In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 48

EPISODE 48

The moment Cordelia heard the softly whispered voice, her heart skipped a beat. Instead of moving her creaking neck, she slightly lifted her gaze and stared at the worried face of the man before her. His large eyes were filled with vivid emotions. The blue eyes, which seemed so innocent, almost like a newborn lamb, made her wonder if this was what blindness felt like.

Seeing his eyes devoid of any doubt, it seemed he recognized her immediately. But how on earth did he manage to do that?

“Ugh!”

The fallen man’s scream broke the tense atmosphere. The man, who had been dramatically groaning while clutching his knee, sprang up and pointed angrily at Cordelia, who was disguised as a servant.

“That… that was my foot!”

“What on earth is happening here?”

Perhaps due to the commotion being quite large, Calia, who had been outside, soon approached their direction. Feeling embarrassed by the sight of himself in such a pitiful state while the beautiful woman, who looked like a painting even while walking, stared at him with crossed arms, the man stuttered.

“Princess C-Calia. No, Countess.”

Realizing her gaze was rapidly growing colder, the man hurriedly corrected her title.

“That person has treated me with such disrespect! How could a mere servant try to harm a noble? This is not something that can be overlooked.”

The man should have been grateful that silence was the basic rule here. If the stares of those around him were converted into insults, he would have already had to cover his ears.

“Is that so? Just what happened that led to you tripping over your foot?”

“That is…”

“You, explain yourself.”

When Calia pointed to one of the servants who had been holding the man’s arm and asked, he finally opened his mouth and calmly detailed what had just happened. After he finished recounting the entire story, Calia gave a subtle nod.

“Take him outside. The rest will be handled according to the rules.”

“W-Wait a moment! What about the proposal…”

“She might be my sister.”

The woman’s voice, cold and indifferent, carried the chill of the north wind.

“Yet you couldn’t even follow proper etiquette. Should I be any more lenient with you?”

The man, unable to respond, was dragged out by the servants.

“The time has been considerably delayed. Since we have extended the time a bit longer than usual, please return to your places.”

Calia’s voice, which had been cold when dealing with the man, softened gently. Meanwhile, the music continued uninterrupted, wrapping around the ballroom.

Cordelia’s thoughts were tangled with various concerns as she glanced at her sister’s retreating figure and Noah standing beside her. Although she wanted to understand the full story quickly, there was still quite a bit of time before the ball ended. According to the rules, she had to remain in her place.

Yes, endure. She must endure.

Cordelia turned toward Noah and bowed her head in gratitude. She left him standing there, bewildered, as she returned to her original spot. She then watched Noah, with a complicated expression, as he walked away following Calia without saying another word.

After the ball ended for the day, Cordelia quietly stepped outside. She mingled with the other servants, walking through the servant’s passageway, but then slipped away before they headed to their quarters. It was a clever way to take advantage of the rule that even the servants couldn’t remove their masks or speak until they reached their lodgings. Wearing the same attire made it easy for people to assume she was just another colleague.

“Cordelia.”

As soon as she turned a corner to avoid the servants’ gaze, a voice calling her name startled her. She looked to her side and met Noah’s eyes, who was standing idly by a nearby wall.

“I’m sorry, did I scare you?”

Ugh, seeing his face after so long made him seem even more radiant than usual. Even the bangs he used to hide his face were pinned back under his hat, indicating he was beginning to understand how to use his looks to his advantage.

Still, Cordelia wasn’t planning on letting him off easily… but thinking about what happened earlier left her unsettled, so she opened her mouth to speak but instead took off her mask. The cool evening breeze touched her skin, and Cordelia’s expression visibly softened.

Ah, she can finally breathe.

“How did you know I’d be here?”

“The Countess told me.”

So, it was her sister’s doing.

“She was quite surprised when I mentioned I ran into you on the way there.”

Of course, she would be. No one was more surprised in that moment than herself.

“Then, why were you at the ball?”

“Lady Veronica asked me to deliver a letter to Countess Calia.”

“But why would you do that? You’re my guest, not an errand boy.”

“Something came up along the way. Strictly speaking, it was to help me out.”

As Cordelia removed her hat and wig, revealing her golden hair pinned and damp with sweat, she noted that her clothes were far more comfortable than that wretched dress she had to wear. How unfair it was that only men got to wear such comfortable clothing! She was always struggling with that heavy skirt she had to drag around.

Feeling the fabric of a cloak draped over her shoulders, Cordelia looked up. Noah, who had somehow quietly approached her, was carefully wrapping the cloak around her.

He managed to find the cloak she had hidden in the bushes.

Noah, now holding Cordelia’s mask, wig, and hat in his arms, cautiously asked.

“Would it be alright if we walked together? If it makes you uncomfortable, I can walk behind you.”

He turned to ask if she’d gotten over her anger, but instead of an answer, Cordelia asked a question.

“How did you know?”

Noah’s reluctance to ask why she had disguised herself made her feel a mix of disappointment and relief, compelling her to speak up.

“Pardon?”

“How did you recognize me?”

With the mask covering most of her face, a wig, and even her body hidden in loose-fitting clothes, it shouldn’t have been easy to identify her. She hadn’t even spoken a word.

However, Noah called her Cordelia without a hint of doubt.

How on earth?

“Uh… I saw the commotion earlier and figured it out.”

At first, he thought there might be trouble, and he considered whether he should step in to help, but that was the extent of it. Even though he assumed the servants would take care of it, the thought of Cordelia being there did make him a bit anxious.

He began to feel something was off when he started watching the commotion. Noah scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“Cordelia, you slightly raise the left side of your lip when you’re in a difficult situation. And when you’re angry, you clench your right fist first.”

Has she really done that?

“And you briefly reached for your ear but stopped—it’s a habit of yours when you tuck your long hair behind your ear. I remember because you used to do that occasionally when you were in my body and then suddenly stopped.”

“No, I mean, that’s not…”

This was the first time she had heard that she had such habits. None of her previous lovers had ever mentioned anything like that.

“But still, wouldn’t it be hard to recognize me right away in this outfit? I’m even wearing a wig.”

“I thought it was some sort of masquerade. So, I figured the outfit might be different.”

“…Usually, people don’t notice. No one’s ever mentioned it like you.”

“Well, don’t you just notice after a while? Lady Cordelia, you’re quite expressive with your emotions.”

How had this man, who she had only known for a month, noticed all of that?

“Then why did you just walk away earlier?”

“I thought you didn’t want me to act like I knew you. Did I misjudge?”

As he looked at her with clear eyes, the fading sunlight bathed his face in a rosy glow. The last rays of the setting sun wrapped around them softly, like a spell. The roses in full bloom in the garden swayed in the wind, soaking in the light.

Her eyes stung.

She should have felt happy, but for some reason, her heart felt tight. Cordelia rubbed her chest as if to soothe the nausea building up inside her. Her voice came out a bit sharper than she intended.

“Why are you acting like this?”

“Pardon?”

He said he wouldn’t give her those feelings, that he didn’t want to fall in love anymore. Fine, she understands his situation. She acted like she was upset, but the truth is, she knew. She knows it’s because he cares about her a lot.

But why does he keep looking at her? Why does he keep saying what she wants to hear?

He shouldn’t make her expect anything. He shouldn’t make her think that he might actually be different!

“No, it’s nothing.”

Cordelia walked a few steps past Noah, but when she didn’t hear any footsteps behind her, she turned around. Seeing him standing there, frozen and just looking at her, made her emotions surge.

Despite drawing such a clear line, when she turned away, he looked at her with eyes as sad as a puppy left behind. His expression was both endearing and pitiful like he was whining with his eyes that he wouldn’t be greedy.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”

Walk beside me. She added curtly, and a bright smile spread across Noah’s face. Ugh, so cute. Cordelia rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, and Noah quickly caught up to her, matching his pace with hers.

“It feels like it’s been a while since I last saw your face.”

It was understandable since she hadn’t shown herself even during meals while the masquerade ball was ongoing, all in the name of being thorough.

But the truth was, it was all just an excuse—she was simply avoiding running into Noah. She often wondered how Noah was doing, but then she’d remind herself to focus on her duties, constantly battling with her thoughts.

He didn’t even tell her where he went last time. He thinks he’s the only one who can keep secrets? Well, she can do that too!

She knew it was a childish sense of competitiveness, but emotions don’t always behave as they should. And while she had set the stage to reject suitors, it didn’t feel right to flaunt the fact that she was receiving numerous proposals in front of Noah.

“Noah, did you miss me since you couldn’t see me?”

She spoke playfully, but Noah didn’t respond. Despite Noah’s silent demeanor as he quietly followed her, Cordelia didn’t lose her confidence.

Well, at least he didn’t outright say no.

As she quickly turned her head, Cordelia didn’t notice Noah’s lips move slightly as if he was about to say something. Startled, Noah quickly shut his mouth and hastily took off his hat, his black hair falling over his eyes.

Perhaps because his vision was obscured again, he couldn’t see anything ahead. Despite the overwhelming emotions, Noah tightly held onto the items in his arms, careful not to drop anything.

***

The masquerade ball at Roychel Castle lasted for nearly two weeks before it finally came to an end. During that time, many suitors came to the castle with determination, but none of them were able to find the real Cordelia.

Officially, that is.

Unofficially, there was only one person who had found her, but he wasn’t interested in claiming any reward. On the surface, it seemed like everything had returned to square one, but something had changed—though no one had realized it yet.

And so, the proposal frenzy came to an end.