Chapter 51
Chapter 51. Different Dreams in the Same Bed (6)
A family dinner like any other day.
"I'm going to get married."
Serena made her declaration.
She had thought about it for a long time, but this was right.
For her family's sake, and for Serena's own sake too.
It had been a problem that made her agonize internally, but now that she'd actually said it out loud, she felt completely unburdened.
This wasn't a tragedy.
Just a slightly cold reality.
"Like you said before, it's not a bad arrangement for me either."
Chewing over those thoughts, Serena smiled as brightly as usual.
"……."
"……."
Both Serena's mother and father seemed to have their words stuck in their throats, unable to say anything.
"You've thought well about this. If you ever change your mind, you can tell mom and dad anytime."
"Serena, there's still time, so it's okay to think about it slowly."
Her parents carefully coaxed and comforted Serena as if handling a soap bubble.
She could feel the love contained within.
That's why she could not regret this decision even more.
After the meal ended, Serena returned to her room.
It was the same room as always, yet somehow it already felt nostalgic.
"What should I do? I'm already feeling wistful……."
Of course, just because Serena had decided on marriage didn't mean she had to leave home right away.
First, the Renoir family would send an acceptance letter to the Granville Viscount Family,
And upon receiving the letter, the Granville Viscount Family would send gifts in return for accepting the marriage.
From that point on, Serena would exchange letters with the third son of the Granville Viscount Family.
Should she call it a period of building internal intimacy?
"Even so……."
She didn't even know what kind of letters they should exchange.
Probably rather than personal content, stiff and boring letters filled with ceremonial sentences wishing for the prosperity of both families would go back and forth, right?
But whether Serena found it interesting or not, things would flow according to the set procedure.
The elders of both families would engage in intense tug-of-war over the wedding date and location, the scale of the guests, and most importantly, the dowry and trousseau list…….
Meanwhile, Serena would receive strict bridal lessons under an etiquette teacher.
She'd pay expensive money at a top-class dress shop to custom-fit a wedding dress she'd wear once and never again…….
Around the engagement ceremony, she would finally see her fiancé's face.
Though it would be in a very formal setting with both sets of parents present.
"Sigh……."
The more she imagined in detail, the more depressed she became.
Serena forcibly cut off her thoughts halfway.
"I should tell Penelope and Jurgen too……."
First of all, they were business partners she had worked with on projects…….
More than anything, she wanted to apologize to those two.
She would tell Jurgen that her proposal wasn't sincere, and that she wouldn't forget the debt of gratitude for saving her life before and would repay it.
She would apologize to Penelope for trying to use their friendship by bringing up her difficult circumstances.
Of course, whether Penelope truly regarded Serena as a special 'friend' was still unknown.
But doing this would allow her to be upright before herself.
"Alright……. Then I'll meet with Jurgen and Penelope right away today and……."
She had definitely made up her mind.
"Meet them and…… tell them……."
She had made up her mind…….
"……Hmm, should I do it next time instead of today?"
It wasn't easy.
She hadn't faced those two since that day.
The subtle gap that had formed in between made it twice as burdensome.
First, she was scared of how Penelope would react to Serena's surprise proposal…….
Most of all, facing Jurgen, the person responsible for the most spectacular dark history of her life…….
"I think I'm going to throw up……."
It was such a huge trauma that Serena, who had been quite a drinker, completely quit alcohol afterward.
"What, did you drink again?"
"Martha?"
"Miss Serena, a letter came from Y&P Trading Company and I think you need to check it."
"What?!"
Just then, head maid Martha appeared, handed her a letter, and disappeared.
It was just a letter, but as soon as she received it, she could feel its weight.
The weight of burden.
"Why suddenly by letter……."
If they had something to say to Serena, they could just visit her directly.
That's usually how it had been until now.
But sending a letter like this—she could feel the cold intention to convey only business…….
Taking a deep breath, she opened the letter, which was exactly three lines.
To. Serena
Come to Jurgen's house by 6 o'clock today
From. Penelope
Elegant handwriting befitting a noble lady, but short sentences focused on business to the point of being bleak.
Somehow she felt like she could sense it from the ink on this paper.
Accumulated anger.
"……Hup."
Her breath caught, so Serena stopped breathing for a moment.
No.
Just stopping breathing forever like this might not be so bad.
***
Serena walked slowly like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse and arrived at Jurgen's townhouse.
Holding a beautifully decorated stand lamp in one hand as a housewarming gift.
Well-decorated tabletop stand lamps were trendy as social circle gifts these days.
When she rang the doorbell, she could feel signs of life from inside the house after a moment.
Why did they invite her to this house?
This was their secret meeting place. Wasn't this a meaningful choice of location?
Was Penelope angry?
She must be angry, right? She would be angry.
If she had thought of Serena as a friend, she would be angry at Serena for revealing her shallow intentions.
Even if not, why would a woman who made a pass at her boyfriend be pretty?
She was invited, so she came to apologize…….
But would the atmosphere actually allow for that?
After a moment, Penelope opened the door.
She greeted Serena wearing an apron over her usual fancy dress.
"Ah, hello. Penelope……."
"Why did you come so early? There's still 30 minutes left."
"Th-this is a housewarming gift. It's a stand lamp you can use as a reading light."
"Housewarming gift? Oh, now that I think about it, this is your first time here?"
"Y-yes……. Except for when we were looking for a house that time……."
"Thanks anyway. I'll look at it later."
Throughout the greeting, Serena watched Penelope's mood.
But she couldn't tell from appearances.
Penelope was basically blunt-looking, and like a noble lady, she was a master of poker faces.
"Come in for now."
"E-excuse me."
Serena grabbed her trembling legs and entered the interior.
Given the situation, she tried not to think about it, but…….
'This is the two of them's…… rendezvous house…….'
Indeed, unlike when she came before, she could feel signs of life.
There was a sofa and table, a soft rug, and thick curtains.
Plus, there was the aroma of food wafting around.
But…….
"Huh? Jurgen isn't here?"
"Jurgen went to meet Branch Manager Belheim. He said he'd leave because it would be awkward for you to see his face?"
He'd leave because it would be awkward?
Serena blinked.
"Did something happen between you two?"
"Uh, well……."
Serena suddenly realized.
'Jurgen didn't say anything?!'
Penelope seemed to have no idea at all.
Perhaps Jurgen had kept his mouth shut and let this matter pass.
Well, he would have known that Serena's proposal that time wasn't sincere but drunken ranting.
He didn't want to amplify misunderstandings and make the problem bigger.
'Senior Jurgen……!'
Serena was deeply grateful again and again for the mercy of her far senior Jurgen.
Thanks to his consideration, the heaviest burden on her mind had disappeared.
"Nothing…… happened."
"Hmm, something seems suspicious."
"N-nothing's suspicious at all!"
Penelope seemed to have caught a whiff of something but didn't persistently interrogate.
"Well, anyway. Wait in the dining room. You haven't had dinner yet, right?"
"Huh? N-no……."
"Wait just a bit."
Instead, she unexpectedly guided Serena to the dining room and disappeared into the kitchen.
"……."
Serena followed her retreating figure with her eyes.
'Then why did she invite me?'
Serena came to tell them about accepting the marriage and to apologize to both of them.
But wasn't there no other reason for Penelope to invite Serena?
Plus, Penelope's attitude toward Serena was like that too.
Friendly yet indifferent, indifferent yet unexpectedly affectionate.
She was like the usual Penelope.
As if nothing had happened between the two of them before.
'I thought it would definitely be awkward…….'
Soon Penelope came carrying two plates and set them down in front of Serena, who was lost in thought.
"Here, this."
"What's…… this?"
"This is Aglio e Olio Peperoncino. The one next to it is Cola Wing."
On the plates were pasta and a dish using chicken wings.
"……Did you cook this yourself?"
"Yeah, you should feel honored."
"……Am I eating this?"
"That's why I invited you?"
Serena was half dazed.
……That's why she invited her?
She invited her without any particular business and served food she cooked herself?
Isn't this just like inviting a friend over to your house to treat them?
It was confusing.
She didn't know what was going on.
"Well…… thank you for the food."
Honestly, in this unsettled state, if she ate the food, she probably wouldn't even properly know what the food tasted like…….
That wasn't the case.
Because…….
"Wow……."
Penelope's cooking was violently delicious.
How should she put it.
It looked extremely ordinary but tasted incredibly good.
The sauce generously coating the glossy noodles.
While the savory flavor of golden-cooked garlic spread intensely, there was absolutely no pungent or spicy taste.
On top of that, the rich umami of anchovies subtly permeated, elevating the flavor, and at the timing when it could get greasy, the popping capers and spiciness of peperoncino hit hard.
The curious chicken dish called Cola Wing was the same.
Should she say it utilized the harmony of sweet and salty flavors to the extreme?
When you eat one, you regret it and eat two, but when you finish eating both, you regret it again and reach for a third chicken wing.
She had decided to abstain from alcohol since the last incident…….
But she craved ice-cold beer terribly.
"Oh my goodness……."
She couldn't believe it.
The cooking she had eaten until now wasn't cooking.
Could such a taste really exist in the world?
"Wh-what is this?! How did you make it?"
"I learned from Jurgen. Is it good?"
"I-I've never eaten anything this delicious in my life!"
"If you'd come earlier, we could have eaten together."
"What? You've been eating food like this all along?"
"I told you. I learned from Jurgen."
Serena was seized by a terrible sense of betrayal.
"Th-then you two have been eating this delicious food by yourselves this whole time?"
How petty!
Delicious food should be shared!
"How ridiculous. You rejected me every time I invited you, saying you were busy!"
"Ah."
"So from now on, don't skip and come promptly. Jurgen's cooking is amazing."
Was that it?
Serena had thought they were definitely inviting her for unspeakable obscene reasons and repeatedly rejected them.
If she had known, she would have come earlier to mooch off them.
Her regret was immense.
Because she would soon leave Nortaris and wouldn't be able to eat this wonderful cooking anymore.
'Ah, right.'
A fact she had forgotten due to the exceptional taste came to mind.
Serena had come here to tell them about the marriage.
"I'm really grateful for your words, but……. I probably won't be able to eat much."
"Why?"
"I accepted the marriage proposal from the Granville Viscount Family. I'll be replying soon too."
"Really?"
A dry response came back.
Penelope answered as if she had no interest in such things anymore and placed a box in front of Serena.
It was a luxurious case.
The size could hold about two or three fountain pens.
"What's this?"
"Open it. You worked hard, didn't you? It's a gift."
Serena felt tears welling up.
She thought Penelope would definitely be contemptuous.
Because Serena had shown herself trying to use Penelope's friendship.
Yet she still treated her to cooking like this and even gave her a gift.
Penelope was a person too good for Serena to deserve.
"I can't…… accept this."
"Accept it while I'm being nice, okay? Don't cry your eyes out later regretting it."
So…….
She couldn't accept this gift.
"……There's something I really want to tell you."
Serena brought out the words she had prepared, hiding her trembling voice with effort.
"I know now that you treated me sincerely. I really understand now."
"……Why are you suddenly like this? It's cringy."
"I'm sorry. For trying to use your feelings……."
"……?"
Her vision blurred hazily.
Her throat stung and her nose tingled.
Still, she had to convey these words.
"Instead of accepting the gift…… can I make a really, shameless and…… unconscionable request?"
"……What is it?"
"……Even if I go to Albion…… could we occasionally exchange letters? It would be annoying and bothersome, but……."
A sharp answer fell.
"No."
Serena's heart sank.
"I hate letters because they make my hands hurt. I absolutely hate them."
"I see…… of course……."
She couldn't bear to look at Penelope's face.
It really was a selfish and shameless request to the very end.
However.
"So just don't go to Albion and keep living here. Then we don't have to write letters or anything, right?"
Completely unexpected words continued from Penelope's mouth.
"……What?"
"Reject the marriage and just keep working with us from now on."
"……What?"
"Forget it, just look at this."
A single document was thrust forcefully right in front of Serena's nose.
Even with her vision scattered hazily, Serena felt the document was familiar.
Her father's study, in the most visible place, a framed item.
It was similar to the viscountcy recommendation letter hung inside that frame.
To Serena's bewildered eyes.
[……Therefore, I, Baron Keystone, earnestly petition that under Her Majesty the Queen's wise judgment, the honor of viscountcy be bestowed upon 'Serena Renoir,' the young lady of the Renoir family.]
One sentence was engraved as if branded.
That's right.
This was a viscountcy recommendation letter.
But why was Serena's name written on it?
"Huh? Uh, u…… huh?"
Serena, who had lost her higher thinking abilities, looked at Penelope while using primitive language.
"Congratulations. Viscount Serena Renoir."
And.
Penelope was making an expression Serena had never seen before.
A smile as if her sides were ticklish.
That smile looked extremely shy…….
And somehow very happy.