Love Doesn’t Matter

ancé’s duties are not one-sided.
I can’t impose it on you only.”
“It’s really fine.
I didn’t think in the slightest about wanting to go with the Young Master…”
“I can’t give a definite answer either.
Just don’t cancel it.”

She must reject it more strongly.
If it doesn’t work out, she was thinking of suddenly screaming, even if she didn’t like it.

But why doesn’t her tongue move? Why is her heart beating like this again?

Emilia was devastated when she realized that what was rising in her heart was anticipation.
Fear and excitement were intricately intertwined like a ball of yarn.

The last silence lasted much longer than before.
By the time the lamp wick had burned more than half, Hadius’ mouth opened again.

He reached out and opened the door slightly.
The heavy rain had subsided, but it was still pouring.

Hadius looked up at the sky and then looked back at Emilia, as if he had made up his mind.

“Wait here.
I will get Beppy to bring you clothes and an umbrella.
I have to go straight to Nowak, so let’s say goodbye here.”
“No, let’s go together.”

Emilia jumped to her feet, with the blanket wrapped around her.

“Just stay here.”

The look in the man’s eyes was too stubborn.
She had no choice but to sit down again, with the trembling she wanted to deny.

“Tell me the date and place.”
“What?”
“The ball.”
“Ah…”

Thinking, ‘What’s wrong with me?’, Emilia reproached herself; but with her mouth, she recited exactly what Countess Lüen had said.

“Tell me if there is anything you need.”
“Anything… I need?”
“Something like a dress or an accessory.”

Emilia shook her head vigorously.

“No, I can take care of that on my own.”

Hadius stared at Emilia, silently.
The eyes that were seeing through her did not contain any emotions, but it seemed like they were criticizing her shabby dress.

“If you are perhaps worried that my outfit won’t meet your standards…”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”

She felt sincerity in his strong tone of voice.

She knows.
Hadius didn’t say that simply because he was ashamed of his fiancée wearing shabby clothes.
Despite that, Emilia was upset for no reason.

“Anyway, I don’t want it.
I don’t want to receive anything from the Young Master anymore.”
“You are the fiancée of the Meyer family.
You are attending a social event while wearing the family name.”
“This family talk is extremely tiresome.”

Emilia made more sarcastic remarks on purpose, and Hadius pretended not to hear.

“We’ll talk about that later.”

He opened the door wide open.

“Then, goodbye.”

Without even giving her a chance to answer, his sturdy figure disappeared into the rain.

***

Hadius didn’t arrive at the Basilion House until it was late at night.

When the lights of the carriage broke through the dim darkness and reached the signboard with the family crest, Tobias, the butler, opened the door as if had been waiting.

He noticed immediately that the clothes his Master was wearing were different from the ones he wore when he departed.
His hair, which had become disheveled from being wet in the rain, was also different from usual.

“Young Master…”
“I got caught in the rain by accident.”

Hadius tapped on the butler’s shoulder, as if telling him not to worry, and went straight to the bathroom.

The servants became busy.
Pip, the starter maid, drew the bath and prepared the bed while his Master changed his clothes.

A few moments later, Hadius immersed his body in the hot water.
His stiff muscles relaxed, and something that had been raging in his heart snapped.

He couldn’t control his impulse to do something that wasn’t planned.
He can’t believe they’re going to a ball together…

It was as unexpected as the sudden heavy rain.
His plan must be immediately revised and each variable calculated.

What should he do first?

He should start by moving up the breakfast meeting with the King and the parliament members.
He should check the attendance list once again.
He must not forget to contact Huntington and other newspaper reporters in advance.
For now, building up the public opinion is the top priority.
That will make the rest easier…

Hadius’ busy mind became blocked in an instant.

Since there was a setback, there weren’t just one or two things he had to prepare; but his thoughts kept getting scattered like grains of sand.

A thin wrist held tightly in his hand, and a delicate scent, like wildflowers.
Shouting they could get away from the rain over there, with an extremely innocent face…

Hadius closed his eyes, firmly.
It was a gesture to shake it off; but, far from that, the lingering scent spread even deeper in the hot steam.

“Damn it.”

The arm that was extended in the bathtub covered his eyes with difficulty.