《In Order To Meet You, Beloved》 Chapter 0 It was a bright morning, the sunlight streaming through the window. The man stared blankly at the mirror hanging on the bedside table, leaving behind the sunny weather that made him feel good just by looking outside. Yeah, from the moment I woke up, I felt something was strange. Big calluses on my hands, my crystal clear vision, my weak self-confidence in the morning, and a strangely relaxed mind. When I pulled off the black hair that was covering my eyes, my blue eyes as clear as a lake were revealed. The facial features, which seemed to have been delicately drawn, were so beautiful that if someone says a God sculpted them, I would believe them in an instant But its not my face. Instead of her familiar pretty face, Cordelia stared at the face of a man she didnt know. No matter how many times she blinked, the reality remained the same. Cordelias voice, who had been staring at herself, or, someone in the mirror for a long time, trembled. This, this. How did this happen?! *** Beautiful things truly are the best. Thats Ms. Cordelia! First of all, shes nice to look at, and shes also pleasing to the eye, right? A small exclamation filled the banquet hall. A woman in a sky blue dress was standing where the gaze of a woman who had seen her fell. A woman with golden hair curled inward, eyes shining blue as if it contained a lake, long eyelashes and thick red lips had a noble atmosphere reminiscent of a masterpiece. Some people pass by without seeing her, but no one has ever passed by without looking back after seeing her beautiful face.She wasnt given the title of the most beautiful woman in the kingdom for nothing. If her sister, Calia, is called a red rose, Cordelia was an elegant beauty reminiscent of a golden tulip. Youre really pretty The woman was looking at Cordelia with ecstasy, one of the crowd secretly gave her a pint glass. Why are you so fussy? Why Jaina also saw her for the first time today The rumors dont even give her real beauty justice! I heard that shes not very social, but it must be my lucky day! I just really hope Calia was here as well! The woman, who was staring at her friend who babbled like a sparrow, took a sip of the cider. In fact, not only them, but most of the people in the banquet hall were spying on Cordelia.They looked at her openly, but she was oblivious of it. If one stared at her so tenaciously, they might notice it, but Cordelia was just immersed in thought, as if bored. A bracelet with a red jewel hung on her slightly exposed white wrist was a perfect match. Well. Shes beautiful, but it doesnt seem like shes very modest. Cordelias harem was really popular in social circles. The half-faced men were all joking, perhaps not , that they had dated Cordelia at least once. However, even if they were all true stories, they only lasted less than three months. Some of those who broke up claimed that they had initiated it to Cordelia and poured out gossip, but unfortunately not many believed. That said, Cordelia had never shown any sympathy for her opponent, and she was still the most popular in social circles. And by the way, doesnt that mean theres something wrong with her because shes still not married? Most of the people in the crowd were surprised by the bold statement. Another woman who seemed older than her quietly glared at her. Hey, what are you talking about? Even now, there are several proposals for Duke Weichen! Besides, we dont know if shes dating someone right now. What cant you do with money and power? Anyone who has ever seen Cordelia knew that even if she was being forced down, she wont back up. Cordelia Weichen. The youngest daughter of the Duke of Weichen, who has captivated people with her elegant beauty from the moment she entered the social world, is still enjoying the popularity of her heyday more than 10 years later. Men who were far away from the women were also spying on Cordelia for a while, and even her side face, who was holding and gulping a glass of wine, was perfectly sculpted. She looked so young that they couldnt believe she was now in her thirties. You know what? There were rumors that Count Nelson and the Young Lady had broken up. Is that really true? Perhaps under the circumstances. Count Nelsons carriage was standing in front of the Young Ladys house, unable to enter. That Just then, a man approached Cordelias silhouette. As soon as they saw her, the men shut their mouths as promised. It was Edward Nelson, the man who was on the topic a while ago. The man, who had just turned 30, was a handsome man with his hair straight and stylishly dressed. The two standing side by side got along really well, but the conversation between them wasnt very pleasant. Are you sure youve said everything? Contrary to the gentle smile on his face, Edward said in a soft voice in response to the cold wave that seemed to have hit him. Codi, Im sorry about that day. You know what youre sorry for? Not respecting your opinion properly. But youre in the wrong as well, arent you? Cordelias eyebrows twitched slightly. It seemed that he had forgotten the rude speculations he had listed before me. Surely he asked for an apology and correction, but the words didnt make sense, so why was he still saying it? He was the first to start it, and when it came to this, it was ridiculous for him to act as if it was the fault of both parties. Do you know that everything makes sense when you say it politely? Not noticing her uneasy heart, the man spoke softly, You know what youre too tight. You need to loosen up a little bit. Count. Annoyed to hear any more, I interrupted him, and the man looked at Cordelia in amazement. If it had been before, she would have kneeled in front of him, but as she got older, Cordelia knew a way to keep her opponent down even more than that. Everything you sent me was sent back to your home. I didnt miss anything, so check it out. There was no emotion in Cordelias face, who was courteous and professional instead of the sweet and affectionate lover. Without giving the time for Edward to be embarrassed by the watchful eyes of strangers, Cordelia immediately followed suit, Oh, you can take all the presents I gave you. Or throw it away. Then, the womans footsteps were extremely light as she left the man with a sense of humor, turned around with a light greeting and left the banquet hall. The weather outside the window was very sunny. The sun shone down on the red-roofed mansion. A luxurious carriage stopped near the building used as a publishing house, and the womans footsteps were nervous as she lightly brushed her hair. There was a living space on the third floor of the building, which she gladly disregarded. Ah, love and novels, lets just beat them all! Cordelia, who quickly entered the room and entered the drawing room on the second floor, spit angrily and sat down on the sofa. A gentle-looking man with neatly-cut brown hair placed a steaming teacup in front of Cordelia. Calm down, writer. You know that readers are eagerly waiting for the authors new book. Shut it, Luther! Im going to retire now! Yes, yes. My heart understands, but you cant. Whatever Cordelia said, Luther heard with one ear and shed with the other. It was one of Cordelias habits, to cry out for retirement whenever she hit a deadline. The youngest member of the kingdoms most powerful family, an elegant beauty who dominates the social world. Aside from this, Cordelia had one more name. Lawrence Blanc. The most popular romance novelist in the kingdom. She appeared like a comet 10 years ago and wrote all kinds of masterpieces including {Night on Frey}, gaining popularity with wealthy women including nobles, and now even commoners are recruiting readers. That was the other face of Cordelia Weichen. As Cordelia began to drink tea and seemed to have calmed down a bit, Luther cautiously asked the question. Has the manuscript made any progress? No. Im writing this and that, but Im not progressing at all. Originally, the book was written by hand, but it has undergone upheaval since the temple applied magic to invent a printing machine that made it possible to mass-produce it. Since it became possible to print books by entrusting them to the shrine, the number of bookstores as well as small publishers in charge of publishing gradually increased. However, in the early days, the market was not large because the people who could read were mainly nobles, wealthy commoners, and monks. As the price of books became much cheaper than before and the number of commoners who could read increased, it was inevitable that the market would expand. The number of writers also gradually increased, and Cordelia was the next generation of writers in the early days. When Cordelia first wrote anonymously and sent it to publishers, the only positive contact was Mason Luther. Luther went so far as to say that that decision changed my publishing life. Contrary to the prejudice about who reads romance novels, Cordelias romance was a huge hit, contributing to making Cordelias pseudonym Lawrence Blanc,one of the most popular writers in the kingdom. From innocent and fresh love to sensual descriptions, Cordelia, who can easily digest any story, was definitely a talented writer. Of course, it was no different from other writers in making people suffer when the deadline came. Cordelia laid herself flat on the table. But seriously, the subject doesnt come to mind. What about this? Would it be okay if I bring some of the works youve written in the past? No! Whats the fun of seeing something youve already seen again? Most of all, I cant think of a great male protagonist. Chapter 1 The male protagonist is the flower of the romance novel! Cordelia pretended to be lying on the table while she yelled and heard a loud voice. Oh, its the author. Ugh. Cordelia straightened her back right away and turned toward the door. A girl who looked to be about ten years old walked into the room with her head sticking out of the doorway. Rosetta Luther was Mason Luthers only daughter. Author, are you doing that again? What do you mean again? Im serious Rosetta. Cordelias voice hinted at a very close relationship between the two of them, which was different from how she talked to Luther. Even though he was treated badly, Luther did nothing but shake his head. Rosetta turned her head to the side and spoke quietly. But Author, you said the same thing months ago when the deadline was coming close. Oh did I? Cordelia coughed without success. In fact, Cordelias deadlines always included the problem of the handsome male protagonist. Thats likely because she doesnt really have a keen eye towards men at this time. Luther had to change the rhythm to fit Cordelia, who insisted that even the fiction should be perfect because it doesnt exist in reality or is just someone elses bread. He had a sudden idea. Making a living is very hard. Are you leaving your job? Calm down. Luther put the cake in front of Cordelia to calm her mind, who was moving around a lot. Cordelias fork cut sharply through the air as she looked at the tart with apricots on top of the crunchy cheese. Oh, its delicious! Luther cooks really well. Ah, thats reassuring. Luther thought that its a very hard job, but he also placed a slice on his daughters plate. Cordelia was one of the most honest and demanding writers, even though she seemed like she wasnt. Most of the time, nobles dont have to deal with commoners. So, unlike other aristocratic writers who usually only send their manuscripts by subordinates, Cordelia came here when she was bored and Luther was overwhelmed by her affinity. She has been doing this for over 10 years. Why not try magic? You said you know a priest, didnt you? No matter what time it was, a mysterious ability will get everyones attention. Even though the temple is the only place wizards can be found, it is said that the only time you can see magic in action is at a temple event. To figure out why, we have to look at the history of the kingdom. The Kreits Kingdom, where they live, has a history that goes back about a thousand years. In the founding story, Kardian Rinaen, the first king, and three people who helped him set up the kingdom are shown. People say that, unlike the two public servants who were given dukeships for their work, the third asked the first king quietly. Power is not a bad thing. It just depends on how you deal with it. The believer who served the god Felicie and was the only one of the three to be a wizard felt sorry for magic, which was seen as a special trick at the time, and for the wizards who were treated badly because of it. He talked with the royal family about building a temple, and he and the temple came to an agreement that they would be in charge of everything magic-related. The leaders of the first temple, Abis and Hellas Sandria, are this person. So, not all priests are also wizards, but every single wizard had to be part of the temple. After talking with the royal family two years ago, the law was changed so that an awakened wizard no longer had to join the temple, but they could if they wanted to. The result wouldnt be clear for at least a few more years. So, magic does exist, but to people who didnt have anything to do with the temple, it was just a story like the one about the nobleman. Just enough to think that there is something like that? Even if they were nobles, many people had never even seen magic in their lives, unless they were involved in the event. Unless the information was about magic, it was hard to find out how well information was controlled in the temple. Its not a very flexible group, so if she puts some magic stories in the book, the temple wont stop her Cordelia gave a sad head shake. No. They have no idea that Im a writer. I have no plans to tell anyone, and even if I did, they would have been bugging me for three hours about how magic isnt so easy. Magic isnt that convenient. And now, I care more about the main male character than the story itself, so what? Still, there are more worries than usual. It was clear, but Luther asked another question first. Is it because people didnt respond well to Grey Dorians Letter? It was the only one of your stories with a sad ending. Grey Dorians Letter is the latest story from Cordelia. A man fell in love with an aristocratic woman who was as beautiful as a rose. He told a woman who was married to another man once a month about his feelings. The number of books sold wasnt much different from the last one, but many people wrote to the publisher to say that the ending was disappointing. Cordelia gave a firm nod of her head. No, the ending was good enough for me, so thats it. Its too far to have a happy ending. It was written in beautiful sentences, but in the end, it was sad because she was constantly watching other peoples private lives. She didnt even think about how the two stories would end. Because shes been in a similar situation. She doesnt have a man! So she couldnt do anything to her character. It left her with no choice. She felt so good when she killed Namjoo! Cordelia was usually happy and upbeat, but she had a stubborn corner where she wouldnt give up on her work no matter what. In particular, she was very mean because she didnt think twice about taking money from people around her. She didnt forget to change it in a way that it wouldnt be recognized, of course. Ugh, but I cant really think of anything! How can I even make a good male lead? Cordelia made a face like she had a lot to do and folded her fingers one at a time. If a man is polite and is not lavish, they will say that hes not obsessed! But its scary if hes too obsessed! If hes nice to everyone, then the readers wont trust him! If hes not up to their standards, they wont like him! Didnt you quite like it before? After seeing it in real life, its not that enjoyable! Even more so because hes trying to interfere with my daily life! Its bad, really bad. People say that a novel should make you believe in a fantasy that doesnt exist in real life. However, if youre hit by reality, youll lose the illusion. It would have been fine if Cordelia was a reader, but since she was a writer and had to make things, it was a death blow. So, did you break up with anyone else this time? From Luthers point of view, when Cordelia acted like that, it was because of her real love story. Cordelia spoke slowly, as if she were sad. Hes good looking though So it was his personality again. Cordelias eyes lit up as soon as Luther took charge in a smart way. Right! Cordelia chirped loudly as she grabbed Luthers outstretched arm as if to clear the atmosphere. But hear me out, Luther. We met for a few months because we wanted to be well acquainted, but as time went on, we started to see each other so much that it became a burden. Why is he grabbing me by the wrist or hugging me when I dont want him to? Where did the man who was polite and nice to me when we first met go? Cordelia thought it was because they were in love up until that point. The breakup happened for the same reason as always. I told him that I dont like that hes talking that were dating in public, so why is he showing off? And he keeps on asking stuff about Liam, and I thought, What the hell is the reason why hes asking about a person that I only meet once or twice a year? And that guy is married, to begin with! As Cordelia yelled in anger, she thought of her old friend. Cordelia once saw him and started far away because she didnt want to get in the way of his family matters. Again, Duke Gracia did a great job. I just dont get it. Why do people think Im dating a married man everytime I go on a date with them? Cordelia pretended to scratch her arm every time she saw Liam, who didnt smile even after seven years of marriage. Frankly, it was disgusting. Is this how it feels that her younger immature brother acts like hes an adult? Liam would have said that he was two years older than her if he had heard that. Because there are lots of people out there. Cordelia spoke up when Luther brought up the fact that many people had governments. But! What does it have to do with me? Should I throw away a 10 year relationship for a new one, then? He did nothing that could be taken the wrong way. Every time Cordelia saw him, all he did was talk about his family and brag about how great they were. Then Cordelia gave him a face-lift to tell him to do it in moderation. What does that have to do with this? Still, she thought Eddie would be a little different, but the way he argued and picked up was the same as other men. At first, Cordelia tried to make him happy by saying it was all a misunderstanding, but no matter how many times she said that, he kept saying things that made it clear he liked to know. Eddie, I dont like this topic anymore, and I already said no. I hate how this feels, lets move on, hmm? You never know what the other person will think of you, even if its not you. You have no idea how men could act noble outside but pervert on the inside. Well stop it! Youre being mean to a person whose wife is already dead. Dont step over the line. Patience meant that the word its a delusion should not come forth. Eddie gave a low sigh like hes looking at a young and naive child and his mood changes quickly. Who are you trying to teach? Ive been rolling on this floor for years. Im serious, Cordelia. I cant give up until you promise me that youll never be near him again. It was funny because hes making it sound like he can have close female friends but not Cordelia. Cordelia let out a loud laugh. Right, then we should break up. She let out a breath and got into the carriage right away, leaving the man with a confused look behind. Before she left, Cordelia, who had been holding herself back because she didnt know if love or friendship was more important, sighed and said the same thing as he did. Friendship isnt that important when it comes to relationships, but I think its better than what youre doing right now. Its hard to like a man who is only curious about my age or what anyone thinks. Thanks but Im not gonna buy that. Even though Cordelia liked him a lot, shes done. Cordelia was as clear as a fiery personality to be in and out. Cordelia, who is praised for being just like her mother, only got two things from her father, the Duke: a thirst for alcohol and a strong will. Also, once she starts listening to a compulsion like this, all ten of them want more and more. The things she went through as a child made her body shake. But she didnt want anyone to know that she was embarrassed to talk about this with Liam and the other people in her life, or that she had a boyfriend like this. So she ends up lamenting alone. But when I talk to other people, I dont think that Im the only one who experiences these kinds of things. I think it would be enough that its only you who I could confined to. Do you want someone extra that lives with you? I will politely decline. Luther knew it was a joke, but he didnt even think about it before he said no. All workers felt the same way, which was that they didnt want to spend more time with their boss than with work. Ah where is the man who has a very good look, and nice body. The one whos nice with me.