Translator: Nox

Chapter 170. To Reclaim a Name

Mrs. Betty withdrew, and Olivia turned her gaze to the desk.

An old desk, sat at after a very long time. At the desk where she was raised and the Magic Dome was born, Olivia picked up her pen again.

Then, yesterday's events suddenly came to mind again.

"You brought warships to Pulder without His Majesty's permission, so you'll have to deal with the consequences when you return."

"Don't worry about that. I can take responsibility."

"Are you going to relinquish your status?"

Then Noah blinked slowly and asked back.

"Would you be upset if you were no longer the Princess consort?"

For the first time, his question sounded foolish, and Olivia burst out laughing. Then, facing the man who was rendered speechless by her laughter, she spoke her truth.

"I didn't love you because you were a Prince."

Watching the man, who seemed like the origin of the word perfection, gradually flush as if a rash of heat bloomed on his face, Olivia felt as though a flower was blooming somewhere deep within her chest.

Though both were disheveled like survivors of a shipwreck, they felt this moment was more fulfilling than any other.

Olivia pulled Noah's head to her chest and whispered.

"My own wounds obscured my vision, and I couldn't properly see yours."

The tears that fell wet Noah's forehead.

"I'm sorry too, Noah."

They hadn't known each other, having lived such different lives. They had seen each other without truly knowing. Because of that, they hadn't properly understood the wounds in each other's hearts. Only after taking off the glasses that had been placed over her eyes did Olivia see that fact clearly.

Noah looked up, meeting Olivia's gaze. He then brushed away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes with his hand.

"Don't try to care for each other alone. Find a way to embrace your wounds and Olivia's wounds together."

He recalled Margo's words and began to speak.

"Liv, you want to reclaim the patent for the Magic Dome, don't you? It was yours from the beginning."

"……."

Olivia remained silent, blinking. As her past words, "I won't live as an engineer," flashed through her mind, Noah gently caressed her cheek and smiled.

Olivia gazed at his smile for a moment, then said,

"It will be all over the news."

"The whole world will be in an uproar."

"……."

"I've been thinking, Liv. What I hated wasn't... simply the media, but the helplessness I had to endure while being swept along by it all, wasn't it?"

Perhaps that's why I hated seeing you endure and bear so much.

"Let's reclaim the patent for the Magic Dome."

"Noah."

"If it's your choice, what you can do and what you must do, I am ready to believe in anything."

This was the vow he had made while staying by Olivia's side as she was dying.

"It will be different from the past. Back then, I was a young Prince who had no choice but to obey my father's orders, but that's not the case now."

We can make it different.

"Let's each do what we want."

Olivia thought for a moment at his words and then said,

"It feels like you're enduring, and only I am doing what I want."

"No."

Noah stated with certainty.

He had been happier than ever while creating paradise. It was because he anticipated Olivia's happiness within it.

That's why he had been so afraid when Olivia tried to step outside the walls.

Was he afraid of the media? No, in truth, he was only afraid of the pain Olivia would suffer as a result. He projected his own pain onto Olivia, drawing in a pain that didn't even exist.

Noah looked at the salvation of his life and smiled gently. Then, with a face full of conviction, he declared as if making a vow.

"That's not true, Liv."

Olivia recalled Noah's words and looked up again at the impossibly high mountain. The mountain she had been forced to return from with a broken heart no longer seemed as high as it once did.

Olivia took a breath and picked up her pen again.

As time flowed on, nearing noon, an unexpected guest visited her home.

Margo looked at Olivia, who had become much thinner than in her memories, and finally shed tears. Her face contorted as she approached and slowly stroked Olivia's back.

"I'm sorry, Olivia."

"Please don't say that."

Margo hugged Olivia, still crying.

"You know, even while I cared for you... I never truly knew what was important to you, or what difficulties you were facing."

"It was I who didn't tell you."

Margo pulled away and examined Olivia's condition.

"How are your wounds?"

"They're fine."

Margo wiped her tears with the handkerchief Olivia offered, then gestured to the person waiting. The door opened, and those who had accompanied her carefully entered the room.

It was a man and a woman who appeared to be a couple, and one of them was someone Olivia knew well.

"Mrs. Winford!"

"Her Highness!"

Mrs. Winford smiled brightly and bowed her head.

"Have you been well?"

"Of course. My husband was going to see Her Highness, so I followed, disregarding propriety."

"Disregarding propriety? Not at all."

Margo glanced at the reunion of the two women and beckoned Rick Winford over.

"This is Rick Winford, a renowned lawyer."

After exchanging brief greetings with him, Olivia met Margo's gaze. Margo met Olivia's dark eyes, which she had always thought of as vast as the universe, and twisted one side of her lips upward.

"Now, isn't it time?"

"……."

"Oliver."

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

And that day, Noah met with influential government figures in just one day.

He sipped a light tea, assessing the internal situation at Pulder Castle. As expected, Pulder Castle was desperate to shift all responsibility for the Sunrise incident onto Ansen Wilhelm.

By the time he finished speaking with the Vice President, who had rushed to see him, the sun was slowly beginning to set.

As Noah emerged from the conference room, Methone followed him.

"Where shall I escort you?"

Noah thought of the person who had occupied a corner of his mind all day, no, always.

If I go today, will they let me stay at their place?

Olivia had said she was uncomfortable with so many people in her small home and had not let him stay.

"To Olivia's."

Still, if I can at least see your face, I must go. Your eyes hold love, and that is enough.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Marguerite was confident that even if she hadn't prepared anything for Olivia, Olivia would have reclaimed her rights through her own strength.

"First, we will file a constitutional petition regarding the 'denial of patent rights.' The Pulder Patent Office denied Olivia's fundamental rights as a woman, as stipulated by the Pulder Constitution. Next, we will proceed with a lawsuit against Wilhelm Corporation for unpaid royalties."

Rick Winford looked at Olivia, who was explaining her plan without hesitation, with surprised eyes.

"Your Highness, have you been preparing for this for a long time?"

"I had. I gave up because it seemed insurmountable, but such a day has come again."

Olivia turned her head to look at Margo. As her dark eyes, like the universe, seemed to flicker, Margo patted her arm and said,

"Put aside talk of whether you can repay it or not."

Margo slowly stroked Olivia's thin shoulders and said kindly,

"Let's start once your body has recovered."

"……."

"Judging by your expression, you plan to go to court tomorrow."

Olivia chuckled softly at her words and shook her head.

"I need to prepare a little first. Perhaps... the day after tomorrow?"

"Then I should contact the newspapers and have them release an article about 'Oliver' tomorrow."

Margo received a promise that the news, which she had brought as a significant scoop, would be reported when Olivia wished.

Olivia bowed her head slightly to Margo, who had taken care of her.

"Thank you."

Rick Winford smiled faintly and said,

"Yes. Let's go together. I will escort you."

"I'll come too, Your Highness."

"Thank you, both of you."

Rick Winford gestured to the stack of legal books behind him and said,

"Shall we begin our preparations then?"

"Let's. I also need to prepare my defense. Could you please review my defense brief later?"

"Yes, of course."

Then, Mrs. Winford smiled and rose from her seat.

"Well then, I'll fetch the necessary documents right away. I've been a lawyer's wife for nearly 20 years! If you just say the word, I can get them faster than most court clerks!"

Margo moved to a sunlit sofa with a book.

"Then, I shall read. You all work hard."

Just then, with a knock, the door opened and Mrs. Betty entered. In her hands were delicious pie and tea.

Mrs. Betty skillfully set up the tea. Then, she lightly checked Olivia's condition and smiled.

"Please call me if you need anything."

Olivia's humble home became bustling after a long time.

Rick Winford marveled, muttering that she wasn't called a top graduate of Herrington for nothing.

The documents proving she was Oliver were sufficient, and even to him, with his long legal career, Olivia's defense brief was not just excellent, but perfect.

Moreover, Olivia sat in the same spot until the sun, which had been overhead, began to set in the west, without getting up. Finally, Margo, unable to bear it any longer, urged her to stop.

"Stop, stop!"

"I just need to finish this part..."

"How many times have you said that? That's enough, stop writing. Recovery is the priority."

Margo snatched the pen from Olivia, then pushed her up and guided her to the bed.

"Mrs. Betty seems to be preparing dinner, so you should rest until then, eat dinner, and go to sleep. If the doctor had seen your schedule today, he would have foamed at the mouth. Come on, let's go!"

Margo spoke in a rapid-fire manner, leaving no room for Olivia to say a word, then turned abruptly. But Olivia was not one to be easily swayed.

"Mr. Winford, let's go to court tomorrow afternoon, not the day after tomorrow."

Margo shook her head, and Rick Winford chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, Your Highness. Then... would it be alright to visit around noon tomorrow?"

"Let's do that. And Aunt!"

Margo turned her head back.

"Please leak the news to the reporters tomorrow that I will be filing a constitutional petition at court."

"Will you be alright in that condition?"

"I am truly fine."

Margo gazed at Olivia for a long moment. Her dark eyes, like a crow's, sparkled. Finally, Margo nodded and turned away.

"Yes, I will. Don't come out. I'm leaving."

As Margo left the room with a sigh, Rick Winford quickly put on his hat and bid farewell.

"See you tomorrow. Please rest, Your Highness."

"Thank you."

Mrs. Winford also picked up her coat and bowed to Olivia.

"See you tomorrow, Your Highness."

"Travel safely."

As Mrs. Winford carefully closed the door and left, Olivia slowly looked around the room, now bathed in an orange hue, and leaned her head against the pillow. She hadn't realized it while revising the defense brief, but lying in bed, she felt utterly exhausted.

A moment later,

"Your H...ighness..."

As the Princess and the Winford couple left, Mrs. Betty, who had entered the room to announce the visitor's presence, quickly stifled her breath upon seeing Olivia asleep in bed.

She quickly closed the curtains and then went outside.