Chapter 103

Chapter 103 – There Is Nothing To Be Done

“Bianca!”

“Mrs. Meyer!”

The two embraced warmly, and Ruth quietly stepped aside. Bianca immediately led Caitlyn to the table.

Before Caitlyn even sat down, she began explaining, as if offering an excuse, the unfortunate events that had occurred in Elinger. She also expressed her regret over the cancellation of the graduation ceremony and Hadius’ birthday party.

“I feel ashamed in front of you. I thought you two would be together, walking around Mepix’ shopping district, planning your wedding… I’m sorry.”

Caitlyn cautiously studied Bianca’s face. Contrary to her concerns, Bianca’s smooth face didn’t show any shadow.

“Why should you be sorry? It’s not like Hadius deliberately caused the strike or anything.”

At that moment, a maid brought tea and dessert. The two paused and exchanged affectionate smiles.

“Oh, by the way, your father said he had something important to discuss with you. What’s the matter?”

“Ah…”

Bianca hesitated for a moment. If it weren’t for the incident at the festival, she would have brought up William Richards’ story.

After all, she had decided to mediate between them.

But Bianca discovered her own weakness in everything.

“I’ll tell you later. When Hadius resolves his work and returns.”

Caitlyn couldn’t hide her curiosity, but Bianca smiled brightly and changed the subject, talking about the newly opened amusement park and the popular dice game among the young nobles.

“Well, the carousel that carries people actually spins around. It’s powered by steam, you know. It was so much fun that I rode it four times.”

Bianca continued chatting enthusiastically about the arcade-style department store opening in Mepix and the recent trend of dice games among the young elite.

However, deep inside, her heart was boiling.

The Duchess surely has no idea, right? About the relationship her son had with his former fiancée?

What should she do? Should she just close her eyes and confess?

Caitlyn couldn’t understand Bianca’s inner turmoil and kept trying to cheer her up.

“Oh, by the way, you said you had a cold recently? Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes, thanks to your concern, I’ve recovered completely.”

Bianca beamed and raised her arms. She couldn’t help but think that she resembled a stage actress…

“He didn’t come to visit you because he said he had a cold? I don’t know what you think, but that boy has always been like that. He rarely visits my father, too. I hope you don’t feel too disappointed.”

“Disappointed? I told him not to come.”

Seeing Bianca’s crescent-shaped eyes, Caitlyn couldn’t help but smirk. She had no choice but to laugh.

“Bianca, even though I know you well, I still can’t figure you out. Anyone would feel hurt in this situation.”

“If we had deep affection and a loving relationship, we might have felt hurt. But that’s not the case with Hadius and me. We haven’t built up stories like a mountain, and we don’t have memories to share. If I had been more affectionate, it would have been more difficult.”

Caitlyn arched her eyebrow and gazed at Bianca, her eyes filled with affection.

“If it weren’t for the King, this awkwardness between you and Hadius wouldn’t have happened.”

“Yes, you’re right. It would have been so much better if we had just gotten married quickly.”

“I can’t help but think that everyone suffered because of me. The past five years were difficult for everyone. Not just us Meyers, but your family as well, even that child.”

Suddenly, the mention of ‘that child’ became a dagger that stabbed deeply into Bianca’s heart. Her perfectly smiling face twisted, revealing the anger and buried emotions within her chest.

Unaware of everything, Caitlyn continued speaking without pause.

“I sent him a letter saying I wouldn’t do it.”

“I never once referred to that child as ‘fiancée.’ Honestly, it’s not a ‘broken engagement,’ but rather an ‘engagement cancellation.’ It was truly dreadful every time I saw her. Isn’t that right? That child’s sister is a wretch. Heinous, cursed lineage with that beast’s blood…”

Caitlyn shuddered as if the mere thought was horrifying.

“But isn’t time terrifying? Now that I’ve broken off the engagement, I think I was too harsh. There was no need to go that far. It’s a bit pitiful…”

“…I feel the same way, my lady.”

Bianca felt disgusted with herself for answering like that.

For the past few days, a venomous snake had been growing in her heart. And, cowardly, it was directed not toward Hadius, but toward a woman she didn’t even know.

How persistently she had tried to seduce her.

Just like I imitate the graceful and forgiving noblewoman, that woman must have perfectly hidden her sinister intentions and played the pitiful heroine in front of Hadius.

Bianca couldn’t stop such thoughts, even though she knew they were baseless speculations born out of jealousy and inferiority.

Why is the protagonist always a lover or a noble? Not someone like me, a spouse who believes in and patiently waits.

For a moment, Bianca felt a painful sympathy for the opposite side, Lady Meyer.

That Lady Meyer was the woman who had been the most rotten inside because of that problem in Nowak.

Bianca couldn’t hold it back any longer and spoke up.

“Do you know? I sincerely admire you, my lady. I truly think you are remarkable. How can you be so forgiving…”

Caitlyn put down her teacup and looked at Bianca. The question of what that meant was evident in her black pupils, filled with doubt.

“I’m not sure if I should say this, but it’s about your attitude toward that woman from a long time ago. I was sincerely in awe.”

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow and asked, “Huh?”

“Was her name ‘Kanoa’?”

The name Bianca blurted out unintentionally elicited an unexpected result.

Caitlyn felt her surroundings turn pale, and her hair stood on end. No one dared to speak that name aloud, except for that overly cheerful prospective daughter-in-law.

“Ah…”

Caitlyn managed to force a smile. She had to exert all her strength to hide her trembling body.

“Just thinking about Hadius’ reaction to that woman… It feels like everything will explode here.”

Bianca pressed her chest as if she wanted to tear it apart.

“I can’t stand it anymore… I want to bite, scratch, and tear it apart…”

In an instant, the momentary flash of brutality that had startled Ruth reignited in her eyes.

Of course, Caitlyn didn’t notice at all. The two women were intoxicated with their own emotions and had no opportunity to scrutinize each other.

“How can this world… allow such a vulgar existence? Marriage is sacred, whether it’s a man or a woman… How can they engage in such base and dirty acts?”

“…”

“And yet, my lady, you showed compassionate tolerance instead of frivolous speculation.”

Bianca underwent an instantaneous transformation. She returned to being that praised Young Lady of Reinen, including her parents.

“I truly, sincerely, want to resemble you, my lady. I want to live my life confidently, just like you, without clinging pitifully or jealously. That’s ultimately winning. It’s a dignified victory,” Caitlyn said, swirling her tea and feigning a thoughtful expression.

“Kanoa Schumann eventually faced punishment. He was robbed and burned to death in a carriage along with the illegitimate child,” she continued.

“…Yes,” she could barely manage a response, but Caitlyn couldn’t bear it any longer.

The memories she wanted to forget forever, of Kanoa Schumann and the illegitimate child, resurfaced and tangled her mind. No matter how hard she tried, her face kept stiffening, and she couldn’t stop the cold sweat from trickling down.

“For heaven’s sake, get a hold of yourself,” she finally exclaimed, setting her teacup down with a clatter.

“Can you believe how time flies? I was supposed to meet Lady Hailstone this afternoon!”

“Oh, really?” Bianca feigned sympathy and forced a small smile.

“I’m sorry, Bianca.”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to apologize,” Bianca reassured her, calling for a maid to prepare Caitlyn’s hat and coat.

“I wanted to spend the whole day talking with you and have dinner together. It’s such a disappointment.”

“Perhaps I should arrange for a carriage if you need one? Moving requires transportation, after all.”

“No, it’s okay. I can ask Uncle for help.”

‘Uncle’ referred to Mr. Beppy.

Emilia disguised Mr. Beppy as her uncle, and she could only cover the sentence engraved on the carriage with a piece of cloth. She wondered if it was necessary to lie to such an extent, yet her heart continued to be uneasy.

“Promise me. The next time we meet, there will be no need to hide. I will become Duke Meyer.”

Whenever she recalled that day’s Hadius, her instincts whispered.

Until then, she must hide without fail. Everything must be kept secret.

“I’m really grateful. Your advice was exactly what I needed. ‘Trust, not order, is needed for happiness.’”

Ingrid smiled at Pip.

“Well, I’m glad you feel relieved. Shall we go to Hadel?”

Hadel was the name of the street where Emilia would soon be living.

“Yes. Goodbye.”

Emilia left the restaurant with Beppy and headed straight to Hadel.

While gazing down at the bundle of keys she received from Ingrid, she suddenly realized that she hadn’t yet asked Beppy if they could live together.

“Uncle,”

Emilia spoke, meeting his eyes, so large like a calf’s.

“It seems like we’ll be living in Reinsburgh soon. What do you think, Uncle?”

Beppy blinked as if he had heard a foreign language from a distant land.

“If Uncle is fine, I want to keep living together. I consider our relationship as not just a servant, but as family. The new house we’ll be living in has plenty of rooms. We won’t need to stay in the stable, and we can also grow fruits in the orchard and raise Kang together.”

“…”

“I’m asking for Uncle’s opinion because if we live together, I won’t be able to receive wages or horse care expenses from Duke Meyer anymore. To be precise, it means severing ties with Duke Meyer. I shouldn’t visit or contact the Basilion House for the time being. Of course, I’ll provide the money. It’s about that money box I asked you to keep for me before. It belongs to you.”

Beppy’s face showed no change in expression.

“Uncle is free. Uncle has a choice. I want to live with you, of course…”

“I hate it!”

Emilia flinched, startled by the thunderous shout that echoed, as did the passersby, and shrank her body away.

“Beppy will protect Emilia! Beppy is a good servant! Beppy will protect Emilia! Beppy is a good servant!”

“Ah, I understand.”

“Beppy lives with Emilia! Beppy is a good servant! Beppy lives with Emilia!”

“Ah, I understand. Uncle, wait, calm down.”

Rattled while trying to appease him, Emilia couldn’t help but give way to laughter that seeped out intermittently.

The thunderous shout, as if piercing the sky, came to an abrupt halt as Emilia almost pleaded.

“It didn’t mean to say goodbye. I thought maybe you’d want to live with Laura.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Emilia became curious about Laura’s whereabouts. She hadn’t been able to see the girl since she firmly rejected her.

Come to think of it, why didn’t Laura come to the festival if she lived in Sitmer?

“Oh, by the way, how is Laura? I heard there was going to be a wedding…”

“Laura got married. Laura got married. We couldn’t have a wedding.”

Emilia stopped pulling the reins abruptly.

“Why?”

“There’s a baby living here.”

Beppy suddenly patted his belly. Emilia’s eyes widened, not understanding what he meant.

“We’ll meet the baby next Easter. We’ll meet the baby.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!”

She exclaimed with a wide smile, and suddenly Emilia understood like a bolt of lightning.

Pregnancy.

Suddenly, her breath was taken away, and her whole body began to tremble. Shocked, her hands reached for her flat belly for no reason.

Yes, pregnancy.

Every female in the world doesn’t wander while pregnant, Emilia knew that much.

But…

There was no wander.

Bianca bid farewell to Caitlyn then lay back on the outdoor bed. The clear autumn sky, the cool breeze, and the warm crackling of the firewood embraced her body, bringing a sense of delight.

Closing her eyes, Bianca suppressed the surging turmoil in her chest. Was this also a process of becoming a mature adult? She had thought that she could lay bare all the facts in front of Lady Meyer, the Duchess, and seek her assistance. However, Bianca realized that she could never do such a thing.

Why is it that women can’t confide in anyone about their husband’s lover or that mistress? Only now did she truly understand. On the one hand, she felt betrayed. I haven’t done anything wrong. Though it was heinous of Hadius to break his promise and meet another woman, why do I feel so ashamed and wounded in my pride?

Damn it, Hadius.

Bianca covered her face with one arm. Along with the gently rustling wind, she heard a voice echo from somewhere.

“You’re going to marry him soon. So even if you make a little trouble, it won’t be a big flaw. After all, the two of you are going to be married, and between spouses, it doesn’t become such a big blemish.”

William Richards.

Should I go and see him instead?

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