The Cruelty of Salvation — Chapter 11

I DRANK TOO MUCH.

I DIDN'T EVEN CHANGE MY CLOTHES...

NEWSPAPER

IT'S OBVIOUS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT.

FATHER WILL TAKE HER TO EVERY POSSIBLE EVENT HE CAN WHILE SHE'S STILL HERE...

...AND MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT.

WELL...

I'LL BE AT PEACE FOR A WHILE THANKS TO HER.

WHY DOES NOAH ASTRID DETEST MEDIA ACTIVITY SO MUCH?

TO LOOK INTO THAT MATTER, WE MUST START BY EXAMINING THE QUEEN'S ROLE.

THE QUEEN'S ROLE IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE ROYAL FAMILY.

SHE MUST ATTEND COUNTLESS EVENTS AND UPHOLD THE ROYAL FAMILY'S AUTHORITY.

HOWEVER, 23 YEARS AGO, THE QUEEN GAVE BIRTH TO USHER IN JANUARY...

...AND LATER THAT SAME DECEMBER, SHE OVEREXERTED HERSELF TO DELIVER NOAH.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, SHE SUFFERED FROM CHILDBED FEVER,

WHICH LEFT HER FRAIL.

THEN WHO WILL TAKE ON THE ROLE OF THE QUEEN?

USHER, THE CROWN PRINCE, WAS OFF THE TABLE, AS LEONARD BELIEVES AUTHORITY IS BORN FROM BEING MYSTERIOUS.

MARGOT WAS A REBEL.

WALTER, A DISASTER.

THAT LEFT ONE PERSON.

YOUR HIGHNESS! WHAT IS THE ROYAL FAMILY'S STANCE ON THIS NEW POLICY?

WE, THE ASTRIDS...

YOUR HIGHNESS!

PRINCE NOAH!

THE YOUNG PRINCE BECAME THE PRESS'S PREY TIME AFTER TIME.

THUS...

...NOAH ASTRID CAME TO LOATHE THE PRESS.

EVEN SO, ISN'T THIS TOO MUCH?

THE FRONT PAGE IS OLIVIA. PAGE TWO IS LIBERTY'S, AND THE TOP GRADUATE TAKES PAGE THREE.

SERIOUSLY, IS THIS A NEWSPAPER OR A PHOTO ALBUM?

AUNT MARGUERITE IS FURIOUS.

IT SEEMS HIS MAJESTY JUST WON'T GIVE MISS LIBERTY A MOMENT OF PEACE.

I HEARD HE EVEN CALLS HER JUST OLIVIA.

WHY WOULDN'T HE?

PEOPLE HAVEN'T EVEN MENTIONED UNCLE WALTER EVER SINCE SHE ARRIVED.

I BET HE WANTS TO DELAY HER DEPARTURE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MUST BE FEELING, THOUGH.

I READ THE ARTICLES...

AND SHE SAYS EXACTLY WHAT FATHER WANTS TO BE SAID.

MOREOVER, THIS IS THE WOMAN WHO GRADUATED HEROLINGTON BEFORE HER 20TH BIRTHDAY.

POLDER MAY BE A REPUBLIC, BUT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER AND NOBLE LINEAGE MUST STILL PERSIST.

SHE OVERCAME THAT. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

IS IT, NOW?

SO HAVE YOU TAKEN A LIKING TO HER?

WHY CAN'T A COMPLIMENT JUST BE A COMPLIMENT?

YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT FATHER MUST BE FEELING?

THE GIRL MUST'VE ATTENDED AT LEAST 15 EVENTS OVER THE PAST THREE DAYS.

AND THAT'S SIMPLY WHAT I'M INFERRING FROM THE PAPERS.

BY NOW, SHE'S PROBABLY COMPLETELY RUN DOWN.

SHE MIGHT BE SMART AND STRONG-WILLED, USHER, BUT THIS IS NO WAY FOR FATHER TO TREAT HER.

SHE'S NOT EVEN HIS OWN DAUGHTER.

I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT, NOAH.

I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT THE WAY FATHER IS RUNNING HER INTO THE GROUND.

I MERELY MEANT THAT I THINK SHE'S AN IMPRESSIVE WOMAN.

HAVE YOU ACTUALLY FALLEN FOR HER?

ENOUGH OF YOUR SARCASM, NOAH ASTRID.

HAA...

WHY DID I LET HIM GET TO ME?

THERE WASN'T ANY REASON TO.

OLIVIA LIBERTY.

THAT NAME SURE GETS A LOT OF PEOPLE STIRRED UP.

THE DAY OF THE MAZE GARDEN PARTY

HOW COULD YOU DO THIS, YOUR MAJESTY?!

YOU HAVE ANOTHER EVENT SCHEDULED FOR OLIVIA THIS MORNING?!

DON'T TELL ME THERE'S EVEN MORE TOMORROW. MUST I REMIND YOU THAT'S WHEN SHE'S SCHEDULED TO RETURN HOME?! SINCE WHEN HAVE THE ASTRIDS TREATED OUR GUESTS LIKE THIS?

THAT'S ENOUGH, MARGOT! I'M TAKING CARE OF THINGS WELL ENOUGH WITHOUT YOU NAGGING ME!

I'M PAYING ATTENTION TO-- HOW CAN YOU BE SO RUDE TO THE PRINCESS?!

SHE'S NOT WRONG, YOU KNOW!

I HAD A GORGEOUS GOWN PREPARED TO MAKE UP FOR LUCY'S MISTAKE...

...BUT THERE WASN'T TIME TO GET IT FITTED BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE EVENTS.

LUCY WANTED TO HAVE TIME WITH MS. LIBERTY, TOO,

BUT YOU DIDN'T LET HER HAVE A SINGLE DAY OFF!

SHE WASN'T THAT TIRED, TRIXY...

DON'T THINK YOU CAN USE MY NICKNAME TO GET OFF THE HOOK!

ANYWAY, CANCEL EVERYTHING SHE HAS SCHEDULED TODAY.

COME, PRINCESS.

IT MUST HAVE ARRIVED BY NOW.

PARDON?

THE GOWN, I MEAN.

I HOPE SHE LIKES IT.

EVERYTHING ON MY SCHEDULE WAS SUDDENLY CANCELED...

IT'S A BIT DISAPPOINTING, BUT OH WELL...

LIST OF PREDICTED QUESTIONS SHE REHEARSED.

CLOTHES PRESSED CRISP AND NEAT.

GOOD MORNING, MS. LIBERTY.

LET'S GET YOU UNDRESSED FIRST, SHALL WE?

SORRY...?