062. Impatience
“What, there’s such a reckless woman? I gave you my precious time. Even if you're unlucky, you’ll still get what you deserve...”
It was the moment when the man spat and spat on the street.
Perhaps it was Uncle Beppy who was nearby, walking briskly towards him. Dram opened his mouth wide at the huge shadow that was cast over his head and began to slowly back away.
“Oh, sir, it’s okay. Let’s go.”
Emilia grabbed Beppy's arm, who was growling like a bear.
“Then, Mr. Dram, goodbye.”
She didn't forget to say goodbye politely.
He's scared now, but didn't he say it clearly earlier? That bar has 'big guys' that he employs.
She can't let Uncle Beppy get involved in a pointless fight because of her recklessness and foolishness.
Emilia ran out into the crowded square, her heart pounding wildly for a completely different reason than when she had knocked on the door of the general store.
Emilia realized once again that she was still so ignorant and so naive.
What would have happened if it weren't for Uncle Beppy?
She thought that if she could just get rid of the label of being the Meyer family's fiancée, she would be able to live a completely independent and free life...
“Sir, let’s go home now.”
Suddenly, Hardius Meyer came to mind.
How much would he laugh at her if he looked like this now? He might think that she has a lot of pride, just like the pot-bellied Drham from before.
Emilia bit her lip.
No, don't be discouraged, Emilia.
Surely there is a place somewhere where she can do the work.
She needs to make money. So she's going to throw it in front of Hardius Meyer.
Contrary to Emilia's thoughts, at that time Hardius was meeting the Queen and Crown Prince at the Etna Villa.
“You have a real matchlock gun in your shooting room?”
“Yes, Your Highness. These are antiques that I received as a gift from His Excellency, Duke Meye,r in commemoration of the Trunia negotiations. There is also a Mammoth revolver that Your Highness likes.”
At Hardius's answer, anticipation bloomed on the face of the young man facing him. It was the Crown Prince, Louis Boch, who had just turned eighteen.
The young man with the bronze hair that was the symbol of the Bolden royal family was looking at Hardius, who was only two years older than him, with eyes of admiration.
“The Mammoth has two barrels? So can it really use both a pistol and a shotgun?”
“Yes, the top is a .42 caliber gun, and the bottom is a shotgun. It has incredible firepower, so it’s a masterpiece that all soldiers in the New World covet.”
A wave of joy rippled through the eyes of Louis Boch, a fanatic arms collector.
“Why hasn’t it been commercialized? Why can’t we produce such weapons in our country?”
“It’s because of the production cost. Cost is important for mass production, and the cost of producing one Mammoth revolver is equivalent to producing three regular revolvers. It’s not efficient as a military product.”
“Ah, I see... I didn’t think of that. You are different after all.”
Hardius bowed his head slightly with a gentle smile.
“It is only natural that I, a businessman, am well-versed in this field. Your Highness, who will become the King of a country, cannot be concerned with such details.”
“You even have the temperament of a flatterer!”
Even as he said that, Louis Boch couldn't hide his joy.
A deep look of concern appeared on Queen Yvonne's face as she watched the two from a few steps away.
Wearing a large bonnet and a parasol, she pretends to be indifferent and looks away, but in fact, she is listening intently to their conversation. Yvonne really didn't like the fact that her son was attracted to Hardius. It was also something that went against her expectations.
A weak and timid boy usually feels both awe and caution in the presence of a strong peer of his age.
She thought Louis Boch would naturally be wary of Hardius Meyer. But how could he be so absorbed in just a few minutes?
She assumed that the successor to the Meyer family would be a wild and unruly man when he was likened to a lion cub, but it turns out he wasn't a lion at all.
The man is a fox in a lion's clothing.
“Louis Boch.”
The young man with the red flag looks back at his mother with a smiling face.
“Now it’s time to look forward to the next time.”
"...Ah..."
He nodded, but his expression was filled with regret.
Hardius noticed the Crown Prince becoming gloomy and also made a regretful face.
“Your Majesty, I was actually just asking His Highness the Crown Prince if he could come visit our house.”
“If it’s your house...”
“This is my new townhouse, which I have named Basilion. It would be a great honor for His Highness the Crown Prince to visit.”
As soon as Hardius finished his explanation, Louis Boch turned to the Queen with expectant eyes.
“Can I go, Mother?”
“Let me think about it.”
She answered a little coldly and nodded toward her son.
“Now, let’s let Prince Meyer go. It’s time for the history teacher to come.”
Louis Boch slumped his shoulders in disappointment. Yvonne ordered her maid to take the Crown Prince back to the palace.
Finally, only she and Hardius were left on the quiet lakeside.
Yvonne, who had been walking in silence for a while, stopped somewhere in the lotus swamp. The hem of her dress, which had been swaying leisurely, suddenly turned toward the successor who was following her.
“You’ve probably heard the expression ‘a person as elusive as a riddle’ a lot, right?”
Hardius noticed the wariness in Yvonne's eyes at a glance.
“I accepted the offer because I was concerned about the money, but I can’t help but feel uneasy. I believe you’ll understand, since you’re famous for not revealing your true feelings.”
Hardius bowed his head politely.
“I am very suspicious. I have been bitten on the leg by snakes more than once.”
“Don’t worry. Right now, I’m the one who’s feeling sorry. You can always ask questions when your strength grows.”
It's quite good.
Yvonne coughed and sat down on the bench by the lake. The calm waters reflected the deep blue ridges, creating a beautiful scene.
The Queen, who had been lost in thought, slowly opened her mouth again.
“The reason I asked you to come alone without your fiancée is that I still don’t trust you. I don’t understand the third condition at all. If the engagement is over anyway, why do you want to leave the child with us? What is your real intention?”
“Do you think I have some other hidden agenda?”
“Yes, if it is as promised, our royal family must protect not only the child but also her family. I thought it would be enough to give her the Sitmer Villa, but you asked me to protect the royal guards, too? As if that were not enough, my husband and I must become guardians, taking the child to social circles and educating her. His Majesty said it was not an unreasonable request and accepted it without asking why. However, the more I think about it, the more strange it seems.”
Hardius looked at the Queen, trying not to show any sign of displeasure.
“It’s all too much. I would have believed you if you had chosen a suitable family and asked them to bestow a title on the child.”
“...I thought Your Majesty knew better than anyone how commoners who received titles without justification were treated in high society.”
At that moment, hysterical laughter burst out of the Queen's mouth.
“That’s why I don’t believe you. Let me get straight to the point. I think this whole thing is a trap you and your mother set up to plant that child as a spy.”
For the first time, Hardius looked a little dazed.
“If not, why are you doing all this for that one government?”
Yvonne folded up her parasol and put it down.
Her eyes, seemingly incomprehensible, stared intently at the man across from her, as if that was the only way to find out the truth.
As Hardius left the Etna villa, rain began to fall again. The coachman quickly approached with an umbrella, but he stretched out his arm to block it.
Raindrops pitter-pattered on his face. After a while, he lowered his head again and stood slowly under the umbrella.
Negotiations are always like that.
Even when victory is in sight, you can slip and fall in an instant because you didn't notice the protruding rock right in front of you. That's exactly what happened to Hardius with Queen Yvonne just before.
The third deal was put on hold. He had never thought that the Queen would be so anxious about bringing in a guardian.
What should I do, Emilia?
He thought by now he would have provided her and her family with the safest and most prosperous place in the world.
“Get in.”
The umbrella folded, and Hardius ducked into the carriage. In an instant, rain began to pour down, soaking his shoulders.
He wondered why he was so irritable and frustrated, and it was because he was impatient.
The deal wasn't completely ruined, just put on hold for a while. The Queen asked for a little more time until she was sure.
And yet he was burning up right now.
The longer the plan is delayed, the more likely it is that it will continue to be so. Time is not his. It is not certain whether the woman he calls his mother will continue to bite the flimsy bait.
The rain that had been falling steadily had suddenly turned into a downpour.
It's not even the rainy season, but it's raining so hard. Hardius thought, annoyed, and loosened his tie.
Suddenly, Emilia came to mind.
In exchange for paying off Kalia Bern's debt, they agreed to meet often.
Although he didn't know exactly how long 'often' was, it felt like so much time had passed since that day to Hardius.
That day, Emilia warned him not to corner her. She was gritting her teeth and glaring at him as if she was going to kill him.
So he stopped planning again.
He's just conflicted, unable to do anything, unable to do anything. On the one hand, he treats her like a prostitute, and on the other hand, he gives her a gun.
Hardius felt like such a terrible hypocrite.
He remembered the golden hair fluttering beneath her ears and her eyes as blue as the sea.
Perfect lips that become more moist every time she gets angry...
...he guesses she's used to the pistol now.
Suddenly, Hardius became overly curious about all those things.
And so, just a few hours later, under the pouring rain, Hardius was able to face Emilia as he had wished.
“What, there’s such a reckless woman? I gave you my precious time. Even if you're unlucky, you’ll still get what you deserve...”
It was the moment when the man spat and spat on the street.
Perhaps it was Uncle Beppy who was nearby, walking briskly towards him. Dram opened his mouth wide at the huge shadow that was cast over his head and began to slowly back away.
“Oh, sir, it’s okay. Let’s go.”
Emilia grabbed Beppy's arm, who was growling like a bear.
“Then, Mr. Dram, goodbye.”
She didn't forget to say goodbye politely.
He's scared now, but didn't he say it clearly earlier? That bar has 'big guys' that he employs.
She can't let Uncle Beppy get involved in a pointless fight because of her recklessness and foolishness.
Emilia ran out into the crowded square, her heart pounding wildly for a completely different reason than when she had knocked on the door of the general store.
Emilia realized once again that she was still so ignorant and so naive.
What would have happened if it weren't for Uncle Beppy?
She thought that if she could just get rid of the label of being the Meyer family's fiancée, she would be able to live a completely independent and free life...
“Sir, let’s go home now.”
Suddenly, Hardius Meyer came to mind.
How much would he laugh at her if he looked like this now? He might think that she has a lot of pride, just like the pot-bellied Drham from before.
Emilia bit her lip.
No, don't be discouraged, Emilia.
Surely there is a place somewhere where she can do the work.
She needs to make money. So she's going to throw it in front of Hardius Meyer.
***
Contrary to Emilia's thoughts, at that time Hardius was meeting the Queen and Crown Prince at the Etna Villa.
“You have a real matchlock gun in your shooting room?”
“Yes, Your Highness. These are antiques that I received as a gift from His Excellency, Duke Meye,r in commemoration of the Trunia negotiations. There is also a Mammoth revolver that Your Highness likes.”
At Hardius's answer, anticipation bloomed on the face of the young man facing him. It was the Crown Prince, Louis Boch, who had just turned eighteen.
The young man with the bronze hair that was the symbol of the Bolden royal family was looking at Hardius, who was only two years older than him, with eyes of admiration.
“The Mammoth has two barrels? So can it really use both a pistol and a shotgun?”
“Yes, the top is a .42 caliber gun, and the bottom is a shotgun. It has incredible firepower, so it’s a masterpiece that all soldiers in the New World covet.”
A wave of joy rippled through the eyes of Louis Boch, a fanatic arms collector.
“Why hasn’t it been commercialized? Why can’t we produce such weapons in our country?”
“It’s because of the production cost. Cost is important for mass production, and the cost of producing one Mammoth revolver is equivalent to producing three regular revolvers. It’s not efficient as a military product.”
“Ah, I see... I didn’t think of that. You are different after all.”
Hardius bowed his head slightly with a gentle smile.
“It is only natural that I, a businessman, am well-versed in this field. Your Highness, who will become the King of a country, cannot be concerned with such details.”
“You even have the temperament of a flatterer!”
Even as he said that, Louis Boch couldn't hide his joy.
A deep look of concern appeared on Queen Yvonne's face as she watched the two from a few steps away.
Wearing a large bonnet and a parasol, she pretends to be indifferent and looks away, but in fact, she is listening intently to their conversation. Yvonne really didn't like the fact that her son was attracted to Hardius. It was also something that went against her expectations.
A weak and timid boy usually feels both awe and caution in the presence of a strong peer of his age.
She thought Louis Boch would naturally be wary of Hardius Meyer. But how could he be so absorbed in just a few minutes?
She assumed that the successor to the Meyer family would be a wild and unruly man when he was likened to a lion cub, but it turns out he wasn't a lion at all.
The man is a fox in a lion's clothing.
“Louis Boch.”
The young man with the red flag looks back at his mother with a smiling face.
“Now it’s time to look forward to the next time.”
"...Ah..."
He nodded, but his expression was filled with regret.
Hardius noticed the Crown Prince becoming gloomy and also made a regretful face.
“Your Majesty, I was actually just asking His Highness the Crown Prince if he could come visit our house.”
“If it’s your house...”
“This is my new townhouse, which I have named Basilion. It would be a great honor for His Highness the Crown Prince to visit.”
As soon as Hardius finished his explanation, Louis Boch turned to the Queen with expectant eyes.
“Can I go, Mother?”
“Let me think about it.”
She answered a little coldly and nodded toward her son.
“Now, let’s let Prince Meyer go. It’s time for the history teacher to come.”
Louis Boch slumped his shoulders in disappointment. Yvonne ordered her maid to take the Crown Prince back to the palace.
Finally, only she and Hardius were left on the quiet lakeside.
Yvonne, who had been walking in silence for a while, stopped somewhere in the lotus swamp. The hem of her dress, which had been swaying leisurely, suddenly turned toward the successor who was following her.
“You’ve probably heard the expression ‘a person as elusive as a riddle’ a lot, right?”
Hardius noticed the wariness in Yvonne's eyes at a glance.
“I accepted the offer because I was concerned about the money, but I can’t help but feel uneasy. I believe you’ll understand, since you’re famous for not revealing your true feelings.”
Hardius bowed his head politely.
“I am very suspicious. I have been bitten on the leg by snakes more than once.”
“Don’t worry. Right now, I’m the one who’s feeling sorry. You can always ask questions when your strength grows.”
It's quite good.
Yvonne coughed and sat down on the bench by the lake. The calm waters reflected the deep blue ridges, creating a beautiful scene.
The Queen, who had been lost in thought, slowly opened her mouth again.
“The reason I asked you to come alone without your fiancée is that I still don’t trust you. I don’t understand the third condition at all. If the engagement is over anyway, why do you want to leave the child with us? What is your real intention?”
“Do you think I have some other hidden agenda?”
“Yes, if it is as promised, our royal family must protect not only the child but also her family. I thought it would be enough to give her the Sitmer Villa, but you asked me to protect the royal guards, too? As if that were not enough, my husband and I must become guardians, taking the child to social circles and educating her. His Majesty said it was not an unreasonable request and accepted it without asking why. However, the more I think about it, the more strange it seems.”
Hardius looked at the Queen, trying not to show any sign of displeasure.
“It’s all too much. I would have believed you if you had chosen a suitable family and asked them to bestow a title on the child.”
“...I thought Your Majesty knew better than anyone how commoners who received titles without justification were treated in high society.”
At that moment, hysterical laughter burst out of the Queen's mouth.
“That’s why I don’t believe you. Let me get straight to the point. I think this whole thing is a trap you and your mother set up to plant that child as a spy.”
For the first time, Hardius looked a little dazed.
“If not, why are you doing all this for that one government?”
Yvonne folded up her parasol and put it down.
Her eyes, seemingly incomprehensible, stared intently at the man across from her, as if that was the only way to find out the truth.
***
As Hardius left the Etna villa, rain began to fall again. The coachman quickly approached with an umbrella, but he stretched out his arm to block it.
Raindrops pitter-pattered on his face. After a while, he lowered his head again and stood slowly under the umbrella.
Negotiations are always like that.
Even when victory is in sight, you can slip and fall in an instant because you didn't notice the protruding rock right in front of you. That's exactly what happened to Hardius with Queen Yvonne just before.
The third deal was put on hold. He had never thought that the Queen would be so anxious about bringing in a guardian.
What should I do, Emilia?
He thought by now he would have provided her and her family with the safest and most prosperous place in the world.
“Get in.”
The umbrella folded, and Hardius ducked into the carriage. In an instant, rain began to pour down, soaking his shoulders.
He wondered why he was so irritable and frustrated, and it was because he was impatient.
The deal wasn't completely ruined, just put on hold for a while. The Queen asked for a little more time until she was sure.
And yet he was burning up right now.
The longer the plan is delayed, the more likely it is that it will continue to be so. Time is not his. It is not certain whether the woman he calls his mother will continue to bite the flimsy bait.
The rain that had been falling steadily had suddenly turned into a downpour.
It's not even the rainy season, but it's raining so hard. Hardius thought, annoyed, and loosened his tie.
Suddenly, Emilia came to mind.
In exchange for paying off Kalia Bern's debt, they agreed to meet often.
Although he didn't know exactly how long 'often' was, it felt like so much time had passed since that day to Hardius.
That day, Emilia warned him not to corner her. She was gritting her teeth and glaring at him as if she was going to kill him.
So he stopped planning again.
He's just conflicted, unable to do anything, unable to do anything. On the one hand, he treats her like a prostitute, and on the other hand, he gives her a gun.
Hardius felt like such a terrible hypocrite.
He remembered the golden hair fluttering beneath her ears and her eyes as blue as the sea.
Perfect lips that become more moist every time she gets angry...
...he guesses she's used to the pistol now.
Suddenly, Hardius became overly curious about all those things.
And so, just a few hours later, under the pouring rain, Hardius was able to face Emilia as he had wished.
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