Episode 6. Deceive and deceive
A storm of thoughts and emotions hit Emilia. The reason she wasn't swept away was probably because of her trained heart. She regained her composure in an instant.
“What’s the reason? I understand it’s a graduation ceremony, but I don’t understand the carriage at all. What is your intention?”
“Are you worried? Are you afraid that you might become a Trojan Horse?”
“Don’t joke around. It’s not funny.”
She took it quite coldly, but he didn't even flinch.
“If you look back on what happened today... No, what happened over the past five years, you will understand why I am doing this. Surely, I did not expect you to accept it favorably, did I?”
“Yeah. That can’t be true.”
How can you admit it so indifferently?
“So, please explain why.”
“There’s no particular reason. I just felt that since I forced you to fulfill your duties as my fiancée, I should give you some rights as well. It’s like compensation.”
"Compensation?"
Emilia tried not to raise her voice.
“Is that what you mean, forget the humiliation of the past five years with this carriage?”
“I’d be lying if I said I never thought about that.”
“Don’t you think that’s too much? This is what you call deception. It’s a joke.”
“Yes, it is deception and a trick. It is selfish and evil.”
He's a man who says things like that so calmly, as if he were talking about the weather.
“No matter what you think, I have no intention of explaining it in detail. If you feel uneasy, think of it as compensation.”
The three words, “compensation,” pierced deep into her lungs.
Emilia turned around to catch her breath, fearing that her face was hurt. She clutched the hem of her skirt tightly and tried hard not to cry.
Still, she held onto some hope. She thought that Hardius would at least feel sorry. But...
“I understand why you do this. You’re going to break off the engagement someday, so you’re probably trying to shake off your guilt in advance. No, maybe it’s just a way to keep your mouth shut. You don’t seem to feel any guilt. Are you really that worried? Are you afraid that I might just get kicked out cleanly?”
He made no answer.
“I’m telling you this because I think you’re making a big mistake. I have absolutely no intention of continuing this strange engagement. I’m sick of it. Just hearing the name Meyer makes my teeth chatter. So I’m willing to break off the engagement even without alimony.”
"I know."
“You know? You know and you still do this?”
“Yes, I know very well. I know better than anyone how much you want to shake off this engagement, how much you hate me and my family. But accept it. Don’t act tired.”
Strangely, Emilia felt more and more empty than angry as she listened to those cold words. Emilia stared at Hardius, who had his back to the sunset, for a long time before quickly slumping her shoulders.
“I will not accept any gifts. I would rather accept them than have the sky split in two. And don’t worry. I will fulfill my duties as a fiancée on graduation day without any of this. I will not cause any harm to you, Master.”
Just up to there.
From then on, it's really over. That man will somehow convince the King to break off the engagement...
It's better that she revealed such vile thoughts.
If not, she might have spent her whole life thinking about it vaguely, with only a hint of regret.
“Then I’m really done here.”
Emilia greeted him lightly and turned her back. However, she had to stop again before walking far.
“Know one thing. If you refuse, the poor coachman will lose something precious. In exchange for his work, he promised to get his sister back from the brothel. Isn’t that too cruel?”
The stiff body turned around in an instant. Only then did the coachman appear.
He was as big as a giant, his bushy eyebrows were drawn together into a beak-shaped nose, and he was fidgeting and not knowing what to do. His face, which looked like he was about to burst into tears, told her that it wasn't a lie.
“If you refuse, Beppy Dilson will be fired immediately. As you know, Meyer has no mercy or pity. We have no guilt.”
Emilia's mouth opened stupidly again.
"What's so hard? All I ask is that you get a wagon and a laborer, and let Beppy Dilson work for a few months. Then we can get her sister, who is Laura or something."
A storm of thoughts and emotions hit Emilia. The reason she wasn't swept away was probably because of her trained heart. She regained her composure in an instant.
“What’s the reason? I understand it’s a graduation ceremony, but I don’t understand the carriage at all. What is your intention?”
“Are you worried? Are you afraid that you might become a Trojan Horse?”
“Don’t joke around. It’s not funny.”
She took it quite coldly, but he didn't even flinch.
“If you look back on what happened today... No, what happened over the past five years, you will understand why I am doing this. Surely, I did not expect you to accept it favorably, did I?”
“Yeah. That can’t be true.”
How can you admit it so indifferently?
“So, please explain why.”
“There’s no particular reason. I just felt that since I forced you to fulfill your duties as my fiancée, I should give you some rights as well. It’s like compensation.”
"Compensation?"
Emilia tried not to raise her voice.
“Is that what you mean, forget the humiliation of the past five years with this carriage?”
“I’d be lying if I said I never thought about that.”
“Don’t you think that’s too much? This is what you call deception. It’s a joke.”
“Yes, it is deception and a trick. It is selfish and evil.”
He's a man who says things like that so calmly, as if he were talking about the weather.
“No matter what you think, I have no intention of explaining it in detail. If you feel uneasy, think of it as compensation.”
The three words, “compensation,” pierced deep into her lungs.
Emilia turned around to catch her breath, fearing that her face was hurt. She clutched the hem of her skirt tightly and tried hard not to cry.
Still, she held onto some hope. She thought that Hardius would at least feel sorry. But...
“I understand why you do this. You’re going to break off the engagement someday, so you’re probably trying to shake off your guilt in advance. No, maybe it’s just a way to keep your mouth shut. You don’t seem to feel any guilt. Are you really that worried? Are you afraid that I might just get kicked out cleanly?”
He made no answer.
“I’m telling you this because I think you’re making a big mistake. I have absolutely no intention of continuing this strange engagement. I’m sick of it. Just hearing the name Meyer makes my teeth chatter. So I’m willing to break off the engagement even without alimony.”
"I know."
“You know? You know and you still do this?”
“Yes, I know very well. I know better than anyone how much you want to shake off this engagement, how much you hate me and my family. But accept it. Don’t act tired.”
Strangely, Emilia felt more and more empty than angry as she listened to those cold words. Emilia stared at Hardius, who had his back to the sunset, for a long time before quickly slumping her shoulders.
“I will not accept any gifts. I would rather accept them than have the sky split in two. And don’t worry. I will fulfill my duties as a fiancée on graduation day without any of this. I will not cause any harm to you, Master.”
Just up to there.
From then on, it's really over. That man will somehow convince the King to break off the engagement...
It's better that she revealed such vile thoughts.
If not, she might have spent her whole life thinking about it vaguely, with only a hint of regret.
“Then I’m really done here.”
Emilia greeted him lightly and turned her back. However, she had to stop again before walking far.
“Know one thing. If you refuse, the poor coachman will lose something precious. In exchange for his work, he promised to get his sister back from the brothel. Isn’t that too cruel?”
The stiff body turned around in an instant. Only then did the coachman appear.
He was as big as a giant, his bushy eyebrows were drawn together into a beak-shaped nose, and he was fidgeting and not knowing what to do. His face, which looked like he was about to burst into tears, told her that it wasn't a lie.
“If you refuse, Beppy Dilson will be fired immediately. As you know, Meyer has no mercy or pity. We have no guilt.”
Emilia's mouth opened stupidly again.
"What's so hard? All I ask is that you get a wagon and a laborer, and let Beppy Dilson work for a few months. Then we can get her sister, who is Laura or something."
Two shocked eyes were fixed on the coachman. Hardius, perhaps noticing that she was greatly shaken, began to stride closer.
“Beppy will be staying at a nearby farm for the time being. He doesn’t have a place to sleep or a stable at your house right now.”
“No, that can’t be...”
“He’ll go to your house every morning to work, and come back to the farm late at night. He’ll help with the carriage and other odd jobs. Right, Beppy?”
Hardius asked, and the coachman's subsequent answer truly perplexed Emilia.
“He goes at dawn and comes back at night. He does whatever his master tells him to do. Beppy is good. He is a good servant.”
The innocent eyes and awkward speech make it hard to believe he's an adult.
Emilia was completely focused on Beppy, completely forgetting about the previous conversation.
He blinks his eyes and keeps pulling on and off his hat, just like his younger brother Mitch when he was eight. A big, grown man who has to save his little sister from a brothel...
Damn it! Emilia barely swallowed the curse.
“Beppy Dilson, take good care of the young lady.”
When Hardius patted him on the back, Beppy bowed politely like a well-trained groom.
“Emilia, you’re beautiful. Thank you for letting me work.”
Then he took out a clean handkerchief, placed it on the back of his hand, and stretched out his arm toward Emilia, as a coachman often did when helping noble ladies into their carriages.
Her head was constantly screaming, “This is absolutely not possible, I cannot be deceived like this.”
But Emilia was completely frozen and could only stare at Beppy's large hands.
“Catch him, Emilia.”
Emilia glared at Hardius coldly, but eventually placed her hand on Beppy's handkerchief. Otherwise, it seemed like the large, adult child would cry and fall to his knees.
“I really don’t know why you do this, but... really...”
Hardius checked the time without pretending to listen.
“If anything happens in the future, contact me directly. Through Beppy. I will do the same.”
Forward? Contact?
After saying such strange words, he raised his hand. Then he walked away without looking back.
***
All the while running along the darkened road, Emilia sat there blankly, like she had lost her mind.
Is it because she's been through too much in one day? Her head is cold, and her temples are throbbing.
She was chasing after her disorganized emotions without any order, and at one moment, she stopped thinking.
Let it be. Emilia shut her eyes tightly.
How long had she been running? Before she knew it, it was dark all around.
The dimly lit lamp illuminated the entrance to the zelkova forest in the distance. She was back home.
Emilia, who suddenly came to her senses, rang the bell to make Beppy stop the carriage. He hurriedly ran over and stood in front of the door.
“Excuse me, I was in a hurry earlier, so I couldn’t even say hello. Nice to meet you. And thank you.”
Emilia, who greeted him late, told him that he could just drop her off here and go back. She also added that he didn't have to come by every morning, as he didn't have to do any work.
“No.”
He shook his head firmly.
“I’m going to get scolded by Hardius.”
The word 'I'm so mad' is annoying for a moment.
“You should call him Master, not Hardius.”
"Why?"
It's difficult. He acts like a very well-trained servant, but when he opens his mouth, he's a child who doesn't know anything about the world. How can I explain to him about nobility and status? She thought deeply and put off any logical explanation for the moment.
“You’ll probably get in trouble with that guy.”
“He didn’t scold me. He didn’t scold me even if I said ‘Hardy’.”
"...is it so?"
It's a strange thing. At the banquet, Hardius was the epitome of a merciful and generous son of a noble family. And that Beppy Dilson has the pitiful, pitiful, beastly eyes that make it hard to get angry.
“Yes. You don’t have to use honorifics with me and my family. But you must use honorifics like “madam,” “young lady,” “young master,” and “young lady” with the people I tell you to do.”
"I get it."
"Ha..."
How did you meet Hardius? She was about to ask, but then she shut her mouth. What are you going to do about it?
“Anyway, you don’t have to come to our house every day. If you want...”
Emilia was about to say that he didn't have to come at all, but Beppy waved his hand as if to say, "This is going to be a big deal!"
“No! Hardius said it! Emilia would definitely say that! He told me not to listen to you! If I do, Laura will be sold to ‘Tranco’!”
This can't be happening.
It feels like she's playing on Hardius' palm.
“Yes, he will find out anyway. I will meet my family today. There are only my mother and Charlotte at home now. Mitch is at boarding school. Before that, I have one thing to tell you...”
Emilia told him about Charlotte. Unlike the others, Beppy didn't show any surprise or pity. He just nodded vigorously.
When the carriage started again, the emotions that had been stirring inside Emilia had recovered. She leaned against the tired body. She was surprised by the soft, sinking feeling, and when she looked, she saw that the cushions were very luxurious.
Emilia then looked around the carriage. It was an expensive coach with four wheels and one horse. The interior was even better. Just like the carriage she had taken to the mansion today...
Of course, she won't be impressed. Absolutely not.
After a while, the cabin where Emilia lives came into view in the distance.
What should she explain to her mother and Charlotte?
It was fortunate that her younger brother Mitch was in boarding school. If Meyer found out what had happened today, he might do something.
He might set this carriage on fire.
For a moment, Emilia burst out laughing. Everything that had happened today felt like a dream, and her vision became dizzy.
If she were to put it nicely, she would say she was simple, and if she were to put it badly, she would say she was foolish. Emilia was, and still is, the type who easily gets out of feelings of sadness and depression.
It's over if they break off the engagement anyway. It wasn't a great love, nor was it a serious relationship that would leave any regrets or lingering feelings.
Just throw away the likes of Hardy Meyer.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment