Chapter 53 – To Delim of Forecast
“Master!”
She yanked hard on Leonard’s sleeve. Of course, Leonard didn’t even stumble; he simply tilted his head slightly back. But that was enough.
Cordelia spoke urgently.
“Lord Rosenbler was just joking. He’s not serious.”
“I’m not joking, Cordelia.”
“He says he’s not, though?”
Leonard still glared at Rosenbler with a terrifying look. Cordelia tugged on his sleeve again.
“It sounded like a joke to me. You know I wouldn’t take that seriously.”
Thankfully, her short statement seemed to please him. Leonard finally turned to look at her. Cordelia smiled as brightly as she could and guided him to sit on the sofa.
“Come on, come on. Sit here. Here’s some sorbet. Bring another sorbet, please!”
“Yes, miss.”
The maid behind her must have picked up on her urgency and quickly disappeared.
“Try the peach sorbet. I had it here for the first time today, and it’s amazing.”
“Hmph. What are you, a newborn? Everything is your first?”
“Exactly. I must be lucky to have such a good master.”
Cordelia didn’t let her guard down. She even turned her body completely toward Leonard and deliberately avoided giving Rosenbler any eye contact.
“Leo… I’m really glad you look healthy.”
Just in time, Lydia, teary-eyed, approached Leonard. Cordelia let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Yes. It’s been a while.”
“Do you know how much I cried when I heard you’d died? You could’ve at least given me a heads-up. I really thought something terrible had happened to you…”
It was the first time Cordelia realized that a beautiful woman crying could be so heartbreaking. Lydia shed tears like a tragic heroine in a play, and watching it tugged at her heart.
But whether Leonard had no heart, no sense, or both, he didn’t even blink.
“That was a useless worry. What was the point of a funeral without a body?”
“Leo. Lydia was really worried about you. Even if you weren’t dead, we thought you were badly injured and unable to return.”
“Ah. Right.”
Leonard wasn’t just indifferent—he was completely disinterested. He was so cold that Cordelia felt embarrassed sitting beside him while someone was crying.
She turned to him and frowned.
“Is that blood I smell…?”
“What?”
“Nothing. I just smell blood from somewhere.”
“Your nose is unnecessarily sensitive. Do you know how many times I had to go into the forest because of you?”
“The forest? Did you go hunting or something?”
“If you call that hunting, then yes.”
Leonard leaned back and snatched her sorbet.
“Hey, that’s mine!”
“What here is yours? Everything in this mansion is mine.”
“That may be true, but… That’s just mean.”
“First time in the capital. First time eating sorbet. Are you going to say it’s your first ball, too?”
“It is my first, actually.”
“…What?”
He must have intended to tease her, but sadly, Cordelia couldn’t deny it.
“There were some balls at my house when I was very young, but I was too young to attend.”
“You had a coming-of-age ceremony, didn’t you?”
“Where would I get the money for that? Besides, right after I came of age, I was sold—uh, I mean, married off to Abram.”
She almost said “sold,” forgetting others were around. Though she’d grown closer to Rosenbler, they weren’t close enough to reveal such shameful truths.
Rosenbler immediately looked grave.
“Oh my. Then the ball in Saracen in a few days will be your very first? What about your dress? Did you have one made?”
“No? Why would I? Thankfully, the Atillay townhouse made a bunch of dresses for me. I can just wear one of those.”
“Why are you only saying this now?”
Leonard slammed the sorbet down on the table and glared at her. Cordelia blinked at the ridiculous question.
“You never asked?”
“That’s something you should just say…! When is the Saracen banquet?”
“In two days.”
She blinked as she answered. As soon as she said it, Leonard irritably tugged on the bell cord. Before long, Anna, the head maid, came in.
“Two days? Ha. Why are you saying this only now…?”
“You called for me, Master?”
“Anna. Summon every tailor in Forecast Delim immediately.”
“Excuse me?”
“We need a dress fitted within two days.”
“For Miss Cordelia?”
“Wait, Master. I told you I’m fine. I can just wear anything—actually, I could go in what I’m wearing now.”
“You plan to wear that drab thing to an event where I’m introducing you as my student?”
“Drab? Excuse me—these clothes were tailored in Atillay, you know?”
Cordelia was so dumbfounded she was at a loss for words. He hadn’t cared at all about the banquet until now—why the sudden fuss?
Besides, all her current clothes were custom-made by tailors after she arrived at the Atillay townhouse.
“Hmm. Two days is tight, but if we alter a completed dress, we might make it in time.”
“Do whatever it takes. We’re attending the Saracen banquet in two days.”
“I really don’t mind, though?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll summon the tailors right away.”
Sadly, neither of them gave Cordelia’s opinion any weight. She muttered quietly.
“Didn’t even care about me until we got to Forecast Delim…”
“Isn’t it because I wasn’t paying attention that you were out having a blast?”
“Th-That’s not true!”
It was hard to deny, so Cordelia quickly looked away. Leonard gave her a warning.
“Just because I’m not checking in doesn’t mean you can slack off. Keep studying. We’ll head to Wilas as soon as we finish up here.”
“Already? The social season just started.”
“Why would you stay in Forecast Delim for the social season? It’s not like you’re getting married.”
“Well, true, but…”
Cordelia lifted her head in disappointment. The capital was filled with so many new and exciting things. She thought they’d stay longer.
Even Lydia looked surprised.
“You’re leaving so soon? You haven’t been in Forecast Delim that long.”
“I got a message from the Magic Association yesterday. Seems word got out that I’m alive.”
“Ah, right. There must’ve been an uproar in Rophael, too.”
“I need to go make sure she’s officially my successor. There’s a lot to take care of.”
He pointed to Cordelia with his chin as he spoke.
“So Acheron finally has an official heir.”
“I’m worried because she’s as dense as a rock, but it’ll work out.”
“That’s so mean, Master. A rock?”
Cordelia pouted right beside him. Rosenbler chuckled lightly.
“You say that, but it seems you’re quite fond of her. That bracelet on her wrist—isn’t it Ebrard’s treasure?”
“Oh. This?”
“I recall Leo spent over a year searching for it. To give it to Cordelia must be a sign of deep affection?”
“…I wouldn’t go that far.”
She couldn’t say she had half-forced it from him. Cordelia gave an awkward smile and glanced at her master.
“It’s not like I have any use for it.”
“If it was so useless, why search so hard for it?”
Rosenbler teased Leonard, but he just snorted and didn’t mention that he’d accidentally let her take it.
While they chatted, Anna returned to announce the arrival of the tailors. Cordelia stood up first. The siblings gave her warm farewells.
“See you at the Saracen ball, Cordelia.”
“Today’s meeting was truly enjoyable, Lady Cordelia.”
“Same here. It was a pleasure to meet—”
“What are you doing? Stop dawdling and go.”
“…Can I not even finish saying goodbye?”
Thanks to her master’s interruption, she didn’t even get to finish her farewells. Cordelia pouted and glared at Leonard before walking out.
As soon as she left, Leonard smirked and stared for a long while at the spot where she’d exited.
* * *
The Saracen ball was said to be in the evening, but the maids were bustling about since morning. Thanks to that, Cordelia was forced to wake up at dawn, bathe in rose water, and have fragrant oils applied all over.
“Thank goodness. It suits you so well.”
The dress, completed with the help of the five best tailors in the capital, was far too extravagant and beautiful in Cordelia’s opinion.
Capital city makeup was so advanced it felt like magic. Every time Cordelia dozed off and woke up, her face looked different.
Her usually messy hair now gleamed with silky curls, her brows were neatly trimmed, giving her a refined look, and her lips shimmered mysteriously. Her cheeks were blushed to a lively red.
“I’m hungry.”
“Oh! Just a moment. We prepared this in advance.”
Layla smiled brightly and handed her a single palm-sized cookie. Cordelia stared at it for a long time.
“What is this?”
“Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
“…”
And so, after that brutal preparation, it was somehow already time for the ball.
Cordelia, wearing high heels for the first time in ages, felt wobbly. With a maid supporting her, she stood before the mirror.
“Is this really me? I feel like I’ve been reborn.”
“Hehe. Not quite. It’s just that the Countess always dressed plainly, so you seem transformed. Most city ladies go even fancier than this.”
“Everyone’s so diligent.”
Cordelia clicked her tongue. Just then, an attendant came in.
“The Master asks when you’ll be ready.”
“I’ll be right down.”
When she went downstairs, Leonard was already waiting, looking bored. He too wore formal attire—and although he was always handsome, in full dress, it was as if he were glowing.
He smiled! He smiled! A smirk is a smile!
They make such a lovely couple