The Elder Sister Who Ran Away After Being Cheated by Her Fiancé and Younger Sister - Chapter 7

Carrying only one small bag, Estelle left her home.

She was immediately led by Fretes and boarded a carriage.

“First, let me guide you to the government quarters.”

“Government quarters?”

“Yes. Currently, the training facility doesn’t have dormitories for women.”

Estelle thought it made sense, since there was no framework for female soldiers.

Only now did Estelle become concerned about her treatment.

As if sensing Estelle’s inner thoughts, Fretes said, “Actually, there’s no rule that the national army doesn’t accept women.”

“Huh… What?”

“It’s just that we haven’t accepted them as a custom; there’s no law prohibiting it.”

“There isn’t?”

“There isn’t. So, the higher-ups have decided we should start recruiting more actively from now on.”

“I see… But why?”

The Hanzelkas Kingdom’s army was by no means weak. Though sandwiched between powerful nations to the east and south, it had maintained its independence for many years. There were enough knights and soldiers. She didn’t think there was any need to forcibly recruit women.

Though it was strange for Estelle, who had volunteered, to say so.

“There are various reasons, but first of all, there was no basis for not accepting them in the first place. Are you familiar with our neighboring country, Hollanders?”

Estelle nodded. The Hollanders Kingdom was located to the west of the Hanzelka Kingdom.

A maritime nation facing the sea, it thrived on fishing and commerce and was said to be the western gateway to the continent. It was also a long-standing ally of Hanzelka.

When Estelle answered with what she had learned in school, Fretes nodded vigorously.

“You’re very knowledgeable, that’s wonderful. Now, in that neighboring country, women also serve in the military.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And recently, it’s become a problem that women from Hanzelka are volunteering to join.”

“Huh? But it’s a foreign army, isn’t it?”

“There’s a quota for foreigners. Since people from various countries come to Hollanders, they have personnel from each country to handle them.”

Estelle thought he sounded like a merchant.

Fretes’s way of speaking and his demeanor somewhat resembled the Hollanders merchants she had met through work.

“It’s not just women from Hanzelka who volunteer, but since we’re long-standing allies and border crossings are free, right? Even taking that into account, there are a lot.”

Fretes explained.

The women from Hanzelka who volunteered were all serious and had been overlooked since they caused no particular problems.

However, in recent years, Hollanders had been reorganizing its military, and during that process, someone noticed that the numbers were a bit too high, weren’t they?

“It seems it had become a refuge for women.”

“A refuge…?”

“A place for women in various kinds of trouble to escape to. If it involved crime, they’d normally be arrested, but… well, things like family disputes, or unwanted marriages.”

She thought she understood what he was saying.

“But aren’t there churches and temples for that?”

“Churches and temples will listen to you. But they only listen. Let’s see! ‘Be strong, God is watching over you, please come anytime, see you next week.'”

Fretes fluttered his hand as if waving.

Estelle was surprised. She had vaguely imagined that if you relied on a church or temple, they would protect you outright.

“Well, it can’t be helped. If they took in every case, they’d be overwhelmed. Besides, churches and temples have no authority. If parents demand their daughter back, they can’t refuse.”

Though it seems they do help them escape through the back door, Fretes added.

Estelle suddenly grew worried.

“Um, what about me…?”

“The national army is different. To put it extremely, Miss Estelle now belongs to His Majesty the King. Whether your parents or your lord come, it’s none of their business. Even if they gather ruffians, they wouldn’t dare storm a military facility. They’re welcome to try, though.”

Hehe, Fretes laughed, and despite his handsome face, he had a certain charm.

That charm probably served as just the right amount of openness to ease wariness.

And there were signs he was deliberately acting that way. He was a very clever person.

“Mr. Fretes, you’re quite capable, aren’t you?”

“I do my best to give that impression, so I’m happy to receive your praise.”

He smiled like a student praised by a teacher.

He really is “smooth,” Estelle thought.

“In short, the Hanzelka army, having been kicked in the rear by the Hollanders army, has started actively accepting female soldiers. So, your volunteering came at just the right time. I’ve been assigned here and can show results right away—ah, I’m grateful.”

“Leave it to me,” Fretes said, puffing out his chest, appearing just reliable enough and just lighthearted enough.

Estelle was impressed by Fretes’s skill in manipulating the impression he gave others.

◇

The government quarters she was guided to were for senior officers, consisting of two rooms—a bedroom and a living room plus a simple kitchen, bath, and toilet, all included.

“At the training facility, the bath and toilet are shared. The renovation work hasn’t even started yet, so for a while, you’ll be borrowing officer facilities. Your assignment will be communicated later. For now, please rest here. Unfortunately, we can’t provide a maid.”

“Huh?”

When Estelle stared blankly, Fretes looked puzzled.

A maid?

“No, I can manage on my own…?”

“Really? I thought the daughter of a prominent merchant family would need a maid to take care of her personal needs.”

“I had maids who helped with housework, but I can take care of myself.”

Estelle was now the one surprised by Fretes’s surprise.

Maybe the major merchant families in the neighboring country or the royal capital lived like nobles.

“I see… But if you have any troubles, please let me know.”

Fretes made a face of understanding and left.

Estelle watched his back, closed the door, and plopped down onto the living room sofa.

“Sigh…”

Only Estelle’s sigh echoed in the silent government quarters.

No, no, I can’t calm down at a time like this. I have to keep moving.

She froze in place.

Estelle checked inside the quarters.

In the closet, simple indoor clothes and nightwear were hanging. There were also several towels of different sizes, cups, a water pitcher, and so on.

In the kitchen, there was bread wrapped in cloth, probably for a late-night snack, and two bottles of wine.

It was like a hotel. Probably not for permanent residence but a guest room.

Might as well enjoy it.

It was already fully night. Even regarding her assignment, Fretes probably wouldn’t come until tomorrow.

Come to think of it, she had missed dinner.

As soon as she realized it, Estelle suddenly felt hungry and helped herself to the bread and wine in the kitchen.

After relaxing in the bath, she changed into indoor clothes, took a book from the bedroom bookshelf, and flopped onto the bed.

She thought it might be a manual or something related to the military, but it was a travelogue.

It was written by an author from Hanzelka, recounting Chapters from his travels to neighboring countries, and it was very interesting.

In it, there was a story about how he was impressed by the fresh-leaf-colored eyes of a girl selling goods in neighboring Hollanders, and she suddenly remembered Fretes.

That’s right, Fretes’s fresh-leaf-colored eyes, which she had thought were rare in this area, were a common color among Hollanders people.

“Was he a foreigner? But why would a foreigner be in our national army?”

Incidentally, she laughed at the part where he was taken in by the girl’s negotiation skills and ended up buying at an inflated price.

Hollanders people were good at business, and even children were not to be underestimated.

Estelle was honestly not good with Hollanders business practices, where there were no fixed prices and it all depended on negotiation, but she also knew how reliable they could be when acting as agents.

“But I always get overcharged.”

It seemed Estelle wasn’t very assertive. She was aware of it.

That’s why she was always pushed aside, and Theo too…

“Stop it.”

She wouldn’t think about it now. It was already over.

She would make it over. Put it in the past.

After reading a bit more, Estelle went to bed.

Fortunately, she didn’t have any bad dreams.