Please Forget Me - Chapter 165

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

“So I kicked out the thief and brought in Mr. Renner, and the public relations officer was even more pleased. He said that since the writer was a well-educated adult, they could use him as the Prime Minister’s writer.”

“Oh my goodness!”

“The Prime Minister’s writer?”

The Principal’s wife and daughter-in-law opened their mouths in astonishment, their eyes fixed on Johann. Just as I, too, was stunned by hearing such an incredible story for the first time.

We all watched Johann with wide eyes, and just as I was about to ask what happened, I finally heard him speak, dryly and without emotion.

“I turned it down.”

“What? Why?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying!”

The Principal, as though he had lost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, slapped his chest in frustration.

“It was exactly what we needed, a piece to inspire the patriotism of the soldiers. The kind of writing that swears loyalty to the country, just as one would swear love to a lover—something that would light a fire in the hearts of the youth! And the fact that the Prime Minister himself selected the piece—can you believe it?”

“The Prime Minister himself!”

“The biblical references are accurate, the interpretation profound. He was looking for a writer who could create something like that, and he wanted to bring them in right away. But Mr. Renner didn’t hesitate for a moment and flat-out rejected it.”

The Principal struck his chest again, exasperated, while his wife and daughter-in-law looked at Johann with confusion in their eyes.

I understood why he did it, but that didn’t stop me from feeling a little frustrated about the missed opportunity.

“Please keep this a secret.”

“If I were Mr. Renner, I would have been bragging all over town…”

Right. I, too, felt proud of Johann for catching the Prime Minister’s eye, and I had the urge to boast, but I understood why we had to keep it to ourselves.

“Being too humble and shy also causes trouble.”

“It’s not that. If people misunderstand and think I’m someone important, it could cause problems. That’s why I want it to remain a secret.”

We were already misunderstood because of our connections with General Hildebrandt, and I didn’t want to add more fuel to the fire.

“…I know this is a difficult request, but I wonder if you could ask General Hildebrandt for a favor?”

A few days ago, the Principal had subtly asked us if we could arrange for one of the soldiers at the front to be reassigned to the rear. If that wasn’t possible, perhaps to the bunker here in Eisenthal.

He mentioned that he could offer any compensation, making it clear that he wanted to bring his son back from the front.

The Principal knew very well that Thomas’s mother had been begging Johann to take up a teaching position for a while. And since we shared meals, the Principal also knew that General Hildebrandt had been generous with food and supplies, always inviting us over to spend time with them.

So, to the Principal, it must have seemed like Johann could get anything from General Hildebrandt with just a word.

‘That’s not true at all.’

The request to send us outside the valley was still unyielding from the general.

“The General is a man of integrity, so he probably wouldn’t view such a request favorably.”

Johann gently declined, and although the Principal seemed disappointed, he didn’t bring up the matter again.

If even the Principal, who was not greedy, tried to make a request of Johann, what must others be like? That’s why we were careful not to reveal our connection to the higher-ups in the bunker.

The expensive new clothes that Mrs. Hildebrandt had gifted me were kept hidden deep in the wardrobe, never worn.

“In times like these, you have to become someone important to survive.”

Clearly, the Principal was genuinely regretful, as this matter was closely tied to his own interests.

After finishing our meal, I went out to the backyard to scatter tea leaves and bread crumbs for the chickens, then headed back to our bedroom. Johann, who was getting dressed for work and was buttoning his shirt sleeves, seemed to be in a better mood.

It was not because he was happy to see me but because he seemed to have something to say. I raised an eyebrow as I closed the door, and he approached, grabbing both of my hands and apologizing.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For using the letter I gave you in class.”

“Ah…”

“I didn’t expect it to turn out like this. I’m upset too, but I can only imagine how you must feel.”

Johann pulled me into a hug and gently comforted me.

“I’m really sorry. It was the heart I gave you, but it was taken away and used carelessly. I didn’t think of it that lightly, that I could just change it around and use it elsewhere. You know my true feelings, right?”

“No.”

My cold response seemed to take Johann by surprise, and he looked down at me with wide eyes.

The letter was never really for me in the first place. It was probably a poem dedicated to the dead woman, after all…

“I wasn’t upset.”

I grabbed the ends of his necktie and, as I tied it for him, I could see that he was relieved, realizing I wasn’t angry. His once darkened gaze gradually brightened.

“My love, thank you for forgiving me.”

“It wasn’t something that needed forgiveness.”

I had to bear with his infidelity.

Johann, unaware of my feelings, looked at me with loving eyes as he straightened his tie, and kissed my forehead. His lips moved from my forehead to my cheek, then to my lips, and I couldn’t help but ask:

“Why did you use the love letter as an example for the patriotism speech?”

I truly wasn’t upset, but I just didn’t understand.