179 - Chapter 179
Side Story Episode 1.
"Did you see this morning's newspaper?" "Oh, of course! I saw it, I saw it." "Since Her Highness the Princess consort is on the front page, even expensive magazine ads don't compare." "Right? And with His Highness the Crown Prince beside her, it's even more splendid, isn't it?" "I wish we could see a photo of her with His Highness the Prince too……."
Early in the morning, everyone had a copy of the morning newspaper in their hands. And on the front page of that newspaper, a large photo covering half the page was prominently displayed.
In the photo, Princess Olivia was stepping down from a carriage. The person holding her hand to assist her was none other than Crown Prince Usher Astrid.
"If you pretend not to know, he looks like the Prince." "Oh, come on, where do you see that? Even at a glance, you can tell it's His Highness the Crown Prince. Their expressions are different, the expressions." "Who doesn't know that? It's just that he looks somewhat similar, that's all." "Let's give up. I heard the condition for Her Highness the Princess consort granting interviews is that the newspaper doesn't publish any photos or information about the Prince." "Isn't that just a rumor?" "Well, I'm not sure. I just heard it somewhere. Oh my, but this photo in the Heritage Newspaper is even more splendid. Should I switch newspapers now? Could you maybe cut out that front page photo for me?" "I'm collecting them too, so that might be difficult."
Why would I cut out and give away this splendid photo?
The woman, clutching the newspaper tightly to her chest, hurried away.
Around the time the citizens on the street were cheering while looking at the photo of Olivia and Usher.
The pitiful Meson Loktar, as soon as he arrived at the office, checked the front page of today's morning newspaper and then hung his head low.
Who invented things like newspapers and cameras, these damned things.
I wish the newspaper companies and camera companies would all go bankrupt.
Just then, a resigned mutter was heard from somewhere.
"It's going to be like that today too."
It was a strange sentence missing its subject and object, but Meson, of course, as well as the people hastily checking the newspaper in the lobby, immediately understood the meaning of that odd sentence.
Recently, there was an indicator that predicted their daily fortune more accurately than any fortune teller.
Namely, the newspaper.
"We're screwed. I have something that needs approval today." "Can't you postpone it?" "No. It's already been postponed for a week. If I delay it any further, I'll probably have to submit my resignation."
Then, those with strong camaraderie approached with gleaming eyes and said.
"That won't do then. I'll let you go ahead in the approval queue, so get it approved as soon as you arrive."
And share the aftermath, please.
"You heartless bastards!!"
Originally, there is no glory for those who procrastinate. The man who had postponed the approval for a full week made a pitiful expression and slumped his shoulders.
"I think yesterday would have been better……."
Just then, someone tapped him on the shoulder. When the man with slumped shoulders turned his head, there was someone standing there, snickering.
"Do you think you're the only one suffering?"
Those who smile in difficult times are first-class!
First-class, Meson Loktar spread his arms wide towards the people and shouted.
"Everyone, take comfort in looking at me!!"
Because you're spending the whole day with a lion whose mood has plummeted to the abyss as soon as he returned from his business trip!!
Damn it!!!
The flower of the Herot royal family.
Duke Noah Rosemond Astrid, CEO of Norfolk Investment Company and co-CEO of Herot Magic Dome Company.
A man who makes you harbor the rational suspicion that God might have dozed off for a moment while creating him and stuffed in every possible thing.
But despite being born holding everything in both hands, what was the point of being born lacking the crucial virtue of humanity.
No, it wasn't that he was born lacking it; it's that he only equips it when he needs it, which is even more maddening. And what does 'only equipping it when he needs it' mean? It means that Olivia Rosemond Astrid believes her husband is the kindest person in the world.
Kind?
Hoho. That's enough to make your ears and nose clog up.
"If you're bringing me something for approval now that should have been approved a week ago, shouldn't there be a reason apparent to my eyes?" "...I'm sorry." "Apologies, excuses, save them." "Y-Your Grace……." "Take it back. It's a result that can be treated as unseen, so bring it back by this afternoon. It's only natural that there should be some worth in me waiting a full week."
Noah Astrid wasn't the type to arbitrarily express his emotions and take out his anger. Instead, he pinpointed the exact sore spot, stabbing more sharply and mercilessly than anyone.
As the person who was first in the approval queue disappeared in a whirlwind of tears, Noah leaned back in his chair with a cold expression. Watching him rub his index finger and thumb together, it seemed he really wanted to light a cigarette.
But he ultimately did not light one. Meson knew the reason. In fact, the entire nation probably knew. Because a front page from some time ago contained the information that Princess Olivia disliked the smell of cigarettes.
That two-faced bastard.
As Meson muttered to himself, Noah glanced sharply at him.
"Eek!"
As he gasped in surprise, his superior's lips twisted cruelly.
"Were you in the middle of cursing me out scathingly in your head?" "Oh, no way!"
Meson feigned innocence brazenly and quickly placed a thick document envelope in front of Noah. It was the fruit of a rather long business trip.
Noah gazed steadily at the document envelope and let out a thin smile. His long fingers slowly fiddled with the string sealing the envelope, then twirled it around and undid it.
Let's see what that son of a bitch Pulder, who just won't die, has been barking about.
With elegant hands, he pulled out the thick stack of papers and leisurely rolled his eyes over them. Then he took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling. A relaxed smile was on his face, but his breathing had stopped.
Meson twitched his eyebrows and spoke.
"We attempted publication through six different publishing houses. We made them all refuse, and we've also ensured their silence, so please don't worry."
Only then did Noah exhale and nod. Noah placed the thick stack of papers directly into the safe and patted Meson on the shoulder.
"You worked hard." "Not at all."
Noah, his face still flushed with residual heat, snickered a few more times before his gaze returned to the newspapers. He shuffled through the newspapers from various companies and let out a sharp, scornful laugh.
"Anyway, these so-called photographers and their skills. If they can't capture even half of the real thing, shouldn't they just quit?" "……."
Noah held up the photo that at least resembled Olivia. On the front page of the Heritage Newspaper, his Olivia was gracefully alighting from the carriage.
Although it was a black and white photo, in Noah's eyes, color was superimposed on every part of Olivia. Her confident smile was astonishingly beautiful. Perhaps because she seemed to be looking directly into the camera, it felt exactly like making eye contact, so Noah stared at his wife for a long time.
It had already been about a month of sleeping alone.
Although his melancholy was deepening, a chuckle escaped him. But when his gaze slid down from Olivia's hand and reached the flesh and blood holding it, the laughter abruptly cut off. Noah's eyes looked disgruntled, as if seeing a very large foreign object.
"That bastard Usher is smiling in every single photo he's in. So annoying."
Then should he cry?
Meson, who was pretending to be a wall, muttered to himself.
Be that as it may, Noah found Usher's smile directed at Olivia, and their joined hands for the escort, extremely, very, tremendously irritating.
"Sigh……."
A heart-wrenching sigh escaped him.
He now keenly understood why Noah had so disliked appearing before the public.
Pop, pop, poppop!!
The randomly exploding camera flashes were practically tantamount to terrorism. The unexpected flashes felt like they would blind him.
And that wasn't all.
"Your Highness!!!!" "Ahhh!! Please look over here, Your Highness!!!!"
It sounded less like cheers and more like screams fueled by malice. No, they were screams.
Moreover, they weren't just calling her 'Your Highness'.
"Oliviaaaah!!!"
Screaming her name was almost cute in comparison.
"Liv!!!"
The private nickname used only by Noah and Lucy burst out arbitrarily. Pleas for her to look this way, declarations of her beauty, poured out from beyond the barricade.
Would it have been like this even if the King of this country had made an appearance?
Amidst all this, Olivia walked gracefully and waved to the crowd. Usher looked at her with respectful eyes. How could she appear so comfortable while people were screaming as if they wanted to devour her.
