Chapter 24: 24

Chapter 24 – Public Opinion

The day of the breakfast meeting.
The reception room at the Ricardi Palace was crowded since early morning, with eight members of the parliament.

Among them was Darrenton Hockney, called the Godfather of the parliamentary faction. The same person Mitch told his sister, Emilia, about.
It was no coincidence that Darrenton Hockney’s grandson was attending the same school as Mitch, and that the child recently spoke to Mitch about a ‘poor commoner girl engaged to a noble family’.

After a while, the King appeared, and the eight members politely greeted him. They all moved to the dining room.

Having breakfast while exchanging a casual conversation was impossible from the beginning. Some of the members, dissatisfied, had blurted out extreme remarks from the start, such as ‘protesters’, ‘commoner’s rights’, and ‘reform’. Of course, Josef never lost his smile.

“The world is changing. In the end, the Rochester bill is also for the royal family. Giving commoners the right to vote means that taxes will increase soon.”
“Exactly. Why would landowners oppose the bill? Because they are afraid that the commoners will become workers. It looks like their cash cow is going to disappear, so who would like that?”

Josef pretended to be deeply sympathetic and waited for the right moment to talk about Hadius Meyer’s fiancée.

“Many commoners are complaining about the tyranny of the thoughtless nobles. Although years have passed since Your Majesty announced the Equality Act, we know that discrimination is more severe than ever. Commoners still use honorifics to address nobles, and marriage is forbidden…”

Now.

With a quite serious expression, Josef interrupted, saying, “Ah, come to think of it…”

“As I was listening, it suddenly came to my mind. About that engagement I set up. The engagement I ordered 5 years ago with the successor of the Meyer family… That… Who was it…”

Raising his hand as if he had been waiting was the gray-haired assemblyman Darrenton Hockney.

“You mean Jim Bern’s daughter, Your Majesty?”

Josef nodded, saying, “Ah, that’s right!”, following the script.

“It’s not something to be brought up in a place like this… Since Your Majesty talked about it first, may I say something?”

Josef tilted his head and said, “I allow it.”

“It’s something I heard myself recently…”

Emilia Bern was finally the topic of conversation.

Hockney continued, saying that a weak and poor commoner woman was being treated unfairly just because she was engaged to a nobleman.
Assemblyman Hockney’s story was mixed with some exaggeration. However, talking about the weak messes with a person’s sensibility. Some radical members, who were crying out for equality and reform, started getting incredibly angry.

“It is truly heartless and pitiful. The times are changing, how can they do that!”
“I can’t believe that a great noble family like Meyer is doing something so cruel and despicable just because the fiancée is a commoner.”

At the end of the breakfast meeting, Josef, who had only been listening, played his final part.

“I forcibly ordered her to get engaged and left her alone for 5 years, I’ve been so inattentive. I think I made a big mistake. The weaker the people, the more I should have protected and taken care of…”

The King sighed and opened his mouth again.

“What does everyone think? Didn’t you create a party to represent the common people? I’d love to hear some advice on how to deal with this matter.”

Chaos broke out on the table. Even so, they couldn’t openly blame the King.
The arrow naturally headed for the Meyer family.

“Even though there is a parliament, this country undoubtedly belongs to Your Majesty. I think the Meyer family is the most responsible for not faithfully fulfilling the King’s command.”
“Exactly. Who dares to blame our dignified King? The head of the Meyer family is actually Caitlyn Meyer. You must have her apologize and explain herself officially.”
“You are right. I can’t believe she is neglecting the fiancée that Your Majesty appointed like that!”
“Don’t worry. If it doesn’t work, the parliament will take action.”

That wasn’t the end.

After the breakfast meeting, some journalists approached the parliament members, who were leaving the palace, as if they had waited. Inquiring about the Rochester Bill, they asked at the end of the interview whether marriage between commoners and nobles would be allowed by law if the bill was passed.

The parliament members, as if they had been waiting, talked about the fiancée of the Meyer family. It was mostly condemning the Meyers, who ignored the royal command and neglected their fiancée.

Every conversation that took place at the breakfast meeting was being printed in the newspapers. All set to spread everywhere.

***

The next morning, the butler, Tobias, knocked on the door of Hadius’ room with coffee and a newspaper, as usual. The front page of the newspaper was filled with articles about the Rochester Bill.

As he turned one page, Hadius’ much awaited comment was printed in a reasonable size.

[The Meyer Family’s Abandoned Fiancée]

It was a good title.

He smiled, satisfied, and reached out to the music box on the desk. As the clockwork winded, a beautiful melody filled the study.

***

“Can he go to the ball with you like that? Did he get his mother’s permission?”

Those words haunted Emilia all week.

Eventually, she picked up a pen and paper. She didn’t have the courage to go and talk to Hadius in person, so she decided to write a letter.

[I am not going to attend the ball.]

It was easy to get started. However, it was difficult to explain why. No matter how you look at it, she can’t just say, ‘I don’t want to go because I am scared of your mother.’

Emilia almost had to rip her head off to write the next letter.

[I would like to get permission from His Majesty the King and end this ambiguous situation as soon as possible…]

She was writing with much difficulty until her legs were tingling, and she suddenly thought it was too quiet. Emilia looked around the empty house.
Where is Charlotte? She definitely said she was going to ride on the swing.

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At that moment, a very strange sound came from outside the window. It was the sound of Charlotte laughing.

What’s going on? She is a child that rarely laughs out loud.

Emilia put down the pen and approached the window. In an instant, her body stiffened, and she doubted her eyes.

Hadius was there. And he was pushing Charlotte’s swing.

The sleeves on his shirt were rolled up.
The jacket he hung loosely on a tree branch fluttered in the wind. His dark hair, which made Emilia’s heart race every time, was swaying gently.

Charlotte burst into laughter every time she went high in the sky. There was even a light smile on the mouth of the man who is never agitated.

As Emilia frantically opened the door and went out, Brave, sleeping lazily in the garden, raised its head. Charlotte, who has a good hearing, twisted her body towards her sister; and Mister Beppy, sitting on a tree stump, straightened his back.

And lastly, Hadius finally turned his head.

His silver eyes, which were smiling at the child, met her mesmerizing blue eyes with sincerity. Despite her resolution to be fine, everything in the world started disappearing.
The jawline of the man she was facing slowly curled up in a smooth curve. Dimples appeared on his cheek, which was smooth like a statue.

“Sister? Come here!”

Charlotte shouted. Emilia had to somehow get out of the heart-breaking crisis.

“… Why are you here?”

Hadius greeted her by raising his arm. He pushed the swing, which was slowing down, again, as if Charlotte was the most important at this moment. The child soared high in the sky with a cheerful scream.

Emilia couldn’t watch anymore.

“Charlotte, stop now and come in. You’re supposed to study braille!”

For better or worse, Charlotte didn’t say no. The child immediately turned to Hadius and said, “Please put me down. Let’s stop now.”, shyly.

Hadius grabbed Charlotte and swing rope at the same time. The wobbly swing stopped in an instant, and he lifted the child up and put her down.

“Was it fun?”, Hadius’ friendly hand messed Charlotte’s hair. Charlotte laughed again.

The transparent sunlight shimmered brightly over the shoulders of the two people. They looked like an affectionate father and daughter, and her heart pounded for some reason.

Indescribable fear started rising, like a solid wall.
Charlotte should not be allowed to take a liking to Hadius. Never!

“Go inside quickly. Sister has something to talk about with the Young Master.”

Sending the child home, Emilia stared coldly at Hadius.

“What’s the matter?”

He looked down at Emilia for a long time with his calm and polite look.

“Are you ready?”
“Ready?”
“For the ball.”

Emilia’s mouth, which was about to open foolishly, stiffened.

“I was just writing a letter to the Young Master about that.”
“A letter?”
“Let’s just forget about the ball.”

Emilia blurted out at once.

“Why did you change your mind?”
“I cannot say that my mind has changed. I had no intentions of going with the Young Master in the first place. It was raining that day, and I lost my judgment because I was out of my mind. Even if the graduation ceremony is unavoidable, the ball isn’t. I don’t have to go.”

Despite the strong rejection, the achromatic pupils did not waver.

In an instant, the indignation welled up. How much stronger does she have to refuse? Why does he keep pretending he doesn’t understand?

“I’m a little anxious.”
“About what?”
“The Young Master’s Mother. I promised Mrs. Meyer that day when she came to visit. In return for letting me continue living here, I won’t ask for anything more.”

Hadius seemed to think about something, without saying a word, and then suddenly turned around. He raised his arm towards the carriage that was stopped far away. The coachman immediately understood and approached them. There was something like a piece of paper in the coachman’s hand.

“The situation has changed, Emilia.”

What is he talking about? With his eyes wide open, the coachman arrived right in front of him. He handed Hadius what he was holding. A newspaper popped up in front of Emilia, who was confused.

“Read this. It would be better than listening to my explanation. If you understand it logically, you will cooperate.”
“… Cooperate?”

Emilia quickly took the newspaper, and Hadius sat on the swing. She found it as soon as she opened the newspaper.

[The Meyer Family’s Abandoned Fiancée]

Emilia was pale from the start. Her trembling eyes read the commentary without hesitation. Following the provocative title, the text was full of criticism towards the Meyer family. The final paragraph was even more shocking.

[… Their engagement is an undeniable royal command, and their matrimony is sacred. We are looking forward to it. May the Meyer family keep the sacred promise of marriage, as a great noble family recognized for their contributions to the country. If perhaps that doesn’t happen, the matter will be officially presented in the parliament.]

“How did this…”

She turned to Hadius, shocked. Hadius raised himself from the swing with a tranquil expression.

“Now… This kind of thing… What do we do?!”
“Unfortunately, the ball cannot be avoided. I must show it to people for the time being.”
“S-show what?”
“That I am keeping the promise.”

The long body cast a shadow over Emilia, as if covering her.

“Something like a beautiful lover who faithfully follows His Majesty’s orders.”

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