Tail’s Curse Chapter 47

Isaac clicked his tongue.

 

“Miss Cordelia, if that bastard starts acting up, don’t just take it. He’s the type who enjoys throwing his weight around. I wonder who he takes after.”

 

Was it her imagination? 

 

Feeling that Isaac’s attitude had become even more familiar, Cordelia laughed lightly as if she’d heard a joke. But he was serious.

 

“Really. Even his father was worried about how twisted his personality had become.”

 

“Me? Dad never said anything to me about it.”

 

“Exactly. That’s the problem.”

 

Isaac muttered as if in lament. 

 

Noah, who had been expressionless, raised his eyebrows at Cordelia, who was just staring blankly, as if to ask why she wasn’t eating.

 

Before she could even respond, he—the one who had ordered a gnocchi from the kitchen loaded with Cordelia’s favorite cream and truffles—spoke with a displeased expression. 

 

His long index finger tapped the hard table as if he disliked something.

 

“Chew it properly. You’re usually busy stuffing your cheeks like a squirrel that’s been starving for three days, so why are you so picky today? Doesn’t it taste good?”

 

“It’s not that I’m not eating…”

 

Cordelia timidly protested, but Noah, already annoyed, continued his lecture.

 

“Don’t say ‘it’s not that.’ You’re not even eating half of what you usually do. Is it because you’re worried about what these people think? Why would you care about their opinions? You only need to care about mine.”

 

“Hahaha. My little brother talks as if he’s the master of the house.”

 

As Isaac gave a rotten smile, Philip handed him a glass of wine with a stoic face, as if to console him. He looked around and asked.

 

“By the way, isn’t His Highness coming?”

 

“Probably holed up in his lab as usual. Even though he probably wanted to be here the most.”

 

Wayne shook his head, his mouth full of pudding.

 

“Miss Cordelia. There’s actually someone else who wanted to see you the most.”

 

Wayne shrugged his shoulders.

 

“You might be tired of seeing this family’s cousins, but there’s another older brother with a brother complex. We share the same mother, but he’s much smarter. Baron Joseph Civil, a professor at the Royal Franks University.”

 

“A professor? Wow.”

 

Cordelia murmured, impressed.

 

“It seems all of Sir Noah’s family members are incredible.”

 

At her praise, Noah responded with a completely straight face.

 

“What are you talking about, Miss Cordelia. Both subjectively and objectively, I am the most impressive.”

 

“…Do you lose money if you’re humble?”

 

Isaac muttered as if fed up, and Philip giggled. But Noah, who was completely serious, launched into a long explanation for Cordelia as if she needed to be educated.

 

“University professors aren’t as impressive as you think. Many of them are out-of-touch blockheads. Nowadays, you can get into university just by paying enough. Not that my brother Joe is dumb—he graduated top of his class on scholarship, but I did that too. The military academy requires excellence in both literary and military arts. A professor without research funding is just an idler with a quick mind. But look at me? I’m busy living life every day, huh? Hey, Miss Cordelia. Are you even listening?”

 

“Just let him be. That guy has never been able to stand anyone getting more attention than him since forever.”

 

While Noah was getting irritated, his two older brothers acted accustomed to it, casually offering food to Cordelia and drinking wine as they brushed him off. 

 

Wayne was too busy with his own meal.

 

Noah was left flustered and irritable by himself, but he nodded at Isaac, who gave him an apologetic smile, and smiled back. 

 

The evening passed in just such a blur.

 

As Philip gruffly ruffled the frustrated Noah’s hair, a warm affection was visible in his eyes. Though he sighed and said, “When will that kid ever grow up?”

 

Isaac’s face was full of laughter. 

 

Wayne, flushed and tipsy on his own, whined, “Noah hyung, I want a ride in that car too.”

 

It was so strange. The moment I witnessed that scene, my chest burned sharply and felt hot.

 

It struck me anew, and I found it unbearable—I was envious of them, of Noah. 

 

What kind of luck did he have to be loved, as if it were the most natural thing in the world? I’m envious. If I had received love like that, would I be different from who I am now?

 

I finally understood why I had never felt this sense of inferiority and envy toward Noah until now, unlike what I felt toward Sasha Ander.

 

I finally understood why I had never felt this sense of inferiority and envy toward Noah until now.

 

It was because, until now, he had seemed complete all on his own. But he had his own family. 

 

Just as Sasha was confident with everyone because of her father’s affection, he, too, had a family that fully supported him. 

 

People who would look at him with love, even when he was being immature or foolish.

 

The pleasant, elated feeling in her heart sank completely, replaced by a familiar, heavy mix of envy and sorrow.

 

In this life, I probably won’t get to enjoy such things. I won’t be able to enter a solid, warm fence like theirs. There was no place for me anywhere. 

 

That fact felt a little unfair and frustrating, she thought.

 

There’s nothing to be done. I have to accept it. 

 

But the slightly sad thing was that there was nothing she could do about it.

 

“Cordelia?”

 

Noah called her. At some point, he had been staring intently at her. 

 

Cordelia flinched and averted her eyes before his sunset-colored eyes could keenly pierce through her.

 

“Um, I’m a bit tired. Would it be right if I went in first?”

 

She moved busily and hurriedly asked for their understanding. Everyone was a little taken aback, but they seemed to think it was fine and nodded readily.

 

Even in her distracted state, she mumbled her thanks for the wonderful meal and hastily left the table. She could feel Noah’s gaze following the back of her head until the very end, but she couldn’t turn around. 

 

It felt like the tears would pour out any second.

 

Why am I like this? Everything was fine until now. Why is this sadness overflowing so intensely within me? She herself didn’t know.

 

She was sad because she was so pathetic, unable to simply see something good as good, instead feeling regretful, jealous, and envious. 

 

‘Ah, what do I do? I’m so pathetic. I hate myself so much.’

 

She was glad she didn’t run into anyone on the way to her room. She closed the door, fell face down on the bed, sniffled, then crawled under the covers and cried her heart out. 

 

Likewise, she was miserable for no reason at all.

 

Then, sniffling, she took the teddy bear Jéjé out of her bag and held it tightly, tears falling drop by drop. The fabric of the stuffed animal grew damp. 

 

So many nights had always been like this.

 

Even though she had received a kind welcome, why did she feel even lonelier, sadder, and more depressed?

 

Unlike them, it seemed there was a hole inside her chest.

 

So, how was she supposed to fill this hole?

 

But even if it could be filled, she didn’t have enough time to patch up the empty space. Cordelia was always lacking in everything. She was a starving soul.

 

“I thought you might have choked or something.”

 

Startled by the voice that suddenly came from nearby, Cordelia, who had been crying alone, almost fell off the bed in surprise.

 

The sound of footsteps clunking heavily across the floorboards echoed. 

 

Then silence, followed by a sigh.

 

“Why are you crawling in there?”

 

Why had Noah come to her room? Her heart pounded wildly at the thought of him coming out after her. She was so scared he might hear the sound of her heart.

 

She tried to hold her breath, but hiccups kept tumoring out uncontrollably. 

 

As the thick, round quilt began to shake at regular intervals, Noah, who had been watching with his arms crossed, let out a short laugh.

 

“You’re really…”

 

Just go. Why are you here? Just leave.

 

“Come out for a second. Let me see your face.”

 

No. No! I’m embarrassed!

 

“Are you not coming out?”

 

I don’t want to…

 

“If you’re not out by the time I count to three, I’m throwing you out, blanket and all.”

 

Oh no, this is bad…

 

“One—”

 

Cordelia covered her hiccupping mouth with both hands, her large eyes rolling anxiously.

 

“Two.”

 

Waaaah!

 

“Three.”

 

As a large hand grabbed the blanket firmly, Cordelia sprang out with all her might, like a rabbit fleeing its burrow.

 

“I-I’m out! Please don’t throw me…”

 

Noah looked down at the small face pleadingly clutching the hem of his shirt, one corner of his mouth lifting. 

 

Strangely, his pretty face looked devilish.

 

“You came out?”

 

“Yes…”

 

“Then why are you crying?”

 

He gripped her fist-sized face and swiftly turned it left and right. 

 

Cordelia made a strange noise and frantically shook her head.

 

His grip was so strong it made her dizzy. She tapped his hand repeatedly, and only then did he let go of her chin, making an ‘ah’ sound as if he finally understood. 

 

His mischievous expression made it seem like he had done it on purpose and was pretending not to know, which made her even more upset. 

 

‘It hurts. You meanie!’