Noah supported his wife, as she climbed into the carriage. However, when she set off, Sophia couldn't help but curse the state of transportation in this era. Despite the fact that one person could defeat an entire army, everything remained as it was in ancient times. She could only frown and curse the author.
"Why aren't the carriages more advanced and comfortable?" she thought to herself.
Little did she know that the carriage she was riding in was considered the best one . As for the reason for her discomfort, it was her deteriorated body.
Sophia supported her head with one hand, and it wasn't long before she felt nauseated and, as usual, started coughing. She immediately covered her mouth with a tissue, not wanting to appear weak in front of Noah, but the smell of blood couldn't escape his keen sense of smell.
Noah was sitting across from Sophia, and he could see how bad her condition was. Normally, she wouldn't even move from her spot, but now she was staring into space while supporting her head.
He had known for a long time that this girl's health wasn't good, but when Dr. Steve told him about her illness, he felt some pity for her. However, it was only for a moment. He would ensure her last hopes were fulfilled and let her live a peaceful life, even if it was for a short period.
As Noah was contemplating this, Sophia began to cough, and the faint smell of blood spread.
He understood why she covered her mouth whenever she coughed; he thought it was a habit. But it was only a cover-up for this reality.
This time, the smell of blood was strong, with some traces remaining on the corners of her lips. He extended his hand to wipe away the remaining blood, which elicited a reaction from her like a startled cat, quickly moving away from him.
Noah chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I don't eat people."
Sophia didn't understand what he meant by that and inwardly cursed while wearing a dumbfounded expression. "What does this fool want from me? Why did he extend his cursed hand?"
Throughout her life, she had only held her father's and brother's hands and had no relationships with the opposite gender.
She was even more surprised when she heard Noah say, "Can you really attend the banquet? If not, you can go back."
"Excuse me, when did this young madter start caring about people?" Sophia muttered to herself. Despite him being a good leader, he wasn't exactly kind.
She didn't need Noah's kindness; she had a purpose for coming to the imperial palace and wouldn't leave until she fulfilled it.
"It's alright, I'm fine," she replied.
Noah frowned as she appeared anything but fine, but he left her to her own devices. Time passed, with Noah reading some files and documents while Sophia sat in silence, exuding an air of detachment as if she might leave at any moment. The atmosphere was stifling all the way to the Imperial Palace, but it wouldn't last forever, and they soon arrived at the Eastern Imperial Palace, located in the heart of the capital.
Like any palace in the old Eastern style, this palace was no different, surrounded by high walls and numerous courtyards and gardens everywhere. There was a separate palace for the king called the Dragon Palace, while the queen had her palace known as the Phoenix Palace.
Perhaps due to the resemblance between the Eastern and Northern palaces, Sophia could only scowl when recalling some memories of the original body's owner. She had been subjected to all sorts of torture and conspiracies within these high palace walls.
Noah noticed her scowl, and even her complexion wasn't up to par. He roughly knew the reason for this, but what had happened had happened, and neither he nor Sophia were the type to cry over spilled milk. In an attempt to support her, he held her hand and said, "You can rely on me this time ."
Sophia looked at him strangely, asking herself, "Has this arrogant bastard lost his mind?" But then she remembered the reason she was reading this novel; Noah's character was different. He wasn't like the typical young lords found in traditional novels. He wasn't arrogant, and he gave everyone their due, not just being kind to those he considered close to him, but ruthless to those who had wronged him or his people.
Unfortunately, his role in the original novel was to hone the skills of the main character.
She looked at him with some pity and accepted his gesture of support , but in her heart, she couldn't help but wonder, "Why does the author bother building a character like Noah if he's going to end it like this?"
"That's the same look of pity, why do you look at me like that every time you see me?" Noah asked himself, but he couldn't ask her directly, as Sophia didn't mean much to him either.
The Victory Banquet was held in the Feng Xian Hall, the largest, most luxurious, and most beautiful hall in the palace. This was evident from its tall, grand doors made from the rarest and most expensive materials and resources. Despite Sophia's garbage body, she could faintly feel the natural Qi, and it was clear at this entrance.
Sophia looked at this with boredom and thought to herself, "What a waste." This extravagant display made the Eastern Kingdom seem desperate to showcase their wealth and power.
After the eunuchs knelt in front of the door, they shouted in unison, "Prince Noah and Princess Sophia."
Sophia felt a bit dazzled when the doors opened. She hadn't expected the hall to be so brightly lit. The first thing she saw was the golden Dragon and Phoenix chairs, the royal throne, and the queen's throne. Then she looked around, feeling like she was in a historical drama. The hall was even more luxurious than she had imagined when reading the novel.
The hall was adorned with white columns engraved with golden patterns, and a red carpet led to the royal throne, creating a clear contrast. The hall was quiet as Noah and Sophia entered, causing everyone to fall silent, whether they were officials or their families. However, broad smiles quickly appeared on everyone's faces, making the hall seem dull in their eyes. Noah and Sophia knew all too well what lay behind those insincere smiles.
As soon as Noah and his wife sat down, heated discussions began among the attendees. Women and even young girls openly looked down on Sophia, while the officials spoke between the lines and searched for faults in Noah. Among these faults was his marriage to her. Some even openly mocked and said, "A great general has fallen into a woman's schemes."
Sophia chuckled lightly behind her wide sleeves as she listened to the lines she often ignored from the supporting characters about how the heroine was trash. Noah turned to her and said, "It's great you have thick skin. I didn't want to tire myself trying to please you."
"The same for you," Sophia retorted. This Prince Noah didn't have royal blood; he was from the common people. But how did he become a prince in just a few years? That had always been the question on her mind. How did someone from the common folk become so powerful?
Noah asked, finding that now was the best time since he had no official duties, "Are you okay?"
"What?!" Sophia responded, her mind occupied with other thoughts. But after processing what he had said, she felt surprised and replied somewhat hesitantly, "I'm fine. I've never been better in my life."
Noah raised an eyebrow and said, "If you want to lie, tell a convincing lie. Don't you see how pale you look, as if you could faint at any moment?"
She frowned a bit because this meant he was aware of her physical condition. But before she could say anything, the eunuch announced loudly, "The six princes and princesses are entering."
All the officials and their families bowed except for Noah and Sophia. He pulled her into his embrace, and she, of course, couldn't object given his strength. However, she wondered to herself, "Isn't this a bit too much? Shouldn't they bow in the presence of the princes and the king?"
But after some thought, she remembered that Noah had never shown respect for the royal family and had never bowed to them, not even once. This explained why the king was so relieved when he heard the news of Noah's death in the novel.
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Hello, readers! I hope you've enjoyed the previous chapters. I would love to hear your comments and thoughts on the novel. Don't forget, in earlier chapters, I mentioned that Sophia is a princess from another kingdom.