Chapter 72
Episode 72: The One Who Needs to Be Acknowledged
Meanwhile, the impatient Leonard appeared on the landing as soon as Olivia arrived at the Main Palace.
He descended the ivory marble stairs so quickly that his secretary, trying to keep up, stumbled.
According to protocol, the Queen Consort was already at Hamel Cathedral. It was customary for the unmarried Princess Marguerite to wait for the King in the Main Hall and then proceed together, but Leonard boldly sent her to the Queen Consort's side.
"Go with the Queen Consort, Margo, unless you plan to be a bridesmaid."
"That would be better. It would be ridiculous to have my aunt as a bridesmaid."
For the first time in a long while, the siblings agreed.
Olivia quickly curtsied to Leonard, who was practically running down the stairs.
Leonard was so fast that Olivia had to turn to match his pace as soon as she straightened up. As a result, the maids attending to Olivia became very busy.
Leonard stopped beside Olivia for a moment and asked in a dignified voice,
"Are you ready, Olivia?"
At his question, Olivia raised her lowered gaze and replied,
"Yes, Your Majesty."
And as soon as her answer was given, Leonard moved.
"Then let's go."
Olivia followed the stern Monarch Herot, and soon they boarded a large carriage. Two maids came up to the carriage to arrange her dress and Veil before stepping down, and then the carriage door closed.
Olivia looked down at the Bouquet.
The clattering of hooves and wheels, and the distant cheers echoing from afar, shook the air inside the carriage, but Leonard, like Noah, was a man who overwhelmed everything.
Olivia remained frozen, unable to lift her gaze, until the carriage passed through the golden bars.
Around that time, Leonard, having reviewed all the materials for today's interview, glanced at Olivia across from him and spoke.
"There's no need to be so frozen."
Olivia was startled by his sudden voice and looked up, Leonard casually pushing the stack of papers aside as he added,
"You are Astrid. Strictly speaking, you will soon be Astrid, but I have acknowledged you, so you are already Astrid."
It was an arrogant statement, but the many Emblems pinned to his chest supported it.
Olivia remained silent, waiting for Leonard's next words.
Leonard looked directly at Olivia and spoke again.
"Hold your head high, keep your shoulders and back straight, no matter when or where. There will be fewer than ten people in the entire world you will need to bow to from now on."
At Leonard's words, Olivia consciously straightened her back.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Let me add one piece of advice: do not be overly humble or overly arrogant in seeking the recognition of the nobles. It means you must not act desperately to gain their approval."
Olivia looked at Leonard, her eyes shining as if she had never been frozen.
"It will take time."
"Do you mean it will take time to gain the recognition of the nobles?"
Olivia asked cautiously, and Leonard paused before saying coldly,
"Yes. It could be a few years, or it could be decades."
Leonard said that and watched Olivia's reaction.
He wondered if she would be very disappointed and upset, but Olivia was listening to him with the utmost seriousness.
The corners of Leonard's mouth twitched at the sight.
He whispered, wearing an expression that seemed to be a perfect blend of Margo and Noah.
"In the meantime, make good use of your husband."
"Excuse me?"
Olivia, who had been listening intently, narrowed her eyes and asked back, and Leonard chuckled playfully.
"The recognition of the nobles is nothing, really. Because their recognition was not necessary for you to become my daughter-in-law. Nevertheless, you will experience that recognition through your position in society, and Noah Astrid will be the best shield in such times."
"......"
"Take Noah with you whenever you go to parties, or whatever, just make good use of your husband."
"......"
Olivia was silent with a subtle expression, and Leonard, feeling a twinge of guilt, quickly made excuses.
"Of course, he won't like it."
It wasn't just that he wouldn't like it; he would hate it...
Leonard seemed to think so too, and added more and more.
"It's not just because he's my son, but Noah takes responsibility for what he has to do, no matter how much he dislikes it. Once you become his wife today, Noah will do his best as a husband. He's that kind of guy."
But those words weighed even more heavily on Olivia's shoulders.
She had been thinking about it for the past few days.
Isn't Olivia Liberty an inescapable burden for Noah Astrid?
Olivia pushed away the gloomy thoughts and forced a bright smile.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will do my best as well."
It didn't seem like something a daughter-in-law getting married today should say to her father-in-law, but Olivia was sincere.
"What do you mean by doing your best..."
Leonard seemed to feel that way too, and frowned slightly before trying to scold her, but his voice was drowned out by a sudden burst of cheers.
Olivia took a deep breath and carefully turned her head to look out the window. The number of people waving the Herot flag beyond the barricades was incomparable to the crowds in Central Park or near Herot Harbor.
She didn't know it, but this crowd was larger than even the Crown Prince's wedding.
More than half of the crowd lived outside Herrington. They had come to the capital to see the romance of the century in person. It was a wedding that was receiving so much hot national attention.
In addition, there were so many foreign reporters that the entire Norfolk Continent would be heated up by their wedding for the time being.
Soon, the carriage stopped, and Leonard took the ceremonial hat and sword he had taken off, and Olivia tightened her grip on the Bouquet.
A moment later, the door opened.
When Leonard stepped out of the carriage, an even louder roar erupted than the one directed at Noah and Usher. And the roar grew even louder when Noah Prince's bride, wearing a beautiful dress, appeared.
"Olivia!!!!"
When her name was heard from somewhere, the crowd soon called out to her.
"Princess consort Your Highness!!!"
"Congratulations on your wedding!!!"
The sporadic cheers poured in like an overflowing tidal wave.
Leonard wore a dignified expression and offered Olivia his right arm, and Olivia took his arm, taking a deep breath.
Under the pouring flash of cameras, Olivia walked in step with the King. She had worried that her legs would tremble and she would falter, but whether it was because she had imagined it dozens of times or because the King of Herot was standing beside her, her legs did not tremble.
As they slowly climbed the steps of the splendid and neat Hamel Cathedral, Leonard suddenly spoke.
"The people you truly need to be acknowledged by are those behind you now."
"......"
"Not those on these steps, but the people of Herot who are cheering for you from below these steps."
When Olivia slowly turned her head to look at Leonard, he was also looking down at her.
"Can you do it, Olivia?"
At his question, Olivia answered calmly after climbing a few steps.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Leonard, seeing the firmness hidden in that calmness, burst into a hearty laugh as he climbed the stairs. It was clearly against etiquette to laugh while escorting, but who cared?
Leonard's mood soared higher than the spire of Hamel Cathedral.
"His Majesty seems to be in a good mood."
Usher said, turning to look at Noah. But Noah didn't seem to hear him.
Noah's gaze was fixed on one place without the slightest deviation. As always, he was moderately cool, moderately dissolute, and moderately relaxed, but the feeling was different.
Usher had seen this side of his brother before. He turned his head to follow Noah's gaze. As expected, there was Olivia, like a white lily.
Turning his gaze back to Noah, he suddenly remembered that day.
"Usher, I'll do it."
Noah, who had disappeared after saying those words, headed to Pulder the very next day like an impatient man, and finally brought Olivia back.
Usher twitched his lips and leaned slightly towards Noah, whispering in his ear.
"Congratulations on your wedding, Noah."
Only then did Noah turn to look at Usher. Usher took a few steps back and gestured slightly with his eyes towards Olivia and his father.
Noah chuckled and turned his head, Leonard was looking at him. When Noah bowed politely at his father's gaze, the guards on standby saluted all at once, as if they had been waiting for it.
Finally, when Leonard and Olivia reached the entrance of Hamel Cathedral after climbing all the stairs, the somewhat noisy interior of the cathedral became quiet, and the cheers of the crowd that filled the streets subsided.
Leonard looked down at Olivia, and Olivia released her left hand, which had been holding the King, and shifted the Bouquet. At the same time, Leonard took a step back, and Noah took a step forward.
Olivia slowly raised her gaze to look at him.
His shaded eyes under the ceremonial hat were unwavering. He was like the embodiment of royalty today, and he was more handsome than anyone else.
"Ready?"
At Noah's low question, Olivia nodded slightly.
"Then take it, Liv. Let's go."
Olivia raised her right hand and took Noah's left arm.
