In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 60

EPISODE 60

“You’re just like a prince.”

Isn’t this exactly how a prince on a white horse in a fairy tale would look? A prince comes to fetch her wearing pure white that hasn’t been soiled. With a delicate yet manly face and a tall stature that isn’t intimidating, such a man is truly rare.

Cordelia gazed at Noah’s appearance, which seemed to perfectly reflect the dream of a girl who longed for love, in awe.

“It must be because you’re a real prince; even just wearing clothes gives off such an air of living well, doesn’t it?”

“…I’m not a prince anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter. Whether you were a prince or not, you’re still you, aren’t you?”

Cordelia said this casually as she got up from her chair. At that moment, she felt a twinge in her right foot.

Ugh, has she been sitting too long?

Though her right foot was slightly numb, Cordelia tried to hide it and cheerfully spoke up.

“Anyway, thanks to you, my eyes are— Ah!”

As she took a step towards Noah, a tingling sensation overtook Cordelia. Unable to move from where she stood, Noah approached her.

“What’s the matter?”

“Ugh.”

The sensation of having a cramp in her foot was always quite peculiar. It wasn’t exactly painful, but it felt like it would be a problem if she moved. Since she couldn’t afford to scream ungraciously in front of others, Cordelia forced a smile.

“It’s nothing.”

Noah’s gaze, which had been observing Cordelia’s expression, slowly moved downward. Seeing Cordelia’s right leg, which was stuck to the floor and unmoving, Noah’s eyes reflected a hint of surprise.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Huh?”

Noah bent down towards Cordelia’s knee, slipped his hand under the back of her knee, and gently lifted her. Startled by her body rising into the air, Cordelia wrapped her arms around Noah’s neck.

“Hah!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you uncomfortable?”

“No! Not at all!”

At this moment, a small laugh brushed past the top of Cordelia’s head, which was resting against Noah’s chest. When she looked up in confusion, their eyes met.

Being physically close always felt strange. The warmth of his skin and the rhythmic beating of his heart were as sweet as music. Unable to tear her eyes away from his close face and prominent lips, Cordelia quietly swallowed.

Noah’s arms around her tightened slightly. The slight shadow cast on his handsome face from looking down at her gave off a different atmosphere than before. It seemed that the gaze fixed on his own face was much more intense than he had anticipated.

Isn’t this a bit of a dangerous atmosphere?

Suddenly, Noah’s hand holding her became incredibly noticeable. As Cordelia looked at Noah with a mix of slight fear and some anticipation, he blinked and began to move cautiously.

‘Huh?’

Noah swiftly opened the door to the parlor and placed Cordelia down on the sofa. He then bent one knee.

Without caring whether his clothes got dusty, he threw off his gloves and began to rub Cordelia’s exposed right foot with force. Cordelia, looking down at the handsome figure before her, struggled to hold back a sigh of exasperation.

So, what was she expecting from him?

Even though she had anticipated this kind of reaction, she couldn’t hide her embarrassment. Meanwhile, the hands massaging her feet felt so soothing that the numbness was fading away. Cordelia, with a hint of dissatisfaction, spoke somewhat bluntly.

“It’s white clothing.”

“Didn’t you give this to me already?”

Even though she knew he was trying to dismiss her concerns, her sulky mood wouldn’t lift.

“Didn’t we have a good atmosphere earlier?”

“Are your feet feeling better now?”

“Much better, so aren’t you going to finish what you started earlier?”

“That’s something that should be done at least between lovers, isn’t it?”

Cordelia was stunned by his nonchalant response. So, this is how it’s going to be?

Although the face looking up at her was still handsome, it also seemed infuriatingly irritating.

She likes him, and he must feel the same way. So why don’t they just start dating already? Why are they stuck in this back-and-forth game of push and pull?

Suddenly, everything seemed tiresome. She wasn’t good at overthinking things.

“How long are you going to keep deceiving yourself about your feelings?”

“As long as you give up, Cordelia.”

When asked directly, she received a straightforward answer in return.

“Even if I seem like this, once I set a goal, I can’t give up.”

“Is that so? I’m quick to give up.”

“Then why don’t you just blame everything on me and let yourself be swept away?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Seeing the stern look in his eyes, it seemed the wall of stubbornness had grown even stronger. Realizing that pushing forward would only lead to more hurt feelings, Cordelia took a step back.

“Alright, fine. Anyway, just sit over there. You’re not my servant. You don’t need to go this far.”

It seemed odd to argue and part ways after finally meeting.

Following Cordelia’s gesture, Noah picked up the scattered gloves and plopped down on the opposite sofa. His face, trying hard to suppress the rising emotions, was almost expressionless. Unable to read his inner thoughts, Cordelia hugged a nearby cushion tightly.

Ah, it’s so frustrating!

“I don’t have this much patience. I’m letting it slide because of your face.”

Cordelia muttered while resting her chin on her palm and glancing towards the door. Noah, who had been quietly observing her, asked in a slightly lowered voice.

“Am I really that ideal in your eyes, Cordelia?”

“It’s pointless to answer. Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“Well…”

If he’s judged as not being that kind of person, will she stop paying attention to him altogether?

Noah pressed his chest with his fist, secretly fighting the stinging sensation he felt from just imagining it. Instead of expressing the emotions that were burning inside his throat, Noah retrieved a memory from his mind that had just started functioning.

“Cordelia, come to think of it, did anything happen at the palace while I was there?”

“Huh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“Actually…”

As Noah gently recounted the events that happened at the Marquis’s residence, Cordelia suddenly recalled something and exclaimed.

“Oh, right. I ended up helping her, but when she tried to look at your face, I ran away!”

“How did you help?”

“I got rid of a man who was persistently bothering her in a secluded place. I couldn’t just leave her there, not knowing what might happen.”

“That makes sense.”

“By the way, do you also make picture books?”

Cordelia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. Her blue eyes, filled with diverse emotions, were as beautiful as the stars in the sky. Noah, internally berating himself for such thoughts, replied calmly.

“Yes. Actually, I’m quite troubled about it.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“The Marquis said that except for very minimal topics or conditions, I should have full autonomy.”

“Oh, well, if you’re given too many constraints, nothing will come out of it.”

“He said the topic should be daily life. But, as you know, the daily life of nobles and commoners is very different.”

This was something Noah could say because he had experienced both sides. During his apprenticeship, he had spent nights in the workshop, attended evening gatherings, and visited colleagues’ homes. Through these experiences, Noah realized that human life has many varied twists and turns.

His narrow world gradually expanded through such experiences. It was only natural that he became more interested in people, even if it was contrary to the kingdom’s trends.

After pondering this, Cordelia spoke up.

“Well… our fields are quite different, but since we’re talking about books, let’s consider that aspect.”

“Yes.”

“First, think about who your readers will be.”

“Readers?”

“Yes. I think the Marquis delegated the work to you because he wanted to see things from a perspective that he doesn’t normally have. In other words, he’s not just looking for a book for his collection.”

Cordelia always wrote what she wanted, but she wasn’t someone who ignored the latest trends. It was essential to understand the type of people who read her books and to consider their preferences.

In this sense, social activities were quite helpful for writing. Since they were driven by desires and moved by desires, it was easier to read what people wanted.

Cordelia also knew a bit about the current Marquis Paulette.

“The Marquis is a noble. But there’s already more than enough written about nobles. If he wanted stories about nobles, it would be easier to hire a painter from that background.”

With the establishment of academies, the number of people who could read exploded, and naturally, the readership of literary works changed significantly. Books that were once so expensive only the wealthy aristocracy could afford them have become much more accessible due to advances in printing and papermaking techniques.

As the common people increasingly became part of the readership, Cordelia researched their lifestyles and preferences. To gain empathy from people living in a different world, she needed to observe them accordingly.

“Of course, if that’s the case, only mundane and predictable scenes would emerge.”

Before being a knight, Marquis Paulette was a competent administrator with a pragmatic nature. Since this was something her sister, the Queen, had said, it was probably quite accurate.

“Let’s think about this. Why did the Marquis commission you, of all people, after seeing the mural you painted in the sanctuary?”

Cordelia had heard about the reputation of that mural. Set against a backdrop of a crisis akin to a natural disaster, it depicted a woman administering divine judgment on an old man who had deceived everyone. Those who saw it were said to be overwhelmed by its sacred grandeur.

“Works painted in the sanctuary are usually depicted in a manner close to mythology. Since it’s a place devoted to the gods, it’s natural to tell stories about the gods. Here’s where the contradiction arises.”

“What contradiction?”

“The contradiction is that you, who painted a mural of the utmost nobility and sanctity, were commissioned to illustrate a picture book about his own domain.”

Noah was also concerned about this aspect. He liked the mural, so he wondered if he expected a similar atmosphere in the picture book. He had subtly inquired when meeting the Marquis but only received vague answers.

“So the conclusion is simple.”

In contrast to Noah’s conflicted state, Cordelia, as if stating the obvious, declared confidently.