Mrs. Etman welcomed her guests with a table loaded with delectable dishes and lavishly garnished with exquisite decorations. Leyla, as well as Dr. Etman and Kyle, were dazed by the warm hospitality presented by the Lady of the House, which was something above their expectation.
"Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Etman."
Leyla delivered a greeting which she had rehearsed dozens of times during the day and politely handed over the gift she had prepared: a bouquet of roses and pickled peaches parcelled nicely in a beautiful mason jar.
"Thank you."
Mrs. Etman gladly accepted the gift. As a heave of sigh washed over her, Leyla's face lit up and Kyle's lips twitched like a grin. Mrs. Etman's eyes grew icily cold as she watched her son, yet she deftly set her expression like a Mother who was full of tenderness.
Dr. Etman alluded that they'd tie the knot after the College's enrollment announcement was released. However, since Kyle and Leyla were both unquestionably accepted, it could be said that their marriage had been officially confirmed.
'My son is together with such a girl.'
Mrs Etman slowly clenched her hand beneath the table. She was disenchanted, yet she had stalled voicing her disapproval. She clearly knew what kind of people her son and husband were. Her intransigent opposition had only served to backfire back on her in the end.
"Eat a lot, Leyla." Mrs. Etman's expression softened after taking a deep breath. "I specially prepared the food to your taste." She looked at Leyla with a more pleasant countenance.
Leyla blinked her eyes in surprise and smiled back at Mrs Etman, though she felt strange slits of fury flickered on her beautiful face.
'Bitch, you must have seduced my son with that face and smile.'
Mrs. Etman quickly snatched a glass of water from the table. She could feel the slightest drip of ice-cold water drained down her esophagus.
"Thank you very much, Ma'am." Dimples appeared on Leyla's cheeks as she said, expressing her heartfelt gratitude.
'Leyla was a good girl, a really nice girl. '
Mrs. Etman acknowledged that fact. And it was for that reason, above all others, why she never wanted Leyla to become her daughter-in-law.
It's probably a lot better if she was a troublesome child. That way, she could loathe her for the proper reason instead of hating her because she was poor.. At the very least, she wouldn't be ashamed of herself for being such an terrible mother.
But now,
She hated everything about Leyla Lewellin.
She detested all of her: her kindness, her brilliance, and her impoverishment.
"Leyla, do you know? Dr. Lorentz, a professor at Ratz University is an avian biologist?"
Dr. Etman abruptly changed the topic after witnessing his wife's unpleasant expression.
"Once you enter, be sure to take Dr. Lorentz's classes. It would be very beneficial to you if you can get direct lessons from an expert such as him."
"Dear, you're talking as if Leyla has already entered college."
Mrs. Etman, who had been quietly watching Leyla for some time, sprang into reaction with an unexpected retort. Dr. Etman and Kyle both had their eyes on her. Their expressions were befuddled.
"There's no way she'll fail, dear."
"Right, Mother, there's no way Leyla will fail."
They were ready to debate her with identical facial expressions and tone of speech. Both of her husband and son were like two peas in the pod whenever they paid attention to Leyla.
Mrs. Etman was compelled to swallow back the words that had been pushed to her throat. "…..That's true... Leyla is such a smart girl." She curved the corners of her lips upwards with slight coercion.
Sitting across from her, Leyla was a little embarrassed and slightly blushed at her praise.
Whenever Leyla's past story at Lovita came up, Bill Remmer always kept his lips shut. Everyone at Arvis manor knew about Leyla: she had lost her parents overnight and had travelled to Berg after moving from one relative's household to another.
And Linda Etman detested this truth of Leyla Lewellin beyond all else. A child with no proper relatives to care for and nurture her. A child who had travelled across the border, and was repeatedly kicked out. She was on the verge of getting chills whenever thinking about how lousy her foundation for starting a family would be.
'Wouldn't she be getting something too big?'
Even if Leyla came from a ordinary well-off family, she would still hinder that girl from being together with her son. Linda Etman believed: a girl who grew up without a good background won't become an excellent spouse. Moreover, seeing a 'skint' girl like her who was so eager to study at College, was very irksome to see.
Despite her lesser means, watching how Leyla had lofty ambitions that were out of her league, and considering her poor circumstances led Linda Etman to label her as a greedy person. She thought for sure: Kyle would never be able to live happily if such a child would become his wife.
'That's why I have to stop it.'
Mrs. Etman tightened her grip under the table.
She had to stop this marriage by all means possible.
Leyla Lewellin's acceptance note to university arrived in the mail from the very same postman who had delivered little Leyla to Arvis in the past.
Bill Remmer, who received the letter while Leyla was out and in the forest, stood still for a long while.
"Mr. Remmer?"
The Mailman glanced at him with a worried face after Bill didn't give a response after he said his congratulations. His expression that was carefree a moment ago, suddenly became a blazing bright crimson.
"Are you okay, Mr. Remmer?"
"…Well, there's nothing to fuss about." Bill rubbed his eyes with his rough hand. "I was just thinking for a moment."
He raised his voice as he spoke. His eyes glistened. The postman, who had known the gardener of Arvis was 'The bruiser with a soft center', nodded quietly, pretending not to notice a tear which was forming on the corner of his eyes.
"Anyway, congratulations. I'm thrilled to know that Leyla is going to be a student at the best university in the Empire."
After congratulating Bill for a second time, the postman departed from the cottage.
Bill glided back to the terrace holding the acceptance letter and sat on his chair. He reread the letter many times and softly stroked the letter typing with his fingers. After taking a deep breath, his face gradually returned to normal, which was getting redder with compassion. That was when Leyla came back.
"Uncle!"
Leyla waved her arms up in the air while running as she saw Bill sitting on the terrace. Her old leather bag that was draped over her shoulder swung slightly in rhythm with her running steps.
"That damned bag."
Bill chortled as he hissed faintly. It was his tool bag that he had given to her when she first arrived at Arvis over the summer. Leyla had a few nicer bags than that one, but still, she relied on that old, battered bag every time she went for a stroll in the forest.
"When are you going to throw away that trash bag?"
Bill began to ask Leyla, who was sitting next to him.
"Throw it?" She yapped. "Why?! It's still usable."
"Now, please throw that bag into the trash! That grody thing could bring you bad luck!"
"I'll use it a little more." Leyla giggled softly as her finger fiddled with the tattered leather bag strap. "I'm feeling a little empty without it."
'Well, I know it sounds like a fool's talk. But….'
She murmured. Without saying a word, Bill quietly held out the letter in front of her eyes.
"Uncle, what's this?"
"You'll know when you read it."
Leyla blinked at the letter with her eye-popping. Bill thought that she would burst out into cheers of joy, but Leyla's face just grew more composed as she continued reading the letter of acceptance.
"…Leyla?"
Bill spoke first, and he did so with some trepidation after he saw her overly muted reaction. Only then did Leyla lift her head and turned to face him. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
'It would be nice if you were jolly like a little girl in a moment like this.'
Bill scratched the back of his neck at her silent slant, which was mature enough to make him feel ill at ease. Leyla momentarily smirked at him, who was standing still for a brief moment.
Suddenly, she hugged him tightly.
"Hey, it's stuffy!"
At odds with his prickly words, Bill tepidly patted her back.
"Thank you." Leyla raised her head and whispered in a hushed tone. "Thank you so much, Uncle."
With every glance he gave her, Leyla's eyes welled up with tears and her lips melted into a wide grin.
"It's all thanks to you."
"You're saying nonsense."
Bill gulped for air and started counting in his head. He reflected on the chores he needed to do one by one before the sunset, but the heat in his eyes showed no signs of abating.
Now Bill was sure: 'This little child must have brought her tear bag from Lovita.'
"You were the one who studied hard and earned a passing grade on the exam. What did I do, huh?"
"No. No, Uncle." Leyla shook her head and reached out to take Bill's hand in hers. Her tiny hands had a tough time holding his.
"I…"
She stuttered. The hand she was grasping had flowed a warm feeling that was akin to the tepidness she had after sipping a shot of vodka.
"Uncle, if it weren't for you, I'd have been…."
On this happy day, Leyla looked like she's about to cry. Bill didn't like it, and he dreaded the sight of her sobbing face the most. He didn't want to witness Leyla's tears, even if they were tears of happiness.
His fondness for this child was far greater beyond all the love and care he had devoted to the flowers and trees that he had planted throughout his life. Bill was perplexed knowing he cherished this child more than his precious flowers and trees.
It just happened naturally before he knew it and he was more than happy to accept that fact.
"Shall we go to the Capital together next weekend?" asked Bill in a cheerful tone after coughing a little bit to calm his emotions.
"Both of us?" Leyla's pupils dilated. "Going to the Ratz?" it left her bewildered.
"I have to pay your tuition fee since you've been accepted into college. Besides, I haven't brought you to any place yet, so let's go sightseeing around the capital city."
"Really?" Leyla's tear-stained face glowed with zest. "Uncle, are you serious? We're going on a vacation together?"
"What vacation?" He jested. "I'm just going to pay your tuition."
"Ah, whatever it is. All that matters is we're going together."
A tinge of regret lingered in his eyes when he looked at Leyla, who was such a happy camper at the moment.
He wanted to take her for a walk to a nearby place, show her something interesting, and buy something delicious to eat.
But why?
Bill questioned himself, lamenting. Why did all of these thoughts occur to him only now? As the day when he would have to let her go from, his arms drew nearer?
"That's a lot of money, even though the two of you are going to get married, I'm still worried about letting you go alone with Kyle carrying that much money, so I can't help it, but….."
The babbling Bill eventually hooted with laughter. Leyla flung herself once again onto his hug.
"Look, Leyla." Bill gave her a lovely smile. " Am I right?" He gently combed her hair with his fingers. "Didn't you say you'll be a good adult?"
In the end, he couldn't put it into words, and Bill was at a loss for what to say as well, so he just stroked Leyla's head again, over and over again.
Bill Remmer needed to count more than ever before to keep his ugly crying face on hold .