In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 5

EPISODE 5

“What?! Of course, I don’t like it!”

Cordelia responded with crossed arms and a defiant attitude, while she, with an indifferent expression, nodded in agreement.

“So, let’s keep it a secret. Among the wizards in the temple, there are quite a few crazy ones who would stop at nothing to satisfy their curiosity. Even though Avis has strictly prohibited such actions, who knows? Of course, considering your status as a noble lady, they probably won’t act recklessly, but you never know.”

Lyneth sighed as she thought of the strict leader of the temple. Given the recent issues, everyone would likely want to avoid trouble, but that didn’t mean it was something to broadcast everywhere.

“I know it’s not something to discuss outside. But what should we do? If it’s magic, how can we undo this?”

As Lyneth stared blankly at the almost tearful Cordelia, she waved her finger, and Cordelia’s bangs neatly folded, causing her hat to float up and cover her head. It was her specialty, telekinesis.

“Shouldn’t we meet that person first? The one who took the lady out.”

Cordelia’s eyes brightened at Lyneth’s words, which treated her body like an object.

“Will you come with me?”

“…It’s too frightening to leave it as is, so let’s go with that.”

Cordelia’s wide, round eyes staring at her were reminiscent of a puppy. With a serious expression, Lyneth draped a cloak over herself and led Cordelia out of the temple.

***

Noah was quite perplexed.

Against the backdrop of a splendid and beautiful room, he stared blankly into a mirror. No matter how he looked, it was someone else’s face.

Not just anyone’s, but the face of someone he had always wanted to see.

“…Is this a dream?”

He grabbed a few strands of hair and tugged them slightly. The pain from the tugging made him let go immediately. The moment he realized it was reality, he shuddered.

Noah cautiously examined his body. The slender legs visible beneath the white chemise, the long golden hair that partially obscured his vision, and the elegant features reflected in the mirror were certainly those of someone he knew.

But that was precisely the problem. Why was he wearing this person’s face?

“What’s going on?”

This couldn’t be happening.

Staring at the beautiful person in the mirror with a stunned face, Noah soon faced the most critical issue.

Wait a minute. If he’s in this body, where did the original owner go?

“Did she end up in my body? I hope she hasn’t disappeared…”

That would be less than ideal, but it was still a significant problem, so Noah pressed his brows together. Of course, since it wasn’t his own body, he was extremely cautious. The straight, prominent nose was familiar yet oddly new.

“First… I should go home and check. No, maybe that’s not such a good idea.”

There could be misunderstandings. Muttering to himself, Noah suddenly glanced down at his body. He was embarrassed to see himself wearing nothing but a white chemise that clearly showed his body’s curves.

So, to go out, he had to change clothes first.

“…Since it’s the Duke’s family, there must be a maid, right?”

Noah earnestly hoped so. He wished that Lady Cordelia was someone who regularly relied on a maid for her clothing. While it was common for aristocratic young ladies, Cordelia was known for her independence, so it wasn’t certain.

When he rang the bell, the door opened and a maid with red hair entered. Noah swallowed nervously.

“My Lady?”

“I’d like to… change clothes.”

“Oh, yes! What kind of dress would you like to wear?”

Relief washed over him.

As the maid approached the wardrobe and opened it, a room full of various dresses appeared. Noah slowly entered and looked around. Seeing all the pretty and extravagant dresses, he grew concerned.

If Lady Cordelia went out wearing something like this, she would stand out. He hesitantly asked.

“Is there, um, any clothing suitable for commoners?”

It would be better to wear something lighter than those heavy-looking dresses. He wondered if this might sound strange, but the maid willingly pulled out a brown dress from the back of the wardrobe.

“Would this be okay?”

“Ah, yes.”

As the maid approached, Noah closed his eyes tightly. The chemise was removed, and a linen undergarment along with a rough cotton dress was put on him. Adjusting to a completely different body shape was difficult, and he struggled to maintain his composure.

“Lady, why are you closing your eyes so tightly?”

“J-just sleepy.”

“Oh, I see. Did you have another sleepless night?”

‘Another?’

What was this about sleepless nights? Concerned for her health, Noah’s heart sank. When he slightly opened his eyes, he saw the back of the maid’s head as she was tying the belt and heard her chatter.

“That’s what I told you, stop drinking! You were worried about a hangover too, weren’t you?”

So it was because of the alcohol.

“Is it because of the breakup this time? Don’t worry too much. A handsome and charming man who fits your taste will appear soon!”

…Did she have someone she liked?

“Well, you should have handled it better yourself. Anyway, men can’t be trusted.”

Watching the maid easily switch between treating him tenderly and critically, Noah didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He hadn’t wanted to know such intimate details.

“By the way, didn’t you say you had no plans today? Where are you going?”

“…Just to get some fresh air.”

“Good choice! I always told you to step outside, but you never did. Finally, you’ve changed your mind!”

He didn’t know that Lady Cordelia immersed herself in writing to overcome the pain and anger of each breakup. Even though he was also a fan of Laurence Blanc’s works.

‘Oh, so she liked him that much.’

Of course, Noah didn’t know either, so the misunderstanding only deepened. As he struggled to lift his sinking mood, the maid draped a purple cloak over Cordelia’s shoulders.

“Be careful not to let the clothes show when you go out. You know it would be a big problem if it reached the Duke’s ears.”

“No, it’s fine. You know that.”

Even though he imitated a confident tone, he glanced at the maid discreetly. Fortunately, the maid didn’t notice anything and pushed him out.

“Lady Cordelia! Are you going out? Have a good time.”

“Are you having breakfast before you leave? The chef was determined to make only your favorite dishes today!”

“Lady, the carriage is ready.”

“Oh, Lady! The flowers are blooming beautifully this time. Would you like to take one with you?”

From the hallway to the front gate, the atmosphere was noisy, and the people greeted him one by one with friendly enthusiasm. If one were to describe it positively, it was lively; negatively, it was loud.

It was astonishing compared to the calm of the mansion where he was staying. Noah greeted everyone with a dazed expression and walked out through the front gate.

There were times when his surroundings were noisy too, but those were long gone. Yet, he didn’t dislike this kind of atmosphere. It suited Cordelia perfectly.

Bright and lively, a place where sunlight seemed to always shine.

He awkwardly climbed into the prepared carriage. It would be better to get off nearby and move to the mansion from there. No matter the issue, it was best to avoid entanglement with himself as much as possible.

Noah steadied his troubled mind and leaned his face against the window. The blurry white face reminded him again that the current situation was not a dream. The swiftly passing scenery outside flashed by like afterimages.

With the hood of the cloak pulled low over his head, Noah approached the wall of the mansion where he lived. Perhaps due to his lowered height, the wall seemed even taller than usual.

Standing there as if nailed to the spot, he gazed at the room on the second floor that he used. Because the curtains were not drawn, he could at least check if there was someone inside.

After observing for a while and confirming that there was no sign of anyone, he stepped back.

If it wasn’t a case of vanishing into the sky one day, it would be reasonable to think that she went out. With that thought, it was clear that Cordelia had possessed his body.

The problem was the cause.

As Noah recalled the memories from before he fell asleep, a recollection passed through his mind.

The other evening, after finishing his schedule, he was about to head to the main road to return home. On his way to the carriage with a loaf of bread in hand, he spotted a gaunt old woman sitting on the ground.

The shabby old woman was in such a pitiful state that even beggars would avoid her. Noah hesitated for a moment before approaching the old woman.

Her eyes, visible through the hood she wore, were strangely clear.

‘If this is okay…’

Noah willingly extended the bread he had to the old woman. He could eat dinner when he got back.

The old woman, taking the bread, devoured it in a few bites. She thanked Noah repeatedly and then handed him a small crystal. The dusty appearance of the crystal made it seem hardly precious, even as a token.

‘A token of gratitude…’

‘Oh, this is…?’

‘It’s an object that grants wishes. It’s said to grant one sincere wish.’

‘Ah… thank you.’

Considering the old woman’s appearance and situation, Noah didn’t fully believe it, but it would be rude to ignore her kindness. He cautiously accepted the crystal.

He placed it on the table when he got home and glanced at it briefly before falling asleep. As he fidgeted with the small sphere that fit perfectly in his palm, he murmured.

‘A wish, huh…’

At that moment, something briefly came to mind.

Recalling the situation, Noah felt his face flush. He unconsciously rubbed his face with his hand.

“Wait, wait a minute.”

Could such a simple thought be considered a wish? But even so, this is such an unexpected turn of events, isn’t it?

“No, does this even make sense? No way.”

He wanted to go inside the mansion immediately to check if the crystal was still there, but he couldn’t climb the wall or get inside. There was no chance they would let him in, and if he were caught, it would be a serious problem. In the end, all he could do was pace outside and try to think of a solution.

But even if his guess was correct, it was still problematic.

How could a simple wish lead to possessing someone else’s body?

“Well, first… I should look for the owner of that crystal.”

Muttering to himself, Noah turned around and headed into an alleyway leading to the city. The carriage from the Weichen family had been sent away earlier, so he needed to go out and find another one.

“Hey, lady.”

Despite the voice calling out to him, Noah continued walking without looking back. However, a moment later, someone grabbed his shoulder firmly.

Turning his head, he saw a man slightly taller than him grinning.

“Lady, when someone calls you, you should answer.”

“…Let go.”

Noah tried to push the man’s hand away, but the man, who would usually be easily pushed aside, did not budge. Seeing the smooth arm in his line of sight, Noah realized.

Ah, he’s in someone else’s body right now.

If he had known the strength difference would be this significant, he would have chosen a different route. But it was too late for regrets. Noah tried to think of an efficient way to handle the situation.

“I’m a bit busy right now. Could you please let go of my hand?”

Even though he tried to speak as politely as possible, the man stubbornly tried to pull Noah toward a dark alley.

“Hey. Don’t be like that. My friends are over there. Why don’t you come to hang out with us?”

Noah sneered inwardly. Since the area was close to the slums, it was common to encounter people associated with crime, most of whom were linked to human trafficking. Although the kingdom was strengthening security to eradicate such crimes, there were limits to what could be done.

More importantly, this was not his body. He couldn’t afford to get hurt or injured in any way. Though he preferred not to resolve problems through violence, he made a quick decision.

“Well, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a pretty girl like you. Everyone will like… Ugh!”

While the man was distracted by his rambling, Noah delivered a hard kick to the man’s groin.

Leaving the man, who crumpled to the ground screaming, behind, he started running. The man’s cries echoed in his ears.

“Stop right there!”

As if someone would stop just because they were told to.

Noah darted through the alleyways, successfully avoiding the man’s grasp and making it safely to the city. It was fortunate that he was familiar with the area from having passed through it many times.

Perhaps because he had run so hard, his hood fell off and his face was exposed. Realizing this, he quickly put the hood back on as someone called out to him.

“Hey, isn’t that you, Cordy?”