Chapter 31
Chapter 31: Isabel's Misjudgment
Noah got into the carriage, tossed his jacket roughly into a corner, and leaned back.
It had been an exceptionally long day.
He took a few short breaths, feeling strangely parched. Noah, who was almost obsessively meticulous about his appearance, ended up tearing open the top two buttons of his collar with a rough hand.
"Having nothing to do, they're so interested in other people's lives."
Lawrence, who brought it up as a topic of conversation, was ridiculous, and the guys who were listening were pathetic.
"What's so great about that woman that they keep talking about her?"
He was just trying to finish the day with two drinks, and they had to ruin it with talk about that woman?
Noah felt an inexplicable resentment rising within him, and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Even so, an unpleasant feeling kept surging up, as if he were covered in the sticky mud of a swamp.
He opened his eyes sharply, intending to open the window, and saw that the carriage was passing the Golden Lion Statue.
Why did he have to see that gaudy thing every time?
Noah muttered a small curse and opened the door. The wind blew in, penetrating his shirt.
As he felt the wind, he suddenly pulled a flashlight from his jacket.
He had used it well for a while, but it had broken. Since no one knew what it was, he couldn't get it fixed.
Why had he been carrying around something that was broken?
It was funny how habit worked; he had always carried it, and now that he didn't, he felt empty. So he just kept carrying it.
Noah smiled sharply as he remembered the woman who had handed it to him with trembling hands.
"I guess I'm just as frustrated as those idle bastards."
Noah tossed the flashlight onto the jacket and swept back his hair.
That woman seemed to be doing quite well.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
As Isabel approached the ladies, one of them suddenly pulled her aside.
"Lady Millaine, what's wrong?"
Lady Millaine glanced around and then looked at Isabel with a pitying expression. Isabel's brow furrowed at the look.
"There's nothing going on between you and Prince Noah, is there, Miss Seymour?"
Isabel, annoyed by the probing tone, shook off her arm and scoffed.
"What are you talking about? What do you mean, 'going on'?"
"His Majesty seems to be secretly investigating your relationship. But… it doesn't seem to be with good intentions."
“…What does that mean?”
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
As Isabel's eyes trembled slightly, Lady Millaine hid a smile and put on an even more pitiful expression. She had been so obnoxious, flaunting her position as the Prince's lover.
"My father works in the Foreign Office, you know? He said yesterday that His Majesty seems to be trying to change the atmosphere with Prince Noah's marriage, now that things are so turbulent because of the Polia affair. He suspects that His Majesty might be considering a marriage with another royal family…"
It was like a bolt from the blue.
Was this what it felt like for the sky to fall?
"Miss, are you alright?"
Lady Millaine's voice sounded faint through the ringing in her ears. Isabel nodded vaguely and took a breath.
First, she needed to tell Mrs. Jubern and her mother about this and discuss it.
But then, she saw Prince Noah abruptly get up and leave. He seemed to have no regrets about leaving the club.
Instantly, Isabel followed him out.
Mrs. Jubern and her mother, everything flew out of her head the moment she saw him.
She had to catch the Prince.
"Quick, follow Prince Noah!"
"Yes? F-follow Prince Noah?"
The coachman's eyes widened in surprise as Isabel ordered him urgently as she got into the carriage. Follow Prince Noah at this hour, out of the blue?
"Hurry!"
"Y-yes, Miss!"
The coachman quickly drove the carriage at Isabel's impatient urging.
What choice did he have but to do as he was told?
Isabel fidgeted anxiously in the carriage, her eyes darting around.
Loving alone made a person extremely sensitive. The sensitivity, sharpened like a blade, made her assign meaning to every little action of the other person.
So she repeatedly soared and then plunged into the abyss alone.
The eldest daughter of the usually composed Seymour family was tossed about, unable to withstand the turmoil.
She couldn't lose Noah Astrid now.
"Remember, Lady Seymour. To capture Prince Noah, you must paradoxically have the mindset that you are ready to give him up cleanly at any time. The moment you lose that mindset, the Prince will get tired of you."
Then it's over.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
As Noah got out of the carriage, Head Maid Mrs. Betty quickly took his luggage.
She tilted her head, wondering at the Prince's unusually disheveled appearance, when he suddenly thrust something at her.
"Throw it away."
Mrs. Betty reflexively took the object and was inwardly surprised. Hadn't he been carrying it around lately?
“…Understood.”
She followed the Prince, who was walking ahead, when she heard the sudden sound of hooves behind her. Noah stopped and turned around, and Mrs. Betty turned around as well.
A beautiful pastel-colored carriage entered the mansion grounds.
Noah's brow furrowed at the sight of the cute carriage, and then crumpled completely as a woman stepped out of it.
As Isabel walked gracefully towards him, Noah thought slowly.
It really was a long, long day.
Noah didn't bother to dismiss the servants. He tilted his head, his appearance disheveled, and stared at Isabel.
His tolerance of her was limited to what happened inside the club.
The results he got from that level of tolerance weren't bad. But if she came to his house at this hour, that was a different story.
He was already in a bad mood from having his two drinks interrupted.
Isabel's heart trembled as she faced Noah's increasingly grim expression. But this action, and her feelings, were already water under the bridge.
Isabel stopped a step in front of him, wearing a friendly and charming smile.
"Prince Noah, good evening…"
"Get to the point. I'm tired of the preamble."
"……."
"If the point is as boring as the preamble, don't even bring it up and go back."
Noah took off his flimsy mask and revealed his true face.
His words pierced Isabel's heart like a sharp knife, tearing it to shreds. The words were so brutal that even the servants who were listening blushed with embarrassment.
It was only natural that Isabel's eyes, which had barely managed to maintain their composure, turned red and wavered.
Needless to say, Noah's annoyance only increased at the sight of those tears.
Noah waved his hand to dismiss the servants and finally took out a cigarette. He leaned back, one hand in his pocket, and spat out the words.
"I clearly said that I wouldn't care about your reputation at all. But if you come to my house at this hour and make my already limited reputation plummet to the ground, that's a problem, isn't it? Or did you come here because you wanted to spend the night with me?"
Isabel clenched her fist tightly, feeling a surge of humiliation, and glared at him.
This man didn't love her at all. No, he must never have had anything even resembling romantic feelings in the first place.
The wounded beast, whose last moment of rest had been disturbed, was baring its teeth and snarling.
But Isabel couldn't let go of this man, and it was driving her crazy.
"There's a problem. The rumors have spread so much that, conversely, I'm not getting any more marriage proposals."
"So?"
“…So, I would like to propose marriage to Prince Noah.”
Noah chuckled at her words.
Isabel's legs trembled at his reaction, which seemed to indicate disbelief.
"Didn't you say that you wouldn't hold me responsible in any way?"
"I'm not holding you responsible."
"Then?"
"You're tired of attending all sorts of events and giving interviews, aren't you?"
"……."
"I'll stop that. I'll ask my father…"
The moment she mentioned Count Seymour, Noah cut her off.
"I'm tired of it. Go back."
"I can do it!"
"You can do it? What are you going to say to Count Seymour? That I asked you to?"
"No. If I really reduce Prince Noah's schedule, or even eliminate it… please marry me. It wouldn't be so bad, would it?"
Noah let out a hollow laugh at that. Then he took a languid breath, looked up at the sky, and muttered casually.
"Suit yourself."
He thought she was clever, but she was just a fool. Did she really think that was possible? How could Count Seymour possibly overrule King Herot's wishes?
Wasn't she past the age of ten, when she thought of her parents as gods who could do anything?
Indeed, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
He thought he could get good results with little effort, but…
Then, Isabel, becoming desperate, added earnestly.
"Then give me a token of your promise."
"What promise?"
"The promise that you'll marry me if I block the media for you."
The Prince, who had tilted his head back, looked at her as if she were unbelievable. His eyes were so contemptuous, as if he were looking at a madwoman, that she felt like she was going to die, but her desperation kept pushing her forward.
"The silver thing you always carry, could you give it to me as a token?"
"I think you've forgotten who broke the promise. Weren't we just supposed to share a table for a while? Right? You know quite a lot, don't you? But you want a token of the promise?"
He pushed her without a shred of consideration, his face devoid of even a hint of a smile. Then he pointed to Mrs. Betty.
"I was going to throw it away anyway, but if you want it, fine. Take it."
Large, bead-like tears flowed endlessly from Isabel's eyes, but Noah said everything he wanted to say, regardless.
"However, forget about the token of the promise or whatever nonsense. Let's just call it the end of our temporary collaboration. Or maybe it's the price for bringing me drinks all this time."
"H-how can you be so insulting to me…"
"Mrs. Betty. Give Lady Seymour the thing I told you to throw away, and see her out."
Leaving the woman staggering as if she were about to collapse, Noah walked away ruthlessly.
Muttering that it was a truly incredible night.
