185 - Chapter 185
Extracurricular Story 7.
“Hello, Prince!”
Noah’s gaze turned to the child. A girl with golden-brown curly hair was smiling with a flushed face. At the child’s innocent smile, unaware of what a Prince even was, Noah unconsciously returned the greeting.
“Hello.”
The child looked up at her parents and smiled, and the parents bowed shyly towards Noah.
“……”
Noah felt a strange emotion.
What was it about his greeting?
What was so special about a simple greeting?
As he paused for a moment, another bright greeting was offered.
“Hello!” “Nice to meet you.”
Cautious and shy greetings approached like gentle taps.
No one blocked Noah’s path, nor did they reach out to touch him. There were no screams, and no one randomly flashed bright lights. They simply expressed their delight and offered greetings.
For the first time, Noah wasn’t overwhelmed by the public. So, the greetings came naturally.
“Hello.”
People smiled.
Feeling strangely emotional, he told Methone to pay and quickly moved on.
As he walked towards the car parked beyond the bridge, people turned their eyes, mesmerized, to follow the Prince moving within their reach.
“Hello, Your Highness.” “Greetings.” “How delighted we are by Her Highness’s return!” “Thank you.”
Then, as he passed a candy store, a boy spoke up.
“But Your Highness! Why are you only buying one gift?”
Noah’s steps came to a halt. He turned his head towards the voice and saw a boy, about eight or nine years old, looking at him with one hand raised as if making an announcement. Beside the boy, a man and woman, presumably his parents, wore embarrassed expressions.
“Jo!” “I’m sorry.”
The mother pulled the boy closer, scolding him by name, and the father quickly bowed to Noah in apology.
But Noah didn’t look at the parents, instead asking the boy, who was trapped in his mother’s arms,
“Why do you ask why I’m only buying one?”
The boy replied as if he were asking the obvious.
“Crown Prince and Princess consort are both returning today. Shouldn’t there be two gifts then?”
At the boy’s insight, people’s gazes turned to the bouquet in Noah’s arms.
Come to think of it, that was true.
People lifted their eyes from the bouquet to look at the Prince’s face. At the same time, they expected him to say something like,
‘It’s already prepared.’
However, the Prince, nodding slowly, muttered,
“That’s right.” “……?” “Thank you. I forgot.”
Then, he spoke to Methone, who had just finished paying.
“Buy another one.” “…Of what kind?” “Anything.”
His words were so devoid of sincerity that those who heard him were almost disappointed. He had thanked the boy, but it didn’t seem like he was truly grateful. Without looking back, he went on his way, and Methone quickly went to the flower shop. He accurately conveyed his employer’s instructions.
“Please make another bouquet.” “Of what kind?” “The fastest one to make, just mix anything together roughly.”
Herot’s summer is short.
The Crown Prince and Princess consort, who had left overseas at the beginning of summer, returned as summer was coming to an end.
When Leonard was Crown Prince, the return from a tour often became another parade. At that time, the line between the Royal Palace and the commoner was much clearer than it is now, and as if the restoration of absolute monarchy was the goal, all the Royal Palace’s schedules were extravagant.
But in this era of crumbling monarchies, doing so would inevitably lead to the same fate as Polia. The Royal Palace had to assert that it was contributing to the continued development of Herot, and not just a group that consumed taxes.
Accordingly, Usher and Olivia’s return was carried out neatly. Nevertheless, wasn’t it impossible to stop the people’s voluntary welcome?
That was exactly what King Leonard wanted.
A Royal Palace that the people wouldn’t leave alone, even if they wanted to be quiet.
The clever King announced that there would be no events for the Royal Palace’s return, but informed the media when and where the Crown Prince and Princess consort would arrive. Then, he deployed only the necessary personnel to prepare for any possible situation.
“Crown Prince!!” “Princess consort!!”
See?
That’s how it is.
From the palace balcony overlooking the vast cityscape, Leonard confirmed that his plan was being successfully concluded.
What good are money-guzzling fireworks or military band music?
“Ehehehehe!”
The King finally burst into loud laughter. Then, putting on the jacket he had thrown aside because it was too hot, he turned around.
“Well, shall I go out to greet them too?”
My daughter-in-law, who I wouldn’t trade for the world! A blessing that came rolling in, she’s coming, so I have to go out!!
In the past few years, Lucy Therese had grown remarkably, both physically and mentally. Mrs. Lehman, who had always been with her wherever she went, could no longer accompany her. Having reached an age where she was very interested in her appearance, the Princess began to lower her bangs to cover her forehead, bothered by the pimples that had appeared there.
“Noah is already here?”
Lucy, who was looking at her pimples unhappily through the mirror, raised her eyes to Mrs. Lehman, who was reflected in the mirror, and asked.
“Yes. I heard he arrived before the doors of the Crystal Hall even opened.”
Mrs. Lehman smiled warmly and put a ribbon in the Princess’s hair, whom she had raised like a daughter. Lucy looked at the ribbon on her head unhappily, then shook her head. Seeing her stubborn expression, Mrs. Lehman reluctantly removed the ribbon pin.
“He hasn’t even shown his face at the Royal Palace for almost two months, but he’s the first to come because my sister is coming? That’s a relief. I thought he had forgotten where the Royal Palace was.” “Princess.” “Well, he’s been holding back a lot, given his personality. I thought he would make some excuse and trot off to where my sister is.” “The word ‘trot off’ to Princess Rosemond, Princess!”
Mrs. Lehman pointed out the Princess’s way of speaking, but the Princess looked like she didn’t know what the problem was. Even that expression was unmistakably King Leonard’s daughter, and Princess Margo’s niece.
“Oh, dear……”
Where had the adorable and cute girl gone, and a lion with claws and teeth had appeared.
Lucy pretended not to notice her nanny’s lament and stood up from her seat.
“Noah is here, so I should go. See you later.”
Mrs. Lehman was going to the Crystal Hall with the Queen Consort anyway, but the adolescent girl often demanded time alone.
“Very well.”
Lucy took care to keep her bangs from blowing in the wind and hurried her steps. When she arrived at the Crystal Hall at a brisk pace, her brother, whom she hadn’t seen a hair of for nearly two months, was standing there like a painting.
Lucy’s gaze, heading towards him, slid smoothly from her second brother’s head to his toes. He was already famous for dressing stylishly, but today he looked like he had made up his mind to dress up. His blond hair, combed back with pomade, was very shiny. And he even had a bouquet in his arms.
“Noah.” “Lucy.”
Lucy, who stopped a few steps in front of Noah, grinned.
“You’ve dressed up like a flower.” “……”
Olivia’s imminent arrival filled Noah with excitement, and his brow furrowed.
‘Handsome, dashing, my sister will fall for you.’
Leaving all those good words aside, what?
“You’ve dressed up like a flower?” “A flower is holding a flower. I thought it was a flower garden.”
Methone’s hollow laughter was heard from behind, and laughter disguised as coughs was heard from among the guards guarding the hall. Amid the random coughs erupting from everywhere, Noah’s lips twisted.
‘Ah… my daughter takes after Margo……’
His father’s lament echoed in his ears.
She’s just a little thing, but she’s imitating her aunt.
Noah raised his eyebrows and smiled.
“I told you.” “Don’t say it.”
Lucy, seized with anxiety, hurriedly tried to cover his mouth, but the mouth of her second brother, who didn’t value the girl’s sensitivity and delicacy even as much as a speck of dirt on his toenail, opened anyway.
“If you keep your bangs down and don’t let the air through, your forehead will become a flower garden of pimples.” “Noah!!!” “It’ll be in full bloom?” “Stop it!!!”
Lucy, enraged, reached out as if to grab her brother by the collar and shake him. But Noah leisurely stepped back, teasing his sister as if he were just her age.
