Chapter 49
Episode 49. Can't I Call You by Your Name Too?
Soon after arriving at the mansion, he alighted from the carriage with an elegant motion.
Gleaming gazes flew from all directions, along with the shadows of reporters hiding themselves.
Noah ignored them, smiling and straightening his back.
The mansion's servants, having noticed the prince's carriage arriving, hurriedly began to carry Olivia's luggage.
But all that luggage amounted to was a single bag. Of course, the clothes ordered from the boutique would be in separate bags.
Noah's gaze followed the servant carrying the bag.
Methone's luggage would be more than that.
Just then, a presence was felt at the entrance of the mansion. Following the dignified footsteps came a rapid dododo— of shorter steps, and Noah composed himself, looking straight ahead.
Margo appeared, her dress billowing, and Noah greeted her with a bright smile and a polite bow, as if he had forgotten the tense events of the past few days.
Margo, too, had no reason to show such feelings, so she received his greeting with a gentle expression.
As Noah raised his head, Olivia stepped forward from behind Margo.
The first thing that caught his eye was the green velvet headband. The gift from Lucy that he had chosen.
It was a bit early for the season, but it suited her just as he had imagined in his mind.
Wearing a white silk blouse and a green flared skirt, she held a small black bag in her hand.
Noah's brow furrowed slightly.
He had spent millions of Kerte to dress her in that outfit, but frankly, he didn't see much of a difference.
Actually, Olivia was like that no matter what she wore. Unless she was dressed in something like the overly revealing, garish blue dress his mother had put her in before, clothes didn't particularly catch his eye.
Meanwhile, Olivia bent her knees gracefully to greet Noah, whom she was meeting after several days, and Noah also returned the greeting politely.
As Noah raised his head, Margo opened her mouth affectionately, as if she had been waiting.
"Have a safe trip. I'll follow soon, so let's meet in Herot."
"Yes. Then I'll see you in Herot, Aunt."
As Noah approached, Margo extended her hand as a matter of course, and Noah bowed and kissed her hand briefly.
Margo patted Olivia's back gently, and Olivia bent her knees gracefully towards her.
"See you in Herot."
"Yes. Then you'll call me 'Aunt' too. See you in Herot, Olivia."
Olivia's gaze, which had been fixed on Margo's blue eyes, finally turned to Noah.
He stood with the sunlight behind him, looking down at her, raised his eyebrows slightly, and then folded his arms, offering his elbow towards her.
It was different from the way he had offered his hand until now.
Olivia cautiously took his arm, as if hooking her hand around it, and Noah moved forward gently.
His sturdy forearm, which didn't fit in one hand, was at odds with his delicate and sleek image. As she walked, holding his rock-hard arm, that autumn night suddenly came to mind.
She was no longer the nineteen-year-old girl who held romance and dreams in her heart, but whenever she stood before Noah, she felt as if she was constantly returning to that day.
Meeting him after several days, he wore an expression that was moderately cool and moderately affectionate as he led her to the carriage. Then, he gently released her arm and took her hand as a matter of course.
As Olivia looked up at him, Noah turned his hand over as if to support the hand he was holding, and Olivia climbed the carriage steps with his escort.
Noah followed her up the steps, casting a languid gaze somewhere.
Ansen Wilhelm.
That unpleasant fellow was watching this scene.
Noah gave a smirk and then got into the carriage, closing the door himself.
Olivia sat across from Noah, folding her legs and placing her bag to one side. As she placed her fingers together, wearing dainty white summer gloves, the carriage soon departed.
He stuck his neck out towards the window, as if there was something to see outside, and looked out.
In the streaming sunlight, his golden hair and delicate eyelashes sparkled. Because he only turned his head to the side, his prominent jawline and neckline were as sharp as his high nose.
Olivia, who was stealing glances at his unrealistically beautiful appearance, turned her head and looked out the window, following his gaze.
As soon as he got into the carriage, Noah had glared at the spot where Ansen Wilhelm had been, but as his face disappeared from view, he turned his head back inside the carriage.
Olivia, sitting across from him, was looking out the window with her small hands clasped tightly together.
Suddenly, he felt an urge to ask her about Ansen Wilhelm. But Noah soon hardened his expression and put on a languid look.
What was he going to ask?
Whether they had once liked each other? There had been nothing that would lead to scandal, but subtle emotions between people couldn't be contained in documents.
But even if that were the case, what did it matter?
Olivia had taken his hand and hadn't even met the rudely intruding Ansen. Even if Ansen had been in her past, it had nothing to do with Noah Astrid. And it shouldn't have anything to do with her in the future either.
Noah pushed away his distractions and looked at the headband on her head.
He had thought a ribbon headband was out of place for an adult, but it suited her amazingly well.
'I do have an eye for things.'
Feeling somewhat proud, Noah suddenly spoke to Olivia, who was stubbornly looking out the window.
"Have you been well?"
Startled by the sudden voice, Olivia turned her head in surprise.
"Pardon? Oh, yes..."
"..."
"Have... have you been well?"
She asked back in a shrill voice, blinking repeatedly, and Noah couldn't help but chuckle.
"Are you going to be this surprised every time I say something?"
Olivia felt her cheeks flushing and quickly shook her head.
"No, of course not."
"Is that all your luggage?"
"Yes. I packed everything."
"Methone would have more luggage than that."
At those words, Olivia bit her lip.
Noah chuckled and slowly crossed his legs. As he crossed his long legs, his shin came dangerously close to touching her leg.
He tapped his foot, and she bit her small lips tightly, busily trying to avoid his leg.
Noah languidly watched his bride-to-be struggling to keep their legs from touching in the narrow carriage, and noticed that her ears had turned slightly red.
How amusing.
This woman knows in her head that she's on her way to marry me, but at the same time, it seems like she doesn't.
"Olivia."
"Yes?"
Olivia, who was slightly annoyed by his deliberately playful leg-shaking, quickly raised her head, and Noah tilted his head and smiled.
"Liv."
At the casually uttered, familiar yet unfamiliar name, Olivia stiffened and widened her eyes.
Noah smiled even more brightly at her expression.
"Lucy calls you that. Can't I call you that too?"
He's bewitching people again.
Olivia quickly lowered her gaze and nodded.
"Yes, please do. Of course you can."
"That headband, Lucy gave it to you, right?"
At Noah's question, Olivia shyly touched the headband and raised her lowered gaze.
"Yes. She sent it about... a year ago. I'm grateful. I've been wearing it a lot."
"Good choice."
"You have a great eye."
At that, the corners of Noah's lips turned upwards.
Olivia didn't even realize when he had started speaking informally.
Because he was sitting crookedly and stretching his legs out even further, Olivia ended up sitting close to one wall. But she couldn't dare to complain to the prince.
As she glanced up, he was leaning back comfortably, looking at her.
"Uncomfortable?"
"..."
Olivia's fine eyebrows twitched. Her tightly closed lips and raised eyes were much better than her shrinking and hesitant appearance.
Noah smiled leisurely and said lightly.
"Then you stretch your legs out too."
Her eyes widened as if she was dumbfounded, and Noah smiled even more broadly.
Olivia looked at the prince's long legs, then leaned her shoulder against the wall and readjusted her legs.
Seeing her refuse with actions instead of words, Noah closed his eyes languidly and added.
"I don't mind if our legs touch, so stretch them out if you're uncomfortable."
Was this prince always like this?
Olivia felt her cheeks turning red again for no reason, so she turned her head and looked out the window.
Since there was no answer and she didn't feel her legs stretching out, Noah slyly opened his closed eyes. Olivia was squinting as if the sunlight was too bright, but she was stubbornly looking outside.
But even so, she couldn't hide her reddish, downy ears. Noah closed his eyes again and chuckled.
It took about an hour by carriage from Margo's mansion to Pulder International Port.
The prince, who had been enjoying the leisure with his eyes closed, opened his eyes at some point and read the newspaper, then read a book, and then checked documents.
And it didn't seem like he had stretched out his legs on purpose to tease her. He would fold his legs when the long stretch became uncomfortable, and then stretch them out again.
Contrary to her worries that it would be terribly silent, he was alone, taking care of himself, and doing well. He didn't even glance in her direction.
Olivia thought it was better that way and slyly picked up a book that was stuck in the carriage wall. It was a classic that was usually placed in Margo's carriage as well.
The title was The Same Side of Love and Hate.
It was a classic novel that Olivia had reread several times in her teens. Olivia, happy to meet a favorite book again after a long time, eagerly opened the book.
When Noah, who had been checking documents for a while, slyly raised his gaze, she was sitting upright and engrossed in reading the book. Then she bit her lip and held back a laugh.
What's so funny about that boring novel?
Noah hated people who couldn't stand silence and awkwardness and tried to strike up a conversation no matter what. Being with such people made him feel impatient and uncomfortable.
As for Methone, he would talk without expecting Noah to respond. He would think of it as noise and let it flow, and if it became annoying, he would simply tell him to be quiet.
On the other hand, Olivia seemed like someone who had no intention of talking to him in the first place. Come to think of it, she had avoided him as much as possible at the Royal Palace two years ago as well.
Then, Olivia's lips twitched again.
She's laughing again. I didn't think she was like that, but I guess her taste is the same as Methone's.
