TRPM 357

chapter 357

After school ended.

As usual, Elliot and Lee Dumin headed to the training hall, while Kim Eun-yeon went to her research lab.

And the rest of us….

“Everyone, if you’re free, how about coming over to my place for a housewarming?”
“Your place?”
“Yes. From now on, Elliot and I won’t be living in the dorms—we’ll be staying in an apartment.”

At Elena’s words, we decided to go to her housewarming.

The apartment they moved into was built right next to mine.
Before the vacation, I’d already gone there once with Elena to help with the pre-inspection, so I remembered the address.

“What would make a good housewarming gift….”
“Huh? Ah, no need. Really, you can come empty-handed.”

When I muttered that to myself, Elena waved her hand, saying it wasn’t necessary.
Still, it felt a little wrong to show up empty-handed….

“… If you insist, maybe just bring bread or salt.”
“… Huh?”
“Huh?”
“What?”

When I tried to insist on bringing something, Elena said that.

“… Did I say something strange?”
“… Wait, in England, what do people bring as housewarming gifts?”

When I asked, Elena seemed to realize why we reacted that way.

“Usually wine or food. Is it different in Korea?”
“Here, people usually bring toilet paper. Or other daily necessities that last a long time.”

At that, Elena’s expression froze for a moment.
But then she nodded, as if she understood.

“… I see. Honestly, that’s a little surprising….”

Muttering something under her breath, Elena reassured us.

“We’ve already stocked up on daily necessities, and we don’t have space to put more anyway. So really, it’s fine.”
“… If that’s the case.”

Since she said it would be troublesome to receive more, we decided to skip gifts.

“Then, why don’t you all come over around dinner time? I’ll have the food ready.”
“Oh… you’re cooking yourself?”
“Yes. I’ll show you some English home cooking. … It’s a shame Dumin can’t come, though.”

… I thought I just sensed a flicker of killing intent from Elena.

When she mentioned Dumin—who wasn’t here because he was sparring with Elliot—her voice carried a sharp edge.
Did something happen between them?

“… Gunwoo. You don’t remember?”
“Hm?”
“During the first-semester sports festival, Dumin was the one who chose the phrase to engrave on Elena’s back.”

… Oh, right.

The phrase that got written on Elena’s back was—

[British cuisine is the worst…? British food can be delicious too!]

I recalled Elena snapping angrily at the time.
… Looks like she hasn’t forgotten.

So now she was inviting everyone to a housewarming to prove how good British food could be—but since Dumin wasn’t coming, she was understandably upset.

“I’m more worried about something else than Elena being angry.”

As I was thinking that, Ha-eun spoke up.
Something else?

“Yeah. Considering Elena’s status….”

Could Elena really cook well?

“… True….”

Maybe it was prejudice, but Elena, being royalty, gave the image of someone who’d only ever eaten food prepared by chefs, not someone who cooked herself.

‘Some of our classmates don’t know she’s royal, but they do know she’s from nobility….’

So, naturally….

“Indeed. Lady Elena, as a noble, do you have actual experience cooking? Or are you just saying that because you’re angry with Lee Dumin?”
“… We won’t walk in and find something bizarre on the table, right?”

The kids questioned her.

“… Actually, cooking is my hobby. Back in England, I’d go shopping myself and cook too.”

Elena glared at us as if asking whether we doubted her.

Hmm… honestly….

‘I don’t know.’

I didn’t think Elena was lying, but British cuisine had such a notorious reputation….

“Hmm….”
“Yeah….”

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one thinking that—everyone else wore uncertain expressions.

“… So you’re all doubting me together?”

At that, Elena, looking determined to prove her skills, pulled out a hair tie and tied her hair back.
Then she took out a shopping bag from sub-space and declared:

“I’ll prepare a full course meal, so come hungry.”

… As she said that and headed off to shop, her back gave off the aura of a seasoned housewife.

By 6 p.m., we’d all gone home, dropped our bags, changed clothes, and arrived at Elena’s apartment.

Well, not everyone—only those who lived nearby. Which meant just me and Ha-eun, since our apartments were right next door.

‘Not sure if the others already went in, or if they’re just running late.’

Either way, we couldn’t just stand outside, so we went in.

“This is my first time here. Is this apartment nice?”

As we got into the elevator and I pressed the button for Elena’s floor, Ha-eun asked.
I thought for a moment, then nodded.

“I don’t know all the details, but I heard there are facilities on the first floor and basement—like a gym or parcel lockers.”
“Facilities?”
“Yeah. Things like a fitness center for residents.”

Ha-eun tilted her head.

“… Is the gym for Awakeners?”
“Doubt it.”

Even if it had a gym, it wouldn’t have equipment specialized for Awakeners.

“Then it’s useless for Elena and Elliot.”
“……”

I couldn’t argue with her.
If they were newly awakened, maybe—but at their level, normal gym machines wouldn’t be much use.

“Anything else?”
“Uh… more rooms, I guess?”

Our apartment had three bedrooms.
This one had four.

“… That’s it?”
“I was going to mention the view, but honestly, since our apartments are right next door, the view’s basically the same….”

As I thought that, the elevator doors opened.

“Honestly, apartments are all about the same.”

The only reason this place cost more was because it was right next to ours.
Other than that, it was just another new building—nothing special.

“Would’ve been nice if there were a swimming pool or a theater inside….”
“……”

So that’s what she was hoping for.

With that thought, I pressed Elena’s doorbell.

[Yes, come in.]

Her voice came through the intercom speaker.
She must have unlocked it from inside.

We opened the door and stepped in….

“Oh… smells good.”

We were immediately greeted by the aroma of food—clearly Elena’s cooking.

“Ah, there are slippers there. Please put them on. Some oil splattered on the floor.”

We did as she said, put on the slippers, and stepped inside—where we saw Elena, in an apron, busy at work.

Tak tak tak tak!

“Oh….”
“Wow….”

She was chopping with practiced skill.
Looks like cooking as a hobby wasn’t just talk.

And—

“She really prepared a full course.”

My eyes went to the table set up in the living room.
At its center was a heating artifact, around which a variety of dishes were arranged.

‘… Mostly meat… steak.’

So British home cooking centered on steak?
Or was it because she was royalty?

Either way, it was a relief.
Better familiar dishes like steak than infamously weird ones.

But….

“Elena. No salad?”
“… Ah.”

It was way too meat-heavy.
Realizing her mistake, Elena glanced at the table with a troubled look.

“… I completely forgot about nutrition balance.”

Muttering, she quickly washed her hands, then pulled out her phone and made a call.

“… Elliot? Grab some salad on your way. Where? At the supermarket—I saw some pre-packaged ones there. Maybe three? No, make it five.”

So she sent Elliot on an errand.

He’d gone off sparring with Dumin after school, but by now the match should’ve ended, so he was probably on his way home anyway.

“Anything else we need?”
“If anything, just water or drinks.”
“That’s fine—we’ve got a purifier, and I bought a few drinks for the fridge.”

She opened the fridge to show us.
And I rubbed my eyes.

“… Uh, these aren’t drinks—they’re alcohol.”
“Huh? Which one?”
“This red one.”

I pulled out a bottle of wine.
Why was this here?

“This… I didn’t buy this.”

Elena tilted her head.

Of course not.
She’d gone shopping earlier in her school uniform—no way a supermarket clerk would’ve let her buy wine.

Which meant….

“Don’t tell me Elliot…?”
“……”

Since only Elena and Elliot lived here, he was the obvious suspect.

“Hey, Elliot.”

She was still on the phone with him, so she asked him directly about the wine.

“Right, of course you’d say you didn’t buy it.”

Apparently, Elliot protested his innocence—but Elena didn’t seem convinced.

“……”

Still, Elliot wasn’t the type to lie.
And he definitely wasn’t the type to secretly buy alcohol.

“I’ll let it slide for now, but when you get here we’re talking—”
“Elena.”
“Yes?”
“Other than you two, has anyone else been in this apartment?”

At my question, Elena nodded.

“Ah, yes. When we moved the furniture in, my family and the attendants came all together.”
“… Then maybe one of them bought it and left it here?”
“……”
“……”
“Oh.”

Realization dawned on her.

“Sorry. It must’ve been Uncle William. He probably put it in and forgot about it.”

Since she named someone specifically, she must’ve been certain.

She apologized to Elliot on the phone, hung up, and immediately called this William person to ask about the wine.

“(… So you say it was left over from when everyone drank together back then, and you just put it in the fridge? No, telling us to drink it is not an explanation!)”

Looks like the culprit had been found.