Chapter 17
Episode 17: Persistent Gaze
“If our designer saw you, they’d be begging to make you their muse.”
Olivia, embarrassed, fidgeted with her fingers before suddenly remembering Noah’s black gloves.
“Would it be possible for me to wear gloves too?”
“Of course. We have them prepared. And you’ll be carrying a small bag as well.”
Jane slipped a pair of sky-blue silk gloves onto Olivia’s hands, handing her a blue clutch along with them.
“Tonight’s banquet isn’t for dancing, you know. Everyone brings a clutch.”
Olivia, who was used to carrying a large leather bag every day, examined the hard, shiny clutch from front to back before asking, “What do I put in here?”
Jane chuckled and waved her hand dismissively.
“It’s just for show. You don’t have to put anything in it.”
While Jane and the staff were busy tidying up the scattered items, Olivia pondered for a moment before taking out a flashlight from her bag.
In her mind, carrying an empty bag was truly strange, so she thought she should put something in it. Fortunately, the slender flashlight fit perfectly into the clutch.
As Olivia snapped the clutch shut, a knock sounded, and Margo entered.
“All ready? Oh, Olivia.”
Margo’s eyes widened at Olivia’s familiar yet unfamiliar appearance before she chuckled. Seeing the cynical expression that seemed to be on her face no matter what she did, Olivia awkwardly smoothed down her skirt.
“Do I look strange, Professor?”
Truthfully, it was a bit strange. The smooth gloves covering her fingertips, the cute bag that could only fit a flashlight, and this pretty dress, all of it.
The awkwardness of wearing something that wasn’t hers and a strange excitement kept pushing her forward.
Margo strode over, lightly touching the pin in Olivia’s hair as she looked down at her.
“Of course not. Are you uncomfortable?”
“It would be a lie to say I’m comfortable, but it’s nice to dress up like this for once.”
Margo nodded almost imperceptibly before turning gracefully.
“Then shall we go and enjoy Herot’s last night?”
Olivia giggled and quickly followed her.
Isabel Seymour. The precious daughter of the Seymour Count family, she was a young lady accustomed to all things extravagant and beautiful.
The world had always been kind to her, and she had never felt wanting for anything in her life.
But recently, she had been suffering from a fever.
Noah Astrid.
A man whose imposing and perfect appearance was overlaid with an aura of precariousness, as if he would shatter if touched.
Throughout the last banquet, Isabel’s gaze had been fixed on him. When he danced with a commoner woman in strange clothes midway through the banquet, her heart sank coldly, but when she heard that the woman was a guest of the royal family, she pitied the prince.
And after thinking of him alone for a long time after the banquet, Isabel thought of a wounded beast.
Until today, Isabel had painted him in her mind every night. She didn’t know how many new dresses she had changed. She had ordered them because they were pretty, but when she actually tried them on, she felt like something was missing.
And today, she finally arrived at the palace wearing a green dress similar to the color of Noah’s eyes.
The spectacle of colorful flowers and lanterns, the sweetness of the rose fragrance lingering at the tip of her nose, meant nothing to Isabel. Isabel constantly rolled her eyes, searching for him.
“Ohohohoho, my goodness, Mrs. Seymour. The Count boasted so much about his daughter, and I can see that he had good reason to do so.”
“Oh, stop it, dear. Anyway, thank you for the compliment, Mrs. Veroto. Isabel, what are you doing? You should thank her.”
Only when Mrs. Seymour lightly tapped Isabel’s arm did she quickly offer her greetings.
“Are you looking for someone?”
When Mrs. Veroto asked, subtly probing, Isabel quickly shook her head.
“No. I was just wondering if I knew anyone.”
The noble ladies were busy exchanging pleasantries with social smiles. How long had they been standing there?
“Oh my, Princess Marguerite has arrived.”
As one person muttered while looking at the entrance of the garden, the smiles disappeared from the faces of the noble ladies.
“The royal family’s commoner guest has arrived too.”
At the voice mixed with subtle mockery, Isabel also turned her gaze.
“……”
Not only them, but the gazes of everyone in the garden were focused there. The Astrid's guest entered in a way that shattered the expectations of those who thought she might come wearing clothes that didn’t suit the banquet again.
Isabel’s gaze slowly slid from top to bottom.
The modest flower pinned to one side of her hair was particularly eye-catching.
For some reason, it felt like she had swallowed a lead weight.
Whether it was only her or not, silence fell among the noble ladies. Mrs. Veroto, who had been blinking blankly, quickly opened her fan and covered her mouth before speaking.
“Oh my… it seems the royal family’s guest wants to take this opportunity to become a noble.”
“Let her be. She probably wants to have a one-night dream.”
“Or maybe she has a truly ambitious dream, in this secret garden. Don’t you think?”
The noble ladies threw vulgar taunts in elegant voices.
“Oh my, there’s a young lady here, everyone, please be discreet.”
When Mrs. Veroto, who had first brought up the topic, laughed and waved her hand, the ladies smiled prettily, their eyes crinkling.
“Olivia, don’t even look in the direction of those women.”
Margo glared at the noble ladies who were watching them and smiling from one side, whispering to Olivia.
Olivia, who had been captivated by the fantastic garden, finally glanced at the noble ladies. She didn’t really want to go even if she was told to.
“Yes, I won’t.”
Then Margo surveyed a group of noble young men and gave another warning.
“The same goes for near that group.”
But no matter where she looked, there didn’t seem to be a safe place.
“That way too.”
“Those people too.”
“That group too.”
Olivia, who had been nodding for a while at Margo’s words, eventually frowned.
“Then should I just stand here?”
“You’d better.”
“Oh, Professor… You told me to enjoy Herot’s last night.”
Olivia grumbled at the kind arrangement of the scary and strict professor.
Just as Margo was muttering about when the Queen Consort would arrive and turning her gaze, the royal family entered.
Olivia’s gaze turned to the entrance.
The royals were indeed royals; the moment they entered, a pressure like an invisible wave washed over them.
Behind the King and Queen Consort holding hands, the Crown Prince and Prince Noah were visible. Olivia’s gaze lingered on the tips of the glittering black shoes before cautiously moving upward.
He looked handsome again today, seeing him after a few days.
Clothes, attitude, and an expression that seemed to have no gaps, as if measured with a ruler.
Suddenly, her heart pounded.
“Let’s go, Olivia.”
If Margo hadn’t grabbed her arm and led her away, she would have frozen and committed a discourtesy like the first time they met.
In her lowered gaze, she could see the hem of her dress rustling. Even though she wasn’t seeing shoes that didn’t fit the occasion like that day, why did she want to run away so much?
She was conscious of her chest, which she had forgotten for a while because others were also deeply exposed.
The path she didn’t want to end came to an end, and Margo stopped.
“Thank you sincerely for inviting us to this beautiful banquet.”
Olivia, who had been keeping her gaze down at the Princess's elegant greeting, slowly raised her head. This appearance made her excited, but on the other hand, she felt awkward and wanted to hide.
Even more so in front of these people.
It was a strange feeling that was hard to express.
The Queen Consort discovered Lucy’s hairpin, elegantly pinned near Olivia’s ear, who was very nervous. She loved both Lucy, who had given this as a gift, and Olivia, who had worn it to the banquet.
So, she took a step closer than usual and gently held Olivia’s hand. Because the hand she held was trembling slightly, the Queen Consort smiled even more with her eyes.
“Olivia, do you like my gift?”
The noble ladies who had been mocking Olivia’s attire at the Queen Consort's question fell silent.
“It suits you very well.”
The tension that had been heightened by the warm pressure transmitted from her fingertips eased a little. Olivia slowly calmed her breath and forced a smile.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.”
“It was truly a pleasure to see you. Please enjoy the banquet to your heart’s content.”
When the Queen Consort released her hand and stepped back, Leonard, who had been silent until now, laughed heartily and said,
“I wish you could stay for a few more days. Anyway, enjoy yourself to the fullest, Olivia.”
The nobles, as well as Usher, were inwardly surprised by the King’s affectionate greeting, who was no different from Margo in being cold to others.
Noah, look at that. Father is calling her Olivia.
Usher’s eyes narrowed as he reflexively turned to look at his brother on his left.
“……”
Noah’s gaze was directed beyond the Queen Consort's shoulder.
His expression was as usual, moderately cool, moderately dissolute, and moderately relaxed. But why did he look different than usual?
Was it because his green eyes, which seemed unusually dark today, were fixed on one place with a persistence that was without the slightest deviation?
Usher slowly followed his gaze.
Olivia Liberty, with her hair down and wearing a dress, was like a newly bloomed flower. Even Usher, who was accustomed to beautiful things, found her captivating enough to look at her again and again.
Usher looked at Noah again.
“Ha……”
He was still looking at her.
With an expression that made him want to return the mockery from the carriage.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
A wounded beast.
How appropriate a metaphor for Noah Astrid.
Isabel stared at him with a dazed gaze, as if possessed.
The dark, crimson rose garden under the dim light seemed like a stage for him. The shadows created by the lamps made his sunken eyes and high nose bridge stand out even more.
What about the Crown Prince standing next to Noah? In the same space, wearing similar clothes, and even with similar appearances, a completely different atmosphere flowed from the Crown Prince.
Usher, who had a warm and friendly feeling, seemed perfect.
On the other hand, Noah was perfect but, at the same time, imperfect. The word “perfect” didn’t quite suit him.
That contradictory gap felt like his identity.
A strange desire to fill something surged.
Isabel’s eyes trembled slightly.
She definitely wanted to have that perfect yet imperfect prince.
