Love Doesn't Matter

Chapter 35 – Hilden Farm

After returning from ‘Elver’, Emilia has become more and more dazed.
Staring into space with unfocused eyes, she recalled the unfamiliar and weird sensations.

Haley obviously ranked kissing as the memory she wants to erase the most from her life, so why on earth is she like this?

She wants to erase it. She must erase it.

Without realizing it, Emilia violently rubbed her lips with the back of her hand.

“Emilia?”

Quickly coming to her senses, she saw Mitch frantically waving his hand.

“What’s wrong? Are you sick?”
“Huh? … No. Where is Mother?”
“Mr. Beppy said we should leave before it rains, so she left early.”

She turned her head towards the sky. It was cloudy, like it was really about to rain.

“Let us go before it starts raining too, Mitch. That can’t get wet.”

Emilia pointed to the piled-up wheat with her chin. The two walked to the shed. In the end, what Emilia chose to shake off the memories that stuck like leeches was ‘work’ again.

The forest before the rain was damp from the humidity. The wet grass rustled and tickled her ankles. Everywhere she looked was dark and blue, like a watercolor painting.
It was Emilia’s favorite weather. Normally, she would feel refreshed by smelling the scent coming from the soil.

But her legs were getting heavier, and her chest was stuffy. Instead of walking, it was like falling into a swamp. It was confusing and disturbing.

Emilia, who was walking staggeringly, suddenly felt sick and tired of herself. She forced a cheerful voice.

“Shall we take Charlotte to the beach for a picnic this afternoon? The seagulls lay their eggs in the sand at this time of the year. We may see a lot of baby birds.”

Unaware that Mitch was squinting his eyes, Emilia continued as if she were very excited.

“Or, how about going downtown? It’s been a while so let’s visit the market and stop by the church. Haley told me a while ago that the Pastor said he wanted to see us. He wants us to come back to church.”
“…”
“Shall we make something special for dinner tonight? How about rye bread stuffed with dried plums?”

The slow steps came to a halt.

“Emilia, just tell me. Don’t hide it.”
“… Hm? Tell you what?”
“That’s a lie, isn’t it? The fact that the Meyer family said they wouldn’t make a problem out of me.”

This time, it was Emilia who suddenly stopped. Hay flew from the haystack she was holding.

“There is no way that petty aristocrat can let it go so easily. He obviously asked for something strange in return for forgiving me, so you’re lying right now. To reassure me. Right?”

Emilia, who was blinking, said, “Forget it, it doesn’t matter.”, shaking her head.

“Then why are you pretending to be cheerful like that?”
“Pretending to be cheerful?”

Even though she felt uncomfortable, she snorted.

“In any case, please be careful with what you say from now on. The Meyers will turn a blind eye once, but they won’t let it go the second time.”

Mitch, who blinked his eyes for a while, said, “It must be the truth…”, talking to himself. His skinny legs hurriedly follow his sister.

“But what the hell did you do that he let it go so easily? Don’t tell me… You didn’t get on your knees in front of him and begged, right?”
“I didn’t kneel, I didn’t beg. But for the time being, I have to do what he tells me to. Because someone recklessly spoke badly, it became more difficult to break up the engagement.”

Mitch’s shoulders twitched and his hand scratched the back of his head. Emilia, who could not be hard on him, quickly relaxed her fierce eyes.

“The Young Master and I cleared up our old feelings. Now I feel really relaxed and at ease. We will break up peacefully. So, please stop paying attention to your sister’s problems.”
“Well, whatever… It’s just that Mother was worried…”
“Mother?”
“Yeah, she said you were really weird. You haven’t talked since you came back from meeting that jerk. How mean you are, saying it was all because of me…”

Emilia’s hand unconsciously caressed her face.

Was she that obvious?
It was so severe that even her not-so-perceptive stepmother could notice.

“Anyway, it’s refreshing to know that he is really reflecting on the past. I will stay quiet until the breakup, as you said, so don’t worry.”
“Exactly, stop having useless thoughts and study hard now.”

She thought he would nod obediently, but who is Mitch Bern? The adolescent boy frowned as if he were dissatisfied with something.

“But Emilia, there is another problem. Recently, the number of strangers in this forest has increased…”

Speaking, Mitch suddenly lowered his voice and grabbed Emilia’s arm.

“Look! Look over there!”

Far away, there was a man with a strong physique. He was crossing a small stream, with a small backpack over his suspenders.

“That is what I was talking about. It increased a lot. People like that…”

Mitch whispered in a low voice, extremely nervous. Meanwhile, the man suddenly disappeared across the forest.

“Isn’t that suspicious?”
“I’m not sure…”

Emilia tilted her head. The zelkova forest is sparsely populated, but that doesn’t mean people don’t go there at all. During the holiday season, the beach is sometimes crowded with people visiting.

“Remember what Mr. Beppy said? Workers from the new Hilden Farm come down from time to time to gather firewood. Someone even said hello to him, didn’t you see?”
“But it’s weird. Why do farmworkers come all the way here to gather firewood? There must be trees all over the farm. And how come there are more empty-handed people than those who come to cut trees?”
“That…”

A wrinkle formed in the middle of Emilia’s forehead.

Mitch is a very quick-witted and smart kid. If the child says it is strange, then it is strange. It’s not something that should be ignored.

“Alright. There is nothing wrong with being careful. As you said, let’s go to the place called Hilden Farm. If we see anything suspicious, we’ll go to the magistrate immediately.”
“Sounds good!”

At that moment, Mitch’s face glowed. Meanwhile, they arrived at the shed. The little brother opened the door without hesitation and went inside.

But Emilia couldn’t.
This place was no longer a playful ‘secret base’. It was the place that was ingrained with the drenched Hadius.

Unbeknownst to him, Mitch began to pile up the hay he was carrying. Without even thinking of going inside, Emilia opened and closed the door.

Moments later, Mitch said, “Okay, perfect.”, as he shook off his hands and stood up.

“Are you finished?”
“Yes, you can go now, Emilia. I will be staying here for the time being. I’m going to wait in ambush and uncover the identities of those suspicious people.”

Emilia giggled. At times like that, he was surely a child who liked to play as a soldier.

“Be careful. Don’t act rashly on your own. You must come home before it gets dark.”
“Yes, don’t worry. But Emilia, how’s this?”

Answering like that, Mitch covered himself with the haystack as if in hiding. Emilia forgot her confusion for a moment and burst into laughter. It was a genuine laugh, for the first time in a long while.

***

“You mean that brat is starting to get suspicious? Prying around and asking where Hilden Farm is and why we come all the way to the forest to gather firewood?”
“Yes, I just laughed it off at first, but some of the men were surprised that he was more astute than what we thought. I was worried that he had discovered the pistol on my waist.”
“Hm…”

Grozhang rubbed his chin.

Across from him stood three strong men. Although they were all pretending to be ordinary farmers, if one looked at them with a doubtful eye like Mitch, they could look suspicious. With wide shoulders and sharp eyes, there was something about them that made it clear to him that they were not farm workers.

Among them, the man with his hat pressed down carefully opened his mouth.

“Although the brat is like that, Beppy Dilson is also a problem. He’s not working here in return for keeping it a secret.”

He tapped his head with his finger. Taller than Grozhang, he had an angular face and a strong physique, with a rather menacing appearance.

“Of course, Beppy wouldn’t dare disobey the Young Master’s orders and tell the truth, but he could make a slip of the tongue. What if that clever brat asks him inquisitively?”

Grozhang’s eyes turned serious. As if he had been waiting, the man next to him came forward.

“The situation isn’t good. Maybe it was an impossible operation from the beginning.”
“Yes, exactly. If we leave it like that, it’s only a matter of time before we get caught.”
“Set your priorities straight. Is it security or secrecy?”

Grozhang did not answer right away.

Another man, who had been quietly listening from behind, unfolded his arms and strode closer.

“Grozhang, I need you to step up again. You should tell Young Master Meyer about this situation so we can focus solely on security.”
“Before that, let me ask you one thing. Are you neglecting security because you’re concerned with keeping secrets?”
“Well, it’s not like that, but…”
“If that’s the case, Maesen, don’t even expect it. He will never allow you.”

The man named Maesen shut his mouth in dissatisfaction.

“Anyway, I will let the Young Master know. It is going to be difficult, but I hope you can hold out a little longer. Sooner or later, an eviction order will be issued to that family. Then, your mission will be over.”

The men nodded reluctantly.

Grozhang, who was alone again, took out a cigarette. Heavy fatigue was weighing heavily on his shoulders.

After William Richard’s sudden visit, his master was like a wild beast invading a territory. He gave the Basilion House an order to ban outsiders, and the farm was placed on high alert.

As the ‘person responsible for the safety of Miss Bern,’ Grozhang had to go back and forth between the farm and the forest several times a day to check on the safety of Emilia Bern. He had ordered Beppy Dilson to be vigilant too.

Beppy nodded resolutely without asking why. Hadius Meyer must have liked the fact that he ‘didn’t ask’, no, that he ‘didn’t know how to ask’. Beppy, who was honest and loyal, stood by Emilia Bern’s side without knowing the details.

The reason Hadius chose the most front-line bodyguard to be so ignorant was simple. It was because a smart one would be kicked out by Emilia Bern one way or another.
As it was something she did not want, it took an emotional bond to have a bodyguard by her side. Like sympathy or compassion.

“Don’t forget, Beppy. Emilia Bern and her family shouldn’t know anything about Hilden Farm. You are just a coachman. Protecting Miss Bern, who lives in an isolated house, from gypsies and robbers.”

Hilden Farm is by no means just an ordinary farm. It was a kind of hideout.
On the surface, it was an ordinary sheep ranch that could be found anywhere in the countryside forest; but the basement was filled with various weapons, and all ten workers were mercenaries.

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A year ago, when Hadius visited Grozhang, the first thing he ordered him was to build a farm in the zelkova forest. They have been carrying out strange operations for exactly half a year, pretending to be ordinary workers.
Standing in the border between the forest and the beach, without anyone knowing.

As the price for carrying out such a nonsensical operation, Grozhang, as well as the mercenaries, were accumulating as much distress and complaints as they could.

It is never easy to stand guard when the person to be protected doesn’t know. As the mercenary commander Maesen said, so far, they have been lucky enough for it to go well; but it is only a matter of time before they get caught.

Grozhang has caught hold of Hadius Meyer and complained about their difficulties several times. But his master did not compromise on that matter.

Emilia Bern must not know. She must not know, until the end.