Count Seymour's eyes widened at Duke Retium's sudden apology. He moved his lips and looked back and forth between the prince and the duke as if he was confused.

Noah stared silently at the top of the duke's head and slowly leaned back in his chair.

"Well. It seems like neither the person to apologize nor the person to be apologized to is here."

Duke Retium, who was looking at the floor, sighed inwardly and closed his eyes tightly.

Noah had no intention of hiding the reason or expressing it indirectly.

As Duke Retium raised his head, Count Seymour, who had become anxious, stammered and opened his mouth.

"Y, Your Highness... what on earth is going on..."

"Didn't Seymour's mistress tell you that she met me?"

"......"

"I guess not. She was sitting at the same table as my consort and chatting."

Count Seymour's back was wet with cold sweat. Noah stared intently at the count's face, which was turning pale, and added.

"Ask her what she said to the Princess consort that day and tell me. I could ask the Princess consort, but there's something I'm hesitant about."

"......"

Noah leaned towards the count and enunciated each word fiercely.

"I'm very curious to know what she heard that made her look like that that day."

He felt a strong will that he would never let this matter pass.

What Noah wanted to gain through this was only one thing.

To prevent anyone from looking down on Olivia.