In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 127

EPISODE 127

Beautiful.

Noah, with his hands in his pockets, gazed at the incomplete relief that filled his view. The form of the artwork gradually taking shape from the bottom was truly remarkable. He had come to the altar with the requested item, but he couldn’t see Olive anywhere. Pushing his hat down as much as possible, Noah looked around.

The space he was in was quite large, but it appeared rather desolate due to the lack of people. In a few months, the commissioned statues and paintings would fill the interior.

Who should he ask for help? But everyone seemed focused on their work, and he was hesitant to disturb them.

“That’s a face I haven’t seen before.”

At the sound of someone calling him, Noah turned around. A slender man was smiling at him. His attire was quite flamboyant, and he appeared to be slightly older than Noah’s uncle.

“Oh, yes. Excuse me, but may I know your name…?”

“I am Ael Trenpio.”

The name that slipped from the man’s lips was that of the kingdom’s most renowned painter. Upon seeing Noah’s face, he paused and stared at him for quite a while.

“Why do you look at me like that?”

“Oh, I apologize. It’s just that I was wondering if you might be interested in being a subject for a painting.”

“Pardon?”

“I thought it might be nice to try painting you. I won’t shortchange you on the payment.”

His dry gaze, as if assessing a piece of art, swept over Noah’s face and body. Momentarily taken aback, Noah calmly replied.

“It’s truly an honor, but I must decline.”

“Why is that?”

“I don’t like standing out.”

Noah’s expression was solid, leaving no room for doubt. Ael, having noticed that his response was genuine, looked a bit disappointed and spoke again.

“But still…”

“Ah, you! How dare you eye my apprentice. It’s far too early for that.”

A lively and cool voice interrupted their conversation. As both men turned to the side, Olive walked in, shaking his hands dry of water at the entrance.

“Oh, could it be that you’re the much-rumored apprentice of Olive?”

Ael looked even more intrigued than before. He let out a low exclamation of admiration.

“You, with that face, actually haven’t painted a self-portrait yet.”

“I probably won’t do it in the future either. By the way, didn’t you come here to work?”

“I’m on break right now. My apprentices nagged me to take a break every five hours. How long have you rested?”

“I’ve taken about the same amount of time.”

Seeing him naturally inquire about his work made Noah feel certain that the other person knew exactly who he was. It was convenient not to have to formally introduce themselves, but was it okay to have such a casual conversation…?

Suddenly, a faint sound of bells rang in Noah’s ears. As he heard the bells chime four times, he spoke politely.

“I have an appointment, so I’ll take my leave now. Master, I’ve brought food in the basket, so make sure to eat it on time. Please don’t overdo it.”

After listing off a few more reminders, Noah left the site without looking back. Ael, watching him go, turned to Olive, who was standing with his arms crossed.

“He’s very young.”

“Indeed.”

“Are you telling me that such a young person painted that mural?”

Despite his flamboyant appearance, the young man’s speech was gentle, and his gaze remained calm and detached. It was hard to believe that someone with such a tranquil impression could be the creator of the vibrant mural.

When he first encountered the mural, any decent painter would have thought the same thing: Who on earth is this monster?

“He has a side that’s a bit different from how he appears. He’s a very passionate and intelligent kid.”

“His work certainly suggested that. By the way, since he’s your apprentice, doesn’t he do sculpture?”

“He does. Whether he receives commissions for it is another matter, though.”

Ael slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

“I heard it’s rare for him to even show his face at the guild unless he has a commission… I never expected such a beautiful young man.”

Even after Noah had left, Olive remained focused on the entrance, where he had exited. He added seriously.

“Don’t think about painting him without his permission. Just forget it. If you don’t want your remaining life to be unfortunate.”

“Ah, so there was a reason you took on an apprentice.”

After giving some advice, he immediately took the bait. What a sly one, Olive thought to himself as he asked, a bit puzzled.

“Why are you so interested? It’s not like you.”

Pointing out Ael’s somewhat narcissistic nature, he smoothed his chin and smiled.

“It’s intriguing that someone with such a beautiful face has eyes filled with such deep and dark sorrow.”

Beneath the seemingly gentle, sky-blue eyes, there was a profound sadness. It was the kind of look that suggested a story behind it. Such a gaze wasn’t something you’d often see in a young man.

“A subject with such imaginative potential isn’t common. There’s fulfillment in expressing it.”

If he were merely beautiful, it wouldn’t be so disappointing.

“You still have terrible taste.”

“To pursue art, one must be a bit mad in some way, don’t you think?”

“You’re still not over your superficial tendencies.”

With a sigh, Olive strolled back to his workspace. Soon after, Ael also returned to his assigned wall and picked up his brush.

* * *

Stepping out of the temple, Noah found the carriage that Cordelia was riding in without any trouble. Amidst the throngs of people moving in and out of the temple, a persistent gaze followed the side of Noah’s face.

Even feeling the scrutinizing eyes upon him, Noah casually knocked on the carriage door.

“Noah, what took you so long to come out?”

As soon as the door opened, he saw Cordelia, beautifully dressed, grumbling softly. After Noah closed the door and took his seat, Cordelia’s voice rang out clearly, instructing the coachman to set off.

“I’m sorry. I got held up with something in between.”

“What was it? Did the priest stop you to say something?”

“Nothing like that. I just happened to run into Ael Trenpio.”

“Oh, that painter? He came to work at the temple too?”

“Yes.”

Inside the moving carriage, the two engaged in quiet conversation. Cordelia glanced at the bracelet on Noah’s arm, which seemed to have a strong presence.

Despite her worries, the unfortunate incident of their bodies switching again had not occurred since then. Of course, Cordelia was careful to point out that if such a thing happened again, it would be quite a disaster.

Noah’s expression was much the same as usual—gentle and kind.

“You mentioned you’d stop by the bookstore?”

“I go there at least once when a new book comes out.”

As they opened the window, warm sunlight poured into the carriage, proving that spring was just around the corner. Thanks to the much milder weather, Cordelia could go out without wearing her thick winter clothes.

Their plans were progressing smoothly. The word had spread surprisingly quickly, to the point where even Cordelia was a bit taken aback. Of course, the royal family must have had a hand in spreading the word, but the ease with which popularity could be generated felt a bit hollow.

“By the way, you look really beautiful today. It seems like you’ve put in extra effort.”

Cordelia wore a dress with a full hem made of crimson silk, which was quite eye-catching. Her honey-colored hair complemented the vibrant color perfectly.

“Your outfit seems different from usual too.”

Pointing out that he was wearing clothes she had bought for him, Noah hesitated before speaking.

“…I was worried.”

“About what?”

“I was afraid you might think I didn’t suit you, Lady Cordelia. I thought I should at least match the appearance a bit.”

It was puzzling why he blushed so much over such a simple comment.

At that moment, Noah gently lifted his body. Supporting himself with one hand on the wall of the carriage, he carefully brushed Cordelia’s cheek with the other. A shadow fell over her head.

Huh?

While Cordelia blinked in surprise, a gentle kiss touched the corner of her eye. The shadow that had covered her head vanished in an instant. Why was the return so much quicker than the slow pace it took to arrive?

Cordelia touched the corner of her eye where she had just received a kiss. Suddenly feeling a bit warmer, she opened the other window wide.

“You’re starting to come at me without warning.”

Though there was a hint of forewarning when their lips met.

“Did you dislike it?”

“No, of course not. You should do it more often. Now that you’ve got a beauty like me, you should show it off more. Let your joy be known!”

As she playfully spoke her sincere thoughts, Noah let out a small laugh. While she was captivated by his refreshing smile, he rummaged through his bag.

“Oh, please take this.”

Cordelia accepted the wooden box Noah offered and opened the lid. Inside was a small crown-shaped hair accessory that fits perfectly in her palm, along with a bracelet made of red rose-shaped gems.

“Wow, what’s this?”

“I asked my mother for the bracelet… She also gave me the hair accessory.”

Cordelia remembered that the crown had been on the table when she met Aileen.

“Did something happen with my mother?”

“Not really? We just had a little chat. I guess she liked me. I am quite lovable, after all.”

As Cordelia joked, Noah gently fastened the bracelet on her arm. The red gems sparkled beautifully, like fully bloomed petals.

“The hair accessory might be too eye-catching, so it’s better to wear it later.”

“Okay.”

Just as she tucked the hairpiece back into her bag, the coachman announced their arrival and stopped the carriage. Noah, stepping down first, politely extended his hand to Cordelia still inside.

Taking his hand with a playful haughty demeanor, Cordelia stepped down, and together they walked into the bookstore. Though many eyes were drawn to her shorter hair, she walked even more confidently.

As they headed toward the section where her book might be displayed, they heard someone’s voice.

“Huh?”