Mr. Remmer's Leyla was invited to the duke's party.
The rumor quickly spread among the residents of Arvis. Everyone was initially puzzled, but at the end, they expressed their sympathy for Leyla. The people who lived at Arvis well knew how Lady Brandt treated the pitiful Leyla like her dog.
"I don't get why all the aristocrats are so malicious."
Upon hearing the news, Mrs. Mona, the cook, immediately rushed to the cabin that afternoon. The news was a bolt out of the blue for Bill Remmer, who was taking a break from the midday heat.
"The aristocrats say that they're being considerate, but how intimidated Leyla would be in such a place?"
"Leyla isn't that type of child to get intimidated by things like that. She can just show her face for a while and come back."
"Ugh. Men. They know nothing!"
Mrs. Mona shed a tear while Bill scratched his neck and put out his cigarette.
"Let's show them what they deserve!"
"What the hell do you mean?"
"What else do you think I mean? With Leyla's pretty looks, let's take the aristocrat ladies down a peg or two."
"No, why are you so...."
"I knew it. Were you thinking of sending Leyla to the party in her uniform?"
What's wrong with school uniforms?
When Bill made a puzzled look, Mrs. Mona tsked and shook her head.
"Look here, Bill Remmer. Don't you think you should know how to raise a daughter now, after all these years?"
"What do you mean daughter? I'm just… Still thinking about where to send her…."
"Sure. That thinking you do. You'll think when you send Leyla off on her wedding day, think when you hold her children, and think even when you're in your coffin."
"No! How can you possibly send that little girl away to a marriage! You're talking nonsense."
Mrs. Mona's lips softened after she saw Bill heat up with anger.
"And you say she's not your daughter. You're a man I really can't understand."
"If you're going to keep talking nonsense, leave."
"Let's buy her a fetching dress, Mr. Remmer. Like a surprise present. She's a girl. How happy would she be?"
Mrs. Mona emphatically said as if it was a command.
"Leyla's not that kind of child to ask for a dress, and you're not the type of person to care, so I have no choice but to come forward. I'll help you."
"... How?"
"If you pay for the dress, I'll prepare it for her."
"Then go ahead."
While grumbling, Bill entered the house and brought out his purse. He always kept money in the cabin because he distrusted the bank.
Leyla, who had been to the goat's cage, returned when Mrs. Mona steadily accepted the money for the dress, including the shoes. The two hurriedly hid the traces of their deal and acted in pretense.
Leyla offered her a cup of tea, but Mrs. Mona refused and left the cabin. In the meantime, Bill hid his purse into his back pocket.
"Did Mrs. Mona nag you about me again? I haven't been climbing trees lately."
Leyla anxiously asked after sitting on a chair next to Bill.
"It's not like that, so don't worry about it."
Bill cleared his throat and then lit up the cigarette he had extinguished for a while.
"I'm glad to hear that."
Leyla smiled and leaned deep into her chair after taking off her hat.
This summer, Bill was more than happy to see Leyla's straw hat she wore every day. When he thought it would be several times more rewarding to see Leyla dressed up in a lavish dress, he no longer regretted giving his money to Mrs. Mona.
"Leyla."
Leyla looked at Bill when he suddenly called her name.
"What are you planning to do? The duke's party."
"I'm just going to stop by and show my face. The Etman household was also invited, so I decided to go with Kyle."
"Really? That herbivorous glutton is finally paying off all that food he ate in my house."
Bill felt a deep sense of relief when he heard Kyle's name. Bill deeply trusted Kyle.
"Even so, don't you need anything? Clothes to wear, things like that?"
"I'm fine, uncle."
"What do you mean you're fine. Are you planning to wear your uniform?"
"That's not a bad idea."
Leyla snickered playfully. Her face looked so calm that Bill was lost in thoughts.
Do I really not know how to raise a daughter?
"No."
Bill muttered to himself in astonishment.
What do you mean, daughter? What nonsense.
He shook his head.
Leyla looked at Bill with a confused look on her face. He felt uncomfortable when he saw the glittering glasses on her small face.
Bill was well aware of the child's struggles to avoid causing trouble and not be indebted to him if possible. It was understandable. Nevertheless, he didn't know how to comfort her, so he always said blunt things to her.
He admitted that Mrs. Mona, although she was somewhat extreme, had made a brilliant decision to surprise Leyla with a dress and shoes.
"Leyla."
Bill gathered up his courage and called her name again.
"….. The weather is awfully hot."
The words he had originally wanted to say failed to come out.
Bill cleared up his throat after saying useless things. Leyla laughed and gently grasped his hand that was on the chair's armrest.
I'm the one who should be comforting you instead.
Even with a sour look on his face, Bill couldn't shake off that little hand. Leyla gave him a smile. She was a child that smiled gorgeously.
Leyla woke up instantaneously. It was dawn, and the room was filled with ink-colored darkness.
Lying motionless, Leyla slowly looked around.
Familiar ceiling. Window with creamy curtains. Old desk with a few books spread out on it. Soft quilt with a faint smell of sunlight.
I'm in my room.
A sigh of relief came out when she realized where she was.
She had a nightmare after a long time. She was reminded of the time when she was left all alone in this world and had moved around the homes of her relatives. Every day, she had experienced a repetition of nightmares until she met Uncle Bill. But her memory of the house that instilled her fear of water remained deep and clear.
'This is all because of her!'
When her uncle was drunk, he had expressed his anger at Leyla. He was a timid and quiet man when he was sober, but the uncle Leyla remembered was a man who was drunk five days a week. On the days when he lost his money at the gambling table, he became more aggressive. He had cursed and smacked Leyla without fail.
She hated him. She despised him. But all Leyla Lewellin, the orphan who had nowhere else to go, could do was to bear it.
Leyla desperately tried her best. She helped with housework without a break. She tried to eat less. Like an object placed at the corner of the house, she barely moved around. Yet, on the day she was eventually kicked out of the house, her aunt handed her a paper bag with some cookies in it. Leyla received the paper bag and greeted her bruised aunt goodbye.
Leyla took out a cookie and ate it in the back of the wagon before heading to her next relative's house. Her heart broke because the chocolate cookies were so delicious.
But Leyla didn't cry. She practiced smiling on the way to her destination. The more she wanted to cry, the brighter she smiled. No one in this world liked crying orphans. Her smile had improved after getting kicked out again and again.
But she wasn't able to easily smile when she had to cross the border to Berg. The young Leyla believed the one address grasped in her hand was her last hope. If she was abandoned again, she was forced to go to an orphanage.
Leyla still couldn't forget the day she had her best smile the moment she met Uncle Bill's eyes, which were full of warmth and compassion. She would never forget the day she finally had a family and a house that she would always want to go back to.
So everything was alright.
Leyla relieved herself and lightly got out of bed.
The duke's party was held this evening. Leyla didn't want to mind or dwell much about it. She was planning to proudly attend the party and quietly leave.
Lady Claudine didn't know. How much Leyla was willing to do anything for Uncle Bill and this warm cabin.
Leyla opened her window. She hurriedly washed her face and changed her clothes. When she vigorously opened the door, she saw Uncle Bill, who has already prepared to go out for gardening.
"Let's go together, uncle!"
~~~~~~~~~~
When the afternoon came, the mansion was already ready to welcome guests. It was a large-scale party, but it was a daily part of the life of the Arvis residents.
They did what they had to do in their respective positions. All that remained left was the sun to set to mark the start of the fancy party. No one in this Arvis was worried about the success of today's party. For tonight's party would have been perfect, as was everything that lay in the Herhardt's name.
Matthias left the dressing room in his evening coat. He left a colder impression whenever he combed his hair back and revealed his forehead and eyebrows. The faint smile on the tip of his lips had failed to soften his sharp facial features and his piercing eyes.
"It went well as you ordered, master."
Hessen whispered. Matthias turned around with a cigarette in his hand and slightly raised his eyebrow.
"They left about an hour ago, so the prepared items must have been delivered by now."
"I see."
After he nodded, Matthias lit the end of the cigarette that was in between his lips.
"Well done."
Hessen bowed his head at Matthias's response with a slight smile.
The news that Claudine had invited Leyla Lewellin to the party came to Matthias through his mother's mouth. His mother praised the kindhearted Claudine, who had shown compassion and charity to the poor orphan.
Matthias didn't bother to oppose because he thought it would be quite an entertaining sight. The sight of Leyla arriving to the party in her shabby clothes, and Claudine showing her full sympathy and kindness.
Matthias seemed to know what aspect of Leyla Lewellin was stimulating Claudine. Leyla was an annoying little girl, so it was quite the enjoyment to break her pride.
That was why.
That was why he didn't want to give her to Claudine. All that enjoyment and pleasure belonged to him and him only. Matthias von Herhardt didn't know how to share his own with others.
"What shall I do with these, master?"
Hessen pointed to the box near the fireplace where the fire was put out. It was the gift box the chef had prepared for Bill Remmer.
The gift, which was supposed to be delivered to Bill Remmer's cabin today, was moved here through Hessen. Hessen had switched the chef's gift with the box Matthias had ordered him to prepare.
Matthias slowly smoked as he gazed at the gift. It was not that difficult to guess what was in it without opening it.
"Get rid of it."
His order that flowed out with the cigarette smoke was calm.