076. The Real Intentions
"It's okay, it's really fine."
Charlotte repeated the same words over and over again.
"It's not like it's sick or dead."
However, the child named Pip kept sobbing, and he and his sister remained silent.
In the darkness, where she could not see anything, Charlotte was silent and lost in thought.
It's sad and worrying that Moria has escaped.
However, the reason why she endured motion sickness and came here was not only because of Moriah. Charlotte wanted to reconcile the two somehow.
She doesn't want her sister to be Meyer's "mistress." Charlotte was also gradually opening her eyes to 'reality'.
However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop the fairytale-like anticipation blooming in her heart. In particular, standing between two people like this made her heart ache and hurt, and a strange resonance kept rising. Like the 'magnet' that she has only heard about, it is like an irresistible force that attracts each other to each other...
Yes, maybe this is a heaven-given opportunity. Wouldn't the runaway kitten revive the dying embers between the two?
Charlotte made up her mind and turned in the direction of Meyer. Then she slowly opened her mouth.
"I'll look for Moriah."
She could feel everyone panicking that the blind man was looking for a cat. Ignoring her sister, who was sure she would say no, Charlotte turned straight to Uncle Beppy.
"Mister, I'm going to find Moria with me. And..."
Charlotte thought of a boy named Pip and thought about it for a while.
How can she separate him from the two?
Fortunately, she had a good idea right away.
“Can I get something to eat? I’m so hungry...”
Pip lifted his forehead, which had been resting on the floor, and said, “Yes?”
The trembling eyes turned straight to the master. Hardius nodded his head in permission, and Pip quickly got up as if he had been waiting.
“I, I will prepare the meal as you instructed. However... it will probably take... some time. The kitchen in the villa is empty... to prepare the food... I will first have to go to the farm and ask the chef...”
“Pip.”
Pip flinched at the sound of his master's low, heavy voice.
“Go and get some food while we’re talking.”
“...Oh, I understand!”
As soon as Charlotte saw that the baby had disappeared without a trace, she let go of her sister's hand. Then she started walking without thinking.
"Charlotte!"
It was a very reckless thing for a blind person to walk alone in an unfamiliar place. Charlotte stumbled after walking a few steps. Only Emilia knew that it was a rather dramatic and exaggerated gesture. Fortunately, Beppy's large hand quickly caught Charlotte.
“Yes, let’s go, sir.”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute, Charlotte!”
Charlotte strode along, completely ignoring her sister. Beppy was busy guiding the child to safety.
Just before leaving the door, Charlotte turned her head towards the young master and shouted loudly.
“I’m doing this because I like it, so don’t worry about it, Master. It’s the same for you, too. There’s no need for the two of you to go out and look for it. I’ll find Moria myself, no matter what. Even if it means staying up all night.”
In the quiet room, just the two of them were left, just as Charlotte had wanted.
It was Emilia who broke the awkward silence.
“You see? You see how terrible the consequences of your lie are? That naive child thinks we are the main characters of a heart-rending romance. She is trying to play Cupid under the pretense of finding a cat. You made promises you can’t keep, and my little sister is even more disappointed.”
Hardius let all the mutterings slide.
His mind was already full of thoughts about finding the cat before they even arrived. He didn't want to disappoint the child who called him her guardian angel and confided in him her secrets.
“Yeah, you’re right. It’s my responsibility.”
He muttered to himself and looked out the window as if trying to guess where the cat had run off to.
Emilia was a little flustered in front of the man who accepted her words so seriously, instead of fighting back like usual. She felt a strange feeling of pressure on her chest, so she turned around and started to clean up the messy cage.
As she was crouching and turning over a bowl, something suddenly occurred to her.
“Has he eaten? I mean, Moriah.”
“...He didn’t even put it in his mouth. As far as I know.”
“Then wouldn’t he have gone to the kitchen? Instinctively looking for something to eat?”
“The kitchen is empty.”
“Ah,” Emilia said, remembering that Pip had said the same thing.
“I guess he should go anyway. The smell of food will still linger.”
“Maybe he ran into the forest. There was a thicket similar to Katia Beach, so he might have gone there.”
"Yes."
The two were standing shoulder to shoulder and guessing the cat's whereabouts.
"As you say, Charlotte Bern claims to be the cupid of love."
Hardius suddenly turned his head to meet Emilia's eyes.
It wasn't 'that kind of look' at all, but her heart sank, and she felt strange.
"Be patient for today. No matter how much you hate it."
"Ha!"
It was a sophistry to blame others for their own mistakes. She was furious, but he just kept his mouth shut.
The words 'for today' hung down on the nape of her neck. Emilia didn't want to disappoint Charlotte anymore.
At least for one day.
"Stay here. I'm going to look for a cat."
Either he did or not. She had no intention of walking around with him.
But her body didn't listen. An old shoe was chasing the man's legs as he strode along.
Hardius stopped abruptly and scanned Emilia up and down.
"Wait a minute."
Speaking bluntly, he went into the next room. When he returned, he had a coat in his hand.
"Put it on."
"I don't like it."
"The ground is high, so if the sun doesn't shine like today, it's cold."
"I don't like it."
Emilia strongly refused, so Hardius did not force her any further.
"Let's go."
The two went straight to the kitchen. As soon as they arrived, they started looking for the cat diligently.
Emilia sank her head into the empty oven and pounded on the hanging pot. Hardius stepped on the shelf and scanned the cupboards.
"Not here."
"Here too."
They nodded as if they had made a promise to each other.
"Shall we stop by the library?"
"Yes."
When they arrived at the library, they searched among the bookshelves. They checked every drawer, statue, vase, and every gap they could see.
Emilia felt her mood getting weirder and weirder.
Why are you looking so hard?
Why am I doing this?
Why do I feel like my hands and feet are in sync with that man?
Emilia felt bad and deliberately went to the other side of the bookcase.
Unlike him, who puts all his energy into searching, Emilia found herself becoming more and more lazy. Her eyes were unconsciously observing him, not the cat.
Hardius' eyes were very dark and serious.
He is really an unknown man. He won't be able to find it anyway...
She knew that it would be difficult to find the cat, not the man, and even Charlotte. They are clinging so hard to something hopeless.
"Aren't you looking for it?"
Their eyes met with a sudden question. Emilia froze like a captured animal.
The man stares at her and continues calmly.
"I'm somewhere else."
"No, I don't. That's it."
“...It just gets in the way."
"What?"
"I can't concentrate because of you."
The words she didn't understand the intent made her feel suffocated, and sweat dripped down her temples.
"I'm going to Charlotte."
Hardius turned around and continued his search.
Emilia pressed her hand against her chest and waited for it to calm down. Being in the same space like this felt like she was going to suffocate.
Emilia ran out into the garden as if to escape. Coming out of the open, it's easier to breathe.
She put her trembling hands at her side and began to look around.
It was much better to find it inside the villa. When she went outside, she didn't know how to find the little cat.
Emilia still walked along. After scanning the empty fountain, she passed by the Metasequoia Road.
Emilia, who had been looking up at the tree until her throat hurt, suddenly began to feel annoyed again.
Charlotte Bern. When did you become so big? Now she has become a very, very clever witch.
Moriah is a stray cat, so he will adapt and live well. Since it is a field, they will eat fruit to their heart's content. By the way, the scenery is really picturesque...
Emilia walked aimlessly, thinking about it. After crossing the overpass over the pond, a waist-high bush and a small pavilion appeared.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of grass stepping. The moment Emilia turned her head, a ball of brown fur remained as an afterimage.
"Moriah!"
Emilia exclaimed involuntarily and lowered her posture slightly. Breathing shallowly and slowly, she crept into the bushes where the fur had disappeared.
She didn't think she could catch it. It is almost impossible to catch a cat without a noose. She just wanted to check the location and bring some food.
However, Emilia had to stop walking before she could get closer. This is because the rainwater, which had been hitting her face intermittently from earlier, began to wet her shoulders.
Emilia climbed up to the gazebo to escape the rain.
As she stands under a wooden pavilion carved with mythical characters, the smell of damp soil and wood tickles the tip of her nose. As she took a deep breath, her dizzy thoughts subsided one by one, and her heart, which had been beating uncontrollably, gradually calmed down.
How much time had passed?
The bushes rustled, revealing a brown figure once again.
Drenched in rain, Moriah had forgotten about the people and was sheltering from the rain under a statue just a few steps away from the pavilion.
Emilia laughed without realizing it.
You don't have much to do either. How can you be so shabby when you can't even run away properly?
Suddenly, she thought of Hardius.
Are you still searching for the villa?
Emilia never imagined that she would see such a face. She didn't expect him to have a face like he had lost the whole world because of that one cat...
Moreover, it seemed like he was looking for it with all his heart. He seemed to be a completely different person from the man who had threatened her with money and family as an excuse.
What is his true face?
It doesn't seem like the man looking for a cat for Charlotte is lying. At the very least, he seems to be sincere in saying that he wants to protect her family.
Didn't you make it clear on the day you played 'Tree Game' a long time ago? He said he would make her family happy.
How could a man change like that?
Is it just men like that? Blinded by lust, they easily change their words and lie. So he made her stepmother go into debt?
Emilia narrowed her eyes and felt her head spin for a moment.
A possibility that she had never thought of before flashed through her mind and sounded the alarm.
What if... What if I was mistaken?
What if the man wasn't behind Aunt Rosie's sudden visit to her stepmother? What if it was all just a coincidence?
From that day until now, she has not seen anything with her own eyes. If she couldn't ask her stepmother directly, she could at least go to the factory owner, Mr. Bodon, or Mrs. Rosie.
Perhaps she should have considered the context of the incident before blaming Hardius Meyer.
Of course, whatever the truth is, nothing will change. When she went to get her hair cut, Hardius Meyer did not hesitate to say that she would "pay for it."
But Emilia still needs to figure out what the man's motives are for his mad search for cats, so that she can plan how to deal with them in the future.
Emilia bit her lip tightly and lost herself in thought for a long time.
Meanwhile, the rain became rougher and rougher.
"As you say, Charlotte Bern claims to be the cupid of love."
Hardius suddenly turned his head to meet Emilia's eyes.
It wasn't 'that kind of look' at all, but her heart sank, and she felt strange.
"Be patient for today. No matter how much you hate it."
"Ha!"
It was a sophistry to blame others for their own mistakes. She was furious, but he just kept his mouth shut.
The words 'for today' hung down on the nape of her neck. Emilia didn't want to disappoint Charlotte anymore.
At least for one day.
"Stay here. I'm going to look for a cat."
Either he did or not. She had no intention of walking around with him.
But her body didn't listen. An old shoe was chasing the man's legs as he strode along.
Hardius stopped abruptly and scanned Emilia up and down.
"Wait a minute."
Speaking bluntly, he went into the next room. When he returned, he had a coat in his hand.
"Put it on."
"I don't like it."
"The ground is high, so if the sun doesn't shine like today, it's cold."
"I don't like it."
Emilia strongly refused, so Hardius did not force her any further.
"Let's go."
The two went straight to the kitchen. As soon as they arrived, they started looking for the cat diligently.
Emilia sank her head into the empty oven and pounded on the hanging pot. Hardius stepped on the shelf and scanned the cupboards.
"Not here."
"Here too."
They nodded as if they had made a promise to each other.
"Shall we stop by the library?"
"Yes."
When they arrived at the library, they searched among the bookshelves. They checked every drawer, statue, vase, and every gap they could see.
Emilia felt her mood getting weirder and weirder.
Why are you looking so hard?
Why am I doing this?
Why do I feel like my hands and feet are in sync with that man?
Emilia felt bad and deliberately went to the other side of the bookcase.
Unlike him, who puts all his energy into searching, Emilia found herself becoming more and more lazy. Her eyes were unconsciously observing him, not the cat.
Hardius' eyes were very dark and serious.
He is really an unknown man. He won't be able to find it anyway...
She knew that it would be difficult to find the cat, not the man, and even Charlotte. They are clinging so hard to something hopeless.
"Aren't you looking for it?"
Their eyes met with a sudden question. Emilia froze like a captured animal.
The man stares at her and continues calmly.
"I'm somewhere else."
"No, I don't. That's it."
“...It just gets in the way."
"What?"
"I can't concentrate because of you."
The words she didn't understand the intent made her feel suffocated, and sweat dripped down her temples.
"I'm going to Charlotte."
Hardius turned around and continued his search.
Emilia pressed her hand against her chest and waited for it to calm down. Being in the same space like this felt like she was going to suffocate.
Emilia ran out into the garden as if to escape. Coming out of the open, it's easier to breathe.
She put her trembling hands at her side and began to look around.
It was much better to find it inside the villa. When she went outside, she didn't know how to find the little cat.
Emilia still walked along. After scanning the empty fountain, she passed by the Metasequoia Road.
Emilia, who had been looking up at the tree until her throat hurt, suddenly began to feel annoyed again.
Charlotte Bern. When did you become so big? Now she has become a very, very clever witch.
Moriah is a stray cat, so he will adapt and live well. Since it is a field, they will eat fruit to their heart's content. By the way, the scenery is really picturesque...
Emilia walked aimlessly, thinking about it. After crossing the overpass over the pond, a waist-high bush and a small pavilion appeared.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of grass stepping. The moment Emilia turned her head, a ball of brown fur remained as an afterimage.
"Moriah!"
Emilia exclaimed involuntarily and lowered her posture slightly. Breathing shallowly and slowly, she crept into the bushes where the fur had disappeared.
She didn't think she could catch it. It is almost impossible to catch a cat without a noose. She just wanted to check the location and bring some food.
However, Emilia had to stop walking before she could get closer. This is because the rainwater, which had been hitting her face intermittently from earlier, began to wet her shoulders.
Emilia climbed up to the gazebo to escape the rain.
As she stands under a wooden pavilion carved with mythical characters, the smell of damp soil and wood tickles the tip of her nose. As she took a deep breath, her dizzy thoughts subsided one by one, and her heart, which had been beating uncontrollably, gradually calmed down.
How much time had passed?
The bushes rustled, revealing a brown figure once again.
Drenched in rain, Moriah had forgotten about the people and was sheltering from the rain under a statue just a few steps away from the pavilion.
Emilia laughed without realizing it.
You don't have much to do either. How can you be so shabby when you can't even run away properly?
Suddenly, she thought of Hardius.
Are you still searching for the villa?
Emilia never imagined that she would see such a face. She didn't expect him to have a face like he had lost the whole world because of that one cat...
Moreover, it seemed like he was looking for it with all his heart. He seemed to be a completely different person from the man who had threatened her with money and family as an excuse.
What is his true face?
It doesn't seem like the man looking for a cat for Charlotte is lying. At the very least, he seems to be sincere in saying that he wants to protect her family.
Didn't you make it clear on the day you played 'Tree Game' a long time ago? He said he would make her family happy.
How could a man change like that?
Is it just men like that? Blinded by lust, they easily change their words and lie. So he made her stepmother go into debt?
Emilia narrowed her eyes and felt her head spin for a moment.
A possibility that she had never thought of before flashed through her mind and sounded the alarm.
What if... What if I was mistaken?
What if the man wasn't behind Aunt Rosie's sudden visit to her stepmother? What if it was all just a coincidence?
From that day until now, she has not seen anything with her own eyes. If she couldn't ask her stepmother directly, she could at least go to the factory owner, Mr. Bodon, or Mrs. Rosie.
Perhaps she should have considered the context of the incident before blaming Hardius Meyer.
Of course, whatever the truth is, nothing will change. When she went to get her hair cut, Hardius Meyer did not hesitate to say that she would "pay for it."
But Emilia still needs to figure out what the man's motives are for his mad search for cats, so that she can plan how to deal with them in the future.
Emilia bit her lip tightly and lost herself in thought for a long time.
Meanwhile, the rain became rougher and rougher.
Emilia wasn't too worried. It was a villa just across the overpass, and anyone would come out with an umbrella. It was obvious that it would be Hardius Meyer.
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