***
I lightly rubbed my lips, but I did not know what to do with the dense traces, so I remained as frozen as a statue.
I tasted savory wine, tangerines, and oranges with a hint of cinnamon wafting from my moist lips. Noah sat unperturbed and drank his drink with oranges and tangerines.
It was too vague to call it a kiss, but if he really did it, I might have a heart attack. Noah, who had been watching me fall into silence, put down his glass and gave a low sigh.
“Well, I guess the Princess doesn’t like it.”
“I don’t hate it.”
“I know. I asked because I wanted to hear it.”
He smiled jokingly and showed the utmost cuteness. His expression was as charming as ever. When I had nothing more to say, I fanned my hands and downed a lukewarm cup of Earl Grey. It’s nice to be together, but it’s painful because he’s too attractive. This man always puts me in trouble.
This evening, we were still holding hands as soundly as ever on the large bed in the hotel. Noah, who was lying on his side with his own arm as a pillow and looking deep into my eyes, asked gently,
“Will you continue to sleep with me?”
“… I’ll think about it and see.”
I bit the inside of my mouth softly, the look in his eyes that pretended to be so innocent was strangely decadent. I’m not even scared. What do you think I can do?
But I don’t dare to challenge the ascetic and sexy man first.
It’s just that I’m not of sound mind, and I have a hard time being bought. It’s all about the mind. I wiped my face and tried to sleep with my eyes closed. I didn’t need to be conscious of anything but his breathing, which sounds strange sometimes. I didn’t have to think about the careful touch of the hand held with pure intentions.
“I’m glad you’re just like me.”
I heard Noah’s low voice as I dozed off in a daze.
“What is the same?”
“That we have nothing.”
Who was he fooling? Even if he threw it all away, he would still have money somewhere. He said it with a tone of satisfaction, but the content was empty. In the darkness, his low voice mixed with murky breaths continued quietly.
“I don’t want you to think of anyone else but me. I am glad you are selfish.”
Was that an emotion caused by the death of the Duke and Duchess of Rothsilde?
At the Royal Exchange, Jace said. “Essa people saved by your father”.
It was very likely that his father was killed for saving the Essatians, even though it was an accident. The Essatians were a tribe that only a few remained from the genocide committed by the Progen invasion.
Noah’s experience of being left alone as a child may have made him feel a sense of sympathy. With those last words came the sound of a long exhale and an empty silence. I closed my eyes again, waiting for the long silence to be broken.
His hand, which was holding mine, slid down and cupped the hollow under my neck. Is he giving me an arm pillow? That’s cute.
The night with the cute, crazy man was long, but in a different sense. The morning that came as the fruit of our patience was exhausting.
I don’t think I’ve slept more than two hours since we shared one bed. Tiredly, I finished my preparations and sat down on the couch, wearing a black velvet dress with a white lace collar and a coat.
How can that man be so lively and gorgeous? He wore a black officer’s uniform with red lines on the sleeves and neckline and a full coat. His pitch black hair was swept back, revealing a handsome forehead.
“We’re going to travel on a ship this time. If you go out on deck at night, you can see the Northern Lights. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?”
“I’m looking forward to it. Where is that uniform from? It looks good on you.”
“The uniform of the Medea’s officers has been arranged by Progen. There may be a checkpoint before you get on the ship.”
“Oh, then I should call you something different.”
“You see your forged identity card with the name Deanne Allen on it? I’m Captain Daniel Allen.”
“Why do we have the same last name? Are you brother and sister?”
“No, we’re husband and wife. We have the same hair color.”
…. It was definitely a concept.
Noah folded the corners of his eyes neatly and made a happy, sly laughing sound. We had a quick breakfast and headed out of the hotel to catch the boat to Medea.
At the pier, a large passenger ship was waiting to depart, slowly swaying with the undulating waves. Seagulls flew over the sea, making small cries against the background of the sound of the waves and the boat’s whistle.
I saw soldiers who wore Progen uniforms tearfully saying goodbye to their loved ones and families. It seemed that they were going to the front via here.
Noah, who had loaded the vehicle onto the passenger ship, followed my gaze and stared at the soldiers. He gave me a bleak look as if he was seeing something different than what I saw. There was a sound announcing the departure of the ship we were going to board. Sailors pulled the ship’s entrance stairs over the pier.
Before boarding, I felt a little nervous while showing my ID to the coast guard. Perhaps I was wearing a wig with long hair. A young coast guard, who was looking at Noah’s ID and spoke.
“You’re the captain of Medea. Are you returning from Progen?”
Fortunately, there was a difference between Noah’s appearance and the thick, dark lines of Progen’s distinctive face. He has sharp eyes with a long, narrow jawline and a straight nose, and his overall look was urban and light. With his hair also dyed black, we looked
enough like a Medean couple.
“Yes. I belong to the General Staff of the Median Army. My wife and I came here and are on our way back.”
Noah replied, hugging my shoulder with an affectionate touch. His serious military tone seemed unfamiliar to me.
“I see you’re still newlyweds. There’s a wanted woman, who is of mixed Medean blood. So it’s difficult. If we make a mistake, the Medea will express their regret. I hope you don’t feel uncomfortable.”
“I understand. Thank you for your hard work.”
Noah smiled at the talkative Coast Guard and spat out polite half-formal speech. Now the coast guard, who believed us, allowed us to board the ship.
The moment we stepped safely onto the deck, our bodies, which had become so stiff that even breathing was restricted, seemed to melt away.
The passenger ship was filled with ladies wearing fancy, wide-brimmed hats and simple dresses, and gentlemen in suits. Noah, who was holding a square suitcase made of leather material in one hand, whispered quietly to me as if it was a secret instruction.
“There are soldiers and police on the ship as well, so be careful.”
“Okay.”
“We should be arriving early tomorrow morning, but until then, we act like a real couple.”
“I’m not really sure how real couples do it…”
I remembered my parents’ expressionless faces and the cold atmosphere. My parents, who were married in a political marriage, didn’t seem to be close at all, even to my childish eyes.
“It’s different between husband and wife, even the way they call each other, isn’t it?”
Noah took off my hat, stroked my hair, and spoke softly. The wind blew and shook my long hair. Noah’s delicate touch adjusted my messy hair as he spoke.
“It’s cold, so let’s go in, honey.”
His murky blue eyes glowed with amusement as he spoke in a slightly darker voice. The bottom of his gracefully curved eyes were plump and raised. There would be no heart left if I stuck with this man, calling me “honey” with such a pretty smile. He seemed to like what he was calling me, and started to abuse the word “honey” a lot.
“Honey, I see the snow melting over there.”
“…”
“It’s a beautiful day. Honey.”
He followed me relentlessly with a coercive gaze as if he wanted me to call him ‘honey’ too, but I just couldn’t talk.
In the middle of admiring the sea ice floating on the ocean, a dark-haired woman who looked to be in her twenties approached Noah, smiling beautifully.
She wore a simple satin dress with a narrow skirt with supple falling lines, and a gorgeous hat with feathers and corsages. She looked like a fashion-conscious woman of the upper class.
“Oh, you seem to be a Medean officer. Your rank insignia says you are a captain.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“My name is Zelda Mason.”
Noah looked at her tastelessly, with the disinterested expression as if looking at a seagull sitting on a sail, even though she was an attractive beauty with wavy, fluffy hair and a pretty face.
I propped my chin up and looked out across the sea with the simple thought, “I knew he was popular.”
“Do you want something?”
Noah asked the woman named “Zelda” straightforwardly, and her white cheeks turned slightly red.
“I was worried because I don’t have a partner to go with to the party on the boat in the evening.”
“That’s too bad.”
Despite Noah’s monotonous tone, the woman covered her mouth and smiled nonchalantly.
“I’m asking you to be my partner. My father is a personnel strategist in the Medea military. . If you don’t listen to the request, you may be assigned to a harsh area of the colony.”
Under her coercion, Noah’s smirk suddenly changed into a grimace as both ends of his lips were twisted.
“If you want to be thrown into the sea, continue, Miss Zelda.” (? I can’t with Noah lol)
The woman called “Zelda” opened her eyes wide at Noah’s cold language and looked at my face instead of Noah’s. Her movement caused the fluffy feathers of the hat to flutter like wings.
“That’s amazing. There’s no change in your expression at all.”
“What do you mean?”
Zelda covered her mouth and giggled.
“I’m Zelda Mason, Queen Medea’s maid and knight. My title is Baron.”
“Does Medea still have a knighthood?”
“Yes, it does. It’s the Royal Order of Knights that protects Her Majesty the Queen. It ordains and confers knighthoods in four ranks, focusing on those who have made achievements. I’m here on the Queen’s orders. I hope the two of you will arrive safely.”
Baron Mason laughed gaily and took my hand as she continued to talk.
“The state is obligated to protect anyone with Medean blood in their veins, regardless of their origin. The Rothsilde family and the Queen have a deep connection. Normally, we would have to do a separate bloodline investigation, but you have a guarantor and your face looks Medean as well.”
I smiled as she held my hand.
“Yes, thank you. Baron. “
“You two are lovers, aren’t you?”
“We’re about to be married.”
Interrupting, Noah took my hand, correcting Baron Zelda Mason’s words. Baron Mason gave me an envious look and tugged at the hat ribbon pinned to her chin.
“I’m jealous. Anyway, have a good time. I’ll stay out of the way and watch you from the periphery. I’ll see you at the harbor.”
When Baron Mason turned around, the gentlemen approached her as if they had been waiting for her. I asked Noah as I watched them.
“Are you that close to the Queen?”
“Very close. I informed her beforehand that I was on my way to take the framed Medea woman with me.”
Noah, who had answered my question, added.
“If you get to Medea, Vincent and Molly will be waiting.”
“They went to Medea?”
“I can’t help it. Since they are suspected of helping me, neither of them will be safe there.”
Molly and Vincent’s expressionless and gloomy faces came to mind, making me feel a little ashamed. Before I knew it, it was afternoon and the sun was sinking below the horizon. The sky gradually turned purple with bands of blue and scarlet. Noah, who was watching the sunset with me, had the sunset in his blue eyes.
“The sunset from the ship is really beautiful, isn’t it?” (Diana)
“Yes.” (Noah)
Noah replied simply as I marveled at the scenery. I thought it was beautiful as I admired the sunset over the ocean, but he was looking at me watching the sunset. More precisely, he was watching my expression and reaction.
After seeing the smile on my face, I finally felt a sense of satisfaction on his tasteless face.
“Pretty.” (Noah)
He wasn’t looking at the sunset.
Noah was insensitive to the natural scenery, the beautiful sky, and the lake where glaciers melted into the color of opal. If I said it was beautiful, he just agreed. I could see the aurora earlier, too. He added the somewhat unsuitable phrase, “Doesn’t that sound interesting? which was a somewhat unsuitable expression.
I thought about how no matter what I wore or how I looked, he always had the same reaction when I talked about change. I ruminated again on the feeling I had when I was with him. Noah was not like most people.
His reactions and emotions were not based on empathy for the minds of others, but were the result of keen observation, and seem to be learned.
I don’t understand that man’s mind, and I don’t know for sure what the occasion and reason for his blindness was, but I have only guessed from the beginning until now. His emphasis on the fact that I was just like him was just a hint.
Of course, I don’t think there is any reason to love someone, but our relationship seemed to be lacking something and felt abstract. I was simply convinced that the ideas of the witty, insane man could not possibly be comprehensible to the public. So we decided to get to know each other.
However, Noah was a man who faithfully fulfilled and embodied what he said.
I didn’t know what he said at that time “I can give you the world” wasn’t a sweet, dense phrase in the usual sense.