The Elder Sister Who Ran Away After Being Cheated by Her Fiancé and Younger Sister - Chapter 24

Calm down, me. Don’t stop thinking. Think.

What could Fretes possibly mean by saying that?

What’s the catch?

Think, think, me.

As Estelle unconsciously made a stern face and fell deep in thought, Fretes straightened his posture as if to reset the conversation.

“Now wait a moment, please give me some time. Allow me to explain just what a bargain this Fretes is.”

“Eh…?”

It’s starting to sound like he’s pitching a new product, Estelle thought.

That much is obvious without explanation.

He’s good-looking, smart, and has money. Well, he probably has a regular officer’s salary.

But you’re a noble, aren’t you?

Both Valken and you repeatedly explained that it’s “not a big deal,” but marrying into a noble family is just too terrifying.

And besides…

As Estelle remained silent, Fretes continued speaking.

“I don’t intend to remain a soldier forever. I think I’ve already stayed longer than originally planned. That’s just how conveniently I’ve been used—no, how much I’ve been relied upon.

After leaving the military, I’m supposed to help with the trading company my mother runs. Though I say ‘help,’ I actually plan to establish my own company. Are you familiar with the Meilmans Trading Company?”

Meilmans. Estelle flipped through the mental ledger in her head.

It’s a major trading company headquartered in Hollanders.

Though it’s called a major trading company, its structure is somewhat different.

It’s not just the Meilmans Trading Company alone, but rather what you might call the Meilmans Group—a collection of various trading companies and organizations, both large and small.

Seeing that Estelle understood, Fretes nodded and continued.

“That Meilmans is my mother’s family home. You needn’t worry. My older brother is already decided as the successor, so there won’t be any trouble. In other words—”

Fretes paused here for emphasis.

His expression had shifted from a business-like face to a serious one, so Estelle also listened intently.

“If you marry me, first, you’ll be freed from the Heinny family’s succession issues. And if you wish, Miss Estelle, we can have Meilmans acquire the Heinny Trading Company in its entirety. Of course, the Heinny name would remain unchanged. We would simply provide management assistance by sending personnel from Meilmans.”

“Your concern wasn’t about your family, but about the people involved, was it?” When Fretes said this, Estelle’s mind went completely blank this time.

Acquire it entirely? By Meilmans?

It’s true that being under Meilmans’ umbrella would bring stability. Distribution channels would expand, and procurement options would widen. She’d heard that even if you wanted to join their group, the screening process was strict. A local company like Heinny from the borderlands. No matter how established wouldn’t normally be considered.

But by marrying Fretes and joining the family’s lower ranks, they would make an exception.

Even if her father or Patrick became completely incompetent, if actual authority were transferred to Meilmans, they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

If they continued managing things steadily and sensibly as before, they would be allowed to remain as company heads and would receive support.

If they tried to do something foolish, they would probably be stopped before any final decisions were made, and if they acted unilaterally… well, they probably wouldn’t be killed.

All of Estelle’s worries would be resolved without her having to do anything.

The Heinny name would remain, and if Patrick truly reformed himself, he could still become the successor. If he worked seriously, the Heinny family could continue.

The lives of the employees and people involved might even improve.

Everything would be solved.

—But.

She understood. Fretes’ proposal was an incredibly generous offer.

—But, but.

“…Back then, I broke off my engagement for the family’s sake and now, I’m getting married for the family’s sake…?”

“Sake of the family” wasn’t quite accurate. She knew that.

It started because of the problems between Theo, Estelle, and Clara.

But in Estelle’s mind, they were inextricably linked.

She felt an unexpected resistance to solving family problems through her own marriage.

“Miss Estelle.”

Before she knew it, Fretes was kneeling on the floor beside where Estelle was sitting.

“Eh?”

“My deepest apologies. It seems I got the order wrong.”

Fretes made a pained expression as if this were the height of regret and took Estelle’s hand.

“I should have first explained why I want to marry you, Miss Estelle.”

“Ah, yes.”

“To get straight to the point, I wanted to go into business with you, Miss Estelle.”

“I want to go into business with you” is a compliment unique to Hollanders merchants.

It contains the trust and confidence of being willing to share finances and sign contracts together.

—That’s kind of… maybe a little happy.

Estelle knew the meaning, so she honestly felt happy, and her cheeks turned red.

Fretes said he had been interested in Estelle since their first meeting.

When Estelle’s eyes turned stern, thinking “That’s surely just smooth talking,” Fretes hurriedly protested.

“At that time, Miss Estelle was sad, but you were equally outraged, weren’t you? At the attitude of disregarding contracts for the sake of insincere, uncertain love, and at the values that accepted that. And most of all, you were frustrated at your own inability to correct those mistakes. If I may be rude, I thought a country girl who still seemed like a child, yet neither drowning in nor being trapped by love or romance, how calm, rational, and fierce she was.

Fretes said that.

That’s not true, Estelle thought.

She had been intoxicated with herself for being in love with Theo. Surely, she had liked herself for liking Theo more than she had actually liked Theo.

She thought that if she just tried hard enough, she would automatically be liked.

She was just running away from the trouble of making an effort with the other person.

“Even during the subsequent training, you never broke, always observing your surroundings and searching for better options. You did the same with me, didn’t you?”

“With you?”

“Yes. You were always watching me with ‘spectator’s eyes,’ weren’t you?”

Estelle turned bright red with shame.

He noticed…!

That’s beyond rude.

As Estelle shrunk back, Fretes hurriedly waved his hands.

“No, I was happy about it. Believe it or not, I wanted to be an actor when I was a child. I was opposed, but now I understand; considering my parents’ work, it makes sense. So, I was happy that you understood the intentions behind my behavior, enjoyed it as ‘performance,’ and evaluated it.”

Even being told that was unbearable.

Estelle covered her face and buried it in her hands. Who do I think I am…!

“I also heard about how you guide your younger brother.” Would you like to hear what happened afterward? Meiners is doing follow-up investigations without even being asked.”

That’s right, Meiners!

Estelle jerked her head up.

So that’s what was bothering me.

The trading companies and organizations directly operated by Meilmans have similar names.

Wait, then.

Was introducing Meiners to me also staged…?

When she looked at Fretes with this thought, he said, “Even I never thought Lord Kautny would introduce you to Meiners!”

—’Well, there are several, but this one’s for you.’

Ah.

Being constantly on someone’s palm like this—how frustrating.

Estelle couldn’t help but exclaim this, and Fretes agreed.