017. Pure Goodwill
Emilia stared at the unmoving man, speechless. Just by looking at his eyes, she could tell he was talking about the weather.
“Why did you think I needed comforting words? When was I so indifferent?”
An exaggerated coldness flows from Emilia as she asks back.
“I appreciate your concern, but it doesn’t really hit home. For someone who wants to comfort me, you seem too cold.”
For a moment, she thought, "Maybe I've gone too far."
“Maybe so.”
He is serious.
“It’s not very pleasant to see you acting so indifferently, just as you said.”
Emilia couldn't close her mouth.
“Continue to show her how much you hate me and how much you want to break off the engagement. Mrs. Meyer is much more persistent than you think.”
The moment she heard those words, Emilia's heart sank for some strange reason.
Could it be that Mrs. Meyer had noticed that she still felt this way when she saw her son?
No, that can't be. Apart from the day of the engagement, there was nothing that could have revealed her true feelings.
“Don’t worry about that. She must have felt it very clearly last time. If she comes again, I’ll ask Uncle Beppy. To swing the axe for her.”
A casual laugh followed.
“Do you know what’s really funny? Right now, the young master is talking like he has nothing to do with it, but they’re the same. No, Mrs. Meyer is better. At least she’s consistent. She doesn’t play around with people like this!”
At the end, Emilia raised my voice without realizing it, and the surroundings became as quiet as a mouse. The only sound that could be heard was Beppy tearing at the meat. Laura quickly intervened.
“This is an apple pie I made myself.”
A skinny arm passed a piece of pie in front of Hardius. He took a bite and said, “Excellent.” He smiled softly and looked at Laura. The child smiled shyly, and her appearance reminded him of the innocent fourteen-year-old Emilia.
She suddenly felt nervous.
“...I’ll just go out for a bit.”
She had no choice but to run outside.
Emilia sat on a sloping hill overlooking the vineyards. At the end of the undulating green waves was the fairytale-like, beautiful Sitmer Villa. As she gazed at it, lost in thought, she felt a presence behind her.
No need to confirm, it's Hardius.
“Do you like it?”
Emilia ended up laughing in vain.
“You say it as if you’re definitely going to give it to me.”
Hardius, who turned his head to face me, had an extremely expressionless face.
“I’ll take back what I said a few days ago. I meant ‘a nobleman who harasses people for fun.’ You’re just a weird person. A person who changes his words and doesn’t even know what he’s talking about.”
“Let me be clear about one thing. I was worried the whole time. I wanted to comfort you. I mean it.”
Unlike him, who was calm and unwavering in any situation, Emilia hated herself for splashing around like boiling soup.
“No, it’s not a ‘comfort drink’, it’s a ‘congratulatory drink’. Now all we have to do is sign the agreement, and we’ll both finally be free.”
She thought he would laugh. Or grumble.
But only the unfamiliar gaze poured down intensely. Emilia turned her body away from his gaze, which had become increasingly unfamiliar. Her pulse had become too fast.
“...Let’s go in now. We can’t ruin Laura’s mood after she worked so hard to prepare for it because of us...”
“No. I’m going now. I have other things to do.”
A carriage was seen running from afar. Hardius took his watch out of his jacket pocket and checked the time. The two stood side by side in awkward silence. The carriage gradually got closer and began to slow down.
“I’ll be in Trunia for the time being. If anything happens, tell Beppy. He’ll take care of it through my aide.”
“Yes, have a nice trip. Even if the sky splits in two, I won’t have to contact you.”
Emilia blinked instead of muttering.
Wait, what did that guy just say? Trunia? Isn't that a place where there's a civil war? That's where all sorts of scary stories are told.
Emilia read articles where nobles, pregnant women, and children alike were skewered and their limbs were cut off and displayed on the streets, not to mention rebels.
You're not planning to go to war, are you?
“I’ll be back as soon as the negotiations are over. It could be as little as a week, or as long as a month.”
Ah, at least he's not going to go fight with a gun...
Emilia, who was clearing her mind, felt a bit ridiculous about herself. Suddenly, she remembered the conversation she had overheard at the banquet.
'Hardius will be visiting Trunia soon. He says he will provide funds to suppress the rebellion on the side of the Emperor of Trunia.'
'Starting with that, I will inherit Meyer Steel. I will receive mines from Trunia, and we will establish a joint venture with Leichnen Mining...'
Merger with Leichnen, reunion with Bianca.
Everything was going as planned.
Is she heartbroken? No, rather, she feels relieved.
Emilia clasped her hands together.
There is no need to waste her emotions before breaking off the engagement. That man will do whatever she wants. Just take the bridal lessons diligently, attend the ball, and do her best as his fiancée in front of His Majesty the King.
“Then, take care on your way back.”
“Take care.”
Hardius raised his hand and headed towards the carriage without looking back. The emotions that had been stirring calmed down again.
On the way home after parting ways with Laura, Emilia sat right next to Beppy to learn how to drive a carriage.
When she started out, she had to tense up her whole body, but soon she was holding the reins with one hand and biting into the apple Laura had given her with the other. The sweet and sour juice burst into her mouth and made her feel refreshed.
How simple a person she is.
Of the many conversations she had with Hardius, many things were forgotten, and only the words, 'I was worried and wanted to comfort you,' remained in her heart. It sprouted in an instant and took firm root in Emilia's heart.
Of course, that doesn't mean that the fourteen-year-old girl who loved the master has come back to life. It's just that something that was burning brightly has died down. The foolishness of shaking off bad things and bad feelings too easily was slowly eating away at his memories.
She doesn't know, whatever happens will happen.
Emilia took another bite of the apple, and Beppy suddenly spoke.
“That’s good to hear. That.”
Only then did Emilia realize that she was humming.
“It’s a song called ‘Barley Tree.’ It’s my favorite.”
The next moment, a clear and beautiful sound was heard from somewhere. It was Beppy whistling along. In the quiet country road, the faint <Barley Tree> melody resounded high in the sky. One was a hum, the other was a whistle.
When the ensemble was finished, Emilia was able to laugh out loud. Beppy also laughed along.
On the third day since Hardius left for Trunia, the day of her return to Cavendish Manor arrived as usual.
One thing that was different from usual was that Emilia was excited from the morning.
“Sir, this is the address of Liberty Boarding School. I’ve already written a letter to Mitch, so he can wait at the school gate. My Mitch is about the same height as me, has brown hair like Laura, and has a face...”
“You have a lot of freckles. You have crazy freckles.”
Beppy muttered and pointed to her stepmother. Kalia smiled and nodded.
“Yes, Beppy. He has freckles just like me. Thank you. Thanks to you, our son can come home feeling safe.”
Today is Mitch's first day back home in three months. Beppy was supposed to drop Emilia off at Cavendish Manor and then pick Mitch up straight away.
“I sent a letter to Mitch in advance to explain, so we’ll be able to meet up easily, sir. Please take good care of our little one. Be sure to come here with Mitch later!”
After seeing Beppy off, Emilia headed to the mansion's entrance as usual. Her steps, which were always slow and heavy, felt light for once.
But the brisk steps that seemed as if they were humming a tune suddenly came to a halt under the arched vines right in front of the entrance.
Who was there?
Nathan Malvin, with dark brown hair neatly combed back.
"Hi."
At first, she thought there was someone else behind her, but the deep blue-green eyes, like midsummer green leaves, were definitely fixed on Emilia.
“...Hello, Master Malvin.”
Emilia bowed her head a beat later. As she was about to pass by, her shoulders kept getting closer to Nathan's. When Emilia walked slowly, Nathan slowed down, and when she walked quickly, Nathan sped up.
"Excuse me..."
The moment she turned to look at him with narrowed eyebrows, the door opened. As usual, the footman greeted them.
“Hello, Master Malvin.”
He smiled and greeted Nathan, then silently extended his hand to Emilia, asking for her visiting card.
The moment Emilia handed him the card she was holding, something surprising happened.
"For a moment."
Nathan suddenly reached out and placed something on top of Emilia's card.
"... Master?"
The small piece of paper he handed her had, surprisingly, the Malvin family seal on it.
“What are you doing? You’re not receiving it.”
"Yes?"
As she looked at the footman with her eyes wide open, she remembered what had happened with Mr. Haspel a few days ago. Everything was exactly the same as it was then.
“Sir, why are you suddenly like this...”
“I’ll wait here, so go and ask your master for permission. Just like you did with Miss Bern. Rules should be fair.”
The footman's face turned pale. He stood there like a ghost, holding the Malvins' card, and it looked as if he might suffocate at any moment.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Master!”
The footman quickly lowered his head and turned to Emilia.
“...Please come in, Miss Bern.”
And so, for the first time in five years, Emilia was given the honor of entering without having to wait.
Of course, it wasn't fun at all. She just felt embarrassed and uneasy.
As soon as the door closed, Emilia turned to Nathan.
“Would you like me to say thank you?”
The body of the man who was about to pass by quickly spun around again.
“I know it may sound rude, but I don’t like your behavior just now.”
“Why?”
“Because it will cause trouble.”
“You really are a coward?”
Feather-light laughter echoed through the hall. Countless words rose to the surface in response. Emilia kept her mouth shut, choosing between what she should and should not say.
As if he had read Emilia's inner thoughts, an amused smile appeared on the man's dark lips.
“Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility... I just don’t want to see uncomfortable scenes.”
“...”
“I’m not trying to defend you, but I’m sure the employees don’t like this situation either. They probably don’t really hate you. The essence of bullying and harassment is hierarchy.”
There was no sympathy or pity in Nathan's eyes as he spoke. That brought a strange sense of comfort and emotion to Emilia's heart.
“When three or more gather together, humans are like everyone else. They take sides, trample on each other, and bully the weakest to create a sense of solidarity. When the hierarchy is solidified, discrimination becomes a habit and inertia, and it never stops. That’s why someone has to force them to stop. That’s the only way.”
He finished his words coldly and turned around again. As she blankly followed the man's back as he walked away, she recalled something that had happened a few weeks ago.
'They think you're easy because you just keep your eyes wide open.'
She thought it was a trick or a trap, but was it real?
A warm wave ran down her spine. Her heart was so full that Emilia couldn't help but stand there for a while.
Emilia stared at the unmoving man, speechless. Just by looking at his eyes, she could tell he was talking about the weather.
“Why did you think I needed comforting words? When was I so indifferent?”
An exaggerated coldness flows from Emilia as she asks back.
“I appreciate your concern, but it doesn’t really hit home. For someone who wants to comfort me, you seem too cold.”
For a moment, she thought, "Maybe I've gone too far."
“Maybe so.”
He is serious.
“It’s not very pleasant to see you acting so indifferently, just as you said.”
Emilia couldn't close her mouth.
“Continue to show her how much you hate me and how much you want to break off the engagement. Mrs. Meyer is much more persistent than you think.”
The moment she heard those words, Emilia's heart sank for some strange reason.
Could it be that Mrs. Meyer had noticed that she still felt this way when she saw her son?
No, that can't be. Apart from the day of the engagement, there was nothing that could have revealed her true feelings.
“Don’t worry about that. She must have felt it very clearly last time. If she comes again, I’ll ask Uncle Beppy. To swing the axe for her.”
A casual laugh followed.
“Do you know what’s really funny? Right now, the young master is talking like he has nothing to do with it, but they’re the same. No, Mrs. Meyer is better. At least she’s consistent. She doesn’t play around with people like this!”
At the end, Emilia raised my voice without realizing it, and the surroundings became as quiet as a mouse. The only sound that could be heard was Beppy tearing at the meat. Laura quickly intervened.
“This is an apple pie I made myself.”
A skinny arm passed a piece of pie in front of Hardius. He took a bite and said, “Excellent.” He smiled softly and looked at Laura. The child smiled shyly, and her appearance reminded him of the innocent fourteen-year-old Emilia.
She suddenly felt nervous.
“...I’ll just go out for a bit.”
She had no choice but to run outside.
Emilia sat on a sloping hill overlooking the vineyards. At the end of the undulating green waves was the fairytale-like, beautiful Sitmer Villa. As she gazed at it, lost in thought, she felt a presence behind her.
No need to confirm, it's Hardius.
“Do you like it?”
Emilia ended up laughing in vain.
“You say it as if you’re definitely going to give it to me.”
Hardius, who turned his head to face me, had an extremely expressionless face.
“I’ll take back what I said a few days ago. I meant ‘a nobleman who harasses people for fun.’ You’re just a weird person. A person who changes his words and doesn’t even know what he’s talking about.”
“Let me be clear about one thing. I was worried the whole time. I wanted to comfort you. I mean it.”
Unlike him, who was calm and unwavering in any situation, Emilia hated herself for splashing around like boiling soup.
“No, it’s not a ‘comfort drink’, it’s a ‘congratulatory drink’. Now all we have to do is sign the agreement, and we’ll both finally be free.”
She thought he would laugh. Or grumble.
But only the unfamiliar gaze poured down intensely. Emilia turned her body away from his gaze, which had become increasingly unfamiliar. Her pulse had become too fast.
“...Let’s go in now. We can’t ruin Laura’s mood after she worked so hard to prepare for it because of us...”
“No. I’m going now. I have other things to do.”
A carriage was seen running from afar. Hardius took his watch out of his jacket pocket and checked the time. The two stood side by side in awkward silence. The carriage gradually got closer and began to slow down.
“I’ll be in Trunia for the time being. If anything happens, tell Beppy. He’ll take care of it through my aide.”
“Yes, have a nice trip. Even if the sky splits in two, I won’t have to contact you.”
Emilia blinked instead of muttering.
Wait, what did that guy just say? Trunia? Isn't that a place where there's a civil war? That's where all sorts of scary stories are told.
Emilia read articles where nobles, pregnant women, and children alike were skewered and their limbs were cut off and displayed on the streets, not to mention rebels.
You're not planning to go to war, are you?
“I’ll be back as soon as the negotiations are over. It could be as little as a week, or as long as a month.”
Ah, at least he's not going to go fight with a gun...
Emilia, who was clearing her mind, felt a bit ridiculous about herself. Suddenly, she remembered the conversation she had overheard at the banquet.
'Hardius will be visiting Trunia soon. He says he will provide funds to suppress the rebellion on the side of the Emperor of Trunia.'
'Starting with that, I will inherit Meyer Steel. I will receive mines from Trunia, and we will establish a joint venture with Leichnen Mining...'
Merger with Leichnen, reunion with Bianca.
Everything was going as planned.
Is she heartbroken? No, rather, she feels relieved.
Emilia clasped her hands together.
There is no need to waste her emotions before breaking off the engagement. That man will do whatever she wants. Just take the bridal lessons diligently, attend the ball, and do her best as his fiancée in front of His Majesty the King.
“Then, take care on your way back.”
“Take care.”
Hardius raised his hand and headed towards the carriage without looking back. The emotions that had been stirring calmed down again.
On the way home after parting ways with Laura, Emilia sat right next to Beppy to learn how to drive a carriage.
When she started out, she had to tense up her whole body, but soon she was holding the reins with one hand and biting into the apple Laura had given her with the other. The sweet and sour juice burst into her mouth and made her feel refreshed.
How simple a person she is.
Of the many conversations she had with Hardius, many things were forgotten, and only the words, 'I was worried and wanted to comfort you,' remained in her heart. It sprouted in an instant and took firm root in Emilia's heart.
Of course, that doesn't mean that the fourteen-year-old girl who loved the master has come back to life. It's just that something that was burning brightly has died down. The foolishness of shaking off bad things and bad feelings too easily was slowly eating away at his memories.
She doesn't know, whatever happens will happen.
Emilia took another bite of the apple, and Beppy suddenly spoke.
“That’s good to hear. That.”
Only then did Emilia realize that she was humming.
“It’s a song called ‘Barley Tree.’ It’s my favorite.”
The next moment, a clear and beautiful sound was heard from somewhere. It was Beppy whistling along. In the quiet country road, the faint <Barley Tree> melody resounded high in the sky. One was a hum, the other was a whistle.
When the ensemble was finished, Emilia was able to laugh out loud. Beppy also laughed along.
On the third day since Hardius left for Trunia, the day of her return to Cavendish Manor arrived as usual.
One thing that was different from usual was that Emilia was excited from the morning.
“Sir, this is the address of Liberty Boarding School. I’ve already written a letter to Mitch, so he can wait at the school gate. My Mitch is about the same height as me, has brown hair like Laura, and has a face...”
“You have a lot of freckles. You have crazy freckles.”
Beppy muttered and pointed to her stepmother. Kalia smiled and nodded.
“Yes, Beppy. He has freckles just like me. Thank you. Thanks to you, our son can come home feeling safe.”
Today is Mitch's first day back home in three months. Beppy was supposed to drop Emilia off at Cavendish Manor and then pick Mitch up straight away.
“I sent a letter to Mitch in advance to explain, so we’ll be able to meet up easily, sir. Please take good care of our little one. Be sure to come here with Mitch later!”
After seeing Beppy off, Emilia headed to the mansion's entrance as usual. Her steps, which were always slow and heavy, felt light for once.
But the brisk steps that seemed as if they were humming a tune suddenly came to a halt under the arched vines right in front of the entrance.
Who was there?
Nathan Malvin, with dark brown hair neatly combed back.
"Hi."
At first, she thought there was someone else behind her, but the deep blue-green eyes, like midsummer green leaves, were definitely fixed on Emilia.
“...Hello, Master Malvin.”
Emilia bowed her head a beat later. As she was about to pass by, her shoulders kept getting closer to Nathan's. When Emilia walked slowly, Nathan slowed down, and when she walked quickly, Nathan sped up.
"Excuse me..."
The moment she turned to look at him with narrowed eyebrows, the door opened. As usual, the footman greeted them.
“Hello, Master Malvin.”
He smiled and greeted Nathan, then silently extended his hand to Emilia, asking for her visiting card.
The moment Emilia handed him the card she was holding, something surprising happened.
"For a moment."
Nathan suddenly reached out and placed something on top of Emilia's card.
"... Master?"
The small piece of paper he handed her had, surprisingly, the Malvin family seal on it.
“What are you doing? You’re not receiving it.”
"Yes?"
As she looked at the footman with her eyes wide open, she remembered what had happened with Mr. Haspel a few days ago. Everything was exactly the same as it was then.
“Sir, why are you suddenly like this...”
“I’ll wait here, so go and ask your master for permission. Just like you did with Miss Bern. Rules should be fair.”
The footman's face turned pale. He stood there like a ghost, holding the Malvins' card, and it looked as if he might suffocate at any moment.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Master!”
The footman quickly lowered his head and turned to Emilia.
“...Please come in, Miss Bern.”
And so, for the first time in five years, Emilia was given the honor of entering without having to wait.
Of course, it wasn't fun at all. She just felt embarrassed and uneasy.
As soon as the door closed, Emilia turned to Nathan.
“Would you like me to say thank you?”
The body of the man who was about to pass by quickly spun around again.
“I know it may sound rude, but I don’t like your behavior just now.”
“Why?”
“Because it will cause trouble.”
“You really are a coward?”
Feather-light laughter echoed through the hall. Countless words rose to the surface in response. Emilia kept her mouth shut, choosing between what she should and should not say.
As if he had read Emilia's inner thoughts, an amused smile appeared on the man's dark lips.
“Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility... I just don’t want to see uncomfortable scenes.”
“...”
“I’m not trying to defend you, but I’m sure the employees don’t like this situation either. They probably don’t really hate you. The essence of bullying and harassment is hierarchy.”
There was no sympathy or pity in Nathan's eyes as he spoke. That brought a strange sense of comfort and emotion to Emilia's heart.
“When three or more gather together, humans are like everyone else. They take sides, trample on each other, and bully the weakest to create a sense of solidarity. When the hierarchy is solidified, discrimination becomes a habit and inertia, and it never stops. That’s why someone has to force them to stop. That’s the only way.”
He finished his words coldly and turned around again. As she blankly followed the man's back as he walked away, she recalled something that had happened a few weeks ago.
'They think you're easy because you just keep your eyes wide open.'
She thought it was a trick or a trap, but was it real?
A warm wave ran down her spine. Her heart was so full that Emilia couldn't help but stand there for a while.
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