After sending his party first, Matthias pulled up his horse in the middle of a wide road between the woods. When he took off his hat, the tangled hair draped down his forehead. The forest, which was swept away by the bloody disturbance, felt more tranquil than usual.
Today's hunt was quite enjoyable. Matthias hit every target he aimed at and each moment was as thrilling as ever. But he somehow felt unsatisfied because of that one bird that had desperately attempted to fly away.
While looking towards the direction of the cabin, Matthias slowly turned his horse. The little girl who lived in his hunting grounds came out of the woods crying when the hunt was over and had buried the dead birds. He still remembered her actions because it was so absurd.
Then what about that woman who is no longer a young girl?
Brooding his curious interest, Matthias aimed his gun at the little bird resting at the edge of the branch.
Bang.
With an upbeat shot, the bird dropped to the floor.
Matthias steadily motioned his horse to move as he left behind the prey he hit.
Once. And then once again.
Aiming and firing, Matthias headed for the evening forest. One by one, the blood-stained birds fell along the road.
~~~~~~~~~
I hate him.
Leyla dug a hole and repeated those words every time she buried each and every bird.
I hate the duke's atrocious hobby. I really hate it.
Wiping her sweaty forehead, Leyla swallowed down her sorrows. She thought she was almost at the end when just a few meters away, another bloody bird was there lying down. Leyla grabbed her shovel and approached the bird.
She didn't want to blame the act of killing an animal. Uncle Bill had also hunted for food and Leyla raised livestock. But it was hard to understand why the duke killed for entertainment and thoughtlessly left his hunt behind.
When will this summer be over?
With a long sigh, Leyla prayed that her favorite season would quickly come to an end as she buried another bird. It was a red-crowned bird with a beautiful pattern.
Leyla suddenly felt something strange after she had already entered deep into the evening forest. Duke Herhardt enjoyed hunting and Leyla buried those birds he hunted down every year. But somehow, Leyla never had any previous memories of making a regular sequence of tombs. It felt like she was creating a pathway made up of dead birds.
Should I turn around now?
Leyla seized when she sensed an ominous feeling. The sky she looked up was blazing red. As she turned her gaze from the sunset down beyond the bush of shrubs. She saw him.
Duke Herhardt, who was sitting on the cut tree trump, stared back at her.
Leyla almost stumbled as her mind went blank. He greeted her in a carefree way.
"Hello, Leyla."
Matthias von Herhardt's voice was as smooth as the feathers of the birds he shot and killed.
~~~~~~~~~
"By the way, Matthias is quite late. I think the people who went out with him are already back."
Elysee von Herhardt's eyes slanted while she put down her card. The card game she was playing was getting boring. She wanted to start dinner early but Matthias hadn't returned from the hunting grounds yet.
"He said he'll take a walk in the woods."
Claudine answered with a friendly smile. Her expression was unlike that of a person who had just lost the game.
The ladies, who were well aware it was her deliberate defeat, looked at Claudine with a pleasing smile. The next Duchess of Arvis was sharp and had courtesy as well as grace. Claudine knew she was greatly praised between the aristocratic ladies.
"Matthias sure loves that forest."
Elysee von Herhardt lightly rang the bell and the maid began to organize the table.
The bored ladies who sat around the reception table enjoyed a simple snack and chatted. They chatted about the most obvious stories with the most formality.
"Oh, Claudine. Why don't you invite your friends and open a party?"
Claudine's eyes went wide open at Elysee's von Herhardt's recommendation.
"Me? Here in Arvis?"
"You'll be bored dealing with us every day, so don't you need a change of heart?"
"No. Not at all."
"Why are you so surprised. I was just kidding Claudine."
Elysee's relaxed, smiling face was so young and beautiful, it was hard to believe that she was the mother of an engaged son. She resembled Matthias.
Although the Duchess Elysee von Herhardt was praised by the people of the empire for her time-honored beauty, she had failed to win her husband's love. When Claudine thought about Elysee's tragic love life, she believed women who were obsessed with love were ridiculous.
Matthias's predecessor had a mistress like any other man in his position, but he didn't cause any trouble for his next successor by bringing in an illegitimate child. Even though they didn't love each other, the Duke and Duchess of Arvis respected each other and remained faithful to their duties. There were no meaningless greed or hope that gnawed out the calm household. Claudine had hoped for the same relationship with Matthias.
"You don't have to feel pressured Claudine. Think of it as a rehearsal. We'll also have fun if the mansion is crowded with young people."
Elysee's smile had gotten much brighter.
"Don't you ladies think so too?"
Everyone in the room knew that her question was not actually asking for their opinion.
"The duchess is truly generous and caring."
Countess Brandt praised Elysee. Soon, other ladies joined by making complementary remarks with some exaggeration added.
Claudine shyly smiled as she gently lowered her head. She was thinking of the names of friends she had wanted to invite until she drew her eyes to the window. That girl came into mind when she saw the forest beyond the sunset garden.
Leyla, the poor orphan who lived in that forest.
She was well-mannered and very mindful of her own circumstances but she was still somewhat arrogant.
"May I invite Leyla?"
Claudine's cheerful question raised the eyebrows of the ladies.
"You mean the orphan the gardener raises?"
"Yes. That girl, Leyla Lewellin."
"Hey. Claudine."
The embarrassed Countess Brandt glared at Claudine but Claudine was undisturbed.
"That pitiful girl must have never attended a formal party before. I want to give Leyla an unforgettable experience."
Claudine didn't lose her ladylike courtesy and dignity even when she made those imposing remarks.
"After hearing your words, it does indeed make sense."
A satisfied smile was on Duchess Norma Catarina von Herhart's face, who had been watching Claudine this entire time.
"Do as you please, Claudine."
Leyla looked back at the path of buried birds. When she turned her head and examined the duke, there was only one conclusion that she reached.
Crazy person.
There were no other words to explain this situation.
Leyla's bloody gloves were filled with sweat. Her heart began to throb with rage mixed with fear.
Run away.
That was what she could only think of and was about to return to the cabin when she heard his voice.
"Leyla."
His expression was impassive while he steadily pronounced her name.
"Leyla Lewellin."
The name he quietly intoned sounded like a song.
Leyla used the shovel in her hand as a cane to straighten her posture. She firmly closed her lips and applied strength to both her legs.
There was no use running away. As long as he put his mind to it, the duke could easily catch Leyla. Her mind became clear and cold.
Leyla raised her twitching eyes and met his gaze. The sound of the forest swaying in the wind rose while the quiet stares remained.
"Continue."
Matthias broke the silence first.
"You should do your job."
On the side of the bushes he indicated with his eyes, there lay a bird that seemed to be the last of his hunt. Leyla plodded up to the bird. There was a red thread tied to the bloody bird's ankle. It was the thread Leyla had tied to the baby birds who hatched near the Schulter River last year.
Leyla dug a hole without a word and buried the bird. She was now used to her actions because of that beautiful bird slaughterer.
"That thread. Did you tie it?"
He asked while observing.
"Yes."
"Why."
"I wanted to notice the birds that left their nest to migrate… When they ever came back."
Leyla answered while patting the soil.
"I didn't want this kind of reunion."
As she felt a shortness of breath, Leyla saw Duke Herhardt's nonchalant face.
"Do you want to criticize me?"
He asked while sitting cross-legged. At that moment, the mockery that grazed past his lips made Leyla's patience run out.
"I can't refuse to say no."
"What's the problem?"
His eyebrows frowned.
"I only hunted my birds, in my territory, and in my hunting grounds."
"But the birds don't know."
Think of Uncle Bill.
Leyla finally opened her mouth despite the repeated words in her head.
"For the birds, it's just a forest. A place where they are born and raised. It's also a place where they would want to come back after their migration."
"Do I need to bother understanding them?"
"Not really, but….."
Leyla took off her bloody garden gloves and steadied her breath.
"You don't have to hunt them down so cruelly."
In order to let those words come out of her mouth, she had mustered a lot of courage. There was a belated regret that came after, but the duke showed no displeasure or anger. The strange calmness made Leyla feel more suffocated.
"Leyla Lewellin, the woman who knows the birds' hearts well."
Matthias opened his mouth after a long period of silence.
"What the hell do you think hunting is?"
"What?"
"Do you want me to do some kind of friendly hunting?"
His ridicule clawed out her heart. Leyla endured his insult by simply twisting her skirt.
"... I'm sorry. I've said something presumptuous. Please forgive my disrespect."
"Why do you like birds so much?"
"I don't think it'll be an interesting story for you."
Leyla lowered her eyes because she didn't want to see him anymore. The duke stood in silence.
"Now that I've finished my work, I'll get going."
She bowed deeply as he still remained hushed.
Leyla relievedly turned her body. And just when she was about take a step forward, a bitter shot rang out.
Leyla swiftly turned around with a ghastly expression. The duke had fired a shot towards the end of a tree branch and was looking at her with a gun in his hand. Another bloody bird lay in between him and Leyla.
"What to do, Leyla."
The duke sat back on the tree trunk as if nothing had happened.
"I don't think your job has finished yet.