In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 13

EPISODE 13

When not painting portraits, there was almost no occasion to meet artists, but they, like Noah, would also spend hours sitting and painting. Considering that it was a job where you just sit still and paint, it would be normal for one’s body to deteriorate.

Cordelia glanced at Noah’s well-toned arms and thighs, trying not to be rude. Though she had half given up on being pretentious, she didn’t want to make a bad impression here.

“Yes, it’s something you need physical stamina for. So I do exercise… Since I started sculpting, my stamina has increased significantly. I can’t be easily injured by just any amount of force.”

“Ah, sculpting… You also do that?”

Cordelia almost bit her tongue at the thought of the torso-only plaster statue she had seen in his house. She nearly got caught for snooping into his studio. Trying to subtly change the subject, Noah slowly nodded.

“It’s still more of a hobby. I’m far from being able to take commissions.”

“Why did you start?”

Since it was her first time having a proper conversation about creativity like this, Cordelia had more questions than usual. In the field of art, aside from religious contexts, it was often looked down upon, and since most practitioners were commoners, questions from a noble were often taken as disdain.

But Noah seemed to regard whatever she said as mere curiosity. It was as if he didn’t feel insecure or self-conscious. Thanks to that, it wasn’t burdensome to ask various questions.

“Just, I try to do whatever I find interesting. If I can’t do it, it can’t be helped, and if I do it well, that’s good.”

The response was endlessly light-hearted. Although the gaze with which he spoke wasn’t as light as his voice, Cordelia pretended not to notice and moved on with her questions.

“Do you paint with that kind of mindset too?”

“Since I started getting paid, it has become more burdensome than before.”

A small dimple appeared at the corner of Noah’s mouth, which was rarely seen in jest. As Cordelia smiled back, a thread of doubt began to sprout in her mind.

If he said it became more burdensome after he started getting paid, does that mean he originally didn’t intend to make painting his profession? It sounded as if painting was the priority and money was secondary.

That aloof attitude kept bothering her.

He had clearly stated that he was a commoner when she asked about his status. But perhaps it was her own prejudice, the man didn’t seem to look, speak, or act like a commoner. The words and intonations he used were different from hers, and his respectful yet unassuming attitude and precise manner of speaking were also notable.

At the same time, she recalled the large mansion she had woken up in. It looked like a wealthy household, and considering the butler’s attitude, he must have been raised in a privileged environment. Perhaps that’s why he had such an aura.

Hmm, perhaps it’s just prejudice.

It’s not that she thought nobility was synonymous with nobility.

Thinking that far gave her a headache, so she stopped. After all, thinking was not her strong suit; it was something her sisters were good at.

Especially when it came to mysteries, it was even more so. She had tried to come up with some tricks for a mystery element before, but after receiving a bunch of feedback on improvements from her sister, she gave up on the idea.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t do my best, though.”

The quiet response pulled Cordelia out of her deep thoughts. Noah’s expression was serious, suggesting he was also lost in thought.

“For me, each moment of holding the brush feels like a miracle, so I’ve never really thought about needing to do it well. I’m just satisfied if I can paint.”

Satisfied if he can paint.

“Hey, don’t you want to do better?”

“If I could, I would like to. But when I think too much while painting, my hand doesn’t move at all. If I force myself to start, I at least see the end. I’m trying not to overthink things.”

Cordelia silently met Noah’s gaze. From his warm, bright eyes, she felt she glimpsed a solid foundation rooted deep within him.

“We’ve arrived, My Lady!”

The cheerful voice of the carriage driver shattered the solemn atmosphere. Cordelia, with her fringe down and hat on, quickly entered the bookstore with Noah.

As soon as the two stepped into the bookstore, a moment of silence fell. Familiar with this reaction, Cordelia easily ignored the murmurs around her and looked around.

The bookstore was quite large even in the capital, and the building was crowded with people. Though it had been around for a while, it had only seen such an increase in visitors in the past few years. When she was younger, she never imagined so many people would be searching for books.

It was a sight she wanted to show her sister, who had been diligently promoting educational policies since becoming queen. After all, she had benefited from it as well.

Cordelia approached a stand with popular novels. Though book prices had decreased, they were still not cheap, so usually, people would take out one book at a time to read and then go to the owner to mention the title of the book they wanted.

Among the books lined up, Cordelia felt a sense of pride seeing her own book displayed at the front. As she looked for new releases by her favorite authors, she found that one of them had a new work out.

Unlike herself, who wrote in various genres, this author had dedicated his career to being a polite and kind-hearted handsome man. His lyrical writing style sang of romantic love but with a rather sharp perspective.

From just the writing, she imagined he might be a small, cute woman. It would be nice to meet him in person. Although, given her position of hiding her identity, such thoughts were rather fortunate.

As she subtly picked up a book and turned the pages while listening intently, she overheard quiet voices next to her.

“Are you going to buy that novel?”

“Yeah. I like this author’s work.”

Looking to the right, she saw a group of girls holding a book with a gray cover. Judging by their well-dressed appearance, they seemed to be from a somewhat affluent family.

She recognized the book as soon as she saw the cover. It was The Letters of Gray Dorian.

“Doesn’t your family have strict rules? If they found out you were looking at that, it’d be a big deal.”

“That’s why I came out to buy it myself. Lately, there’s been talk about marriage. I’ve seen the portraits, and they all seemed pretty lackluster. Father seems to already have someone he likes, though…”

“Oh, I hate that. It’s your marriage, after all.”

“Honestly, I’m a bit scared. I envy you. You’re getting along well with your husband.”

“I was just lucky… Anyway, let’s buy this and go back. Just from the beginning, it’s so exciting.”

Wait a minute. That’s the content!

“Excuse me!”

The two girls turned to look at the soft touch on their coat sleeves. They were astonished to see an incredibly beautiful woman, as if from a novel.

Cordelia, noticing the dazed look from the girls, cleared her throat and spoke kindly.

“Are you going to buy that book?”

“Huh? Oh, yes.”

“I’m also a fan of that author, and I read it in advance. This novel is quite different from the author’s usual style. I think this book might suit your tastes better.”

It’s not that one should only read writings full of dreams and hopes. But! For someone anxious about an upcoming marriage, it was a gloomy read.

If she didn’t know, she’d let it go. But now that she did, it made her uneasy. Even if it seemed meddlesome, she couldn’t help it.

“Why are you suddenly butting in…”

The girl’s voice was somewhat wary, and Cordelia, recognizing the natural reaction, quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry. I happened to overhear while choosing a book. Could you forgive my rudeness? I just wanted to recommend this book instead. If it’s alright, I’d like to gift it to you.”

The two girls exchanged glances in front of the smiling Cordelia. Perhaps thinking it was a good offer, the girl holding the book nodded.

Not wanting to provoke further suspicion, Cordelia quietly went with the girls to the cashier. As she was paying for the books she intended to buy, one of the girls whispered.

“Um… Are you perhaps from a noble family?”

“Pardon?”

“We noticed that big guy following you…”

Only then did Cordelia turn around. Seeing Noah standing with his face hidden by his bangs, he did indeed look quite imposing. Although he was dressed plainly, his height and build made him look intimidating.

What a shame, girls. Behind that curtain-like hair is celestial beauty.

“Do you know him?”

Cordelia nodded at the somewhat tense girl. It seemed they were worried he was following them rather than being part of their group. Given the situation, Cordelia reassured them multiple times that it was alright.

“By the way, may I ask your name?”

Having bought everything she needed, the girls followed Cordelia out. The girl with brown hair and freckles on her nose clutched the book tightly.

As Cordelia turned around with a smile towards the two girls, the hem of her blue dress fluttered like waves. Lowering her head slightly, Cordelia whispered.

“I’m a fairy, so I can’t tell you my name.”

With a finger on her lips, she smiled gently. The girls, initially stunned by Cordelia’s bold nonsense, soon burst into laughter.

“What! What kind of joke is that?”

“No, it’s true! Think about it. Have you ever seen a beauty like me?”

She was even cheeky about it. Her bold attitude made the girls’ pupils waver, and Noah, witnessing the scene of Cordelia deceiving the innocent girls, subtly averted his gaze.

At that moment, something emerged from the alley near the bookstore. Someone running hastily charged towards Cordelia’s direction.