The Elder Sister Who Ran Away After Being Cheated by Her Fiancé and Younger Sister - Chapter 15:

“Oh, that’s right.”

Fretes looked up.

“I’ll be transferring to the royal capital soon.”

“Is that so?”

He was originally on assignment here from the neighboring country.

I suppose the matter of accepting female soldiers has been settled now.

Is this a promotion? Probably.

“Congratulations?”

“No, it’s just a transfer. A lateral move.”

Fretes shook his head.

“I’ll miss you.”

It was a standard polite phrase, but not entirely untrue.

For Estelle, who had been cut off from her hometown, Fretes and Valken were practically her oldest friends now that she thought about it.

Speaking of which, Estelle remembered something.

When was that again?

She had lunch with Valken and the female volunteer soldier he was supporting at the time.

They chatted pleasantly, then Valken left a bit early saying he had business to attend to, after which Estelle and the woman left the restaurant too.

After walking for a while after leaving the restaurant, the woman had asked her:

“Does Fretes have a girlfriend?”

Estelle could only answer, “Well…?”

She genuinely didn’t know.

Or rather, they’d never talked about anything that private.

Fretes knew all about Estelle’s circumstances, but Estelle knew nothing about Fretes’s. She hadn’t particularly wanted to know, or hadn’t been very interested.

If it were necessary, he would have introduced her, probably.

Even if he did have someone, she was probably back in his home country, right?

So again, all she could do was tilt her head and say, “Well…?”

Seeing Estelle’s reaction, the woman said with a determined expression:

“I’m dating Fretes.”

“Eh, really?”

Estelle was genuinely surprised.

She’d somehow had the impression that Fretes wasn’t the type to bring that kind of thing into the workplace.

Plus, the woman in front of her was younger than Estelle—meaning there was quite an age gap, she thought.

She’d never asked Fretes his age, but he was definitely older than her.

His appearance hadn’t changed at all since they first met, so she’d never really thought about it.

But come to think of it, this woman was probably around the right age for him, so maybe they were well-matched.

—I see… I wonder if Valken knows? I’ll ask him next time.

“And, I wanted to know…”

Does that mean she suspects Fretes?

It’s true he’s good-looking, skilled at presenting himself to others, and impeccably polite—to the point where you can’t tell what he’s really thinking.

But surely, he isn’t the type to date multiple people at once.

Besides, if he were that type, Valken wouldn’t be so friendly with him, she thought.

Valken probably dislikes that kind of person.

When Estelle shared her thoughts, the woman seemed relieved and they parted with a smile.

…Estelle suddenly remembered that this had happened.

She’d completely forgotten.

If he’s returning to the royal capital, what about that woman?

In the Hanzelka army, when relocating posts, consideration is given to married couples or two people with plans to marry.

This was decided with an eye to the future when female soldiers were accepted.

Meaning, barring extreme circumstances, they’d be relocated together.

If Fretes is transferring, is that woman going with him?

She didn’t mean to pry into his private life, but since she’d met the woman first without Fretes around, maybe she should broach the subject. Estelle thought.

“Are you going alone?”

“Eh? Yes, but…”

“Eh?”

“Eh?”

They looked at each other.

What about that woman?

Eh, did they break up already? Or is he planning to leave her behind?

Seeing Estelle’s brow gradually furrow, Fretes flustered and hurriedly added:

“No, well. There is someone I’d like to go with me, um.”

Oh. Estelle felt relieved.

Seeing his usual composed exterior break and him fluster like that was kind of cute and made her smile.

It might be presumptuous to think an older man was cute.

But it wasn’t a manufactured “gap” he was deliberately showing. It was a genuine “gap,” and it was really cute.

That even a smooth operator like him shows his flaws when it comes to someone he likes.

If this were an act too, Estelle would be completely at a loss.

But Estelle believed that even if Fretes was smooth, he wasn’t a bad person.

I hope he’ll let me know when he gets married.

I’d like to at least give a gift or something.

Thinking that, Estelle regretted not asking that woman more questions back then.

This time I won’t forget to ask Valken.

◇

Estelle gazed at the list at her desk in the office and let out a deep sigh.

“…………Why again?”

Because she saw a name she knew. What a sense of déjà vu.

There it was: “Heinny Trading Company.”

Looking at the documents, what was written was quite impressive, but it made her want to ask, “Can you really achieve that?” Estelle looked up at the ceiling.

Why do they all have to overreach like this?

Maybe something’s happening in the borderlands, and they can’t survive without seeking markets in the capital?

Well, if that’s the case, I wish they’d bring more grounded proposals.

It’s troublesome when they talk about dreams.

But still, their application procedure is correct, so I can’t just turn them away.

They’re doing that part properly, at least.

Estelle decided to assign the earliest possible date, wanting to get unpleasant tasks over with quickly.

◇

“Nice to meet you, sis.”

The person who appeared was an unfamiliar young man, and those were his first words.

Sis.

Meaning…

—Is this that younger brother from another mother that Father had?

Looking closely, he did resemble Father. It was like a younger, stricter version of Father’s face.

And his pale violet eyes were just like Clara’s.

No one would probably think he and Estelle were siblings, but they might think he and Clara were. She thought something like that.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Heinny Trading Company. May I have your name?”

“It’s written there, isn’t it?”

He said arrogantly, and Estelle thought, Oh my.

Just because it’s written on paper doesn’t mean you’re necessarily the person in question.

Well, even if he gave his name, it wouldn’t guarantee he’s the real person either.

But “stating one’s own name” and confirming that fact is important.

If he doesn’t know the standard procedure, he hasn’t reached the level to be in a place like this, and if he knows and ignores it, it’s a reckless attempt.

“May I have your name? If you have a reason you cannot answer, please return when you are able to.”

Estelle pointed to the door.

She didn’t have time to deal with this sort of person.

“…Tch. It’s Patrick. Pleasure to meet you?”

He clicked his tongue and deliberately raised the end of his sentence provocatively.

…What is this? It’s troublesome having him show such weird defiance here.

“Mr. Patrick, then. Please have a seat.”

Good grief, and he made a big fuss just sitting down on the sofa.