Chapter 25
The wind tangled in the carriage wheels carried with it a mix of different noises.
Beyond, with the wide river as a backdrop, a tall city wall at the end of the road welcomed the carriage they had been riding.
The city of Lite, in the Aischfein territory along the southern border, was located at the southernmost point of the land and was known as a center of trade.
From the south of the city, a large river stretched from west to east, flowing leisurely between the Yurit Principality of Sanscria and Lite.
“Mm… we should head to the guild first, right?”
Instead of sightseeing through the bustling streets, Cordelia and Noah sat in the slowly rolling carriage, heads close together, discussing their destination. The curtains were drawn, so the interior was fairly dim, with only slivers of sunlight slipping through the gaps.
“But even if we’re cautious… this is legally prohibited. It won’t be easy to find a mage.”
“If you pay extra, there are plenty of people willing to take risks.”
“I doubt any ordinary information guild would have that kind of lead.”
“That’s why we were assigned soldiers.”
Not so much for surveillance as for protection. It wasn’t hard to guess what her sister was thinking.
“She said she’d send someone in Lite to help us, so maybe we can rely on that person. Let’s go to the inn we agreed on and meet them there.”
“Did she say who it was?”
“No. Just that we’d recognize them immediately when we saw them. I guess it’s someone you or I know?”
Tilting her head, Cordelia opened the seat compartment and pulled out a neatly folded brown robe, draping it over her shoulders. Noah also checked his purple cloak and pulled up the hood.
Looking at themselves, Cordelia smirked. “We look like we’re plotting something.” She had the sort of personality that could even enjoy a tense situation.
“Oh, if anything happens, use this token and my name. This is my family’s territory, so it should work in most cases.”
That was probably why her sister had sent her here in the first place. No matter what, Cordelia was always the youngest of the Weitzen family. You could call it overprotective, but given the dangerous events lately, Cordelia could understand Jerrania’s concern.
“Didn’t she say not to inform the family?”
“As long as they don’t find out about the body swap, it’s fine. Besides, this is my father’s domain—it’s safer here.”
“The former duke?”
“Yeah. He’s still in good health. He retired because he lost interest in politics. Thanks to that, Rick nags me more, though.”
Cordelia, lips jutting out, leaned her face in close to Noah’s. Noah flinched, which made her grin.
“It’s your own face—why so startled?”
“Anyone would be startled if a face suddenly came that close. Also… you’re too close.”
When Noah asked why, Cordelia curved her eyes in a teasing smile, as if trying to bewitch him.
“We’re both tired from not being in our own bodies.”
“…That’s true.”
“In fairy tales, a kiss is like a cure-all. Don’t you think it’s worth trying at least once?”
“We can meet Lady Riness in as little as three days. I think it’s fine to just wait patiently.”
Noah neatly sidestepped Cordelia’s antics, and right then, the carriage stopped. Knowing when to retreat, she hid her disappointment and opened the door. Stepping out, she offered her hand to Noah.
“Come, take my hand.”
Looking at the politely spoken Cordelia, Noah quietly placed his hand in hers and stepped down to the ground.
With soldiers in tow, they entered the inn. Noah’s expression was a little troubled.
After securing a room, the two set out into the city. As expected of a trade hub, the air was filled not just with the common tongue, Hiren, but with a jumble of languages unfamiliar to their ears.
“There are a lot of soldiers here, probably because it’s near the principality,” Cordelia murmured, having just noticed a passing patrol. It was already the third one she’d seen.
“This place has extraterritorial rights. There are also a lot of pickpockets—be careful.”
Cities of similar size usually had only one courthouse, but Lite had three. With so many people from various nations gathered here, incidents and disputes were constant.
“You sound like you’ve been here before.”
“I have.”
“…Huh?”
“Oh, a client lived here. It wasn’t a portrait commission—they wanted a painting of the cityscape, so I couldn’t work from the capital.”
“You’re allowed to travel this far?”
“His Majesty permits me to leave the capital if I’m escorted by soldiers. Though either my mother or I must always remain at the estate…”
It struck Cordelia as surprisingly lenient treatment for the family of a traitor. Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Noah quietly added:
“You could call it a privilege, but it’s more like a deal.”
“A deal?”
“I wasn’t the one who made it, though.”
His cryptic answer reminded Cordelia of something she had forgotten, but it was too rude to ask directly, so she kept quiet.
When they entered what looked like the market, the noise doubled. Cordelia, walking among the bustling crowd, suddenly grabbed Noah’s hand.
“So we don’t lose each other—hold on tight.”
It was an excuse Noah couldn’t refuse, and the warmth of his grip was satisfying. When she intertwined their fingers, he let it happen without complaint.
She’d never thought her hands were small, but in Noah’s they felt tiny.
Ah, I want to go back to my own body and hold hands like this.
Cordelia brushed off the aggressive merchants tugging at her hand. Others approached Noah too, but since he gave no response at all, they quickly lost interest.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His eyes held no trace of greed—it was strange. So different from her own desire-driven nature. Even with the same face, the contents were completely different.
“Come to think of it, you paint. Since we’re in the market, don’t you want to buy something?”
Winning favor usually started with material gifts, and she couldn’t believe she’d forgotten that. Asking as casually as she could, Noah thought for a moment.
“Something I want…? Well, I do need a new brush. Oil painting brushes are hard to maintain.”
“Why?”
“You have to clean them with oil. When we switched back, didn’t my room smell like oil?”
It had smelled awful. Cordelia wrinkled her brow at the memory.
“Painting in a closed space is hard on the nose, so I always open the windows wide. Not that most paints smell any better…”
Noah stopped himself from saying he didn’t have the energy to clean after certain paintings. Remembering what he’d drawn then was not a topic to linger on.
“What about paints?”
“Pigments? They’re expensive, so it’s hard to find good ones in markets like this.”
“That expensive?”
“Some are made by grinding gemstones. For example, do you know lapis lazuli? Only paint made from it can produce a vivid blue—just like your eyes, Cordelia…”
The last part was drowned out by a sudden swell of noise. Realizing what he’d said, Noah quickly closed his mouth.
“Huh? What?” Cordelia raised her voice.
“…It’s nothing!”
Just then, Noah noticed someone’s shoes rushing toward him. He tried to dodge, but the person was too quick.
“Ah!”
The collision was so hard that Noah staggered, and Cordelia caught him. The man, a well-dressed, burly figure who looked like a wealthy merchant, shouted angrily.
“Watch where you’re going!”
“Sorry—”
“Hey, you were the one who ran into us!” Cordelia cut in sharply before Noah could apologize. The man hadn’t even been looking ahead, and Noah had tried to avoid him.
Though briefly taken aback by the sight of a cloaked figure confronting him, the man barked back, soldiers at his side:
“You should have moved aside!”
“In this crowd? If you were half your size, we wouldn’t even have brushed against you!”
“What?! I am the loyal aide of Count Ellan! How dare some country bumpkin raise their voice at me!”
Eyeing Cordelia up and down, he seemed emboldened by the rustic look her hooded head gave her.
“Oh, so yelling instead of apologizing is what city folk do?” Cordelia sneered, her fist subtly trembling.
The man’s brows twitched in anger, and onlookers began to gather, though no one stepped in.
“Hold on,” a clear voice cut in. Noah stepped forward and addressed the man calmly:
“It’s not worth fighting over a bump. Let’s end this here. You said you serve Count Ellan, but I doubt he’d be pleased by this scene. Am I wrong?”
The man faltered, eyes darting.
“W-what nonsense—!”
“I’m only stating the truth. But if you insist on settling it, I won’t stop you.”
Finally seeing Noah’s face clearly, the man swallowed hard. With her refined, cool beauty and noble manner, she was clearly highborn—perhaps very highborn.
“And besides… you look busy. Do you have time for this?” Noah’s gaze flicked to the letter in his hand.
The man scowled, then turned away and continued on. Cordelia, itching to grab his shoulder, was stopped by Noah’s firm grip.
“What the hell was that? Sure, people like him are common, but—!”
“It’s over, so let it go. Don’t dwell on it.”
The even tone cooled Cordelia’s temper. As the crowd dispersed, she took a deep breath.
“Noah, how are you so calm? Doesn’t it make you angry? You used to—”
… outrank me. How can you be so unfazed when someone like that insults you?
Though she trailed off, Noah caught her meaning and smiled lightly.
“Did you forget my profession? I’ve met plenty of people like him.”
He’d heard worse insults, and sometimes, after being recognized, received unwanted advances. Many looked down on painters as lowly, treating them as if they could be disrespected without consequence.
“And really… why waste emotions on someone I may never see again?”
It wasn’t an attempt to reassure her—he genuinely meant it. Looking up at him, Cordelia found herself at a loss for words. His hand holding hers was warm, but a chill crept into her heart.
A thought flickered through her mind.
Maybe Noah… is colder than I realized.
