The Elder Sister Who Ran Away After Being Cheated by Her Fiancé and Younger Sister - Chapter 6

Urged by Fretes, Estelle recounted the entire sequence of events.

While Fretes was an excellent listener, it was also likely that somewhere in her heart, Estelle had wanted someone to hear her out.

She ended up telling him everything as he prompted her.

“I see, I see. What a piece of trash. My apologies—though that trash has lost the right to stand by your side, he was still your childhood friend, wasn’t he?”

Estelle laughed at Fretes’s way of putting it.

It was her first genuine smile, not a self-deprecating one since she had opened the door to Clara’s room.

“You have the makings of a soldier.”

“The makings? What are they?”

“You have no lingering attachments to civilian life.”

“Let’s leave it all behind and start life over!”

Estelle let out a light chuckle at Fretes’s beaming smile.

Even if it was just smooth talk, she felt saved.

After that, somehow or other, Fretes prepared a volunteer application and had Estelle sign it.

She naturally had doubts. Wasn’t the military off-limits for women? But Fretes assured her, “Leave it to me,” so she decided she didn’t care anymore.

It was the National Army, after all. It wasn’t as if she’d be sold off into slavery.

Even if the training was grueling, Estelle found herself looking forward to it now.

—Surely, it would keep her from thinking about unnecessary things.

◇

After that, Estelle returned home to collect her belongings. Fretes accompanied her.

Since Estelle was now a trainee belonging to the National Army, she needed to submit the proper application and obtain permission to leave the military facilities.

She was told that the procedure was being waived for now, which was why Fretes had to accompany her. Rather than feeling uncomfortable under surveillance, Estelle felt more reassured.

When they arrived home, the Petrak family had, unsurprisingly, returned.

Clara wasn’t there.

Had she gone out somewhere with Theo, or had she gone with the Petrak family?

It didn’t matter anymore.

In her heart, Estelle bid farewell to Clara.

When Estelle told her parents she was leaving home, they grew angry and tried to stop her.

Estelle was bewildered—why now? But to her parents, Estelle was an asset. If she could be used to strengthen ties with the Petrak family, that was one thing, but if she left, all their investment would go to waste.

She understood; it wasn’t out of parental love.

Her parents were blocked by Fretes in front of Estelle’s room.

“Miss Estelle is already a member of the National Army. The safety, freedom, and rights of our soldiers are guaranteed in the name of His Majesty the King.”

“What nonsense! Estelle is a woman; she can’t join the military!”

“The volunteer application has been accepted. If you have inquiries, please visit the National Army General Command. By the way, it’s located in the North District of the royal capital.”

“Estelle! Don’t do anything foolish! You won’t come back from the military in one piece!”

“Such baseless rumors are regrettable. I’ll suggest the Public Relations Department address this.”

Ignoring the commotion outside the door, Estelle packed what she needed into her bag.

Food, clothing, and shelter would be provided, so she didn’t need to bring anything.

There were no clothes or accessories she liked enough to take with her.

She remembered the pendant Theo had given her, only to later discover it matched one Clara had; a slight disappointment.

She had felt self-loathing for being disappointed when Theo had gone to the trouble of giving matching gifts to both sisters. But looking back now, Estelle’s gift was probably just an afterthought to Clara’s.

She didn’t need it.

Seeing it would only remind her of that unsettled feeling.

If it was going to become a memory someday, she wanted it to be only the happy ones.

She hesitated over the textbooks she used in school, but the necessary materials would likely be available at the military facilities.

Thinking that, the only things she took were a change of clothes, underwear, toiletries, and the cash she had on hand.

She was glad she hadn’t yet been assigned her own responsibilities at the Petrak Trading Company.

If she had, she probably wouldn’t have been able to make such a sudden, clean break.

But for now, everything she did was under Tamara’s direction, and she only handled miscellaneous tasks as a trainee.

It might cause some confusion, but she hoped they’d blame Theo.

She took one last look around the room, knowing it would be her final time seeing it.

She had no intention of ever returning.

Leaving the room, Estelle bowed to her parents, who were still vehemently arguing with Fretes.

“Father, Mother. Thank you for raising me until now. Please stay well.”

It was the most heartfelt farewell she could muster.

Turning her back on her silent parents, Estelle left home.

If she had been alone, she probably would have been too scared to leave.

They might have locked her up.

But now, she had Fretes’s authority backing her up.

Though it was pitiful that she couldn’t move on her own, and the shame of it weighed heavily on her.

She wanted to become stronger, without forgetting this frustration.

She had no idea where she would be taken or what she would do from now on, but Estelle felt more anticipation than anxiety.