Translator: Nox

Chapter 119: Greeting Lucy

And so, a short while later.

The Royal Guards who had come to pick up Lucy looked at Prince Noah with a bewildered expression as he suddenly appeared.

Olivia was Noah's hidden card, who had no intention of getting out of the carriage.

Wearing the green ribbon headband she had received from Lucy a long time ago, she got out of the carriage very naturally and looked to see if Lucy was coming.

Then Noah, looking somewhat restless, looked out the window, and eventually got out of the carriage and stood next to Olivia.

"It's cold. Wait inside the carriage..."

"Noah, Noah! Isn't that Princess Lucy over there?!"

As Olivia pointed somewhere, standing on her tiptoes, Noah's gaze quickly followed her fingertip.

A group of students poured out of a magnificent building with ivy covering the outer walls, and Lucy was among them.

The girl, with her blonde hair tied up roughly, was holding a rather large bag securely. Lucy, who was busy talking to the girl next to her, turned her head when someone who had spotted Noah and Olivia first tapped her on the shoulder.

The girl, who couldn't help but notice the fancy carriage, then spotted Olivia, who was looking at her with shining black eyes.

Her small heart pounded.

Lucy stretched her face wide, took a deep breath, and shouted.

"Princess consort!!"

Then she ran towards her with all her might.

The child ran really well. The sight of her running with her face flushed was quite different from the way she had approached Margo with light steps.

Even Noah was surprised to see Lucy running like this for the first time. On the other hand, Olivia smiled brightly and opened her arms towards the girl.

"Princess!!"

Lucy ran up and hugged Olivia tightly. When Olivia hugged the girl's back tightly and let go, Lucy looked up and asked.

"What's going on?! Are you feeling okay?!"

"I'm all better. Thank you for your concern. I couldn't congratulate you on your entrance to school. I came to greet you and give you a gift."

At that moment, girls of Lucy's age approached stealthily with curious faces. When Olivia looked at the children, the girls who made eye contact smiled.

"Your Highness! I'll introduce you to my friends!"

Lucy was excited to introduce her friends.

"This is Roni Alex, and this is Lydia Alex. They're twins."

"Hello, Princess consort."

"Hello?"

"Roni, Lydia. Nice to meet you!"

"And this is..."

In the midst of the noisy and chaotic introductions, Noah Astrid was completely excluded. Well, not that he wanted to be involved.

Only after the long, long introduction of friends was over did Lucy recognize her brother.

"Brother Noah!!"

"Yeah. You recognize me early."

Lucy smiled and said to the guards who were waiting for her.

"Sir Lester! I'll go with the Princess consort!"

Then, after saying goodbye to her friends, she bravely climbed into the carriage alone without anyone's help. Thanks to the school uniform skirt, which focused on activity, there was no need to hold the hem of the skirt.

When Noah and Olivia got into the carriage, the carriage soon departed, and Olivia's gift presentation followed.

Lucy, who had always smiled demurely and said, 'Thank you,' no matter what gift she received, expressed her delight that she liked the gift so passionately.

"I'll use it really well! I like it so much!"

"Princess. Are you enjoying school life?"

When Olivia asked, Lucy poured out her story excitedly.

Noah realized for the first time today that his sister was such an excited child, and he also learned for the first time that she liked running more than anything else.

As he listened to Lucy's story about her school life, the carriage had already passed through the golden bars of Herot Royal Palace.

Lucy's atmosphere changed with it. The excited look disappeared and her voice lowered. The girl knew that the time when she existed only as Lucy Therese was over, and she had to return to being a Princess.

Olivia watched Lucy's change quietly. Still, the girl's eyes were full of life and sparkled.

And after a while, Noah and Olivia witnessed a 'Lucy's school dismissal' that was more grandiose than a welcoming ceremony for a state guest.

King Leonard had personally come out to the main palace entrance to greet his precious daughter, and his secretary, aides, guards, and servants were lined up with him like a needle and thread.

Moreover, even the Crown Prince and Queen Consort were standing there, so even if this was a welcoming ceremony for a state guest, it would be fitting for at least the king of a country.

Noah, who was watching the school dismissal with an absurd look, shook his head slightly and said.

"Your Majesty Lucy, please get off first."

Lucy, who understood his joke, giggled, and the door opened from the outside. And as the door opened, King Leonard's voice was heard.

"Lucy!"

As soon as his precious daughter appeared, he quickly approached and tried to carry her bag himself.

"Father, I can carry it."

Lucy shook her head, putting strength into the hand holding the bag, and Leonard looked displeased at the sight of his daughter carrying a bag as big as her body (not really).

"Isn't the bag unnecessarily big?"

"It's comfortable because it's big."

While the two were having a small argument over the bag, Olivia and Noah got out of the carriage.

"Olivia!"

As Beatrix called Olivia kindly and approached, Leonard finally turned his gaze to his son and his wife.

Olivia had a paleness unique to someone who had been ill.

Olivia greeted Beatrix and Usher, who had approached, politely, and turned her body slightly to greet Leonard as well.

"How are you feeling? You're still pale."

When Beatrix said with a worried face, Noah, who was next to her, nodded.

"See? I told you you weren't fully recovered."

"I'm okay."

Olivia whispered to Noah softly, then quickly said to Beatrix.

"Thank you for your concern, Mother. I have fully recovered thanks to the treatment of the doctor you sent."

Lucy, who was standing next to her father, approached slyly and chimed in.

"The Princess consort gave me an entrance gift."

While people looked down at Lucy and smiled slyly, Leonard also added a word.

"Still, I'm glad you're okay. The Herot Flu is especially virulent, so take care of your health throughout the winter. It's different from the winter in Pulder."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern."

"Noah, I see you again after this morning. I didn't think you'd be here even after seeing your carriage, it's quite unexpected."

At that, Noah replied with an indifferent face.

"You can say that again."

After exchanging a light greeting with his brother, he was thinking of taking Olivia back around this time. It was quite cold in the evening, and the coat Olivia was wearing seemed thin.

"Why don't you stay for dinner since you're here, Olivia?"

He would have done so if his mother hadn't grabbed his wife.

"Would that be alright, Mother?"

"Of course. Come on, let's go in. Noah, are you busy? You can go first if you're busy."

When Beatrix smiled and spoke, Noah frowned slightly, shrugged his shoulders, and replied.

"No, Mother."

He was wondering if he should borrow his mother's fur coat for a while when he went back.

Even royals didn't always sit at a huge table and enjoy formal dinners. Of course, there was a king who had such a hobby, but at least Leonard and Beatrix didn't.

The dinner, attended by all of King Leonard's direct family, was served modestly on a round table. Unlike rectangular tables, round tables had a much more friendly feel, so Beatrix preferred round tables for family meals.

When Leonard and Beatrix took their seats first, the rest of the family naturally found their places as well. Olivia sat in the chair that Noah pulled out for her.

When they sat down, they were seated in the order of Leonard, Beatrix, Usher, Noah, Olivia, and Lucy, and Olivia took note of this order.

"Olivia, you don't have to be too formal, so please eat comfortably."

While Beatrix was speaking kindly to Olivia, Leonard was asking about Lucy's school life.

"So, did you give a presentation today too?"

"Yes. I learned about the mid-Herot history and the history of the previous era, and I asked questions about what I was curious about."

"Yes, what questions did you ask?"

However, in the middle of speaking, Lucy coughed, and Leonard frowned slightly and ordered the servant next to him.

"Raise the temperature in the room a little."

"Father, I'm not cold."

Lucy shook her head, and Beatrix and Usher thought, 'It's not that cold,' but an unexpected person agreed.

"That would be good. It's a bit chilly."

Noah looked at Olivia in her white blouse.

Usher and Beatrix blinked at Noah and tilted their heads.

'Is it because Olivia might be cold?' The question was just the beginning of the shocking prelude that would follow.

The ambiguous feeling that had been lingering began to turn into surprise from the moment the meal began in earnest.

Lucy was happy to see Olivia after a long time and kept talking to her, and Olivia continued the conversation with Lucy.

"Princess consort, did you have a lot of assignments too?"

"Yes, I had a lot. I sometimes stayed up all night during exam periods. Of course, in college."

"Oh, you stayed up all night? Wow, I want to try it too!"

"Uh... it might not be fun. I recommend studying separately so you don't have to stay up all night."

And during that time, Noah's gaze was constantly directed at Olivia.

He glanced at Olivia while eating, and glanced at Olivia while drinking water.

Noah Astrid was definitely here because Olivia was here.

Then, when Olivia's water glass was empty, he very naturally gestured to the waiting servant to fill her glass.

"......"

"......"

"......"

Wait, what did we just see?