#17.
To Cordelia, who likes me very, very much.
I’m sorry for first flipping through the book you gave to Bedar, betraying your expectations.
However, if you expected me to keep your word, you should have given something other than a book.
At the very least, if it had been wrapped, I wouldn’t have opened it! I’m as sensitive as the princess in the old story who couldn’t sleep because of a pea under eight mattresses. The moment I held the book in my hand, I felt something was inside.
Anyway, I apologize for betraying your trust and reading the letter you sent to Bedar in advance. But you were secretly trying to communicate with Bedar behind my back, so you have no right to speak, right?
Coco, I knew you were always full of mischief, but Bedar, the bear-like fellow, also has a sly fox side. Who would have guessed that with those loyal eyes, he was secretly plotting this scheme with you?
Now that the incident has been revealed, I can’t help but deliver the letter Noel sent to you. Though it’s only a drawing without a single word, your name is written under the picture.
She’s been in the scriptorium for five years now, so why doesn’t she know how to write yet? But doesn’t her drawing show some talent? If she can draw like this at her age, she might grow into a genius artist.
If you like the drawing sent by my little genius Noel, please praise her to your heart’s content. Noel now seems to like you more than me. She used to draw only for me, but now it’s utterly disappointing.
But I won’t be jealous or hate you, my wicked Coco. You ‘like’ Prince Archie so much.
P.S.: I knew Noel liked me too. I may sometimes pretend to be clueless, but I’m not really that oblivious. And let’s be honest. What woman wouldn’t fall for me? Even a seven-year-old girl is still a girl.
6.17. Dawn, Archie Albert.
* * *
To Cordelia
Are you mad?
Noel also drew a picture for you.
I need to give you Bedar’s reply too.
Or did you go on a trip with Mark and leave our bookcase behind?
Cordelia?
Evening of the eighteenth day of the green moon.
-A guilt-ridden Archie Albert waiting for your reply.
* * *
To my silent friend Cordelia on the second day.
I understand if you’re preoccupied with your trip with Mark.
But don’t forget our magic box, Coco.
You shouldn’t forget. You pretend otherwise, but I’m obsessed with you.
Why did you show me something like “Wuthering Heights”?
After seeing Heathcliff, the master of obsession, I too started thinking the most fascinating aspect of love is obsession.
Dawn of the nineteenth day of the green moon, your friend, Archie.
P.S.: While writing the letter, I suddenly remembered. So, how was your trip with Mark?
* * *
To Prince Archie Albert.
You really know a woman’s heart well.
No one can stay mad at you for more than a day.
Actually, on the 16th, I was a bit busy catching up on work after my trip with Mark, as you said, and on the 17th, I found your letters apologizing to me so cute that I pretended to be mad for just one more day to watch a little longer.
But in the end, I couldn’t resist your talk about obsession and decided to reply.
Come on, make me happier, prince.
Are you really obsessed with me?
Night of 6.18. Cordelia.
P.S.: Noel’s cute drawing was one of the factors that made me unable to resist and pop out.
Sorry to Bedar, but Noel’s drawing seems more like me and you than the goddess-like woman in the vegetarian painting and gold bookmark you made last time. Please thank Noel for me.
* * *
Push-and-pull expert Coco
It’s not that I know a woman’s heart, but that I know yours well.
From naming “Wuthering Heights” as your favorite book, I guessed you were a huge fan of obsession.
Thank you for mentioning Noel’s drawing. This little child seems to have completely turned to your side now. She gives you an angelic smile that she doesn’t show even to me. Noel’s slightly upturned eyes remind me of Cecilia when she’s angry, even though she’s just a little girl. Sometimes, when she glares at me, it makes me flinch without realizing it.
But when she smiles brightly like today, I feel like giving her the whole world.
Anyway, I’m happy to receive your letter again.
Master of obsession and push-and-pull, Cordelia Gray, are you going to tell me about Mark now?
-Achie Albert, who once heard he had the qualities of a romance counselor from his pen pal.
P.S.: You seem to be good at lying too. I can no longer believe that you can’t handle love.
* * *
Prince Archie Albert William Rendaike Ellington Winterton.
This is Cordelia, calling you by your long name to keep some distance from you.
Hurry up and give me Bedar’s reply to me.
I won’t tell you about Mark as punishment for reading my letter without permission!
-Just Cordelia (Still your friend though).
P.S.: How do you remember this long name? Do you carry it written somewhere?
* * *
Still my friend Cordelia,
It’s no use. I already know that you ‘like me very, very much,’ so I won’t be disheartened even if you call me by my full name to keep your distance.
Quickly confide in your big brother, Coco.
If you tell me about Mark, I’ll give you Bedar’s reply.
P.S.: Just in case you forget, I studied imperial studies for a whole month.
-Master of negotiation, Archie Albert William.
P.S.: Yes, I write the name on a small piece of paper and carry it in my chest to look at whenever I forget.
* * *
Prince Archie Albert William,
Alright, I’ll just tell you. But let’s stop teasing with the ‘like me very, very much.’
What happened with Mark… well…
Actually, it’s nothing special. On the way to Edinburgh, Mark talked to himself the whole time, and at the antiquarian bookseller’s, he eagerly talked about his favorite books.
Those stories were quite interesting, but he never once asked me, ‘Cordelia, what’s your favorite book?’ If he had asked, I would have talked about Wuthering Heights or Daddy-Long-Legs, and we might have gotten to know each other better.
Mark also didn’t ask what my favorite food was (I know what Mark’s favorite food is. He can’t eat salmon and likes Southern-style potato dishes), but he did take me to a pretty nice restaurant. If it weren’t for your dating advice, I might have enjoyed that time, but throughout the meal, Archie, your words kept coming to mind.
‘Cordelia, does Mark know what your favorite food is?’
No, Mark still doesn’t know what my favorite food is. He didn’t ask me, and I didn’t have the chance to tell him.
Mark talked a lot for two days, but the one thing I wanted to hear from him was just one sentence.
The sentence you once said to me.
‘Tell me about yourself.’
So, was it a waste to exchange Bedar’s letter for such a trivial story?
Anyway, your belief that I would be good at dating is mistaken. I couldn’t even get a man to ask about me.
P.S.: Please don’t say, ‘See, I told you he wasn’t the one.’
P.S.2: Liam is still nowhere to be seen. Honestly, I think part of the reason I couldn’t focus on Mark was because I was thinking about him.
* * *
Poor Cordelia,
So, didn’t you sleep?
-Archie, who learned a lesson from Juliet.
P.S.: That was a joke to make you laugh since you seem down.
I’m sorry things turned out that way with Mark. I won’t say, ‘See, I told you he wasn’t the one.’ Just know how much I’m holding back from saying that! And don’t think that you couldn’t get him to ask about you. It’s just that idiot only knows how to talk about himself.
P.S.2: Enclosed is Bedar’s letter to cheer you up.
———= Afterword ———=
If you click the next button, you’ll immediately see Bedar’s letter that Prince Archie enclosed.
Please also click the recommend button next to it. Thank you for reading!
<– Bedar’s letter –>
Continued update (7/9)
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