Chapter 94: Noah and Countess Timberline
And the next day.
After Noah left for work, Olivia asked Betty for a cold coffee and sweet bread.
Until now, she had been eating Noah-style breakfast, but she couldn't quite adapt to the combination of fishy poached eggs and bitter black tea, so she would leave more than half of it.
Olivia felt as if the cells in her whole body were coming back to life with the sweet bread and cool coffee she was eating after a long time.
Betty smiled as she watched Olivia devour the food deliciously.
"From now on, I'll prepare the food you want to eat. You don't really like steak either, do you?"
Olivia took a sip of the cold coffee and smiled slyly.
"What kind of food do you like?"
"Fish dishes. I like fried and steamed."
"I understand, Your Highness. I will tell them to prepare a fish dish for lunch today."
After eating the food she had wanted to eat for a long time, she felt like she was regaining her energy. In addition, when she thought of Noah's face stroking her hair all night, she was not afraid of Countess Timberline at all.
"Well, let's start with the posture again today."
Even though she started scolding Olivia as soon as she saw her today.
Mrs. Timberline's class, which started early in the morning, showed no signs of ending long after lunchtime. Mrs. Timberline continued to point out Olivia's gait and posture.
"Don't shrug your shoulders."
"Stretch your toes a little more forcefully."
Olivia, who had eaten a hearty breakfast and attended the class, began to get tired after lunchtime. She had lunch amidst all sorts of criticisms, so she didn't feel like she had eaten properly.
Then, etiquette lessons were held in the study. Even Betty shook her head.
Mrs. Timberline, who was conducting classes without a break, was amazing, but the Princess Consort, who followed without complaint, was also admirable.
"Now, try again."
At Mrs. Timberline's words, Olivia gracefully turned her body and looked straight ahead. It was certain that Mrs. Timberline was picking on her with really ridiculous and subtle things, but she intended to endure this for at least a week.
In addition, one thing that was certain was that Mrs. Timberline's criticisms were decreasing day by day. It was proof that her demeanor was becoming more perfect.
As Olivia thought, her demeanor became comparable to Noah, who was called the textbook of etiquette.
Mrs. Timberline clicked her tongue inwardly as she watched Olivia desperately endure even as she turned pale.
'She's tough, so tough.'
The two were engaged in an invisible battle of nerves under the guise of etiquette lessons. Mrs. Timberline had to suppress the Princess Consort and win this fight.
She raised her sharp eyes and snapped sharply.
"Your fingers are awkward, aren't they? You have to pay attention from head to toe!"
You're just a parvenu trying to win against me, who is a noble from the bones?!
It was around the time that Mrs. Timberline was scanning Olivia up and down to find another fault.
Thud!
Someone threw the door open without even trying to reduce the noise.
Mrs. Timberline wondered who would do such a thing and turned to the door with her eyes wide open, but she froze in that position.
It was because an unexpected person was standing there.
The sensitive King was fickle.
"He's been in such a good mood for the past few days, why is he like that today?"
Jonan, one of the bodyguards, asked Methone slyly, and Methone sighed deeply and muttered.
"How would I know."
"......"
"At least you guys can avoid him. Not me."
Jonan gave him a look of pity and patted Methone on the shoulder.
Methone scanned the King with sharp eyes and racked his brain. To survive, he had to figure out who was the person who adjusted the King's mood.
And fortunately, it was easy to predict who 'that person' was.
"Did you fight with Her Highness?"
However, he was puzzled that Olivia would not deliberately provoke Noah's displeasure. At what point did he get angry?
Jonan glanced at the King's beautifully distorted brow and whispered to Methone.
"Just bear with it. He'll get better in the afternoon."
But contrary to his wishes, Noah's mood became more and more sensitive as time went by. He sighed while listening to the report, and he smoked a cigarette that he thought he had quit, causing many people who came to report to him to shed tears.
Noah didn't say a word, but the deafening silence was more frightening than a loud noise.
Please, if you're going to make people feel so uneasy, just leave!
But was it because he heard Methone's silent scream?
Suddenly, Noah got up from his seat.
"Your Majesty?"
"Contact me if there's anything urgent."
Then, he threw his jacket over his shoulder and left the company in a hurry?!
Noah almost ran out of the company and got into the carriage.
"Where shall I take you, Your Majesty?"
"Let's go home."
Perhaps because of the King's impatient energy, the coachman quickly started the carriage.
Betty's voice kept ringing in his ears throughout his work, which was annoying.
Not letting her sit down for a moment. Besides, how much did she tighten the Corset to get bruises?
"Where did Mother pick such a person?"
Noah roughly swept his face, blaming the innocent Queen Consort.
While he understood the need for an etiquette teacher, on the other hand, he wondered why it was necessary.
Olivia had no reason to desperately attend social events. In most cases, wives stepped up because of their husbands' businesses, but Noah Astrid didn't need Olivia's help.
He could accompany her to the occasional events and there would be no problem.
So why does Olivia need that? What is she trying to 'endure' for?
An impatient energy flowed over his handsome face, and as if by a lie, her voice was heard.
"I'm... just doing it because I want to be a dignified wife to you."
In an instant, the strength was released from his fiercely distorted brow. It felt as if Olivia's gentle touch was felt on the back of his neck, so Noah rubbed the back of his neck.
The expectation that there would be a lot to be careful about in welcoming Olivia as his wife was correct without any error.
He missed Hamuel, who had nothing to be angry about with Olivia.
Noah crossed his long legs and rubbed his eyes with his hands.
He tried to gain peace, but he gained unexpected anxiety as a bonus.
In the end, Noah decided to get involved in Olivia's education in his own way. He couldn't keep worrying with anxiety forever.
When the carriage arrived at the mansion, Betty ran out quickly. Noah put his finger to his lips and ordered abruptly.
"Take me to where she's having class."
Betty, who realized the King's purpose of visit, quickly turned around and took the lead with dignity.
She was already feeling sick to her stomach because she kept thinking about the lunch that Olivia had barely eaten. How much did she criticize her for every forkful! She put up the steamed fish that she wanted to eat, but she left almost all of it, not even half!
Betty, who had climbed the stairs and entered the hallway, glanced up at the King's fierce face and whispered.
"She criticized her table manners so much that Her Highness couldn't eat any lunch."
At Betty's words, who had rarely spoken, Noah glanced at her slyly. Betty maintained a calm expression as if nothing had happened and stopped in front of the study.
Noah stood in front of the door and asked quietly.
"Not even a little?"
"Yes, not even a little."
How absurd.
At that time, a sharp voice was heard from inside.
"Your fingers are awkward, aren't they? You have to pay attention from head to toe!"
Noah's lips twisted crookedly.
What nonsense about fingers.
Where is that dog barking?
Noah ignored the basic etiquette of knocking and threw the door open.
Noah Astrid was so gorgeously graceful that he was out of his mind, but his expression was so cold that he didn't seem human.
In particular, his green eyes, full of red, were so merciless that they would not show any mercy to any living thing other than his own existence.
Mrs. Timberline quickly bowed and lowered her gaze at his presence that filled the room.
"Greetings to His Majesty the King."
"......"
Even though it was etiquette to greet the visitor first, Noah ignored her and went straight to Olivia. Looking at her black eyes filled with question and surprise, Noah lightly kissed her cheek.
"Your Majesty."
When Noah saw Olivia's pale cheeks, he wanted to drag out the woman named Mrs. Timberline right away.
He would have done so if it were his nature, but Olivia's voice, saying that she wanted to be a dignified wife to him, held him back.
Noah slowly turned his body and belatedly received the visitor's greeting.
"It's nice to meet you, Countess Timberline."
Countess Timberline swallowed hard at the languid voice filled with arrogance. When she raised her eyes slightly and looked ahead, the King, who looked exactly like King Leonard, was standing by Olivia's side.
It was a strange shock.
The shock that Olivia, whom she thought was all about her pretty face, was a real Princess Consort struck Mrs. Timberline's head anew.
"You've been working hard since early morning."
"Ah, no, Your Majesty. It's my honor."
At her words, the King chuckled and smiled softly at Olivia.
"I'd like to see you take the class, how about it?"
He was asking, but his eyes were filled with the will to do so. Olivia blinked for a moment, but soon nodded.
"Yes, I'd like that."
Then Noah took a seat on the sofa and said to Mrs. Timberline.
"I'll watch for a while, so don't mind me, Countess Timberline."
"Ah....... Yes, I understand. Your Majesty."
"Keep going. It sounded like you were in the middle of a class when I heard it from outside."
"......"
Mrs. Timberline was speechless for a moment, then straightened her back and looked at Olivia.
She felt as if she was the only living thing blooming in the cold that Noah had created. Feeling the King's blatant gaze, Mrs. Timberline took a breath and opened her mouth.
"Now, let's walk again. Your Highness."
Olivia glanced at Mrs. Timberline, whose expression had changed, and Noah, who was staring at her, and a subtle emotion surged up.
Olivia went to the end of the study, looked ahead, and slowly took a step. The light and soft movement, as if walking on clouds, was like watching the dance of a weightless person. An expression and gaze that was neither arrogant nor overly humble, elegant hand movements, and dignified steps.
It was a movement that even Noah, who had only seen and learned the essence of etiquette, admired. As a result of being tormented for 3 days, her movements became more perfect.
Even Mrs. Timberline, who had been criticizing her all along, could not find excessive fault in front of the King and remained silent.
Soon, when Olivia stopped walking and turned her body, silence filled the study.
Noah stared at Mrs. Timberline and opened his mouth.
"Countess Timberline."
"Yes? Ah... yes."
The King stretched his lips long and smiled. It was a wonderful smile that made her heart flutter, but to Mrs. Timberline, it just felt like a chilling demon.
"I think the posture correction is perfect now. What do you think?"
The authority of the teacher, which she was trying to wield without limit, was shattered by his one word.
Mrs. Timberline moved her lips, but in front of the King's piercing eyes, she had no choice but to surrender.
It was because she could no longer find fault with her fingers or toes.
She eventually lowered her gaze and answered calmly.
"Yes, as you said... I don't think there's anything more to correct."
But the King, as if it wasn't over yet, added something that would make her faint with a soft smile.
"You've worked hard, let's have a cup of tea."
