In Order To Meet You, Beloved

Cordelia thought she had made a fairly reasonable suggestion, but unexpectedly, Noah’s complexion darkened.

“Oh, that might be difficult. Due to circumstances, I can’t stay overnight.”

“What? Really?”

An adult like him, having such restrictions? Instead of explaining, Noah offered an apology in response to the questioning gaze.

“Yes, I appreciate your suggestion, but I’m sorry. However, going out is somewhat possible.”

He added a bit more explanation.

“However, I’ve arranged to meet with a client two days from now, and I’m not sure what kind of work I’ll be taking on then. Until the issue is resolved, I’ll probably have to reject any work that requires me to travel, if possible.”

“Instead, something like the commission at the temple, like mural work?”

“Yes. The larger the artwork, the longer it takes. Some of those murals took over a year to complete… It’s not a ceiling painting, and I’m grateful it was a commission from the temple.”

“Oh? Is there anything particularly different?”

“They lent me a magical tool that can appear in thin air. It allowed me to draw steadily even without a ladder, which was great.”

Maintaining the same posture for a long time or working from a high place could strain the body or lead to injuries. Cordelia, deep in thought about how convenient magic is, made a playful suggestion to Noah.

“Hmm… How about I give you an excuse to go outside?”

“What?”

“What if I commission a painting from you? Like a portrait of me.”

“A por…trait?”

Seeing Noah’s blurry response, Cordelia snapped her fingers in realization.

“Oh, of course, I’ll pay you a proper fee. As I said, I have plenty of money, so I can match whatever you want… I’d never use my status to exploit you or anything like that!”

Among the nobles, many exploited those of lower status without offering compensation, even without taking into account their status. 

As Cordelia hastily added, worried that she might come across as a malicious person, Noah looked at her with a puzzled expression before he covered his mouth and burst into laughter.

The sound of his clear and joyful laughter echoed in the room. The sight of a man who had only shown a troubled face now laughing like a boy held a destructive power beyond imagination.

As Cordelia gazed at him, almost entranced, Noah shook his head as if reassuring her.

“No, I don’t think that way. I don’t need money, and if you want, I can draw as much as you’d like.”

“…”

“Cordelia, are you alright?”

“Uh, huh? Oh, still, keep it! It’s making me uneasy!”

Cordelia’s hands, fumbling in her response, gave her pounding heart a sudden jolt. With a perplexed expression, she stared straight through Noah’s face, who was looking at her with a questioning look.

Though she had anticipated it from looking at his face, his smile was still like a painting. Why bother drawing when his face was already a masterpiece of the century?

No, more importantly…

“Don’t you think you’re doing the world a disservice by hiding your face like that?”

“What? What did you say?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“Never mind. She’s just saying that because it’s been a while since she has seen such a handsome man like you.”

“What?”

“Linus!”

As Cordelia, who was in a daze, rushed to cover her mouth, it was too late. Linus’ cheeky lips had already let out the words.

A beat later, a crimson hue rose from Noah’s neck as he grasped the meaning of the words. Cordelia thought, “Oh well,” and cast aside her feigned innocence in exasperation.

“Well, yes, but. It’s natural to feel better when you see something pretty and handsome, right? Isn’t that the case for Noah?”

Given the situation, she could only brazen it out.

Cordelia propped up her chin and demanded an answer, and Noah, who had been rolling his eyes, scratched his cheek and reluctantly agreed.

“That’s somewhat true. When I see one, I somehow want to pick up a brush and…”

“Really?!”

She’s not the weird one here. Linus, who had been quietly observing Cordelia’s behavior as she fervently grilled her counterpart, spoke up.

“So, have you given up on the elegant lady image?”

“Hmm.”

“Oh, if you’re worried about that, don’t be. I won’t tell anyone.”

No, it’s implying that she’s stopped trying to look good in front of him.

They looked at the handsome man with a face so perfect it looked like it had been molded by a sculptor.

“By the way, I’m glad you like my face.”

“Why?”

With a hint of anticipation in her question, Noah responded with a gentle smile.

“I’m sorry for involving you in this situation, but since you’re already caught up in it, it’s better if you like my face.”

A saint, perhaps?

It wasn’t the answer she had expected, but his response didn’t go beyond such an interpretation. Cordelia blinked in disbelief, and yet the handsome man remained standing there.

Having both looks and a good personality—truly unfair, as if the heavens were biased. The faces of the men she had deemed attractive before seemed to flicker through her mind like a panorama, fading away.

“Well, uh… I tend to… like beautiful things. Sometimes I can be quite envious.”

“It’s probably more than just ‘sometimes’… ugh.”

“Actually, it’s more… um, no. It’s really okay. You can treat me normally.”

Cordelia, who firmly sealed Linus’ mouth which had been criticizing her dating business, turned to Noah.

When Cordelia displayed a sociable and polite smile that’s often seen in social circles, Noah blinked his eyes silently and then discreetly averted his gaze.

As Linus waved her hand, the chairs, tables, and objects that were scattered around began to float in the air. The carpet was laid out, and the chairs and tables descended neatly onto it, while the objects that had fallen on the floor also found their rightful places.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if it was like this earlier?”

“I thought I might not have enough magical energy.”

“Never mind then.”

Seated in the now neatly organized parlor, they discussed their plans for the future. As Linus had said, since the magic hadn’t completely worn off yet, they needed to continue observing the situation for a while.

After loosely wrapping up their conversation about personalities, speech patterns, and attitudes, just as Cordelia was about to mention the schedule, she playfully linked her arm with Noah’s.

With a somewhat elegant face, he awkwardly puckered his lips, which made him appear both awkward and cute.

“Speaking of which, I heard that the Demon King will be returning to the mansion in a few days.”

“The Demon King?”

“Yeah. It’s like a cursed fate tied by bloodline or something.”

“Duke Weichen would probably be upset if he heard that.”

“Ugh, that old fogey. He’d probably pour out even more nagging.”

Cordelia waved her hand as if she found it bothersome.

“Anyway, there’s a good chance that person will be a real nuisance. If by any chance you’re in my body… well, he might say something ridiculous.”

“What?”

“No matter what he says, the conclusion is the same. No matter what that guy says! Just say you absolutely won’t do it. That’s the right answer, got it?!”

With Cordelia insisting once again, Noah nodded his head vigorously. After answering repeatedly like that, he could finally escape from that topic.

* * *

As the twilight gently descended on the Weichen estate, a commotion arose.

A carriage passed through the iron gates, and a man with chestnut-brown hair, dressed in splendid attire, opened the carriage door and stepped out.

With polite steps, the man entered through the open main door, where the butlers and servants were lined up to welcome him.

“Your Grace Weichen.”

“It’s been a while, Sebastian.”

The owner of the estate, Frederick Weichen, replied with an indifferent expression.

Despite his neat and soft appearance, his cold and pragmatic nature, and his ‘noble’ demeanor, this man was Cordelia’s greatest adversary.

“Weren’t you planning to arrive around the day after tomorrow?”

“I came ahead to take care of other matters. So, where is Cordelia?”

“Lady Cordelia is currently out.”

“Is that so? That’s fortunate.”

Following Frederick’s gesture, two footmen entered carrying wooden boxes. When they opened the lids, the contents inside became visible.

And the contents were portraits—specifically, portraits of men. Only the faces were painted, and names were delicately inscribed beneath the shoulders.

Receiving puzzled looks from the servants, he gestured to them.

“Take these to Cordelia’s room. When she returns, make sure to examine them all by tomorrow evening.”

“Your Grace. Are these all portraits?”

“Yes.”

“There seem to be quite a few.”

“That’s because I’ve put the Count on the line as collateral.”

Including the butler, all the servants were left with suspicious eyes and ears. Collateral for what?

Ignoring the astonishment in the gazes of those around him, Frederick plopped down onto the sofa in the living room without a care. Leaning his head back leisurely against the plush leather, he was cautiously advised by the butler.

“Your Grace, Lord Weichen. Lady Cordelia will surely resist this decision.”

“She’s always resisted, is it something new to point out?”

Frederick, casually flicking his fingers, let out a sigh.

“She resisted when she was young too. It’s something to be expected. That child is already turning thirty. How long can we allow her to live like an untethered colt?”

While his argument had some merit, the problem lay in Cordelia being the subject of this argument.

The youngest daughter of the Weichen family, cheerful and bright but strong-willed. Cordelia’s independence had been well-known since her early years.

“Well, at least she has the Weichen reputation and a decent look. But it’s still late enough. Calia alone is enough to act dogmatically.”

Frederick had his affection for Cordelia as his youngest sibling, but he was strict when it came to matters of status. Understanding the social treatment of unmarried women, he had no intention of letting Cordelia follow in the footsteps of Calia.

“Does Lord Isaac know about this?”

The butler cautiously mentioned the name of Frederick’s father, the previous Duke, but Frederick’s response was firm.

“No. Father is too indulgent toward that girl. So, it’s up to me to step in.”

Looking into Frederick’s unwavering determination, everyone in the room present could sense it.

A forthcoming war was on the horizon.