Chapter 59
Chapter 059. Witch × Young Lady (4)
Novel.
A narrative literary work that aesthetically orders events and describes them in prose so that unified meaning can be realized.
In other words, a romance novel is a romance literary work that aesthetically orders romance and describes it so that unified romance can be realized.
Of course, in high society filled with vanity, novels are treated quite poorly.
Needless to say, romance novels that superficially deal with the love between men and women.
Third-rate literature fundamentally shallow from the roots.
Kindling.
Sorry, trees.
That's about how they're treated.
However, Serena, and of course Serena's peers, all read romance novels.
Miss Penelope probably does too.
Though most of them aren't heavy readers like Serena.
Serena was in a position where, far from free love, she had to tremble worrying about being married off to some strange place.
In such circumstances, the refreshing thrill of slapping the villainess who tormented the female lead.
The narrative of sweet, bitter, and salty push-and-pull.
The thrilling sensation like peeking into a forbidden library—how could she not be captivated?
And since ancient times, books have been treasures of indirect experience.
Serena was confident she'd accumulated quite solid experience.
Romance fantasy has all kinds of chaos, doesn't it?
Based on that confidence, Serena began questioning like a professional counselor.
"First, who is at fault?"
"The other side."
"I'll have to hear what wrong Penel...... no, what the other person did first."
"I can't tell you in detail...... but it's quite a big mistake."
"Hmm, a big mistake...... a big mistake......"
Serena seriously pondered the words 'big mistake' like a detective.
Jurgen and Penelope were in a secret relationship beyond simple business partners.
Those two fought.
But Penelope committed a big mistake.
If it was serious enough for that bold Jurgen to request consultation with a dark expression.......
'Don't tell me......!'
Serena widened her eyes.
"Perhaps...... is there a third party involved in this problem besides the parties themselves?"
"No, how did you know that?"
Speculation became certainty.
It wasn't particularly difficult reasoning.
This was a basic plot that appeared by default.
Penelope's big mistake.
A problem with a third party involved.
'Miss Penelope, you're bolder than I thought.'
Infidelity.
Or perhaps she glanced elsewhere momentarily.
"However, I'm not without responsibility either."
A mutual fault declaration here.
Serena's brain, steeped in romance novels, began synthesizing with the given clues.
"......Hmm, this is quite a serious problem."
Penelope and Jurgen were 'real' nobles.
A secret relationship deep enough to have separate places for trysts.
But would noble romance only flow in clean, proper paths?
Social circles overflowed with all kinds of stories that a virtuous viscount couldn't bear to speak.
It was a complete animal kingdom.
Presumably, this incident had a similar context.
The most likely scenario was Penelope's infidelity.
However, she didn't seem wishy-washy enough to completely cross the line.
Though Jurgen's reaction was too lukewarm for that.
'Then......'
She probably provoked Jurgen's jealousy?
Then why did Penelope provoke jealousy?
That becomes clear when considering this statement.
'However, I'm not without responsibility either.'
Jurgen had recently been neglecting Penelope, and Penelope, disliking that neglect, provoked jealousy as if throwing a tantrum.
In the process, they had a big fight and entered a lull.
Jurgen, not knowing what to do, had been anxiously waiting before coming to Serena.
Q.E.D.
Proof complete.
"I'm done organizing my thoughts."
"Already?"
"These problems don't produce special answers just because you ponder them long. Anyway, you came to the right person."
Jurgen looked dubiously at Serena, who was strangely full of enthusiasm.
"First, Jurgen, you're in this state, right? You definitely have pent-up feelings, but you don't know how to handle them...... and the more you think about the other person, the more complicated it gets......"
"H-how did you know?"
Jurgen felt like he was facing a skilled fortune teller.
He'd really only conveyed superficial things, yet Serena's sharp observations seemed to see through the entire situation.
"It's not that difficult. Problems involving people especially tend to be accompanied by ambivalent feelings."
Serena, who usually seemed a bit silly and missing a screw somewhere, looked different.
Like a counselor with professional competence.
"Amazing, Miss Serena."
"You can rely on me a bit more, you know?"
"I'll do that."
"Then, how do you feel right now, Senior?"
"......I feel like letting everything go."
"Pardon?"
"I wish it had all never happened. Living like strangers might be the best method."
Serena, whose nose had sharpened to pierce the sky, was horrified.
'Th-this is much more...... serious than I thought.'
It wasn't just minor bickering.
Jurgen was deeply contemplating separation.
Setting aside that she couldn't really imagine Penelope and Jurgen living like strangers.......
The two were co-representatives.
When a married couple decides to divorce, legal battles begin, but when co-representatives divorce, the company starts with devastation.
'Then Y&P is......?'
Y&P Trading Company currently provided the most work to Renoir Workshop.
If the company collapsed.......
'I-I have to stop it!'
Absolutely not because of materialistic motives.
Wouldn't it be nice if her friend and great senior got along well?
"W-w-wait a moment, Senior. First, let's take some deep breaths, shall we? Whooo, haaa...... whooo, haaa......"
"What's with the sudden deep breathing?"
"It's an important choice, isn't it? Actually, a woman's heart isn't that simple. It's very multifaceted, and also...... uh, multilayered!"
Serena picked up words without even knowing what she was saying.
Such shallow words weren't enough.
She needed more fundamental words that could prevent the two from separating!
"Before you think about separation, have you tried talking?"
"Talking?"
"Yes! It can actually be difficult when emotions are running high...... what each other was thinking, what your feelings were...... those aspects are important factors in resolving conflict, aren't they?"
At those words, Jurgen flinched as if greatly shocked.
Serena's words were right.
He'd never had a proper conversation with Isolde.
It had just been an eruption of emotions.
"How about trying to talk first? The other person...... might have thoughts you haven't considered......"
"What kind of conversation?"
"Any kind. One thing at a time, step by step. That's what's important."
Serena's advice wasn't particularly ingenious.
It was just that a long time had passed, and only now did he have room in his heart.
He'd lived with the obsession that forgiving Isolde would be a betrayal of Vic.
"A-and ki-kisses are important too."
"......?"
"There's something called atmosphere, you know? You're making up a relationship that got tangled up. Making up."
"What are you talking about right now?"
"Oh! You know everything! If you just close your eyes and ki-ki-kiss first...... after that, instinct will take care of the rest! I'm sure of it!"
Serena rambled with her ears turning red.
Only then did Jurgen realize she was completely misunderstanding something.
She probably thought it was a minor quarrel between lovers.
Though it was a misunderstanding, the advice was valid.
Consultation over.
From now on, it was up to Jurgen.
"Thank you. Miss Serena."
Serena ran out to the doorway in slippers and earnestly entreated him.
"You absolutely, absolutely, absolutely must reconcile, okay?"
"I'll try talking."
"Ah! But what do we do about this? Miss Penelope isn't at the hotel right now."
"Hmm? Why does Penelope come up?"
"She's just not at the hotel right now."
Serena added with a knowing look.
"She bragged about joining this Red Moon subjugation force."
"Well, Miss Penelope is a 5th Rank alchemist after all."
If it were only that, it wouldn't be particularly strange.
"She suddenly called last night and bragged a lot about forming a team with Isolde Blackwood."
"......What?"
"Come to think of it, this worked out well. Since it's a good time, right after she returns. You know the feeling, right?"
Blood ran cold.
Rather than rational judgment, it was closer to intuition.
Isolde, Demon Realm, Penelope.
Isolde, Demon Realm, Vic.
Very likely, these two sentences were unrelated.
However.
The reason for the sense of déjà vu.
The reason his head cooled sharply.
The question he'd kept inside without voicing, and the reason he'd avoided conversation with Isolde.
That reason converged into one sentence.
Were Isolde's emotions truly uninvolved in Vic's sacrifice?
'I only need Hanbin. Hanbin just needs to be the same.'
When Isolde's petulance from long ago came to mind, his heart pounded roughly again.
How would Isolde see Penelope now?
Wouldn't she see her as Hanbin's 'closest colleague'?
He wanted to believe.
That Isolde wasn't twisted to that degree.
However, he wasn't complacent enough to bet Penelope's safety on that belief.
He had to go right now.
To Isolde.
To Penelope.
To the Demon Realm.
***
"Can I leave this here longer?"
"Why? Is it burning?"
"It looks like it will."
After completely finishing the mushroom hot pot, while roasting corn Isolde had brought on a campfire for dessert.
Wooooooooooo—
An eerie resonance echoed throughout the Demon Realm.
Like the wailing of the dead, like screams of sinners from the end of hell.
At the terrifyingly loud sound, Penelope instantly felt goosebumps rise.
The beginning of the Red Moon Wave, its precursor.
"Isolde......"
Sure enough, the cubes that had been quiet all reassembled at once.
Just what entered her field of vision numbered in the dozens.
Each one of those was 'Crisis' Class.
Even though she'd finished preparing her mind, the mushroom hot pot in her stomach felt like it would come back up.
"It's starting."
Isolde, who'd been poking the corn with a twig, stood up.
"What can I help with?"
"Keep roasting the corn."
"......Yes."
"Don't burn it."
Penelope, who had resolutely risen from her seat, squatted back down.
This wasn't the time to be prideful.
As Isolde said, obediently roasting corn might be the best help.
At least she wouldn't get in the way.
—Fwoosh
When Isolde rubbed something like large fish scales between her thumb and index finger, a small flame arose.
The flame that flickered small like a candlelight swelled in size matching the ripples.
Penelope's eyes shone.
Fire magic.
And magic demonstrated directly by Isolde Blackwood at that.
Since the magic Penelope primarily used was also fire-based, this was an excellent opportunity to broaden her perspective just by watching over her shoulder.
"Wow......"
She couldn't help but admire.
"Little birds, come eat."
A somewhat deflating chant.
Each time she lightly waved her hand, green flames became dozens of small firebirds and flew up.
Following the firebirds' wingbeats, blue phosphorescence scattered like star fragments.
Each time they collided with enemies, they scattered like glass shards and caused explosions.
Beautiful.
And perfect.
Her heart pounded.
Judging by the frequency of ripples, though it was the same 5th Rank magic, it was on a different level from Penelope's magic.
All those golems crumbled without even approaching nearby.
What kind of expression was Isolde making while manifesting such a miracle?
Out of curiosity, Penelope, who was shifting her gaze toward Isolde, paused.
"......?"
Isolde was staring directly at Penelope.
Why was she looking backward during combat?
'Ah, right.'
Penelope, who had been watching cautiously, realized something and hurriedly turned the corn.
Fortunately, it hadn't burned.
.
.
.
And in the pitch-black darkness.
There were those watching the two with a perfect division of labor.
About ten believers with hoods pulled over.
"Good. The time has come."
And Hamel, the Order's Archbishop in white robes.
"Let's prepare the ritual."
A gentle smile formed on the unrealistically beautiful boy's lips.