Chapter 46
Chapter 46
Translation: godsn
The children, who had been chattering and laughing loudly enough to make one's ears burn, became astonishingly quiet the moment they stepped into the annex. Though their eyes sparkled with curiosity as they glanced around, none dared to chatter or play around as they had been doing moments before.
Leila entered the annex last, busy comforting the frightened Monica. The attendants welcoming the Duke's young guests treated them with the same courtesy reserved for distinguished visitors.
"This way, please."
The attendant led the children from the guest hall where they'd been waiting into the drawing room. The Duke sat with his back to the window facing the river, awaiting their arrival. As Leila stepped into this place that held only humiliating, frightening, and bewildering memories for her, she unconsciously held her breath.
"To think you would show us such kindness merely by allowing us to visit Arvis—we're truly grateful, Your Grace."
Teacher Greber greeted him with an excited voice. Leila felt some relief at her enthusiastic manner. If Teacher Greber took it upon herself to keep the Duke engaged in conversation, Leila Lewellin could remain quiet as a piece of furniture until it was time to leave.
"The gratitude is mine for accepting this sudden invitation."
The Duke rose slowly. Backlit as he was, his face remained shadowed, making his presence feel all the more imposing.
"Teacher, it hurts."
Leila, who had been staring fixedly at his silhouette, snapped back to attention at Monica's whisper.
"My hand hurts."
When their eyes met, Monica mumbled again. Leila's eyes widened as she realized she'd been gripping the child's hand tightly.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Monica."
While the flustered Leila rubbed the child's hand, the door leading to the riverside balcony opened.
A breeze carrying the scent of fish and water blew in, and Leila instinctively turned toward it. Her gaze fell upon the tea table set on the sunlit balcony, its pristine white tablecloth swaying leisurely with the wind's rhythm.
"Shall we?"
After glancing briefly at Leila, the Duke's gaze settled on Teacher Greber's face. Blushing, the teacher lightly placed her hand on the Duke's offered arm, accepting his escort.
The children, experiencing this kind of teatime for the first time in their lives, followed the Duke with flushed cheeks and hushed excitement. Still holding Monica's hand gently, Leila once again headed for the balcony last.
"Teacher, I feel like we've become princesses!"
Monica gasped with innocent wonder, her eyes wide as she looked around the balcony. Leila nodded in agreement. The tea table set on the balcony was so lavish and abundant that it was hard to believe it had been prepared on short notice.
Leila's gaze moved from the centerpiece of red cornflowers and white baby's breath to the teacups and tableware that seemed too extravagant for village schoolchildren, then beyond the balcony railing to the dazzling surface of the Schulter River sparkling in the distance.
A ray of sunlight shattered into fragments against Leila's thin eyeglass frames. Matthias's gaze followed that light.
Blue river. White sunlight. Red forest.
Amidst the vivid, beautiful autumn colors of Arvis, their eyes met.
Monica kept gasping in wonder—the place was so pretty, the Duke was so splendid, the cake was so delicious that her exclamations wouldn't stop.
"Wow!"
This time, it was a mouthful of ice cream that drew Monica's admiration. Staring at the bowl of ice cream with disbelief, she urgently reached for her teacher.
"It tastes like clouds, Teacher," Monica whispered in a serious tone to Leila, who turned her head in surprise. It took Leila several blinks to understand what the child meant. Smiling faintly, Leila picked up a napkin to wipe the ice cream from Monica's mouth.
Monica, who had just started school this year, was smaller than her peers and so timid and shy that she struggled to fit in. During the first few weeks when she cried daily about wanting to go home, Leila had often felt like bursting into tears herself.
Yet now, she had become the child who followed Leila most devotedly among all her classmates. After learning that Monica's mother had passed away from illness last spring, Leila had come to understand the girl's heart a little more deeply.
"Teacher, you should try some too."
"No, Monica. Teacher is fine."
Though momentarily tempted, Leila chose the mature response. There was no rule that adults couldn't eat ice cream, but the desserts on this table had been prepared for the children. She didn't particularly want the Duke to see her indulging in one.
After taking a sip of her now adequately cooled tea, Leila turned her attention back to the conversation flowing around the table. As she had hoped, Teacher Greber was steering the discussion with an enthusiastic demeanor.
Relieved, Leila stole a glance at the Duke seated at the head of the table. He listened to Teacher Greber's words with polite attentiveness, his brief responses and smiles flawlessly courteous. Strangely enough, it was precisely through that impeccable decorum that the Duke exuded his overwhelming presence—an arrogance so refined it bordered on regal.
"Teacher, Teacher! It's delicious. Try some. Please?"
While Leila studied the Duke like a scholar absorbed in research, Monica suddenly sprang up, clutching her ice cream bowl as she approached.
Startled by the tug on her sleeve, Leila flinched, jerking back in surprise. In the same instant, Monica, equally startled, lost her grip—and the bowl of ice cream tumbled onto Leila's skirt. The commotion drew every eye at the table toward her.
"I—I'm so sorry, Teacher!"
Monica's face paled as she took in the bowl clattering to the wooden floor and Leila's skirt smeared with ice cream, her voice trembling on the verge of tears.
"It's alright, dear."
Leila soothed her with a gentle smile, quickly grabbing a napkin to wipe away the mess. Meanwhile, swift-footed maids hurried over to clean the floor.
Watching the scene unfold, Matthias caught the eye of the maid standing closest to Leila. Instantly grasping her master's intent, the maid discreetly guided Leila—her hands sticky and her skirt stained—to the powder room.
With her teacher gone, Monica seemed on the verge of bursting into tears, but fortunately, Bill Remmer's comforting words steadied her. It was then that an attendant quietly approached.
"Your Grace, Sir Klein wishes to speak with you on the telephone."
The more Leila scrubbed at the ice cream stain, the larger it seemed to spread.
Resigned, she finally gave up and washed her hands. Thankfully, the dark fabric of her dress meant the stain wouldn't be too conspicuous.
Carefully turning the gilded faucet off, Leila studied her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, evidence of her frantic efforts to erase the mark.
After tucking back a few stray strands of hair and steadying her breath, she stepped out of the powder room—only to freeze in place almost immediately.
There, leaning against the wall of the corridor leading back to the parlor, stood the Duke. The moment Leila halted in surprise, Duke Herhardt's gaze locked onto hers.
No way.
Frowning, Leila glanced around, searching for some other explanation. Surely the Duke hadn't been waiting there—for her, Leila Lewellin.
But as seconds stretched into silence, he remained unmoving, watching her with unnerving calm. At the corner of his lips curled a faint smile—one far from gentlemanly, the kind that those who praised him as the perfect nobleman would never imagine. And whenever the Duke smiled like that, nothing good ever followed for Leila.
A foreboding chill ran down her spine as she swallowed dryly, clasping her hands together. She wanted to wait in silence until he moved aside, but lingering too long might invite unnecessary misunderstandings.
Keeping her guard up, Leila took one cautious step after another. The Duke, who had been leisurely observing her from his spot against the wall, deliberately stepped into the center of the hallway as she drew near, blocking her path with unmistakable intent.
When Leila startled and stumbled back, Matthias's smirk deepened.
After finishing his brief call, Matthias didn't return to the balcony but instead turned in the opposite direction. He had no particular purpose—only the impulsive thought that since Leila hadn't returned yet, he might as well wait for her. Something amusing might happen, after all. Just like now.
Leila approached with a grave expression, her steps as solemn as if marching to a battlefield. She seemed determined to avoid him, but the annex hallway wasn't wide enough for that.
As Leila drew close, Matthias casually stuck out the tip of his foot. Leila, who had been staring at the floor, reflexively stepped back.
She dodged it!
Relief washed over her, but it quickly twisted into humiliation. Matthias hadn't actually tripped her—he had only feigned the motion before adjusting his posture as if nothing had happened. Now, standing straight and elegant before the composed Duke, Leila looked like nothing more than a startled rabbit, hopping about in fright.
The Duke chuckled low under his breath before turning away as if nothing had occurred. Leila stood frozen in place, dumbfounded, until he leisurely strolled down the hallway and disappeared into the drawing room.
If she ever dared to speak of the Duke of Herhardt's absurd antics, Leila Lewellin would undoubtedly be branded a liar.
Shaking her head in exasperation, Leila straightened her posture even further and marched toward the drawing room. When she stepped onto the balcony, there stood the Duke of Herhardt—composed, unruffled, and infuriatingly perfect in his gentlemanly demeanor. He was engaged in pleasant conversation with Teacher Greber, a mild smile gracing his features.
"Ah, Miss Lewellin! You've arrived just in time!"
Teacher Greber beamed upon seeing Leila.
"We're going boating!"
"Boating?"
"His Grace has graciously offered the children a boat ride! Can you imagine? Sailing on that beautiful river—what a joyous occasion!"
"Ah... but I..."
As Leila hesitated, Bill stepped in.
"My apologies, Your Grace, but Leila has a terrible fear of water. Riding a boat would be difficult for her."
"Ah. I see."
The Duke looked at Leila as if regretful, though he had witnessed her nearly drowning in that very river not long ago. He acted as though he were only just learning of her fear now.
"Then Miss Lewellin may rest here."
Why on earth was the Duke suddenly showing such consideration? Leila, thoroughly bewildered, barely had time to think before the children, guided by the attendants, swarmed past her and out of the balcony.
"That's right, Miss Lewellin. I'll go in your stead, so you stay here."
"Don't worry, Leila. I'll keep an eye on the little ones."
Bill laughed heartily as he took Monica's hand in Leila's stead. The girl, who usually trembled and teared up at the sight of him, now followed him willingly, her earlier fear nowhere to be seen.
"Thank you, Teacher Greber. And you too, Uncle Bill."
Though embarrassed, Leila accepted their kindness gratefully. Unlike the inscrutable Duke, they were good people. And the fact that she wouldn't have to be near the Duke was an immense relief.
But why wasn't he leaving?
Leila shot a puzzled glance at the Duke, who remained seated even after everyone else had departed. And then it dawned on her—it would be far stranger if His Grace, the Duke, were to mingle with the village schoolchildren on a boat ride.
Just as Leila realized she had made a terribly wrong choice and bolted upright from her seat, two boats emerged from the boathouse on the first floor of the annex, gliding toward the river. The children were divided between them, with attendants rowing while Uncle Bill and Teacher Greber each took charge of a separate boat.
"Teacher! Teacher! Look, Teacher!"
The children, spotting Leila gripping the railing, burst into laughter and waved their hands excitedly.
"We'll be back soon, Teacher!"
Even timid Monica, now brimming with excitement, grinned brightly.
Leila, despairing at the impossibility of chasing after them now, was startled by a voice as cool as the river breeze.
"Sit."
She whirled around in shock. The Duke sat with one leg crossed, watching her.
"Leila."
He called her name as if humming a tune, then smiled.