Chapter 149: The Reality of a Solitary Paradise
Ansen inhaled deeply the characteristically cool and damp winter air of Herot that poured in through the window. Though warmer than average, the high humidity made the perceived temperature feel lower.
A shiver ran down his spine, and Ansen frowned, closing the window.
"This dampness is quite unpleasant."
The Herot Branch Manager quickly brought him a cup of warm tea.
"The Herot Royal Family must have been taken aback by your sudden arrival, Representative. It was an excellent choice to use Pulder as a base instead of coming straight to Herot."
Ansen's expression remained unchanged despite the Branch Manager's flattery.
"Currently, the warship led by Prince Noah is anchored at sea. It's just for show, so he must be anxious. There haven't been any significant attempts at contact from the Royal Family yet. What shall we do?"
"What about Prince Noah and the Princess Consort's movements?"
"The Prince seems to be staying at his residence since arriving with the warship, and the Princess Consort remained within the mansion for several days before attending a charity party with the Queen Consort this morning."
"What's the relationship between the two of them like?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't have information on that…"
"There haven't been any reports specifically linking the Princess Consort to the Magic Dome, have there?"
"No, there haven't."
What could the Princess Consort have to do with the Magic Dome? The Branch Manager tilted his head, puzzled.
Ansen was silent for a moment before taking an envelope from his pocket and handing it to him.
"Spread these photos and the full article as they are, right now."
The Branch Manager took the envelope, and Ansen gestured for him to open it.
Inside the envelope were what appeared to be writings penned by Ansen himself, along with two photographs.
The first photo showed the Princess Consort, looking about sixteen or seventeen, and Ansen, heads together at a table, bursting into laughter.
"Oh…"
Cold sweat trickled down the Branch Manager's spine. With trembling eyes, he looked at the next photo.
"Ah…"
It showed the two of them as adults.
Ansen in a sharp suit and the Princess Consort in a light skirt, sitting across from each other at a table.
They weren't laughing as brightly as in the first photo, but they didn't look angry either, and, more importantly, the background was a hotel.
The Branch Manager unfolded the paper with trembling hands.
[About the Long-Standing Relationship Between Princess Consort Olivia and Ansen Wilhelm]
As his gaze, drawn by the eye-catching title, swept across the entire paper, the Branch Manager saw a vision of a lion baring its sharp teeth at his neck.
"...If we do this wrong… we'll die, Representative."
Ansen chuckled.
Ansen took the photos from his hand and stared down at them.
Olivia, her face close to his, laughing gleefully. He could almost hear her clear laughter.
It must have been around this time that I fell in love with Olivia.
But that feeling was shameful.
Me, with you?
Unfortunately, it was just a childish infatuation. By the time he realized that loving her was only natural, that she was a person worthy of being loved, their relationship had already reached a breaking point.
He wanted to piece it back together, but he couldn't, so he pushed her away.
He didn't want to lose his pride, he wanted her to come to him in tears.
Then, just as he was wondering if he should stop, Noah Astrid appeared.
Ansen recalled Noah's proud face.
With the Herot people's feelings towards Ansen Wilhelm at their peak, what would happen to public opinion if this article came out? How embarrassed would the Herot Royal Family, who needed public support to welcome her as the Princess Consort, be?
Furthermore, how would that proud Noah Astrid react to the scandal surrounding his wife?
"He won't be able to stand it. He'll push you away, lock you up, and make sure you can't go anywhere."
And you won't be able to bear that, Olivia.
"You'll eventually come to me. You'll demand to know what this article is about, and ask me to correct it properly."
That's why he came to Herot.
Because in the moment of desperation, Olivia would kick down the fence of Prince Noah's protection with her own feet.
The Herot Branch Manager, who had been listening to Ansen's muttering, blinked in confusion before asking worriedly.
"Representative?"
"…"
"Are you really going to… release this as is? Prince Noah's confidants are frantically searching the Les Duing headquarters. We might really get caught this time. Besides, what good is it to provoke the Herot Royal Family at this particular moment…"
"I'm not a moth throwing myself into a fire."
"…"
"Trust me and do as I say. And after this article, dispose of the printing press. Erase all traces."
"...Understood."
As the Branch Manager reluctantly replied, Ansen gestured for him to leave, then walked to the window.
In the distance, he could see the spire of Hamel Cathedral.
Somewhere in this old city, she was.
"It's been a while, Olivia."
Ansen's eyes curved into a long smile in the dim window.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
The Prince appeared carrying the sleeping Princess Consort!
He walked carefully, as if afraid Olivia might stir, and was cautious when laying her on the bed.
Betty was waiting behind him, but he even took off Olivia's shoes himself. As if he wouldn't entrust anything to anyone else.
He gazed at the peacefully sleeping Princess Consort for a long time before muttering.
"Leaving all the good things behind, why does she only wear this?"
The small diamond set that Methone had purchased to silence the Pulder Dress Shop. Leaving aside the magnificent jewels that far exceeded the price of a mansion, why did she only wear this?
"If you're referring to the earrings and necklace, she cherishes them especially because they were the first gift from Your Highness."
Noah turned his head towards Betty.
"...Did the Princess Consort say that?"
"Yes. She said that she feels good when she wears them because they were the first gift she received."
The Prince was silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, before staring intently at the dressing room and walking towards it. The magnificent dressing room was created by tearing down a wall. The only person with a more splendid dressing room than Olivia's… well, perhaps the Queen Consort.
The Princess Consort's dressing room was filled with shawls, hats, and gloves of various materials and colors, and countless dresses with real jewels embedded in them.
And that wasn't all. Accessories that shimmered even in the dim moonlight were displayed by color.
Noah stood blankly at the entrance to the dressing room, staring inside for a long time.
How long had he been standing there?
He asked Betty quietly.
"Does the Princess Consort come here often?"
Betty was overcome with an inexplicable emotion at his question.
What good are those jewels? When she carries a white medicine bottle.
She had taken on the work of a maid to make a living. For many years, she had lived a blurry and slow life, like a riverbed full of mud.
It was never beneficial to clearly understand the affairs of nobles, and even if she did, she would likely suffer if she dared to interfere.
Olivia was a stone thrown into the stagnant river.
She had dug up the old heart that had sunk like a swamp and was eventually hardening.
"No, Your Highness."
Betty, answering in a slightly trembling voice, took a deep breath and spoke more clearly.
"Her Highness does not enter the dressing room."
The Prince turned his head towards her. His face was deeply shadowed, sending a chill down her spine, but Betty did not back down.
Noah's gaze shifted from her to the sleeping Olivia.
"Then, what does Olivia mainly do at the mansion?"
In this splendid and beautiful paradise, how did she spend her time?
"She mainly spends time alone in the study."
Hearing Betty's answer, he was silent with an unreadable expression.
After a moment, Noah roughly ran a hand down his face and abruptly left the room. Betty, watching him disappear, quickly followed the Prince with a determined look.
Bursting out of the room, Noah strode quickly across the hallway and threw open the door to the study. Perhaps because the Princess Consort came here often, the fireplace was burning.
A stack of rolled-up papers and old books lay on the corner of the desk.
Noah stood in the spot where Olivia always sat and picked up the neatly rolled papers. As he flipped through the papers for a long time, Betty, who had approached him, handed him something.
Noah glanced at the object she was offering, narrowed his eyes, and impatiently reached out.
He seemed unable to comprehend the object in his grasp. He looked as if he were dreaming.
After staring at it for a long time, Noah slowly formed the words.
"...Pulder General Hospital…?"
Betty, who had been silent until now, carefully opened her mouth.
"I believe it's sleeping pills. Perhaps because of the pills, she suffered from severe headaches every morning when she woke up."
Noah, holding the medicine bottle, slowly asked again.
"...Since when?"
"I believe it's been since the newspapers stopped coming to the mansion… and since Your Highness went to Hemmington. I only noticed the medicine bottle recently."
The Prince's expression remained unchanged.
But for some reason, Betty felt as if he were weeping. Even though there were no tears and even his breathing was calm, that was how it felt.
However, the Prince did not cry in front of her. With a slow movement, he put the medicine bottle in his pocket and turned to leave the desk.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps rapidly approached.
Betty, startled, turned her head back, and at the same time, Methone burst through the door, panting.
"Your Highness!"
He held a newspaper in his hand.
The Prince, his expression suddenly changing, quickly reached out his hand, and Methone rushed over and handed him the newspaper.
Opening the newspaper, Noah was speechless in front of the large photo of Olivia and Ansen.
"You must go to the Royal Palace immediately."
