Previously
Driven by a longing for a singular treasure of his own, Noah demands that Cordelia cooperate in handing over her family's true relic. While touring the lively streets and enjoying snacks, Cordelia shares fond memories of House Marguerite's seaside baptisms and history.
Talk of taking her eyes or cutting off her hair had mostly been in jest. While he truly desired them, he was not so insane as to actually gouge out a person's eyeballs just to match his wicked reputation.
Convinced he was entirely normal—aside from being occasionally violent, and quite contrary to public opinion—Noah Tudor muttered indifferently to himself that the woman was simply simple-minded for taking him seriously.
Just as he was about to bring forth his cold businessman's face at her mention of yet another year when she had offered no collateral, his gaze caught hers.
Cordelia Marguerite was telling the truth, at least in part.
“It isn't the Mermaid's Tears?”
“It was only known that way because of rumors. What I… well, I've only heard of it once myself.”
That it was the Mermaid's Tail.
“The Mermaid's Tail?”
“People usually say a whale's tail brings good fortune. Long ago, back in the days of the old kingdom, there was a legend that a mermaid's tail brought good luck. It was distorted over the years.”
“So that story was originally about your family's treasure?”
“I don't know if it qualifies as a… treasure, but something similar has been passed down.”
Even if it might be very different from what you expect.
Cordelia's voice trailed off. Looking at her subtly troubled face, he asked,
“Which means you know where it is.”
“You're answering quite willingly, aren't you?”
At his probing, she hesitated before replying.
“Because you don't seem like the sort of person who would give up, no matter what answer I give.”
It was a remarkably clever answer.
Noah let out a soft laugh.
“As for why it has to be a year from now… that's when I can receive the inheritance my mother left me.”
She did not say that the inheritance was death. In any case, it wasn't a lie.
When he urged her with a glance, she spoke slowly, taking her time.
“I only learned recently that she left something for me before she passed away. I haven't received it yet, but I will soon.”
“A trust of some sort?”
“Something like that.”
As expected, the mention of an inheritance seemed to satisfy Noah. It was hardly unusual for beneficiaries of vast estates to have payouts conditioned upon reaching a certain age, marrying, or having children, so as to prevent them from squandering their wealth when young.
Besides, Cordelia's father was a man who had already squandered his wife's fortune. With such a man serving as the young daughter's guardian, it was only natural to place restrictions on her inheritance.
“If my guess is right, this 'inheritance' is either a clue connected to the Mermaid's Tail, or the object itself.”
Cordelia remained silent for a moment before answering.
“I will definitely keep my promise.”
To me…
“The coming year is very important.”
“Why is that?”
“I had planned a one-year journey from the very beginning. It is the most important year of my life. Because this is the first choice I have ever made for myself.”
Noah would never understand. He had likely spent every moment of his life doing as he pleased. In that sense, they were an entirely different breed. Even what was ordinary to him was a precious marvel to Cordelia.
“What comes after means little to me compared to now.”
Noah looked at her with a curious gaze, saying nothing in response. He merely sat quietly beside her as she gazed at the distant sea and munched through everything she had wanted to try, then offered her a handkerchief to wipe her lips when she let out a sigh of satisfied fullness.
“Come, let's be on our way.”
“Oh, could we buy a little more of this pastry before going home? I'd like to bring some for Jan.”
Noah gave a short laugh as he escorted her.
“Who said anything about going home?”
“Where else are we going, then?”
“Didn't you say you wanted to see the mermaid statue? Since we're out enjoying ourselves, we might as well see it all through.”
Cordelia looked up blankly at the composed Noah, at a loss for words.
“And you needn't worry about catering to Jan. She makes quite sure to claim every bit of her leave and free time anyway.”
After bowing her head to thank him as he opened the car door, she climbed in. Noah boarded, started the engine, and just as he was about to shift into reverse, his arm shot out like lightning. Cordelia could not even scream in surprise. With a dull thud, the car jolted violently, shuddering on its wheels. Something had rammed into the rear.
“Fuck.”
Noah clicked his tongue in irritation, then glanced down at Cordelia, who was clinging to him pale as a ghost and gasping for breath.
“Are you all right?”
“Y-yes… W-what happened?”
As Cordelia clutched her racing heart and asked, Noah grimaced instead of answering, told her to stay put, and swiftly stepped out. Cordelia hastily dug through her handbag, pulled out a pill, popped it into her mouth, and chewed it.
Only then did she shift her uneasy gaze to follow the broad back of Noah walking away. With the car having no roof, the scene was entirely unobstructed.
A man in uniform, who had collided with the rear of their vehicle astride a massive black horse, was dismounting. With a long, golden ponytail and an apologetic smile brimming across his handsome features, he was striking, yet the deliberate air to his actions made him completely unlikable.
And from the looks of it, the two clearly knew each other.
“Hello, Noah. My apologies. Did I interrupt your date?”
As the other man chattered with smooth familiarity, Noah shoved his hands into his pockets and casually inspected the damage to the car. The exterior was slightly dented, but there was no mechanical defect. Without bothering to acknowledge the slimy remark, he gave only an annoyed jerk of his chin.
The man tilted his head.
“What?”
“Piss off. Can't you hear me?”
Looking down at him with raised eyebrows as if treating a nuisance of a dog, his gaze held nothing but dry contempt. The man let out an exasperated scoff.
“I said I was sorry. You're being awfully harsh over a mere accident.”
“An accident?”
Noah curved the corners of his mouth in a sneer, but the other man maintained a nonchalant, regretful expression. It was entirely theatrical.
“I heard the news. Swept through those pirates, didn't you? Impressive as ever. Even after being discharged.”
“Hardly news. Have I ever been anything else?”
At Noah's shameless response, the man gave a soft chuckle, though it was devoid of any genuine warmth.
“Seeing you out on a date, Isaac doesn't have to worry after all. People have been whispering whether you might be into men.”
“Why, did they get their hopes up thinking they might catch my eye?”
At the flick of Noah's eyes that asked if he was one of them, the man wore an incredulous smile.
“That's an unpleasant joke.”
“Glad to see my intent came across.”
“Hahaha… In case the lady has been hurt anywhere…”
“Hey.”
Letting out a short breath that was either a sneer or a sigh as he rubbed the tip of his brow, Noah Tudor turned his head and cut him off with a chill. He dropped all pretense of half-polite courtesy.
“Stop testing me and move along. Cut the bullshit about offering useless apologies.”
At this point, even the man who had been smiling genially stiffened his face. The frigid atmosphere was palpable even to Cordelia from a short distance away.
“There are limits to impudence, Lord Noah. I hope you haven't forgotten that the title of Secreta precedes my name.”
“Considering it's the only thing you have to show for yourself, of course I remember. Why, would you like me to address you properly if you feel so neglected?”
When Noah bared his teeth in mockery, the man smiled, though he looked visibly offended. Wait, Secreta—wasn't that a title borne by direct members of the imperial family? Cordelia gasped in shock, but Noah showed no sign of altering his demeanor. Judging by their behavior, this rivalry was far from their first.
“Godmother would sigh if she saw this. A hero of the empire behaving in such a manner.”
“Don't go dragging someone else's perfectly fine mother into this. Well, I suppose I understand. There's no one quite like my mother, after all.”
Noah's sudden narrow smile and softly honeyed murmur were gentle, but layered beneath them lay deep derision and spite. His penetrating gaze, which seemed to see straight through the other man, was leisurely, making it all the more humiliating.
The gathered guards, caught in the terrifying tension between the two glaring men, stood awkwardly by, unable to intervene. Then, surprisingly, the man backed down with a smile.
“Very well. You seem busy, so I'll take my leave. Let us see each other alongside Godmother soon. Do send her your regards. She was complaining that you've been neglectful.”
With a bright smile, the man took his leave at an unhurried pace, receiving salutes from the guards as he departed. Acknowledging the respectful bows from the onlookers with a perfunctory nod, Noah quickly returned to the car. While he maintained a neutral, impassive expression on the surface, the leisurely smirk he usually wore had flattened into a straight line, making it plain as day that his mood had soured.