Please Forget Me - Chapter 161

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

We, with nothing to our name, couldn’t escape this valley of death, while those who had wealth were quietly fleeing.

As we slowly died from hunger, disease, and poverty, these people reveled in a life of comfort, even enjoying social gatherings. It was a bitter reality.

Still, there must be a reason, I thought. They weren’t escaping because of comfort, but because of desperation.

I tried to convince myself that just as the villagers still sent their children to school and the senior students dreamed of universities outside the valley, the high-ranking officials in the bunker were simply holding on, trying to maintain life as usual during wartime.

But they weren’t holding on—they were sneaking away.

I could understand their desire to escape, but was it only their wish? My heart turned cold, and I couldn’t bring myself to truly comfort Mrs. Hildebrandt.

“I understand too.”

I thought Johann was offering a formal, cold consolation like me.

“If it were me, I’d have already sent my wife and children to safety.”

“Do you really think so, Teacher?”

Mrs. Hildebrandt finally looked up at Johann.

“Yes, you’re right. A soldier’s patriotism is fighting with your life, but for the children, surviving and becoming the pillars of the future is patriotism. There’s no help for the country if young children sacrifice their lives.”

“That’s true! I… I should’ve said that earlier.”

“If you need my help to persuade the General, just let me know.”

Mrs. Hildebrandt’s face lit up.

“Would you really help? Thank you so much. He won’t listen to me, but if you say it, he might listen. If it works out…”

I had thought it was just formal comfort, but Johann not only supported Mrs. Hildebrandt but also offered to help far more seriously than I expected. I couldn’t understand why he was so eager to help someone in a much better situation than ours…

“Let’s go together.”

When Mrs. Hildebrandt grabbed my hand and said that I finally understood why Johann was stepping in.

“He said the same thing earlier, when it was just the two of us. He said, ‘Now we’ve finally found a teacher who’s right for Thomas, and you want to leave? Well, let’s go together then. Isn’t that right?’”

“Exactly.”

“You both want to leave here, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

The answer flowed out of my mouth without hesitation. There was no need to think about it. There was no need to even be asked.

The Hildebrandts was our only chance to escape this valley. Our chance to escape death and the devil.

“We’ll go with you.”

Johann answered, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the growing red spot in the dark corner behind the barn.

At Major Felkner who had been watching.

* * *

“We must leave here. If they won’t go abroad, at least we will.”

“Abroad? Just the two of us? But what about Thomas? He’ll need your help.”

“Rize, you are the most important to me.”

That night, Johann pulled me into his arms and said,

“I’m tired of this country.”

He gritted his teeth. It even sounded like hatred.

“No, it was horrible from the start. We can only be happy if we leave here forever.”

I thought Johann was being emotional.

“You’re just exhausted right now. Once we leave the valley and escape Major’s watch, you’ll see things differently.”

“That won’t happen. We’ll leave this country and live peacefully and happily somewhere no one knows us. We’ll have a child who’s like us…”

That was my dream, but I wondered if I needed to fulfill it in a foreign land.

We have no relatives or acquaintances abroad. Plus, we don’t have any money. Could Johann even work as a teacher in another country? Wouldn’t he need to speak the language fluently?

Now that I think about it, did Johann know any foreign languages? I don’t know any foreign languages and don’t understand the customs of other countries.

‘Could I adapt?’

I had been worrying about this for days, and as I sat at the breakfast table this morning, I once again thought of it while sipping weak tea.

“Who is this…”

The Principal, who had been sitting at the table reading the newspaper, suddenly widened his eyes and hurriedly turned the page toward us.

“Teacher Renner, take a look at this.”

I wondered if it was a shocking article. I glanced up from my tea and froze.

“You and your wife are in the newspaper.”

A Love That Even the Enemy’s Barrage Couldn’t Destroy

The heartwarming story of a man who devotedly cared for his wife, who lost her memory in the Leningen Great Air Bombing, has recently been revealed, touching the hearts of the nation. The teacher, Johann Renner, and his wife, Rize Renner…

It was really us in the newspaper. Not in a local daily, but in the government-published gazette sent nationwide.

“Oh my goodness, it’s true.”

Mrs. Werner leaned over the table to read the article and clapped her hands in joy.

“We’re living with such a famous person, someone even known to the Prime Minister! How wonderful.”

“Really? The Prime Minister?”