In Order to Meet You, Beloved - Chapter 8

EPISODE 8

“I think it’s gone, right?”

“I guess.”

As Noah gently released the hand he had awkwardly held, he quietly stepped out of the alley. Was it just a trick of the light, or did his footsteps look nervously restless?

When she followed him outside, there were still many people around. Unlike Noah, who was observing his surroundings next to her, Cordelia mumbled to herself, lost in thought.

“This must be how it feels when the male lead looks down on the female lead…”

“What? What did you say?”

“What did I say?”

Noah didn’t press further when Cordelia played dumb. Strands of golden hair peeking out from beneath his hood sparkled in the sunlight. Cordelia had noticed earlier that he didn’t seem to be very talkative.

Well, it’s better than showing off a meaningless side by talking too much. He seems serious, and that’s a good thing, right?

Cordelia’s past self, who used to give extra points to men who spoke entertainingly, sneered at him, but Cordelia didn’t nod in agreement.

Her past self briefly froze but then subtly nodded in approval. It was a satisfying result.

“By the way, where did Lyneth go?”

As they walked down the street side by side, Noah asked. Cordelia shrugged.

“If we happen to get separated, we have a designated meeting spot. I’m going there.”

Cordelia now had her hands in her pockets, giving off a rather nonchalant air, likely to cover up her symbols. Noah’s pace slowed a bit. A quiet voice followed from behind Cordelia, who was walking ahead.

“Excuse me.”

“Hmm?”

“Sorry for dragging you into this.”

When she turned around, she saw Noah looking down in self-reproach. Seeing her own somber expression, Cordelia was filled with a strange feeling.

“It wasn’t intentional, so it’s fine. It’s not a bad experience.”

Cordelia, approaching with a playful tone, bent her knees to look at Noah’s face.

“By the way, you’re really tall. I don’t usually hear that I’m short.”

Compared to other women, she was quite tall, but standing next to him, she seemed much smaller.

“You do stand out.”

Cordelia noticed Noah’s somewhat unwelcoming expression and wondered inwardly. With looks and height like his, he should be very popular, so why did he seem so disinterested?

“Are you a commoner or a noble?”

“A commoner.”

“Do you face any disadvantages for standing out?”

“No, not really… Shall we go?”

Was he deliberately mumbling his words just now?

Cordelia started walking, following Noah, who hurried ahead. Well, since he’s cute, she decided to overlook it. She looked at the back of Noah’s head, thinking of him as an old man. She noticed people glancing at her but didn’t care.

Ah, it feels good. How long has it been since she walked the streets so freely?

Thinking about how she had always had to move cautiously, like a criminal, gave her chills. Even wearing slightly flashy clothes was quite uncomfortable, and long skirts were not suitable for wandering around the market streets.

Even if she wore the same clothes as everyone else, if she didn’t cover her face, problems always arose. She knew it was because the world was rough, but it was incredibly exhausting.

Come to think of it, the situation earlier was quite amusing.

“By the way, do you know how to read?”

“Yes.”

“Do you read books often?”

“Huh? As much as anyone else does…?”

Seeing Noah answer diligently despite his puzzled expression, Cordelia inwardly sighed in relief. Judging by his response, he didn’t seem like the type to read romance novels.

It might be a good idea to adapt the situation from earlier into her next work. This kind of scene is a cliché, but it works well because it’s a cliché. Two people are being chased, ending up in a confined space, and starting to become aware of each other.

Imagining it and experiencing it firsthand was quite different, so it would be a good reference for her descriptions.

Lost in such thoughts, Cordelia walked briskly and intertwined her left hand, which had no markings, with Noah’s right hand. As Noah flinched in surprise, she added an excuse she had just prepared, smiling widely.

“In case we get separated. Otherwise, we might end up walking all day. Let’s hurry!”

“Oh, okay.”

Noah, with his head down, took quick steps, his earlobes turning a lovely shade of red. However, Cordelia, who was walking cheerfully, didn’t notice.

As they passed through the city and things got a bit quieter, she noticed a brown hood standing in the distance. Cordelia waved her hand and called out in a bright voice.

“Lyneth!”

Lyneth, who had her eyes glued to a book, looked up and closed it as she saw the two approaching.

“You’re finally here. I thought you had turned into snails. I even stalled for time, worrying you might get caught.”

“Sorry, it just happened that way.”

As Lyneth, who had been nagging about almost getting caught, scrutinized Cordelia’s face, she noticed her bright expression.

“You seem to be in a good mood. Did you have a pleasant time?”

“What do you mean, what did I do!”

Feeling pricked, Cordelia yelled back, and Lyneth, glancing at Noah who was standing awkwardly, spoke again.

“Anyway, let’s grab a carriage and move. I have something to discuss.”

***

“I’ve been thinking while you two were away.”

As they headed towards the place where the old woman was said to be, Lyneth, sitting across from them in the carriage, looked at the two who were huddled together. Cordelia nodded favorably at Lyneth, who insisted on sitting alone due to unfamiliarity with both of them.

Having an excuse to sit together was great for her!

Lyneth squinted her eyes as if she knew exactly what she was thinking, but didn’t say anything further. Her convenience was the most important to her anyway.

“It seems difficult to break the magic right away, but if we think simply, there might be a way to do it right now.”

Lyneth said, not forgetting to cast a sound-blocking barrier even in this situation. Cordelia pouted, having made a serious remark about whether she believed in conspiracy theories, only to earn a sharp smack on the knee from Lyneth. She was merciless, perhaps because it wasn’t her own body.

“What is it?”

“Since you two are connected by a thread, cutting that thread might return you to your original bodies.”

Lyneth explained.

Cordelia lifted her left hand, looking at it curiously. The marked hexagram drew her gaze. The thread that had connected to her middle finger was no longer visible.

“You’re talking about that thing you hid earlier?”

“Yes. It should be possible… but I can’t guarantee what kind of backlash there might be. Or it might not work at all.”

“Then let’s just give up…”

Noah began.

“Let’s do it!”

Cordelia interrupted, speaking over Noah. Two pairs of eyes turned toward her.

“Surprising, huh? Are you serious?”

“We have to try something. We can’t just leave things like this. This person has his own schedule, too.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“Knowing your personality, you wouldn’t have brought it up if it was life-threatening, right?”

Cordelia countered.

“That’s true, but…”

“Noah, don’t you agree?”

Cordelia asked, surprising Noah with her casual use of his name. Despite feeling a sense of self-reproach for finding her lively voice pleasant, Noah answered faithfully.

“Ah, yes.”

He had to meet a client in two days, so staying in this state would be problematic. As Noah nodded with a dazed expression, Lyneth spoke up lightly.

“Ah, come to think of it, the queen’s birthday is in a week.”

“What, you know about that too?”

“How could I not, when the high-ranking officials are all vacating their posts at once?”

“Then we need to find a solution quickly. Even if others don’t notice, my sister is very perceptive.”

The queen of this country and Cordelia’s second sister, Jerania, was a genius recognized by the entire family, possessing keen insight and observational skills. She would likely notice even the slightest odd behavior.

“You’re not planning on skipping it, are you?”

“Of course not.”

Skipping the birthday banquet she had attended every year would look extremely suspicious, and missing her sister’s once-a-year birthday for such a reason was unthinkable.

“Wouldn’t it be better to confide in her? She is the most powerful person in this country, after all.”

“My sister has plenty of other things to deal with. For now, I want to resolve this on my own if possible.”

Cordelia replied firmly.

Seeing Cordelia’s determined expression, Noah inwardly sighed in relief.

It didn’t take long for the carriage to reach their destination. Unfortunately, the old woman was nowhere to be seen. Cordelia tapped Noah’s shoulders gently to console him as they slumped slightly in disappointment.

The next destination was a mansion owned by Cordelia. It was the one closest to where Noah lived among all the properties Cordelia owned. When the resident employee opened the door, a spacious interior was revealed. Though modest, the mansion’s drawing room had everything necessary. As Lyneth looked around, she asked curiously.

“Why do you stay at the Duke’s residence when you have a house like this?”

“Because it’s convenient and familiar? But I think it would be better to stay out for a while. There are too many people there who know me well. Wouldn’t that be troublesome for you too, Noah?”

“Oh, no. It’s just that…”

“Hmm?”

“It’s just that being alone, changing clothes would be a bit difficult… I did get some help from a maid.”

Cordelia blinked at Noah, who was constantly looking out for her reactions as he spoke, then quickly agreed.

“Oh, that was an issue.”

Men and women have different body structures, after all. It was a perfectly natural concern, though she had completely overlooked it. If Noah knew how eagerly she had touched everywhere the moment their bodies switched, he might faint. Embarrassed, Cordelia cleared her throat quietly.

“Got it. If Lyneth’s method doesn’t work, I’ll get a maid for you. But don’t worry too much. As you said, maids help with dressing anyway, right? It’s unavoidable.”

She thought she was easing Noah’s tension, but it seemed to have the opposite effect as his expression stiffened slightly.

“Cordelia.”

“Yes?”

“You don’t really know me. How can you say such things? You should be more cautious. You might need to assign someone to watch me, considering this situation might be partly my fault….”

Noah’s voice, which had been awkwardly laughing, turned calm and composed, filled with concern. The sight of her face with such a serious expression on another person felt strangely unfamiliar.

It was her face, yet the distinction between their identities was stark.

This made her feel even weirder. Ignoring her pounding heart, Cordelia forced a cheerful tone.

“Hey, I said that because I knew you’d say something like that. I have a good sense of people, you know.”

“That’s not the issue here.”

“If that’s what worries you, how about you take responsibility for me instead?”