In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 133

EPISODE 133

Is that why she’s bringing this up to him? 

Calia shook her head at his hasty assumption.  

“No way. This is just my opinion, it has nothing to do with Cordelia. I don’t believe marriage is the culmination of love, but we live in a time where most people do. But that doesn’t make it a bad thing, right?”  

Calia’s expression softened as she murmured that it was simply different.  

“But that doesn’t mean I want to follow the same path as others. Sure, some people have ideal love, but I don’t think I’m cut out for that. Besides, love doesn’t have to be some picture-perfect thing.”  

Calia, without hesitation, spoke words that would have left her former suitors sighing in dismay. Yet there was no regret in her expression. The elegant woman turned her head to face Noah directly.  

“I just wanted to say thank you because I think our youngest has finally come to understand that after meeting you.”  

“No, if anything, I should be the one thanking you.”  

If he hadn’t met Cordelia, he wouldn’t have found the resolve to move forward.  

“Meeting her is, without a doubt, one of the greatest fortunes in my life.”  

Noah’s sincere expression must have amused Calia, as she smiled slightly.  

“It’s because you think like that that Cordelia chose you.”  

Her tone was dry as if stating a simple fact.  

“My sister has always been serious about love… but she hates thinking too deeply about things, which makes it hard for her feelings to deepen. And if she does think too much, she’s bound to get hurt.”  

Calia waved her hand lightly, a faint trace of autumn-like melancholy lingering in her eyes. Perhaps it was because she had already experienced so much.  

“The fact that she’s shed her reluctance means you’ve given her that much trust.”  

Noah lowered his eyes slightly, pressing his lips together. He didn’t know what to say. Calia, perhaps misinterpreting his silence, waved her hand dismissively.  

“I wasn’t trying to burden you. Did I scare you too much?”  

Calia, who had been watching him closely, deliberately lightened the mood.  

“Well, even if you two break up, I won’t seek revenge or anything, so there’s no need to worry.”  

Noah snapped back to attention, staring at Calia, who was smiling mischievously. The elegant woman fanned herself as if finding the situation amusing.  

“What? Not everything ends well, right? It can’t. All we can do is give our best.”  

The atmosphere between them shifted strangely. As Calia naturally changed the tone of the conversation, a bead of cold sweat ran down Noah’s temple. Did she know something? He struggled to steady the sharpness creeping into his gaze.  

“So don’t waste precious time worrying about when it might end. No one knows the future, anyway.”  

Even though he knew she was offering encouragement, Noah couldn’t resist asking impulsively.

“Do you think it’s possible not to regret it?”  

‘You won’t be able to avoid making a choice forever. But I’ll respect whatever choice you make.’  

The words Jerania had left still felt deeply embedded in his chest. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so suffocating every time he remembered them.

Noah’s complexion, pale as it was under the shadow, seemed even more washed out as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists.  

“Countess, every time I make a choice, I always think: Was this decision truly the right one? Will my future self…”  

Will his future self look back on this moment without regret?  

Noah couldn’t finish the sentence. His voice trembled, and he held his breath, afraid his fear would become obvious.  

“So what? You’ve already made your choice.”  

Calia’s reply was breezy.  

“If you don’t regret it now, isn’t that enough? There are a lot of people who regret their decisions even in the very moment they make them.”

Calia took a step forward, approaching Noah. Her pink eyes, tinged with a hint of red, carried warmth.  

“It would be nice if everything went perfectly, but even if it doesn’t, it doesn’t mean it’s without value. Chasing ideals is about becoming someone a little closer to them, and that’s where the significance lies.”  

With that, she flicked Noah’s forehead lightly with her finger. Though the gesture was soft, the pain was rather sharp. Noah instinctively covered the spot with his hand, staring at Calia in stunned surprise.  

“It’s fine to worry but don’t let it consume you. You’re not alone, after all.”  

Her voice, scolding yet kind, oddly reminded him of Franz, whom he had met earlier. Noah suddenly wondered, is this what it would feel like to have an older sister?  

“Sis, Noah!”  

A cheerful voice lifted the heavy atmosphere. As Noah turned his head, someone leaped into his arms. He reflexively caught the person.  

“I found it! The answer!”  

Cordelia, holding a long pouch in one hand, grinned up at Noah. She furrowed her brow and chattered away when she noticed his blank stare.  

“Why aren’t you saying anything? And what’s with that face? Oh, did my sister bully you?”  

“No matter how much I tease, I wouldn’t be as bad as you.”  

“Why would I bully Noah? I’ve been treating him like gold. Anyway, Noah, are you upset about something? If my sister did anything, tell me, and I’ll get mad on your behalf.”  

Cordelia snapped at Calia in disbelief, all while stroking Noah’s cheek with a syrupy sweet voice, acting as coy as a fox.  

“No, it’s nothing.”  

Shaking his head, Noah suddenly pulled Cordelia into a tight embrace.  

“…Because I like you, Cordelia.”  

“Huh?”  

What’s with him?

She wasn’t sure what had come over him, but hey, affection was always welcome. Being wrapped up in his much larger arms made her heart flutter a little. Listening to her own heartbeat like a melody, Cordelia smiled contentedly and patted Noah’s back with her free hand.  

“Oh my, I guess I was just being clueless!”  

Meanwhile, Calia, watching the scene unfold, shot them a look as though she was staring at a pair of cockroaches. Seriously, even though she’s her sister, she’s so lucky. Always shows up at the perfect moment to claim these emotional victories.

Hah. After all the chaos, they’d better live happily ever after. She exhaled and quietly whispered to Veronica, who had approached from behind.  

“Any issues?”  

“No, I didn’t sense any prying eyes.”  

“Good, then that’s fine.”  

It seemed that the attention was more focused on her sister’s lover than on herself.  

Calia, deciding she’d given them enough time, called out at an appropriate moment.  

“Cordy, didn’t you say you found the answer to the riddle? Aren’t you going to share it?”  

“Oh, right! Let’s go quickly.”  

Smiling brightly, Cordelia walked alongside Calia into the building. After passing through the hallways, they entered a room where a knight in uniform awaited them.  

Confidently, Cordelia pulled out the item from her pouch and handed it to the knight.  

“This is it, the answer to the riddle!”  

It was a toy, a hobby horse with a horse’s head on the end of a stick. The kind children played with until they grew older and moved on to riding real horses, no longer needing the toy.  

The knight’s eyes sparkled as he saw the hobby horse Cordelia had brought out.  

“Yes, that’s correct. You found it faster than I expected.”  

“Has anyone else come by yet?”  

“Only five people, including you, have solved it so far.”  

“Wow, everyone’s fast.”  

“If you want to claim the prize, you should hurry. The first person to solve it came by about an hour ago.”  

“They must have solved it almost immediately after the start.”  

“Indeed. Here is your token of proof.”  

The knight handed Cordelia a gold-plated ornament from a drawer. The flat ornament, about the size of Noah’s fingertip, was shaped like the sun. They must have spent some money on it to prevent counterfeiting; items made by the royal family wouldn’t be easy to steal and sell.  

Cordelia tucked the hobby horse back into her leather pouch and passed the ornament to Calia.  

“Why are you giving this to me?”  

“You said you were interested. By the way, did everything go well?”  

Seeing Cordelia’s teasing grin, Calia couldn’t help but chuckle. She had always been quick to pick up on things since childhood. Calia tightly grasped the ornament in her palm and replied. 

“Yeah.”  

“And that’s a gift. Thanks to you, I got to see Noah being all clingy with me.”  

Cordelia whispered playfully and strutted down the hallway. Calia shook her head in exasperation as she followed.  

Once outside, they separated again. As Calia and Veronica walked away, Cordelia reached out her hand to Noah.  

“Okay, let’s go.”  

“Sure.”  

Without hesitation, Noah took her hand but suddenly noticed someone hastily hiding around the corner behind Cordelia. He turned his head without saying anything.  

A shadow stretched long behind Noah as he followed Cordelia. After a while, the dust stirred under the careful footsteps of those treading lightly over that shadow.  

* * *

The gentle spring breeze brushed softly against Cordelia’s face. The warm sunlight made it a day so delightful that it made her want to hum a tune. She liked her outfit today, and beside her was the person she loved.

What a happy moment this was.  

Now that they were alone again, meaningful events would probably start happening tomorrow, so they could afford to relax and enjoy today.  

“Ahhhh!”  

She was sure she had thought just that.