Love Doesn’t Matter - Chapter 23 – Trophy

Chapter 23 – Trophy

Hadius’ aide, Grozhang, was extremely busy. Because his master kept calling him to the study.

4 o’clock, 8 o’clock, 14 o’clock… The time was inconsistent, and the amount of work was doubled. Grozhang quickly became haggard.

Right now, it’s again 17 o’clock.

He couldn’t keep his promise to eat dinner with his wife and children and had to be dragged to the Basilion House.

Since when?

Probably since the day after the sudden rain.

The Young Master was unusually sensitive. There wasn’t any disruption on his smooth, sculpture-like face, but whenever he faced his achromatic pupils, Grozhang seemed to repeat the same thing over and over again.

“What is the situation at Krambitz?”

Today too Hadius asked about his mother’s activity.

“Nothing special happened. Mrs. Meyer seemed more relieved after meeting Miss Bern in person. According to the informants, she seems remarkably comfortable lately.”
“What about the rest?”

He turned the page of the notebook.

“There’s nothing that stands out in either Lord Reinen or Assemblyman Richard’s side. There has been absolutely no movement, like the three of them meeting in secret or planning something new.”

Hadius stood motionless, looking outside the window. There were endless stacks of documents on the desk, and the teacup has been cold for a long time.

Did he even sleep?
According to the maid, the master’s bed is too clean, with no signs of him lying down for two days in a row.

But Hadius looked so energetic that it was hard to believe he had stayed up for several nights.

“No one will ever know that the Young Master met with His Majesty the King in secret. You can relax for a moment.”
“I’m not sure. The woman that is my Mother is not that easy.”

Hadius mumbled coldly and crossed his arms. The shirt was pulled tight, and the strong muscles hidden under the long, slim physique twitched nicely.

“There is a bit of a setback in the plan. All schedules have to be moved up.”

Hadius pulled something out of a drawer and handed it to Grozhang.

“It’s a secret letter. Set off to Ricardi Palace right now. I want you to deliver it directly to the King.”
“… Yes, I understand.”

Grozhang put the letter deep in the inside pocket of his jacket.

“Grozhang,”

Just before he crossed the threshold, Hadius called him.

“Within a few days, some items will arrive at your house. Things for your wife and children.”

Realizing what he meant, Grozhang bowed his head, hiding his surprise.
The payment he received in return for betraying Caitlyn Meyer was enormous. However, Hadius used to give gifts to his family whenever he could.

“… Thank you.”

***

Josef, who secretly received a letter from Grozhang that evening, carefully opened it only when he came to his bedroom.

“Your Majesty, what does it say?”

Queen Yvonne, who was next to him, could not hide her impatience. As he was a King known for being a devoted husband, Yvonne, the Queen, was already aware of the secret dealings surrounding the mine.

“He is asking to move up the breakfast meeting.”
“Breakfast meeting?”
“That’s right. It is one of the three conditions of the deal he mentioned. He told me to press the parliament members and ask them to make a public opinion.”

The eyes of the two people turned towards the pale paper that was placed on the side table.

“I can do that much for the mine, but I don’t know what’s the rush…”

Seeing the King click his tongue, Yvonne became somewhat anxious.

“I don’t know what on earth that man wants. Why would he ask for such a weird favor when he wants you to break off the engagement?”
“Are you worried?”
“Yes.”

Yvonne frowned and continued.

“How is Your Majesty so calm? I can’t believe you made a deal with a young man who is only 20 years old. I am also worried that Caitlyn will stab you in the back for doing something wrong. You don’t know. Maybe this is actually her trap. Wouldn’t she use her son to take advantage of us?”

Josef rubbed his chin, pensive, and soon held his hands together.

“Don’t worry too much. I talked to him face-to-face, and he didn’t seem to be lying. Hadius would rather die than not being able to be independent and become his mother’s puppet. That’s one thing I’m sure about. Even if what you say is true, we have nothing to lose. Don’t you think?”

Yvonne wanted to believe. That Hadius really wants to cooperate with the royal family.

In the end, power comes from money. They desperately needed the mine.

The Volden royal family was suffering from a deficit for the third generation. The parliament, the royalists, the revolutionists, the moderates… Their power has weakened a lot, being swayed by extreme factions.
The deal with Hadius would be a decisive opportunity to get rid of the disgrace of being the ‘Opportunist King’ and strengthen the royal power.

However, the third condition is too strange to believe in him. How come, because of that commoner girl…

“I don’t want to be in the same boat as the parliament, but it’s not difficult. I only invited those who have become spiteful, so I’m sure they will go at it like a bunch of dogs. If I incite them just a little bit, they’ll teach Caitlyn Meyer a lesson.”

Unlike her grinning husband, Yvonne still couldn’t relax.

“What kind of feelings does he have? Towards that commoner girl.”

Josef got rid of his smile and suddenly pulled his wife’s waist. The couple’s bedroom heated up with the man’s strange energy.

“Do you really not know, or are you pretending you don’t know?”

With a flushed expression, Yvonne pushed the clingy man away. She was pretending she didn’t know. But Hadius really doesn’t know.

“Isn’t she a trophy?”
“Tro…phy?”
“He will battle an intense war sooner or later, so what does he want? His chick. He wants to have her without anyone knowing. Like this.”

Covering the fussy woman’s body with his own, he bit her small earlobes firmly. The heat engulfed the man and woman. The doubts and anxiety couldn’t continue any further.

***

After a while, the King escaped from the bedroom and headed straight to the office.

The King urgently summoned the magistrate. In less than an hour, a decree was delivered to the Rönenhalt assembly hall.

It said that the breakfast meeting related to the proposal of the ‘Rochester Bill’ was to be moved up to this week.

***

“Are you really… Going to the ball together? With that jerk?”
“I think so.”

Mitch’s hand, which was carving wood, stopped, and dust blew in all directions. Emilia waved her arms wide.

“It is not decided. He said he couldn’t give me a definite answer.”
“But, it’s weird?”
“What is?”

Mitch’s eyes narrowed.

“Why does it sound like you’re sad about it?”

Emilia laughed as if it was something absurd, but her brother still looked dissatisfied.

“As I said before, the ‘ball’ is the goal. Not ‘Hadius Meyer’.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she recalled the day of the heavy rain. The firm arms wrapped around her shoulders and the breathtaking whisper that said, ‘Everyone was looking at you.’

Emilia cleared her throat, with her hands covering her cheeks.

“What’s wrong? Is it because of the dust?”
“No… It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

She stared at the rabbit-shaped wooden doll on purpose, in case she was caught blushing.

“I think the ears are too pointy. You will hurt yourself if you make a mistake.”
“Huh? Ah, is that so?”

Mitch’s skillful cutting continued.

“Anyway, Lüen’s ball is like a ‘practice’. I don’t want to hear something like, ‘She is a commoner chick as expected, it can’t be helped.’, on the day of the graduation ceremony, right? Of course, I can go to the ball alone. But that’s also a little weird. I can’t partner with other people…”
“Alright. Alright.”

Mitch suddenly stopped the rambling words coming out of Emilia’s mouth.

“Even though I understand, it’s funny that you’re obsessed with that stuff. What practice do you need?”

Emilia gave no answer to the sharp comments.

“Isn’t that Hadius guy funny too? Why is he so wary of the King now? The King has forgotten everything about this engagement. He doesn’t even care.”

He was absolutely right. Emilia had also been wondering why Hadius seemed so wary of the King now.

“You know what’s even weirder? He is an idiot that lives under the influence of his mother, right? But can he go to the ball with you like that? Did he get her permission? The graduation ceremony doesn’t matter because it’s what they wanted; but not the ball, right?”

Once again, he completely hit the bull’s eye.
Why didn’t she think that far?

Did Caitlyn Meyer know that her son was attending another social event other than the graduation ceremony with Emilia Bern? Judging from the various circumstances, she would never accept it.

“I’m just worried that this will cause you harm.”
“…”
“What are you agonizing about? Even if the graduation ceremony is unavoidable, isn’t it fine if you don’t go to the ball?”

Emilia stood up absent-mindedly and thought. She has far more reasons for not going than for going. So…

“You’re right. It’s fine if I don’t go.”