Extra Story 1 - The End. Dreams

For a while, Nicholas and Sharon sat close together, their shoulders touching.

If they rang the bell, the meal could begin, but they wanted to savor this moment of happiness alone just a little longer.

Suddenly, a smile appeared on Sharon’s lips.

“So then, did you obtain your father’s approval?”

“You saw right through me?”

“My family opposed it as well. …I silenced them, though.”

‘Strong.’

From the very beginning, Sharon had intended to marry Nicholas. Now she understood that, given that resolve, Nicholas’s earlier words were enough to earn exasperation.

“I secured approval on the premise of a new business. A joint venture between House Meresen and House Murese. Will you join me?”

“Oh my, so in the end it’s still about family business?”

“No. This is a business for you and me.”

Taking the hand of the softly laughing Sharon, Nicholas kissed the back of it. He smiled as he gazed at the ring he had given her, shining on her ring finger.

Since Dominic, the head of House Meresen, had told him to do as he pleased, full authority had been entrusted to Nicholas. And Nicholas had chosen Sharon as his partner.

Trade was not something achieved by randomly exporting and importing whatever seemed likely to sell. It required a core.

“My happiness is your smile. If that’s so—”

As if to affirm those words, Nicholas smiled with unmistakable happiness.

“What is your dream? Let us make it a business to fulfill that dream.”

Caught completely off guard, Sharon gasped.

—You should be able to tell him how you feel, Sharon.

Marguerite’s words came to mind.

Worried about the relationship between Sharon and Nicholas, Marguerite had written her a letter. Half of it asked Sharon to listen to Nicholas, and the other half said that Sharon should be able to convey her own feelings.

‘I thought I had to look after her and protect her.’

Thinking of her dear friend, who had grown far beyond herself before she even realized it, Sharon smiled.

She had never told Nicholas or Marguerite this, but several years earlier, Sharon had once dined with a young nobleman close to her age at her parents’ recommendation. When Sharon spoke of her dream at that table, he had curled his lips into a sarcastic smile and said—

—What an adorably naïve dream for a young lady of House Murese.

“Let us discuss business instead,” he had said, his gaze making it clear that he saw Sharon only as the daughter of a great merchant house.

As the daughter of House Murese, which had built its fortune through trade, Sharon had been thoroughly trained in management knowledge. If she truly wished, she could live on her own.

Realizing that such a dream did not suit someone like her, she had never spoken of it to anyone since.

When Nicholas brought up family business, she had brushed it off with sarcasm, but a small fear had crept in. Was Nicholas also only seeing House Murese?

But Nicholas had asked her.

Because he wanted to know what Sharon cherished. In other words, because he wanted to cherish Sharon herself.

“My dream is—”

With a shy smile, Sharon leaned close and whispered into Nicholas’s ear.

“To become a lovely bride.”

Wearing a pure white dress, a long veil, holding a bouquet tied with ribbons. Taking the hand of her beloved fiancé and walking the wedding aisle amid blessings. That had been Sharon’s dream since childhood.

It was far more difficult than making a business succeed. A dream that could not be fulfilled alone.

“……”

“……Nicholas-sama?”

Worried by the silence, she glanced over, wondering if it truly was an ill-suited dream. Nicholas had turned his reddened face away, clutching his chest.

“No, it’s just… my heart won’t stop racing at this unexpected side of you.”

He seemed so flustered that he had no room left to put on airs.

“You’re too cute…”

At his muttered words, a slow blush spread across Sharon’s cheeks as well.

“I understand. I will do everything in my power to make that dream come true as well.”

Having finally steadied his breathing, Nicholas faced Sharon and smiled broadly, his face still red.

Wrapped in happiness, Sharon rested her head against Nicholas’s shoulder. Nicholas gently pulled her closer.

“Then, Nicholas-sama.”

“Hm?”

After basking in happiness for a while, Nicholas opened his eyes at the sound of Sharon calling him.

“Let us submit the business application early. The business scope will be wedding-related goods in general. We cannot expand too broadly from the start, so we will begin with dresses, tuxedos, and accessories. I will compile the necessary trade items and deliver them within three days. Could you review them and decide whether to approve?”

“Ah—yes.”

“Is something the matter?”

“…No, there’s no problem. Your work mode is cute too.”

For a brief moment, Nicholas went expressionless, then immediately melted back into a blissful smile.