Cry, Or Better Yet Beg
chapter 4

Leyla left the mansion as the sky began to turn a reddish color. As she left the entrance to the rose garden, a refreshing breeze greeted Leyla.

With the gold coin clasped in her right hand, Leyla walked over proudly. But his handsome steps did not last long. Claudine was sitting under a pergola located near a rose vine that was in perfect bloom. Claudine, who was chatting casually with her cousin, smiled faintly as her eyes met Leyla's eyes.

“Goodbye, Leyla.”

Claudine greeted first. The eyes of the young men sitting next to Claudine turned to Leyla. Fortunately, Duke Herhardt was nowhere to be seen.

Leyla replied while bowing. Claudine didn't say much in response.

Leyla started running after she lost sight of them. He desperately wants to escape from the alien and alien worlds and return to Uncle Bill's cabin. But the greatest misfortune comes at the last moment.

On the border between the park and the forest path, Leyla fell. The gold coin mockingly rolled down the paving stone and hit the edge of a man's shoe. Leyla frowned looking at the spinning gold coin. The man lightly stepped on the coin with the tip of his shoe to muffle the boisterous sound.

Leyla slowly stared at the well-polished shoes, the long legs, and then the man's face towered over them. That's Duke Herhardt.

Surprised, Leyla reflexively got up. Her white dress was covered in blood and dust from her scratched knees. Duke simply looked at Leyla with a calm look. His red lips seemed to be slightly tilted to one side.

Leyla pursed her lips and swept away the dust from her clothes. Meanwhile, Duke Herhardt casually took a step back. The coin that was under his feet shone, reflecting the sunlight.

Although Leyla wanted to leave him, she crouched down in front of the duke. Just as she was about to extend her hand, she recalled the words Lady Brandt had left her. No better than a dog. Those words had left a deep wound in Leyla's heart.

Leyla picked up the coin and politely bowed towards Duke Herhardt. He did not dare to raise his head. All he could do was to lower his head as low as possible and hold his breath. Surprisingly, even though he felt pain when he fell, he no longer felt any pain when bending over.

Leaving the duke, Leyla started running again. He couldn't run as fast as before because his knee was injured but he kept moving his bleeding leg. He felt something go up from the bottom of his heart to the end of his throat.

After passing through the path in the forest and facing the light coming from the cabin, Leyla realized what it was.

That is sadness.

“I'll give this to you, uncle.”

Leyla held out the gold coin with a rather serious attitude. Bill's hairy eyebrows slowly wrinkled.

"What's this?"

“Gold coins.”

“You think I didn't know it?”

“Mrs Claudine gave it to me.”

“Claudine? Ah, that little noble lady.”

Bill nodded as if he knew the woman.

Ever since Leyla was summoned to the mansion, she kept looking down for the next two days. He did not talk or walk around the forest or the park. Bill realizes that he misses the boy's past, bright lifestyle.

The world became silent because the child was silent. And Bill doesn't really like that lonely world.

“Why do you want to give me that money?”

Bill leaned slightly toward the table. Leyla sat in an upright position, facing the man.

“Because I think it's worth a lot.”

“It is very valuable.”

“...While I initially felt sad to receive this coin, I couldn't possibly throw it away because it was so big in value. So I realized that if I give this coin to you, at least I can start paying you back after being so indebted to you.”

"Suckhead."

Bill muttered impulsively. Leyla flinched a little but paid no heed to the curse.

Ever since the boy arrived in Arvis, Bill was worried the nobles would hurt his fragile heart. He thought they would harass the child because of his low status. All nobles are the same for Bill.

Arrogant. Ruggedly. And Degrading.

Although Bill was afraid he would make the child cry if he asked what happened in the mansion, he could guess how bad the treatment of the child was there.

“Leyla.”

Leyla, who had been pretending to be an adult for a child her age, grinned childishly as she called out her name.

“Because you got the money, take it.”

“Money I earned?”

"Yes. That's the money you earn from your job. Dealing with bored nobles is annoying, but you succeed. So, you can confidently claim your prize.”

Leyla furrowed her brows in confusion. Looking at the contemplating child, Bill sipped a thick glass of beer in front of him.

"really?"

Leyla tilted her head as she tapped on the gold coin.

"That's right."

Bill rubbed the alcohol dripping onto his beard with his sleeves.

The money I make.

Leyla's face suddenly began to brighten.

“Welcome to the adult world, Leyla.”

Bill sliced a large piece of meat and put it on the boy's plate.

"Adult? Me?"

“If you can make your own money, you are considered an adult. And that's what you do.”

“I just made one gold coin?”

“There are many parents who are still unable to get coins in this world. So, you started off quite a successful start. Since your start is good, you will definitely be a pretty good adult.”1

Bill immediately began filling Leyla's plate with bread and grilled vegetables.

“Uncle, this is outrageous.”

Leyla's eyes widened to see the amount of food.

“You've been eating your food like a bird for days, so eat a lot.”

"But…."

“You know, right? I like kids who eat like cows.”

Leyla laughed out loud.

“Uncle, if I eat well, I will grow a lot right?”

"I think so. Wh why? Did someone bother you because it was too short?”

“Not really, but I think I look too young. It's annoying.”

That's because you're still a kid. Bill refrained from stating the obvious.

Leyla began to be adept at cutting her flesh.

For Bill, it looks like Leyla has indeed grown quite rapidly in the past few months. The boy no longer had a body like an iron skewer. She's pretty enough. His natural body was small and slender like a bird, so it seemed like he would not grow to be big. There is no doubt that she will be beautiful.

Bill was surprised when he found himself praising Leyla's beauty and shook his head to calm down.

For women living in poverty, beauty is poison. They're gonna get in trouble. That's why Bill was determined to send the girl to a place he could trust. The orphanage was not a place he could trust completely because he believed it was the right place to destroy a child's life.

Damned world. Damned humans.

Bill spends the rest of his beer cursing at the names of the people who left the boy in his care. It's hard to know why such worries are ingrained in Bill Remmer's life. He hoped that the days of his life, once filled with flowers and trees, would return.

Leyla asked as she chewed her food thoroughly.

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"of course. Do you have something you want?”

“I've finished my notebook. I want to buy a new one.”

“Of course, please.”

“Do you think I can buy colored pencils too?”

"Of course."

“Is there anything you need?”

"Why? Are you planning to buy something for me too?”

"Yes." Yeah."

“What if I ask you to buy me something very expensive?”

Leyla's expression became serious. Every time the girl became serious, her pupils became increasingly dark and wide, which made her look even more beautiful.

Bill laughed out loud as he filled up a glass of apple juice for the boy.

Leyla raised the glass and gestured for Bill to stick his glass into her glass. Bill happily banged his glass into the glass the boy was sticking out of. Leyla then finished her juice at once.

Bill begins to worry if the boy begins to do his drinking habit.

He shook his head imagining Leyla being a drunk.

I only allow this for today.

Bill convinced himself.

The long days passed, and during those long days, Bill thought of the reason why he could not raise Leyla and wondered where to send the young girl.

Leylas. A beautiful and troubled child who suddenly appeared in his life.

During the days that Bill kept wondering, Leyla grew up.

Bill's new clothes for Leyla became so short that his milk-white calves began to appear. A warehouse-like room meant for temporary residence Leyla was at some point converted into a ladies room. The troubled child who used to jump along the path in the forest, soon became an adult woman who now crosses the path in gentle steps as if gliding on water.

Bill, who was sitting on a chair under the terrace, looked at Leyla with a puzzled expression on his face. A young woman with a willow basket full of raspberries waved at him.

"Uncle! You came back early today.”

Leyla lightly ran as if she was dancing. Her attractive blonde hair, tied into one braid, was shaken under the brim of a wide straw hat. The second color of the woman's red cheeks looked as fresh as the type of rose Bill had just cultivated.

“You must have gone to the forest again.”

"Yes. It's a good harvest, isn't it?”

Leyla lifted the basket proudly.

“I'll pick again tomorrow. I plan on making a lot of raspberry jam.”

“Are you planning to open a business or something?”

“It's not a bad idea.”

Leyla, smiling brightly, sat down on the chair placed beside Bill. Bill suddenly realized there were two chairs on the porch. And not just those two chairs. Before he knew it, all the furniture in the cabin was set up for the two of them—although Bill still hadn't made up his mind about what he should do to Leyla.5

Leyla put the basket on the floor and ransacked it to find wild peaches. He held out the peaches to Bill. Bill naturally took the peach, split it in half, and gave Leyla the sliced peach in half.

The two sat side by side and observed the forest while eating their peaches. The sound of leaves blowing across the clear sky tickled their ears and the chirping of birds from afar sounded clear like Leyla's voice.

“It's summer again.”

Bill nodded unconsciously. Leyla, with a silent smile on her face, took off her hat and lethargicly spread out her hands. When Bill finds an old leather bag under Leyla's knee, he laughs out loud. It was the first thing he gave her in the year of his arrival.

“Do you plan to carry that old item until it is obsolete?”

“I like it because it is convenient. It's still useful.”

Leyla lifted her bag and shook it. Bill could easily figure out the identity of that crackling sound. Tin pencil holder. Pocket knife. Old records. Some beautiful feathers and petals. In a certain aspect, he hasn't changed much.

It was a normal night.

Bill cuts the firewood while Leyla takes out and arranges the dry laundry. As long as he skillfully prepared their dinner, he did not forget to feed the chickens and goats. When the two faced each other from opposite sides of the table, the sun had already set.

“Kyle will come tomorrow. We will study together and have dinner. It's okay, right?”1

Leyla asked as she put down her fragrant plate.

“Why does that bastard keep coming to my house to eat when he already has a rich father who feeds him well?”

“Although you talk about it like that, I know you like the guy.”

"Unfortunately."

Bill grunting. Leyla laughed casually as she placed the half-filled beer glass in front of her.

"What'sthis? It's not full?”

“You must reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages for the sake of your health.”

“Did that greedy Etmon tell you that?”

"Uncle!"

“Those useless people.”

Bill grumbling. But he was not against Leyla's words.

The night is getting late at the end of a comfortable dinner. Leyla took a relaxing bath after cleaning herself and returned to her room. He was sleepy, but he decided to turn on the lights and sit at his desk. The exam is near. The happiness of his summer vacation hinges on the results of that test.

The sound of birds chirping at night is carried by the night wind. The sound of his pencil making marks on the paper mixed with his voice.

Leyla who had long concentrated on her studies, released her pencil – was unable to cope with the eye strain and mild headaches that came. His vision, which was not so good at first, now seemed to be getting worse. Ever since he was young, he had to narrow his eyes to see clearly.

Leyla turned off the lights and lay on her bed. He almost reached his goal of fitting glasses for her.

Twenty bottles of raspberry jam. No, should it be thirty bottles?

Anyway, the distance is not too far.

Although the problem can be solved by telling Uncle Bill, he's afraid of burdening Uncle Bill. He had already given her many things and she could not repay him.

When she announced that she was going to send Leyla to school, most people laughed at her. They told him that there was no point in educating an orphan girl. They told her that she would be a helper of the Herhardt family when she grew up. But Bill was firm with his words. He talks to her every day. Leyla, you're gonna be a pretty good adult.

His headache subsided somewhat when Leyla closed her eyes. Leyla tried to sleep, but the harder she tried, the clearer her mind became. On a night like this, as usual, strange thoughts began to fill his empty mind.

Birds' return. Plan for this summer. The culprit behind a series of fascinating mystery novels written in the daily newspaper. And Duke Herhardt.

When the name crossed her mind, Leyla gently opened her eyes. Behind the familiar darkness, he could see the scene outside the window.

Branches were slightly swaying, the night sky was shining outside those branches, as well as the moon and stars.

Gazing at the blurry white light from afar, Leyla involuntarily held her breath.

Duke, a college graduate, is assigned as a military officer after graduating the Royal Military School according to family tradition. He had not visited the estate for the past few years because he was stationed at the overseas border. This was a peaceful time for Leyla and the birds in the forest.

But this summer, he will be back.

Mr. Arvis, Duke of Herhardt.

And that marks the end of 12-year-old Leyla!

Now that the duke is back and Leyla is all grown up, the real story begins.