Cry, Or Better Yet Beg
chapter 28. Flying in Spring Like a Bird

“I respect your decision, but I feel disappointed.”

Colonel Farrell, the commander of the Military Forces, looked at Matthias with a faint smile. Matthias remained silent. Her face is pretty.

“I feel like I lost a capable officer. Yes, it would be a greater loss for this Empire if Duke Herhardt continued to serve in the army with his competence. However, speaking from the point of view of a soldier, I was a little annoyed.”

She said. Disappointment and loss in his eyes did look real, considering they established formal military relationships as superiors and subordinates.

Captain Herhardt, his most trusted subordinate, who was scheduled to remain in charge for another year, suddenly changed his mind. It seemed to me how surprised he was when a piece of paper was delivered to his desk. Instead of a term extension, a letter of resignation was sent to him. It was his wish for Matthias to remain, but Colonel Farrell had no reason to detain him for the reasons of his appeal, as stated in the letter, none other than his grandmother, the Duchess of Herhardt.

“Thank you for all this.”

Matthias thanked me politely.

He always showed respect to his superiors even though the Duke of Herhardt was a noble of higher rank based on social status.

His attitude was very different from that of other noble officials, who were often unable to distinguish public and private affairs.

Colonel Farrell admired Matthias for that.

Second, when considering his meritorious service to the empire, his first task by choosing the front line, the problematic outpost area, was a matter worth noting.

“Be sure to visit me when you come to Ratz.”

Matthias happily complied with the colonel's farewell handshake request.

“Ya, Colonel.”

He shook his superior's hand firmly and exited through the colonel's office door, having been fully relieved of his duties.

The spring outpouring of sunlight across the bright blue sky greeted his footsteps as soon as he walked onto the street.

Matthias got into his car and drove towards downtown Ratz. He had to go to several places to meet with some of his other superiors. It was only after that, the retirement parting activities that had been rolling for several days, finally ended.

As he was about to walk to his waiting vehicle, something passed by and stopped his steps. Matthias turned his gaze to the end of the street across the street. There, he saw a figure he knew.

Leylas.

A woman who turned out to be none other than Leyla Lewellin was walking along the pedestrian area in the downtown area.

"mastering."

The driver approached her as she stood still and did not get into the car.

“Back first.”

Matthias ordered it while still staring across the street.

'That's Leyla. No way, he can't be here. '

Immediately, with wide strides, he reached across the street.

The museum he visited was huge.

Leyla looked around in amazement at the magnificent building of the Berg Empire Natural History Museum, just as she did on the first day of setting foot in this place.

The day after arriving in the city of Ratz, Kyle took Leyla on her first visit to this place. The Museum of Art History and the Museum of Natural History, located across the street, are opposite each other, and are said to be Ratz's place of greatest pride.

Leyla was already accustomed to the grandeur of the city of Carlsbar, which was considered to be on par with the grandeur of the capital. Yet he remains fascinated by the architectural wonders that line Ratz's streets every time he passes by.

The girls at her school who toured the capital often told her about how beautiful the Art History Museum was. Even so, Leyla unhesitatingly chose the Museum of Natural History to be crowned as the owner of the most beautiful architecture.

As Kyle described it, the museum was like heaven to him. All he thought about was how vast the museum was and how impossible it was to explore every corner of the building in just one day.

Leyla was eager to devote her entire day to exploring this place as much as possible. He also planned to vacate his schedule on the last day to come here once more before leaving Ratz city. Hopefully, he can see the entire museum collection and complete his mission.

After finally making up her mind, Leyla prepared to leave and walked to the museum foyer with quick steps.

Actually, Kyle wanted to accompany her today, but Leyla avoided her good intentions. Unlike her who had finished her exam the day before, she had only started her exam tomorrow morning.

Although Kyle was very confident with his brain and had studied first, Leyla did not want to bring him here for a walk just one day before the exam.

Before entering the exhibition hall, Leyla once again re-examined her clothes, making sure not a single strand of hair came out of place.

'Comfortable shoes, already checked.'

'Books and pens, already checked.'

'Stamina is full, I'm ready to go.'

After taking out a notebook and pen from her bag, Leyla stepped into the observation gallery, which she had not seen on the first day of her arrival.

Leyla Lewellin today is like a child on a picnic.

Matthias stood at a safe distance, silently watching him as he walked through several vast exhibition galleries without the slightest bit of fatigue devouring him.

Matthias was already convinced that the back of the woman he saw upon entering the Museum of Natural History belonged to Leyla, so he quietly followed her while keeping his distance.

Curiosity took hold of him, making him wonder what he was doing.?

But as soon as he saw what he was doing, Matthias was willing to wait and watch over him more closely.

While waiting, Matthias suddenly thought about the college entrance exam that was taking place in the capital around this time. Seeing that he had traveled to the capital to take the test, Matthias concluded that he decided to continue his studies at the college. She is married to Kyle Etman.

Leyla was standing in front of a glass display case containing various plant specimens, diligently writing them all down in her notebook. Sometimes, her lips were tinged with a smile, and her face was beaming as if she was looking at a precious jewel. Matthias found it hard to believe that plant samples alone could elicit such laughter from his face.

In the end, Matthias decided to stalk her further, but she did not come close because she knew her excitement would disappear every time she saw him.

Matthias folded his hands behind his back and slowly followed in his footsteps at the same speed.

She hasn't seen him since last summer, and Leyla hasn't seemed to have changed much since then. Even so, there was only a slight change to his refined appearance from before.

Her face became more tapered, her expression looked softer, and every movement of her body seemed more graceful as time went on. Wearing a lace-dressed white dress, Leyla looked more mature than ever.

After quite a while there, Leyla left the herbarium exhibition hall and suddenly paused in front of the hallway towards the next gallery.

Matthias could tell what caught his eye.

The hallway that connects the two exhibition halls is conjured in such a way and transformed like a heavenly place. The branches are painted in silvery color, decorated with white feathers and wreaths hung like leaves.

As the light entered through the window glass, the bird-shaped colorful crystal ornament covering the entire branch reflected its light. They create a dream-like atmosphere, reminiscent of fairy-tale nature, further enhancing the magical beauty of the space.

"Gosh-."

Leyla's naive admiration attracted her attention.

Matthias could not help but smile from his face as he watched her run around just like that. Her wavy blonde hair and the tip of her dress bounced with her as she ran excitedly inside the area like a little girl on the playground.

In the middle of that beautiful passageway, Leyla stopped her steps.

He extended his hand towards the branch, but his fingertips were unable to grasp the bird-shaped ornament.

Leyla was still staring at the ceiling while staring in awe, as Matthias waltzed and directly walked to her side.

Leyla gasped in shock as she soared into the air. He turned his head, and a crystal bird, which had previously been beyond his reach, was now right before his eyes.

He felt like he could fly like a bird in the spring and go anywhere. It was as if he was dreaming with his eyes open.

It was a strange, yet moving moment.

Matthias dropped it on the floor and acted as if nothing had happened.

The tip of her thick, swollen white dress slid down her calf and gently stroked her skin on the inside.

Leyla raised her head and hid her hand that touched the crystal bird behind her back.

Matthias slowly took off his officer's hat. His pair of blue eyes, bluer than the sky at the end of summer, were fixed on him with dazzling clarity.

Under the museum dome is a small cafe selling drinks where visitors can rest and fill their stomachs. Leyla and Kyle had already had lunch at the place when they came on the first day of their visit.

Matthias took the lead on the way there. Knowing her point, Leyla stood still, her face pouting.

“It's nice to meet you, Duke. I'll go now.”

Hearing his words, Matthias turned around. Leyla braced herself, lowered her head to give her greetings, and started walking in the other direction.

"There."

He commanded.

He refused to comply and took a few more steps, but in the end he failed to escape.

Matthias passed him and blocked his path.

"What's wrong with you?"

Leyla looked around her and asked sharply. A few passers-by squinted their eyes, staring at them in slight astonishment.

"I hate it."

"What?!"

“... Someone like you, I hate him.”

Matthias' arrogant attitude suddenly pushed him against the wall.

“You can't be like this to me.” Leyla grasped the strap of her bag, which she carried on her shoulder. His hands were trembling with nervousness, though,

“I mean..”.

“Do you want to do something we shouldn't?”

A smile appeared on the corner of his lips as he declared it in a somewhat sarcastic tone. For a moment, an irritating torrent swept over Leyla's body and furrowed her brows in disbelief.

"NO!"

Both of his hands started shaking violently after Matthias blurted out such an offensive statement,

"Never!"

The sharp heat stung Leyla's cheeks. His face turned red when he was angry. The humiliation Matthias had inflicted on him had stepped on his feet. Especially because of how aloof and arrogant he was when he said it.

After a while looking around him, Matthias looked back at him.

“I want to buy a cup of tea for an orphan living on my estate that I happened to meet while in the capital. What's wrong with me being nice?”

His attitude was always shameless even when he said something impolite.

“There's nothing wrong with that.”

Matthias spoke coldly. His face lost its smile.

“Really, Leyla?”

Ending the question he answered himself, Matthias walked towards the cafe.

Leyla let out a long and weak sigh as she looked behind the man.

Even though he didn't know Duke Herhard well, he now knew one important aspect about him:

achieve everything he wants in any way. The harder it is to get something, the more valuable it is to have.

The man always has to get what he wants.

Giving up, Leyla walked behind the duke with her heavy steps.

They sit facing.

Shortly after the take-home order was made, the waiter brought two steaming cups of hot coffee to their table. The tea cup flashed white smoke, which soared into the air; it had been placed between two seemingly silent people.

“I never thought I would meet you by chance in a place like this.”

Layla opened the conversation with a hint of trepidation. He felt awkward with the silence between them, so he decided to speak first.

“In the natural history museum... are you..”.

"I'm not interested."

Matthias cut off his words, while sipping his coffee.

“You already know, Leyla.”

A grin was seen at the corner of his lips. “I have absolutely no interest in these kinds of things.”

“Then why you...”.

“You already know that this is not a coincidence.”

"NO."

Leyla answered reflexively. His entire body became tense, and his heart began to beat fast. He would rather be a poor orphan who got his mercy from him. He did not want to be seen as another 'something' by this man in any way.

“All I know is..”

Her voice sounded nervous, and Leyla held back her anxiety for a moment.

“Which I know is just that, you hate me.”

Leyla closed her eyes as if she was trying to erase the terrible memories of their first kiss that suddenly appeared in her mind. But it didn't work. As soon as he blinked his eyes to look, Matthias' blue eyes were still on him, and those memories flooded back, once again leading him to a nightmare.

“True, I hate you.”

Matthias agreed to his words easily. A smile spread across his face.

“Now, I hate you so much, Leyla.”