Chapter 13
Thump, thump. The sound of a heartbeat flowed slowly across the skin where they touched. Propping herself up slightly with her arms on the floor, Cordelia felt Noah’s hands, which had been supporting her back, lose their strength.
At a glance, it looked as if Cordelia had pinned Noah down. Her long, flowing golden hair cascaded beside his face like a waterfall.
Remaining in that position, Cordelia stared intently at Noah’s face.
She had thought he was cute and charming before, but the hands that had gripped her, the broad shoulders, and the sharp lines of his face were unmistakably those of a man. Perhaps because of his profession, the faint scent of paint mingled with his natural fragrance, creating a unique aroma.
She should thank him and get up, but as if under a spell, her body wouldn’t move… No, that wasn’t it—she just didn’t want to move yet.
Using the situation as an excuse, Cordelia took the opportunity to thoroughly admire Noah’s face while falling into a little dilemma. Of course, in her mind, it was a matter of utmost seriousness.
This… isn’t this the perfect mood for a kiss?
Should she go for it now, or test the waters a little more? If she moved too fast, she might come across as frivolous. Would it be better to take it slow? But then again, opportunities like this don’t come often…
“Lady Cordelia.”
“Huh?”
Startled by the soft voice calling her name, Cordelia tensed up for a moment. Wow, even his voice is amazing? This is just unfair!
No matter how she looked at it, it seemed dangerous to let him out into the world. She felt like she should stamp her seal on him right now. But… making a move without permission felt wrong, too…
As her conscience and reason wrestled with each other, Noah spoke again with that same serious expression.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…What?”
Cordelia blurted out the question without thinking. His calm face showed no trace of surprise, as though nothing unusual had happened.
“…No?”
“That’s a relief. Then, could you please move aside?”
His voice was crisp and light, carrying not a hint of desire. Cordelia shifted aside with a dumbfounded look while Noah quickly picked up the scattered tools. Then, as he casually gathered up the canvas, Cordelia realized her mistake.
I should’ve checked that first!
“Really? You’re doing this to me?”
“I’ll show you later.”
Cordelia glared, but Noah turned his back neatly to her. Even crouched down, his back looked as broad as a plain. She stared at it silently, irritated that he seemed so completely unaffected—like there wasn’t a shred of romantic interest.
When someone reacts like this, it makes you want to push harder!
If her sisters were here, they would have shaken their heads and told her to rein in her temper. Unfortunately, none of them were around to stop her.
After tidying up the scattered tools, Noah stood up. At the same time, when Cordelia suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist, his body stiffened instantly. Whirling around like lightning, he found Cordelia hugging him from behind.
“Stop painting and let’s go out for a bit, hmm? The weather’s so nice.”
Her face, tilted slightly upward with a smile, was as delicate as a single blossom. Among the women of the kingdom, Cordelia was considered fairly tall, yet there was still a significant height difference between her and Noah. From this close, his face was flawless, without even a freckle.
As Noah stared blankly into her face, Cordelia inwardly smiled in triumph.
There. How do you like that?
“Then… shall we go out?”
Huh?
Before she could process what had just happened, Noah returned her gaze with a warm smile and gently removed her hands. Looking flustered, Cordelia watched as he scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“I suppose it’s true—I’ve been painting for five days straight. You must be bored. The portrait is almost finished anyway, so a short break should be fine.”
Normally, it didn’t take this long to complete a single portrait. His daily workload wasn’t heavy, and usually, he didn’t talk much while working—but this time, the chatter had slowed him down. Of course, that was by his own choice.
Sure, painting was tiring, but sitting still wasn’t exactly comfortable either—especially for someone like Cordelia, who was used to moving around rather than sitting in one place. Noah reflected quietly, wondering if he’d been too focused on doing things his own way.
“Lady Cordelia?”
“…Wait, you mean you’re not leaving for home, right? You’re saying you’ll go out with me?”
“Yes. Ah, did I misread the situation? If you’re uncomfortable, I can just—”
“No! Of course I’d love that. Okay, I’d better get ready. You too—go change and leave your tools here. You can pick them up tomorrow.”
She hurried to answer before he changed his mind, but as soon as she realized what she’d said, something felt… off. Cordelia blinked in confusion.
Wait a second.
Sure, she wanted to go out, but this wasn’t how she imagined it! How could he react so calmly to a beauty like her? Are you even a man?!
A wave of irrational complaints rose inside her. She barely restrained the urge to grab him by the collar and shake him, and slowly withdrew her awkward hands.
“I already have a place in mind, so—Huh?”
Before she could finish, Noah gently took her hand. Cordelia stared blankly as he examined it with a serious expression.
“You have a cut.”
On the right hand, where the mark had appeared before, there was a small scratch. The skin was scraped and a little sore, but Cordelia brushed it off.
“It’s nothing.”
“You should put some ointment on before we leave.”
“It’s fine. It’s just a scratch.”
“You almost had a serious accident earlier. Please be more careful.”
Although he didn’t insist further when she said she was fine, Noah studied her hand so intently that Cordelia felt embarrassed. Only then did he gently release it.
“Then, I’ll go change my clothes.”
With a polite bow, he turned and left the room. Cordelia listened to his footsteps fade away, then collapsed onto the sofa. Her dress might wrinkle, but who cared?
Rolling onto her back, she stretched her arm and stared at her hand. Then she suddenly chuckled. All that fuss over a tiny scratch—what was he so worried about?
“Ugh, this is so confusing.”
It was definitely kindness… but what kind of kindness? Or was he just flustered because her beauty was overwhelming? Still, looking at the situation, it didn’t seem hopeless.
As long as she got to the capital safely, everything would fall into place!
“Oh, right—my hair!”
Cordelia jumped up, groaning at the sight of her flattened, messy hair. She rang the bell for Rosa, her maid, wearing a complicated expression.
Contrary to Cordelia’s thoughts, Noah wasn’t much calmer himself.
After bowing and leaving, he headed to the empty guest room Cordelia had let him use since his first day here. His steps were measured—neither hurried nor slow.
But as soon as he closed the door behind him, he slid down against it and buried his face in his large hands. The skin between his fingers flushed bright red.
“That… was dangerous…”
Muttering in a voice that still sounded too soft, Noah hung his head low. He needed to calm down before going out. His heartbeat was so loud that if he left now, she’d definitely notice.
“…What did I even say back there?”
As the recent events replayed in his mind, Noah groaned in frustration.
“Ah. What the hell was I thinking?”
He stayed crouched for a while, clutching his head, then suddenly leapt up and busied himself with preparations—so frantically that he nearly tripped over nothing.
Soon, the two of them were riding a carriage to a nearby town. Cordelia wore a bright blue dress, a wide-brimmed hat, and white gloves. Across from her sat Noah, wearing sleek black gloves of similar material, fidgeting with his hands on his knees.
“Where are we going first?”
“I was thinking of stopping by a bookstore.”
“You’re going to buy books yourself?”
Normally, wouldn’t she just send a servant? Tilting his head in mild surprise, Noah listened as Cordelia nodded.
“There’s something I want to check out. I’m not a shut-in—I like going out sometimes.”
“It’ll mostly be commoners there, though. Won’t you stand out too much like this?”
“That’s the point.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Everything in life is about making an impression first!”
What kind of impression was necessary for visiting a bookstore?
Noah swallowed his thoughts and glanced at her discreetly, careful not to stare since that would be rude.
“You can look openly if you want.”
Startled by her teasing remark, Noah quickly averted his gaze. Cordelia almost burst out laughing, but instead, she covered her mouth demurely and let out a soft “hohoho.”
If Liam had been there, he would’ve groaned and told her to stop laughing like a witch. The thought of that annoying friend made Cordelia frown.
Oh, right. Since it’s her sister’s birthday, that guy must be in the capital now. Would they run into each other at the party in two days?
He was the least sociable person she knew, so he’d probably latch onto her again. If not for his icy appearance that kept people at a distance, he’d have an even harder time surviving social gatherings.
“By the way… why is your body so well-built? You sit and paint all day!”
