Cry, Or Better Yet Beg
chapter 47. The Duke Laughs

A white dove flew in from across the river.

“... Febe?”

Leyla flinched in disbelief.

“Febes!”

He mentioned his name when the bird alighted on the balcony railing. One of his legs was tied with a red thread. It's unmistakable it's his bird carrier, Phoebe.

“Why did you fly here?”

He went up to the fence where Phoebe was resting.

Phoebe's role as a mailman ends with Kyle's departure. Today, the bird has become his favorite pet. When Duke went hunting on the plateau, he always locked Phoebe in a cage. But on another day, he let the pigeon roam freely around the forest Arvis.

“You can't come here. Here is… ."

Leyla glanced at the Duke warily. They met eyes as his gaze turned from the children's boat towards him.

“Febes?”

His mention of Phoebe jolted him.

“So the bird's name is Phoebe?”

“Do you know Phoebe?”

“Yah..” Matthias tilts his head. “Ask the pigeons.”

"I'm sorry?"

“Didn't you admit to understanding the bird's mind.”

“It...”

Leyla was silent, unable to say anything other than grimacing. Matthias felt quite satisfied to see him bite his lip for not being able to argue with him.

With her back facing completely, Leyla whispered a few more words to her bird as if they could communicate with each other, but Matthias was sure she was mocking him without needing to hear his mutter.

Phoebe began to slide towards the other side of the river. After the bird disappeared from his sight, Leyla returned to her seat with a feeling of alertness. He looked at Matthias with a hint of fear before deciding to speak.

“Sorry, Duke.”

He suddenly said words out of context.

“I apologize on behalf of Phoebe for carelessly entering your pavilion and leaving.”

“You will apologize in exchange for the bird?”

"Yes." Yeah." Leyla seriously retorted her ridicule. “I don't know why he came here, but I will train him to make sure this doesn't happen again. So... so.. Duke.”

He began to sweat; his fear was heard.

“Please…..Please don't shoot Phoebe.”

Only fear remained in his eyes as all his confusion and curiosity diminished. Matthias remained silent, the slanted grin on his lips appearing to fade as he stared at his lips.

"Please…"

As his silence lingered, his tone was filled with despair.

“Of course, I know you are the owner of Arvis, but Phoebe.

Leyla continued to plead despite her pride in pain. She was ready to beg once more but a servant appeared in front of them, prompting her to clamp her trembling lips.

Matthias left the balcony after the waiter told him he got a call from the company's lawyer. Leyla barely averted her eyes from him through the window. His mind was imprinted in the horror of the killing of countless birds. He can't relax unless he promises he won't shoot Phoebe.

Matthias returned shortly afterwards.

Leyla no longer avoided the man's gaze as she once did; instead, she stared at him tenaciously.

“Duke, Phoebe...”.

“I'm not interested in your bird.”

Matthias resolutely cut off his vexing plea. He sighed, though,

"What do you mean?"

“Targets that won't run. That's boring."

“Then, will you not shoot?”

Leyla's eyes sparkled brighter, revealing hope and optimism. His sharp gaze irritated Matthias. Since Leyla Lewellin set foot on Arvis, this was the first time they had made eye contact during this time.

"What do you think?"

Matthias asked back without taking his eyes off.

He had no intention of hunting a carrier bird, but he was unwilling to give a direct answer to her. For the first time she saw him like that: willing to rely on him to ask for something.

“I don't think you're going to shoot.”

"Why?"

“It's because.. You are a real man.”

'Pfft...You only call me a gentleman when you are in a disadvantageous position.'

Matthias laughed resentfully at his hasty and brash reply. Leyla hurriedly added her words anxiously.

“I don't think you're the kind of person who hunts boring targets.”

"really?"

"Yes." Yeah." Leyla nodded along with her praise. “You are named as the greatest marksman and man in Carlsbar, I'm sure you won't shoot Phoebe.”

Seeing him wriggling as he spoke, Matthias' laughter suddenly broke. The servants behind him exchanged enigmatic gazes, especially Mark Evers, his old assistant—dia who was the most stunned among the others on the balcony.

It was not that Duke Herhardt did not laugh much. Yet people who are 'nearby' know that his polite laughter mostly shows courtesy towards others. Even as a child, if Mark Evers' memories were correct, Duke rarely laughed in a playful way.

The boats heading downstream had now steered their course back to the pavilion. The laughter and babbling of the children mixed with his laughter.

Leyla seemed desperate to get a definitive answer, but Matthias remained silent. He did nothing but watch her as she repeatedly wet his lips in panic. And he spoke up first.

“Eh….. Duke?”

Matthias changed his mind to answer and instead rang the bell. One of the house staff rushed to the living room for his purposes and took out an ashtray and a pack of cigarettes.

"Duke…?"

Leyla. He needs answers.

Phoebe is a bird that she grew up from a young age. Beyond everything else, the bird was like a symbol of the wonderful time she and Kyle had spent together. He did not want to lose Phoebe, even though those days would never return.

Matthias took out a cigarette from the silver box and lit it. A thin layer of smoke slowly floated between their silence. A white puff appeared on his face. Matthias disliked his attitude, who just looked at him and pleaded with him. It would be nice if this moment could go on forever, he thought, quite pathetic.

'Well, I have to stop here now.'

As he immediately nodded his chin, Leyla's eyes twinkled.

“Phoebe….You're really not going to shoot Phoebe, are you?”

The question is very persistent.

Matthias turned around and shook his cigarette ash. After paying attention to her movements attentively, Leyla understood her intention and retreated without bothering her any further.

He could hardly believe his promise, but there was another servant on the balcony listening, so he felt sure Matthias would keep his promise with many eyes watching over him. He does not know or care about Matthias von Herhardt, but he has a feeling of trust in him.

Leyla was finally able to sigh in relief and glanced outside the fence, towards the river opposite her. The tranquility of the river stream reflects the shadow of the forest with autumn foliage.

Lips smile. He manages to protect Phoebe, as well as her precious memories.

His smile shone as his sense of relief grew.

Matthias eyes narrowed at his strange expression. 'What's the point of guaranteeing the safety of a pigeon?'

He could not understand it, yet he could not take his eyes off his face.

The cigarette he held between his long fingers burned slowly. Unidentifiable irritability and anxiety appear in the smoke. Satisfaction and hunger were scrambling to catch up with each other. The uncomfortable and strange feeling he felt was as clear as the bright colors of the season, which dyed the entire world. And it was vaguely like a dream last night as he opened his eyes.

Matthias threw the cigarette in his hand at the ashtray. He was thirsty, probably because of the smoking he did not enjoy, but instead of taking a glass of water, he instead took out a new glass of water. The non-lit end of the cigarette that was wrapped loosely between his fingers slightly shook along with the wind.

Leyla turned her head when she felt the man's gaze on her. A smile still lingered on his radiant face, an emotion that shone more clearly than anger and fear, shame and tears.

Matthias was thinking about what emotion it was when Leyla dispelled her smile hurriedly. He avoided her gaze and bowed deeply. He only saw the tip of his finger, but Matthias felt extremely humiliated for his actions.

Disdain.

Leyla Lewellin has taught her the emotions she now knows for sure.

'Look at you now, Leyla'

Matthias involuntarily laughed in vain.

'Now that you reach your goal, you ignore me again?'

He never knew Leyla Lewellin could act sneaky like this. His attitude is silly, but also very funny. But her sudden change in mood really made her unhappy.

Matthias squeezed out his non-lit cigarette and threw it back into the ashtray.

Once the excitement like sunlight disappears, the patio is only left in a dark shade.

A gloomy place.he didn't like it.

The autumn picnic ended when the children were escorted to school and returned home safely.

Leyla realized the fatigue had been weighing on her body all day. His muscles were drained to make him sleepy, but he was happy with his first picnic with the kids. Ironically, the person he was most worried about, was a key factor in the success of their autumn picnic, Duke Herhardt.

“For now, in my opinion Lady Brandt will be the most envious woman in the world.” Madame Grever sighed while walking beside Leyla. “He'll get that handsome guy and the whole Arvis. The world is so unfair at a time like this. Do you know when they're getting married?”

“I heard it will happen around next summer.”

“This will be a magnificent wedding that will electrify the entire empire. Uh. I envy her so much.”

Leyla just smiled a little at the admiration of Mr. The grever exaggeration.

They split up at the intersection of downtown. Leyla returned to Arvis after buying a myriad of groceries. He'll cook a delicious dinner for Uncle Bill, who has helped him a lot.

'I'll make a lot of my Uncle's favorite food.'

Impatience pushed his pace faster. He began to walk quickly after entering the road to Arvis. But suddenly, his feet froze in the middle of the road when a middle-aged woman came from across. The woman also stopped simultaneously when she saw Leyla.

The look in the guy's eyes moved Kyle, Miss. Etmanl..

His hand that was holding the grocery bag turned pale.

'What should I do?'

Leyla stood frozen in front of her eyes no matter how hard she thought. It felt strange to pass him like a stranger but even stranger to welcome him.

After hesitating, Leyla lowered her head to greet without saying a word, and Ny. Etman accepted it with a silent nod.

But just as the suffocating moment was about to end, Bu Etman opened his mouth.

“Leyla.”

Leyla turned around in surprise.

“At last like this, but I really don't regret it.”

Madam Etman sighed while standing in front of Leyla. Neither enmity nor guilt emanated in his eyes.His eyes were lifeless like a lump of foliage.

“Even if my reputation falls and my relationship with Kyle deteriorates, I still obstruct your marriage. That's all I need."

Perhaps, Leyla would feel much better if she spoke. Etman sounds hostile.

Every word that Bu Etman spoke calmly with a tired voice pierced his heart like a shard of glass.

After finishing his words, Bu Etman started walking and passed by. The housekeeper, standing in the distance with a confused face, followed his suit.

Leyla rushed away after giving a silent salute to the housekeeper, who gave an expression of comfort and affection to her.

He walked boldly and with wide strides, then stopped like a toy with a spring off.

He peeked at both of his feet on the ground, stretched out his hand, and took a deep breath.

'Am I really human?'

Shame entered his mind.

Leyla slowly opened her closed eyes and started walking towards the cabin where Uncle Bill was waiting