The Elder Sister Who Ran Away After Being Cheated by Her Fiancé and Younger Sister - Chapter 8:

The next morning, Estelle changed her clothes, freshened up, and packed her bags so she could leave at a moment’s notice.

She had even washed and hung out the clothes and towels she had used.

While reading the continuation of her travelogue and waiting to be summoned, there was a knock at the door.

“Miss Estelle, would you like some breakfast?”

Estelle was startled by the crisp, clear voice of a woman.

Flustered, she opened the door to find a tall woman in a knight’s uniform standing there, holding a tray in both hands. Fretes was behind her.

“Nice to meet you. May I come in first?”

“Y-yes.”

Estelle hurriedly opened the door wide.

“Thank you.”

The woman entered gracefully despite her long strides. Fretes followed behind her, carrying a pot and a basket.

“Good morning, Miss Estelle. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, thank you.”

The woman set the tray down on the living room table, took the basket from Fretes, and began arranging plates and cups from it.

When she was done, she turned to face Estelle.

“Let me introduce myself properly. I am Yenifer van Valkenfoot. Since people say it’s hard to pronounce, please call me Valken.”

Estelle thought the phrase sounded familiar somewhere as she shook the offered hand.

Valken’s large, leaf-green eyes sparkled mischievously. Her glossy blonde hair was tied back simply, but unlike Fretes, it was soft and fluffy, very stylish.

“Now, let’s eat before it gets cold.”

The fully set table was lined with sandwiches, fried food in paper bags, cut fruit, and more, looking just like a student cafeteria.

“The official residence doesn’t have a dining hall.”

“After all, we only come here to sleep.”

“Commoners make their own food, and nobles eat out. Miss Estelle, don’t hold back—eat as much as you like. I guarantee the taste.”

“Fried food from the morning?”

“Yesterday, we had steak from the morning.”

The two of them were really lively.

As the three of them sat around the table, the other two chatted animatedly while Estelle just listened. Strangely, she didn’t feel left out like she had during tea parties with Theo and Clara. What was different?

The sandwich she was given was so large that Estelle hesitated, but she knew she couldn’t afford to be so prim and proper from now on.

With a determined “Here goes,” Estelle opened her mouth wide and took a big bite.

The crisp leafy greens, roasted chicken, and cheese blended together perfectly, spreading across her palate.

“It’s delicious!”

“Right? It’s from a new shop behind the official residence.”

“Did they do takeout?”

“I suggested they should. I put together a detailed plan for them, so this is their thanks.”

“Isn’t that extortion?”

“I gave them a plan guaranteed to make money, for free. Accepting a token of gratitude is perfectly legal.”

“Is it just for today?”

“Only I get a lifetime pass.”

“Isn’t that extortion?!”

Estelle found herself smiling unconsciously at their quick-witted banter.

It really was different. What was the difference?

Valken was a knight. That meant she was a noble lady. Her movements were oddly elegant, hinting at her background, but right now, she was tearing into her sandwich with her hands, eating heartily. Unlike Fretes, there was no sense of pretense, so this was probably her true self.

“Miss Estelle, have you heard of cream puffs? They’re pastries with a hollow, bumpy shell filled with cream. You can enjoy the cream without getting your hands dirty. What a wonderful invention, don’t you think?”

“After eating all this, you’re still having dessert?”

“Nobles eat a whole pig from the morning.”

“Nobles don’t even wake up at this hour in the morning. And they don’t eat a whole pig.”

“One per person.”

“That’s a lie, Miss Estelle!”

Valken took cream puffs wrapped in tissue paper from the basket that had held the dishes, placed two in front of Estelle and one in front of Fretes. Then she immediately unwrapped hers and took a big bite. It was strange how she could open her mouth so wide without seeming vulgar.

Estelle felt as if she had gone back to being a student.

Of course, she had never eaten so cheerfully with classmates at school. To save money, she brought her own lunch, and even during lunchtime, she held a textbook in one hand, reviewing her studies.

It felt like she was reclaiming something she had missed out on until now.

And she vaguely understood what was different from the time with Theo and Clara.

Back then, the two of them had deliberately talked in a way Estelle couldn’t understand.

It wasn’t that they wanted to talk about things only they knew. Their conversation was solely to make Estelle aware that there were things only they shared.

Even when talking about things Estelle didn’t know, it was possible to speak in a way she could follow. Fretes and Valken were doing just that.

Moreover, Fretes and Valken never forgot that “Estelle was with them.” It showed in their glances and in their conversation.

But Theo and Clara hadn’t cared about Estelle at all.

She had thought it was her imagination or that she was taking it the wrong way, but it wasn’t.

Estelle hadn’t wanted to dislike Theo and Clara.

Even though they had broken up, she didn’t want to be the kind of person who hated her childhood friend and first love, or her own sister.

She had thought people like that were bad.

So, she had believed she was the one at fault.

But.

She’d had enough of such pretty sentiments.

She hated them. She really hated them.

She hated Theo. She hated Clara. She hated her father and mother too.

It was fine if she was a bad person.

“Miss Estelle, we still have time, so eat as much as you like. Fretes will make some fresh tea.”

“Me?”

“You’re good at it, right?”

“I am good at it.”

Before she knew it, Estelle was crying uncontrollably.

Even as she took a bite of her cream puff.

How foolish and pathetic she must look. But she was hungry, and the tears kept coming.

Beside her, Valken wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. Estelle felt unbearably sorry.

“S-sorry…”

“You couldn’t cry last night, could you? It’s fine, cry now. Crying over a lost love while eating sweets is the most ladylike thing you can do.”

“You’ve got to be kidding?!” she heard Fretes exclaim from a little farther away. Valken threw a crumpled paper bag at him.

Even though they were practically strangers, they comforted her as if they were old friends. Estelle was so happy, but thinking of Theo made her sad, and the tears kept coming. The sandwich was delicious, and the cream puff was incredibly tasty too.