007. In front of trivial things
When the heir returned to the mansion, the people gathered in the salon to listen to the music. The virtuosic soprano reached a climax, and the applause poured out. The hall was filled with a thunderous roar that seemed to rip open the eardrums.
But all Hardius could hear was the child's voice. Cold and noble, like a river flowing without stopping. Even when she opened her eyes wide in embarrassment, when she blushed in embarrassment, even when she clenched her fists in anger, Emilia Bern still made a beautiful sound.
A pleasant voice, neither too high nor too low. He knew it from the first time he met her. The little white girl gave him a pretty call like a cuckoo.
Hardius stood leaning against the doorway with a calm face, suppressing his many boiling emotions. Someone handed him a glass of champagne.
“Why did the host suddenly leave?”
Hardius stared at the drunken, flushed face. He was probably the eldest son of the Bollinaire family. Or, perhaps, Hessian.
Whoever he is, he is a very insignificant human being. He is treated as a friend just because he was invited here.
“We waited so long for you that we made a bet among ourselves. That Isabel Quincey would choose between the Duke of Hailston and the Marquis of Rimsey. That slutty woman dumped him again after three days.”
The man pointed with his stick at the soprano singer who had just come down from the podium.
“Where do you plan to hang it?”
Hardius looked down at his champagne glass with a look of deep thought before answering, “Hailston.”
“Hey, as expected! You got through to me!”
The man raised his fist as if he were very happy. Hardius swallowed a crooked smile with a sip of champagne.
At social gatherings, gossip and betting are as natural as drinking and eating. It is also the host's job to help the drunken rabble-rousers feel better and keep the mood from getting ruined.
But the man's next words once again twisted the generous and tolerant successor's heart.
“By the way, why can’t I see her? It’s disappointing that she's not here.”
"Who?"
“Your fiancée.”
Hardius's hand tightened. He gripped the champagne glass as if he might break it, and stared at the man across from him, suppressing something bubbling up at the bottom.
“Mrs. Meyer is really stingy. So many people come here just for the fun of seeing her.”
The giggling laughter clearly contains that of a beast in the presence of a female in heat.
Yes, that's exactly why. The reason why he had hastily and half-bakedly pulled out plans that he had been putting off for a long time.
It was simply because he hated and was disgusted. All sorts of things that clung to him like flies, things he didn't even know the names of. And her.
He thought she would be wary and uncomfortable, as she was a noble woman like a pure white swan. Didn't she do that in front of him, her fiancé, for the past five years?
But he laughed. In front of such insignificant things, how dare he?
When the carriage arrived at the quiet cottage, Kalia was starching some clothes.
She was speechless when she saw her stepdaughter coming in with a large man. Then suddenly, she started coughing.
Emilia quickly brought water to her stepmother.
When the coughing subsided and she could finally breathe properly, Kalia opened her mouth, wiping away tears from her eyes.
“What happened, Emilia...?”
Emilia began to explain the whole story.
She said that Hardius wanted to attend the graduation ceremony, and in return, he gave her a carriage as a gift. Then she introduced Beppy formally. He greeted her perfectly like a well-educated worker.
But when she opened her mouth,
“He does whatever his master tells him to do. Beppy is good. He is a good servant.”
Kalia couldn't help but open her eyes wide. She opened her mouth wide in surprise, then quickly smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Nice to meet you, Beppy. I’m Kalia Bern, Emilia’s mother.”
“Kalia is pretty. Thanks for letting me work with you.”
Everyone was told that she was pretty. Emilia chuckled to herself.
“You must have had a hard time coming this far. Have a cup of tea before you go.”
After giving Beppy the tea, Kalia dragged Emilia to a quiet place.
“How did this all happen? Tell me more.”
“I talked about various things with Master Meyer.”
Emilia tried to sound brave.
“I guess you must have felt a little sorry for me over the past five years. For being so indifferent.”
A look of surprise appeared on her stepmother's face. Fearing that she might have some strange expectations, Emilia quickly added.
“I think we’ll break off the engagement soon. After his graduation.”
“Oh my goodness, our poor Emilia!”
It was only for a moment that she put her hand on her chest as if she were surprised.
“But what can we do? There’s nothing we can do. In a way, it’s a good thing. You’re already nineteen years old. We can’t just wait around. I feel relieved.”
The stepmother brushed off the story of the 'broken engagement' so lightly. Emilia felt a strange sense of comfort at the sight of her peaceful and compliant eyes.
“Yes, it’s a good thing. Your late father must have gone mad. People should live within their means... But Master Meyer has a wonderful heart. Where else can we have such luxury as a carriage and a coachman? I hope you’ve greeted him well.”
Emilia forced a smile and nodded.
At that moment, the attic door creaked open. Charlotte had heard the commotion below and had come out. Emilia went up the stairs and grabbed the child's hand. But Charlotte didn't move. She knew that a stranger was drinking tea at the table.
“Listen carefully. This is a very nice gentleman named Beppy Dilson. He has a nice horse and a carriage. He wants to give you a ride.”
Charlotte's mouth opened at the mention of giving her a horse ride, then closed again.
“But, Sister. You don’t know yet, do you? Whether you can see angels or not.”
“Don’t worry, Charlotte. The old man comes from the mysterious land of the Ludwig Plateau. As I told you before, the people there have a keen eye for beauty. So he will surely see a beautiful angel in Charlotte Bern. Just like your sister.”
"...really?"
“Of course. Otherwise, would you have invited him? I swear.”
Charlotte, who had been hesitating, was led by her sister's hand into the living room. However, she could not come out all the way and hid against the wall, sticking out only one eye.
Beppi took off his hat and stood up without a care.
“Come out and say hello, Charlotte.”
Emilia almost forcibly pulled Charlotte out, who was hesitating. The child was forced to face him squarely, her face completely exposed. As promised, Beppy approached Charlotte with an indifferent expression. No, perhaps he was truly indifferent.
“Beppy is good. He is a good servant. Charlotte is an angel.”
The corners of Charlotte's lips, which had been flinching, slowly began to curl up.
Emilia felt her heart sink.
“I should say ‘Hello.’”
Another tap on the back caused the one-eyed angel's mouth to open for the first time.
"Hello."
“Charlotte is pretty. Thanks for letting me work with you.”
In this way, Beppy Dilson became the first coachman and worker of the cottage.
Over the next few days, Beppy proved perfectly that Hardius was right in at least one thing.
He was a perfect worker. At the same time, life with a carriage was so comfortable that it was hard to imagine a life without one.
He cut her stepmother's daily commute to the port factory in half, and he filled a week's worth of firewood in one day. He fixed squeaky doors and buckled shaky fences. He was also very good at fixing chicken coops and catching rats.
“Simon said, ‘Clap twice.’”
Clap clap.
“Just roll your foot once.”
Thud.
“You’re wrong. You didn’t say ‘Simon said’.”
Beppu slapped his hand on the head, exclaiming, “Ouch!” Charlotte raised her arms triumphantly, and the two of them laughed.
What she liked most was that he was such a friend to Charlotte. Just seeing her sister, who was locked in the attic, talking to someone and laughing, made Emilia want to hug Beppy tightly.
It really was 'compensation'.
She, who had been giggling, stopped for a moment.
Oh my! You're laughing in sympathy at the vile word 'compensation'...
Perhaps the problem is this shallow emotion that recovers too easily. It explodes like a firecracker, and then fades away in an instant... Emilia was usually like that. She would be gentle like a lamb, and then suddenly turn hot-tempered. She would be depressed all day, and then after a day, she would be fine as if nothing had happened.
That's probably why she fell so easily for a man who treated her coldly for five years, like a fool.
“No, it’s completely over now.”
Emilia tied the string in her hand tightly as if making a promise. The tomato stems that had been swaying back and forth were now firmly fixed to the support.
Emilia returned to her room that evening, covered Charlotte with a blanket, and sat down by the window.
As she opened the window, a cool breeze came in, carrying with it the scent of the zelkova tree. Emilia rested her chin on her hand and quietly looked up at the slightly lonely June night sky.
“...Sister?”
Charlotte's voice was heard.
“You woke up because of me?”
Emilia quickly closed the window and covered Charlotte with a blanket.
“No, I’m not awake. I just can’t sleep.”
"Why?"
“My sister is going there tomorrow. To Lord Cavendish’s mansion.”
"Ah."
Emilia smiled lightly as if it was nothing special.
“Don’t worry. It’ll only take a few hours.”
“But I wish you hadn’t gone. What’s the big deal about a bridal class...”
“There’s nothing wrong with learning anything. It’s not just useless stuff. I learn a lot of really fun stuff. Latin, piano, art, dancing, things like that. And best of all, there’s a treasure trove in that mansion.”
Charlotte's distorted eyes lit up at the word treasure.
“I’m talking about the study. No book isn’t there.”
“A book? A storybook that my sister reads to me?”
"Yes."
“Ah! I like that. The one with the wizard and the dragon...”
If it's a wizard and a dragon...
“Are you talking about <The Adventures of Kildred>?”
“Yeah. Read that to me again.”
“Yes, I’ll definitely borrow it. Look, what a relief this is! I can go to Lord Cavendish’s tomorrow and borrow it.”
Simply put, the child forgets her worries and smiles brightly.
“Go to sleep. Don’t worry. Just think about the good things. Tomorrow, you’ll finally get to read The Adventures of Kildred.”
Emilia whispered as she gently patted her small body.
When the heir returned to the mansion, the people gathered in the salon to listen to the music. The virtuosic soprano reached a climax, and the applause poured out. The hall was filled with a thunderous roar that seemed to rip open the eardrums.
But all Hardius could hear was the child's voice. Cold and noble, like a river flowing without stopping. Even when she opened her eyes wide in embarrassment, when she blushed in embarrassment, even when she clenched her fists in anger, Emilia Bern still made a beautiful sound.
A pleasant voice, neither too high nor too low. He knew it from the first time he met her. The little white girl gave him a pretty call like a cuckoo.
Hardius stood leaning against the doorway with a calm face, suppressing his many boiling emotions. Someone handed him a glass of champagne.
“Why did the host suddenly leave?”
Hardius stared at the drunken, flushed face. He was probably the eldest son of the Bollinaire family. Or, perhaps, Hessian.
Whoever he is, he is a very insignificant human being. He is treated as a friend just because he was invited here.
“We waited so long for you that we made a bet among ourselves. That Isabel Quincey would choose between the Duke of Hailston and the Marquis of Rimsey. That slutty woman dumped him again after three days.”
The man pointed with his stick at the soprano singer who had just come down from the podium.
“Where do you plan to hang it?”
Hardius looked down at his champagne glass with a look of deep thought before answering, “Hailston.”
“Hey, as expected! You got through to me!”
The man raised his fist as if he were very happy. Hardius swallowed a crooked smile with a sip of champagne.
At social gatherings, gossip and betting are as natural as drinking and eating. It is also the host's job to help the drunken rabble-rousers feel better and keep the mood from getting ruined.
But the man's next words once again twisted the generous and tolerant successor's heart.
“By the way, why can’t I see her? It’s disappointing that she's not here.”
"Who?"
“Your fiancée.”
Hardius's hand tightened. He gripped the champagne glass as if he might break it, and stared at the man across from him, suppressing something bubbling up at the bottom.
“Mrs. Meyer is really stingy. So many people come here just for the fun of seeing her.”
The giggling laughter clearly contains that of a beast in the presence of a female in heat.
Yes, that's exactly why. The reason why he had hastily and half-bakedly pulled out plans that he had been putting off for a long time.
It was simply because he hated and was disgusted. All sorts of things that clung to him like flies, things he didn't even know the names of. And her.
He thought she would be wary and uncomfortable, as she was a noble woman like a pure white swan. Didn't she do that in front of him, her fiancé, for the past five years?
But he laughed. In front of such insignificant things, how dare he?
***
When the carriage arrived at the quiet cottage, Kalia was starching some clothes.
She was speechless when she saw her stepdaughter coming in with a large man. Then suddenly, she started coughing.
Emilia quickly brought water to her stepmother.
When the coughing subsided and she could finally breathe properly, Kalia opened her mouth, wiping away tears from her eyes.
“What happened, Emilia...?”
Emilia began to explain the whole story.
She said that Hardius wanted to attend the graduation ceremony, and in return, he gave her a carriage as a gift. Then she introduced Beppy formally. He greeted her perfectly like a well-educated worker.
But when she opened her mouth,
“He does whatever his master tells him to do. Beppy is good. He is a good servant.”
Kalia couldn't help but open her eyes wide. She opened her mouth wide in surprise, then quickly smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Nice to meet you, Beppy. I’m Kalia Bern, Emilia’s mother.”
“Kalia is pretty. Thanks for letting me work with you.”
Everyone was told that she was pretty. Emilia chuckled to herself.
“You must have had a hard time coming this far. Have a cup of tea before you go.”
After giving Beppy the tea, Kalia dragged Emilia to a quiet place.
“How did this all happen? Tell me more.”
“I talked about various things with Master Meyer.”
Emilia tried to sound brave.
“I guess you must have felt a little sorry for me over the past five years. For being so indifferent.”
A look of surprise appeared on her stepmother's face. Fearing that she might have some strange expectations, Emilia quickly added.
“I think we’ll break off the engagement soon. After his graduation.”
“Oh my goodness, our poor Emilia!”
It was only for a moment that she put her hand on her chest as if she were surprised.
“But what can we do? There’s nothing we can do. In a way, it’s a good thing. You’re already nineteen years old. We can’t just wait around. I feel relieved.”
The stepmother brushed off the story of the 'broken engagement' so lightly. Emilia felt a strange sense of comfort at the sight of her peaceful and compliant eyes.
“Yes, it’s a good thing. Your late father must have gone mad. People should live within their means... But Master Meyer has a wonderful heart. Where else can we have such luxury as a carriage and a coachman? I hope you’ve greeted him well.”
Emilia forced a smile and nodded.
At that moment, the attic door creaked open. Charlotte had heard the commotion below and had come out. Emilia went up the stairs and grabbed the child's hand. But Charlotte didn't move. She knew that a stranger was drinking tea at the table.
“Listen carefully. This is a very nice gentleman named Beppy Dilson. He has a nice horse and a carriage. He wants to give you a ride.”
Charlotte's mouth opened at the mention of giving her a horse ride, then closed again.
“But, Sister. You don’t know yet, do you? Whether you can see angels or not.”
“Don’t worry, Charlotte. The old man comes from the mysterious land of the Ludwig Plateau. As I told you before, the people there have a keen eye for beauty. So he will surely see a beautiful angel in Charlotte Bern. Just like your sister.”
"...really?"
“Of course. Otherwise, would you have invited him? I swear.”
Charlotte, who had been hesitating, was led by her sister's hand into the living room. However, she could not come out all the way and hid against the wall, sticking out only one eye.
Beppi took off his hat and stood up without a care.
“Come out and say hello, Charlotte.”
Emilia almost forcibly pulled Charlotte out, who was hesitating. The child was forced to face him squarely, her face completely exposed. As promised, Beppy approached Charlotte with an indifferent expression. No, perhaps he was truly indifferent.
“Beppy is good. He is a good servant. Charlotte is an angel.”
The corners of Charlotte's lips, which had been flinching, slowly began to curl up.
Emilia felt her heart sink.
“I should say ‘Hello.’”
Another tap on the back caused the one-eyed angel's mouth to open for the first time.
"Hello."
“Charlotte is pretty. Thanks for letting me work with you.”
In this way, Beppy Dilson became the first coachman and worker of the cottage.
Over the next few days, Beppy proved perfectly that Hardius was right in at least one thing.
He was a perfect worker. At the same time, life with a carriage was so comfortable that it was hard to imagine a life without one.
He cut her stepmother's daily commute to the port factory in half, and he filled a week's worth of firewood in one day. He fixed squeaky doors and buckled shaky fences. He was also very good at fixing chicken coops and catching rats.
“Simon said, ‘Clap twice.’”
Clap clap.
“Just roll your foot once.”
Thud.
“You’re wrong. You didn’t say ‘Simon said’.”
Beppu slapped his hand on the head, exclaiming, “Ouch!” Charlotte raised her arms triumphantly, and the two of them laughed.
What she liked most was that he was such a friend to Charlotte. Just seeing her sister, who was locked in the attic, talking to someone and laughing, made Emilia want to hug Beppy tightly.
It really was 'compensation'.
She, who had been giggling, stopped for a moment.
Oh my! You're laughing in sympathy at the vile word 'compensation'...
Perhaps the problem is this shallow emotion that recovers too easily. It explodes like a firecracker, and then fades away in an instant... Emilia was usually like that. She would be gentle like a lamb, and then suddenly turn hot-tempered. She would be depressed all day, and then after a day, she would be fine as if nothing had happened.
That's probably why she fell so easily for a man who treated her coldly for five years, like a fool.
“No, it’s completely over now.”
Emilia tied the string in her hand tightly as if making a promise. The tomato stems that had been swaying back and forth were now firmly fixed to the support.
***
Emilia returned to her room that evening, covered Charlotte with a blanket, and sat down by the window.
As she opened the window, a cool breeze came in, carrying with it the scent of the zelkova tree. Emilia rested her chin on her hand and quietly looked up at the slightly lonely June night sky.
“...Sister?”
Charlotte's voice was heard.
“You woke up because of me?”
Emilia quickly closed the window and covered Charlotte with a blanket.
“No, I’m not awake. I just can’t sleep.”
"Why?"
“My sister is going there tomorrow. To Lord Cavendish’s mansion.”
"Ah."
Emilia smiled lightly as if it was nothing special.
“Don’t worry. It’ll only take a few hours.”
“But I wish you hadn’t gone. What’s the big deal about a bridal class...”
“There’s nothing wrong with learning anything. It’s not just useless stuff. I learn a lot of really fun stuff. Latin, piano, art, dancing, things like that. And best of all, there’s a treasure trove in that mansion.”
Charlotte's distorted eyes lit up at the word treasure.
“I’m talking about the study. No book isn’t there.”
“A book? A storybook that my sister reads to me?”
"Yes."
“Ah! I like that. The one with the wizard and the dragon...”
If it's a wizard and a dragon...
“Are you talking about <The Adventures of Kildred>?”
“Yeah. Read that to me again.”
“Yes, I’ll definitely borrow it. Look, what a relief this is! I can go to Lord Cavendish’s tomorrow and borrow it.”
Simply put, the child forgets her worries and smiles brightly.
“Go to sleep. Don’t worry. Just think about the good things. Tomorrow, you’ll finally get to read The Adventures of Kildred.”
Emilia whispered as she gently patted her small body.
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