In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 18

EPISODE 18

“Let go of this!”

When she turned towards the source of the sound, she saw a man and woman who looked like nobility engaged in a struggle. Specifically, the man was holding the woman’s waist, and her raised hand, which seemed ready to slap him, was also caught and unable to move.

“Princess, why are you being so obstinate?”

“That’s an insulting remark. Count, I have already written my intentions clearly in my reply.”

“Yes, you’ve said in every letter that you were unwell and unable to meet. Yet, we have finally met, so I suppose fate is indeed fate.”

It seemed he was misunderstanding her refusal, believing there was some sort of connection between them.

“…Did you see the last sentence of my recent letter?”

“I have read every letter you’ve sent numerous times. ‘Our situations and positions are so different that I wish to end this as a non-relationship.’ I wondered if this is what it feels like to have one’s heart torn apart. Even though the relationship between your family and mine is not so good, if a union between you and me could resolve it, wouldn’t that be a joyous occasion as well?”

No, it meant ‘go away,’ didn’t it?

His honeyed words felt as sticky as cheese. Cordelia pretended to gag and slowly looked around, but unfortunately, there was no one passing by. It was rather odd that he didn’t care about the location for such a disgusting act.

Cordelia let out a light sigh and walked toward them with a quick, fox-like movement.

“It might be a good idea to make this a fait accompli… Ah!”

Just as he tried to lift his hand from her waist, a rough grip pulled his arm back, and he let out a scream. Cordelia subdued the struggling man even more firmly, and his hat fell to the ground during the rough scuffle.

Cordelia looked at the writhing man with a somewhat curious gaze. She knew her strength was different from his, but she could subdue him without exerting much effort.

“Unions and all that should proceed with mutual consent, don’t you think? Trying to force an answer from a lady and oppressing her does not look good.”

“W-who are you?”

The man finally turned his head to see Cordelia, and his eyes filled with anger. Perhaps he mistook her for a servant based on her attire, as he confidently shouted at her.

“Let go of this! How dare a servant be so insolent!”

“Are you Count Zern?”

The man flinched at the precise mention of his name. Cordelia only smiled with the corners of her mouth lifted, though her eyes, hidden by her hair, gave a somewhat eerie impression.

“If you wish to punish me, feel free to do so. However, I’m not sure if His Majesty the King would be pleased with such a commotion.”

Her calm but forceful tone put pressure on the man. Anyone who knew the King’s affection for the Queen could easily imagine his reaction if a scandal occurred on the Queen’s birthday. The man, who had flinched for a moment, immediately shouted with renewed bravado.

“Is this a threat?”

“So this is what a threat looks like. I’m glad to know.”

Cordelia replied with a nonchalant attitude, then shoved the man aside, preventing him from seeing the woman. As the man stumbled backward, nearly falling to the ground, he managed to regain his balance and avoid a full-blown fall. His snake-like eyes scanned Cordelia from head to toe.

Just as the unsettling gaze seemed to be making Cordelia uncomfortable, the man openly expressed his displeasure.

“You should know your place! How dare you interfere in matters of such esteemed individuals! Kneel and beg for forgiveness immediately!”

Even though he was demanding, he was too cowardly to come closer, which was a typical sign of a spineless person.

Wow, this is tiresome. Is this all he can say?

Suppressing the urge to cover her ears, Cordelia responded to the man’s pitiful behavior with exaggerated politeness, almost making it sound like mockery.

“It seems my appearance may have led to some misunderstandings.”

“Misunderstandings?”

“Count Zern. Is it acceptable to inform the lady’s family of this matter?”

Cordelia spoke in her usual refined tone, causing a look of discomfort to spread across the man’s face. Though his appearance suggested he was a servant, his tone and mannerisms carried a noble air.

Could he be an actual noble?

If their statuses were indeed equal, this situation would be disadvantageous for him. Despite knowing he should retreat, he cast a lingering glance at the woman standing behind Cordelia.

“…It seems we’ve been interrupted. I’ll see you another time.”

The man spat this out as he turned on his heel and walked away. His attempt to look dignified while quickly retreating almost made Cordelia burst into laughter.

Such bravado. Still acting childish, that fool.

“Thank you for your help.”

Cordelia glanced back at the quietly spoken voice. The woman was familiar too: Marquise Dahlia Paulette, slightly over twenty years old now.

Cordelia couldn’t help but click her tongue at the count’s meager sense of morality. There must be a significant age difference between them, and with his modest wealth and looks, what kind of nerve did he have?

It was surprising how she ended up involved with such a scoundrel, though Cordelia wasn’t particularly curious. Such incidents were not uncommon once one made a name in high society. Nevertheless, she asked out of courtesy.

“How did you end up in such a deserted place with that rogue?”

“I was just looking for a cool place to wander.”

Judging by the faint voices coming from afar, it didn’t seem they were too far from the banquet hall. With just a bit more walking, they could likely re-enter the outdoor banquet area.

As Cordelia picked up the fallen hat and dusted it off, Dahlia quietly inquired.

“What is your name?”

“What would you do knowing the name of someone so lowly?”

This was almost an acknowledgment that the earlier confrontation was nothing but a façade. Dahlia’s brown eyes narrowed as she looked at Cordelia, who was pressing the hat firmly onto her head.

“I asked for your name, not your background.”

Damn, nobles!

“Oh, right! I was sent by my master on an urgent errand. Please be careful on your way back.”

“Wait!”

Ignoring her, Cordelia began running in the opposite direction from where the banquet hall was presumed to be. Given that she was currently dealing with the situation as Noah, she didn’t want to add any more complications.

As she swiftly rounded the corner of the building and continued running towards the direction of the road, she didn’t notice someone walking beside her. By the time she realized, it was already too late.

***

Noah reflexively shook off the hand that grabbed his shoulder. The touch was so cold that the man who had held his shoulder shrugged and grinned slyly.

“How rude, can’t even greet someone?”

The man had curly brown hair and a confident smile. Though handsome, his face had the kind of playful look that suggested he might enjoy a light-hearted dalliance before marriage. His cheeks were slightly flushed, possibly from drinking.

“Who are you?”

“Still as brazen as ever. Leaving me hanging like that.”

Seeing him burst into laughter as if he was fed up, it immediately became clear that he was someone who had been involved with Cordelia.

‘Hmm, I do have a few past acquaintances… He might approach me at the banquet. But it’s all sorted out now, so I don’t need to worry about it!’

Cordelia’s face came to mind as she hesitated to reveal this fact despite speaking confidently about other matters.

Noah was not without insight. The way Cordelia treated him showed she was extremely accustomed to dealing with men, implying she had considerable dating experience. Moreover, though the man spoke casually, his eyes revealed a lingering attachment he had yet to fully shake off. Noah decided to be even more coldly indifferent, as Cordelia had advised.

“Since I was rejected, it must have been for the best.”

Repeating Cordelia’s words verbatim, the man sighed.

“Fine, I admit I may have spoken poorly. But even so, cutting off a relationship so abruptly like that would hurt anyone, no matter who they are.”

“I gave you a chance. I don’t understand why you’re implying that the end of the relationship is my fault.”

Noah spoke quietly while scanning the surroundings. There were a lot of eyes glancing their way, pretending not to look but observing. He needed to be cautious about how he behaved here to avoid any potential gossip.

“What’s with the attitude? Speaking of which, it seems you’ve finally gotten over that notorious obsession with cleanliness.”

“Obsessed with cleanliness?”

“You used to be so bold, but now you’re so prissy about a simple kiss. I thought you’d be more proactive, but I guess you’re just like any other noble lady after all.”

The man’s voice grew loud, seemingly aiming to embarrass Noah in front of others. While Cordelia might have dismissed it with a smirk and an indifferent attitude, Noah wasn’t able to take it so lightly.

His face turned pale with the sting of the insult as he stared silently at the man.

“…I suppose you’ve been gossiping and complaining all this time.”

“What?”

“From the way you talk, it seems you criticized me and spoke poorly of me behind my back while we were together. Am I right?”

Such things are often said among men when they gather. Noah had heard similar stories countless times whenever he socialized. He sighed deliberately and rubbed his forehead as if to express his disbelief.

“Apparently, you have nothing to boast about. If you can’t belittle your opponent, you have nothing to present. How pitiful.”

The voice, laced with a mocking tone, grew loud enough for those around to hear. It was now the man’s turn to get angry. Even as he stirred up trouble, Noah noted the presence of many onlookers. They couldn’t have a public fight here.

However, Noah overlooked the fact that the man was quite drunk. Though not so intoxicated as to be unable to distinguish reality, he was certainly impulsive enough to act recklessly.

The man gritted his teeth and reached out with a rough hand, seemingly trying to grab Noah again. Noah, keeping his eyes on the man, deftly sidestepped his grasp and subtly tripped him with his foot. The man fell clumsily to the floor.

The tablecloth covering a nearby table flew up into the air with the man’s movement, then fluttered down onto his body.

A burst of laughter erupted among the onlookers. Once it started, it seemed impossible to stop, and soon others joined in, laughing. The man, tangled in the tablecloth like a cake smeared with cream, reddened as he struggled to remove it and get up.

Seeing Noah’s expression of feigned innocence, his face flushed with a mix of red and blue.

“This is—!”

“Perhaps it’s time to stop.”

A gruff voice intervened, cutting through the commotion.