Chapter 87
Episode 87. Like an Attraction
As he crossed the game line, Olivia, who had been watching Isabel, slowly turned her head. Their eyes met, black and round.
Olivia widened her eyes in a questioning manner and rose from her seat, prompting those beside her to stand up as well.
Noah leaped off his horse and approached Olivia.
"Your Highness, why..."
"You look pale, Olivia."
"......"
"Let's go back."
Olivia couldn't readily understand Noah's sudden desire to leave. When she didn't answer quickly and only stared at him, a touch of impatience crept into his green eyes.
In the end, Olivia had no choice but to nod.
"I understand, Your Highness."
Only after hearing the answer he wanted did Noah lift the corners of his mouth in a smile.
"Methone and I will go to the room first. I'll take Pony to the waiting room and then join you."
Olivia lightly greeted the ladies who had risen to their feet and moved away with Methone.
Noah watched them go, and once Olivia had disappeared, he slowly turned his head and scanned the faces of the ladies. He didn't say a word, but the clear warning in his chilling gaze sent shivers down their spines.
Finally, Noah gave Isabel a warning look, took a short breath, and remounted Pony. Then, he lightly turned the horse's head and rode away.
As soon as he was gone, the ladies exhaled the breath they had been holding and began to murmur.
No matter how one looked at it, it could only be interpreted as the King forcibly removing the Princess consort from their midst. He must have been constantly watching, and so came running right away.
"Are you alright, Seymour Young Lady?"
Someone cautiously asked Isabel, but she couldn't answer.
The ruthless gaze directed at her.
The frosty attitude.
Yet, as he spurred his horse towards her, her heart fluttered. Is this what it would feel like if that man rode towards her?
Isabel Seymour, who had always had to have what she wanted, couldn't let him go, no matter how hard she tried.
Her face slowly twisted.
Just then, a voice came from behind her.
"The King doesn't trust the Princess consort."
Isabel slowly turned her head to look back. One of the older women in the group covered her mouth with a fan and continued.
"He's so worried that he's taking her away altogether. That ultimately means he doesn't trust her."
"If the Princess consort can't fulfill her role as Princess consort, the marriage will soon fall apart. She may be elated to have risen in status so quickly, but she'll soon wither away."
"I'll bet this season's dress that the King will soon have a mistress."
The ladies smiled elegantly and nodded.
In the capital's aristocratic society, mistresses were nothing new. Some had commoner women or actresses as mistresses, but there were also many cases of secret affairs within aristocratic society.
Isabel slowly turned her head, clutching her pounding heart.
Mistress...
The vulgar word clung to her ears.
Meanwhile, Olivia, who had walked down the long corridor and returned to the main room, calmly composed herself. Nevertheless, she felt nauseous.
"Methone."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Did I make any mistakes? Also, did I seem arrogant or overly humble? Please answer honestly."
Methone answered immediately to her question.
"No, you handled yourself well."
"......"
Olivia merely blinked at his answer. She could feel the palms of her hands were damp beneath her silk gloves.
"Please, have a seat."
As Methone urged her to sit, the door opened with a click and Noah appeared. Usually, he would shower and change back into the clothes he had worn, but today he was still in his polo gear.
"Have my clothes taken to my residence."
It seemed he wasn't even going to change.
As Methone widened his eyes in surprise, Noah gestured to Olivia.
"I'm sweaty, so I can't hold you. Just follow me."
Then, he began to walk, matching her pace. Olivia looked at his broad back and felt as if she were standing before a vast mountain range.
Soon, she got into the carriage, and Noah sat opposite her. Methone insisted on coming separately and moved away, and the carriage departed with only the two of them inside.
Even among the sharp-tongued ladies, it hadn't been like this. Olivia felt as if she had a lump in her chest.
Noah was looking out the window. How long had the silence lasted? He suddenly opened his mouth.
"Why did you want to come, Liv? You knew they wouldn't be friendly to you."
Noah, who had asked the question, turned his head and looked at Olivia. Olivia clasped her hands tightly together and answered honestly.
"If I hesitate for too long, I become afraid. I wanted to start before the fear grew too big."
Noah forcibly swallowed the urge to curse at the word 'fear'.
"...You can hesitate. If you're afraid, you don't have to do it."
"......"
"I told you, you don't have to do anything."
"Noah, I don't understand what that means. Before the wedding, I received education on my duties as Princess consort. That included many things related to society. How can you tell me not to do anything..."
"I don't know who forced you to take on the duties of Princess consort. It wouldn't be Mother, would it? The King? More likely it was Mrs. Lehman, who was in charge of your education?"
"......"
"Ignore them. Even if it was the King's word."
Her breath caught in her throat at his casual words.
"Social events? I'll go with you if there's anything to attend. So, if you're afraid and hesitant, don't do it. What's so great about being there like an attraction? Who told you to? It's worse for me if you're there."
"......"
Noah's every word struck her heart.
Her nose tingled and her eyes grew hot, so Olivia quickly turned her head to look out the window. She felt like she would burst into tears if she wasn't careful.
Olivia desperately held back her tears.
She desperately tried to think of other things. Someone is already wearing a winter coat. Why is that person wearing shorts? They must be cold. That baby is so cute. There are even hats that small.
After thinking about other things for a while, her tears gradually subsided. Just as her tears were subsiding, the carriage slowed down significantly and stopped.
Noah got out of the carriage without a word, and as always, he reached out his hand to Olivia, who followed.
There wasn't a hint of agitation in his expression.
Olivia took his hand and stepped down, as she always did.
As she stepped down, holding the King's hand, the servants of the mansion, who had been waiting, bowed in unison.
"Welcome, Your Highness, Princess consort."
Olivia greeted them lightly and slowly raised her head.
The magnificent and elaborate mansion, made of ivory marble, seemed to be looking down on Olivia.
However, Olivia couldn't appreciate the beauty of the mansion. Noah's receding back felt so heartless and cold.
Noah soaked in the hot bath, releasing hot steam. It was the first time he had quit polo in the middle. It was an unpleasant moment in many ways.
"Your Highness, I'm here."
When Methone's voice was heard from outside the bathroom, Noah came out of the tub. He roughly draped a gown over his dripping body and came out, and Methone quickly followed him.
Betty, who had been neatly folding Noah's clothes and placing them to one side, quickly poured tea into the King's cup.
"Where is the Princess consort?"
"Her Highness is taking a short bath and then taking a walk in the garden."
At her words, Noah slowly walked to the balcony. He opened the door with a click, and the beautiful sight of the garden, with its colorful autumn foliage, came into view.
Noah quickly scanned the area and found her.
Olivia was strolling through his garden in a light home dress. She looked peaceful and serene.
Seeing her, the unpleasant feeling subsided and peace came over him.
Noah took a very deep, long breath.
"Why did you suddenly do that?"
At Methone's question, Noah replied nonchalantly.
"Do what?"
"There was no reason for you to come back like this."
"...Never mind. Just tell me what Isabel Seymour was saying."
At Noah's quiet command, Methone recited everything that had happened without any embellishment.
"She talked about how you always had two cocktails and how she used to hand them to you. She said she would tell Her Highness what kind you drink."
"That crazy..."
Noah finally cursed and gritted his teeth. His gaze reached the small, receding back. It seemed she had heard those words while he was away.
The women surrounding her must have been curious about how Olivia would react, their eyes shining.
"So... what did Olivia say?"
"Her Highness handled it admirably, without my intervention."
"......"
"To Seymour Young Lady, who said she would tell her what kind of cocktails you drink, she said she would ask Your Highness directly. When Seymour Young Lady retorted, she used the matter of the Mallet as an example and drew a line, saying she would only gratefully accept the Young Lady's kindness."
"......"
"Shortly after that, Your Highness arrived."
Noah was silent. Methone stared at Noah for a moment and carefully added.
"It may be presumptuous of me to say this, but... I think it would be good to trust Her Highness. Of course, entering society will not be easy, but she will overcome it. Thinking back to what happened on the ship, Her Highness is very rational and calmly assesses the situation."
Noah listened to Methone's words and leaned his back against the balcony railing. Looking up at the sky, he saw that the sun was already setting.
He thought of Olivia, who had desperately held back her tears in the carriage. He had thought that tears would eventually fall from her reddened, tearful eyes.
But, in the end, Olivia had held back her tears. She had held them back without making a sound.
Noah quietly thought of Olivia, but in the end, he didn't add any words.
