I Promise, I'll Leave! But, With No Regrets!!

Chapter 45

♦Chapter 45: The Message♦

[]Third Person's POV []

"Have you been doing well, elder sister?"

Fleurette was pouring tea on the teacups by herself, that time. However, for some reason, she paused as soon as she heard the other red-haired woman's question.

That moment, Fleurette was displeased by the words that came out from her younger sister's mouth. To her, the lady's statement was unnecessarily offending.

Nevertheless, she was an expert when it came to hiding her real emotions. As such, this time as well, Fleurette had successfully shown an expressionless face on the surface.

"...I've been doing okay.", she answered with a fake smile.

Thereafter, she continued to elegantly pour the tea and conversed with the lady.

"How about you? How is it going at your side?"

"I-I think... I'm doing great.", the lady replied, blushing for some reason.

"'I think' ?"

"Jeez, please stop teasing me, elder sister!"

Fleurette didn't have a single intention to tease her younger sister. Rather, she was bugged of the uncertainty in her answer.

Fleurette sighed lazily. Her sibling's innocence or simple-mindedness were plainly troublesome in a way. And in truth, she didn't quite like it.

Unlike Fleurette, her younger sister,  Raphaela was a delicate and pure girl that was raised in a friendly environment. That's why, she has grown into a naive and spoiled lady that knows nothing about her surroundings.

Marquess Aubetré always fawned over Raphaela that resulted this kind of outcome, which made her think that the world revolves around her, as if she was a heroine in one fairytale. In truth, back when she was still at House Aubetré, she couldn't bear to see this kind of progression. Nonetheless, she couldn't make a move in order to correct her sister.

In their childhood days, Raphaela was a crybaby. Rather, she was a girl that easily cried even over a small issue.

Therefore, the only thing that Fleurette could do was watch and tolerate her sister's behavior.

Marquess Aubetré doted too much on Raphaela, to the point that he'd expose his tyranny to those that did mischief to his daughter. Meanwhile, Fleurette, who was an illegitimate child borne by a mere maid that the Marquess whimsically played with; received a treatment as if she was a living tool.

"I have decided to take you in instead of disposing of you. You should be thrilled."

Those were the words that the Marquess gave Fleurette, the first time they met. Even when Fleurette was only a child that time, she was clever enough to fully interpret the meaning of his words.

Nevertheless, Fleurette didn't understand in what way she should be thrilled that moment. From the start, she didn't lust for a daily life being a noble. She simply wished to spend a life with her mother leisurely out there. But never did she know that she'd encounter that kind of development.

As Fleurette looked at the Marquess with an empty expression, her mother's words rang in her ears.

'How lucky of you, Fleurette.'

'Really................. I'm so envious...'

Hearing such statements from her dear mother's lips during their partings made Fleurette lose hope in an instant.

The reason why things have gone that way was all because of the Marquess. As such, Fleurette felt resentment toward him.

However...

"I will do my outmost to meet your expectations, Marquess.", replied, Fleurette to the man with the same crimson red hair as her.

That was the only path that she could take.

In a situation where the Marquess could easily put an end on her life, there was no other choice than that. It's not like she could go back to her mother's side either.

Afterwards, she lived her life as Marquess Aubetré's pawn, and followed every single command that he gave her without any hesitations. Even the weigh that Raphaela was supposed to carry was passed on to Fleurette, as soon as she existed in Marchioness Aubetré's womb, just because the Marquess demanded her to do it.

There was not a single moment that she has come to think of spouting a complaint.

One could say that rather than being the eldest lady of Aubetré Household, she has become the Marquess' dog. No- instead of a dog, she was a marionette.

A soulless doll that moves in accordance to her master's will.

"Well, as if there'd be a day that you'd not be doing fine.", Fleurette whispered after having short flashbacks in her mind.

"Elder sister?"

"No. It's nothing."

After that, silence enveloped the two.

From the very beginning, they weren't that close to each other. Rather, it was rare of them to interact or have a talk with just the two of them present although they were blood-related siblings.

They took several sips of the tea before Fleurette could speak and break the awkward silence.

"So, what's the main purpose of your visit?"

"Ah... It seems like father wants you to come back home in two days. I didn't really have anything to do at home so I voluntarily came here to retail that message."

Fleurette paused as her demeanor slightly looked pale after hearing what Raphaela said.

"...Did he say anything else?"

"Hmm... Oh! He said that he wanted to have a talk with you too. Though, I don't quite understand why he needed to add that up."

The grip of Fleurette's fingers that grasped her own teacup tightened all of a sudden. And while she stared down the empty cup, she replied.

"...I see."

Raphaela, then, observed her sister's odd-looking figure.

"Are you okay, elder sister?"

Fleurette flinched the moment Raphaela's words reached her ears. Then recomposing herself, she gave her sister a response.

"I'm fine, don't worry.", Fleurette uttered, smiling falsely.

[]Melissa's Perspective []

"Haa....... haa....", I panted a lot while I lied on the grassy ground with a wooden sword in my right hand.

"Hey lass, what's wrong? Ya can't keep up already?", asked, a middle-aged man that stood in front of my eyes, who wielded a wooden sword as well.

"You're must've overestimated a twelve-year-old kid's stamina, old man."

"Mind your words. I'm still in my fifties."

"For your information, that enough is the proof that you're already an old man."

Holger.

Since he is 'living' as a commoner, he might not own a last name (for now), but he is a skillful person when it comes to swordsmanship.

This person was the 'Mentor' that Aiden and I mentioned lately.