046. I never had it
“Shall I tell you a more bizarre story? On the one hand, I enjoyed it. I felt strangely happy whenever I saw you standing alone. It was as if you were waiting for me.”
Boom! The carriage stopped. Emilia's heart also stopped for a moment.
“If you want, throw me away in front of people. If that helps you vent your anger even a little, then it’s impossible to really throw me away.”
His strange words made Emilia's heart pound terribly.
“Do you know why?”
Hardius took out the ring.
“I never had you.”
The man's hand reaches out and grabs Emilia's hand, which was hanging loosely, and pulls it towards him.
“How can I throw it away when I never had it?”
Overwhelmed by the intense gaze, Emilia couldn't even think of pulling her arm away. Her fingers were spread open, and a ring was put on.
“It’ll be right now.”
As he said, every single gap fit perfectly. As if the last piece of a puzzle was being put into place, the fragments of memories that had been shattered over the years began to find their places one by one.
At that time, just like now, they looked at each other and put the ring on each other's shoulders.
It was a loose ring that didn't even fit.
She thought they hated each other because they were so cold and frozen during the engagement ceremony.
But when their eyes met.
When she discovered a throbbing pulse, a faint smile, and a faint excitement beyond the cold face.
The young man and woman were caught up in the chaos.
What if it's a mistake?
He laughed.
He showed her that smile he never showed to anyone else.
At that moment, it was sincere. Both Hardius and Emilia.
The carriage door suddenly opened.
“The weather is very nice, my lord, my lady. Shall we get off?”
The coachman greeted her cheerfully, instantly dispersing the faint, lingering memories.
Hardius smiled softly as if nothing had happened, saying, “Thank you for your hard work, Roan.”
But Emilia couldn't move.
She can't believe any of it.
A shocking confession, a ring, that guy casually greeting the groom.
“Shall we go?”
Hardius naturally grabbed her hand and dragged her into the mansion without even giving Emilia time to recover from the shock.
The castle, which spreads out like a painting on a magnificent and majestic cliff, is much more beautiful when viewed from outside the carriage, but nothing catches the eye.
Emilia crossed the wide lawn like a marionette. The footman guarding the main gate noticed them and greeted them politely.
“The eldest son of the Meyer family, Hardius Meyer, and Lady Emilia Bern have arrived.”
The noisy hall suddenly became quiet.
Under the dazzlingly sparkling chandelier, a corridor decorated with red roses opened like a sea route and attracted everyone's attention.
Sheila Cavendish, Harriet Chastail, Lucinda Tilber, Martin Erwin...
Those who openly called her a rat, those who laughed, bystanders, and other unfamiliar faces.
Even as she crossed the middle of it, Emilia felt no emotion.
Her thoughts were completely blocked. The ring on her hand took away all the 'feeling'.
“Welcome! It’s such an honor to have you come.”
Odilia Luen smiled brightly and greeted Hardius. The next moment, she looked back at Emilia.
“Oh my goodness, Miss Bern!”
The surprise etched on her face, as much as the sudden honorific, confused Emilia.
“You are truly beautiful. I would believe you are Aphrodite incarnate. Don’t you, Josephine and Pierre?”
Odilia turned to her daughter and son, who were behind her, and they also looked at her with admiration.
“I’ve heard a lot from my mother, Miss Bern. But seeing it in person is truly breathtaking.”
“I guess I’ll have to request a dance in advance. Of course, I’m sure the person next to you will never allow it.”
Watching them making a fuss, Emilia realized.
From the moment she appeared arm in arm with Hardius Meyer, Emilia Bern was no longer a mouse hiding in the world of the nobility. She was the rightful fiancée of the Meyer family.
“Thank you for your compliments. It’s nice to meet you.”
Emilia answered soullessly, just as she had learned in etiquette class.
It's not that she hadn't expected this kind of reaction. She had thought that people would suddenly change and treat her like a real lady, and that Emilia would enjoy it.
But when she actually experienced it, it wasn't fun at all. She shouldn't have had such a childish thought of wanting to punch everyone in the face. Her vanity was coming back to her like a boomerang.
The young men flocked to the successor of the Meyer family as if they had made a promise.
Hello, it's an honor to meet you, nice to meet you, thank you for giving us the honor to be with you...
Emilia couldn't come to her senses anymore as the endless line of greetings poured out like dominoes. On the other hand, Hardius was so calm and natural.
At a banquet, he greeted everyone with an appropriate smile and polite manner.
The only difference was that his fiancée, who had always stood far away, was right next to him. No one found that strange or complained.
“Hello, Miss Bern.”
“You look really beautiful today.”
After exchanging greetings with Hardius, they approached Emilia with a smile. Emilia felt disillusioned, as she had never once been acknowledged or greeted at Cavendish Manor.
“The dress really suits you. Where did you get it tailored?”
“...This is Vignette’s shop.”
No fool laughed at the cheapest dress shop on Deal Street. Everyone wore a mask of politeness and treated the Meyer family's fiancée as if they had made a pact.
It felt like she was standing on a theater stage. Or maybe it was a dream.
From the moment Hardius put the ring on her, everything felt unreal.
“Miss Bern looks pretty no matter what she wears.”
Finally, Sheila Cavendish spoke up.
“How have you been? It’s refreshing to see you here. To be honest, it’s a bit awkward to call you Miss Bern.”
Discomfort was choking her throat.
Maybe it would have been better to do as he said. If Hardius had just left the Cavendish family to their own devices, Sheila wouldn't have been making such a fuss.
The moment she thought that, Emilia felt like throwing away her pretentious mask.
“Do as you wish, Miss. You can call me Mouse like you always do.”
Sheila's face hardened. Some of the people around her covered their mouths in surprise.
“Then that’s it.”
Emilia just passed Sheila. After that, no one dared to speak to Emilia.
The fact that she had become someone who couldn't be treated lightly gave her a twisted sense of pleasure.
Hardius led her down a secluded staircase.
“I see why you were so generous to Cavendish. You’re no match for her.”
He took two glasses of champagne from the servant and handed one to Emilia.
“Just remember one thing. This is your place. Enjoy the ball, or ruin it. It’s up to you. Do whatever you want. As long as I’m behind you, no one can touch you. Do you know how much fun that is?”
Hardius smiled faintly, as if he were very proud.
Unable to control her trembling heart, Emilia gulped down the alcohol in one gulp. Suddenly, she felt angry. It was an irrational anger that had no context or logic.
“Can I really do whatever I want?”
Hardius raised his glass in affirmation.
“What if I throw this ring away? Is it okay if I do that in front of everyone?”
“That would be fun too. I said it before. You want to throw it away.”
“Don’t ignore it. Seriously, I might throw it away.”
“As you wish.”
He put his empty glass down somewhere, wiped away his smile, and tensed up his body that had been leaning lazily.
“Do whatever you want, Emilia. That’s not important right now.”
What changed the man's gaze was not Emilia's words, "I'll throw it away." The being that made Hardius stand up was on the other side of that pillar.
“That’s him, right?”
Nathan Malvin.
Hardius recognized him at a glance.
Nathan also turned his head towards them, perhaps sensing their gaze.
To her embarrassment, Emilia's face turned bright red.
In Hardius's mind, Emilia and Nathan were in some kind of relationship, and whether it was true or not, he felt suffocated.
“Don’t worry, I won’t cause you any trouble.”
Hardius whispered softly and strode towards Nathan. In contrast to the smile on his face, his mind was filled with,
'He carried your fiancée around like a baby in his arms.'
'They said they were betting on when the government would take over.'
It was all just words like that.
“Hello. This is Hardius Meyer.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nathan Malvin.”
“I met your father, Sir Elowie Malvin. He came to give a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony of Elport a year ago.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“He must have been very proud of his eldest son, and now that I see you in person, I understand why.”
“I don’t know what to do with myself when I hear such praise from someone who is supposed to graduate with the highest honors.”
There was a formal exchange of greetings. For her, who had been nervous that Hardius might grab Nathan by the collar without warning, this was a relief.
After shaking hands, Nathan immediately turned his eyes to find Emilia.
"How have you been doing?"
Emilia had to swallow dry saliva to answer.
“Yes, thanks to your concern, I am doing well.”
“You look really good today. Your hair really suits you.”
“Thank you. You look great, too, Master.”
Emilia chose only safe answers, and so did Nathan.
“Are you going to continue working with Haspel?”
“Huh? Ah....”
Emilia glanced at Hardius, then nodded, answering, “I think so.”
“Do you know what that timid butler is still begging me to keep that day’s events a secret?”
“Oh... really?”
“So I said, ‘I’m going to treat you like a full-time bookkeeper from now on.’ And I’ll keep it a secret.”
Emilia felt like her face was turning red at the unexpected story. Her shaking eyes drifted back to Hardius.
She expected him to look at her with a suspicious look, but all she could find on her fiancé's face was a warm smile.
Emilia's body, which had been very tense, gradually began to relax.
Nathan was very plain now, and so was Emilia. There was no erotic romance, no matter how hard you looked.
Emilia held her chin upright.
“You don’t have to worry so much, but thank you anyway.”
“If Haspel ever acts stingy again, come and see me. Our family is always open to talented people.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
Nathan, who was smiling happily, suddenly turned to Hardius.
“If you don’t mind, can I give this to Miss Bern?”
Startled, her eyes turned to the object Nathan was holding. There was a book.
‘Principles of Accounting’
The moment she saw the title, she felt strange. Emilia felt grateful yet embarrassed, proud yet embarrassed.
“As you may know, Miss Bern is very interested in mathematics and accounting. I hope you will allow me to express my sincere expectations for her talent.”
I wonder how that guy will react?
Emilia's heart was pounding.
“Shall I tell you a more bizarre story? On the one hand, I enjoyed it. I felt strangely happy whenever I saw you standing alone. It was as if you were waiting for me.”
Boom! The carriage stopped. Emilia's heart also stopped for a moment.
“If you want, throw me away in front of people. If that helps you vent your anger even a little, then it’s impossible to really throw me away.”
His strange words made Emilia's heart pound terribly.
“Do you know why?”
Hardius took out the ring.
“I never had you.”
The man's hand reaches out and grabs Emilia's hand, which was hanging loosely, and pulls it towards him.
“How can I throw it away when I never had it?”
Overwhelmed by the intense gaze, Emilia couldn't even think of pulling her arm away. Her fingers were spread open, and a ring was put on.
“It’ll be right now.”
As he said, every single gap fit perfectly. As if the last piece of a puzzle was being put into place, the fragments of memories that had been shattered over the years began to find their places one by one.
At that time, just like now, they looked at each other and put the ring on each other's shoulders.
It was a loose ring that didn't even fit.
She thought they hated each other because they were so cold and frozen during the engagement ceremony.
But when their eyes met.
When she discovered a throbbing pulse, a faint smile, and a faint excitement beyond the cold face.
The young man and woman were caught up in the chaos.
What if it's a mistake?
He laughed.
He showed her that smile he never showed to anyone else.
At that moment, it was sincere. Both Hardius and Emilia.
The carriage door suddenly opened.
“The weather is very nice, my lord, my lady. Shall we get off?”
The coachman greeted her cheerfully, instantly dispersing the faint, lingering memories.
Hardius smiled softly as if nothing had happened, saying, “Thank you for your hard work, Roan.”
But Emilia couldn't move.
She can't believe any of it.
A shocking confession, a ring, that guy casually greeting the groom.
“Shall we go?”
Hardius naturally grabbed her hand and dragged her into the mansion without even giving Emilia time to recover from the shock.
The castle, which spreads out like a painting on a magnificent and majestic cliff, is much more beautiful when viewed from outside the carriage, but nothing catches the eye.
Emilia crossed the wide lawn like a marionette. The footman guarding the main gate noticed them and greeted them politely.
“The eldest son of the Meyer family, Hardius Meyer, and Lady Emilia Bern have arrived.”
The noisy hall suddenly became quiet.
Under the dazzlingly sparkling chandelier, a corridor decorated with red roses opened like a sea route and attracted everyone's attention.
Sheila Cavendish, Harriet Chastail, Lucinda Tilber, Martin Erwin...
Those who openly called her a rat, those who laughed, bystanders, and other unfamiliar faces.
Even as she crossed the middle of it, Emilia felt no emotion.
Her thoughts were completely blocked. The ring on her hand took away all the 'feeling'.
“Welcome! It’s such an honor to have you come.”
Odilia Luen smiled brightly and greeted Hardius. The next moment, she looked back at Emilia.
“Oh my goodness, Miss Bern!”
The surprise etched on her face, as much as the sudden honorific, confused Emilia.
“You are truly beautiful. I would believe you are Aphrodite incarnate. Don’t you, Josephine and Pierre?”
Odilia turned to her daughter and son, who were behind her, and they also looked at her with admiration.
“I’ve heard a lot from my mother, Miss Bern. But seeing it in person is truly breathtaking.”
“I guess I’ll have to request a dance in advance. Of course, I’m sure the person next to you will never allow it.”
Watching them making a fuss, Emilia realized.
From the moment she appeared arm in arm with Hardius Meyer, Emilia Bern was no longer a mouse hiding in the world of the nobility. She was the rightful fiancée of the Meyer family.
“Thank you for your compliments. It’s nice to meet you.”
Emilia answered soullessly, just as she had learned in etiquette class.
It's not that she hadn't expected this kind of reaction. She had thought that people would suddenly change and treat her like a real lady, and that Emilia would enjoy it.
But when she actually experienced it, it wasn't fun at all. She shouldn't have had such a childish thought of wanting to punch everyone in the face. Her vanity was coming back to her like a boomerang.
The young men flocked to the successor of the Meyer family as if they had made a promise.
Hello, it's an honor to meet you, nice to meet you, thank you for giving us the honor to be with you...
Emilia couldn't come to her senses anymore as the endless line of greetings poured out like dominoes. On the other hand, Hardius was so calm and natural.
At a banquet, he greeted everyone with an appropriate smile and polite manner.
The only difference was that his fiancée, who had always stood far away, was right next to him. No one found that strange or complained.
“Hello, Miss Bern.”
“You look really beautiful today.”
After exchanging greetings with Hardius, they approached Emilia with a smile. Emilia felt disillusioned, as she had never once been acknowledged or greeted at Cavendish Manor.
“The dress really suits you. Where did you get it tailored?”
“...This is Vignette’s shop.”
No fool laughed at the cheapest dress shop on Deal Street. Everyone wore a mask of politeness and treated the Meyer family's fiancée as if they had made a pact.
It felt like she was standing on a theater stage. Or maybe it was a dream.
From the moment Hardius put the ring on her, everything felt unreal.
“Miss Bern looks pretty no matter what she wears.”
Finally, Sheila Cavendish spoke up.
“How have you been? It’s refreshing to see you here. To be honest, it’s a bit awkward to call you Miss Bern.”
Discomfort was choking her throat.
Maybe it would have been better to do as he said. If Hardius had just left the Cavendish family to their own devices, Sheila wouldn't have been making such a fuss.
The moment she thought that, Emilia felt like throwing away her pretentious mask.
“Do as you wish, Miss. You can call me Mouse like you always do.”
Sheila's face hardened. Some of the people around her covered their mouths in surprise.
“Then that’s it.”
Emilia just passed Sheila. After that, no one dared to speak to Emilia.
The fact that she had become someone who couldn't be treated lightly gave her a twisted sense of pleasure.
Hardius led her down a secluded staircase.
“I see why you were so generous to Cavendish. You’re no match for her.”
He took two glasses of champagne from the servant and handed one to Emilia.
“Just remember one thing. This is your place. Enjoy the ball, or ruin it. It’s up to you. Do whatever you want. As long as I’m behind you, no one can touch you. Do you know how much fun that is?”
Hardius smiled faintly, as if he were very proud.
Unable to control her trembling heart, Emilia gulped down the alcohol in one gulp. Suddenly, she felt angry. It was an irrational anger that had no context or logic.
“Can I really do whatever I want?”
Hardius raised his glass in affirmation.
“What if I throw this ring away? Is it okay if I do that in front of everyone?”
“That would be fun too. I said it before. You want to throw it away.”
“Don’t ignore it. Seriously, I might throw it away.”
“As you wish.”
He put his empty glass down somewhere, wiped away his smile, and tensed up his body that had been leaning lazily.
“Do whatever you want, Emilia. That’s not important right now.”
What changed the man's gaze was not Emilia's words, "I'll throw it away." The being that made Hardius stand up was on the other side of that pillar.
“That’s him, right?”
Nathan Malvin.
Hardius recognized him at a glance.
Nathan also turned his head towards them, perhaps sensing their gaze.
To her embarrassment, Emilia's face turned bright red.
In Hardius's mind, Emilia and Nathan were in some kind of relationship, and whether it was true or not, he felt suffocated.
“Don’t worry, I won’t cause you any trouble.”
Hardius whispered softly and strode towards Nathan. In contrast to the smile on his face, his mind was filled with,
'He carried your fiancée around like a baby in his arms.'
'They said they were betting on when the government would take over.'
It was all just words like that.
“Hello. This is Hardius Meyer.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nathan Malvin.”
“I met your father, Sir Elowie Malvin. He came to give a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony of Elport a year ago.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“He must have been very proud of his eldest son, and now that I see you in person, I understand why.”
“I don’t know what to do with myself when I hear such praise from someone who is supposed to graduate with the highest honors.”
There was a formal exchange of greetings. For her, who had been nervous that Hardius might grab Nathan by the collar without warning, this was a relief.
After shaking hands, Nathan immediately turned his eyes to find Emilia.
"How have you been doing?"
Emilia had to swallow dry saliva to answer.
“Yes, thanks to your concern, I am doing well.”
“You look really good today. Your hair really suits you.”
“Thank you. You look great, too, Master.”
Emilia chose only safe answers, and so did Nathan.
“Are you going to continue working with Haspel?”
“Huh? Ah....”
Emilia glanced at Hardius, then nodded, answering, “I think so.”
“Do you know what that timid butler is still begging me to keep that day’s events a secret?”
“Oh... really?”
“So I said, ‘I’m going to treat you like a full-time bookkeeper from now on.’ And I’ll keep it a secret.”
Emilia felt like her face was turning red at the unexpected story. Her shaking eyes drifted back to Hardius.
She expected him to look at her with a suspicious look, but all she could find on her fiancé's face was a warm smile.
Emilia's body, which had been very tense, gradually began to relax.
Nathan was very plain now, and so was Emilia. There was no erotic romance, no matter how hard you looked.
Emilia held her chin upright.
“You don’t have to worry so much, but thank you anyway.”
“If Haspel ever acts stingy again, come and see me. Our family is always open to talented people.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
Nathan, who was smiling happily, suddenly turned to Hardius.
“If you don’t mind, can I give this to Miss Bern?”
Startled, her eyes turned to the object Nathan was holding. There was a book.
‘Principles of Accounting’
The moment she saw the title, she felt strange. Emilia felt grateful yet embarrassed, proud yet embarrassed.
“As you may know, Miss Bern is very interested in mathematics and accounting. I hope you will allow me to express my sincere expectations for her talent.”
I wonder how that guy will react?
Emilia's heart was pounding.
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