Chapter 37………..
Kalia arrived at Reuchel Castle a little later than expected—two days later, to be exact. The alluring beauty known as the “Red Rose” swept across the hall without hesitation, the hem of her dress fluttering behind her.
“Ah—sister!”
From the staircase at the center of the hall, Cordelia peeked out and quickly scurried down. Instead of scolding her for being frivolous, Kalia flicked her younger sister’s forehead with her finger.
“Ow! Are you crazy?! What if I get a bruise on my skin?”
“Are you even in your right mind?”
It was a perfect non-answer. Kalia’s pink-tinted eyes glared at her troublesome youngest sister. Cordelia, rubbing her forehead with all her might, straightened her shoulders confidently and led Kalia toward the drawing room.
As soon as the door closed, Cordelia put her hands on her hips and grinned.
“Father already agreed. All you have to do is play along.”
“How long are you planning for?”
“I want to wrap things up in ten days at most. That should be enough time for the rumors to spread, don’t you think?”
“…You’ve already set things in motion in the capital, haven’t you?”
“Mm-hmm! It’ll take a little while for the word to really get around, though.”
Seeing her younger sister’s cheerful smile made Kalia’s head ache, but for now, she decided to at least hear Cordelia out.
“What on earth are you trying to do?”
“I want Rick to be so fed up that he won’t interfere in my marriage matters for a while. Didn’t you hear that suitors are swarming the ducal estate in the capital? I can’t go back if that mess isn’t resolved first.”
It was a fairly logical reason. Normally, Kalia tried to stay neutral in such matters, but even she couldn’t deny that Rick had gone too far this time.
“Of course, it’s not like those men did anything wrong. Who would want to pass up the chance to marry such a beautiful lady and gain a marquisate on top of it? Right, right.”
Cordelia nodded sagely with her arms folded, and Kalia found herself dumbfounded all over again. Regardless, Cordelia happily continued laying out her plans.
“It’s a bit too much for me to plan alone. You know I’m not exactly the meticulous type.”
“So, you called me.”
“Honestly, doesn’t it sound fun? It’s not like spending this much will put a dent in the family fortune.”
Watching her sister burn with enthusiasm, Kalia couldn’t help but chuckle. As always, Cordelia’s bubbly energy overflowed into reckless action—that was the problem.
After ordering the servants to bring tea and refreshments, the two sat across from each other on the sofa.
“How many portraits did I receive again… not more than a hundred, I think. Hm. Will we really need that many people?”
“Well, what if we split them up and bring them in gradually?”
Since the mess was already in motion, Kalia decided it was too late to stop it. She offered the occasional dry bit of advice. Surprisingly, despite their constant bickering, the sisters worked well together in times like this.
After their rough discussion ended, Cordelia jingled a little bell. She told a maid to summon Noah, prompting Kalia to raise a curious brow.
“Who are you calling?”
“Someone I want you to meet.”
“Meet?”
“A man I like.”
Kalia’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her smiling sister.
“A handsome, good-natured man?”
“Of course! And he’s actually fond of me too. He’s really cute.”
“Cordy, swindlers don’t always come from far away.”
Kalia spoke sincerely, but Cordelia snapped in protest.
“No, he’s not!”
“Fine, fine. Maybe not. Anyway, where is he? Let’s at least see his face.”
Cordelia smacked her chest in frustration at her sister’s continued suspicion.
“I’m serious! Even Jerania acknowledged him.”
“Jerania did? Then maybe he really is trustworthy…”
“Don’t you think you’re switching sides too fast?”
“Cordelia. If you were me, would you trust Jerania or you?”
“You, of course.”
“Exactly.”
“Wait—no, that’s not fair! You really don’t trust me?”
As they argued, there came a light knock on the closed door. A man with messy hair stepped inside, paused when he saw Kalia, and bowed.
“Hel…hello. Lady Cordelia said she wished to see me…”
“Ah, come in!”
Cordelia leapt up, seized his hesitant arm, and pulled him inside. The door closed behind him, making Noah’s back stiffen with unease.
Cordelia gently reached out to touch his forehead. Brushing his jet-black hair aside with the back of her hand, she revealed his beautiful, clear eyes. Noah instinctively lowered his head slightly.
“You look tired. Did you sleep poorly?”
“I stayed up a bit last night.”
Listlessly, he took Cordelia’s hand from his forehead, though not roughly. Surprisingly, he didn’t sound annoyed.
“You need proper sleep! Do you know how important rest is for your skin? What kept you up all night?”
Something about the way she fussed over him felt strange. He wasn’t so frail that he couldn’t take care of himself, yet she treated him as if he were a helpless child.
And strangely, he didn’t hate it. That unsettled him. Noah glanced away.
“I was just… making something.”
“What was it?”
“Nothing important. And really, I’m fine.”
Cordelia pursed her lips, dissatisfied. Noah thought about explaining more, but let it drop.
He hadn’t meant to push her away—he was being honest. It really wasn’t anything special, and losing a night or two of sleep wasn’t enough to exhaust him.
Besides, while he worked, he didn’t think of her.
He didn’t have to dwell on how much he wanted to see her. Thinking back to the time when their bodies had switched, Noah realized that, for the first time in his life, he was afraid to stand before a canvas.
Facing a blank sheet had always felt like a thrilling adventure—the joy of wondering how to fill that empty space.
But now, he feared taking that first step. He didn’t trust himself to restrain his emotions.
Ever since being confined, he had carefully suppressed his feelings. Only when painting could he be completely honest. So long as he didn’t paint, he could endure.
At least until he found a proper solution. Fortunately, he had patience.
“By the way, where were you yesterday? You didn’t return to the castle at all.”
“Something urgent came up. I apologize for not telling you in advance. I’ll likely need to go out again tomorrow too.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, I may be late.”
His quiet, gentle voice was pleasant to the ear. After watching them silently, Kalia was acknowledged with a polite bow from Noah.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Noah Epermann.”
“Kalia Weitzen.”
A polite man, she thought, and gave a slight nod. Cordelia, tugging Noah toward the sofa, spoke up.
“There’s something I need to explain.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t tell anyone else.”
“Alright, let’s hear it.”
Kalia’s casual expression grew increasingly serious as Cordelia explained, until finally her face hardened.
“Your bodies switched? That’s ridiculous…”
“So we’re living together for now. It seems safer not to separate until we figure out a solution.”
Kalia suspected Cordelia’s personal feelings played into that decision, but instead of pointing it out, she turned to Noah.
“So, the Cordy I met at the birthday banquet was actually you?”
“Yes, and I owe you for your help that night.”
“I knew something felt off then.”
Kalia paused briefly.
“Wait, I think I may have said something I shouldn’t have.”
“Pardon?”
“No, never mind. Just forget it.”
“Was it about Lady Cordelia writing novels, perhaps?”
Kalia quickly looked away, while Cordelia hiccuped in shock.
“Sister!”
“How was I supposed to know it wasn’t you? Serves you right.”
With a teasing grin, Kalia popped a ginger cookie into Cordelia’s mouth. Even as she glared, Cordelia obediently chewed it, making Noah think:
So this is what a tamer looks like.
“I was surprised, but… is that really something that must be kept secret?”
Cordelia darted her eyes toward Kalia. At the silent question of how much did you tell him? Kalia answered smoothly:
“I didn’t say what kind of novels.”
Ah, so he doesn’t know they’re romance. Cordelia smiled.
“Well, it’s just… when people hear a woman writes, they dismiss her. That’s why I usually keep quiet. Otherwise, they start showing off their knowledge or trying to lecture me.”
She had published nearly twenty books and lived twelve years as an author. She still had room to grow, of course—but she didn’t care to hear condescension from men who did nothing more than sign reports about the territory.
“Many disguise their self-importance as kindness,” Noah said, his voice so gentle it nearly sounded tender, though his words were cold. For a moment, his expression darkened before returning to normal.
“If you don’t wish it, I’ll never say a word.”
Cordelia faltered under his steady gaze. From so close, his face seemed unfamiliar, and she found herself mumbling.
“It’s not like I don’t trust you.”
Noah’s lips curved in a graceful smile.
“I just wanted you to know. By the way… what kind of stories do you write?”
