Tail’s Curse Chapter 23

“No, not at all. What are you apologizing for? Ugh, this is so awkward.”  

 

While Wayne grumbled, Noah turned to Cordelia and tilted his chin.  

 

“Why did you come down? Are you hungry?”  

 

“Oh, no. I was just about to go back up…”  

 

Grrrroowl—  

 

An awkward silence filled the parlor. 

 

As the two men’s expressions twisted strangely, Cordelia’s face flushed red, and she hurriedly shook her head.  

 

“No! That’s not— It’s not what you think…!”  

 

“No wonder you were eyeing me like you were hunting for food. You really are hungry. How strange. Don’t the humans in this house feed you on time?”  

 

Noah’s voice was slow and teasingly sweet, making Wayne burst into laughter before covering his mouth with his hand.  

 

‘Too late, I already heard.’

 

Cordelia wished she could just die from embarrassment. 

 

Humiliated. Mortified. But the other party wasn’t kind enough to spare her delicate feelings. If something looked soft, they’d want to poke and prod it for fun, not leave it alone.  

 

“A twenty-year-old baby must need a lot of food, huh? Then again, you’re at that growing age. I’ll tell the chef tomorrow—ask them to prepare plenty of snacks for you.”  

 

“…I’m not a baby.”  

 

“Oh? Is that so?”  

 

It was rare for such a honeyed, velvety voice to sound so cruel. 

 

Watching those blood-red eyes glint with amusement like a shark catching the scent of prey, Cordelia flinched and averted her gaze. 

 

‘Ugh, you’re the worst. Seriously, what’s wrong with your personality?’  

 

Swallowing her frustration, she bit her lower lip, forming a small walnut-like crease in her chin. 

 

Naturally, Noah noticed and taunted her even more.  

 

“Are you gonna cry? Are you upset because I called you a baby?”  

 

“No…”  

 

“I think you just cursed at me with your eyes.”  

 

When she muttered under her breath, he smoothly called her out again. 

 

‘Ugh, why is he so sharp?’

 

She’d endured plenty of teasing growing up, but something about this man’s antics irritated her even more. She wanted to hit him. But she’d never stand a chance. 

 

Plus, he was her creditor. But she was still annoyed—what was she supposed to do?  

 

In the end, Cordelia lowered her eyes and meekly protested.  

 

“That’s not it.”  

 

“Why do you keep saying no? Is that the only word you know?”  

 

“No—! I mean, that’s not true.”  

 

As she struggled to rephrase, Wayne was now rolling on the floor laughing. 

 

‘Ugh!’ 

 

She let out a long sigh in frustration. Her pale face turned red and then pale again, making the walnut-like crease on her chin even more pronounced. 

 

At least she looked more her age now—far more alive than when she was just listless.  

 

‘Yeah, this is much better. At least you look alive now.’

 

Noah chuckled mischievously, and when the little face twisted into a pitiful pout, he suddenly laughed and lightly rubbed the tiny, wrinkled chin with his thumb. 

 

It was a very brief, dry touch, but one that seemed almost comforting.  

 

Wayne, who had been wiping away tears while laughing, froze in surprise at the sight, but the large hand had already been withdrawn. 

 

Cordelia, the one actually involved, thought he was treating her like a dog.  

 

“Our little one needs to be fed and put to bed. I’ll have someone bring her things.”  

 

After jerking his chin toward Wayne, signaling him to go, Noah walked ahead, telling her to follow. 

 

Cordelia sighed again.

 

In this house, she had no right to refuse. The way she trudged along gloomily behind him made her look like a reluctant baby penguin being dragged away.  

 

Left alone, Wayne tilted his head in confusion. 

 

Just what was their relationship? 

 

The fact that Noah didn’t escort her made it seem like they weren’t that close, but then again, his brother’s attitude earlier… There was something subtly strange about it, though faint.  

 

It was all a mystery.  

 

According to Jane, Lord Noah Tudor, who seemed utterly indifferent to his core, was actually a voracious bookworm. 

 

Then again, it wasn’t surprising that a renowned art collector and financier would have some scholarly inclinations.  

 

Cordelia was deeply impressed by the staggering collection of books tightly packed into his study. The library was magnificent, but the study held even rarer volumes—long-out-of-print editions, first editions of famous classics, and illustrated copies.  

 

The leather covers of the books, faded with age, along with beautifully handwritten parchments and papyrus manuscripts, bore witness to the passage of time. 

 

Even antique print frames, the kind one might find in a museum, were preserved under glass displays.  

 

The most unexpected discovery was a section dedicated to medical books. 

 

Surprisingly, during his time at military school, Lord Noah Tudor had majored in military medicine. 

 

The idea of that man—so obsessed with money—being a noble doctor who cared for patients seemed utterly mismatched. She thought his career change was truly a blessing.  

 

She considered exploring further, but the sight of plant and frog specimens floating in formaldehyde jars made her shudder, so she quickly turned her head away.  

 

Beyond that, the room was tastefully decorated with exquisite ceramics and artworks that were clearly extraordinary at first glance, making Noah Tudor’s study resemble Katisha’s refined gallery.  

 

As Cordelia’s eyes widened in amazement, darting around eagerly, Noah paused while pouring whiskey and smirked.  

 

“Eyes popping out of your head, huh?”  

 

“This is incredible… Are all of these Lord Tudor’s collections?”

 

When Cordelia, now blushing for a different reason than before, shyly asked, he took a sip of his drink and gave a short nod. 

 

Wow… She gulped audibly, her eyes sparkling in admiration like a child’s, which was amusing again. 

 

Well, at twenty, she was still a kid.  

 

Noah had three older brothers in the family including his twin, Isaac, who was technically his elder by mere minutes, and aside from them, the rest were younger siblings—so Cordelia, being younger than all of them, truly seemed like a child in his eyes.  

 

Noah, who prided himself on being exceptionally devoted to family, spoke with a touch of impulsive generosity.  

 

“You can come see me again if you miss me. But only touch the books. Everything else, just look with your eyes.”  

 

“R-Really? Is that okay? Thank you!”  

 

Cordelia, who hadn’t expected such kindness at all, widened her already large eyes even further, tears glistening as she beamed with joy. 

 

Just moments ago, she had been glaring at him with a ‘I hate you!’ look, but now her eyes shimmered with emotion.  

 

For a moment, Noah felt like a ridiculous young fool, basking in a child’s admiration as he shrugged his shoulders, then took another sip of his drink.  

 

When he fell silent, Cordelia cautiously leaned against the desk before settling onto the sofa across from the room’s owner. 

 

For a while, the only sound was the clinking of ice in their glasses.  

 

The sweet, rich aroma of whiskey tickled her nose, and as she fidgeted with her nails in restless tension, her gaze drifted toward the crystal glass slowly swirling in his long fingers, filled with amber liquor.  

 

After squandering her grandfather’s money, her father had only ever drunk cheap rum. 

 

Would good liquor like this make someone act less barbaric when drunk? Maybe even a little more refined and composed? 

 

Lost in this absurd thought, she let out a faint laugh.  

 

Alcohol was alcohol. What difference did it make?  

 

Suddenly, the glass—still half-full—clinked as it was set down on the table. 

 

Huh? Her eyes followed his retreating fingers upward until they met Noah’s impassive gaze. He tilted his head slightly. So…  

 

“Have you been well?”  

 

It was a gentle greeting, as if they were speaking for the first time in days. His gaze was calm, his tone straightforward. 

 

For some reason, facing that look made her feel strange, and she scratched the inside of her palm.  

 

“Uh… yes. Everyone’s been so kind to me.”  

 

“Kind? Even when you couldn’t get a proper meal?”  

 

The question, mixed with a ticklish laugh, might have seemed like a joke at first glance, but unlike before, it didn’t sound lighthearted. 

 

Sensing a hint of displeasure, Cordelia hastily explained, her thin eyebrows slightly raised.  

 

“It’s true! Everyone takes such good care of me! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, even tea time—they prepare everything for me! I swear, I’ve never felt this at peace in my entire life. So…”  

 

“So?”  

 

“Don’t scold them.”  

 

The thought of kind Jane and the other servants being reprimanded because of her made Cordelia feel sick to her stomach. 

 

Noah, who had been staring intently at her pleading gaze, slowly brushed his hair back and curled the corner of his lips.  

 

“Miss Cordelia, you really know how to use your eyes well.”  

 

“Huh?”  

 

She had told herself not to ask, but whenever she talked to this man, she couldn’t help it. He used expressions so far beyond common sense so effortlessly that she found herself questioning whether she had heard him correctly.  

 

Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but when he looked at her, she shut it tight. 

 

Instead, unable to bear his blatant stare, she instinctively covered one eye. 

 

Noah scoffed mockingly.  

 

“You think covering it means I can’t see it?”  

 

It’s mine anyway.  

 

This man really has a strange way of talking.