Cry, Even Better if you Beg

✧ Canary ✧

Whenever summer came, Herhardt’s mansion always hosted a bunch of meetings. But Claudine von Brandt had another reason to visit Arvis this year, as everybody knew.
Before revealing the engagement to the public, a meeting was planned for the two families to pre-negotiate and foster friendship between them.
The meeting’s intent was obvious to both families, and neither party, particularly Claudine, had tried to conceal it.
“Hello, Duke Herhardt.”
Matthias was received politely by Claudine. His cousin in front of him had matured into a refined lady, and he couldn’t make out the outlines of that short, whiny girl from her anymore.
“Welcome, Lady Brandt.”
He returned Claudine’s formal greeting, and the two exchanged graceful smiles.
Between the two, there was nothing new to speak about. They were not very close or intimate, but they had known each other for a long time.
They both knew, how aristocratic Matthias von Herhardt and Claudine von Brandt were to the marrow. This was the most important and apparent reason why they chose each other.
Matthias escorted Claudine expertly. His mother, Elysse von Herhardt, instructed the servants to prepare their afternoon tea in the glass greenhouse attached to the mansion’s rear. Elysse adored the greenhouse, so in a way, it was also a form of expressing her affection for Claudine.
“Every time I visit this greenhouse, it never ceases to amaze me. It’s as if Duchess Elysse has migrated heaven into this place.”
Claudine sipped her tea quietly and gratefully complimented her. She talked in a pleasant yet excellent manner, as one might expect from a noblewoman.
“I’ve put a lot of effort into decorating this place. I’m looking forward to give it to a hostess who understands its worth.”
In hushed voices, Elysse spoke up. When Countess Brandt heard of it, she gave her daughter a proud and emotional glance, but Claudine just smiled shyly.
“Matthias, take Claudine on a tour of Arvis’s heaven.”
Elysse’s whisper to her son at the end of their tea break, marking the start of larger-scale deals between two-families.
Claudine smoothly laid her transparent lace-gloved hands over Matthias’s as he extended his hand.

Her fair-skinned image regained his memory of someone’s hand covered with dust and blood for a fleeting moment until it disappeared in the blink of an eye.
They talked about a mild topic as they walked along the road.
The clear chirping of birds melted away the languid mood of the afternoon in that place, where a stream of water gently flowed from the marble fountain that embellished the center of the greenhouse.
Matthias captured Claudine’s eye in a stealthy glimpse. It was difficult to interpret his inner emotions and his mindset toward the world, despite him often smiling peacefully.
For Claudine, he was an interesting object to look at.
Matthias was a gentleman, but he was also a haughty person who never had bowed down to anybody in his life.
“This greenhouse has many lovely birds.”
Claudine was mesmerized by the brightly colored birds perched on the tree branches, and Matthias had only seen those birds in the glass greenhouse now.
Elysse, the Arvis’ present hostess, was as fond of birds as she was of flowers.
The zookeepers were in charge of caring for the birds in the greenhouse, much as the gardeners were in charge of growing the roses.
And her job? It was to simply take in the scenery.
Elysse von Herhardt viewed her beautiful world in this light. –Take pride in the job that others have done for her-
“It’s unbelievable. This little one is exceptionally well-behaved. What’s your secret?” Claudine asked; a tiny bird landed on her palm and made her smile.
Matthias took a long, restful glance around him, realizing the birds in this greenhouse were surprisingly docile.
The birds didn’t dare to fly out, even if the window was wide open; instead, they continued to sing melodiously in this tranquil, beautiful prison.
His attention turned to the gray-haired zookeeper after seeing the parrot trundled over the windowsill, and the Bengalese finch warbled on Claudine’s hand.
The zookeeper then approached them,

“I clipped their wings, Miss. They are thus unwilling to fly or escape, and they become obedient. If I leave their wings uncut, they would be difficult to tame.”
The old man answered her question.
“Their wings? Wouldn’t that hurt them?”
“I just cut their feathers, so they don’t feel pain,” He continued to explain. “It’s also beneficial to the birds because it keeps them from going into dangerous places and being wounded. Would you like me to show it? “
“Would you mind it, Lord Herhardt, if I see that?” Claudine asked with her eyes twinkling.
“As you wish, my Lady.”
The zookeeper led them to a big cage at the end of the greenhouse after Matthias gladly granted his permission. There were birds inside whose wings hadn’t been trimmed yet.
“What kind of bird is it?” Matthias asked as he watched the bird.
“It’s a canary, my Lord. A lovely singing bird.”
The zookeeper stretched out the bird’s wings and covered its eyes with a small handkerchief. On his other hand, he quickly grabbed a pair of trimmer scissors.
Without hesitation, the elderly man moved the scissors’ blade. The cut canary’s fine feathers were scattered around the worktable.
He finished his task by trimming the other side of the wing and then releasing the bird.
The canary flailed its wings desperately, but it was unable to go far and fell slowly.
As if the bird couldn’t believe that it couldn’t fly anymore, it attempted to flap several times more, but the result remained the same the whole time.
Matthias, who leaned there watching, reached over and scooped up the shivering yellow bird at the end of the flower bed.
“Master, a canary is not easily tamed. The bird must get used to the clipping over time.”
The canary that had been stuck in his hands began to struggle and chirp. But it sounded more like a cry than a melody. So Matthias handed the bird back to the zookeeper.