128. Broken Illusion
Hardius's announcement of their breakup was an unacceptable shock to Bianca and a wound she found difficult to bear.
It also left her in extreme confusion.
It wasn't just a matter of emotions.
If things continue like this, Meyer will be completely ruined.
Indeed, the stock exchange on Mepix Street was in turmoil for several days. Stock prices plummeted to an unprecedented level, incomparable to the level they had experienced when news of William Richards's murder broke, and investment funds flowed out like a tidal wave. Banks immediately began selling bonds and demanding repayment of funds.
Several investors, including Duke Arthuscher, staged daily protests in front of factories and offices, some of them throwing garbage or going as far as the Basilion House to cause a ruckus.
A ban was issued on all of Meyer's mansions, villas, and estates, and the servants were kept silent as if their mouths were sewn shut.
And yet you still want to break up?
Even though things have gotten to this point?
Hardius has not made any statement up to this moment.
All kinds of rumors were circulating.
There were rumors that he was secretly plotting to save his mother, going back and forth between politics and the royal family, and that instead of making any effort, he was holed up in his villa, reveling in alcohol and women.
Whatever the truth, Bianca couldn't stand it any longer.
She was sick of herself being so clingy and persistent, but she also wanted to completely shake off 'that woman' who kept coming to mind whenever she confirmed the emotional gap between them.
There was nothing suspicious about it. She was simply a "maid," a gift from His Majesty the King, with perhaps promiscuous intentions. Yet, a strange lingering suspicion lingered in his heart.
“Ruth,”
She called the nanny.
“Prepare the carriage. I have somewhere to go.”
Hours later, Bianca stood before the ashes. The dusting of snow was slightly obscuring them, but the marks of fire were unmistakable.
"For forest dwellers, fire is the most frightening thing. Still, it's fortunate that no one was seriously injured or killed."
“Did that whole family really live well? Including that blonde woman?”
The mill owner frowned at Bianca's nanny, Ruth's question.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I provided lodging and food for those families who had nowhere to go?"
The mill owner said this and smacked his lips.
"By the way, I wonder if she's doing well all the way there. She's completely broke, and she even has a disabled daughter..."
"They really left for the New World? With their whole family? Did you see it firsthand?"
The mill owner shrugged.
"Oh, how would I know that? Didn't I tell you earlier that they only stayed at our house for two days, and that they received help from Mr. Boden after that? Mr. Boden, the factory owner, is a very important figure around here. I heard at the tavern a few days ago that he lent them the entire fare to the New World, interest-free, and that too. Well, I'm sure Kalia will pay it all back. Those people are definitely not the type to swindle you out of money."
“But that blonde woman. She was the Meyer family’s fiancée.”
At Ruth's words, the mill owner tilted his head, then nodded in agreement for her to continue.
"Do you know anything more about that woman? Is she still hanging out with nobles, or meeting a man of high status?"
"Well, there were rumors at one point that she would become Prince Meyer's mistress, but no one has actually seen them together or meeting secretly. In fact, there's a story that only those in the know have told."
Ruth's eyes lit up as she listened from a distance, of course, but Bianca's eyes lit up.
"The rumors about Nathan Malvin and her were even more ominous. There were even rumors that the two secretly exchanged letters, intending to leave for the New World together. I suspect that the woman who lost her home in a fire led her entire family to that distant New World, perhaps to meet Young Master Malvin."
Bianca nodded. But at the same time, she was thinking about visiting Malvin's mansion or the spinning mill.
Did Nathan Malvin really intend to leave for the New World with that woman?
If not, she can at least find out what day and time the ferry departs. Go to the port and ask for the passenger list...
Bianca, lost in thought, couldn't believe it for a moment. It gave her goosebumps.
I'm crazy. To go that far...
“If you’re really curious, I can look into it for you.”
As he spoke, the man glanced at the purse Ruth was holding. Bianca winked at her nanny.
“Yes. Here, take this.”
The nanny placed the promised money in the mill owner's hand. After parting ways with the man, the two walked toward the carriage.
"Are you feeling better now? Come on, hurry back home, Miss. It's horrifying to see her house burned down like that."
Bianca shook her head at Ruth, who was shivering.
“There’s another place I need to stop by before that.”
"Yes?"
“Let’s go to Basilion. We need to meet Hardy.
"Miss!"
It was no use for Ruth to widen her eyes.
"Just let it end like this? I can't. I can't stand it anymore. I can't wait."
All the way to Basilion House, Bianca's heart was filled with resentment and anger as well as pity for her fiancé.
It was really strange.
Bianca fell in love with the boy standing alone in the snow.
She had always believed that she was the only one who could heal and save him, who had turned his back on the world.
But when did it start?
Perhaps it was from the time she asked who 'that woman' was.
The boy was slowly dying. A strange man was slowly casting his shadow in the empty space.
He was a slovenly, slovenly man, slavishly flirting with maids and the like. He was also a weakling, a drunkard who drank alcohol and permed while his family and himself were falling into ruin.
No, that can't be. There must be a reason.
Bianca clasped her hands together tightly, unable to give up her last hope.
“What’s going on?”
Hardius was dressed in a comfortable lounge suit. He wasn't, as people had said, wearing a disheveled robe and reeking of alcohol. That fact brought a brief moment of relief, but the man's cold, hard gaze, as if inanimate, continued to make Bianca uncomfortable.
“I think I clearly expressed my intention to break up, didn’t I?”
There was no mockery or sarcasm in his tone or expression. Yet, Bianca felt a strange sense of shame. She lowered her eyes, swallowed her countless emotions with dry spit, and opened her mouth.
“Let’s talk.”
Hardius looked down at her quietly. Then he nodded.
The two moved to the study. As soon as the door closed, Bianca turned to Hardius.
“Please stop, Hardy.”
“..."
"I know you're going through a very difficult time right now. But no matter how much I think about it, this isn't right. I can't let you ruin yourself. Just because you want to break up doesn't mean I can't shake my desire to help you."
Contrary to Bianca's expectations, Hardius didn't even raise an eyebrow.
It would have been better if he had been angry, whining, or irritated. The man looking down at her with no change in expression felt like a huge wall blocking her on all sides.
"I know it's been hard because of your mother. Sure, you just want to forget everything. It's too much to handle alone. So please, ask my father for help. That's not incompetence at all."
“...”
"My parents believed in you and were waiting for you. They're working hard to gather people to rescue the Duchess. So, please come to your senses now. This is the time we need to solidify our alliance. Our relationship needs to become even stronger. You're not in your right mind. How could you send such a letter to my father in these times? Please stop this crazy thing."
Hardius remained indifferent.
“Why do you think I’m not in my right mind?”
"What?"
"When I sent the letter announcing my intention to break the alliance, my mind was clearer and more lucid than ever. I felt pity and sorrow for my mother, who had been tied to Richard and Leichnen for ten years."
“Hardy!”
Bianca burst out in laughter.
"How can you say something like that? I'm your fiancée. We're going to get married!"
“Well, I never promised you marriage.”
The man's gaze began to rapidly grow colder. Bianca stared blankly up at him, speechless.
“It was Duchess Meyer who decided on our engagement, not me.”
“Hardy...”
"Why do you act so betrayed? No matter how much I think about it, I just can't understand. Did I ever give you any room to do that? Was it because of the gift? Did something like chess feel like a token of an eternal promise? If so, I'm sorry. It was just an object, devoid of any emotion."
Bianca felt something crackle deep in her chest.
"Our engagement was a deal between our parents, and no one ever asked for my consent. And I never wanted to marry you for a single moment. And I still don't."
For a moment, her vision was dizzy, as if she'd been hit hard in the head. A swarm of bees buzzed in her head. Bianca stared at the man, her eyes blank.
Who is that man?
It's Hardius Meyer, not Hardy.
"If you break our engagement like this... even Father won't leave you alone. Meyer... your family will truly be finished. It will be over!"
“Are you threatening me?”
“No! I’m just worried! You know that, right?”
Bianca screamed, her golden eyes shaking with despair.
“Don’t do this, Hardy. Please.”
Tears slowly welled up in her eyes.
"I... waited for five years. For you. I endured and endured, thinking only of you in that prison-like convent. But how did I..."
Hardius looked down at her with colorless eyes, devoid of any sympathy or pity.
"Unfortunately, Bianca, I have no feelings for you. I'm not happy about the current situation, but I don't feel sorry or responsible either. I have no intention of clinging to you or your father or begging them to save my family. So, go back."
“How... like this...”
Bianca repeated the same words, muttering painfully.
“I’ve waited for five years, this can’t happen.”
“If you want, I am willing to compensate you.”
"Compensation?"
“Financial compensation for psychological distress and wasted time.”
The word 'money' made her throat tingle with goosebumps.
“If you could give me an amount equivalent to the suffering of the past five years and let me know, I can get a lawyer to do it for me...”
"Stop!"
Bianca screamed again.
“I want money?! Are you serious?!”
“Then what should I do? Should I get down on my knees and beg?”
The calm, questioning gaze startled Bianca.
He was sincere. He looked like he'd kneel down at any moment if he didn't have the money. It wasn't a desperate beg. It was a ruthless rejection, a refusal to cut her off at any cost.
“You... were this kind of person...”
Unlike her, who muttered in a daze as if she had lost everything, Hardius remained motionless. He simply stared at Bianca with a calm, composed expression.
The moment she realized that the tears streaming down her cheeks were tears, Bianca's heart sank.
It was miserable and shameful.
She believed he was just like her. She hoped they could be a light in each other's lives. She thought she would be his savior.
But it was all an illusion. She'd been feeling alone for the past five years. It was like the other person was standing there with a stack of unwanted gifts.
"I'm not threatening you... If my father found out about this now, I don't know what he'd think. You and your family..."
"Don't worry. Even if the vengeful Grand Duke Leichnen doesn't do anything, it'll happen anyway. The Meyer my mother built is completely crumbling."
Perhaps it was because he wasn't in his right mind. Bianca hadn't realized at the time how strange his last words were.
“If you’ve finished what you wanted to say, I’d like you to go now.”
Something that she couldn't let go of until the very end finally collapsed completely.
Oh, you really weren't.
You really have no feelings for me.
The transparent glass wall that had separated him from her shattered into pieces. The shards embedded themselves deep into her chest.
Bianca's legs were wobbly, as was her shattered pride, and walking was difficult. Still, she tried her best to walk.
She thought Hardius would say something before she actually left, even after she reached the gate.
When Bianca, unable to bear it any longer, turned around, she despaired again.
Hardius wasn't there. He didn't even think about watching her final moments.
I was nothing to you.
They were just people passing by, nothing more, nothing less.
Damn Hardius, I really hope you get ruined... I really hope you get ruined...
There was no need for Bianca to gnash her teeth and curse like that. From that day on, just as Hardius had said, Meyer began to truly fall.
Hardius's announcement of their breakup was an unacceptable shock to Bianca and a wound she found difficult to bear.
It also left her in extreme confusion.
It wasn't just a matter of emotions.
If things continue like this, Meyer will be completely ruined.
Indeed, the stock exchange on Mepix Street was in turmoil for several days. Stock prices plummeted to an unprecedented level, incomparable to the level they had experienced when news of William Richards's murder broke, and investment funds flowed out like a tidal wave. Banks immediately began selling bonds and demanding repayment of funds.
Several investors, including Duke Arthuscher, staged daily protests in front of factories and offices, some of them throwing garbage or going as far as the Basilion House to cause a ruckus.
A ban was issued on all of Meyer's mansions, villas, and estates, and the servants were kept silent as if their mouths were sewn shut.
And yet you still want to break up?
Even though things have gotten to this point?
Hardius has not made any statement up to this moment.
All kinds of rumors were circulating.
There were rumors that he was secretly plotting to save his mother, going back and forth between politics and the royal family, and that instead of making any effort, he was holed up in his villa, reveling in alcohol and women.
Whatever the truth, Bianca couldn't stand it any longer.
She was sick of herself being so clingy and persistent, but she also wanted to completely shake off 'that woman' who kept coming to mind whenever she confirmed the emotional gap between them.
There was nothing suspicious about it. She was simply a "maid," a gift from His Majesty the King, with perhaps promiscuous intentions. Yet, a strange lingering suspicion lingered in his heart.
“Ruth,”
She called the nanny.
“Prepare the carriage. I have somewhere to go.”
***
Hours later, Bianca stood before the ashes. The dusting of snow was slightly obscuring them, but the marks of fire were unmistakable.
"For forest dwellers, fire is the most frightening thing. Still, it's fortunate that no one was seriously injured or killed."
“Did that whole family really live well? Including that blonde woman?”
The mill owner frowned at Bianca's nanny, Ruth's question.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I provided lodging and food for those families who had nowhere to go?"
The mill owner said this and smacked his lips.
"By the way, I wonder if she's doing well all the way there. She's completely broke, and she even has a disabled daughter..."
"They really left for the New World? With their whole family? Did you see it firsthand?"
The mill owner shrugged.
"Oh, how would I know that? Didn't I tell you earlier that they only stayed at our house for two days, and that they received help from Mr. Boden after that? Mr. Boden, the factory owner, is a very important figure around here. I heard at the tavern a few days ago that he lent them the entire fare to the New World, interest-free, and that too. Well, I'm sure Kalia will pay it all back. Those people are definitely not the type to swindle you out of money."
“But that blonde woman. She was the Meyer family’s fiancée.”
At Ruth's words, the mill owner tilted his head, then nodded in agreement for her to continue.
"Do you know anything more about that woman? Is she still hanging out with nobles, or meeting a man of high status?"
"Well, there were rumors at one point that she would become Prince Meyer's mistress, but no one has actually seen them together or meeting secretly. In fact, there's a story that only those in the know have told."
Ruth's eyes lit up as she listened from a distance, of course, but Bianca's eyes lit up.
"The rumors about Nathan Malvin and her were even more ominous. There were even rumors that the two secretly exchanged letters, intending to leave for the New World together. I suspect that the woman who lost her home in a fire led her entire family to that distant New World, perhaps to meet Young Master Malvin."
Bianca nodded. But at the same time, she was thinking about visiting Malvin's mansion or the spinning mill.
Did Nathan Malvin really intend to leave for the New World with that woman?
If not, she can at least find out what day and time the ferry departs. Go to the port and ask for the passenger list...
Bianca, lost in thought, couldn't believe it for a moment. It gave her goosebumps.
I'm crazy. To go that far...
“If you’re really curious, I can look into it for you.”
As he spoke, the man glanced at the purse Ruth was holding. Bianca winked at her nanny.
“Yes. Here, take this.”
The nanny placed the promised money in the mill owner's hand. After parting ways with the man, the two walked toward the carriage.
"Are you feeling better now? Come on, hurry back home, Miss. It's horrifying to see her house burned down like that."
Bianca shook her head at Ruth, who was shivering.
“There’s another place I need to stop by before that.”
"Yes?"
“Let’s go to Basilion. We need to meet Hardy.
"Miss!"
It was no use for Ruth to widen her eyes.
"Just let it end like this? I can't. I can't stand it anymore. I can't wait."
All the way to Basilion House, Bianca's heart was filled with resentment and anger as well as pity for her fiancé.
It was really strange.
Bianca fell in love with the boy standing alone in the snow.
She had always believed that she was the only one who could heal and save him, who had turned his back on the world.
But when did it start?
Perhaps it was from the time she asked who 'that woman' was.
The boy was slowly dying. A strange man was slowly casting his shadow in the empty space.
He was a slovenly, slovenly man, slavishly flirting with maids and the like. He was also a weakling, a drunkard who drank alcohol and permed while his family and himself were falling into ruin.
No, that can't be. There must be a reason.
Bianca clasped her hands together tightly, unable to give up her last hope.
“What’s going on?”
Hardius was dressed in a comfortable lounge suit. He wasn't, as people had said, wearing a disheveled robe and reeking of alcohol. That fact brought a brief moment of relief, but the man's cold, hard gaze, as if inanimate, continued to make Bianca uncomfortable.
“I think I clearly expressed my intention to break up, didn’t I?”
There was no mockery or sarcasm in his tone or expression. Yet, Bianca felt a strange sense of shame. She lowered her eyes, swallowed her countless emotions with dry spit, and opened her mouth.
“Let’s talk.”
Hardius looked down at her quietly. Then he nodded.
The two moved to the study. As soon as the door closed, Bianca turned to Hardius.
“Please stop, Hardy.”
“..."
"I know you're going through a very difficult time right now. But no matter how much I think about it, this isn't right. I can't let you ruin yourself. Just because you want to break up doesn't mean I can't shake my desire to help you."
Contrary to Bianca's expectations, Hardius didn't even raise an eyebrow.
It would have been better if he had been angry, whining, or irritated. The man looking down at her with no change in expression felt like a huge wall blocking her on all sides.
"I know it's been hard because of your mother. Sure, you just want to forget everything. It's too much to handle alone. So please, ask my father for help. That's not incompetence at all."
“...”
"My parents believed in you and were waiting for you. They're working hard to gather people to rescue the Duchess. So, please come to your senses now. This is the time we need to solidify our alliance. Our relationship needs to become even stronger. You're not in your right mind. How could you send such a letter to my father in these times? Please stop this crazy thing."
Hardius remained indifferent.
“Why do you think I’m not in my right mind?”
"What?"
"When I sent the letter announcing my intention to break the alliance, my mind was clearer and more lucid than ever. I felt pity and sorrow for my mother, who had been tied to Richard and Leichnen for ten years."
“Hardy!”
Bianca burst out in laughter.
"How can you say something like that? I'm your fiancée. We're going to get married!"
“Well, I never promised you marriage.”
The man's gaze began to rapidly grow colder. Bianca stared blankly up at him, speechless.
“It was Duchess Meyer who decided on our engagement, not me.”
“Hardy...”
"Why do you act so betrayed? No matter how much I think about it, I just can't understand. Did I ever give you any room to do that? Was it because of the gift? Did something like chess feel like a token of an eternal promise? If so, I'm sorry. It was just an object, devoid of any emotion."
Bianca felt something crackle deep in her chest.
"Our engagement was a deal between our parents, and no one ever asked for my consent. And I never wanted to marry you for a single moment. And I still don't."
For a moment, her vision was dizzy, as if she'd been hit hard in the head. A swarm of bees buzzed in her head. Bianca stared at the man, her eyes blank.
Who is that man?
It's Hardius Meyer, not Hardy.
"If you break our engagement like this... even Father won't leave you alone. Meyer... your family will truly be finished. It will be over!"
“Are you threatening me?”
“No! I’m just worried! You know that, right?”
Bianca screamed, her golden eyes shaking with despair.
“Don’t do this, Hardy. Please.”
Tears slowly welled up in her eyes.
"I... waited for five years. For you. I endured and endured, thinking only of you in that prison-like convent. But how did I..."
Hardius looked down at her with colorless eyes, devoid of any sympathy or pity.
"Unfortunately, Bianca, I have no feelings for you. I'm not happy about the current situation, but I don't feel sorry or responsible either. I have no intention of clinging to you or your father or begging them to save my family. So, go back."
“How... like this...”
Bianca repeated the same words, muttering painfully.
“I’ve waited for five years, this can’t happen.”
“If you want, I am willing to compensate you.”
"Compensation?"
“Financial compensation for psychological distress and wasted time.”
The word 'money' made her throat tingle with goosebumps.
“If you could give me an amount equivalent to the suffering of the past five years and let me know, I can get a lawyer to do it for me...”
"Stop!"
Bianca screamed again.
“I want money?! Are you serious?!”
“Then what should I do? Should I get down on my knees and beg?”
The calm, questioning gaze startled Bianca.
He was sincere. He looked like he'd kneel down at any moment if he didn't have the money. It wasn't a desperate beg. It was a ruthless rejection, a refusal to cut her off at any cost.
“You... were this kind of person...”
Unlike her, who muttered in a daze as if she had lost everything, Hardius remained motionless. He simply stared at Bianca with a calm, composed expression.
The moment she realized that the tears streaming down her cheeks were tears, Bianca's heart sank.
It was miserable and shameful.
She believed he was just like her. She hoped they could be a light in each other's lives. She thought she would be his savior.
But it was all an illusion. She'd been feeling alone for the past five years. It was like the other person was standing there with a stack of unwanted gifts.
"I'm not threatening you... If my father found out about this now, I don't know what he'd think. You and your family..."
"Don't worry. Even if the vengeful Grand Duke Leichnen doesn't do anything, it'll happen anyway. The Meyer my mother built is completely crumbling."
Perhaps it was because he wasn't in his right mind. Bianca hadn't realized at the time how strange his last words were.
“If you’ve finished what you wanted to say, I’d like you to go now.”
Something that she couldn't let go of until the very end finally collapsed completely.
Oh, you really weren't.
You really have no feelings for me.
The transparent glass wall that had separated him from her shattered into pieces. The shards embedded themselves deep into her chest.
Bianca's legs were wobbly, as was her shattered pride, and walking was difficult. Still, she tried her best to walk.
She thought Hardius would say something before she actually left, even after she reached the gate.
When Bianca, unable to bear it any longer, turned around, she despaired again.
Hardius wasn't there. He didn't even think about watching her final moments.
I was nothing to you.
They were just people passing by, nothing more, nothing less.
Damn Hardius, I really hope you get ruined... I really hope you get ruined...
There was no need for Bianca to gnash her teeth and curse like that. From that day on, just as Hardius had said, Meyer began to truly fall.
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