I’m Quitting Everything and Selling Cola Chapter 163

Chapter 163. Love and the Culinary Revolution (7)

The night had grown late, but the Y&P Trading Company office was still full of work.

A company naturally gets busy as the year-end approaches. And on top of that, it was still too soon to say that The Golden rmaid had settled into a stable footing……

The two people at the helm had no shortage of things to personally oversee.

Penelope found herself thinking back to the old days.

To the ti when Y&P Trading Company was still Jurgen's sundry goods shop. When the Cola she had received from a suspicious rchant tasted so extraordinary that she had put in trendous effort to recreate it.

Back then, she would go directly into Demon Realms to gather materials, or tramp from stall to stall along the street markets, doing sales pitches to get their product sold.

Now that Y&P Trading Company had grown large enough that most of their work had beco paperwork, it all felt like a distant mory — even though it had only been two years ago.

In that short ti, her relationship with Jurgen had changed considerably. And grown that much more complicated along the way.

"Hmm……"

Penelope sat at her desk with her chin resting on her hand, glaring at the back of Jurgen's head through the glass partition.

"The coffee was a failure…… The tie was a failure too."

She had definitely been too stilted about it earlier.

It wasn't sothing that needed to be overthought in the first place. She had tried to put on that soft, gentle act like Marianne — sothing utterly unsuited to her — and it had ended in complete embarrassnt. Like trying to wear clothes that simply weren't made for her.

Penelope had no choice but to admit it.

A honeyed voice, pliant gestures. That was the domain of Marianne Blanchard, who had grown up cherished from birth — not the territory of Penelope Rosemore, who had endured on sheer will alone.

So then — what were Penelope's own strengths?

Her razor-sharp, clever manner.

Right. She would appeal with that.

Penelope rose quietly from her seat. She began drifting casually around Jurgen's desk, gathering up scattered docunts and straightening them with audible taps.

Like a bee making its way toward a flower. Penelope tracing a slow spiral, drawing gradually closer to Jurgen.

"Ahem — could you tidy your desk occasionally? What is the state of these docunts? How can anyone work properly in such a ss?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry about that. I've been scattered lately."

The habitual scolding, slipping out again. But Jurgen seed well used to Penelope's grumbling, and let out a small laugh.

Right, this was it. Fussing and grumbling while quietly taking care of him was far more characteristically Penelope than forcing herself to be sweet.

"Hmm…… hmmm……"

Penelope humd a tuneless little song under her breath as she tidied the pile of docunts. And as she did, her fingertips caught on a single sheet of paper slipped between the pages of Jurgen's notebook.

"Hmm? What's this……"

A contract, perhaps? It certainly had that look to it.

Penelope unfolded the paper without much thought.

"……"

It was indeed a contract. None other than the one written in Penelope's own hand — the contract she had drawn up with Jurgen.

[Contract for the Fulfilnt of a Wish]

That moonlit night at the Ashford Marquis Estate. The very Wish Voucher she had written in a panic, frantic at the thought of Jurgen being poached by Vivian — drawn up to keep him from leaving.

Looking back, it had been a childishly silly thing to do.

"Jurgen — you…… you still had this?"

Penelope let out a disbelieving laugh and waved the paper.

"Good heavens, look how worn it is. It must have been buried in so corner sowhere."

A contract stating, in rough terms, 'I will grant you any wish.'

She had written it out of desperation at the ti — but looking at it now, it was a mortifying piece of history she wanted to curl up and hide from.

Ah. Co to think of it, it wasn't really history at all.

Nothing had changed in the slightest.

Back then it had been Vivian Ashford; now it was Marianne Blanchard. Only the na had changed — Penelope's behaviour had not.

Then she had thrust a contract forward out of anxiety, and today she was hovering circles around him out of anxiety.

Perhaps Penelope hadn't grown at all. And the two of them were still running toward a horizon that never ca any closer.

It was only then that Jurgen looked up, caught sight of the Wish Voucher, let out a small laugh, and set down his pen.

"Buried, you say. I've been keeping it safe."

"Why on earth are you still holding onto sothing this embarrassing? It's ridiculous."

"Penelope, a contract is a serious thing. Under Britannia's laws, so long as it's recorded in writing and both parties have given their consent, even the most absurd contents carry legal force."

"I know that."

Penelope said it curtly, feigning indifference, and moved to crumple the paper. Her face was burning.

"Throw it away. It's embarrassing. I'll grant you whatever you want."

"Now, now — you can't give sothing and take it back."

Jurgen reached out quickly — though gently — and took hold of Penelope's wrist to retrieve the Wish Voucher.

And in the process, their fingertips touched.

"……"

"……"

Both of their shoulders stiffened at the sa instant. It was the sort of contact that, on any ordinary day, would have been brushed off without a second thought.

But tonight was different. Whether it was the heat from the fireplace, or the subtle tension that had been building since that afternoon — the skin where they touched burned as though it might sear.

"……Well, I was rather too familiar just now."

Just as Jurgen moved to draw his hand back with an awkward air,

"……Penelope?"

When she ca to her senses, she found herself clutching his wrist without quite knowing when she had done it. Even Penelope herself was startled by her own sudden impulse.

Given Penelope's bearing as a noblewoman, it was a boldness that would have been unthinkable at any other mont. Any other ti, she would have made so transparent excuse and let the mont slide past.

But not now. Not this mont.

If this mont slipped by like all the others always had — she had the feeling she would regret it for the rest of her life.

"Jurgen."

Penelope gripped his hand tightly. Jurgen's eyes widened.

"I don't want you to leave."

Ah — now she understood.

Her desperate wish for him not to leave. The way she overreacted to his every move and found herself shaken. It was exactly the sa as it had been with Vivian.

And yet the two were entirely different things.

Unlike before, Penelope was not simply afraid of losing a business partner to soone else. She didn't want to lose Jurgen. Didn't want it — more than she would want to avoid death.

"I want you to stay with . I don't want you…… getting close to other people."

Watching Marianne smile at Jurgen. Watching Jurgen respond to Marianne with his perfectly asured courtesy. She couldn't bear either.

Call it jealousy if you liked, or an unseemly desire to possess.

"With ……"

Penelope's lips trembled faintly.

The words that had risen all the way to her throat were nothing like the excuses she usually hid behind. They were sothing far more primal, far more personal — a desire.

"Stay with forever. Look only at ."

Out they ca.

Penelope's body tilted toward Jurgen.

"Oh — oh no…… Penelope……"

"Be quiet."

"Let's at least talk first—"

"I said be quiet. And I told you before. Don't call Penelope."

Penelope grabbed hold of Jurgen as he tried to step back.

"……"

"……"

Silence.

A hush so complete it seed even the crackling of the firewood had stopped.

Nothing but the faint sound of their breathing, brushing against each other's cheeks. The two shadows that had been swaying on the wall in the firelight overlapped, without any gap between them, into one.

***

The following morning, early. The corridor of Y&P Trading Company.

The sound of resolute footsteps rang through the hallway. The trio of Aiden, Serena, and Brigitte — who had spent the night devising a sche for the permanent peace of Y&P — were making their way toward the decisive location.

"Let's confirm one last ti."

Serena spoke with studied gravity.

"The stated objective is a market survey for Yellowtail from the northern sea. But the real purpose is to toss those two together under a romantic sunset and give them so cosy ti alone."

"Right! Just follow my lead and nothing will go wrong. Don't worry."

"Yellowtail sounds delicious……"

Brigitte was thoroughly animated at the thought of delicious Yellowtail; Aiden at the thought of proving his school of romance theory.

Serena wasn't particularly confident in either of them — but, what could she do.

"S-shall we go in now?"

Serena, playing the role of advance scout, pushed open the office door and slipped inside.

"Mr. Jurgen! Penelope! G-good morning……?"

Serena let her words trail off. It was the sa office as always.

And yet — an indescribable sense of sothing different was floating through the air. Serena calmly surveyed the room.

"Serena, you're here."

"Good morning, Serena."

The crackling fireplace had gone out, but the room held a strangely languid warmth. Jurgen was sitting on the sofa looking over docunts; Penelope was across from him, preparing tea.

On the surface, an entirely ordinary scene.

But Serena's radar had picked up sothing off.

……Hm?

Serena's eyes narrowed.

Her gaze moved to Jurgen's shirt — then to Penelope's blouse.

Jurgen's shirt collar was oddly crumpled. Penelope's blouse had a slight crease to it as well.

And above all — both of them were wearing the sa clothes as yesterday.

Hmm……?

Had neither of them gone ho last night?

That was possible. It was a very busy season.

But…… the atmosphere between the two was subtly different.

Especially Penelope. The sharp, venomous look in her eyes that had been radiating for the past several days was now softened and languid — like a cat basking in spring sunshine.

"Here, Jurgen. I brewed it strong."

"Thank you."

The hand extending the teacup to Jurgen held no hesitation, no trembling.

"Don't thank . I should always be the one thanking you."

Penelope smiled softly, eyes crinkling gently — and lightly brushed Jurgen's shoulder with the back of her hand.

Hm……?

The looks exchanged between the two. Not cloying, yet conveying absolute trust and reliance — that quietly intimate current flowing between them.

And in particular, the chronically attachnt-anxious, separation-distressed Penelope's entire aura was…… remarkably settled.

Serena's mouth fell open. An engineer's mind began rapidly assembling the data.

Fact 1 — Both of them are wearing the sa clothes as yesterday. Fact 2 — Penelope's sharpness has vanished; she has recovered psychological stability. Fact 3 — The distance between the two is zero.

There was only one conclusion.

Rendezvous!!!!!

A secret eting!!!!

Serena's mouth opened and closed soundlessly. Her face went as red as a carrot.

Needless to say, Brigitte had not caught any of those subtle currents whatsoever.

"Oh wow! You're both in early today!"

Brigitte bead cheerfully and moved to push her way in between Jurgen and Penelope.

"Teacher! I just had a great idea! Let's all go on a market survey together! Apparently Yellowtail is in season at Marsé Harbour! We could eat seafood there, watch the sunset…… mmph?!"

"……!"

Serena launched herself like a lightning bolt and clapped a hand over Brigitte's mouth.

"Ahaha…… i-it's nothing, nothing at all……"

"Mmmph? Mmmph? Mmmph?"

Brigitte squird in complete bewildernt. Serena dragged her backward, retreating step by step.

"Hmm?"

Jurgen tilted his head, teacup in hand. But Penelope…… seed to have noticed sothing. A faint flush rose to her cheeks and she let out a small cough.

"Ahem — everyone's very lively this early in the morning."

"Are they? Yellowtail…… doesn't sound bad. Let finish this up and I'll give it so thought."

"Do your work. No daydreaming."

"Would I dare?"

Penelope…… was speaking to Jurgen formally? Serena could not collect herself for any number of reasons.

"Wait — what? The plan? The Yellowtail?"

"Just — just co outside first."

Serena tucked one person under each arm and hauled the bewildered pair out of the office.

Thud.

The door closed. Three people remained in the corridor.

"Sister, what's going on? What about our plan?"

"Brigitte. Let's go eat Yellowtail — just the three of us."

"Serena — don't tell ……?"

Y&P Trading Company was at peace today as well.