186 - Chapter 186
Side Story Episode 8.
“See? Where else would you learn to say such impertinent things to your brother like ‘flower garden’ or whatnot, Your Highness?” “Please don’t concern yourself with my forehead, Your Grace, Duke Rosemond!”
The young lioness bared her teeth in indignation, but Noah’s smile only deepened.
“Yes, yes. Of course. Even if you told me to concern myself, I’d refuse.” “No matter how I think about it, I feel sorry for the Duchess of Rosemond!!” “Agreed.”
At the endlessly light and clean agreement, Lucy’s words stuck in her throat.
Even if she argued, she couldn’t possibly win against Noah Astrid, who was clever as a fox and shameless to boot. In the end, the angry Princess bit her lip hard and then sharply turned her head away. But, of all places, her gaze landed on another bouquet held in Methone’s arms.
What is that?
Lucy tilted her head and walked towards Methone.
“Good day, Your Royal Highness.” “Good day, Lord Roctar.”
Even as she exchanged greetings with Methone, Lucy’s eyes remained fixed on the bouquet. Lucy had been born and raised seeing only the finest things. She instinctively knew what was good and bad, valuable and worthless. Moreover, thanks to the flower arrangement lessons she had unintentionally overheard, she had a discerning eye when it came to flowers.
The wrapping paper, the ribbon—none of it met the Princess’s standards. Furthermore, the bouquet seemed to be a haphazard collection of mismatched flowers, with no apparent care given to their lengths. It was either the work of a florist with very crude skills, or something hastily thrown together under pressure to finish quickly.
Lucy turned her head to look at the flowers nestled in Noah’s arms.
“Huh?”
Although the wrapping paper and ribbon were similarly not high-end, that bouquet felt sincere. The colors harmonized, the heights were adjusted, and there were clear signs of careful selection and arrangement.
Wow, this is really too much.
Lucy pointed a finger at the bouquet cradled in Noah’s arms.
“That’s for my sister-in-law.”
Then she pointed at the bouquet carelessly tossed in Methone’s arms.
“And this is for Brother Usher?”
Methone could only offer an awkward smile, while Noah stood proudly as if asking what the problem was. The Princess, staring with exasperation at her blood relative’s shameless face, eventually shrugged her shoulders.
“Well. I suppose Brother Usher would at least know to keep up appearances, so what’s the problem? I cast my vote that these flowers will go directly from Lord Roctar’s hands to Sir Howard’s.”
It was a scathing assessment, but amusingly, Noah didn’t even scold her for being impertinent or the like. Because it was only natural.
The siblings were growing more and more alike.
Given that their manner of speech, appearance, and even tastes were similar, Lucy Therese had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of her new sister-in-law alongside her big brother, no less than she did for her own brother.
“She’ll be here soon, right?”
Noah glanced sideways at his younger sister standing a few steps away and let out a short laugh.
“Of course.”
Excitement and joy mingled on the siblings’ faces.
In the distance, the golden bars of the Herot Royal Palace began to come into view. As the end of the long and arduous royal tour finally revealed itself, Usher and Olivia let out a laugh that was like a sigh, congratulating each other on their hard work.
“You’ve worked hard, Your Highness.” “You’ve worked hard, Princess consort.”
After exchanging a few more words with Usher, Olivia looked out the window just as the carriage entered the tree-lined avenue leading to the Royal Palace. Giant trees that must have lived for centuries stood in rows flanking the neatly squared black stone road. In the puddles left by the rain, the golden walls of the Royal Palace were reflected.
Soon, as the carriage carrying the two entered the main gate plaza of the Royal Palace, the Royal Guard in their red uniforms and black hats saluted them. Passing through the wide-open golden gates of the Palace, Olivia gazed at the golden bars covered in climbing roses.
Whenever she crossed these golden bars, that night invariably came to mind.
The night she first entered the Royal Palace with Princess Margo.
If she had to define that unforgettable night, the one she would remember until her dying day, in one word…
“Noah…”
Olivia muttered unconsciously.
Then again, was it only that night? Since that unforgettable autumn years ago, for Olivia, Herot was Noah, and Noah was Herot.
While Olivia was picturing Noah, the carriage passed through the outdoor garden lined with sculptures hailed as the greatest masterpieces of the era. A path of slightly faded grass unfolded, and as soon as pillars and arches carved with mythological reliefs appeared, Olivia’s heart began to pound as if sinking.
Then, when the carriage slowly came to a stop, Olivia saw everything but registered nothing, kept her ears open but heard nothing.
The carriage door opens. Olivia rises. The sunlight, blocked by the Crown Prince’s back and the carriage wall, stabs into her eyes as Usher moves aside.
When her bleached-white vision returns, standing before her, just as on a certain moonlit autumn night, just as on a certain miserable day, was he.
The man who was the very embodiment of royalty.
Noah Astrid, the origin of the word ‘perfection.’
His autumn-like green eyes hold only her, and he smiles dazzlingly enough to make her heart flutter. And as he had in every moment since they met, he reaches his hand out to her.
“Liv.”
At the affectionate call that makes some part of her chest tingle, Olivia smiled with all her heart.
“Noah.”
The hand extended to her in a gentlemanly manner impulsively wrapped around her waist. Swept up as if lifted, Olivia, now off the carriage, was pulled into a deep embrace by Noah.
As the suddenly overwhelming scent of Kouroon mixed with her breath, Olivia finally closed her eyes. The tension drained from her shoulders, which she hadn’t even realized were clenched, and the sharply built-up stress melted away.
Olivia thought.
I’m back.
“I’m home.”
Home wasn’t a place, but a person. The side of someone who could love me for who I am, just as I am, was home.
“I’m home, Noah.”
Noah greedily inhaled Olivia’s scent. His heart, which had been hardening, seemed to finally soften. It was as if color had returned to a world that had been fading to black and white from the edges.
Noah buried his face deep in the nape of Olivia’s neck. Feeling the throbbing pulse there, he answered in a choked voice.
“Yeah.”
Meanwhile, there were people watching the long-separated couple—specifically, Noah—with mixed feelings… King Leonard was one, and Usher and Lucy were others.
Especially Usher was openly frowning at his blood relative.
He couldn’t help but feel offended. The moment the carriage door opened, the look in Noah’s eyes he encountered was so fierce and intense that he instinctively stepped aside. And yet, here he was, hugging her tightly with his large frame as if afraid Olivia might run away somewhere. It was utterly ridiculous.
“It’s so sweet it’s rotting my teeth.”
At the languid voice that voiced his own sentiments, Usher turned his head and saw his youngest sister, who seemed to have grown even more in his absence.
“Welcome back, Brother Usher. You’ve worked hard.” “Thank you.”
From behind Lucy, Beatrix approached and hugged him.
“Usher, you’ve worked hard.”
Usher lightly kissed his mother’s cheek and finally smiled.
“I’m home, Mother.”
Meanwhile, Leonard, who had come out to welcome his daughter-in-law—whom he doted on—wordlessly shifted his gaze to his eldest son, away from his second son who was tightly hugging his wife. There was no reason to provoke his second son, whose mood was already foul from having sent his wife on the royal tour.
“Well done, Usher. You’ve been through a lot.” “I have returned, Your Majesty.”
Next, the ever-guilty Methone Loktar delivered a bouquet on behalf of his employer.
“Congratulations on your safe return.”
But how could Usher fail to notice the peculiar state of that bouquet?
Usher reflexively looked towards Noah. Because he was sure that bastard had also had flowers in his arms. Sure enough, even from a distance, a lavender-colored bouquet, clearly chosen with great care, was nestled in the Princess consort’s arms. As Olivia smelled the bouquet’s fragrance, Noah smiled like a man who owned the world.
“…….”
What a two-faced bastard.
So mine is just for keeping up appearances, huh.
Usher glanced at the ‘randomly mixed flowers’ in Methone Loktar’s hand and said bluntly.
“Thank you.”
It was a thanks that felt just as insincere as Noah’s ‘whatever.’ Having offered the polite greeting, Usher then said to Sir Howard.
“Take it.”
Lucy shrugged.
“I knew it would be like this.”
