Chapter 129: Invitation (1) (1/2)

Late post~! Genshin had an update yesterday, so I spent most of the day playing it and forgot about the translation, hahaha. As for the next chapter, there might be some delay in its release because I would have to help with the Christmas eve food preparations (noche buena).

Terms used in this chapter:

Mildang – Korean slang for a love strategy where the BF/GF try to control their love so that they do not look too much needy. It’s sometimes translated in English as ‘playing hard to get.’ – Source: Art of Mildang

Three weeks after Gaël and Adelia’s engagement ceremony.

Cordelia was quietly sitting in front of the desk as she pouted her lips.

And there was one woman who was watching her.

Cordelia’s escort, Dahlia, who was like an older sister to her, smiled and said in passing.

“Miss, miss. Are you sulking?”

“No, I’m not?”

Cordelia automatically responded, and Dahlia smiled again.

“Don’t say that. You’re sulking, right?”

“I’m not?”

Cordelia replied in annoyance and even snorted, but Dahlia became more certain because of that.

‘She’s really upset.’

You look sulky.

Dahlia shifted her gaze a little further away and looked at the paper Cordelia was scribbling on.

It was the paper that she used to write formulas in her magic studies, but small scribbles could be seen everywhere, and as Dahlia had thought, the scribbles was about someone specific.

‘Stupid Jude. Idiot.’

Upon seeing the clumsy scribbles, Dahlia quickly raised her hand to cover her mouth.

Because she smiled like a mother.

‘How can you be so cute?’

The reason why Cordelia was sulking.

It was something simple and obvious.

‘Because Mr. Bayer had stopped writing to her.’

Around three weeks had already passed since the last one.

An unexpected letter arrived once with a gift five days after Adelia’s engagement ceremony, which had happily surprised Count Chase and everyone, but no other letters had arrived since then.

‘How coldhearted.’

He hadn’t been in touch with Cordelia for almost 15 days.

‘I roughly heard the reason why, but…’

After Cordelia lost contact with Jude, she was like a flower that withered away day by day – of course if she had heard Dahlia’s thoughts, she would have excessively denied it, but Dahlia had already gone to Count Bayer’s place once for Cordelia.

According to the explanation of the knight, Jun, whom she became acquainted with during their journey to Langesthei, it was as follows:

“He has been practicing hard every day with Count Bayer from early in the morning to late at night.”

In short, Sir Jun said that Jude was busy practicing every day.

“Well…it can’t be helped.”

“Yes, the young master was so quick to learn…so the count was also very passionate.”

Jude’s extraordinary talent had already been proven by the various events that occurred.

So she could also understand why a fire was lit in Count Bayer’s eyes and he began to actively train Jude.

“Young master Gaël and even the count was convinced. Young master Jude will be the strongest knight in the north.”

“Oh…”

The weight of the count’s words was different from the words of a parent who often bragged about their child.

Count Bayer.

One of the Northern Sagang and one of the ten great swordmasters with the title ‘Sword General.’

Jun saw the count say that Jude would be the strongest, so it seemed to him that Jude had immense talent.

‘In fact, Iron Man Landius coveted his talent.’

Iron Man Landius was one of the five heroes of the Paragon Kingdom and the man who was always mentioned when people discussed about the strongest people in the world.

Jude was a disciple of Landius, and there was only one reason why Landius made Jude his disciple.

‘Cheonmujiche.’

The incarnation of martial arts from the heavens.

“So…please take care of Lady Cordelia. They’re a really good couple but if they ever have a falling-out…”

“Yes, I won’t let that happen. I’ll have a talk with the miss when that occurs.”

“Thank you.”

Knight Jun sighed in relief as if this was his business.

One way or another, it seemed like he was devoted to his young master Jude.

‘It’s a good thing.’

Gaël and Jude had a very close relationship, so Count Bayer did not have any problems with the two.

‘Anyway.’

Dahlia stopped recalling her conversation with Jun and looked at Cordelia in front of her again.

Cordelia was sitting in front of the desk and playing with her pen, and every small gesture of hers expressed her annoyance and dissatisfaction, just as Dahlia thought.

‘If she really wanted to see him, she should contact him first.’

She could also visit the Bayer mansion once.

But Cordelia didn’t do that.

She puffed her cheeks and pouted her lips every day, but she never tried to contact him first.

‘It’s mildang.’

Ufufu. How cute.

-I want to see you, I want to meet you, but I have to endure and hold back my feelings.-

But her mildang had a small drawback.

While Cordelia had plenty of time to think about Jude, Jude could not afford to think about anything else because of his one-on-one training with Count Bayer.

‘So I’ll have to help the young miss for a little bit.’

Because Dahlia had an idea on how to tease Cordelia who was sulking today.

“Miss.”

“Whyyyyyy.”

“A letter has arrived.”

“A letter?!”

Cordelia jumped up from her seat, but she soon blushed a little and then cleared her throat.

“A letter isn’t that important.”

She quickly sat down and turned around, but Dahlia could see it. The corners of Cordelia’s mouth was slightly raised.

‘Hmph, I knew you’d give up first.’ – Are you thinking of something like that?

“Ahem, ahem. By the way, Dahlia.”

“Yes, miss.”

“I’m not really curious, but you know that, right?”

“Yes, miss.”

“But he wrote it first, right? So wouldn’t it be polite for me to check it?”

“Maybe?”

“Ahem, ahem, you’re right. So bring me the letter.”

Cordelia turned around very slowly and stretched out her hand as if she was not interested. But there was something she couldn’t hide, and that was her eyes.

‘You’re anxious.’

After suppressing her laugh, Dahlia handed over a letter in a white envelope.

“Ahem, ahem.”

And then.

Cordelia grabbed the letter as if snatching it, and opened the letter in a contradictory behavior, as she did it as slowly as possible yet was quite quick too. But Cordelia soon frowned.

‘She can’t help it.’

The letter wasn’t Jude’s.

The letter that arrived was an invitation from Count Ficus.

“Birthday party?”

“Yes, it’s a party to celebrate Lady Emma Ficus’ 17th birthday.”

“No, I know that too.”

It was natural for Cordelia to frown.

The Ficus family was one of the 12 northern families, but wasn’t very close to the Chase family.

It wasn’t that bad that they would fight each other, but they didn’t have a friendly relationship either.

Moreover, Emma Ficus had long been a person who was arguing with Cordelia, and had a strange yet burning desire to compete with Cordelia in the past.

‘She’s hardly seen in the game.’

There was a related sub-quest involving her, but she only appeared once so Yellow Storm didn’t remember her.

But it was different for Cordelia.

Emma invited Cordelia on her birthday last year and bragged about her fiancé a lot.

‘Oh, is Mr. Bayer absent again? I’m so sorry, I feel so sad thinking about it. But later…you’ll have no problems with the wedding, right? I’m worried that it’s because of a problem with his health…hohoho.’

That voice. That look.

That behavior made her very angry even before she recalled the memories of her past life, or even when she was much gentler back then. But she got even more angry when she looked back on the memories of her past life.

“Miss, it’s time to show them what you’ve got.”

“Huh?”

“Mr. Bayer will be with you this time.”

When Dahlia spoke with sparkling eyes, Cordelia blinked because she didn’t understand her immediately, but it was only for a moment.

Cordelia’s eyes were suddenly filled with a will to fight.

“We have to pay back the grievances she had caused! And this is an excuse – no, we have to discuss this with Mr. Bayer who is coming too.”

That was why Dahlia didn’t lose her smile when she handed Count Ficus’ invitation that would surely upset Cordelia.

It was a justification for Cordelia to visit Jude first!

A way where Cordelia wouldn’t look like she lost against Jude, and a way where she could say that it was unavoidable!

“Ju-Jude?”

“Yes, there is something you need to discuss with Mr. Bayer. It’s also urgent.”

They didn’t have much time since Emma Ficus’ birthday was five days from now, and it would take a full day of travel in the carriage to get to the Ficus territory.

In addition, Cordelia had one more reason.

‘Come to think of it, it’s about time for that event to happen.’

The time when the royal capital sent invitations to everyone for the 300th anniversary’s founding ball.

Emma Ficus’ birthday was a trivial event that one could just ignore, but the founding event was different.

It was their third task for a perfect happy ending.

“Yes, yes. This is really important. So I have to discuss it with Jude.”

As Cordelia spoke to herself, Dahlia immediately followed.