Cry, Or Better Yet Beg
chapter 12. Crow man

As he moved the stylus needle, music began to flow out.

The opera strains that the phonograph carried placed on top of the mahogany cabinet instantly broke the silence that filled the living room of the pavilion.

Matthias changed the frequency several times in order for a different genre of music, the waltz, to flow out and then sit back on the couch. The melody is bright and cheerful. His long fingertip, lightly touching the armrest, slowly tapped into the rhythm. The table clock on the opposite console table shows the current at five o'clock.

Matthias' glance focused on the rose vase laid out ugly next to the clock and immediately turned to look towards the window. The wind is getting cooler by night. The wind from the river shook her dress before heading into the forest.

Matthias reached out and opened the small silver box that was placed at the end of the drawing table. As he took a cigarette out of his box and lit it, the waltz song was over. Matthias slowly smoked, listening to the raucous string music afterwards. The afternoon in the summer is boring and quiet.

As the song stops, Matthias picks up Leyla's glasses which he carelessly throws into the tray next to her. Matthias lifted the glasses to his face. His eyes looked very bad because the world he saw through the lens made him dizzy.

Is that why he always frowned?

He suddenly remembered the little boy who was looking at him with a frown. A thin and unpretentious girl whose eyes glistened despite looking like that.

The child who should have stayed for a while had grown up in Matthias' world and grown into a woman.

The slender face of the woman with the golden-framed thin glasses covered the skinny girl's face. The woman with those sparkling eyes still had a fresh and sweet fragrance. The fragrance of roses, the flower that fills the summer garden of Arvis.

After giving off the long smoke of a cigarette, Matthias exited towards the balcony that stretched out towards the river while casually holding Leyla's glasses. His shadow extended as he jokingly vomited and caught his glasses several times.

“Leyla.”

He whispered in the summer.

“Leyla Lewellin.”

The fact that he had to tickle the tip of his tongue in order to speak his name smoothly upset him.

After returning to the living room, Matthias put his glasses in the drawer of the console table. As he closed the drawer, the memory of the green eyes he saw behind his glasses disappeared.

Matthias went to the bathroom and took an old shower. He changed his clothes and combed his hair. By the time he left the pavilion to attend dinner, he was again the perfect Duke of Arvis.

“What if the crow picks it up again?”

Bill asked while joking. Leyla, who was sitting at the table with a serious facial expression, shrugged her shoulders.

“Yah....I hope not.”.

“Just says. They are the type of birds that would go crazy if they saw something sparkling. Remember that? Your hairpin.”

Bill laughed out loud. Leyla's face hardened by a memory that reminded Bill of her but immediately laughed with her.

Uncle Bill bought Leyla a shiny hairpin on her thirteenth birthday. Chosen by Ms. Mona who has researched the type of hairpin that girls her age love.

Leyla tried to store the pin carefully. If Bill hadn't said he would have thrown it away if he hadn't worn it right away, it might have been stored in his drawer a long time ago.

But on the first day he wore the gift, the pin met with bad luck. The crow was carrying the pin Leyla had placed briefly on the fence to take care of the garden. That incident caused Leyla, who used to love all birds, to underestimate the crow.

“If you can't find it, let me know Leyla.”

Bill raised his voice as if he were asking.

“You don't need to look like that because I can buy you a new one. Okay?"

“Oke, uncle.”

Leyla happily nodded.

"I will."

He was able to answer back because he was absolutely certain his glasses were on the dock, where he took them off before diving into the river.

However, the next morning when Leyla came out to the river bank, she felt very hit. He tried to search thoroughly at the pier as well as the area around the pavilion, but his glasses were nowhere to be found.

The detached apron was still in its place, but only the glass was missing. He thought the wind must have blown him, but because of the apron on the dock; he ignored his thoughts. He was sure he took off his glasses first, then his apron. There was no way his glasses could just disappear.

Not possible..Maybe?

Leyla peered around in front of the pavilion and then shook her head as if it was nonsense.

There was no reason for the Duke to take it.

Leyla turned around with her shoulders drooping. He regretted not returning early to pick up his glasses. He was just afraid of meeting the Duke.

“Is that really you?”

Leyla muttered as she looked at the crow sitting on the branch. The crow tilted its head several times and immediately flew into the distant forest.

With a face full of determination, Leyla clenched her hands first. He started walking with wide steps.

He would first go back to his cabin, have breakfast, and think again with a clearer mind.

The suspect appears to be one of the two.

Crow, or duke.

“Hei, Febe.”

The pigeon did not run away even though his hand was outstretched. Kyle naturally pulled the letter from the bird's leg.

The mountain pigeon, Phoebe, is the messenger of Leyla Lewellin. Obsessed with birds from childhood, he read books about pigeons that could deliver letters. One day, he had a big ambition to take down the pigeon.

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'certain. Continue on.'

When Kyle sneered at his ambition, he never imagined the day would actually arrive until the legend-like ancient predecessor suddenly flew through his bedroom window. The persistent girl, Leyla Lewellin, has done it. Leyla who never gave up despite many failures, managed to train the bird.

It was late spring two years ago when Phoebe first flew into Kyle's window. He had opened the window and a pigeon carrying Leyla's letter was staring at him. It was a beautiful pigeon with shiny white fur and black eyes.

[Hello, Mr. Etman]

Leyla's letter that the pigeon carried that day contained only one short line. But Kyle can read a lot of other things.Leyla's excitement for her success. Leyla's eyes sparkled with joy.

Leylas. Best friend, Leyla.

Pigeons deliver letters in the world as it is today.

Kyle laughed at the absurdity but he understood. For Leyla, Phoebe can be said to be like a phone. In a cabin where there is no telephone, the carrier pigeons are quite efficient.

But today's letter from Leyla's envoy contains tragic news. The letter reads that he lost his glasses. He had to go look for his glasses. He could not keep their promise to go to the library. And he's very sorry.

After finishing his work, Phoebe left the window while Kyle read the letter with a serious face. Kyle placed the folded letter between the scattered thick books on the table and rushed out of his room.

“Kyle Etman! Are you going to Leyla's house again?”

Madame Etman frowned as she watched her son descend the stairs but Kyle silently smiled.

“You need to learn, Kyle!”

“I'll do it at Leyla's house!”

Kyle left the front door, leaving only an excited answer.

The shiny silver bicycle slid past Etman's house. As he entered Arvis territory, Kyle frantically peddled while growing impatient. He has no interest in going to the library. He had promised just to be with Leyla. He's worried.

Those were the glasses he bought with his hard work.

His heart aches when he thinks of Leyla, the fool who saves and earns money by making jam and selling it just because he worries it will cost Uncle Bill.

“Eh, Kyle?”

When her bike stopped, Leyla, who was hanging laundry, looked at Kyle with a surprised face.

“Did you find your glasses?”

"NO. Not yet."

Leyla's face became pouted.

“I'll buy you a new one!”

Kyle exclaimed in annoyance at seeing the depressed Leyla.

“....Kyle. You guys? Why?"

Leyla replied with confusion in her eyes. Kyle suddenly realized what he was saying. Her feelings rule her so much that she forgets what kind of person Leyla is.

“Thank you, Kyle, but I can't.”

Leyla smiled brightly as if she did not feel ashamed.

“And I, really want to find my glasses.”

Unlike her smiling lips, her eyes were firm. Kyle knew those eyes well. It was the eyes of Leyla Lewellin, the stubborn woman who would not back down no matter what.

“I'll definitely find it.”

Leyla has been rummaging through the forest for days. The doctor's son was with him.

Their futile efforts are so admirable, Matthias pretends not to know. It is quite comforting to see them searching around the nest of innocent birds.2

Do you really not know or pretend not to know?

Matthias stopped his steps as he climbed up the pavilion steps and looked at the vast expanse of forest along the river. He will get bored of their stupidity. He also grew tired of visiting this place over the past few days, grinning at their search efforts despite his busy schedule.

Matthias continued to climb the stairs while slowly sweeping his disheveled hair due to the strong wind. Hessen, who followed, took a step back after calmly opening the door.

Matthias headed straight to the living room. Rather than normally sitting on the sofa, she leaned against the window, facing the forest.

“Marquis Lindman will arrive around noon today.”

“Riette? Arrival earlier than scheduled.”

“The lady has instructed me to pay special attention to lunch. He asks the master to join if you do not have a schedule of appointments in advance.”

"certain. I'll be."

The chiffon curtain that covered half of the window slowly swelled up due to the gust of wind. As the curtains deflated, Matthias' eyes narrowed as he looked at the path covered in calm sunlight. Leyla stood under a tree at the end of the road. He circled around the tree with his hands held together.

Maybe he's not completely stupid.

Matthias silently grinned and focused his attention on Hessen's report while the middle-aged maid served him cold lemon water. The clattering of ice on the glass was quite pleasant to hear.

As the waiter and butler left after finishing their work, Matthias watched the scene outside the window with the long-necked glass cup in his hand. Leyla began to approach the river when the servant and butler were no longer seen.

Not long after, the doorbell rang in the quiet pavilion.

Matthias slowly got up from his seat.