Chapter : 7. Bastards with Nothing Better to Do
But that wasn’t the end of it.
“Noah, try to stop your father.”
“If that were possible, Mother, I wouldn’t have had to attend so many official events.”
“How many interviews has that been now?”
Beatrix and Noah looked at Leonard with expressions of complete exasperation. Then the Queen turned a sympathetic gaze toward Olivia, who had been forced to remain seated beside the King.
“That poor girl probably hasn’t even had dinner.”
As soon as the group photo had been taken, Leonard dismissed the royal family, telling them they could return to the banquet hall.
Everyone left naturally—
Except for Olivia, who had instinctively moved to stand beside Margo.
“Miss Olivia Liberty, stay a little longer and continue the interview with me.”
Startled, Olivia looked at the King with wide eyes.
Princess Margo immediately shot her brother a withering glare.
“Wasn’t one photo enough?”
Leonard didn’t even bother responding.
Instead, he seated Olivia beside him and cheerfully continued the interview with the invited reporters.
It was a golden opportunity to photograph the famous Olivia, and the reporters eagerly snapped picture after picture without restraint. Each photograph was worth several thousand Kerte on its own.
“Oh dear, my eyes can’t take these camera flashes anymore.”
“Let’s go, Mother. At this rate it’ll be another hour, at least.”
The Queen frowned at the relentless flashes, and Noah escorted her back toward the banquet hall.
After walking a few steps, Noah glanced back.
Olivia was still answering questions.
Her unusually pale face caught his attention.
He couldn’t tell whether it was naturally that white or if she’d simply grown pale from exhaustion.
Noah knew better than anyone how grueling it was to sit through interviews for hours without even having dinner.
He felt a little sympathy for her.
But more than sympathy…
He felt relieved.
If not for Olivia, he would have been the one sitting there.
Olivia’s interview left not only Noah, but also King Leonard II thoroughly satisfied.
To be honest, Leonard had initially planned to have her pose for a few photographs and nothing more.
He assumed the immense royal palace would overwhelm her.
People giving their first interview usually stumbled over their words or blurted out unnecessary things that ruined the entire conversation.
Yet this petite young woman, after nervously blinking her large eyes for a few moments, quickly settled into her seat as though she’d adapted to the atmosphere.
So Leonard decided to let the reporters ask her questions.
And then—
What on earth?
“…The prestigious Herrolington University in Herot is undoubtedly the finest among Pulder’s many universities. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that its graduates dominate Pulder’s political and business circles. I recently had the opportunity to meet Pulder’s First Lady, Mrs. Millein, and she also praised Herrolington University’s outstanding reputation.”
Excellent.
Absolutely excellent!
How is she managing to say exactly what needs to be said…
And every single answer is exactly what I wanted to hear?
Leonard’s mouth slowly spread into a grin.
That brat Noah…
Even when all he has to do is give a simple interview, he always keeps such a stiff expression that he nearly gives everyone around him a heart attack.
But Olivia…
She answered every question with a calm smile.
How could he not be pleased?
Tomorrow’s newspapers are going to be spectacular!
With the King and the reporters equally excited, an interview that should have ended long ago continued without any sign of stopping.
Meanwhile, Margo, who had been waiting for Olivia in the banquet hall, finally grew fed up with Leonard’s relentless behavior and retreated to an empty terrace.
She didn’t forget to order a servant to notify her the moment Olivia’s interview was over.
The autumn banquet served as society’s debut stage.
Young noblemen and ladies, dressed as extravagantly as peacocks, mingled as they tried to leave lasting impressions on one another.
“Your Highness, couldn’t you either get engaged to someone as soon as possible… or just happen to fall ill today and skip the banquet?”
“That’s the sort of remark that deserves to bring back the abolished crime of insulting royalty.”
Noah replied with a faint laugh.
The young noblemen surrounding him answered with perfectly serious faces.
“We’re only saying it because every lady at this banquet has her eyes glued to the two princes.”
“Then perhaps you should ask the Crown Prince instead of me.”
Holding his champagne glass, Noah gestured toward a certain corner.
Around Crown Prince Usher stood a crowd of debutantes and chaperones.
Each of them wore a beautiful smile as they eagerly sought an opportunity to speak with him.
Compared to that, Noah’s side was relatively quiet.
Probably because of the unique aura surrounding him.
His perfectly sculpted features were paired with a strangely fragile elegance, making him seem even more unapproachable than Usher.
Even the simple sight of Noah drinking champagne through his smooth white gloves was captivating enough to draw the attention of men and women alike.
“Noah, it’s not that the debutantes and chaperones won’t come over here…”
“They can’t.”
“The result’s the same.”
“Only for you! It certainly isn’t for the rest of us. Please show us some mercy, Your Highness.”
Noah simply handed his empty champagne flute to a servant without replying.
Who could possibly approach someone whose indifferent eyes swept across the room with such detached boredom?
“By the way, why hasn’t Miss Liberty come back yet?”
At the mention of Olivia’s name, the young noblemen immediately looked toward the direction where she’d disappeared.
Noah also turned his gaze before taking out his pocket watch.
Nearly an hour and a half had passed.
That alone proved how excited his father had become.
It would hardly be surprising if Olivia Liberty had already grown thoroughly disillusioned with Herot the very day she arrived.
Returning the watch to his pocket, Noah silently offered her a moment of condolence before turning away.
Then—
“She’s here!”
Noah instinctively looked back.
Through the arched doorway leading to the garden, Olivia stepped into the banquet hall wearing her white blouse.
For some reason, her shoulders drooped slightly.
Noah couldn’t help chuckling.
She must have had a rough time.
Olivia looked around before heading straight toward the table covered with finger foods.
Noah remembered she hadn’t eaten dinner.
A quick-witted servant immediately offered her a glass of juice.
Olivia’s face brightened as she accepted it and drank it down in one long gulp.
“Let’s go.”
As though they had rehearsed it beforehand, the young noblemen surrounding Noah all moved at once.
Noah, who had been about to head toward the terrace with his hands in his pockets, stopped and turned around.
“What a bunch of pathetic idiots.”
Watching Olivia pick up a sandwich with obvious hunger while those foolish young aristocrats converged on her, Noah frowned.
In the end, he summoned a nearby servant.
“Go inform Princess Marguerite that Miss Olivia Liberty has returned to the banquet hall.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Meanwhile, Olivia was far too hungry for a single tiny sandwich to satisfy her.
The banquet hall was noisy, and she was much too hungry to worry about people staring.
Without giving it much thought, she concentrated solely on filling her empty stomach.
She had just swallowed her second sandwich after carefully chewing it when—
“Miss Liberty?”
At the unexpected voice, Olivia turned around.
Several young noblemen were standing before her.
Although Olivia had spent most of her teenage years surrounded by sturdy young men, it was rare for so many to crowd around her all at once.
Suppressing her surprise, she faced them.
Just act the way you always did in Pulder.
She recalled Margo’s advice.
The problem was…
These men were nobles of Herot.
And here, she wasn’t University student Olivia.
She was Commoner Olivia.
Curious about Olivia Liberty, the nobles had heard that she’d returned to the banquet hall—and that Princess Margo wasn’t with her.
One after another, they surrounded her.
“Miss Liberty, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Iel Poem. I heard you’re nineteen this year. Is that true?”
“…I heard you’re majoring in engineering. Have you ever drawn architectural blueprints?”
“…I think you’d look even better in a dress. Would you like me to send you one?”
These idle young aristocrats knew perfectly well how rude they were being.
But emboldened by the crowd and by the confidence their noble status gave them, they gradually forced Olivia farther and farther into a corner.
From a distance, Noah watched everything unfold.
Yet even after Olivia completely disappeared behind the crowd…
Margo still hadn’t arrived.
Noah waited for his aunt.
Then another thought crossed his mind.
Why am I even standing here watching this?
What does it have to do with me?
She’s only surrounded in a public place. Nothing serious is going to happen. Princess Marguerite will be here in a few minutes anyway.
There’s no reason for me to get involved.
He coldly turned away.
But after only a few steps…
He stopped.
Looking back, he saw that even more nobles had gathered around Olivia.
“Those bastards seriously have nothing better to do.”
The image of Olivia—so obviously tense simply because she’d entered the royal palace—flashed through his mind.
In the end, Noah muttered a curse and turned back.
Whatever the case…
She had saved him from hell.
He knew exactly how miserable the hunger felt after enduring one endless interview after another.
Before he realized it, his feet were already carrying him toward her.
They say even dogs aren’t disturbed while they’re eating.
So why the hell do these idiots insist on surrounding someone who’s just trying to have a meal?
No wonder people call them good-for-nothing wastrels.
With irritation written plainly across his face, the prince strode purposefully forward.
Around him, people watched with curious eyes.
