Chapter 53
Episode 53: A Chilling, Undulating Laughter
Olivia tilted her head, also puzzled by the prickly prince's reaction, and picked up her fork.
After she had eaten some of the salad with fresh cheese, the chef himself appeared with the main course.
A reddish steak was placed in front of the prince, and a delectable steamed fish dish was placed in front of Olivia.
It was a greatly simplified course, tailored to Noah's preference for not eating a heavy lunch.
Noah ate in silence for a while, and when he was somewhat full, he opened his mouth.
"How are your lessons with Winifred going?"
Olivia, who had been savoring the plump fish, quickly swallowed her food and replied.
"They're very beneficial. She teaches me kindly and thoroughly about many things."
"She's only going to be with you on the ship. Once we return, the royal family will assign you a teacher."
"Yes, I understand."
Olivia looked down again, then glanced up at him.
He had a wine glass to his lips, tilting it. He seemed to enjoy meat dishes and liked to drink wine with his meals from time to time.
And when about half of his food was left, Noah lightly dabbed the corners of his mouth with the end of a napkin soaked in rosewater.
As he put down his utensils, Olivia carefully brought up the words that had been swirling in her head throughout the meal.
"I realized something while taking lessons from Winifred."
"Realized something?"
"Yes. Um… the royal boutique merchants that Pulder sent to me. I realized that my actions at the time, while the best I could do then, were not very desirable from Your Highness's point of view."
Noah chuckled involuntarily and leaned back deeply in his chair.
"Specifically, what?"
"...Asking about prices and requesting a portion of the catalog."
Olivia answered honestly, then bit her lip awkwardly and smiled, her face flushed.
She seemed somewhat embarrassed after speaking so frankly.
"Winifred said that judging from the lack of gossip, Your Highness must have spoken to the boutique merchants separately. I'm sorry for the trouble. I'll try to handle it more wisely next time."
Noah quietly took in Olivia, who had finished speaking her mind firmly despite her flushed face. It was a refreshing honesty he was witnessing for the first time.
The corners of his lips tilted upward.
Noah slowly crossed his legs, then tilted his head to one side and asked playfully.
"But why did you ask about the prices so much?"
He was a person whose worries were completely different from Olivia's. Olivia couldn't help but sigh deeply.
"Your Highness clearly told me to buy clothes, but the head of the merchants showed me jewelry first. Adding that small and shiny things have collectible value."
At her words, Noah burst out laughing. Olivia, feeling somehow offended by his laughter, maintained a straight face and continued her explanation.
"I felt like my mind was going to be completely blown. I thought I couldn't just pick whatever that person recommended, and I felt a sense of crisis that I wouldn't be able to choose clothes until tomorrow. Also, I didn't want to be swept up and buy unnecessary things and send Your Highness a huge bill."
"Why? Are you worried I'll go bankrupt?"
At Noah's joke, Olivia frowned slightly, then unfurled her brow and shook her head.
"That's not what I meant, Your Highness."
"I like that my future wife is considering my financial situation."
"......"
Olivia's ears turned red, and she bit her lips, which were the same color, and remained silent. Even though she looked like she was about to cry, Noah felt like he would burst out laughing again, so he lightly ran his hand over his face.
"Then why did you send a portion of the catalog?"
Noah had already guessed, but he deliberately asked.
Olivia sighed again, then made a face as if she had something to say about that too.
"Well, when I asked to see clothes, they showed me a very, very extravagant dress that Marguerite, no… the Princess, had never been seen wearing. With ten huge ruby brooches attached……."
At the sight of her making a firm expression and spitting out her complaints clearly, Noah finally burst out laughing again, barely managing to contain it. He tilted his head back and covered his eyes with his hand.
Olivia, who had been slurring her words with a sulky heart, suddenly stared blankly at him.
He was laughing, his broad shoulders shaking.
His sharp Adam's apple and sturdy arms, revealed by his tilted head, were strong, and his jawline was sharp yet delicate.
A low, chilling laughter, reminiscent of a rugged valley, kept tickling a corner of her heart. The exotic awning hanging above, the ornate purple centerpiece, and the vast blue sea were all blurred like paperweights, and only his laughter remained.
After laughing for a while, he slowly lowered the hand that had been covering his eyes to cover his mouth and chin, then slowly lowered his head. His green eyes, sharpened and filled with laughter, turned to Olivia.
Olivia, who had been staring blankly at Noah, gasped and quickly lowered her gaze.
A rough throbbing could be felt in her fingertips. She took a small breath and clenched and unclenched her tingling hands.
Then, a chilling voice fell from above.
"You handled it well."
Olivia looked up with a dazed feeling. Noah finished drinking the remaining wine, then gestured slightly to the guard next to him. The guard placed a luxurious box, about two hand spans wide, in front of Olivia and stepped back.
As Olivia stared blankly at the box with both hands folded on her thighs, Noah introduced the identity of the box.
"A gift. Open it."
Olivia blinked, then carefully opened the box lid. Noah, seeing her pupils widen slightly, tilted his head slightly to the side and glanced at the sparkling diamonds.
It was a necklace and earring set that was faithful to the 'clean design' he had ordered.
Olivia looked down at the extravagant yet transparently sparkling chunky diamond set. She still felt unreal, and it didn't feel like it was hers at all.
But she quickly came to her senses and greeted Noah.
"It's really beautiful. Thank you for the gift. I'll use it well."
"Why, don't you like it?"
Noah noticed Olivia's subtle attitude like a ghost and asked. Olivia quickly shook her head.
"Of course not. It's really pretty. Um… I brought the dress that the Queen Consort gave me two years ago. I think it would go well with that dress."
Noah reflexively recalled the deeply cut neckline and the puffed-up lines.
"That design is out of fashion."
"...Do you remember what the design was like?"
"......"
Noah, momentarily speechless, hardened his expression and quickly retorted.
"You said it was a two-year-old dress. It's out of fashion. Anyway, once we arrive in Herot, we'll have as many dresses made as you need, so there's no need to wear that dress again just because your mother gave it to you."
Only then did Olivia nod as if she understood. Then she looked at the jewelry set again and smiled with her eyes curved.
Noah stared at her for a moment, then chuckled and turned his gaze to the sea.
Sparkling, it was a very sunny day.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
In the King's office at Herot Palace, a loud laughter erupted.
"That's Noah Astrid for you!"
Leonard read the letter containing the news he had been longing for twice, then quickly ran to the Queen Consort.
"Queen Consort!"
Beatrix, who had been reviewing documents related to charitable projects, looked at her husband, who had burst into her office, with surprised eyes.
"Your Majesty?"
Leonard, with a triumphant expression, handed her Noah's letter.
Beatrix narrowed her eyes and took Noah's letter and unfolded it. As she read it carefully, a different light flashed in her eyes.
"What did I tell you? I said he was different, didn't I?"
Unlike Usher, who did everything with a smile and was difficult to read, Noah was very obvious when he didn't want to do something. But to have succeeded in his courtship and sent a letter only two days after arriving in Pulder.
Leonard paced around the desk with an excited and flushed face.
"Seeing how quickly it was accomplished, Olivia must not have disliked Noah so much. Don't you think so? Not just because he's my son, but there's no groom like him. He's handsome, has good blood, and makes good money!"
"...Or her situation may have pushed her to do so."
Beatrix murmured, recalling Margo's letter that had arrived in the morning.
Margo had sent the Queen Consort a long letter about Olivia. She must have been worried that the Queen Consort would think of Olivia as a snob who had eagerly accepted the prince's proposal only to improve her status.
However, what if she was a snob?
And even if an opportunity to improve her status came one day and she eagerly seized it, how could that be snobbery?
She only hoped that Noah would be happy with his wife.
The face of the lovely young lady with sparkling black eyes overlapped with her son's letter. Beatrix cherished Noah's letter, folded it, and gave her husband the answer he wanted to hear.
"I'll start preparing for the wedding right away."
At her declaration-like words, the King's expression became more gentle than ever.
"Prepare so that we can hold the ceremony as soon as they arrive, Trixie!"
"I refuse excessive interference. Go do your work."
The Queen Consort rejected the unreasonable request without hesitation, but the King's expression was brighter and more cheerful than any other day.
'Wait a minute. What events should I take Olivia to when she comes? No. The type doesn't matter.'
The face of his difficult second son had already been pushed far away in the King's mind, and only the face of the cheerful Olivia, who was like a guaranteed box office hit, lingered.
It was a thought that Noah would have immediately become angry at, saying, 'Isn't that different from what you promised? Don't you have any conscience?' but Leonard Astrid had no conscience to begin with.
"Keep your promise."
Even though the Queen Consort, who had noticed his thoughts like a ghost, warned him coldly, he only smiled.
"Of course, of course."
It was an afternoon when warm sunlight fell like a blessing on the King's head.
And the next day, Leonard called the reporters and admitted that Prince Noah had gone to Pulder to propose to Olivia Liberty, and announced that the royal family supported the two's love.
Then, the articles about abolishing the Polia monarchy, which had not disappeared no matter what he did, completely evaporated.
In addition, the public's favorability toward the Herot royal family also skyrocketed. It goes without saying that Leonard's mood soared higher than the spire of Hamel Cathedral.
