Cry, Or Better Yet Beg
chapter 51. Are You A Crow

'Crazy.'

Leyla belatedly remembered the clear awareness of her.

'Yes. Duke Herhardt is crazy.'

“Aduh!”

“You must answer me when I ask a question.”

Leyla's breath was wheezing as Matthias grinned and tugged at her hair. Unlike the time he chased and slammed it into the tree trunk, his touch was soft. However, the shame and fear of being dragged by the hair messed up his mind and prevented him from realizing the man's saggy grip.

“Leyla.”

His voice sounded more hoarse.

Leyla tried to retreat, but the tree trunk blocked her escape. Although both of them had run for quite a while, Matthias' breathing had stabilized. Meanwhile, Leyla continued to gasp. As his chest rose and fell, the sensation of his towering and sturdy body grew more visible, further adding to his embarrassment.

"Why…"

Leyla pushed her shoulders violently, her voice trembling.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Realizing the strength of his two arms alone would not be enough to push him away, he twisted his body with all his might.

Matthias drew his chest close to his chest, amused by his futile efforts. He seemed happy to see Leyla's helplessness seeing the state of their interlocked bodies.

“Do not ask. Answer me."

He looked at her gaze, excited and waiting.

“My answer, Leyla.”

Matthias played a strip of Leyla's golden hair, slowly wrapping it around his finger. The soft texture of the key somehow eased the displeasure that had ruled him over the past week. It even managed to ease his irritation due to Leyla's lack of response.

“Don't you think it's rude not to answer?”

“Leyla.”

“Leyla Lewellin.”

Matthias' grip on her hair gradually strengthened. Overcome with a bad premonition, Leyla finally opened her lips in anger.

“I don't know what you're talking about!”

“Is my letter not here yet?”

"I don't know."

“Leyla, you better think carefully before speaking.” Matthias' lips grinned broadly at Leyla's eyes trembling in fear. “What do you think I'll do to a useless transport bird that can't even mail properly?”

“You-you promised!” shout Leyla, “You promised not to shoot Phoebe!”

“Really?”

"Duke!"

“Looks like I don't understand what you're talking about.”

Matthias becomes increasingly mischievous towards the woman who stumbles upon her clumsy lies, failing to hide her nervousness. Leyla glared at him for a while before lowering her trembling eyelids.

"…sorry."

"For what?"

"You already know."

“Because of ignoring my mail, running away, or lying?”

Leyla flinched as she pointed out her every mistake. She looked very pretty when she was tame, and Matthias regretted not being able to see her downcast, teary eyes.

"I'm sorry…"

“It's enough to apologize.”

Matthias lifted his chin. Touch carefully. It had a gentleness like someone who handled something delicate. However, Leyla shivered just because of her touch. But he did not mind her reaction; he was already satisfied with her staring at him.

“I think the pen means nothing to you because you act like it doesn't exist.”

“No, it's precious to me! But…"

As Leyla turned to throw her face away, Matthias again caught Leyla's tiny chin, turning her gaze back on him.

"But?"

He did not want the conversation to be avoided any further. Leyla finally admitted her defeat, with her face and hair locked tightly in her grasp. He sighed resignedly.

“I really don't understand you.”

Leyla's calm and emerald eyes held Matthias' gaze. Reflected in her beautiful eyes that resembled the lush green of eternal summer was her shadow.

“Why do you keep stealing my stuff?”

Matthias' eyebrows shot up when he heard his reprimanding tone, like the tone of a teacher disciplining his mischievous student. The answer was so ridiculous that it made him grin. Other than Leyla Lewellin, no one in the entire empire dared to accuse Duke Herhardt of being a petty thief.

“Are you a crow?!” He snaps. His gaze moved from his jet-black hair to his sharp blue eyes.

"A crow?"

His unexpected question made Matthias frown, but Leyla was nowhere to be seen.

“You're the one who always stole mine. I mean, you're the one who made a mistake. Why should I be the one to go look for you and ask for my things at all times? It's not fair."

Leyla's dissatisfied voice sounded higher than her usual tone. Somehow, it was clearer and more pleasant to hear, so Matthias willingly listened.

“That's why you kept quiet this time?” Matthias' lips twitched in Leyla's frustration.

His calm face made him speechless. Leyla finally gathered the courage to protest, but Duke ignored her with a simple grin.

'What the fuck…'

He made her feel stupid.

“Leyla.”

Just as Leyla was about to speak, Matthias called out her name. His prominent voice reduced his determination. A strange feeling he could not describe. Therefore, he immediately opened his eyes and thought of a possible answer.

“Leyla.”

Matthias muttered, his voice humming softly.

As she turned her head to the side, Leyla's ears stuck to Matthias' chest. He could hear his faint heartbeat.

He flinched, putting his pale and stiff hands over the man's chest, horrified at the possibility of the man feeling his heart pounding. Leyla pushed her shoulder once more, even though she knew her efforts were in vain.

When Matthias finally took a step back, Leyla let out a long sigh.

Despite her shy nature, Leyla Lewellin is gentle, intelligent, and sometimes brave. He is difficult to understand but very entertaining to watch.

Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thank you

Matthias laughed out loud at Leyla's sudden request.

“He never disappoints me.”

"It's gone."

Matthias answered excitedly.

“I threw it away.”

"What?"

“I don't think you'll look for it.”

“Then why did you come looking for me?”

“Leyla, don't you think I should at least tell you?” Matthias shrugged his shoulders as if he was asking the obvious.

“I'm a real man.”

Matthias stroked her hair, still wedged between her fingers.

“I'm the best man in Carlsbar, recognized by Ms. Lewellin himself.”

As she loosened her grip, Leyla's hair was scattered on her shoulders like a golden wave. He gave her a disapproving look while staggering backwards. However, as soon as he was released, he screamed in pain.

"Ouch!"

As the last strands of his hair slipped from his fingers, Matthias suddenly strengthened his grip.

“Not?”

He looked elated, even when Leyla's eyes were misty due to the pain in her scalp.

'Crazy'

“A-Sick!” Leyla tried to remove her hair from her fingers. While chuckling, Matthias played the end of his hair as if it was just a toy.

'I can't believe this crazy psychopath is the great head of the Herhardt Family!'

Just as he is about to start worrying about Arvis' future, Matthias suddenly takes off his hair, causing Leyla to stumble.

Leyla thought she would hear Leyla laugh when she saw her fallen figure, but her declining gaze suddenly came to a halt. Before he knew it, Matthias' familiar features filled his gaze. Only after feeling her arms wrapped around her waist did Leyla realize that she was staring at him while hugging at his chest.

'Should I bite him?'

Leyla felt like a trapped rat until Matthias casually took her down. His calm yet cunning attitude made him shudder.

He immediately ran to the riverbank near the tree, while Matthias paused to check his watch.

“I retract those words. You are definitely not a real man. Absolutely not!"

Leyla shouted with all her might.

“I guess I have a bad reputation now.”

Her cheeks flushed in anger as she laughed again, and that was reflected in her voice as she declared, “I'm serious!”

“Ah, really?”

"Yes! If you are a real man, then I must be the Queen!”

Leyla felt bitter at her past for showering her with such condescending praise.

Matthias grinned at the wolf while fixing the collar of his disheveled coat – as if teasing him by saying, 'Is that all you want to say?'

Before leaving, Matthias made a theatrical bow, as if he were a servant in the presence of a Queen. Her subtle sneers made Leyla speechless.

Leyla stared at the Duke's retreating back, dumbfounded. The man who hunted him and tortured him like a predator had now gone after insulting him in the most beautiful way.

The car was already on standby with the door open when Matthias arrived in front of the pavilion.

He immediately got into the car, his former annoyance and displeasure had simply disappeared.

The car increased speed as it drove along the riverfront road. Inside, Matthias stared at the Schulter River for a moment before turning to the pile of documents and letters that his aide had arranged for him.

His sparkling eyes slowly returned to his usual and calculating radiance. However, his steadfast face broke as he slightly pursed his lips as he took out a pen from the pocket of his coat.

'Leyla Lewellin's.'

The golden letter engraved on the pen glittered in the afternoon sun.

Matthias' fingertips gently slid over the glossy surface of the pen. Smiling, he opened the pen.

Scratches of pens on paper echoed throughout the sunlit car.

“Nona Lewellin, this is for you.”

The postman still holds the small parcel after all the official letters are distributed.

"For me?"

Leyla hesitated before receiving a parcel at school, not at her cabin. As he searches for the identity of the sender, he is greeted with a name and address he has never seen before.

“Could this be the wrong delivery?”

"Huh? Um- no..”

Leyla dismissed her doubts while smiling. Although she did not know who the sender was, the receiver mark on the box clearly mentioned 'Leyla Lewellin'.

"Thank you."

Leyla rushed back to the school building after thanking the postman. As the youngest teacher in the school, he was tasked with receiving and distributing all – letters and parcels from the principal's office to the classroom.

By the time he finished his task, the break time was almost over. Leyla sat down at her classroom table and began to open the package she received. He found a long box, free of any notes or letters.

Leyla checked her name and return address once again. Strange – address mentions a strange city.

"Oh!"

After opening the lid, Leyla sat down with her mouth open.

Inside the box was a black pen with a beautiful gold engraving.

'Who will send this and why…'

But then, the memories of the weekend flooded his mind and he sighed unintentionally.

This new pen seems to be too expensive compared to the previous pen.

Leyla carefully picked up the new pen. His name was engraved on the lid, like his old pen that Duke had thrown away.

But before he could do anything else, his students began to come into the classroom with the sound of the school bell ringing.

Leyla put her new pen back in her box and kept it deep in her desk drawer. How he wished he could keep his memories in the same dark place. Unfortunately, Leyla knew it was impossible.

“Let's start, everyone!”

Leyla stood in front of the podium, smiling cheerfully.