Chapter 67
Chapter 67
Translation: godsn
"I pity Bill Remmer, that poor man."
At the words spoken by the old madam lost in deep thought, Elise von Herhardt's eyes widened as if they might pop out.
"What do you mean by that? Because of that gardener, the greenhouse was ruined and you were even injured like this!"
"It's not such a serious injury, is it?"
"Good heavens! Not serious? For the life of me, I cannot understand why you're being so lenient with Bill Remmer this time."
Though their opinions often differed, she usually respected the old madam's wishes—yet now, an uncharacteristically icy edge had crept into her voice.
"Hessen clearly warned him, yet he ignored it. Doesn't that show clear intent?"
"We've known Bill Remmer for years, haven't we? He's not the type to cause such trouble on purpose."
"What about my poor birds? And mother's precious flowers?"
Her usually composed demeanor gave way to uncharacteristic agitation as she poured out her grievances.
"And that's not all! The generator exploded, cutting off the electricity and ruining Arvis's year-end celebrations!"
Her face flushed with anger as she recalled how the banquet hall and dining room—equipped with electric lights—had become unusable.
"Which is why I said we shouldn't have installed those vulgar electric lights in the first place."
The old madam, who had been skeptical about bringing electricity into the house from the start, showed no particular regret about that matter.
"Of course I'm upset too. But punishing the gardener won't undo what's happened, will it? It's not like he could possibly compensate for the damages anyway."
"But at the very least, it would serve as a warning to the other servants."
"Are you suggesting we send Bill Remmer to prison?"
"If one commits a crime, one must pay the appropriate price."
"Elise, Bill Remmer has worked for Arvis since before Matthias was born. And if we send Bill Remmer to prison, what will become of Leila, who has no one else in this world to rely on?"
"There's no need for us to worry about a gardener's foster daughter. She's an adult now—she can't remain a permanent guest at Arvis forever."
Under normal circumstances, Elise von Herhardt might have backed down by now, but her attitude remained unyielding.
"Thinking of Claudine makes it even more upsetting. You know very well how much she loved Arvis's greenhouse."
"Well, that's true."
"She even said she wanted to hold her wedding there—imagine how heartbroken she must be! Even if we start repairs immediately, it's impossible to restore it to its former perfection before the wedding."
At the mention of Claudine, the old madam hesitated. The fact that the future mistress's favorite place in Arvis had been ruined was undeniably troubling.
"Allowing such a precedent would undermine the order of Arvis."
Elise von Herhardt emphasized each word with conviction.
"There is some merit to what you say... but I'm not sure."
With a deep sigh, Katharina von Herhardt settled back among the pile of cushions at the head of the bed. A maid quickly approached to adjust the bedding for her comfort before retreating to a discreet distance.
"Perhaps it would be best to follow Matthias's decision."
At this subtly suggested compromise, Elise von Herhardt's eyes narrowed.
"After all, isn't Matthias the master of Arvis?"
"...Well. That much is true."
After a moment of deep thought, Elise von Herhardt finally nodded in agreement.
"I'll abide by whatever Matthias decides. I only hope he makes a wise choice."
When Leila entered the annex's drawing room, Matthias was on the phone at the table where the telephone sat. His attendant Mark Evers gave a small signal of her arrival, prompting him to slowly turn his head.
After a brief glance at Leila, Matthias signaled with his eyes for the attendant to withdraw, as if to say he could leave now. The phone conversation continued seamlessly all the while. Hearing its contents made Leila's expression grow even more anxious—they were discussing repair schedules for the mansion's generator, destroyed in today's accident.
"Things just got busy."
Matthias set down the receiver and turned his body toward her.
"Thanks to Mr. Remmer."
His clipped addendum contained neither anger nor pity.
"Sit."
Having seated himself on the sofa first, Matthias indicated the opposite seat. Leila hastily shook her head and swallowed dryly.
Instead of insisting again, Matthias slowly crossed his legs as he sat. Clinging to the faint hope that he might at least be willing to hear her apology, Leila took trembling steps forward until she stood beside him.
"I'm sorry. Truly... truly sorry, Your Grace."
Leila first bowed deeply in apology. Matthias stared at her blankly, as if utterly perplexed.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Please... please forgive Uncle Bill. I'm begging you in his place."
Clutching her sweat-drenched hands together, Leila repeatedly bowed her head toward Matthias, lower and lower.
"You know him, Your Grace. He would never do such a thing on purpose. Uncle Bill... he didn't understand anything about electricity or generators—how they... how they should be handled. H-he sometimes mentioned it. When working in the warehouse, the noise gave him terrible headaches. That... that was the only reason he did it. How could Uncle Bill ever intend harm toward Her Ladyship or the greenhouse?"
Encouraged by Matthias's silence, Leila haltingly continued with the words she had rehearsed the entire way here. Several times, her voice broke as she struggled to suppress the emotions welling up inside, yet Matthias waited patiently without interruption.
"I know no words can undo such a grave mistake, but please... just this once... I beg you to forgive Uncle Bill."
By now, Leila had clasped her hands together tightly. They trembled violently, pale and utterly drained of color.
"Leila."
The Duke's voice was low and soft as he spoke her name. Leila lifted her reddened eyes to meet his gaze.
"So what you're saying is... you want me to show Bill Remmer leniency?"
Matthias had voiced the plea she couldn't bring herself to utter. Though ashamed, Leila swallowed her tears and nodded.
"Leniency."
Whispering the word impassively, Matthias let his gaze drift downward until it settled on the tips of Leila's shoes. They were worn brown shoes, caked with dust from her frantic trip to and from the police station.
His eyes then traveled upward—past the thin legs clad in black stockings—before stopping at the hem of her dark gray skirt, which reached mid-calf. I distinctly bought her pretty clothes, yet she always dresses like a nun.
Matthias tilted his head slightly further. His gaze, moving even more slowly now, passed over her checkered coat, the red sweater visible through its unfastened front, and the broad collar of the blouse layered beneath—finally coming to rest on Leila's desperate, pleading eyes.
"Why should I?"
Matthias held her gaze steadily as he asked. Leila froze, unable to believe what she had just heard.
"Why on earth should I show Bill Remmer leniency?"
Uncrossing his legs, Matthias rose with deliberate slowness. The firelight flickered across his faintly furrowed brows.
"Y-Your Grace...?"
"The generator exploded. My grandmother nearly died. The greenhouse is in ruins."
With each fact, Matthias took a step forward. Now, less than a single stride separated them.
"All this catastrophic damage—because of Bill Remmer—and you ask for leniency? Why?"
"Your Grace, please."
"Just because you beg me... should I overlook all his wrongdoing?"
Matthias trailed the tip of his long index finger slowly along the collar of Leila's blouse.
The blouse's wide collar—broad enough to graze her shoulders—looked oddly familiar. Come to think of it, this was the very outfit she had worn during the autumn outing to Arvis. The same blouse he had removed with his own hands the night she was struck by the carriage. Ah, now that I recall, she wore this that day too. Standing beside that shopkeeper's son the principal introduced her to that evening. Who knows? She might have even been wearing this when she resolved to leave Arvis and applied for a transfer.
"Who do you think you are?"
The question came in a voice neither forceful nor cold—only devastatingly quiet. Leila looked up at him with an expression as if she had been struck without warning. Just then, Matthias's fingers—which had been idly tracing the lace trim of her collar—brushed against the line of her jaw.
"Tell me once, Leila."
With just a single finger, Matthias effortlessly tilted Leila's face upward. The tears that had pooled in her dazed eyes spilled over in an instant, streaming down her cheeks. Those tears soon dampened Matthias's finger as it hooked under her chin, pulling it up.
"Just what do you think you are?"
His voice was too ruthlessly dry to be called merely cruel.
Had the past season been nothing but a dream of her own?
Leila strained to look at the Duke, as if desperately trying to recall the autumn of Arvis. Tears flowed ceaselessly, yet she never once averted her gaze from Matthias.
Those moments when he had spared Phoebe as promised, treated her injuries, and even exchanged light laughter and jokes with her. There had been many times when she found herself quietly studying this man who now felt utterly unfamiliar. Leila remembered it all clearly, yet the Duke's glass-like eyes seemed to have erased everything, remaining utterly indifferent.
Her lips trembled, but Leila couldn't bring herself to speak. Now her entire body had begun to shake. The image of Uncle Bill imprisoned behind cold iron bars, the ruined paradise of Arvis, and the cruel face of the man standing before her now swirled chaotically in her mind.
"The noble you who wouldn't even accept a single pen for free—isn't it shameless of you to make such a one-sided demand?"
Matthias tilted his head slightly. Leila bit her lip harder, but she could no longer suppress her sobs. Yet Matthias remained as still as if he hadn't heard a thing.
"I don't do business at a loss."
"Your Grace, please..."
"Unfortunately, your pleas and tears hold no value to exchange for the sins Bill Remmer has committed."
"Your Grace, we... we could never compensate for that... never..."
"It's not about compensation, Leila. A deal is about giving what the other wants and getting what you desire in return."
Now Matthias gripped Leila's chin with his entire hand.
"If it's that kind of deal, I might consider agreeing."
"...A deal?"
"Yes. A deal."
Matthias studied her carefully, as if appraising her worth. The moment Leila realized what that gaze meant, she recoiled in horror.
Matthias released her without resistance and returned to the sofa as if nothing had happened. Leila glared at him, her body now trembling not with fear but with fury.
"I can't do that!"
Her hair, completely loosened from its tie, cascaded down her back.
"Your Grace is engaged to Lady Claudine! The two of you will soon be... be married!"
"So?"
Matthias tilted his head slightly as he wiped his tear-dampened hand with a handkerchief. His eyes showed not a trace of guilt or hesitation—if anything, they looked almost bored.
As Leila swayed, her face deathly pale, the telephone began to ring. With the same languid movements as before, Matthias rose slowly and walked to the table where the phone rested.
"Either way, it's your choice. The decision is yours to make."
He lightly cupped the still-unlifted receiver and looked at Leila.
"When you've made up your mind, let me know. I'll gladly respect your wishes."
"H-how could you—"
"Go."
With that brief command, the Duke turned away. There was no trace of the man who had proposed such a sordid deal in his crisp movements as he lifted the receiver. Standing tall and elegant, exchanging words about his grandmother's condition, he was simply the Duke of Herhardt—the impeccably perfect Duke of Herhardt who sent chills down one's spine. A man for whom someone like Leila Lewellin could never be anything at all.
Though Leila stood perfectly still, she turned away unsteadily, gasping for breath. The annex still glowed brightly, yet all she saw before her was an abyss of darkness.
On the outdoor staircase connecting the annex's second floor to the dock, Leila collapsed halfway down. The frigid moonlight reflected off the frozen river enveloped her small, hunched figure.
It felt as though she had finally awoken from a dream she had dreamed alone. A beautiful, cruel nightmare.