Chapter 37
Episode 37: Proposing Like a Creditor?
Reddened eyes and the tip of her nose, swollen red lips, and a face completely soaked.
To her, still pathetically wiping her face with her wet hands, Noah coldly offered his handkerchief.
In that instant, all her movements ceased. Then, as if startled, she lifted her head.
Eyes that seemed to hold the rippling of the black sea turned solely towards him.
At the beginning of summer, under the scorching sunlight, the woman's eyes, having crossed the bitter cold alone, were deeply sunken like those of a winter sea. Then they surged, and light entered as if her soul had returned.
Noah silently watched the change before finally opening his mouth first.
"Take it."
"Pardon?"
"If you wipe with wet hands, is it really wiping? The handkerchief, take it."
Olivia reflexively accepted the handkerchief he offered.
She took it, but she didn't understand what situation this was at all. She blinked and looked behind her. All that was spread out was an old path overgrown with weeds.
Turning back to him, Olivia opened her mouth, but her words trailed off.
"Why are you here..."
Noah felt a sense of how long the explanation he would have to give her would be.
Swallowing a sigh, he first politely greeted her. It would be impossible in Herot, but in any case, he had come to propose to her.
Olivia was startled by the fluid and graceful greeting, quickly bowing her head, then paused, wondering if that was right.
Because the Herot greeting was...
"..."
Seeing her confused, unable to do either, Noah couldn't help but say a word.
"Wipe your face first."
"Yes? Ah, ...yes."
But the handkerchief was frighteningly luxurious.
The glossy navy silk handkerchief was just like him. Olivia couldn't possibly wipe her face with this luxurious handkerchief. So she hesitated and handed the handkerchief back.
"Um... thank you, but that's my house over there. I can wipe it when I get home."
"..."
Noah glanced at the house she was pointing to.
He had only faced her and offered a handkerchief, but she was so embarrassed that he thought she would faint if he went into that house and talked for a while.
However, he didn't want to hold onto a woman who looked like she was about to collapse under the scorching sun and have a longer conversation.
In the end, Noah took the handkerchief she offered, put it in his pocket, and took out the prepared proposal and handed it to her.
"Why are you giving this to me?"
Olivia was truly confused in front of the heavy envelope that he suddenly appeared and handed her. Was she dreaming with her eyes open?
Noah guessed her confusion but didn't add any explanation.
"Take it. I came to give you this."
Olivia, who had inadvertently received the envelope from him, felt her lips dry up at the sight of the splendid Herot royal seal.
Noah handed her another small business card.
"Read what's in the envelope calmly. Read it, and come find me at the address written here."
There was not a single thing he said that made sense to her.
"Read it and come find you?"
"If you read it, you'll have no choice but to."
He added, in a low voice with a deep resonance, even more unbelievable words.
"Or call me. I'll come."
"...You'll come here if I call?"
Noah chuckled at her, as if dumbfounded, and took a step back.
"I came all the way here by ship for three weeks to give you that, so I'd appreciate it if you could think positively. Then, I'll wait for your answer."
With those words, he gave a polite greeting that was a model of a Herot gentleman.
Then he got into a carriage that no one knew when it had appeared. The face visible through the window was extremely businesslike, even feeling cold. The cool gaze, like his expression, briefly touched her before the carriage started moving.
Everything that had just happened felt unreal, and Olivia stood blankly, watching the carriage move away.
A carriage that didn't suit the old road with protruding stones at all.
He stood alone, nobly among the weeds of different heights.
She was sure she was dreaming, but the unfamiliar sensation in her hand was so clear.
"What is it? Why did that person appear here and give me this..."
Muttering, she looked down and alternately looked at the envelope and business card in her hand.
"The Ritz Hotel?"
Holding the business card, she opened the envelope, and a luxurious card with a heavy weight was inside.
Olivia put aside all sorts of questions that were pouring down like rain and began to read the contents.
And soon, she looked back at the receding carriage in surprise. The carriage was quickly moving away, raising dust.
Her heart was pounding violently, and cold sweat was running down her back.
Between her trembling fingers, the proposal in elegant handwriting sparkled.
[...Therefore, I, Noah Astrid, formally propose to Miss Olivia Liberty, and I hope that you will grant me this request.]
"What the heck..."
"I came all the way here by ship for three weeks to give you that, so I'd appreciate it if you could think positively."
As the cool man's voice came to mind, Olivia unknowingly covered her mouth.
The prince she had met one autumn night suddenly appeared on the most miserable day of her life and proposed.
Like a lie.
Noah leaned against the swaying carriage and aimlessly took in the passing fields. He wondered if there was such a secluded outskirts in the capital of Pulder. After passing through the wide fields for a long time, a wide avenue appeared.
And around that point, there was a road, and carriages were passing by.
Noah turned his head again and looked at her receding house.
So that woman had not only walked this long distance while crying but had also been walking this distance every day. Night and day, summer and winter.
Noah's expression became bitter.
How light newspapers are.
People wouldn't be interested in the fact that the first female college student was crying alone under the brilliant sunlight, as if she had been hit by wind and rain. They are only interested in very good or very bad things.
Noah suddenly took out the handkerchief from his pocket.
Mrs. Lehman, who said that two headbands would be burdensome, was indeed a wise person. He chuckled as he recalled her embarrassed appearance, not knowing what to do with just this one handkerchief.
By now, she would have read the proposal.
She was surprised by just one handkerchief, so what kind of reaction would she have to the proposal?
"Methone."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Noah put the handkerchief back in his pocket and lightly ordered.
"Put guards around Miss Liberty's house."
At his command, Methone secretly pouted his lips before understanding.
The reason he pouted was because the order to put guards as if the marriage was a foregone conclusion, even though Olivia had not accepted the proposal, felt arrogant.
But soon, he recalled the state of her house and understood.
"I understand."
On the seams of the windows in her house, there were clear traces of being scratched by sharp objects and pressure marks from force being applied.
It was definitely a trace of someone trying to get in from the outside. Judging from the numerous locks, she must have been aware of the danger as well.
As the door, which looked like it would break if kicked hard, came to mind, Noah was frustrated with exasperation.
What was she going to do by putting so many locks on it?
She should have reached out to Princess Marguerite at least, what was she foolishly doing?
Noah's eyes flashed coldly.
"Since I came for a good reason, tell them to transfer them to the Pulder Police Department without unnecessary bloodshed. It would be nice if it passed without any troublesome things."
"Yes, I understand. Are you going straight to Princess Marguerite's house now?"
"Yes. I should pay my respects when I come. Otherwise, I'll be scolded for being rude."
At Noah's cynical words, Methone pursed his lips tightly and coughed softly. Then he cautiously looked at his employer and whispered very quietly.
"I told you that you should bring at least a small bouquet of flowers when you go to propose."
"..."
Methone flinched his shoulders at the cold gaze that immediately flew at him, but he criticized him a little more.
"Whatever proposal you make... do you have to do it like a creditor?"
"You're going back to Herot tomorrow."
"Then who will do the secretary work..."
"You came just to see my proposal, didn't you?"
"That's true, but who knew you would do that."
Noah was dumbfounded and burst into a hollow laugh at the sight of him looking like a disappointed audience member who was angry because the performance he had been looking forward to was very disappointing.
"I don't have the slightest intention of satisfying your expectations, so if you want to expect something like that in the future, write your resignation."
"No! I'm sorry!"
Methone stepped back right there.
If he interfered any more, this sensitive King might really give him a notice of dismissal tomorrow.
Noah turned his head sharply and stubbornly looked only out the window.
"Whatever proposal you make... do you have to do it like a creditor?"
As Methone's words lingered in his ears, a crooked heart soared.
Then, in front of a woman who was busy avoiding eye contact and seemed like she was about to faint if he said anything, what kind of great proposal would he make?
In the end, Noah glared at him again and warned, emphasizing each word.
"You are fired as soon as you give me one more piece of advice about my marriage."
"I have committed a crime worthy of death, Your Highness."
"Ha, really..."
"I won't do that."
Noah, who was annoyedly glaring at Methone's head, which was groveling abjectly, eventually slammed the back of his head against the backrest and closed his eyes.
