Translator: Nox
134. Sharp and Precarious
"No. It was accessibility. Scholarships are difficult, but still something I could achieve through my own efforts. Accessibility, however, was something I couldn't solve with my own efforts. If the school is too far, I can't attend."
The lives of nobles and commoners with villas in various places or wealthy relatives differed from that point on.
"When I attended Rolland School, it took about five hours round trip by carriage from school to home."
At her words, Prince Noah recalled the old stone path.
"Since classes started at nine in the morning, my grandmother and I left home at six every morning. And after class, I would return home with my grandmother, who had waited for me outside the school all day. It was always dark when we arrived home."
The reporters frantically scribbled her words into their notebooks. The sound of pen nibs scratching paper poured down like rain.
Herald Beum's face hardened.
"Looking back now, I wonder how a mere ten-year-old did that. But since that school was the closest to home, even if I could go back to the past, I would still travel that distance. It was the only option given to me."
Olivia slowly looked around at the silent nobles and said firmly.
"The most important thing in a school for commoners is not the number of toilets, nor the quality of the chairs and desks. The most important thing is accessibility."
"……."
"Only a few commoners can study abroad, and most have to walk to school. What the majority of Herot's people need is a school that students can walk to. To do that, schools must be built everywhere, and the cost will be considerable."
Olivia looked directly at Herald Beum.
"The source of operating noble schools is the money of the nobles, but the source of operating Royal Schools is taxes, Herald Beum. If we want to decorate this school for show, we can decorate it enough, but if we truly want to help the majority of commoners, we should build another school with the money to decorate one school lavishly."
The Princess Consort exuded the dignity of a Princess Consort and rebuked Herald Beum with a stern face.
"The purpose of establishing the Royal School lies there. So do not obscure the true meaning of this school with what is visible. If you truly care about the people of Herot, you should not be discussing the number of toilets, but rather considering where the next school should be built."
"……."
Herald Beum was speechless, as if he had swallowed honey, and his face turned red.
He tried to smear the Princess Consort's honor and the purpose of establishing the Royal School with the provocative word "toilet," but the Princess Consort perfectly crushed him by turning the word back on him.
The sound of the reporters' writing sounded like the hooves of warhorses trampling him, and the nobles' gazes felt like arrows piercing his heart.
He didn't want to admit it, but he had to.
He had been utterly defeated in the political strife against the Princess Consort.
And Herod's Messengers never showed mercy to those who lost in battle.
King Leonard stood up from his seat before Herald Beum could try to package his defeat with fancy words. And with a satisfied face, he looked at the Princess Consort and applauded very loudly.
As the King shook the quiet atmosphere of the hall, the Queen Consort, the Crown Prince, and Prince Noah also stood up from their seats and applauded Olivia. The King's staff and nobles all stood up at once.
Therefore, the Ruble Party members, led by Herald Beum, had no choice but to stand up as well.
In the end, everyone gathered in the main hall stood up and applauded Olivia.
Olivia felt the applause pouring down on her as refreshing as the sound of a summer rain. It felt as if the grime accumulated in her heart was being washed away by the thick, cool raindrops.
It felt as if the egg that had been confining her had broken, and she had finally shaken off her shrunken, wet wings.
Feeling the exhilarating sensation of hot blood flowing powerfully through every corner of her body, Olivia smiled brightly.
The Royal School founding anniversary ended very successfully.
As soon as the official event ended, the Ruble Party, led by Herald Beum, scurried away, and King Leonard excitedly called Olivia to his side.
"As expected of the top graduate of Herollington University! I was so moved by the Princess Consort's speech that I shed a little tear!"
"Did you see Herald Beum running away without saying a word, Your Majesty?"
"Umhahahaha, do you know? They say the Princess Consort memorized that impromptu genealogy of the royal family from beginning to end! They say she memorized it after seeing it once, is that right, Olivia?"
As King Leonard turned to Olivia, who was nearby, and asked kindly, Olivia smiled awkwardly but softly and bowed her head.
At that moment, the bravest of the invited reporters, who had been eagerly waiting for an opportunity, asked the King for an interview.
"Your Majesty, may I dare ask for an interview? My name is Jon Kinter from the Heritage Newspaper!"
"Oh, aren't you the political editor of the Heritage? It's been a while!"
"It is an honor that you remember me, Your Majesty!"
He quickly squeezed through the nobles and glanced at the Princess Consort. Prince Noah's expression next to her was as cold as frost, but who cared about the Prince's expression now?!
King Leonard was in a great mood, so if he played his cards right, it was a golden opportunity to get an exclusive interview with the Princess Consort.
"I was greatly impressed by the Princess Consort's congratulatory speech. So, if you don't mind, an interview with our newspaper……."
As the reporter trailed off, King Leonard slyly turned his head and looked at Olivia. He felt a sting from his son's murderous gaze, but King Leonard pretended not to notice and asked his daughter-in-law.
"Would that be alright, Olivia?"
Who would dare refuse when the King asked like that?
The Princess Consort gave a social smile and nodded lightly.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
The eyes of the other reporters, who had been watching only her lips, turned into those of jackals who had found prey at that moment.
'Hey, hey! Bring the camera here, quickly!'
'Uh, uh, move! Don't you remember our newspaper giving up its seat at the wedding?!'
'Is that giving up? It was taken away.'
'Seriously, this guy!'
While the reporters were engaged in a silent war of nerves, the brave reporter Jon Kinter approached the Princess Consort and began to bombard her with questions about the things he had been curious about.
"Princess Consort, you said that it took five hours round trip by carriage from Rolland School to home, did you have any difficulties?"
"Why wouldn't there be difficulties, reporter. Once, the carriage wheel came off on the way back, and I spent the night in the middle of a field with the other passengers."
"Ah… that's right. It's difficult when the carriage breaks down sometimes."
"Yes. But as time passed, that also became a memory."
"What did you usually do in the carriage?"
"Since it was a commute, I usually studied."
The other reporters, except for Jon Kinter, were also busy writing down what the Princess Consort was saying, with their ears perked up.
"Did the five-hour commute make you the top graduate of Herollington?"
"You flatter me, Your Majesty."
Before he knew it, King Leonard had naturally joined the interview.
The reporters didn't even think about asking Prince Noah for an interview. Until a few years ago, they had been desperate to get an interview with him, but since the wedding, everyone's attention had been focused on the Princess Consort.
In the first place, there was no journalist who didn't know that Prince Noah felt disgusted and hated the media.
Reporters are people too. There's no reason to approach someone who hates them so much. The kind Princess Consort is much better!
Prince Noah had taken a step back from all the commotion.
He watched Olivia, who was faithfully answering the reporter's questions and taking pictures, for a long time before quietly turning away.
When Olivia realized Prince Noah's presence, he was already walking alone through the crowd, passing through the door.
"Ah……."
Just like that day in the past, when he had left the masterpiece 'Love and Comfort' alone.
As Olivia looked at Prince Noah walking away, she pursed her lips, but the reporter called her.
"…Princess Consort?"
In the meantime, Prince Noah had completely disappeared from her sight. Olivia blankly stared at the place where he had disappeared, then turned to the reporter and asked.
"Ah, sorry. What did you say?"
And in the end, just like that day, Olivia couldn't follow him.
Olivia glanced at the door and looked around throughout the interview, but Prince Noah never returned.
To Olivia, Beatrix whispered.
"Prince Noah doesn't like these events very much. He's probably outside. If you're worried, go out first. We'll be out soon too."
"Is that alright?"
"Of course."
Olivia, who had received Beatrix's permission, quickly turned around. Beatrix was lost in thought as she watched Olivia's hurrying back. She was concerned about her son's coldly shining eyes.
Meanwhile, Jonan, who had been waiting outside the venue, quickly approached Olivia when she came out.
"Jonan, do you know where His Highness is?"
"This way, Your Highness."
The nobles were watching her, but perhaps because of Jonan, they hesitated to approach and moved away.
White breath shattered with every breath. The weather was warmer than usual this year, but Herot's unique bone-chilling cold pierced through her thick coat, making her shrink.
It was so cold, but Prince Noah was standing at the desolate edge of the garden where the wind was blowing.
Beyond his silhouette, which was turned away from Olivia, unfamiliar white smoke was constantly rising. The blowing wind carried the acrid scent of the smoke.
Olivia, who had been briefly elated by a sense of accomplishment, felt choked by the acrid scent carried by the wind.
Prince Noah was smoking.
At that moment, he felt a presence and turned his head to look at her. The bridge of his nose and the corners of his eyes, illuminated by the sunlight, felt sharp today.
