In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 3

EPISODE 3

“Oh my goodness, this is unbelievable!”

Cordelia exclaimed in awe as she slowly touched her face. The handsome man in the mirror mimicked her movements exactly. His skin, though soft, showed signs of not being well-maintained, slightly rough in places. Still, with no blemishes and a healthy tan, he looked robust.

Though the bangs that reached her eyes were annoying and obstructed her view, it was bearable.

As she quickly placed her hands on her upper arms and chest, she could feel the firm muscles beneath the thin skin. Lowering her gaze, she saw her thick thighs, which seemed as wide as her waist.

“Wow, my upper arms are so thick! Oh my gosh! And my thighs too!”

Her face and body were not lacking for a male protagonist in a novel. She couldn’t believe such a man existed!

Feeling a surge of inspiration after a long time, Cordelia rummaged through the desk drawer. Luckily, she found a few sheets of paper among the miscellaneous items. Pulling out one sheet, she opened the ink bottle on the desk and dipped the nib of the quill pen into it.

She then began to write fervently on the paper.

“Hmm… Though I look gentle, it might be interesting if this face had a bit of a scheming character. Or no, it might be better to be a perfectly chaste and kind man! Still, knowing my good looks, I could charm women with my face…”

As Cordelia excitedly continued, her thoughts became more intense, but she suddenly tilted her head.

“Hmm? It feels like I forgot something.”

It was only when she looked at her thick yet elegant fingers holding the pen that she remembered what she had forgotten.

The calloused fingers were quite impressive compared to her pretty face. Straightening her bent waist, she lightly clapped her hands.

“Oh! I’ve switched bodies!”

Cordelia tended to become much more expressive and vocal when she was absorbed in her work, and this was no exception.

So, is this also his room?

Realizing her behavior was rude, Cordelia quickly put down the pen. She then glanced around and cautiously picked up the paper she had been writing on, tucking it into her arms. She took a quick look at the mirror and gave a subtle apology to the owner of the body.

“Sorry, I’ll make sure to compensate you later.”

After muttering this, Cordelia carefully surveyed the room again. It wasn’t as grand as the mansion she was staying in, but it was quite spacious and well-furnished. The furniture wasn’t overtly extravagant, but the intricate patterns suggested it was of significant value.

Approaching the large window, she saw tree branches with lush leaves and birds fluttering about.

Maybe it’s the second floor. It looks like a mansion. Whoever lives here is quite wealthy.

“Well, why did this happen to me?”

She had asked to date a man like this, but she had never wished to become one. She suddenly felt frustrated. How had she been wasting her efforts all this time when such a face existed? Was this what it felt like to seriously regret one’s life?

What could his original personality be like? She hopes he’s not just a rude and possessive scoundrel who has no sense of etiquette like many other people. With a face like this, she could tolerate some roughness in his personality. It would be great if he could hold his liquor well too.

But it’s strange. Cordelia stared intently at the mirror. The man’s face blinking slowly seemed oddly familiar.

“I feel like I’ve seen him before…”

But how could she forget such a face?

The world, lacking handsome men to suit her taste, surely would have left some trace if she had seen such a handsome man.

In other words, even if she couldn’t recall his face, at least a memory of seeing an incredibly handsome man should come to mind after shaking out her memories.

Wait a minute. Looking at his face, he seems to be over twenty, so perhaps she met him when she was very young…

Just as she was on the verge of remembering, a knock was heard. Startled, Cordelia almost made a sound but quickly swallowed her breath.

“Master, is there something wrong?”

A deep voice came from outside the door. Cordelia composed her voice as best as she could.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

Fortunately, she was able to respond in a fairly calm tone. Having been in high society, she had developed a keen sense of observation and acting skills. Regardless of the circumstances, she couldn’t afford to openly make enemies.

Cordelia looked at what she was wearing: a white shirt and brown trousers. It was plain and ordinary, but too light for outdoor wear.

She checked the wardrobe on the wall opposite the desk but found only simple clothes. Taking out the most suitable outfit for going out, Cordelia clicked her tongue inwardly. Why were there only such dull clothes in a house like this?

Whoever this is, once the situation is resolved, she would have to get some proper clothes for him.

Since money was in abundance, contributing to the world’s beauty wouldn’t be a bad idea. Though handsome, his face wasn’t overwhelmingly flashy, so clothes would likely suit him well.

“Alright, I need to visit the Duke’s residence first.”

First, she needed to confirm what had happened to her body.

After changing into outdoor clothes, she pulled back her bangs and firmly placed a brown hat from the wardrobe on her head. She grabbed the money pouch she had found in the desk drawer and opened the door without thinking, almost letting out a scream.

The reason was clear: the old butler, whom she thought had already left, was standing right in front of the door. The elderly man, slightly shorter than her, looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“Master?”

“Why are you here?”

She asked, slipping into casual speech out of habit, but quickly switching to a formal tone after reading the butler’s expression. She found it somewhat refreshing that even with this personality, he was respectful to the butler.

He seemed to be quite sensitive about manners. That wasn’t a bad thing.

“I was concerned because you seemed slow to react today. Didn’t you have an appointment?”

“Oh, um. Was that so…? I’m a bit uncertain. What did I say?”

“Pardon? Yes. You mentioned going to the market. I recall you also said you would be meeting a new client soon.”

A client? What kind of work uses that term? Could this be related to guild work? But it’s unlikely that the money from guild work would sustain such a mansion.

“I’ve prepared breakfast in the dining room. The lady mentioned you should go ahead since she has no appetite.”

The lady? Cordelia felt a pang of worry, wondering if he was married. But then she realized that being called ‘Master’ meant the lady was likely his mother, which calmed her down.

Cordelia cut off the endless stream of thoughts. It would be rude to make assumptions about someone based on her conjecture when she wasn’t even expecting to be served breakfast.

First, she needed to check her original body, and then she could think about how to return.

As Cordelia managed a smile and agreed, the butler quietly led the way. Following him, Cordelia pondered the situation ahead.

Though magic might have been involved, trying to figure it out felt overwhelming. In this country, magic was strictly controlled by the temple, and even nobles rarely encountered magic except during national events or temple visits.

Of course, imagination was free, so she occasionally used magical elements when running out of ideas. She had written stories where a wizard’s schemes connected the dreams of the male and female leads, leading to their fate intertwining, but she never imagined she would swap bodies.

They say reality surpasses imagination.

For now, she had to focus on what she could do. Cordelia quietly clenched her fists. Due to her wider stride, she had to adjust her walking speed several times, reminding herself once again that she was in someone else’s body.

They descended the stairs, passed through the lobby, and entered the dining room located in the inner part of the left corridor.

Though it was called a dining room, it was a small space, reminiscent of a regular room, with only a table that could seat about six people.

As she waited quietly, a table was set with steaming potato soup, rye bread, a basket full of boiled eggs, and a jar of honey.

The menu was simpler than what she usually ate, but Cordelia started her meal without complaint. Since she was the only direct family member staying in the Duke’s residence, she was quite used to dining alone. Although Rick often visited, eating face-to-face with him was quite unpleasant in many ways.

After eating her fill and finishing the meal, she rang the bell, and a maid appeared. The moment Cordelia saw the door behind the maid open and reveal the empty hallway beyond, a small question arose within her.

Even when coming to the dining room, Cordelia had felt that there were fewer servants than expected for the size of the mansion. Was that why it felt so barren?

“I seem to have forgotten an item. Could you bring it to me?”

“Certainly. What item are you referring to?”

“It seems to be a pen… I think I left it in the room where I usually work.”

As she watched the maid bow and leave, Cordelia slowly rose from her seat. Opening the door and quietly following her, Cordelia saw that the maid went into a room at the end of the right corridor, just as she had anticipated.

The maid, who was carefully looking around inside, looked surprised when she saw Cordelia leaning against the doorframe.

“Master?”

“Upon reflection, I think it would be better for me to find it myself rather than trouble you for such a minor task. Please, go ahead and do your work.”

Cordelia spoke softly and gently, and the maid retreated without further question. From the butler and maid’s attitudes, Cordelia was reassured. Regardless of this man’s true nature, it was clear that his demeanor towards those around him was kind.

Once the maid left and the door closed, Cordelia was able to comfortably look around the room.

“Wow…”

The room was much larger than Cordelia had anticipated. A large canvas stood on the left, and most of the items were covered with various fabrics, making it difficult to identify them.

The wooden table, which was quite large, was cluttered with all sorts of things, but amidst the chaos, the brushes and paints were neatly organized. The variety of paints suggested that there was considerable wealth involved. Given the room’s layout and materials, it seemed excessive for just the hobby of a wealthy young master.

“Is he an artist?”

Realizing that this was a space for creating something, Cordelia felt an awkward sense, as if she had glimpsed someone’s private face. Then, something caught her eye.

“What’s that…?”