034. Thrown Away Without Mercy
Hadius was calm. He didn't even blink once.
“Well, it’s hard to give a straight answer. It’s not easy to get blood on your hands. What do you think, sir?”
Hardius answered as he opened the carriage door. A gust of cool air rushed in, driving away the thick smoke.
“It is dangerous, especially now that there are so many eyes watching.”
“But isn’t it the simplest and easiest solution?”
William glanced at him in surprise, then burst into laughter.
“I see you didn’t waste your time at the military academy. You and I have something in common.”
Hardius faced William without agitation.
“Actually, I have thought about it. As you may know, I have often discussed this method with your mother and Grand Duke Leichnen. We call it a ‘last resort’ among ourselves. To be honest, if it doesn’t work out, we can just get rid of one of those commoner women.”
“...”
“But it’s too late. There’s nothing we can do about that woman right now. The Congress bastards might be hoping that we’ll mess with her without thinking. The public tends to swarm like a pack of dogs the moment they see blood.”
“...I agree.”
William took another drag on his cigarette. His sunken cheeks, drawn in toward the center, looked like a vampire sucking blood.
“Until a few days ago, I had no idea either. But then, all of a sudden, a really brilliant idea came to me. I named it ‘The Cheating Fiancee.’”
For the first time, Hardius's eyes, which had been as still as a lake, shook.
Then, all of a sudden, it became quiet. Hardius looked at William with a slightly amusing smile.
“A cheating fiancée?”
“Yeah, you’re going to appease the woman, quell public opinion, and then secretly negotiate with the King behind her back? Why would you go through all that trouble? If that woman cheats, it’s over. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s quite an interesting idea.”
“How is it? Does it appeal to you?”
A light laugh escaped Hardius's mouth.
“It’s not bad, but there’s one important issue that needs to be addressed. I’m not sure if it’s possible for her to just meet another man and cheat on me like we want.”
William suddenly burst into laughter. The laugh was so loud that it startled the footman waiting outside.
“What’s so funny?”
When William turned his head back to face Hardius, he looked like a child solving a riddle.
“I guess you haven’t heard yet. Actually, I just found out something really interesting. Something about your fiancée.”
“It’s hard to understand the gist of the remark.”
“If you’re curious, go see your mother. I don’t feel like saying it myself.”
“...If it makes you uncomfortable, then do so.”
The voice that answered contained a tone of annoyance, not much curiosity. It was a bit disappointing for William, who had expected a more intense response.
“Then I guess you will accept my plan for now. Discuss the specifics with your mother.”
“I’ll consider it.”
“I guarantee you, when you hear this story from your mother, your eyes will light up.”
William rubbed his palms together as if he were very excited.
“Well, even if that method doesn’t work, don’t worry too much. If it really doesn’t work, you can just get rid of the eyes and all. Right?”
William smiled and stubbed out his cigarette with his wrinkled hands. The red-hot flame died down in an instant.
After seeing off the carriage, Hardius crossed the garden straight away. The servants who encountered their master were overwhelmed by the cold air and flinched without even being able to greet him.
The dry steps stopped in front of a large warehouse at the back of the mansion.
It was a shooting room, a replica of the training grounds of Elport Military Academy. There were dozens of rifles hanging on the walls, and the drawers were filled with all sorts of weapons.
The servant who was cleaning the gun barrel was startled by his master's sudden appearance. However, since he knew very well when his master would come here, he put down the gun he was holding and hurriedly opened the drawer.
There were pistols and rifles lined up in a row. The servant chose his master's favorite, a long, sleek revolver called a Colt.
In the meantime, Hardius unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled up his shirt. The sound of loading continued.
“Your Excellency, put on your earplugs...”
“Stay out.”
The servant felt an irresistible pressure from the cold, heavy voice. The moment he left the shooting range, he often walked away.
Bang!
There was a loud noise. The servant turned around in surprise. Through the narrow gap in the door, he saw a human-shaped target in the middle. His eyes filled with admiration turned to his master.
The back view of the figure standing with both legs spread wide looks solid, yet strangely swaying at the same time.
'Just get rid of it.'
Hardius couldn't shake off the echoing, rumbling voice. Through the dispersing smoke, memories of that long-ago day rose like mist.
When was it? Probably about a year after their engagement ceremony.
When he visited Kramwitz's villa to visit his sick father, he stopped by the study there for the first time. There was no particular reason. On that day, his father was sleeping unusually deeply, and Hardius had to wait until he woke up.
He was bending down and looking through the bookshelf without thinking...
'Don't take it seriously. It's not a real marriage, it's just an engagement. Just pretend to follow the King's orders faithfully and break off the engagement when the time is right.'
There was a soft voice coming from beyond the bookshelf. It was his mother, Kaitlyn's.
'Do you think it will be that easy? If you just wait quietly, you will become a Duchess. What kind of woman would break off an engagement so easily?'
The person asking the question bluntly is Bianca's father, Hannes.
'Don't worry, that will never happen.'
'Ha! How can you be so sure?'
That day, Hardius first learned of the secret space in the study and the secret meetings taking place there. He leaned in close and listened to the two men's conversation.
'I invited that kid to a banquet a while ago and watched her. I'm sure she's not the type to act rashly without knowing her place. I've even taken steps to make sure she doesn't dare look down on me.'
'... Is it that easy to control a person's heart? Even if that woman is like that, do you know? Could Hardius be so infatuated with her that he can't come to his senses? On the day of the engagement ceremony, everyone was surprised. Even though she was still young, she was so beautiful that all the men there drooled. I have no intention of making my daughter Bianca compete with a woman like that before her marriage.'
'Hardy has no interest in the girl. He is not the type of boy who would lose his mind over a woman.'
'How can you be sure of that? Haven't you ever heard the saying, 'Like father, like son?'
'Your Highness!'
'Stop it.'
The one who silenced the two people who had been raising their voices was William Richard, who suddenly intervened.
'There's no need to overthink it. If you notice anything strange between the two of you, contact me right away. I'll take care of it very simply.'
A shocking story continued from William's mouth as he laughed heartily.
'Even if they love each other so much that they can't live together, so what? Just get rid of that bitch.'
Hardius was completely frozen, his ear pressed against the bookshelf.
'But even so, isn't this child the one for whom His Majesty personally held an engagement ceremony? If we recklessly send an assassin, the King may become suspicious, and we may face a counterattack.'
'We can't ignore the Congress guys either. If that child suddenly dies, wouldn't they naturally suspect us?'
'I wonder if I, the greatest in the world, didn't think about that. I'm not suggesting that you kill her right away. I'm suggesting that you watch her for a while and then do that when you reach a dead end. The only thing that can solve all problems at once and coolly is death. All you have to do, Kaitlyn, is manage the watchers you've placed on your son well.'
It was also then that he first became aware of the existence of the Watcher.
A starter, a groom, a tutor, an aide, and even some boys he thought were real friends.
The sixteen-year-old heir gradually came to realize that his life was a world of lies and deception, thoroughly manipulated by his mother.
'Even if he is your son and heir, you shouldn't let his claws grow too large. You don't want Hardius to take over the entire family and do whatever he wants, do you? You should be the regent. At least until Hardius marries Bianca and the merger is complete. Don't you think so?'
The silence was brief. There seemed to be a grand agreement among the three, and the glasses clinked.
At that moment, Hardius was mercilessly abandoned.
The little girl shining like gold, the overly large ring on her finger, and the smiles they exchanged for a fleeting moment.
Like a tidal wave, those blue eyes covered everything in an instant... all of that.
Hadius was calm. He didn't even blink once.
“Well, it’s hard to give a straight answer. It’s not easy to get blood on your hands. What do you think, sir?”
Hardius answered as he opened the carriage door. A gust of cool air rushed in, driving away the thick smoke.
“It is dangerous, especially now that there are so many eyes watching.”
“But isn’t it the simplest and easiest solution?”
William glanced at him in surprise, then burst into laughter.
“I see you didn’t waste your time at the military academy. You and I have something in common.”
Hardius faced William without agitation.
“Actually, I have thought about it. As you may know, I have often discussed this method with your mother and Grand Duke Leichnen. We call it a ‘last resort’ among ourselves. To be honest, if it doesn’t work out, we can just get rid of one of those commoner women.”
“...”
“But it’s too late. There’s nothing we can do about that woman right now. The Congress bastards might be hoping that we’ll mess with her without thinking. The public tends to swarm like a pack of dogs the moment they see blood.”
“...I agree.”
William took another drag on his cigarette. His sunken cheeks, drawn in toward the center, looked like a vampire sucking blood.
“Until a few days ago, I had no idea either. But then, all of a sudden, a really brilliant idea came to me. I named it ‘The Cheating Fiancee.’”
For the first time, Hardius's eyes, which had been as still as a lake, shook.
Then, all of a sudden, it became quiet. Hardius looked at William with a slightly amusing smile.
“A cheating fiancée?”
“Yeah, you’re going to appease the woman, quell public opinion, and then secretly negotiate with the King behind her back? Why would you go through all that trouble? If that woman cheats, it’s over. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s quite an interesting idea.”
“How is it? Does it appeal to you?”
A light laugh escaped Hardius's mouth.
“It’s not bad, but there’s one important issue that needs to be addressed. I’m not sure if it’s possible for her to just meet another man and cheat on me like we want.”
William suddenly burst into laughter. The laugh was so loud that it startled the footman waiting outside.
“What’s so funny?”
When William turned his head back to face Hardius, he looked like a child solving a riddle.
“I guess you haven’t heard yet. Actually, I just found out something really interesting. Something about your fiancée.”
“It’s hard to understand the gist of the remark.”
“If you’re curious, go see your mother. I don’t feel like saying it myself.”
“...If it makes you uncomfortable, then do so.”
The voice that answered contained a tone of annoyance, not much curiosity. It was a bit disappointing for William, who had expected a more intense response.
“Then I guess you will accept my plan for now. Discuss the specifics with your mother.”
“I’ll consider it.”
“I guarantee you, when you hear this story from your mother, your eyes will light up.”
William rubbed his palms together as if he were very excited.
“Well, even if that method doesn’t work, don’t worry too much. If it really doesn’t work, you can just get rid of the eyes and all. Right?”
William smiled and stubbed out his cigarette with his wrinkled hands. The red-hot flame died down in an instant.
***
After seeing off the carriage, Hardius crossed the garden straight away. The servants who encountered their master were overwhelmed by the cold air and flinched without even being able to greet him.
The dry steps stopped in front of a large warehouse at the back of the mansion.
It was a shooting room, a replica of the training grounds of Elport Military Academy. There were dozens of rifles hanging on the walls, and the drawers were filled with all sorts of weapons.
The servant who was cleaning the gun barrel was startled by his master's sudden appearance. However, since he knew very well when his master would come here, he put down the gun he was holding and hurriedly opened the drawer.
There were pistols and rifles lined up in a row. The servant chose his master's favorite, a long, sleek revolver called a Colt.
In the meantime, Hardius unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled up his shirt. The sound of loading continued.
“Your Excellency, put on your earplugs...”
“Stay out.”
The servant felt an irresistible pressure from the cold, heavy voice. The moment he left the shooting range, he often walked away.
Bang!
There was a loud noise. The servant turned around in surprise. Through the narrow gap in the door, he saw a human-shaped target in the middle. His eyes filled with admiration turned to his master.
The back view of the figure standing with both legs spread wide looks solid, yet strangely swaying at the same time.
'Just get rid of it.'
Hardius couldn't shake off the echoing, rumbling voice. Through the dispersing smoke, memories of that long-ago day rose like mist.
***
When was it? Probably about a year after their engagement ceremony.
When he visited Kramwitz's villa to visit his sick father, he stopped by the study there for the first time. There was no particular reason. On that day, his father was sleeping unusually deeply, and Hardius had to wait until he woke up.
He was bending down and looking through the bookshelf without thinking...
'Don't take it seriously. It's not a real marriage, it's just an engagement. Just pretend to follow the King's orders faithfully and break off the engagement when the time is right.'
There was a soft voice coming from beyond the bookshelf. It was his mother, Kaitlyn's.
'Do you think it will be that easy? If you just wait quietly, you will become a Duchess. What kind of woman would break off an engagement so easily?'
The person asking the question bluntly is Bianca's father, Hannes.
'Don't worry, that will never happen.'
'Ha! How can you be so sure?'
That day, Hardius first learned of the secret space in the study and the secret meetings taking place there. He leaned in close and listened to the two men's conversation.
'I invited that kid to a banquet a while ago and watched her. I'm sure she's not the type to act rashly without knowing her place. I've even taken steps to make sure she doesn't dare look down on me.'
'... Is it that easy to control a person's heart? Even if that woman is like that, do you know? Could Hardius be so infatuated with her that he can't come to his senses? On the day of the engagement ceremony, everyone was surprised. Even though she was still young, she was so beautiful that all the men there drooled. I have no intention of making my daughter Bianca compete with a woman like that before her marriage.'
'Hardy has no interest in the girl. He is not the type of boy who would lose his mind over a woman.'
'How can you be sure of that? Haven't you ever heard the saying, 'Like father, like son?'
'Your Highness!'
'Stop it.'
The one who silenced the two people who had been raising their voices was William Richard, who suddenly intervened.
'There's no need to overthink it. If you notice anything strange between the two of you, contact me right away. I'll take care of it very simply.'
A shocking story continued from William's mouth as he laughed heartily.
'Even if they love each other so much that they can't live together, so what? Just get rid of that bitch.'
Hardius was completely frozen, his ear pressed against the bookshelf.
'But even so, isn't this child the one for whom His Majesty personally held an engagement ceremony? If we recklessly send an assassin, the King may become suspicious, and we may face a counterattack.'
'We can't ignore the Congress guys either. If that child suddenly dies, wouldn't they naturally suspect us?'
'I wonder if I, the greatest in the world, didn't think about that. I'm not suggesting that you kill her right away. I'm suggesting that you watch her for a while and then do that when you reach a dead end. The only thing that can solve all problems at once and coolly is death. All you have to do, Kaitlyn, is manage the watchers you've placed on your son well.'
It was also then that he first became aware of the existence of the Watcher.
A starter, a groom, a tutor, an aide, and even some boys he thought were real friends.
The sixteen-year-old heir gradually came to realize that his life was a world of lies and deception, thoroughly manipulated by his mother.
'Even if he is your son and heir, you shouldn't let his claws grow too large. You don't want Hardius to take over the entire family and do whatever he wants, do you? You should be the regent. At least until Hardius marries Bianca and the merger is complete. Don't you think so?'
The silence was brief. There seemed to be a grand agreement among the three, and the glasses clinked.
At that moment, Hardius was mercilessly abandoned.
The little girl shining like gold, the overly large ring on her finger, and the smiles they exchanged for a fleeting moment.
Like a tidal wave, those blue eyes covered everything in an instant... all of that.
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