16.

Serenity, who finished breakfast, returned to her room. There were no lessons today, and she had been given time to rest shortly after the party ended.

However, there was one visitor today.

Clagen Hwaition.

He quickly arranged a meeting. In truth, Serenity was curious about what he would say.

‘Will he refuse?’

Out of courtesy, he could meet and express his intention to decline. Anyway, being a merchant, he must have carefully weighed the pros and cons.

What choice did he make?

Although Serenity herself provided the options, she didn’t know why she felt tense. She thought the new life would only be happy, but these approaching moments were sometimes breath-taking.

Serenity lying on the soft bed took a deep breath.

She didn’t want to do anything.

‘I hope time stops like this.’

She didn’t want to meet anyone.

Knock. The sound of a knock on the door echoed.

“Miss Serenity.”

In Adele’s hands, entering the room was a box. It was a large box that might seem burdensome for Adele to carry.

‘Surely, he must like our young lady.’

Adele smiled as if pleased.

“Clagen Hwaition has sent a gift to Miss Serenity.”

Serenity’s eyes widened.

‘…Clagen?’

Had he already accepted it? Or did he hide another message inside that box? Serenity, with a suspicious look, sat near the table where Adele placed the box.

The impression of the box was impressive, with a luxurious wrapping tied with a red ribbon. When she opened the box, she saw a bracelet and earring set neatly tucked inside.

The accessory set was made of emeralds, much like the necklace Serenity wore to the party. The finely crafted emeralds were densely embedded in the bracelet, forming a pattern that looked like flowers. The earrings were just the emerald itself, as big as her thumb.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful….”

Adele, standing next to her, exclaimed. Even in Serenity’s eyes, who had no eye for jewelry, it seemed to be in a considerable price range.

‘I can’t just let it pass.’

She gradually understood Clagen’s intention.

Serenity picked up the necklace and bracelet set and the letter next to it.

A pleasant fragrance emanated from the envelope. Tearing open the envelope and taking out the letter, Serenity saw Clagen’s handwriting.

<I send my apologies for rudeness. Please accept it.

Clagen Hwaition>

‘Rudeness.’

Recalling Clagen’s actions, Serenity frowned.

‘…A couple of things at most.’

Folding the letter with a sigh of doubt, Serenity turned her head towards Adele.

“Mr. Clagen is waiting in front of Serenity’s room besides the gift.”

Adele said as if he had been waiting.

‘If I can’t avoid it, I’ll have to face it.’

That’s why he proposed.

Serenity stood up from her seat, preparing to meet Clagen.

“Would you like to wear the gift necklace and bracelet?”

Adele, who was helping with the preparations, asked. Serenity shook her head firmly.

“No.”

She didn’t want to forgive his rudeness.

Adele was disappointed, but she didn’t express it. It was Adele’s job to follow Serenity’s will.

However, she was curious.

‘Why would Mr. Hwaition make such a face because of a mistake?’

Before meeting Dante or Clagen, Serenity’s expression was hard to describe. The emotions flickering in her eyes and her serene face made him want to comfort her.

Even though she was just a maid.

* * *

“It’s been a while, Miss Serenity.”

“…Indeed, it has been a while.”

As soon as Serenity entered the reception room, Clagen greeted her.

Clagen’s shiny golden hair sparkled in the sunlight filtering through the window. His eyes moved sharply, glancing at her wrist and earlobes, which had nothing adorned on them, before diverting.

Seemingly with regret, Clagen spoke as he took his seat.

“It seems you won’t accept my apology.”

“Accepting an apology is up to the person involved.”

“That’s a reasonable point.”

Seated, Clagen nodded in agreement. A warm smile adorned his lips.

A teapot was prepared on the table, ready to pour tea. Clagen took the lead in the conversation.

“Shall we talk over tea? I’m quite skilled with tea, as you might have heard from Julie. I believe he knew.”

“…”

“First, let me pour you a cup.”

Though Serenity’s silence might have been frustrating or perceived as impolite, there was no sign of it on Clagen’s face. Instead, he seemed rather composed.

‘He’s always been like this.’

Clagen once again took out tea leaves he brought himself. It was a red tea with a subtle fruity aroma.

Opening the teapot lid, Clagen spoke at an unexpected timing.

“I assume you were aware. That I wasn’t exactly friends with Julie.”

‘Was this his way of apologizing?’

Serenity chuckled. It was more of a smirk, to be honest.

Fortunately, she could get straight to the point. Serenity didn’t miss the opportunity Clagen provided.

“I’m curious. Why do you want to save Julie?”

Chorook. Clagen poured hot water. Turning the teapot’s lid closed, Clagen turned his gaze towards Serenity.

“I appreciate beautiful things.”

It was his life motto, the mindset that had allowed him to be here. The fragrance of red tea leaves, giving off a fruity scent, filled the air.

“At first, I didn’t know.”

True, he didn’t. He didn’t know how much he would miss Julie.

“She was more radiant and beautiful than anyone I had ever met.”

“…”

“Her determination and kindness. Things I will never see again in my life, I realized too late.”

Things he would never see again.

So, things he missed terribly.

Listening to Clagen’s words, Serenity squinted her eyes.

Despite appearing kind on the surface, Clagen had never praised Julie even once.

It felt unsettling.

“It’s strange. I always thought I was the one who could put an end to this relationship.”

“…”

“Now I realize. The one who could have done that was Julie, not me.”

The person involved didn’t know either.

Because they never thought they could do such a thing. Instead, they desperately clung to them as their last lifeline.

“That’s why I hope Julie comes back alive.”

“…”

“Because I want to start over.”

In Clagen’s clear response, Serenity felt a sense of relief.

For him, a new beginning seemed too easy.

“In our relationship, I clearly failed. However, if there’s failure, we can create opportunities and change.”

For her, the choice that didn’t exist was merely a matter of course for him.

Unlike Julie, who had reached a dead end.

“Now I can walk the same path as her.”

Clagen contemplated.

It seemed too natural for Julie to still want them.

Serenity knew that too.

‘Maybe at the moment Julie returns, she might feel the same.’

The connection created through Julie’s power, the successor candidate for the Water Element, allowed them to form a bond. However, that time was a period when only Julie existed.

If they were to go back to that time, there would be no one by Julie’s side.

‘But now, I am Serenity Zeros.’

So, in front of them, Serenity had to be even more composed.

She had to assess the situation.

“How do you plan to save Julie?”

“I’m currently looking for a solution. I planned to get to know Serenity and request cooperation after that. Dante was going to observe the mana flow in her body using magic and arrange a series of processes until she woke up. Since you have memories before waking up.”

Clagen pushed a teacup towards Serenity.

“Will you cooperate?”

The swift change of posture and a well-timed story were convincing.

But it was naive to hope that Serenity’s attitude would change with just this level of conversation.

In the first place, what she needed from Clagen was information and time.

Serenity firmly shook her head.

“No.”

Clagen nodded.

“I see.”

He muttered quietly.

“Why?”

Instead of resisting, he asked for the reason.

“First, I’ve only heard your opinion so far. I don’t know what the other two think or whether they will come to see me. Above all.”

Serenity raised the teacup.

Smiling brightly, as if she knew nothing.

“I can’t believe everything just based on what you’ve said.”

“…”

“You came to me, showing a few words as if they would reveal everything… You’re not asking for cooperation, are you?”

Even without Serenity explicitly saying so, the message was thoroughly conveyed to Clagen.

His gaze became sharper.

“Why not?”

Instead of protesting, he asked for the reason.

“First, I haven’t heard anything other than Clagen’s opinion. I don’t know what the other two think, and whether they will come to see me. Above all.”

Serenity lifted the teacup.

Smiling as if she knew nothing, as if she trusted nothing.

“What should I believe to trust Clagen?”

“…”

“Building an image through Julie?”

“That’s—”

“Gaining benefits as a merchant?”

“…”

“A clean farewell with an assured greeting that we’ll never meet again?”

Clagen fell silent like a mute bird.

What Serenity mumbled were the words and actions Clagen had said and done to Julie.

The moment she spit out her pent-up feelings, she felt relieved. It was unexpectedly easy to confide in the person involved.

“What I heard from Julie were just stories.”

Clagen didn’t offer any excuses.