Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Noah Drifting Away Alone
As even the Princess stepped down from the carriage, holding the Crown Prince's hand, the magnificent Royal Palace came into view at once. The people of the Astrid Royal Family stood against the backdrop of the historic Herot Palace.
Queen Consort Beatrix and Princess Margo, smiling down at the Princess, were benevolent and elegant, and King Leonard and the two princes standing beside them exuded a sense of reliability just by their presence. And the young Princess standing among them was endlessly lovely.
If this scene were to be immortalized in a painting, it would be titled 'Comfort and Love.'
Along with the impulse to step into that scene, a dual emotion surged, making it impossible to dare to approach.
Olivia suddenly recalled a fragment of a very distant past.
"Grandma, why was I born a commoner and a woman? I wish I had been born with a higher status, or at least as a man."
Once, her classmates called her 'commoner girl' instead of Olivia. That day, she was consumed with resentment and sorrow, shedding tears in front of her grandmother. That first and last day.
Olivia had hoped that her grandmother would be furious and say, even if just in words, that she wouldn't let those kids get away with it.
But her grandmother hugged her and cried with her. The sound of her weeping was so poignant that it felt like a heavy lead weight had settled on her resentful heart.
After crying for a long time, her grandmother looked down at Olivia with a face full of melancholy in every wrinkle and said,
"The world is inherently unfair. Acknowledge it, but don't conform to it."
Those words were so sad.
It was as if her grandmother was saying that even she couldn't protect her.
It was so unfair and heartbreaking. Not that a girl of only ten years old should feel such emotions.
Why did that piercing saying come to mind again while looking at this beautiful scene?
Then, the man who kept making her feel small turned his head, and their eyes met. For some unknown reason, Olivia couldn't meet his eyes. She quickly averted her gaze and lowered her eyes, her heart pounding.
Hesitating, she stealthily raised her gaze, but he was already looking elsewhere.
"……."
The reason why she shrinks in front of him is…….
Perhaps it's because she envies him.
What kind of life has that man lived?
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That woman is always quick to avoid my gaze whenever our eyes meet.
What did I ever do?
Noah scoffed inwardly, averting his gaze from Olivia.
His whole body was stiff from the events that had continued from yesterday's banquet until this afternoon. Still, the promised events were now over, which was a great joy.
Checking his watch, it seemed he had to leave now to not be late.
"I'll be going now."
At those words, Leonard, who was holding Lucy's hand affectionately, turned to look at him sharply.
"Do you have plans?"
Noah, annoyed by his pretense of ignorance, wore a light, mocking smile.
"So many people are looking for me, you see."
At the same time, Queen Consort Beatrix frowned.
"Noah, what kind of manners are those?"
"Mother. I simply mean that since the event I promised to attend is over, I will be leaving now."
"You're probably going to play polo again."
Leonard shrugged, took Lucy's hand, and went into the Royal Palace. Noah's brow also hardened.
The strained father-son relationship that had begun to go wrong one day was Queen Consort Beatrix's biggest headache. Leonard was the problem, constantly trying to manipulate the proud Noah like a puppet on a string. But Noah, with his unusually strong resistance, also seemed to be the problem.
Sensing that her son's mood had soured considerably, Beatrix quickly nudged him on the back.
"Alright, be careful. Go on now."
Noah politely greeted the Queen Consort and Margo before leaving the palace without looking back.
Usher and the Queen Consort watched him go with worried expressions before sighing, and Margo shook her head slightly.
"Honestly, Leonard is so selfish."
It was a statement that couldn't be dared to say to the King, but Usher and the Queen Consort both pretended not to hear it.
Beatrix noticed Olivia standing far away and gave a small nod.
She was lovely the more she looked at her. Since she had even gained Princess Margo's trust, it would be wonderful if she could become Lucy's governess.
But Margo wouldn't allow it.
"Miss Liberty, I heard Lucy was rude. I'm sorry."
Olivia quickly shook her head.
"It's alright, Your Majesty. It wasn't rude at all."
"I'm grateful that you say so. It's been a long time since I've seen Lucy so excited. Now, let's go inside."
Usher escorted the Queen Consort inside first, followed by Margo.
As Olivia climbed the last step of the palace stairs, she subtly turned her head and looked over her shoulder.
A tall man in a black suit was walking away quickly.
All alone.
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Noah stormed out of the Royal Palace and headed straight to the polo club. He quickly rode his horse, refusing a carriage, and as he entered the club, the rakes already dressed in their gear grumbled.
"Ah, how can you be so late? We've been waiting for ages!"
"Hold my mallet and say that."
Noah took off his jacket and handed it to someone nearby before walking to the locker room, casually undoing the buttons on his wrist. By the time he arrived at the locker room, he had already unbuttoned the collar, revealing his firm chest through his shirt.
As Noah was about to enter the locker room, he glanced at the people he would be playing with and pointed to the faceguard hanging on the wall.
"Wear faceguards today."
Realizing that his green eyes, filled with a reddish tint, were burning with competitive spirit, the rakes groaned but obeyed the order and put on their faceguards.
A moment later, when Noah came out wearing a faceguard and helmet, Matt, who was nearby, handed him a mallet and chided him.
"Noah! Why do you try to resolve all your desires with competitiveness? You have so many desires! You have an appetite, a need for sleep, and a sex drive! Resolve them with your sex drive if you can! You're even making us wear faceguards. How much are you planning to push us?"
Then Noah chuckled and retorted.
"You told me not to come to the autumn banquet, so what would you do if I tried to resolve my desires with my sex drive?"
"Ah, that's true."
The rakes' dissolute laughter echoed loudly inside the club.
Noah skillfully mounted the waiting horse, gripping the reins with his left hand and the mallet with his right. Beyond the gate opened by the servants, a vast grass field that could be described as expansive unfolded.
The wide grass field, the rough breathing of the horses, and the thrilling sensation felt at the end of the mallet.
Noah's heart pounded as if it would burst. It was a moment of fully feeling alive.
Noah gently stroked the mane of the short-cropped polo pony and lightly pressed his stomach, causing the horse to start trotting.
Lawrence from the same team approached him closely, his eyes shining.
"Your Highness, what do you think of Miss Olivia Liberty? I heard she even attended the maze garden party and is going to Polder, is that right?"
These bastards are still talking about that.
"Ask Princess Marguerite."
"Ah, you're asking the impossible. Just tell me that! Did she attend the maze garden party?"
Treat an Astrid guest like an Astrid. Do I have to say that again?
But as the image of the small woman who was always busy avoiding his gaze whenever their eyes met came to mind, he felt the excitement before the game fade away.
Noah was annoyed even to add more words, so he nodded perfunctorily and spurred his horse forward.
"Oh! She attended!"
He heard the rakes cheering behind him, but what did he care?
"Those idle bastards."
He muttered as if spitting out the words and took a deep breath in the open field.
"Haa……."
It felt so good to escape the tiresome Royal Palace.
And in the ensuing game, Noah relentlessly drove the opposing team, securing victory with an overwhelming lead as always.
The next day, Noah, who had drunk late into the night after the polo game for the first time in a while, woke up somewhat later than usual. Through his hazy vision, he saw the head maid, Mrs. Betty, carefully setting up breakfast.
As he closed his eyes a little longer, he heard her pushing the tray out.
Only then did Noah let out a languid sigh and get up. He must have drunk quite a bit, as he wasn't even wearing a pajama shirt.
He drew back the curtains that darkened the room and opened the terrace window, and the bright sunlight and the rather chilly autumn breeze washed over him.
Noah, brushing back his disheveled blond hair, sat down in front of the steaming food and habitually picked up the newspaper.
The front page of the newspaper, which had been plastered with Walter's face for a while, was now quite worth looking at.
In the large black-and-white photo, that woman, Olivia, and Princess Lucy were smiling brightly at each other.
Was a Polder schoolgirl and a young princess going on a picnic something that should be on the front page of a newspaper? A cynical thought surged, but as he looked at Olivia's brightly smiling face, he vaguely understood.
After all, the main purpose is to sell a lot of newspapers.
Noah stared intently at Olivia's face with emotionless, dry eyes.
Hair blacker than black ink, thick black eyebrows, and large, round eyes. The nose and attractive lips, neatly arranged on a small face, were indeed a beauty that could shake Herot.
"She looks better in person than in the photo."
After delivering an indifferent assessment, he casually flipped through the back pages of the newspaper and set it aside. Expressing a simple condolence for Olivia.
It was as if he could hear the King's excited laughter as a hallucination.
For the remaining period, his father would diligently take Olivia to as many events as possible.
