070. If only I could hurt you
The man's pupil was shattered by the blade.
Emilia felt another wave of twisted pleasure tighten around her pubic area. It was the exact same metal buckle that had stabbed her thigh the night before.
It's not me who's lost his mind and is a mess, it's that guy.
I wanted to hurt you. I wanted to stab you again and again and make a mess of you.
“The grapes are really ripe.”
As he takes a bite of the delicious fruit, a sadistic desire he didn't even know he had rears its head like a snake.
"Really."
Emilia wiped the moisture from her hands and glanced at the cold, frozen man.
“You promised me a better life for me and my family, right?”
The voice asking is so cold and cruel that it makes her wonder if it is her own voice.
“Can you give it to me now? Right now.”
“What does that mean?”
“Money.”
There was silence. The only movement was the slow blinking of the man's eyelids.
“Please give me money.”
“...After playing with dolls, now I'm playing with prostitutes?”
Hardius straightened up from where he had been leaning against the wall.
He was smiling slightly, almost mockingly, but anyone could tell that he had lost his composure.
“You said it didn’t matter?”
“Yeah, whether you cut your hair like a man, turn into a doll, or pretend to be a prostitute, it doesn’t matter.”
“Ah, so that’s why you were so sick yesterday.”
The face that pretended to be calm reacted immediately and hardened coldly.
Emilia looked at the man's empty eyes as if mocking him.
“So I should at least get the money. So that I don’t feel wronged.”
He stared into space for a long time without saying anything.
Then a low, heavy voice echoed through the bedroom.
“...Before you go, meet my servant and go. I will pay the money through that child.”
After a while, the door slammed shut, and Emilia was left alone.
The feeling of triumph was fleeting and vain. Her body began to tremble unbearably.
“Please check.”
Click, the lid of the small wooden box opened.
The gold coins, piled up so high that they looked as if they would spill out at any moment, were shining dazzlingly, reflecting the lamp light in all directions.
There are too many.
Emilia thought blankly, numb.
“I will put it on the carriage.”
A young boy named Pip disappeared carrying a box.
Emilia looked down at the steaming cup of tea and the delicious peach torte.
Suddenly, she feels like this is all a dream.
Or it's just a play that isn't even funny.
Emilia shook her head sharply as if trying to shake it off, then took a bite of the dessert with her fork and brought it to her mouth. The sweet aroma and juice filled her mouth.
Charlotte would love that.
Emilia chewed and swallowed the plump peaches and sweet cream that mixed in her mouth. The dessert that had been a work of art on a pretty plate was now terribly ruined.
Yeah, don't think about anything else. Just think about my family.
Emilia put down her fork and asked Pip if he had any more peach torte. Then, with incredible calmness, she asked if he could wrap it up for her.
“Of course. Everything in the Sitmer belongs to Miss Bern. I’ll put it in the carriage together.”
Pip's face was clearly smiling gently.
But the sharp aura behind it made Emilia feel a little creeped out.
"Thank you."
Emilia answered coldly and left the villa.
As she got into the carriage, the large box of gold coins caught her eye again.
The man's pupil was shattered by the blade.
Emilia felt another wave of twisted pleasure tighten around her pubic area. It was the exact same metal buckle that had stabbed her thigh the night before.
It's not me who's lost his mind and is a mess, it's that guy.
I wanted to hurt you. I wanted to stab you again and again and make a mess of you.
“The grapes are really ripe.”
As he takes a bite of the delicious fruit, a sadistic desire he didn't even know he had rears its head like a snake.
"Really."
Emilia wiped the moisture from her hands and glanced at the cold, frozen man.
“You promised me a better life for me and my family, right?”
The voice asking is so cold and cruel that it makes her wonder if it is her own voice.
“Can you give it to me now? Right now.”
“What does that mean?”
“Money.”
There was silence. The only movement was the slow blinking of the man's eyelids.
“Please give me money.”
“...After playing with dolls, now I'm playing with prostitutes?”
Hardius straightened up from where he had been leaning against the wall.
He was smiling slightly, almost mockingly, but anyone could tell that he had lost his composure.
“You said it didn’t matter?”
“Yeah, whether you cut your hair like a man, turn into a doll, or pretend to be a prostitute, it doesn’t matter.”
“Ah, so that’s why you were so sick yesterday.”
The face that pretended to be calm reacted immediately and hardened coldly.
Emilia looked at the man's empty eyes as if mocking him.
“So I should at least get the money. So that I don’t feel wronged.”
He stared into space for a long time without saying anything.
Then a low, heavy voice echoed through the bedroom.
“...Before you go, meet my servant and go. I will pay the money through that child.”
After a while, the door slammed shut, and Emilia was left alone.
The feeling of triumph was fleeting and vain. Her body began to tremble unbearably.
“Please check.”
Click, the lid of the small wooden box opened.
The gold coins, piled up so high that they looked as if they would spill out at any moment, were shining dazzlingly, reflecting the lamp light in all directions.
There are too many.
Emilia thought blankly, numb.
“I will put it on the carriage.”
A young boy named Pip disappeared carrying a box.
Emilia looked down at the steaming cup of tea and the delicious peach torte.
Suddenly, she feels like this is all a dream.
Or it's just a play that isn't even funny.
Emilia shook her head sharply as if trying to shake it off, then took a bite of the dessert with her fork and brought it to her mouth. The sweet aroma and juice filled her mouth.
Charlotte would love that.
Emilia chewed and swallowed the plump peaches and sweet cream that mixed in her mouth. The dessert that had been a work of art on a pretty plate was now terribly ruined.
Yeah, don't think about anything else. Just think about my family.
Emilia put down her fork and asked Pip if he had any more peach torte. Then, with incredible calmness, she asked if he could wrap it up for her.
“Of course. Everything in the Sitmer belongs to Miss Bern. I’ll put it in the carriage together.”
Pip's face was clearly smiling gently.
But the sharp aura behind it made Emilia feel a little creeped out.
"Thank you."
Emilia answered coldly and left the villa.
As she got into the carriage, the large box of gold coins caught her eye again.
She has no intention of spending that money. She was going to return it to Hardius Meyer, untouched, when he got tired of her and stopped looking for her. All he gives is pain. It has to be pain.
“You don’t like it?”
"Yes."
“But Emilia, you wanted to be a bookkeeper, didn’t you? The factory owner, Mr. Boden, said she would give you a week’s work.”
Emilia's hands, which had been washing dishes, stopped.
Perhaps because the water had been squeezed too tightly, the stain was spreading to the sides rather than being removed.
“Wouldn’t it be better than working on a farm? It’s far away, so you have to sleep outside. And best of all, the master won’t interfere with whatever you do.”
“...But I still don’t like it.”
“Why? Because you didn’t get paid during the training period?”
Emilia frowned for a moment and then continued, “Yes.”
“My mother says that Mr. Boden seems like a good person, but I don’t know. I feel like you’ll just end up being used.”
Emilia's mind was filled with the thought of the factory owner's mastermind, Hardius. Kalia, who had no idea about it, could only tilt her head.
“Why would they actually hire someone like me? With so many unemployed people out there, I’m trying to face reality. Compared to guys who went to school, I have no competitive edge.”
“But His Excellency...”
“His Excellency, His Excellency, please can you stop?”
Kalia flinched at the irritated tone.
“If you continue to rely on the Meyer family’s help, all you’ll hear is that I'm his mistress. There are too many eyes and ears in the world. It’s impossible to keep a secret.”
The cold voice, without any rhythm or rhythm, made Kalia and even Mitch's heart tremble.
Mitch, who thought that his sister's changes were all because of him, turned his face to the ground.
Emilia continued to work diligently, not knowing whether she knew her younger brother or not.
“Don’t worry. I won’t be working on the farm for long. I’ll start looking for a job tomorrow. I’m sure there’s someone out there somewhere. Someone who can give a rag to someone like me who only knows how to make tea.”
Emilia threw the towel into the basin.
The table was not clean, but rather dirtier. Mitch, who had been watching, approached slowly and washed the dishcloth in water. Then he started cleaning the table again.
Meanwhile, Emilia had gone into the room. The cold air she left behind froze their heart.
After cleaning the table, Mitch twisted the dishcloth for a while and then carefully knocked on his sister's door.
As he opened the door and went in, he found Emilia sitting by the window, blankly staring outside.
“Hey. Sister...”
"Why?"
The eyes, which seemed empty, were so cold that they were almost eerie.
What's wrong with you these days? What's wrong? Are you sick somewhere? Or are you still angry at me?
Questions that he would normally have asked without hesitation were just lingering in his mouth.
“When should I go write my resignation letter?”
"Tomorrow."
“Uh... Yes.”
Mitch stared at his sister's short hair fluttering in the wind for a long time.
"Why?"
"...uh?"
“Why are you just standing there blankly?”
“No... no.”
The door closed again.
The next day, Emilia left home early with Mitch.
Mitch was fidgeting next to his sister, who was as fierce as the maddening north wind. If it weren't for Uncle Beppy, who couldn't read the mood and laughed heartily, he would have frozen and not been able to breathe.
With Kalia gone to the factory, Charlotte was left home alone again today.
It was a regular occurrence. But unlike usual, Charlotte found it hard to bear being alone.
“Did I do something wrong, Brave?”
Charlotte hugged the dog's neck. Brave licked the child's face diligently, as if comforting her.
“No, I didn’t do anything wrong. My sister did the same. If I had just left it alone, not only Mitch, but the whole family would have been in big trouble. It was a good thing that you told me about the Squad. You’ll get enough presents from Santa Claus.”
But from that point on, everything went awry.
Crazy is completely out of control, and her stepmother just sighs every day. Her sister has become a completely different person. She has become quiet and never smiles. She tosses and turns at night.
Charlotte was so overwhelmed by the dark energy emanating from her sister that she couldn't even ask what was going on.
The cabin that was once filled with bright sunlight has now become a dark tomb.
Charlotte no longer felt comfortable in the loft that had been so cozy as a cradle.
She was scared of being alone. Like when the bad kids barged in a long time ago, hit her with rocks, and tied her up...
“Brave.”
Charlotte let out a ragged breath and hugged the dog's neck tightly.
“I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have you. I hope they all come back soon.”
Charlotte endured a long time in fear.
How much time has passed?
Her ears perked up like a rabbit's at the faint sound of wheels coming from afar. Brave also gets tense.
It was the sound of a carriage. Not the lightly rolling sound of Uncle Beppy, but a little bigger and heavier... Charlotte played the countless wheel sounds she had heard so far in her head and picked them out. Then, in an instant, she realized what it was and ran out of the room. She cautiously went down the stairs and crossed the living room with a familiar feeling. As Charlotte opened the front door, the carriage stopped right then and there. The elegant and heavy steps approached quickly.
“How have you been?”
A low, pleasant voice... It’s Master Meyer!
Charlotte's lips, which had been hardened, softened, and filled with joy.
“Hello, Young Master!”
Hardius, who had calmed down the dog that was barking with joy, turned to the child.
The moment he saw the smile directed at him, a strange and unexpected feeling struck his mind.
Charlotte Bern looked up to him like a savior.
Even though he knew that it was a mirage created by a vile lie, Hardius was satisfied.
“My sister isn’t here right now. She went with Mitch to write his resignation letter.”
"Yes?"
“Yes, this time it’s true.”
Charlotte answered with an awkward smile.
“Do you know when your sister will be coming?”
“I’m not sure about that. I mean, she wasn’t just writing a letter of resignation; she was also looking into a new school for Mitch.”
“So you’ve been alone all this time?”
"Yes."
“That’s great.”
Hardius unconsciously patted the child's head.
But strangely, Charlotte was not as happy as before, but had a gloomy face and slumped shoulders.
“I’m not a great kid anymore. I used to be fine being alone, but now I hate it and I’m scared.”
Hardius looked down at the shadowy child's face.
A strange impulse was pounding in his heart.
He hates seeing a depressed child. He wants to make her smile again. He wants to bring back that flowery smile from before and make the many things that are weighing her down disappear, even if only for a moment.
Hardius thought about what the child would like most.
“Shall I take you on a swing?”
Contrary to expectations, Charlotte shakes her head sullenly.
“I'm bored with the swings now. They said only kids ride them.”
It was quite funny that a child who couldn't even reach his waist said that. Hardius thought of a way to continue the conversation with the child and bent down to match her height.
“Then shall we go for a walk together? With Brave.”
The child's face brightened again.
Only then was Hardius satisfied.
***
“You don’t like it?”
"Yes."
“But Emilia, you wanted to be a bookkeeper, didn’t you? The factory owner, Mr. Boden, said she would give you a week’s work.”
Emilia's hands, which had been washing dishes, stopped.
Perhaps because the water had been squeezed too tightly, the stain was spreading to the sides rather than being removed.
“Wouldn’t it be better than working on a farm? It’s far away, so you have to sleep outside. And best of all, the master won’t interfere with whatever you do.”
“...But I still don’t like it.”
“Why? Because you didn’t get paid during the training period?”
Emilia frowned for a moment and then continued, “Yes.”
“My mother says that Mr. Boden seems like a good person, but I don’t know. I feel like you’ll just end up being used.”
Emilia's mind was filled with the thought of the factory owner's mastermind, Hardius. Kalia, who had no idea about it, could only tilt her head.
“Why would they actually hire someone like me? With so many unemployed people out there, I’m trying to face reality. Compared to guys who went to school, I have no competitive edge.”
“But His Excellency...”
“His Excellency, His Excellency, please can you stop?”
Kalia flinched at the irritated tone.
“If you continue to rely on the Meyer family’s help, all you’ll hear is that I'm his mistress. There are too many eyes and ears in the world. It’s impossible to keep a secret.”
The cold voice, without any rhythm or rhythm, made Kalia and even Mitch's heart tremble.
Mitch, who thought that his sister's changes were all because of him, turned his face to the ground.
Emilia continued to work diligently, not knowing whether she knew her younger brother or not.
“Don’t worry. I won’t be working on the farm for long. I’ll start looking for a job tomorrow. I’m sure there’s someone out there somewhere. Someone who can give a rag to someone like me who only knows how to make tea.”
Emilia threw the towel into the basin.
The table was not clean, but rather dirtier. Mitch, who had been watching, approached slowly and washed the dishcloth in water. Then he started cleaning the table again.
Meanwhile, Emilia had gone into the room. The cold air she left behind froze their heart.
After cleaning the table, Mitch twisted the dishcloth for a while and then carefully knocked on his sister's door.
As he opened the door and went in, he found Emilia sitting by the window, blankly staring outside.
“Hey. Sister...”
"Why?"
The eyes, which seemed empty, were so cold that they were almost eerie.
What's wrong with you these days? What's wrong? Are you sick somewhere? Or are you still angry at me?
Questions that he would normally have asked without hesitation were just lingering in his mouth.
“When should I go write my resignation letter?”
"Tomorrow."
“Uh... Yes.”
Mitch stared at his sister's short hair fluttering in the wind for a long time.
"Why?"
"...uh?"
“Why are you just standing there blankly?”
“No... no.”
The door closed again.
***
The next day, Emilia left home early with Mitch.
Mitch was fidgeting next to his sister, who was as fierce as the maddening north wind. If it weren't for Uncle Beppy, who couldn't read the mood and laughed heartily, he would have frozen and not been able to breathe.
With Kalia gone to the factory, Charlotte was left home alone again today.
It was a regular occurrence. But unlike usual, Charlotte found it hard to bear being alone.
“Did I do something wrong, Brave?”
Charlotte hugged the dog's neck. Brave licked the child's face diligently, as if comforting her.
“No, I didn’t do anything wrong. My sister did the same. If I had just left it alone, not only Mitch, but the whole family would have been in big trouble. It was a good thing that you told me about the Squad. You’ll get enough presents from Santa Claus.”
But from that point on, everything went awry.
Crazy is completely out of control, and her stepmother just sighs every day. Her sister has become a completely different person. She has become quiet and never smiles. She tosses and turns at night.
Charlotte was so overwhelmed by the dark energy emanating from her sister that she couldn't even ask what was going on.
The cabin that was once filled with bright sunlight has now become a dark tomb.
Charlotte no longer felt comfortable in the loft that had been so cozy as a cradle.
She was scared of being alone. Like when the bad kids barged in a long time ago, hit her with rocks, and tied her up...
“Brave.”
Charlotte let out a ragged breath and hugged the dog's neck tightly.
“I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have you. I hope they all come back soon.”
Charlotte endured a long time in fear.
How much time has passed?
Her ears perked up like a rabbit's at the faint sound of wheels coming from afar. Brave also gets tense.
It was the sound of a carriage. Not the lightly rolling sound of Uncle Beppy, but a little bigger and heavier... Charlotte played the countless wheel sounds she had heard so far in her head and picked them out. Then, in an instant, she realized what it was and ran out of the room. She cautiously went down the stairs and crossed the living room with a familiar feeling. As Charlotte opened the front door, the carriage stopped right then and there. The elegant and heavy steps approached quickly.
“How have you been?”
A low, pleasant voice... It’s Master Meyer!
Charlotte's lips, which had been hardened, softened, and filled with joy.
“Hello, Young Master!”
Hardius, who had calmed down the dog that was barking with joy, turned to the child.
The moment he saw the smile directed at him, a strange and unexpected feeling struck his mind.
Charlotte Bern looked up to him like a savior.
Even though he knew that it was a mirage created by a vile lie, Hardius was satisfied.
“My sister isn’t here right now. She went with Mitch to write his resignation letter.”
"Yes?"
“Yes, this time it’s true.”
Charlotte answered with an awkward smile.
“Do you know when your sister will be coming?”
“I’m not sure about that. I mean, she wasn’t just writing a letter of resignation; she was also looking into a new school for Mitch.”
“So you’ve been alone all this time?”
"Yes."
“That’s great.”
Hardius unconsciously patted the child's head.
But strangely, Charlotte was not as happy as before, but had a gloomy face and slumped shoulders.
“I’m not a great kid anymore. I used to be fine being alone, but now I hate it and I’m scared.”
Hardius looked down at the shadowy child's face.
A strange impulse was pounding in his heart.
He hates seeing a depressed child. He wants to make her smile again. He wants to bring back that flowery smile from before and make the many things that are weighing her down disappear, even if only for a moment.
Hardius thought about what the child would like most.
“Shall I take you on a swing?”
Contrary to expectations, Charlotte shakes her head sullenly.
“I'm bored with the swings now. They said only kids ride them.”
It was quite funny that a child who couldn't even reach his waist said that. Hardius thought of a way to continue the conversation with the child and bent down to match her height.
“Then shall we go for a walk together? With Brave.”
The child's face brightened again.
Only then was Hardius satisfied.
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