184 - Chapter 184
Extracurricular 6.
Descending the stairs, Noah, wearing gloves, strode across the garden with his long legs, and the guards hurriedly followed him, as if they had never been in conversation.
Instead of a carriage drawn by four horses, a car powered by an engine was waiting for the Prince. As the driver quickly opened the door, Noah got into the car without a word.
Most nobles on the Norfolk Continent were very wary of horseless carriages. But Olivia asserted. The era of horseless carriages would surely come, and the world would be markedly divided depending on who adopted the technology first and used it actively.
Noah became the first royal to abandon the carriage on the Norfolk Continent. Although the disadvantages of the car were still more apparent than the advantages, he believed that the advantages would soon outweigh the disadvantages.
As the driver started the engine, the sound of it turning was loud.
The servants of the mansion bowed politely to their departing employer.
The car left the mansion on the Upper River and entered a downhill road. After descending the slope with the brakes on, the car began to run along the riverbank, and the rather bright late summer sunlight streamed through the windows. The sunlight permeated transparently into the hazel eyes beneath the golden eyelashes.
Noah's gaze followed the sunlight beyond the window.
Quite a bit of rain had fallen in the past few days. The stone path along the river, built centuries ago, looked dark gray with moisture, and the moisture that had not yet dried on the lush leaves sparkled sporadically. Beyond the railing of the riverside path, the swollen river was rushing towards Herrington Bay, and a few seagulls were flying above it.
As the car slowly approached the riverbank, Noah looked up, who had been gazing at the river. There stood Herrington's famous Tower Bridge.
Built two centuries ago, the Tower Bridge was constructed by the best architects and artists of the time with the royal family's enormous funds, and it was still regarded as a perfect collaboration of technology and art.
Between the four towers that were symmetrical with the river in between, there was an arched bridge with a gentle curve. Typically, both sides of a bridge consist of railings, but the Tower Bridge was surrounded by shops instead of railings, making it seem as if a fortress was built on the bridge.
‘I feel excited whenever I pass here, Noah.’
As he entered the Tower Bridge, Noah recalled what Olivia had once said. She stuck right to the car window, looking at the shops lined up on both sides and smiling.
‘Oh, a flower shop?’ ‘Noah, did you know that flower shop has been in that spot for a hundred years?’ ‘There are a lot of delphiniums today. How pretty.’
When she said that, she was looking out the window, and Noah was looking at her.
Noah turned his gaze to where Olivia's eyes had lingered. Among the rows of old shops, a shop decorated with flowers was visible. Without further thought, Noah opened his mouth.
“Stop for a moment.”
Methone, who was sitting next to the Prince, pretending to be a wall, reflexively tapped on the car's wall while asking with a puzzled expression.
“Here?” “Get out with the money.” “Why the money… Huh? Your Highness?!”
Noah had no intention of giving a long explanation, and as the speed slowed down, he opened the door and got out. Then, he told the driver, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.
“You can't park here, so go over the bridge first and wait.”
The driver looked quite surprised, but the Prince, having finished his business, turned around before hearing a reply. As other carriages began to crowd behind the Prince's car, the driver had no choice but to move the car, and Methone and Jonan followed Noah with very bewildered expressions.
It was only natural that the eyes of the people who had come to the Tower Bridge turned to the figure who suddenly got out of the unusual car. Moreover, who was the person who got out of the car?
“Isn't that person, Prince Herrington?” “That's right! That car, it's Prince Herrington's!” “It's Prince Herrington!”
The attention of the people naturally focused on Noah, and the murmurs and faint cheers of the crowd slowly began to rise like waves from the distant sea.
Since there was no way Noah hadn't anticipated this, Methone and Jonan's questions only grew larger. But when his steps headed towards a small, old flower shop, Methone and Jonan had to clench their mouths tightly to hold back their laughter.
That's right. He didn't bring a single flower when he proposed, so he should buy some flowers now, even if it's late.
Meanwhile, the flower shop owner thought she was dreaming with her eyes open at the sight of the tall man walking towards her shop. But his steps stopped in front of her small flower shop, and he was even carefully examining the seasonal flowers that were abundantly placed in each bucket, as if he was going to buy something?
The owner thought that if this was a dream, it was a very good dream, and opened her mouth.
“W, w, welcome. D, do you need anything?”
Of course, the words came out with a severe stutter.
The Prince, who had been looking around at the flowers, raised his eyes and stared at her. The flower shop owner's heart pounded as if it was sinking when her eyes met his.
King Leonard's masterpiece is not just a saying for nothing. At this point, it should be registered as a cultural asset.
While she was having such irrelevant thoughts, the Prince opened his mouth.
“What are delphiniums?” “Ah, delphiniums……!”
The owner quickly pointed to the flowers that were a mix of light purple and light blue.
“These are delphiniums.”
Noah looked at the flowers the owner pointed to. The flowers were alien among the flowers with vivid colors as if painted with oil paints. They were delicate and subtly moist, as if painted with watercolors. That aspect seemed to resemble his Olivia.
Noah chuckled and nodded.
“I'd like a bouquet of these flowers.” “Ah…….”
Noah Astrid and a bouquet of flowers.
Only then could the flower shop owner connect the news on the front page of today's morning newspaper with the Prince's bouquet. She smiled softly and asked.
“Perhaps it's a gift for Her Highness the Princess consort?”
To that, the Prince nodded lightly.
The perfect attire and demeanor, as if measured with a ruler, were an invisible wall. When there was a visible wall called a barricade, the crowd shouted at him from beyond the line and held up cameras. But when the visible line disappeared, no one dared to cross the Prince's line.
However, the flower shop owner, who faced the Prince head-on, felt the excitement flowing out from beyond his strong wall. The owner, moved by his excitement, gave a bright smile.
“Leave it to me, Your Highness! I'll make you a wonderful bouquet!”
Oh my god! My flowers are going to be in the arms of Her Highness the Princess consort!!
She became excited and began to pick out flowers. After picking out plenty of sturdy delphiniums with good colors, she picked out white Campanula that went well with the delphiniums. Then, she held the delphiniums and Campanula together and asked the Prince.
“It would be pretty if I mixed them like this and made a bouquet, what do you think?”
To that, Noah examined the flowers with a sharp gaze and pointed to a few flowers with his finger.
“The color of this flower isn't great, take it out and put that one in. It goes well with that white flower.”
He didn't even know the name of the flowers, but the Prince made detailed orders.
And that wasn't the end of it.
“Please wait a moment, and I'll wrap it up and bring it out soon!”
Because it was an old shop, the inside of the store was very cramped, and there was no room for anyone to enter. The Prince, who was expected to wait outside, of course, even followed inside, bending his large frame. Then, he examined and chose the color, texture, and length of the wrapping paper and ribbon one by one, and watched the entire process of the flowers being wrapped.
He was a picky customer, but the flower shop owner was more excited by such meticulousness. Moreover, the Prince's eye for beauty was considerable, and when it was wrapped as he ordered, a much more wonderful bouquet was completed than the bouquets she usually made.
The flower shop owner handed the completed bouquet to the Prince and said kindly.
“I hope it will be a good gift.”
Noah looked at the bouquet from side to side, held it as if embracing it, and accepted the greeting.
“Thank you.”
Then, he bent down and passed through the low shop door and came outside.
Outside the flower shop, a crowd that had gathered after hearing the rumors was waiting. Noah paused for a moment at the gazes of the people pouring in. On the road without barricades, the Prince and the public looked at each other.
In a moment of strange silence, a child laughed and shouted.
