In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 42

EPISODE 42

It was a sunny afternoon with warm sunlight streaming down.

“Beautiful trinkets abound! Come take a look!”

“If you’re looking for sturdy axes and hammers, this is the place!”

“Soap that washes away dirt in one go, 4 shillins each, or 10 shillins for a bundle of three!”

A young man, a girl, and Noah sat in a corner of the bustling marketplace, setting up their spot. On the makeshift stall were various wooden carvings in different shapes. Most were animals, but there was only one in the shape of a person.

Despite the chaos around them, each carving had a unique expression and posture, with many in dynamic forms. Yet, somehow, they were perfectly balanced and didn’t topple over. The expressions were so vivid that the young man, upon closely examining a lion-shaped carving, let out a startled yelp and stepped back.

Noah, unfazed by the noisy surroundings, stood quietly in front of the stall with his arms crossed. A few plainclothes soldiers discreetly patrolled around them.

Eventually, it became clear that it was difficult to find suitable wood from a single bundle of firewood, so Noah had to go into the forest with the young man. They spent the night sanding down the wood they obtained, and another half-day passed before the rough shapes were formed.

They wrapped these roughly carved items in a bundle and brought them to the castle to continue working. The man’s house was on the outskirts of the city, but it was too small and dark to refine the details at night.

“Do you really think these will sell?”

The young man, who had introduced himself as Hans, whispered anxiously. Noah lightly nodded, observing the passersby.

This area was under the control of the Hollemia Craft Guild, and only those affiliated with the guild were allowed to sell goods here. Noah managed to secure a spot in the corner using a proof of membership he happened to have.

Since guilds fiercely protected their territories in every city, selling goods in another guild’s territory without permission could lead to gang conflicts.

“They’re so lifelike, it’s almost frightening.”

Hans’ younger sister, Ellie, cautiously commented beside him. A faint smile appeared on Noah’s lips.

“Of course. Although they are a bit crude due to the time constraints, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Crude…? Is that what you call them?”

Despite bringing back three entire bundles of wood, Noah had only selected seven pieces from the pile. And hadn’t he stayed up all night, meticulously sanding them until they were white as snow?

Noah didn’t bother to explain that when he worked on these kinds of carvings, he typically spent an entire day just sanding the wood. As an awkward silence settled over them, their first customer arrived.

A plump, middle-aged man with a few servants in tow stopped in front of them. His eyes were slightly slanted upwards, and his lips curled in a way that made him seem rather ill-tempered.

As the siblings swallowed nervously, the man’s gaze fell on a bear carving with its front paw extended.

“Hmph, how much for this bear?”

“Five kennies.”

When Noah mentioned the price of five silver coins, Hans and Ellie blinked in surprise. The man looked startled but subtly attempted to haggle.

“Oh, upon closer inspection, the wood itself has quite a few flaws, and the quality of the paint isn’t that high. Two silver coins should suffice, don’t you think?”

“You seem to have a discerning eye, but I won’t accept anything less. I’m sure you’re well aware of the market value.”

Noah didn’t even blink. As he slowly stood up, the middle-aged man flinched at the sight of Noah’s towering figure.

“If you’re not satisfied with the price, I’ll sell it to someone else. Please step aside.”

Noah spoke politely, but the man’s eyes twitched slightly in irritation.

“You’re a face I haven’t seen before. Do you have permission to be selling here?”

“It’s because I’m from a different place. But as you know, I’m affiliated with Hollemia.”

“Oh, really? And your name is?”

When the man asked about the name tied to Noah’s reputation, Noah calmly replied.

“Whether it’s a drizzle or a heavy downpour, the beauty of a rising rainbow doesn’t change.”

The man hesitated at this metaphor, which implied that the worth of the item wouldn’t change just because the creator’s name wasn’t well-known. Still, he couldn’t take his eyes off the carving, clearly reluctant to walk away empty-handed.

“Hmm, how about three coins?”

“You must know that haggling over such items only diminishes their value.”

Despite several attempts to negotiate, Noah remained steadfast, and the man finally conceded, sounding weary.

“Ugh, fine. Will five kennies do?”

Grumbling, the man eventually paid the price. As the bear carving that had been on the left side of the stall disappeared and the customer’s back faded into the distance, the siblings were left in shocked disbelief.

“It… really sold?”

“It really did.”

After that, more people approached. Some left, deeming the prices too high, while others immediately paid up, their eyes gleaming with interest.

One by one, the carvings found new owners, and the sun had dipped significantly towards the horizon. If Noah hadn’t restricted sales to one item per person, the stall might have been emptied already, but he remained firm.

Only three carvings were left: an eagle, a rabbit, and a human figure in the center. The human-shaped carving, in particular, attracted few questions, likely due to its unusual appearance.

The carving wore a flowing tunic and had short, curly hair. Its face was sharp, yet it was difficult to discern whether it was male or female. Its left hand reached out in an unorderly manner, and there was a small hole in the left side of its chest.

Some asked about the price but were shocked to learn it was several times more expensive than the other carvings. Others simply gazed at it curiously before walking away. Noah, however, continued to wait patiently.

“What a beautiful carving!”

With a clear voice, someone’s shoes came into Noah’s line of sight. Noah slowly lifted his head to meet the new customer.

***

“It’s true, I’m telling you.”

Cordelia, who was sitting on the sofa in the study, answered curtly.

“Why are you making such a big deal out of it? I just went for a morning walk.”

Although Cordelia was known for having the thickest skin in the family, unfortunately, her opponent wasn’t easy this time.

“For someone who supposedly went out, I didn’t see you outside.”

Isaac narrowed his eyes at her, and Cordelia responded nonchalantly.

“Maybe we just missed each other?”

“I don’t recall you ever being diligent about morning walks before.”

“I just happened to wake up early for once. Thought it’d be nice to get some fresh air.”

“Are you feeling better from the hangover?”

He pointed out how she usually slept in until midday after a night of heavy drinking, and Cordelia nodded.

“I was feeling really good yesterday.”

This part was true. It wasn’t often that Noah would cling to her first. Thanks to that, the drinks went down smoothly, and she lost control of herself quite easily.

However, when she woke up in Noah’s bed that morning, she seriously considered looking for a hole to crawl into.

Isaac sighed, rubbing his ear thoughtfully.

“Cordelia.”

Hearing her name spoken in Isaac’s serious tone made Cordelia instinctively straighten her posture. Just as she had a close and warm relationship with her father, Isaac knew exactly when to be serious.

“This might seem a bit improper to ask, but…”

His face, devoid of any playful expression, was now serious and stern.

“What exactly is your relationship with that young man, Noah?”

The softness in his voice made her hair stand on end. Whenever Isaac was teaching his children manners or negotiating, he would use that voice.

Despite not raising his voice even a bit, the tension was oddly palpable. Cordelia grumbled inwardly.

Well, she figured he wouldn’t just let it slide after seeing Noah cling to her yesterday.

It would have been great if the alcohol from last night had wiped his memory clean, but no matter how much he drank, her father’s memory was annoyingly sharp.

Because of that, Rick, who had once had a drinking bout with her father, had let slip all sorts of things that could be used against him and was still suffering the consequences. His marriage to Pamela, who is now his wife, was one such consequence.

Seeing how that playboy was now living under tight control, it was clear her father had a knack for matchmaking. Of course, the family openly agreed that Pamela was too good for him.

“Just someone I’m interested in, one-sidedly?”

Hiding her complicated feelings, she flashed a smile, and her father’s eyes widened.

“That, that interest….”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a man who fits my type.”

“You brat! How can you say something like that!”

The serious atmosphere barely lasted a minute. As Isaac raged, Cordelia tilted her head and spoke up.

“What’s the problem? It’s not like there’s a law against dating a commoner.”

“Even if it’s not written in law, aren’t there customs to consider?”

“I’m not thinking about marriage or anything, so what’s the big deal? I could just be looking for something casual.”

“That’s even worse!”

To provoke a reaction, Cordelia deliberately dangled bait, and Isaac took it, hook, line, and sinker. Seeing the playful smile on his daughter’s face, he realized too late that he’d fallen into her trap, but it was too late to take back his words.

Isaac repeatedly ran his hand over his face, which had turned slightly red from excitement. His gaze at Cordelia was filled with concern.

“Cordy, the world might be a bit harsher than you think.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you truly care about him, you need to think things through more carefully.”

Isaac’s tone became more formal, a subtle shift that Cordelia quickly noticed, prompting her to listen closely.

“Politics is more ruthless than you may realize. A single pretext can change everything. Of course, you’re an individual, but you must remember that your actions can be interpreted as the actions of our entire family.”

Just as a small spark can grow into a wildfire when it meets the right conditions, personal actions can easily be blown out of proportion.

“We will always be on your side, but there may come a time when we can’t protect you.”