A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Have You Ever Kissed?

“…Who?”

Hearing the unfamiliar name from the servant, Emeline tilted her head in confusion.

Upon hearing that a marriage proposal had arrived for her, she asked who had sent it, and the answer she received was a name she had never heard before.

“A letter from Denil Herba.”

“…Could it be the eldest son of the Count Herba family?”

“Yes, the person who delivered it said as much.”

Emeline nodded slightly and took the letter the servant had handed her politely. She opened it disinterestedly with a paper knife.

She hadn’t even made her debut in society yet, nor had she set foot into the social world, and already there was a marriage proposal. It seemed obvious that they were proposing purely based on the family name.

‘Their ambition is quite large.

But they seem a bit foolish too.’

‘If they wanted to ensure success, they should have tried to win my father’s favor with good conditions and knocked on his office door.’

Scoffing at their poor judgment, Emeline folded the letter and handed it back to the servant.

Upon reading it, as expected, it was nothing but an empty, overly sweetened proposal, lacking any real substance. It was so generic that it could have easily been addressed to any other lady by simply changing the recipient’s name.

“Write a polite rejection and send it back.”

“Yes, my lady.”

After sending the servant away, Emeline pulled out the notebook she had purposely hidden under a tabloid.

In it, she had systematically divided what she had studied a few days ago and what she planned to study today.

‘Zenon was supposed to come today.’

At some point, Emeline found herself looking forward to the days Zenon would visit.

She thought she’d never get used to his unpredictable and mischievous nature, even if a lifetime passed.

But after being swept along by his actions, there came a point when she became more familiar with Zenon Trancium than anyone else.

‘He seemed to be getting more comfortable with me too.’

After spending quite a bit of time together, Zenon had also started to show Emeline different sides of himself.

He, who usually acted playful and mischievous, would become serious when he was focused on something.

Sometimes, he’d quietly watch Emeline as she studied. And when their eyes met, Zenon would curl his lips into a smile.

‘It’s still hard to know what he’s truly thinking…’

Emeline, unknowingly smiling softly, closed her notebook and stood up. Though he hadn’t arrived yet, she decided to go ahead to the parlor where they would meet.

Sitting down and quietly enjoying her tea, she heard the sound of the parlor door opening and closing.

‘He’s finally here.’

Instead of showing any excitement, Emeline calmly placed her teacup down, just as she usually would. Then, a voice came from right behind her.

“Hello, Emeline.”

Zenon, leaning over the backrest of the sofa she was sitting on, looked down at her and greeted her cheerfully.

The soft scent of roses lingered at the tip of Emeline’s nose. Zenon’s presence, so close, wordlessly struck her heart with a strange heaviness.

A subtle tickling sensation flowed through her.

Emeline looked up at Zenon, who was still leaning over her, and spoke, “It would be nice if you greeted me in a normal manner.”

“I don’t know what ‘normal’ is.”

“You greet me first, take a seat across from me, and ask how I am… Staring at someone’s face like this is highly improper. Could you stop that too?”

At Emeline’s added remark, Zenon’s eyes crinkled mischievously. “You’re looking at me too. It’s fine to look all you want.”

“……”

“Alright, I’ll back off.”

Seeing Emeline narrow her eyebrows slightly, Zenon finally retreated.

After some light refreshments, the two of them moved to the study.

“By the way, doesn’t it ever feel bothersome for you to come to my house every time?”

“Not really? It would if it were a hassle, but I come to study with you. There’s no way that could be bothersome.”

“You say that so easily. There’s no need to butter me up anymore, you know.”

“There is a need. I’m still not even within your definition of a friend. If my goal is to get closer to you, then buttering you up makes perfect sense.”

“No.”

“…What did you grow up eating to be so stubborn?”

Zenon’s deliberately sulky tone made Emeline chuckle softly. Hearing her soft laughter, Zenon smiled back at her.

“Anyway, I’m glad you don’t find it bothersome. Still, it feels a bit odd that you’re always the one coming over. Maybe next time I should visit your house.”

“Huh… Really?” Zenon widened his eyes in surprise, looking a bit flustered.

Emeline had always been curious about what he did and how he spent his time outside of their meetings.

“If you come to my house… When do you think you’d visit?”

“Well, I brought it up to figure that out with you.”

After a moment of silence, as if in thought, Zenon responded decisively, “Let’s plan it step by step. There’s a wide field behind our estate that leads to the woods. The wind is great there for reading. Let’s go together.”

“…Study outside?”

“It’ll be different and nice. Better than being cooped up in the study all the time.”

“Alright, let’s do that then.”

Though she’d never done anything like that before, Emeline agreed to his suggestion. Among all the things she’d done with Zenon Trancium, there were very few that hadn’t been a first.

Once inside the study, each of them began their work.

Zenon, as always, found Mel napping in the study and gave the kitten a little pet before returning to Emeline’s side.

If this had been the old Emeline, she would have resented Zenon for sitting next to her, but she’d grown so used to it that now she simply thought of him as a puppy who liked to sit beside her.

The soft sound of paper rustling and the cool scratching of a pen nib filled the quiet study.

At that moment, a servant entered the study.

“My lady, may I have a moment?”

It was the same servant who had brought Emeline the marriage proposal that morning.

Quick on his feet, Zenon pulled a few of Emeline’s books closer to himself. Thanks to his quick thinking, Emeline calmly turned to the servant.

“What is it?”

“The reply to the marriage proposal that you instructed me to deliver this morning has been accepted.”

“I see? Good work. You may go.”

After offering brief praise, Emeline dismissed the servant. She then reached out to take back the books Zenon had pulled away.

However, as soon as her hand touched the book, Zenon pressed his elbow against it and rested his chin on his hand. Blocked by his strength, Emeline looked up at him, raising her eyebrows.

“What are you doing?”

“You received a marriage proposal? You haven’t even made your debut yet… Who was it from?” Zenon asked disapprovingly, his face uncharacteristically sullen.

Emeline looked at his unfamiliar expression for a moment, then responded in a calm voice, “From the Herba family. I suppose he wanted to be the first to get engaged to me. Despite their wealth, influence, and longstanding reputation, they seem oddly desperate.”

“…And how did you respond?” Zenon asked, his previously fiery demeanor now somewhat deflated. Not long ago, his expression had been filled with dissatisfaction, but now it seemed almost somber.

Watching his changing expressions, Emeline sighed, giving up on retrieving her book. “I’d appreciate it if you let go of my book.”

“Don’t change the subject. Are you actually considering getting engaged to them?”

“Why do you care? What does it have to do with you? Return my book instead of wasting time with this nonsense.”

Thinking Zenon was dragging out the conversation just to tease her, Emeline replied irritably.

Zenon’s face hardened at her response, and he suddenly frowned, asking her, “Are you saying it doesn’t matter because we’re not even friends? Am I not allowed to be curious?”

“I don’t know why you’re acting like this… Fine, do what you want with the book. If you’re that curious, go ask Denil Herba directly. I don’t feel like answering anymore.”

Emeline, frowning in annoyance, stood up. The sound of the chair scraping against the floor was unpleasant.

She glared at Zenon before turning away and walked into the narrow space between the shelves to grab another book.

Zenon, staring after her, wore an uneasy expression before getting up to follow her.

He stood in front of Emeline as she browsed the inner shelves.

Sensing his presence, Emeline turned her head, meeting his gaze with a cold expression.

“What do you want now?”

“Emeline, do you…”

Trailing off, Zenon paused, his gaze meeting her cold eyes, then let out a bitter laugh.

In an instant, his expression twisted into a smirk, and he looked at her with a darkened gaze.

“Before getting engaged, have you ever been in a relationship?”

“What?”

“Have you ever kissed anyone?”

Zenon leaned in, resting his hand against the bookshelf. His expression seemed to ask if she’d ever experienced anything like that.