In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 116

EPISODE 116

“Who—could it be?”

A playful voice echoed in Noah’s ears as a soft fabric brushed against his eyes. Smiling gently, Noah took hold of the gloves that were covering his vision and pulled them away.

“You’re here early.”

“You’re the early one! There’s still a bit of time left before our meeting.”

Cordelia, spinning Noah around, cupped his slightly flushed cheeks with her gloved hands.

“Oh my, look how red your face is!”

Noah, seeing Cordelia looking at him with concern, was momentarily lost for words.

In her rosy velvet dress, with a white cape draped over her shoulders and a matching hood pulled over her head, she looked like a snow fairy. The sensation of the soft white gloves against his skin tickled him.

She’s beautiful.

Noah wasn’t sure why something he was already so aware of suddenly felt new again. Feeling the warmth rising in his face, he subtly lowered his head.

“Come on, tell me honestly. When did you get here?”

“I arrived a bit earlier than you did, Lady Cordelia.”

When he had arrived, there was still about an hour left before their appointed time. Still, wasn’t that only a little early?

“You like hats, don’t you? Well, they suit you, so that’s fine!”

Cordelia reached out and pressed down on Noah’s hat. Finding it utterly adorable, Noah struggled to suppress the smile that kept threatening to escape.

It wasn’t until after meeting Cordelia that Noah finally started becoming aware of his surroundings.

“Everyone seems to be looking at you, Cordelia.”

“What are you talking about? They’re probably looking at you.”

“It’s you, Cordelia.”

“I’m telling you, it’s you.”

As they bantered about this silly argument, their eyes met, and without anyone needing to say anything, they both burst out laughing at the same time.

“By the way, what were you looking at earlier?”

“Oh, just a statue.”

“A statue?”

Standing side by side with Noah, Cordelia directed her gaze at the statue right in front of them. It was of a woman carrying a water jar on her shoulder. The dynamic posture was impressive, but even more so was the exquisite detail of the folds in her clothing, making it look like the statue could come to life at any moment.

“Whoever sculpted it did a wonderful job.”

“My master made that sculpture.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he’s quite incredible. There’s hardly anyone in this trade who doesn’t know him. Some of his sculptures have even been delivered to the royal palace.”

Noah’s voice was filled with unmistakable pride. Cordelia didn’t need to look back to imagine the expression he must have been wearing.

“But isn’t he mainly a painter? This seems like a different field altogether.”

Just as writing romance and adventure stories aren’t the same, painting and sculpting are entirely different art forms.

“It was my uncle’s decision, so I’m not exactly sure why. I think he just wanted someone who wouldn’t care about who I was and would focus on raising me.”

If that was what his uncle had wanted, he had certainly made the right choice. Noah recalled the early days when he first joined the guild.

His master had never cared one bit about who he was. His praise and criticism were always clear, and when Noah made mistakes, there was no mercy. Although he tended to give Noah a lot of freedom, when it was time to teach, he taught with absolute precision.

‘The idea is already complete. Just polish and bring it out.’

He remembered what his master said as he pointed to the stone. Even though he often hesitated while sculpting, he loved the works created by Olive. His respect for him was as deep as his desire to follow the same path.

“My skills are still lacking, but someday, I’d like to create a sculpture like this.”

As Noah’s eyes sparkled with pure enthusiasm, Cordelia, who had been quietly watching his profile, gently leaned her head on his shoulder. Naturally, Noah’s head turned in her direction.

The way he reacted so naturally made Cordelia smile contentedly.

“I’m already looking forward to it. Once you finish it, you have to show me first, okay?”

“Of course.”

The two of them strolled around the square and soon entered the path leading to the city. Unlike Noah, who was walking ahead without much thought, Cordelia couldn’t help but notice the occasional glances people passing by gave them.

Since her face was mostly hidden, she assumed it was Noah they were looking at. She glanced up at him. Now that his hair wasn’t covering his face, his striking features, especially his beautiful eyes, were on full display. His slightly tanned skin made him look healthy, and she couldn’t help but feel an urge to touch it.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, Cordelia frowned.

Forget what she said about beauty being for everyone to see. Clearly, past her had no idea what she was talking about. Well, she does want to show him off a bit… It’s not just because he’s her boyfriend; he is amazing!

While she tried to sort out her confused feelings, Noah turned to look at her. His warm smile, seeing her pout, was so adorable that instead of voicing her complaints, Cordelia muttered under her breath.

“It’s the first time we’re going out together since becoming a couple. I was hoping for a nice spring day.”

They had gone out together plenty of times before, but this was the first time they were spending time together as a couple. It was unfortunate that it had to be during the cold winter when the wind was biting, making it less ideal.

If it were spring, they could’ve gone back to that forest they visited before, with a basket for a picnic. It’s private land, so no one would bother them—how perfect would that be? They could have a moment, hold hands, and maybe do a bit more. Hmm, she guess she should be the one to lie on the grass, right?

“Do you dislike winter?”

“I just don’t care for it. Honestly, it’s cold, and there’s nothing to see. You have to wear so many layers that moving around is uncomfortable, and usually, everyone leaves for their estates, so it gets boring.”

That’s probably why novels sell better in winter. After all, when you’re stuck indoors, there’s not much to do besides read. Life’s strange like that—you think there’s no upside to a season, and then your wallet gets a little heavier.

“But it’s not without its good points.”

“Hmm?”

Feeling something softly touch her hand, Cordelia glanced down. Noah’s large hand had gently taken hold of her gloved one. When she looked back up, Noah was turning his head the other way, muttering softly.

“Since it’s cold, it gives me an excuse to hold your hand.”

Noah said, still unable to look her way. Seeing this, Cordelia’s playful side emerged, and she squeezed his hand in return.

“So, you wanted to hold my hand that much?”

“Well…”

After a moment of hesitation, Noah confessed cautiously.

“When I look at you, Lady Cordelia, I just feel a bit… thirsty, I suppose.”

He stopped short of admitting that sometimes he wanted to nibble on her skin. No matter how he tried to phrase it, it would still sound strange. Well, it was strange. Could he even allow himself to think like this?

While Noah was flustered and confused, Cordelia’s mind was racing. Does this mean he feels some kind of desire for her? Now that she thinks about it, he was pretty bold back at Callisto Castle too.

What kind of thoughts were running through that innocent and composed face of his? Her curiosity was growing, and she was tempted to ask, but this wasn’t exactly the right place to discuss such things, so she held back.

“Still, it’s disappointing. If it weren’t for that incident, we could’ve gone to the Harvest Festival at the end of autumn.”

Noah had mentioned having to visit the estate of Marquis Paulette for an investigation. He had a soft heart, so if she had gently coaxed him, they might have gone sightseeing together. It was a shame, even in hindsight.

“But if that had happened, we wouldn’t have been anything more than friends.”

“Oh, true. But I still think it would’ve been better than you getting hurt. Is your abdomen okay now?”

“Yes, it’s completely fine. The priests still come by to check on me from time to time. But are you sure you’re fine without the carriage?”

Most nobles didn’t walk around for long periods outside. After all, there was a reason every family had their own carriage.

Cordelia shook her head lightly.

“It’s fine. Riding around in a carriage may look elegant, but I prefer being outdoors. Look, isn’t the weather perfect today?”

What’s the point of going outside if you’re just going to talk inside a carriage? Even though she had lived as a noble lady for a long time, she never understood this. When you travel by carriage, you can’t even properly enjoy the scenery.

Whenever she talked like this, her previous boyfriends would all look at her like she was strange. They would usually scold her, saying it was unbecoming for someone of her status.

“I don’t mind if you like it, Cordelia… but isn’t it a bit cold?”

As soon as Noah said that, a chilly gust of wind swept across their faces. It had snowed the day before, so it was a bit cold, but Cordelia had come prepared.

“Haha, I asked Rosa to add extra fur lining inside my clothes! So I’m completely fine.”

She said, puffing out her chest proudly. But as she did, Noah’s hand wrapped firmly around her shoulder.

When she looked up at him in surprise, Noah awkwardly explained.

“I’m the one who’s cold.”

Cordelia couldn’t help but laugh out loud at his cute attempt to use such an excuse.

Before they knew it, they had entered the eastern part of the city. Unlike the western and southern districts, where nobles typically resided and carried out their activities, the eastern and northern parts were largely populated by commoners. The difference was evident, not just in the grandeur of the buildings but also in the clothing of the people passing by. The streets bustled with a lively energy that was both noisy and comforting.

“So many people.”

Cordelia remarked.

“Yes, there are.”

Noah responded casually. As they continued walking to find a suitable place to eat, Cordelia moved closer to him. The farther they walked, the more the crowd seemed to grow. When they glanced toward the direction of the square, it was packed with people, a stark contrast to the quieter scene they had seen earlier at their meeting spot.

“It seems like there are more people than usual.”

Cordelia noted.

Using his height to his advantage, Noah looked over the heads of the crowd, scanning the area where the masses seemed to be gathering. Spotting a few flags rising above the crowd, he squinted to get a better view.

“Could it be a traveling troupe? They don’t look like anyone from the temple.”