In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 68

EPISODE 68

“Alright, let’s start now.”

Cordelia whispered, her gaze fixed on the arched door. As soon as they began, a woman was seen coming out. Raymond muttered quietly.

“Hmm.”

“Today, it seems my luck might be quite good.”

She had already assessed the attendees of the event and had a rough idea of their characteristics. Although not immediately apparent, some important customs were unfamiliar to this foreign man.

The corridor in the middle can only be used by certain people. It is more of a custom than a rule.

Motius’ Door. A legacy left by the architect Motius, who restored the royal palace several hundred years ago. An exceptional architect and artist, Motius reportedly received a divine revelation in a dream while constructing the palace.

Details about the dream are not well-known, but Motius immediately consulted with the king and designed an additional passage for the gods to enter and exit the palace. That passage was the door in question.

The condition for passing through the door was simple. Either a woman alone or a woman escorted by someone could pass through. A man alone could not pass through that door, not even the king. It was said that breaking this rule would bring misfortune for at least a week.

Of course, some people ignored it as a superstition. However, during the previous reign, when the palace was in chaos, many people quietly died, and numerous speculations surrounded these deaths.

Motius’ Door was a popular topic in such discussions, so those who knew about it were naturally cautious.

“Hmm.”

Raymond, who was watching the people coming out through the open door, lightly stroked his chin.

“Seven women and four men so far.”

“Indeed.”

Cordelia turned to face him, filled with meaningful tones. Seeing the look on her face, he whispered in his sweetest voice.

“You’ve used your head quite well.”

“What head do I have to use?”

Feigning ignorance with a bright smile, the man chuckled. Still, he teasingly said.

“Of course, I seem to be quite lucky myself.”

“Really?”

Turning her head quickly, she saw a group just leaving the entrance. Three young men, who seemed to have just arrived, followed a beautiful girl they hadn’t seen before. And a little distance away, a man who stumbled out, chasing them, made Cordelia furrow her brows.

What’s this, just when things were going well?

“It seems the generous deity is inclined to favor me.”

“Only by going through to the end can one truly know.”

Confidently replying, Cordelia glanced briefly at the entrance. Beyond the slightly shadowed entrance, there was a clear presence.

A considerable amount of time had already passed. It seemed that those about to come out now would be the last ones. Or maybe it was the king himself. The presence felt much larger than before, so it was quite likely. Cordelia clenched and then opened her hands with a nervous heart.

The gods are really indifferent. Would it hurt to let her win a little more easily? Do they want her to be anxious like this? It would be better if it ended in a tie; losing would cause problems too. Please!

Whether Cordelia’s desperation was heard or not, a pair of men and women emerged from the entrance.

Is it a tie?

Immediately after, a shadow popped out from behind them. Cordelia gasped.

A maid in navy blue hurriedly ran out through the entrance. Seeing familiar faces walking out behind her, Cordelia let out a subtle sigh of relief.

The king and queen, holding hands and standing affectionately, greeted people one by one. The clear sunlight fragmented across the faces of Jerania and Franz.

Thump, thump. Through the loud beating of her heart, a relaxed voice spoke.

“It seems the lady won.”

Despite losing the bet, Raymond merely shrugged. He looked a bit revived but then returned to his previous, dull demeanor and whispered.

“The lady seems to be quite bold.”

Taken aback by the comment, Cordelia raised one eyebrow slightly. Raymond continued.

“That might be one of the lady’s strengths, but excess in anything can be harmful. One day, you might face a big problem.”

It seemed he wanted to advise on her reckless behavior. Cordelia smiled gently.

“It’s fine. I’m used to living like that.”

Raymond’s smile faltered for a moment, but he soon burst out laughing. With his refreshing laughter, the tense atmosphere relaxed a bit, and people around them widened their eyes.

Cordelia furrowed her brows slightly and asked.

“Why are you laughing so much?”

“It’s just that you seem so unpredictable.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“As you wish.”

Whatever was so amusing, laughter seemed to cling to the man’s mouth like crumbs. Just as Cordelia was about to question further, she was interrupted.

“Excuse me.”

Turning to the clear voice, Cordelia was momentarily startled to see a woman standing in front of her.

It was the maid who had passed through the door last. But why is she looking for her?

“What is it?”

“The gentleman just now asked me to deliver this to you.”

The maid handed over a small, intricately folded piece of paper, about the size of a palm. With its large, pointed ears, it looked like a depiction of a rabbit, and the texture of the folded paper was quite soft.

Cordelia accepted it with a puzzled look and tilted her head. Raymond commented lightly from the side.

“It seems a love letter gave the lady the upper hand.”

“That you can view this as a letter, Duke Persique, you are truly without prejudice.”

Cordelia, grumbling softly as she examined the item, momentarily lost her words as thoughts crossed her mind. Before Raymond could ask what was wrong, Cordelia turned to the maid.

“Where did you see that person?”

“They were standing inside the entrance.”

“Thank you.”

With that, Cordelia hooked her arm around Raymond’s and, with a smile that seemed to question the man’s confusion, she firmly pulled him towards where the king and queen were.

***

Noah, on the other hand, had no intention of coming at all.

His gaze, looking up at the palace with its charming blue dome, was filled with distress. He wiped his face silently.

“Ha.”

He recalled a letter he had received at his mansion. The moment he saw the royal seal on the outer envelope, he was astonished.

The letter was an invitation to the banquet being held at the palace today. Written on a separate sheet in the elegant script was a request to check if there were any familiar faces among those accompanying Raymond Persique, possibly due to something that had happened in Rite.

Although the letter was from the queen, Noah immediately sensed who was behind it.

It had to be his uncle. The queen would have no reason to send him such a letter otherwise. He and his mother were entirely under his uncle’s control.

Even if he realized it, he had no choice but to accept. It was a relief that it was addressed to Noah Epherman.

Becoming a witness was not difficult. He couldn’t leave the possibility of an unauthorized wizard entering the palace unaddressed.

Despite his anxiety, Noah eventually arrived at the palace. To avoid any trouble, he paid extra attention to his appearance today. Presenting his identity badge and invitation, he passed through the indifferent nods of the palace guards and stepped inside.

It was less burdensome when he was in Cordelia’s body last time, but now his hands kept sweating. What if someone recognizes him? What is the queen thinking?

As he walked along the garden side of the building, deliberately avoiding areas with few people, he tidied his bangs more meticulously. The scent that brushed his nose made him glance around.

A refreshing breeze swept through, gently caressing the trees arranged here and there. Multicolored leaves fluttered in the air, blending with the smell of the wind, and the faint fragrance of flowers enhanced the atmosphere.

It’s still the same here.

It was a path he used to frequent when living in the palace, and nothing had changed.

As Noah walked with deliberate steps, trying to muffle his footsteps, he began to see people appearing one by one. When he reached the end of the wall, a wide garden full of blooming flowers came into view.

Noah, who had hesitated to step outside, soon spotted Cordelia. The smile that had faintly appeared on his lips vanished the moment he saw Raymond standing next to her.

The two people, gazing at each other with affectionate smiles, looked remarkably well-matched. The sunlight shining down made their light-colored hair shimmer.

Perhaps it was the breathtakingly beautiful scene that made his heart race unusually fast.

He knew. He knew this was the distance between them.

So why did it feel so painful? This shouldn’t be happening.

As he stared at them endlessly, Noah rubbed his left chest. The throbbing sensation and the persistent pounding of his heart seemed to spread through his entire body like poison.

Like water overflowing from a glass, emotions surged up, threatening to spill over. Noah tried to ignore the feelings he didn’t want to acknowledge, swallowing them with great effort.

It was immediately after that he felt something strange.