Episode 156. The Peace You Expected
Jonan swallowed hard without realizing it.
The Princess consort, who calmly disembarked from the dim carriage, neither yelled at him nor put on a defiant expression. She showed no hostility towards him, nor did she utter any harsh words.
However, the gentleness that had graced her elegant face was gone, and the kindness that had resided in her eyes, as black as a moonless night, had vanished.
But that was not all.
Something indescribable had clearly changed.
“Jonan.”
When the Princess consort called him, not only Jonan but also another colleague standing guard by his side flinched.
The Princess consort, who had been gazing at the Magic Dome standing tall against the dark night sea, turned her head to look at Jonan.
Her hair, blended with the pitch-black night, her deep eyes, and her pale face, which contrasted with them, felt chilling. The aura emanating from her was heavy and cold.
As the Princess consort stared intently at Jonan with a blank expression, Jonan, snapping back to his senses, quickly approached her.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As Jonan approached, the Princess consort turned back to the Magic Dome and commanded in a chilling voice.
“Repair the two broken Magic Domes now. Bring Pierre Pimate.”
“…Yes?”
Jonan, taken aback by the unexpected words and name, asked again a beat later. The Princess consort then took out the King’s order from her pocket and presented it. Jonan’s gaze dropped to the creaking order bearing the King’s seal.
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
When Jonan looked up and met the Princess consort’s eyes, he was overwhelmed by her, though she was much smaller than him. Even without the King’s order, Jonan would not have been able to disobey her command.
“…Understood.”
As Jonan turned and ran towards the residence, Betty approached the Princess consort, who was waiting behind him.
“Your Highness.”
Olivia tucked the King’s order into her coat and glanced at Betty.
“Are you alright?”
Betty asked cautiously. Olivia gazed at the dark sea and then moved her lips. After a moment of silence with her red lips curved upwards, Olivia took a short breath and spoke.
“Do you know how to tame an elephant?”
“An elephant? Well, I don’t know.”
“They say that when they are young, their ankles are tied with a rope attached to a stake.”
“……”
“When the frustrated young elephant tries to break the rope tied to the stake, they whip it to prevent it from doing so. The young elephant, feeling that it cannot escape the stake, doesn’t dare to try and escape even after growing strong enough to break free.”
Olivia looked up at the giant Magic Dome.
“What do you think an elephant thinks when it is freed from the stake it believed it could never escape?”
Olivia gazed at the immense stake within her.
The stake, named discrimination, had love layered over it. Because of that layered love, she couldn’t bring herself to escape the stake and merely circled around it.
Olivia looked out at the vast sea and took a deep breath. The wind brushing against her neck felt unusually warm.
“It would think, ‘I will never be tied to this stake again,’ as it gazes at the stake that bound its feet with futile emotions.”
“Your Highness… what are you planning to do?”
Betty, suddenly frightened, stepped closer, but Olivia smiled softly and pushed her away.
“Madam, please return to the mansion first.”
“No, I cannot do that.”
“Then wait in the carriage.”
Just then, the sound of military boots approached. Olivia turned her eyes towards the source of the sound. A tall man in a naval uniform strode towards her and stopped a few steps away.
“Greetings, Your Highness. I am Pierre Pimate. Did you summon me?”
Olivia took out the order again and handed it to him. Pierre took another step closer, accepted the order with a crisp movement, and quickly scanned its contents. The hastily written cursive was unmistakably King Leonard’s unique script.
Pierre felt a chill run down his spine, and at the same time, his heart pounded with excitement. He raised his head and asked.
“Can you repair the Magic Dome?!”
Olivia responded to Pierre’s foolish question with a question of her own.
“Sir Pimate, can you, in turn, repair the Magic Dome according to my command?”
When Pierre remained silent, lost in thought, Olivia chuckled and commanded.
“Lead me to the two Magic Domes. I will dismantle the engine room right now and fix the broken parts.”
As Olivia turned, the bodyguards standing behind her parted to the sides, clearing a path. Noah’s order was to escort her to the mansion, but none of the guards could properly recall his command.
Pierre, after a moment of daze, snapped back to his senses and weaved through the imposing guards without hindrance, following Olivia down to the pier.
He then outpaced her down the stairs and untied a boat moored at the dock. There was no need to ask twice.
He felt such strong resolve from the Princess consort. He didn’t even entertain rational doubts about how she would fix the Magic Dome or on what grounds the King had issued such an order.
Furthermore, as this was a direct order from the King, Pierre had no need to seek permission from his superior, Noah.
Pierre, who had skillfully boarded the boat, reached out his hand towards Olivia.
“Please take my hand and board carefully, Your Highness.”
“You can step on the bow and climb up with force.”
“W-Wait a moment, Your Highness! Your shoes will get wet!”
The guards, who had rushed to her side, dared not touch the Princess consort and were at a loss for how to help, filled with worry. Whether it was the Prince or them, they treated her like a child left near the water.
Olivia sighed deeply and gestured to the guards who had gathered around her.
“I’ll manage on my own, so please move over there.”
“But…!”
“Whoa…!”
Before the guards could say more, and before Noah could possibly come running, Olivia quickly leaped onto the boat. The boat swayed gently under her weight, but Olivia held onto the mast and balanced herself.
Pierre’s eyes widened at the Princess consort’s surprisingly agile movement, and he withdrew his hand. He then went to the front and started the boat’s engine.
It was precisely at the moment the loud ignition sound shook the quiet sea.
“Olivia!!”
Olivia felt her heart sink at the familiar voice.
At the urgent call, like a dying scream, everyone on the pier turned their gaze towards the sound.
Olivia’s eyes met Noah’s, who was standing on the stairs. The wind blew through his blond hair.
He looked like an embodiment of royalty today, and he seemed perfect.
Olivia slowly exhaled the air filling her lungs and tightened her grip on the mast.
Vowing never to be tied by a stake again.
Just then, the calm sea rippled like a snake’s movement. Pierre, who was at the helm, watched the sea with sharp eyes, while Noah, almost as if flying, skipped down the stairs and instantly grabbed the mast of the boat Olivia was on.
“……!!”
As Olivia stared at Noah, who was separated from her by the mast, Noah also glared at the rippling sea, just like Pierre. He then extended his other hand towards her and shouted.
“Get off quickly, Olivia!”
But Olivia, instead, let go of the mast and stepped back.
“……!”
Noah stared at Olivia moving away from him, his lips parting in disbelief.
At that moment, the sea rippled again, rocking the boat.
“Your Highness!”
Jonan, who had been staring intently at the sea with a serious expression, urgently called out to Noah. Noah, snapping back to attention, glanced at the turbulent sea and raised his voice towards Olivia again.
“Get off quickly, please!”
Olivia shook her head.
“I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”
“You don’t need to apologize!”
“This is something that originated from me, so I want to resolve it myself.”
“Olivia!!!”
As Noah’s voice grew louder, Olivia’s emotions also soared without end.
The helplessness of being bound by a stake, the foolishness of merely circling without daring to escape, the towering wall, the humiliation of turning back, unable to even muster the courage to climb that wall—all of it washed over her in succession.
Unable to contain her rising anger, Olivia screamed with all her might.
“Just how!!!”
“……!!”
“Just how long are you going to treat me like a fool?!”
Her shout echoed resonatingly across the low-lying pier.
Not only Noah but even the guards stared at Olivia in stunned silence. Olivia glared at Noah with tear-filled eyes.
“Stay still. Don’t do anything. Just, just… live like you’re dead, just breathing!!!!”
Tears of desperation fell from her eyes.
“…Olivia….”
Noah shook his head and managed to call her name.
“I don’t want to live like I’m dead, just breathing. I…!”
Olivia took a shaky breath and covered her eyes with her hands.
It was then.
With the blare of a loud alarm bell, a shout erupted.
“It’s a Kraken!”
Olivia, who had buried her face in her palms, lifted her head. Turning her head, she saw a black shape emerge from the sea in the distance before disappearing beneath the water.
Noah, as if no longer willing to wait for Olivia, had already stepped onto the boat.
“I will repair the two Magic Domes.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“You said it’s a Kraken? It’s more dangerous if we don’t repair the two.”
“Then come with me.”
“I’m sorry that I’m not the peace you expected.”
“……”
While Noah was lost for words, she approached him. She then cupped his bruised, blue-tinged hand. The strong hand that had been pulling the boat forcefully slowly detached from the mast at the touch of her weak fingers.
“You stay and do your work. I will do what I must do.”
Olivia pushed his chest back. He, who had never backed down even before the King, was pushed back as if by magic.
And once he was completely pushed off the boat, Olivia commanded Pierre, who stood behind her.
“Sir Pimate, let’s depart!”
