Chapter 77

Chapter 77

“Portable stove…?”

Haras asked again, raising his eyes. He was considering the usefulness and convenience that a portable stove would bring. After thinking about it for a moment, the answer came. This was definitely an invention that would build great wealth.

He listened to Eric’s next words, completely forgetting the purpose of coming to discuss the workers’ strike.

“Yes. It has already been completed, and I am waiting for a patent application for commercialization.”

“Waiting?!”

Haras exclaimed, looking visibly surprised. The gesture was exaggerated, like an actor on stage.

“If you had told me, it would have been approved that day! Why didn’t you contact me?”

Eric was expecting something like this to come out. He looked at Haras with a puzzled face.

“Because I can’t bother you.”

“Bothering me? Never…! You don’t seem to know how much I care for you!”

Checking Eric for his seemingly distrustful attitude towards himself, Haras frowned at him and raised his voice.

“I’ll get the patent approved as soon as I get back. If that happens, will we be able to commercialize it right away?”

While Eric laughed and nodded his head, Haras’ face immediately brightened.

“Then, are you thinking of expanding the factory further?”

“No.”

Eric shook his head.

“I am thinking of firing all the workers who are currently protesting. And we’re going to hire new ones. People who are a little more obedient, more compliant, and won’t rebel if you ask them to do more.”

He completely forgot that he had lived a life of being a worker in the past, or not even a worker. Even though he may be living his life trying to forget it, that was the only way he could live. For him, erasing his past and living as a capitalist was the same as surviving.

“Good idea. A very good idea!”

As Haras was also a human similar to him, Eric’s words were so obvious to him. The workers were the ones who could be rehired at a cheap price anyway.

“If that happens, this strike will also subside. You have to hurry. Before the reporters smell it.”

“You just have to give them money anyway. If you give them money, what can we not use?”

“Haha! That, too!”

Haras cheered Eric in applause.

“I will help you with that as well. I will do my best not to worry.”

“Thank you for always.”

At those words, Eric bowed his head and expressed his gratitude, and Haras could feel that his compliant attitude made him feel better.

“I was really worried because the money invested in your factory is not a penny or two, though to come with something new like this! It’s a product that seems to be flocking with orders from all over the place once it’s released! You really are a genius, Marquis. Genius!”

He praised him so much that Eric’s face grew hot. Eric chuckled and tugged at his chin.

“Thank you.”

Haras, reminding himself that he had summoned Eric from the lab and that he would have to step aside for the launch of the portable stove, made the decision to get up.

“Yes. Looks like I’ve been holding onto you for too long. I’ll just go back.”

“Let’s have a drink and go.”

“No, no. Aren’t you the one who has to work? What do you mean by having a drink?”

Haras smiled and patted Eric on the shoulder.

“I want to say something before I go back.”

And he puts on a meaningful smile. Eric’s eyebrows narrowed slightly.

“Women are always coming and going. Today you feel good while tomorrow you feel bad, happy in the morning, unhappy in the evening. It’s a race that rational people like us don’t understand the most. I mean, I don’t take it too seriously. You have enough women, right?”

“….”

Sure enough, Haras talked about Chloe.

Eric licked his lips and sighed.

“I was wrong.”

He shook his head.

“My fault led me to live a life of being unhappy in the morning and unhappy in the evening.”

That was right. Since it was he who made Chloe unhappy, he couldn’t blame her. He was not even to blame.

“Perhaps Chloe is more rational than I am.”

Normally, Eric would never have shown his true feelings to Haras. Although he uttered this without thinking like a confession, Haras only looked at him in a pitiful way.

“Even if I comfort you, you won’t understand.”

He had heard right away that Eric had gone half mad since Chloe left.

Soon, a question arose, why the hell would someone like the Marquis hang himself on something like her? Wasn’t Chloe just such a woman? She was the son of the Ducal family, but the Ducal family was also ruined by debt.

What was the Marquis regretting?

From Haras’ point of view, it was completely incomprehensible.

It was a natural thought for Haras, who had no idea that a cold and unfeeling man like Eric could love or that he had finally realized true love. He, of course, had no real love interest, and he was never going to be interested.

“If you keep your eyes on a woman like Chloe, your value could be diminished. This is an advice from the bottom of my heart.”

“Your Highness…”

“Chloe, yes. She’s suitable for a guy like William.”

At those words, Eric’s eyebrows twitched. He wanted to put his fist in the face of the Second Prince right now, but despite being so angry, he couldn’t.

D*mn it, d*mn it!

He clenched his fists and tucked his chin.

“Anyway, the patent application will get approved today. And, you know what…”

Haras slightly raised his eyes. Eric, who managed to hold back his anger and maintain a rational attitude, answered with a low sigh.

“I will give you the right to sell first.”

“I knew it!”

He swiftly spread his arms around Eric’s shoulders.

“I’ve never seen anyone as rational as you.”

Eric closed his eyes tightly and swallowed a gulp. If he didn’t do that, he couldn’t contain the anger that welled up.

“Cheer up.”

Today was a really terrible day. Eric thought so.

“I’ve never seen anyone as rational as you.”

Pouring whiskey into a glass, Eric pondered over the words Haras had left behind.

Rational, what?

He put down his ice tongs and cupped his face with one hand. If he had been really rational or if he had been like the past, nothing like today would have happened… no, to be precise, he would never hold onto Chloe and try to get her back.

Still, he had to admit it.

He knew that he was not a rational person but an emotional person. That was why he fell in love with Chloe… changed because of her love… and wanting to try to save her somehow…

…Why doesn’t Chloe want to live?

Eric suddenly realized that it was more important for him to instill in her the will to live than to keep Chloe alive.

The will to live. What was it?

He pondered what was holding up his life.

…It was money. Money and honor.

He was able to live his life with just these two things. That was in the past, however, after he met Chloe, in other words, after recognizing that he loved her, he felt deeply that he had put love ahead of money and honor.

But on the other hand, he came to think that if true love took precedence, he should have devoted himself to her rather than selling the portable stove he had developed for Chloe.

Nonetheless, he didn’t want to give up on this.

Filled with money and honor to the core, there were still many things he couldn’t give up so Eric hated himself terribly.

“Whoo.”

He let out a deep sigh and lifted his head.

The will to live. The will to live… what was the driving force that allowed Chloe to live her life?

Eric was really curious about that.

Swoosh, crash!

Chloe was gazing out to sea.

It was early in the morning, but after tossing and turning all night, she couldn’t fall asleep, so she came out at dawn and had no choice but to sit on the beach. She felt like if she stayed in her room, she would be consumed by her true thoughts.

She had many thoughts.

No, it would be more accurate to say that it has increased. It was the aftermath of Eric visiting her. Chloe thought there was a lot going on this time, and it gave her so much realization and so much sadness.

Even though his prosthetic leg didn’t give her as much shock, it was because of what he said.

“It’s rather bad. Be mean so I can hate you!”

“Why didn’t you do that, why did you make me love you?

Chloe closed her eyes tightly, but Eric’s voice still lingered in his head.

“I, too, have loved you since then. Looking back, it was love.”

“Even now, I don’t want to let go of this love I have realized.”

She scratched her arms with her fingernails and dropped her head between her knees.

“So Chloe. Come back now, please.”

She didn’t fully believe that Eric loved her, that he had loved her before… she didn’t believe it. How could she believe it? There were actions and words that he had shown himself so far. Still, she couldn’t deny that she was shaken… even the fact that she still loved him.

Yes, she admitted it.

Chloe was shaken by Eric.

‘But…’

It could not be denied that this made her even more convinced that she should not go back. Eric only realized his feelings after Chloe left, and that was why he said he loved her.

…What if she went back in this situation?

Wouldn’t it be like the past again?

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