059. Something you can trust
The two blue eyes lost their strength and disappeared into the abyss.
It's not the worst, but it's still too much.
“I’ll pay you back. Somehow...”
She muttered absentmindedly with a blank expression on her face.
“Everyone gives you a grace period. Whether it’s one year or two years, I’ll pay you back no matter what. If you think about it, it’s not that much money.”
She now looked up at him like a gentle lamb, abandoning all her previous confidence and sharpness.
There was no time to worry about pride or face. Emilia was dealing with a man who had no common sense.
First, lie down flat.
It wasn’t like she was just growling and fighting with that guy all this time...
But Hardius's face was growing colder and colder.
It was just like a different person. It was an absurd situation where the person who did something wrong was the one getting angry, but she didn't have time to care.
Emilia was going crazy over money.
“I really don’t understand why you are doing this to me... You said you wanted to see me in ‘Elver’? And then... Why on earth... Are you doing this?”
Hardius looked at her pleading face coldly, then turned away for a moment.
Emilia barely managed to suppress the anger that was slowly building up.
“Anyway, I’ll pay you back. I’ll talk to my stepmother and pay it all back as soon as possible. Then, my lord won’t treat me so rudely.”
“You’ll pay me back as soon as possible? How?”
Emilia began to explain earnestly.
Every job that could be done came out of her mouth, from bookkeeper to maid to street vendor.
“I’m going to make money now, too. I don’t think you’ll stand in the way of that. Just like you took care of Cavendish before... Surely you wouldn’t go that far...”
Emilia found herself falling into despair as she spoke.
Will anything change if she begs?
In the first place, it was that man who caused the stepmother's factory wages to be unpaid. His goal was not money.
Suddenly, she felt a strong urge to come.
The mouth that had opened to refuse slowly closed.
From now on, she has to be very careful. She can't just reject it outright, and she can't just foolishly believe it either.
“Why on earth does it have to be like that?”
“Because I want to put off buying things with money until last.”
The bottom line is that they are determined to do it.
“Do you mean we should meet every day and go on dates? You’re not thinking like that right now, are you? Do you think that if we keep meeting, I’ll fall for you, Master? And that I’ll willingly allow you to do such dirty things? That can’t happen unless you’re crazy!”
Emilia almost screamed.
“And now I absolutely do not trust you, my lord. If you feel like it, you will try to take off my clothes by force. How can I stop you if Uncle Beppi is not here?”
Hardius stared at Emilia for a long time, then suddenly reached out to the drawer.
“...Shall I give you something you can trust?”
He took something out of the drawer. It was about the size of an adult's palm.
“Take it.”
It's a gun. It's shining as cold as his pupils.
"Gun?!"
"Yes."
“You mean that ‘gun’ you use when hunting? The one that puts holes in animals’ bodies?”
She just laughed, forgetting for a moment the seriousness of the unique definition of a gun.
“Yes, that gun. Today, this crazy Bern saw with his own eyes that the people at Hilden Farm were walking around with guns hidden away.”
She thought Charlotte would gasp in surprise, but the child's face was as indifferent as a cow eating grass.
“What’s so strange about that? Uncle Beppy brought three guns to the stable. He said a wild boar was coming down.”
“Oh my, that’s a shotgun. Do you think this crazy Bern would do this because of a shotgun? What I saw was...”
Mitch's eyes grew serious again, and Charlotte swallowed hard as she caught the change in emotion.
“It was a pistol.”
"Pistol?"
“Yes, there are some that are much smaller and more nimble than the hunting rifles. Something that can be held in one hand. Those aren’t for hunting. Those are... made for killing people.”
“...Kill... a person?”
“Yeah, usually assassins or robbers carry those things.”
Only then does Charlotte's hand cover her mouth.
“Are you sure? Did the man at Hilden Farm really have a pistol?”
"Yes."
A quiet fear settled over Charlotte's face.
Mitch realized that he was scaring his little sister too much.
“Don’t worry. They’re definitely not bad guys like assassins or robbers.”
“Why? Just now, you said that assassins and robbers wear those things?”
He cleared his throat to make his voice sound light.
“Do you know when I first saw the Hilden Farm people? It was probably around the winter break last year. If those people were robbers, something would have happened already.”
“Then what? Who on earth are those people?”
“Can you keep a secret? Even from your mom and sister?”
Of course, she wasn't sure. But Charlotte was so curious that she nodded and said, "Yeah."
It seemed as if she could clearly see two fingers intertwined behind her crazy little brother's back.
“Yes, if you come off like that, I won’t tell you.”
“Oh, yes. Yes. I absolutely will not do that. I will keep it a secret.”
Charlotte spread her arms wide as if she were trying to show off. But she kept her mouth shut as if she was still not satisfied.
“It’s true. I swear on my name. I won’t tell.”
As Charlotte starts to cry, Mitch pretends to rub his chin and then confesses as if he has no choice.
“First of all, those people are definitely not dangerous or bad. That’s for sure. But the reason I want to keep it a secret is for another reason. My sister has been sick all the time, and my mother seems to be getting tired and in a bad mood. In this situation, let’s not make them worry about such trivial things.”
“Yes. I don’t want to worry my sister or mom either. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
“Yes, then I’ll teach you. The identity of the Hilden Farm, discovered by the best spy, this Mitch Bern, is."
As soon as...
Charlotte swallowed thickly.
“Are you sure there are no bullets?”
Bepppy nodded. Emilia took a deep breath, aimed at the pillar with trembling hands, and pulled the trigger.
Click.
It was such a small sound, it was almost embarrassing. But her heart was pounding so hard.
After receiving the gun from Hardius, Emilia was learning how to use it right there on the spot.
Of course, she wasn't really studying hard or concentrating. She was just moving her hands absentmindedly as Uncle Beppy told her to, and her head was empty.
That guy is crazy. He's completely crazy...
It felt just like when she met her at Laura's house.
Meyer pretends to be a special being who only plays in the first-class, but he is no different from the lowly and vulgar aristocrats of Cavendish Manor.
He does this knowing full well that she won't be able to shoot.
Emilia held the shaking pistol tightly in her trembling hands.
“I warn you, I will really shoot you, Master. I mean it.”
A low laugh tickled her ears. It was from someone looking down from above, and Emilia was seething with anger.
“Yeah, that’s a good attitude. I hope you always carry that spirit with you.”
“Is that necessary? After all, there will be only one person to aim at, you, Young Master.”
“Think of it as self-defense. The forest is too dangerous for women and children to live in alone.”
She couldn't hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.
“Then give me the pistol. The real threat to me and my family is not people, but wild boars.”
“That’s enough for Beppy Dilson.”
Emilia let out a short sigh and lowered her gun in front of the man, who was not giving up and was fighting back.
“Anyway, I’ll accept it. If I don’t please Master Meyer, something might happen.”
The gun handle she was holding suddenly felt creepy. Emilia held it with only her thumb and index finger as if it were some kind of disgusting insect, then passed it to Beppy.
“They say shooting is popular even among ladies. You should try to get used to it. If you feel uneasy, you can just leave out the bullets at first.”
Getting used to a pistol, that guy is really out of his mind.
But Emilia just nodded.
“By the way, what are you going to explain to your family? That introduction.”
Her hand unconsciously rubbed her empty neck.
When shr went to see the wig seller, tears welled up in her eyes. But as the saying goes, time heals all wounds, and now she is strangely indifferent.
“Why do you think I didn’t tell my family?”
“If your family had known, they would never have let it happen.”
Emilia couldn't answer, as if her mouth had been glued shut.
“Have you ever looked in the mirror? There’s an island outside of Elport, and there’s a women’s prison called ‘Notoo’. You look like an escapee who just got out of there.”
In an instant, flames rose up. Emilia, who was trying hard to think of something to say, shut her mouth tightly again for a moment.
Get a grip, I'm not going to mess with that guy again. I'm not going to mess with him like that again.
Emilia's eyes became cold, and she looked at Hardius.
“Yes, that’s right. Actually, my family doesn’t know yet. Should I tell you why? Everyone would be so disappointed if they found out what you did. Especially Charlotte. My innocent sister, whom you used to pat on the head and ride on the swing.”
If he had even a shred of conscience, he would at least pretend to be sorry in front of the name 'Charlotte'. However, Hardius's gaze did not change even once.
“Anyway, I’ll tell you everything when I get home. There are no secrets between family members.”
Of course, it was a lie. Even at this moment, Emilia felt her heart burning as if she were wondering what to say to her family.
“Your stepmother must be very happy. She has a kind daughter who paid off her debt by selling her hair.”
Emilia's face turned bright red again.
“For now, just pretend you don’t know about your stepmother’s debt. I’ll take care of the money. Your stepmother will eventually think she paid it off on her own. Of course, I can’t promise anything for sure. I’ll try my best.”
Only then did the blood flow to her frozen body. Hardius Meyer is exceptional in that regard, so he will take care of it.
“Make sure to come up with an excuse for suddenly cutting your hair short. Like you suddenly wanted to become a man, or you got burned in a fire, or something.”
Emilia nodded slowly, unable to believe the man who kept joking around.
“You’re not expecting me to say thank you, are you? Since you started this in the first place, it’s only natural that you should be the one to clean it up.”
"Yes."
After giving a short answer, Hardius turned around.
He turned his back on Emilia and spread his arms out to rest on the terrace railing. The darkness of the night settled over the man's shoulders.
The two blue eyes lost their strength and disappeared into the abyss.
It's not the worst, but it's still too much.
“I’ll pay you back. Somehow...”
She muttered absentmindedly with a blank expression on her face.
“Everyone gives you a grace period. Whether it’s one year or two years, I’ll pay you back no matter what. If you think about it, it’s not that much money.”
She now looked up at him like a gentle lamb, abandoning all her previous confidence and sharpness.
There was no time to worry about pride or face. Emilia was dealing with a man who had no common sense.
First, lie down flat.
It wasn’t like she was just growling and fighting with that guy all this time...
But Hardius's face was growing colder and colder.
It was just like a different person. It was an absurd situation where the person who did something wrong was the one getting angry, but she didn't have time to care.
Emilia was going crazy over money.
“I really don’t understand why you are doing this to me... You said you wanted to see me in ‘Elver’? And then... Why on earth... Are you doing this?”
Hardius looked at her pleading face coldly, then turned away for a moment.
Emilia barely managed to suppress the anger that was slowly building up.
“Anyway, I’ll pay you back. I’ll talk to my stepmother and pay it all back as soon as possible. Then, my lord won’t treat me so rudely.”
“You’ll pay me back as soon as possible? How?”
Emilia began to explain earnestly.
Every job that could be done came out of her mouth, from bookkeeper to maid to street vendor.
“I’m going to make money now, too. I don’t think you’ll stand in the way of that. Just like you took care of Cavendish before... Surely you wouldn’t go that far...”
Emilia found herself falling into despair as she spoke.
Will anything change if she begs?
In the first place, it was that man who caused the stepmother's factory wages to be unpaid. His goal was not money.
Suddenly, she felt a strong urge to come.
“If you continue to do this, Master, I won’t... stay still. I won’t be foolish enough to take it.”
“What are you going to do?”
She will go see His Majesty the King.
Or go to the congressmen.
If that doesn't work, she could go to the newspaper that wrote the article 'The Meyer Family's Abandoned Fiancée'.
Another thing, there's also Rep. Darrenton Hockney.
Whatever method she chooses, it's better than just selling her body to that man!
Don't be swayed by exaggerated trials.
Emilia quickly regained her composure as she recalled those words.
“When did you ever warn me that you were going to trap me?”
It's not like she's been swayed once or twice.
“Don’t put me in a corner.”
Perhaps the cold warning had worked? Hardius silently leaned back on the sunbed and looked up at the sky.
The sun had set, and dusk had fallen. Somewhere in the village beyond the vineyard, lights were turning on, one by one.
"Yes, I appreciate your determination to make money by selling your hair, so I’ll cancel all your debts for now.”
He continued, his voice dark as night.
“Instead, spend time with me often from now on. Either you come here or I go. Of course, you will bring Beppy Dilson with you.”
“What are you going to do?”
She will go see His Majesty the King.
Or go to the congressmen.
If that doesn't work, she could go to the newspaper that wrote the article 'The Meyer Family's Abandoned Fiancée'.
Another thing, there's also Rep. Darrenton Hockney.
Whatever method she chooses, it's better than just selling her body to that man!
Don't be swayed by exaggerated trials.
Emilia quickly regained her composure as she recalled those words.
“When did you ever warn me that you were going to trap me?”
It's not like she's been swayed once or twice.
“Don’t put me in a corner.”
Perhaps the cold warning had worked? Hardius silently leaned back on the sunbed and looked up at the sky.
The sun had set, and dusk had fallen. Somewhere in the village beyond the vineyard, lights were turning on, one by one.
"Yes, I appreciate your determination to make money by selling your hair, so I’ll cancel all your debts for now.”
He continued, his voice dark as night.
“Instead, spend time with me often from now on. Either you come here or I go. Of course, you will bring Beppy Dilson with you.”
The mouth that had opened to refuse slowly closed.
From now on, she has to be very careful. She can't just reject it outright, and she can't just foolishly believe it either.
“Why on earth does it have to be like that?”
“Because I want to put off buying things with money until last.”
The bottom line is that they are determined to do it.
“Do you mean we should meet every day and go on dates? You’re not thinking like that right now, are you? Do you think that if we keep meeting, I’ll fall for you, Master? And that I’ll willingly allow you to do such dirty things? That can’t happen unless you’re crazy!”
Emilia almost screamed.
“And now I absolutely do not trust you, my lord. If you feel like it, you will try to take off my clothes by force. How can I stop you if Uncle Beppi is not here?”
Hardius stared at Emilia for a long time, then suddenly reached out to the drawer.
“...Shall I give you something you can trust?”
He took something out of the drawer. It was about the size of an adult's palm.
“Take it.”
It's a gun. It's shining as cold as his pupils.
***
"Gun?!"
"Yes."
“You mean that ‘gun’ you use when hunting? The one that puts holes in animals’ bodies?”
She just laughed, forgetting for a moment the seriousness of the unique definition of a gun.
“Yes, that gun. Today, this crazy Bern saw with his own eyes that the people at Hilden Farm were walking around with guns hidden away.”
She thought Charlotte would gasp in surprise, but the child's face was as indifferent as a cow eating grass.
“What’s so strange about that? Uncle Beppy brought three guns to the stable. He said a wild boar was coming down.”
“Oh my, that’s a shotgun. Do you think this crazy Bern would do this because of a shotgun? What I saw was...”
Mitch's eyes grew serious again, and Charlotte swallowed hard as she caught the change in emotion.
“It was a pistol.”
"Pistol?"
“Yes, there are some that are much smaller and more nimble than the hunting rifles. Something that can be held in one hand. Those aren’t for hunting. Those are... made for killing people.”
“...Kill... a person?”
“Yeah, usually assassins or robbers carry those things.”
Only then does Charlotte's hand cover her mouth.
“Are you sure? Did the man at Hilden Farm really have a pistol?”
"Yes."
A quiet fear settled over Charlotte's face.
Mitch realized that he was scaring his little sister too much.
“Don’t worry. They’re definitely not bad guys like assassins or robbers.”
“Why? Just now, you said that assassins and robbers wear those things?”
He cleared his throat to make his voice sound light.
“Do you know when I first saw the Hilden Farm people? It was probably around the winter break last year. If those people were robbers, something would have happened already.”
“Then what? Who on earth are those people?”
“Can you keep a secret? Even from your mom and sister?”
Of course, she wasn't sure. But Charlotte was so curious that she nodded and said, "Yeah."
It seemed as if she could clearly see two fingers intertwined behind her crazy little brother's back.
“Yes, if you come off like that, I won’t tell you.”
“Oh, yes. Yes. I absolutely will not do that. I will keep it a secret.”
Charlotte spread her arms wide as if she were trying to show off. But she kept her mouth shut as if she was still not satisfied.
“It’s true. I swear on my name. I won’t tell.”
As Charlotte starts to cry, Mitch pretends to rub his chin and then confesses as if he has no choice.
“First of all, those people are definitely not dangerous or bad. That’s for sure. But the reason I want to keep it a secret is for another reason. My sister has been sick all the time, and my mother seems to be getting tired and in a bad mood. In this situation, let’s not make them worry about such trivial things.”
“Yes. I don’t want to worry my sister or mom either. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
“Yes, then I’ll teach you. The identity of the Hilden Farm, discovered by the best spy, this Mitch Bern, is."
As soon as...
Charlotte swallowed thickly.
***
“Are you sure there are no bullets?”
Bepppy nodded. Emilia took a deep breath, aimed at the pillar with trembling hands, and pulled the trigger.
Click.
It was such a small sound, it was almost embarrassing. But her heart was pounding so hard.
After receiving the gun from Hardius, Emilia was learning how to use it right there on the spot.
Of course, she wasn't really studying hard or concentrating. She was just moving her hands absentmindedly as Uncle Beppy told her to, and her head was empty.
That guy is crazy. He's completely crazy...
It felt just like when she met her at Laura's house.
Meyer pretends to be a special being who only plays in the first-class, but he is no different from the lowly and vulgar aristocrats of Cavendish Manor.
He does this knowing full well that she won't be able to shoot.
Emilia held the shaking pistol tightly in her trembling hands.
“I warn you, I will really shoot you, Master. I mean it.”
A low laugh tickled her ears. It was from someone looking down from above, and Emilia was seething with anger.
“Yeah, that’s a good attitude. I hope you always carry that spirit with you.”
“Is that necessary? After all, there will be only one person to aim at, you, Young Master.”
“Think of it as self-defense. The forest is too dangerous for women and children to live in alone.”
She couldn't hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.
“Then give me the pistol. The real threat to me and my family is not people, but wild boars.”
“That’s enough for Beppy Dilson.”
Emilia let out a short sigh and lowered her gun in front of the man, who was not giving up and was fighting back.
“Anyway, I’ll accept it. If I don’t please Master Meyer, something might happen.”
The gun handle she was holding suddenly felt creepy. Emilia held it with only her thumb and index finger as if it were some kind of disgusting insect, then passed it to Beppy.
“They say shooting is popular even among ladies. You should try to get used to it. If you feel uneasy, you can just leave out the bullets at first.”
Getting used to a pistol, that guy is really out of his mind.
But Emilia just nodded.
“By the way, what are you going to explain to your family? That introduction.”
Her hand unconsciously rubbed her empty neck.
When shr went to see the wig seller, tears welled up in her eyes. But as the saying goes, time heals all wounds, and now she is strangely indifferent.
“Why do you think I didn’t tell my family?”
“If your family had known, they would never have let it happen.”
Emilia couldn't answer, as if her mouth had been glued shut.
“Have you ever looked in the mirror? There’s an island outside of Elport, and there’s a women’s prison called ‘Notoo’. You look like an escapee who just got out of there.”
In an instant, flames rose up. Emilia, who was trying hard to think of something to say, shut her mouth tightly again for a moment.
Get a grip, I'm not going to mess with that guy again. I'm not going to mess with him like that again.
Emilia's eyes became cold, and she looked at Hardius.
“Yes, that’s right. Actually, my family doesn’t know yet. Should I tell you why? Everyone would be so disappointed if they found out what you did. Especially Charlotte. My innocent sister, whom you used to pat on the head and ride on the swing.”
If he had even a shred of conscience, he would at least pretend to be sorry in front of the name 'Charlotte'. However, Hardius's gaze did not change even once.
“Anyway, I’ll tell you everything when I get home. There are no secrets between family members.”
Of course, it was a lie. Even at this moment, Emilia felt her heart burning as if she were wondering what to say to her family.
“Your stepmother must be very happy. She has a kind daughter who paid off her debt by selling her hair.”
Emilia's face turned bright red again.
“For now, just pretend you don’t know about your stepmother’s debt. I’ll take care of the money. Your stepmother will eventually think she paid it off on her own. Of course, I can’t promise anything for sure. I’ll try my best.”
Only then did the blood flow to her frozen body. Hardius Meyer is exceptional in that regard, so he will take care of it.
“Make sure to come up with an excuse for suddenly cutting your hair short. Like you suddenly wanted to become a man, or you got burned in a fire, or something.”
Emilia nodded slowly, unable to believe the man who kept joking around.
“You’re not expecting me to say thank you, are you? Since you started this in the first place, it’s only natural that you should be the one to clean it up.”
"Yes."
After giving a short answer, Hardius turned around.
He turned his back on Emilia and spread his arms out to rest on the terrace railing. The darkness of the night settled over the man's shoulders.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment