126. A Small Creature Crawls into the Den of Evil
I don't hesitate on what needs to be done. Hesitation breeds doubt, and doubt breeds fear. That's why Olivia always acted without hesitation in moments of life or death.
The two guards standing at the entrance of the Main Palace quickly saluted upon seeing the sudden appearance of the Princess consort. Dressed in a neat coat, the Princess consort returned their greeting and passed through the doors.
"Go up to the third floor along the central staircase of the Main Palace, and you will see a massive door that anyone can tell is the King's office. Six guards and two Chamberlains will be standing on either side of the door. Request an audience with the Chamberlain wearing the black tie."
Recalling Mrs. Lehman's words, Lucy's nanny, she took her first step on the central staircase.
The Main Palace, the heart of Herot Palace, was a cultural heritage in itself. The central staircase she was stepping on had been built five centuries ago. But Olivia was too nervous to notice anything about the Main Palace.
'Third floor, third floor...'
Turning around the landings, Olivia reached the third floor and took a breath, turning to the right. As Mrs. Lehman had said, there was a massive door at the end of the hallway that anyone could tell was the King's office. The gazes of the people standing in front of the door reached her.
Her heart pounded as if it would burst. Fear surged.
'It's what I have to do.'
Olivia forced her faltering legs to move. Hesitation and fear clung to her like shadows, seeming to pull her heels back, but she didn't stop walking.
The guards protecting the King's office met Olivia with emotionless eyes like stone statues, then saluted respectfully.
Olivia approached the Chamberlain wearing the black tie.
Then, in a calm voice without trembling, she said,
"Olivia Rosemond Astrid requests an audience with His Majesty."
The King's expression was cold and dark after meeting Lucy.
The Magic Dome problem had created a hole in the defense, Herald Beum was saying nonsense and irritating him, and even his precious daughter Lucy was causing trouble, so Leonard's mood sank to the bottom of the earth.
The energy he exuded was so chilling that not only the Chamberlain and aides who had served him for a long time, but even Usher, who had stopped by to report, couldn't easily open their mouths. They could only endure the cigarette smoke rising from his fingertips.
The icy silence was broken by a sudden knock.
The Chamberlain quickly opened the door, and a Chamberlain slipped in. The eyes of everyone in the room, who had been cringing at the silent atmosphere, turned to the Chamberlain at once.
He approached the King with quick steps and announced the visit of an unexpected person.
"Your Majesty, the Duchess Rosemond has requested an audience. She says she will come at the appointed time if you let her know when it is possible."
Leonard, who had been leaning on the desk with his elbow propped up, finally turned to the Chamberlain.
"Olivia?"
"Yes."
Oh, what a time for this.
Even the veteran aides would postpone their reports and run away at times like this, but an audience at a time like this. The aides mourned for her.
The Chamberlain who had reported seemed to think so too, and tried to postpone the audience as much as possible for Olivia's sake.
"Shall I tell her to come back tomorrow... in the morning?"
But the King shrugged indifferently and opened his mouth.
"There's no need for that. Let her in now."
As the King's command fell, everyone in the room prayed for Olivia.
Why did you come at a time like this...
A moment later, when Olivia appeared through the opened door, people sighed even deeper. It was because she coughed from the strong cigarette smoke as she entered the King's office.
"Cough, cough."
She was like a small creature that had unknowingly crawled into a den of evil.
"Cough, cough."
As Olivia stopped and coughed, Leonard, who had been happily smoking, also paused.
He looked at the cigarette quietly, then stubbed it out as if he couldn't help it. Usher, who hadn't been able to open the window because of the King's mood, opened it as if this was his chance.
As the cold, chilly wind swept away the thick smoke, Olivia's cough also stopped.
"Cough... I'm sorry."
As she apologized and quickly bowed, Leonard straightened his back and returned her greeting.
"Welcome. As I said before, thank you for your hard work teaching Lucy today."
Olivia wondered if her heart would burst, but she held on, putting strength in her legs. She lightly greeted Usher, who was standing by the window, then looked at Leonard.
One fortunate thing was that the King looked very much like Marguerite and Noah. It wasn't just the resemblance in appearance, but also the impression and atmosphere they gave off. Although the three of them would probably hate it if they were told they looked alike.
Olivia hoped her voice wouldn't tremble as she opened her mouth.
"Princess has a great passion for learning. I was able to teach her with pleasure, Your Majesty."
Leonard chuckled and nodded. Then he stared intently at Olivia with a sharp gaze, wondering if she had come to bring up the issue of Lucy's school. If she brought up that issue, he was determined to stop her firmly.
"Yes, what brings you to see me?"
Even the aides were intimidated by the question filled with dignity. Even officials and nobles often trembled and made mistakes when they met the King for the first time. People looked at Olivia with worried eyes.
But the Princess consort was calm, though somewhat stiff. She even looked detached. Even Usher was inwardly surprised.
And even the words that came out of her mouth were unexpected.
"I came to ask if I could attend the Royal School founding anniversary event hosted by Your Majesty."
Leonard, who had been looking at her with a sharp gaze, widened his eyes as if he had been hit.
"Hmm? The Royal School founding anniversary event?"
"Yes."
"What made you think of that?"
Olivia chose her words carefully for a moment. She figured that even if their personalities weren't the same just because their atmospheres were similar, it would be better to be direct than to beat around the bush, considering Margo and Noah.
Olivia bowed her head slightly and said,
"I have never forgotten the words Your Majesty said to me on our wedding day."
It was a remark that only Leonard could understand. The gazes of the aides and Usher turned to the King without a sound. And they saw it. The corners of the King's tightly closed lips twitching slightly.
But the King hid his smile and slowly asked again.
"So?"
"......"
Olivia glanced up and met Leonard's eyes. The Monarch of Herot probed Olivia, shining with a ruthless glint.
"What do you intend to do, attending there?"
Oh, Your Majesty, why are you being like this?
The aides were indignant at the King's behavior, and Usher was certain that Noah would have foamed at the mouth if he had seen this scene.
It was the moment when Usher, who couldn't stand it any longer, was about to open his mouth to say something to his father.
"If you tell me what I can do, I will do my best."
"What you can do?"
"For example, if you tell me to do an interview, I will do an interview, and if you tell me to give a congratulatory speech, I will prepare a congratulatory speech."
The corners of Leonard's lips trembled.
"A congratulatory speech?"
As he barely maintained his composure and asked, Olivia hesitated for a moment and opened the bag she was holding.
"......?"
While everyone was wondering, Olivia took out a notebook.
"I... it's hard to predict the interview, so I've written a congratulatory speech for now..."
Before Olivia could finish speaking, Leonard stood up and impatiently held out his hand.
"Bring it here."
Olivia quickly approached him and handed him the notebook, and Leonard snatched her notebook.
Olivia's heart was about to burst. Cold sweat ran down her spine. Her tightly clasped hands were now trembling.
Leonard quickly read through the neat notebook.
"......"
Leonard, who had read to the last sentence, tilted his head and straightened his posture, then read it again.
Olivia watched his fingertips without breathing. She desperately hoped that this choice was not wrong.
But the expressions of everyone else except her changed subtly.
It was because of the King's attitude.
Leonard was a person who would return a report without hesitation if he didn't like it after reading it once. The fact that he straightened his posture and read it again meant that it was worth reading. Above all, the corners of the King's lips kept twitching and wriggling.
"Hmm......"
The King was desperately holding back his laughter.
The aides heard the King's silent cheers. They saw the gloomy mood that had been piercing through the floor and reaching the basement soaring steeply towards the spire of Hamel Cathedral.
Leonard, who had checked the congratulatory speech three times, stared intently at Olivia and asked.
"Did you write it yourself?"
Olivia calmed her trembling breath and answered.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Did Noah tell you about the political situation?"
"...No."
Leonard frowned slightly and lowered his gaze again. Olivia blinked and carefully opened her mouth.
"...Should I revise..."
"Memorize it."
Leonard cut her off and handed her the notebook. When Olivia froze, dumbfounded, Leonard shook the notebook he was holding lightly to wake her up. Olivia quickly took the notebook.
"Do you have class with Lucy from the morning tomorrow too?"
"Yes."
"Then come after you finish class. Memorize it exactly as you wrote it."
It was a clean command.
Olivia hugged the notebook and blinked blankly.
Leonard nodded, looking intently into her eyes as if to ask if she understood. Olivia, startled, quickly bent her knees and bowed.
"Yes. Then I will come again tomorrow, Your Majesty. I hope you have a pleasant evening."
At the same time as she bowed, the tension she had built up sensitively collapsed. Her hands trembled as she put the notebook in her bag, but she didn't drop the notebook or the bag. In the meantime, she even greeted Usher.
Olivia turned around, feeling like she was floating in the air. Her heart felt like it was already outside her body.
The eyes of everyone in the room followed her steps.
As soon as she left the room, people slyly rolled their eyes and looked at the King.
The King's face, which had been making a chilling expression until just now, was filled with an unbearable smile.
