Chapter 247
Chapter 247
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 247
Chapter Title: Congratulatory Party (3)
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A party to celebrate becoming one of the Chilseong.
“Sounds good. Should we order some delivery for dinner then?”
Not that I really cared.
I was already planning on treating Isabella to a nice dinner to celebrate reuniting after several weeks anyway.
Adding the pretext of a celebratory party wouldn't make much of a difference.
“…What are you talking about, Oh-jin?”
“Huh? Why? Oh, did you say you didn't like delivery food before?”
He recalled Isabella scolding him, calling it unhealthy food.
“That's not the issue!”
Isabella shot up from her seat, her hands on her hips.
“First, for the venue, I've found a five-star hotel on Jeju Island. We'll rent the entire place for a day and invite famous chefs….”
“Hold on, hold on.”
Oh-jin shook his head, looking appalled as the party's scale threatened to balloon to an insane degree.
A party in a five-star hotel that we've rented out entirely?
“Give it a rest. Oh-jinnie doesn't like extravagant things like that.”
Ha-eun clicked her tongue and shook her head.
Isabella's eyes narrowed at the tone, which seemed to ask how she could not know something so basic.
“Isn't that simply because he's never experienced it before?”
She, too, was aware that Oh-jin had lived an extremely destitute life in the past.
She'd heard from Ha-eun that there were times he'd worn clothes taken from donation bins and survived on cheap calorie bars.
“I want to gift Oh-jin the kind of life he's never experienced.”
Although it had been quite some time since Oh-jin escaped poverty.
No, it was beyond just escaping; he now had enough money to be considered wealthy.
Perhaps because his old habits lingered, despite having a lot of money, his spending was only slightly more lavish than before.
To her, who was born the daughter of a noble family and had enjoyed all sorts of luxurious extravagances, Oh-jin's behavior felt somewhat pitiful.
“Hmm.”
Oh-jin gave an awkward smile as he watched Isabella, who was burning with a determination that suggested she would give her all for him.
“I appreciate the thought, but like Nunna said, extravagant things like that don't really suit me.”
“But…”
“Let's just have a simple party here at my place.”
Besides whether it suits me or not, there's also the matter of public image.
The whole of Korea is in chaos after Tamrangseong's death, and the moment I become one of the Chilseong, I rent out an entire five-star hotel for a party?
*‘It’s obvious what the reaction would be.’*
The negative perception of flaunting wealth was the same then as it is now.
No matter if it was money earned legitimately, people were bound to frown upon seeing it flaunted so openly.
There's a reason politicians visit markets to eat street food or use subways they normally wouldn't even glance at during election season.
Even if it's a transparent ploy, human perception is ultimately influenced by what is seen.
“Mmm… I understand.”
Isabella's shoulders slumped dejectedly.
Watching her, Ha-eun shrugged.
Isabella bit her lip in frustration, but this time, Ha-eun was right.
“Then, may I at least prepare the food?”
“I'd be grateful if you did, but are you sure? You just got here. Aren't you tired?”
“I'm fine.”
Isabella rolled up her sleeves with a determined expression.
She was indeed fatigued from working day and night for the past few weeks, but the thought of cooking for Oh-jin made her feel as if her energy was surging back.
“Then I'll help…”
“The best way for you to help, Nunna, is to stay put.”
“So mean!”
Ha-eun wailed as if deeply hurt.
But Oh-jin had no desire to eat charcoal-stewed meat or calamari from the twisting nether at a party he was throwing.
“How many guests will you be inviting?”
“Let's see.”
First, Vega and Liark are a must.
“Let's invite the gorilla uncle too.”
“Chief Han?”
“Yup. He went through a lot of trouble guiding us this time.”
“That's true.”
He owed Chief Han a lot in many ways.
*‘As for Lee Woo-hyeok...’*
He'd felt reluctant to even be around Lee Woo-hyeok because of his recent memories of Lee Shin-hyeok.
*‘Still, I should probably invite him.’*
Putting personal feelings aside, it was necessary to maintain a decent relationship with Lee Woo-hyeok.
And it's not like it's guilt by association. There was no need to hold Lee Woo-hyeok responsible just because he disliked Lee Shin-hyeok.
“Should we invite Allen and that cheeky brat too?”
“Cheeky brat?”
“Her name's Rebecca.”
“Rebecca… You don't mean Nokjonseong, do you?”
“Yup.”
“……”
Isabella was speechless at the sight of Ha-eun casually calling Nokjonseong a brat.
“Let's try inviting them for now.”
“Yes. Should I prepare for nine people then?”
“We'll need more than that.”
Considering Liark's and Chief Han's appetites, nine servings won't be enough.
“Alright, I'll go make some calls.”
Oh-jin took his smartphone and headed to his room.
***
-I'm sorry. I have a prior engagement with Deneb today, so it will be difficult for me to attend.
“Ah, I see.”
-I will visit you separately next time. Congratulations on receiving the name of Pagunseong.
“Yes. Let's meet then.”
After making all the calls, he received a reply from Allen saying he wouldn't be able to attend due to other business.
*‘It is a busy time for him.’*
Still, aside from Allen, everyone else readily agreed to come.
“Shall we go grocery shopping, then?”
“Ah, it's alright. I've already contacted Roberto and asked him to prepare the ingredients.”
*Ding-dong.*
As if on cue, the doorbell rang.
Outside the door were Roberto and Melissa, holding boxes full of ingredients.
“I've brought the finest ingredients.”
“Good work, Roberto.”
“Is that Pagunseong?”
Melissa's eyes sparkled as she set down a large box in the living room.
As Oh-jin tilted his head at the unfamiliar face, Isabella stepped forward.
“This is Melissa. She works as a hired hand for my family.”
“A pleasure to meet you! I am Melissa, Lady Isabella's personal maid!”
Melissa bowed deeply and greeted him energetically.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Hehe. Please speak comfortably with me!”
“Ah. Um… alright.”
Oh-jin nodded at Melissa's cheerful smile.
She looked to be about high school age.
She was a girl who exuded a freshness like a dandelion.
“I'll help with the prep work, Lady Isabella!”
“Oh, would you?”
Isabella and Melissa carried the boxes of ingredients to the kitchen.
Roberto watched the brightly smiling Isabella and a gentle smile graced his lips.
After watching Isabella's back for a while, he turned to Oh-jin.
“I am Roberto, the head butler of the Colagrande family.”
“Ah, yes. I've heard a lot about you.”
“This is the first time I've had the chance to greet you formally.”
Roberto bowed politely.
“Ah! Aren't you the grandpa who sent the Cuban cigars?”
“Haha. That is correct.”
A faint vein popped on Roberto's wrinkled forehead.
“My collection, which I had gathered for many years… I did indeed send it to you.”
“…Ah.”
Ha-eun flinched at the gloomy aura emanating from the old gentleman.
“D-Don't worry! I didn't smoke that many! I'll give them back, grandpa!”
“It is quite alright. A collection can always be gathered again later.”
Roberto shook his head with the expression of a sage who had transcended the world.
“More importantly.”
The old gentleman's gaze turned to Oh-jin.
“…Thank you.”
He once again bowed deeply to Oh-jin.
It was Oh-jin who was taken aback by the extremely polite gesture.
“I haven't done anything to deserve your thanks…”
“In all the years I have served Lady Isabella, I had never once seen her laugh so genuinely.”
The old gentleman continued with a bittersweet smile.
“Not until she met you.”
“……”
“It is thanks to you, Mr. Oh-jin, that the young lady can smile so happily.”
“Isabella has helped me a great deal as well.”
“Haha. I am glad to hear you say so.”
Roberto watched Isabella's back as she organized the ingredients in the kitchen, his eyes as warm as if he were looking at his own granddaughter.
“Please, I leave the young lady in your care from now on.”
“Yes.”
“Ah, and if I may mention one more thing.”
Roberto approached and whispered in a low voice.
“Our young lady… has been 'growing' recently.”
“……”
What has?
“Hohoho! It seems I will have to order new clothes for the young lady soon!”
Roberto stroked his mustache with a pleased expression.
“Ah, and did you know?”
“…What now.”
“Among the Italian nobility, it is still quite common to have more than one wife.”
Roberto patted Oh-jin's shoulder and gave him a wink.
“……”
His image of a dignified old gentleman shattered, Oh-jin pressed a hand to his forehead as if he had a headache.
About thirty minutes passed like that.
Melissa and Isabella, having finished all the prep work, returned to the living room.
“Well then, we shall be on our way.”
“Huh? Don't go, eat with us.”
Ha-eun, who had been chatting with Roberto about cigars for the past thirty minutes, tilted her head and asked.
“Hoho. It is not our place to intrude.”
“But still…”
“Then at least have a cup of coffee before you go.”
“Well, if you insist.”
Roberto and Melissa nodded and sat down.
Oh-jin took out some Maxim coffee sticks from the cupboard.
*‘I don’t know if this will suit the tastes of people who work for a noble family, but…’*
He added hot water and stirred the coffee with the torn-open stick packet.
Five cups of coffee, made in the blink of an eye.
“Oh? This is delicious!”
Melissa's eyes sparkled after tasting the sweet coffee.
“It's one of Korea's greatest inventions.”
“Heeh. To think you can make coffee so easily…”
“I'll give you a few boxes as a gift, so take them with you.”
“Really?”
Melissa beamed a fresh smile.
Oh-jin nodded and gave her the Maxim coffee he had stacked in the cupboard.
“Hehe. Pagunseong is a very kind person.”
“It's nothing.”
Oh-jin chuckled and sat down.
“Um… I have a question, if that's okay?”
Melissa fidgeted with her fingers and spoke cautiously.
“What is it?”
“How did you two start dating?”
“Hmm?”
Ha-eun's and Oh-jin's gazes met.
Ha-eun scratched her cheek with an awkward expression.
“Oh-jinnie and I have, well, since way back…”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
Melissa tilted her head, looking at Ha-eun.
Her expression was one of confusion, as if to ask why *she* was answering.
“…Gasp.”
Isabella's eyes flew open, as if she'd just remembered something she had completely forgotten.
“M-Melissa!”
She tried to stop Melissa in a hurry, but.
“Mr. Oh-jin is dating Lady Isabella, isn't he?”
Melissa's eyes shone with an innocent expression.
“I'm curious how you two got together!”
“…Huh?”
“……”
Silence descended upon the living room.
Oh-jin's and Ha-eun's gazes turned to Isabella.
“Th-That is! What I mean is!”
Isabella stammered, flustered.
Fidgeting and glancing around, she squeezed her eyes shut and pointed at Oh-jin.
“M-Mr. Oh-jin! Mr. Oh-jin confessed first!”
“…Pardon?”
I did?