SMTD 09

Chapter 9 …..

“What… what did you just say?”

Hazel blinked in disbelief. She had clearly heard what Elena said, but a part of her didn’t want to accept it. Elena straightened her back and spoke more firmly.

“I was wondering… could you perhaps introduce me to a position as a live-in tutor, where I can work and live together with my younger sister?”

Elena repeated herself, her face flushed bright red. This was only her second time meeting Hazel, and yet here she was shamelessly making such a request. She felt unbearably embarrassed. Why did it feel like everything she’d been doing lately was mortifying?

Sensing her sister’s embarrassment, Leana rolled her eyes and hugged Elena tightly from the side.

Hazel glanced between Elena and Leana.

“…A tutoring job.”

Of course, Elena was of fallen noble birth, but she likely had enough education to teach children. Judging by her table manners, her way of speaking, and the fact that Hazel had heard she did translation work, she was probably proficient in foreign languages as well.

Her fingers were long and slender—perhaps she even played the piano well. Count Joseph had at least raised one of his daughters properly.

However, this wasn’t what Hazel had expected.

When Maxime had made that “request” with that smooth face of his, she had assumed it would be something much sweeter and happier than this. She had been dreaming of returning to the capital and boasting to her beloved family about her grand achievements in Rebunto, telling the story like some heroic tale.

‘That ungrateful brat…!’

Her lips twitched with frustration.

“Did Maxime promise you that? I must have heard you wrong.”

“…Maxime…”

Elena blinked rapidly. Just remembering that day made her heart pound. It was the day Elena Joseph had opened the door to a new world—for herself and for Leana.

She hadn’t been sure Maxime would agree to help her. The only high-ranking noble she knew was Maxime. He was her only chance. But Maxime was not obligated to her in any way.

[I… I want to run away from my mother, Maxime. Will you help me? I’ll repay you all at once—including everything you’ve done for me until now. I’ll devote my whole life to repaying you. So please…]

[Run away?]

[Anywhere but Rebunto. As long as it’s somewhere my mother doesn’t know. I can speak the common tongue, Carmenese, Mantung, and Homirian, so I don’t mind going abroad.]

Elena had thrown away her pride and begged him. Maxime had answered her matter-of-factly.

[This is something the Countess of Presto is more suited for than me. I’ll speak to her. Come back when you’re ready.]

He had even smiled gently at the end—or at least, that’s how Elena remembered it. She swallowed hard.

Could it be that he hadn’t actually said anything to the Countess? Her fingers curled in anxiety. Of course, there was no reason Maxime had to keep that promise.

The payment Elena had promised wasn’t something she could offer immediately, and Maxime wanted nothing from her.

The scales were tipped entirely in his favor.

“If it’s too much trouble, then…”

“No, no. That rascal Maxime.”

Hazel forced a smile.

“He simply didn’t explain things to me properly. He just said he was entrusting you to me and left. He must have been busy.”

“…Ah.”

Thank goodness. Maxime had kept his word after all. A wave of relief washed over Elena’s shoulders as she realized she wouldn’t be thrown out after all.

Hazel let out a quiet sigh as she watched the pitiful girl.

‘It can’t be helped.’

Her husband and grown sons back in Rebunto were more than capable of managing on their own. There wouldn’t be any major issues even if she were away for a while. Sure, the two men sometimes argued over marriage matters, but that happened in every household.

Leaving grown adults on their own wouldn’t cause any serious problems.

Right now, Maxime’s matter seemed far more urgent.

“It would probably be best to look for such a position in Andres. I was planning to go there for a short while anyway. Would you like to come along?”

Elena’s eyes widened. She looked down at Leana.

If they went to Andres, it would also be easier to get treatment for Leana. The capital had far more resources than the provinces.

Elena swallowed nervously.

“Well, Elena? What do you say?”

“…I’ll go…!”

Her voice trembled as she answered.

* * *

Cecile, who had gone out early that morning, returned around sunset, her face flushed with excitement as she rushed up to the second floor.

She held a marriage proposal document in her hand.

Finally, her efforts had borne fruit. It was a proposal to become the second wife of Viscount Benjamin. His former wife had failed to bear a son and had been sent back to her family, and the divorced viscount was now looking for a new bride.

Viscount Benjamin’s family had struck it rich when diamonds were discovered in one of their abandoned mines. Cecile had been promised a dowry of one million gold.

Sure, he was in his mid-forties, a head shorter than Cecile, and balding—but what did that matter? The most important thing in life was money.

“Elena!!”

Cecile called out loudly for her daughter. She wanted the girl to know how hard her mother was working for their future.

“Elena. Elena? Why isn’t she answering…?”

She frowned as she opened Elena’s door.

As expected of meticulous Elena, the room was perfectly neat and orderly. Everything was as usual—but something felt off.

The desk was empty. The air in the room was cold. Odd gaps appeared here and there, as if things had been quietly removed.

Cecile stepped into the room. Her hands shook as she opened the wardrobe door—

The proposal slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor.

“El—Elena!!”

That crazy girl… she’s run away?! Cecile let out a hollow laugh and slumped onto the bed. She was furious.

There wasn’t a single trace of Elena’s belongings left. Even the postcards she had collected—quirky, old-fashioned things that suited her eccentric tastes—were gone.

She clearly had no intention of coming back.

Cecile snapped out of it and leapt to her feet. Her next destination was Leana’s bedroom. She flung the door open.

It was the spot where Leana was always supposed to be lying.

“…That girl has really made up her mind.”

Cecile clenched her teeth and tightened her fists. She didn’t care about Leana’s disappearance.

But Elena disappearing at this crucial time—that was a problem.

Cecile started thinking fast.

Legally, Elena was still her daughter. By the law of this country, Cecile alone had the right to decide Elena’s whereabouts. When her husband died, their young relative had inherited the family but dumped all household matters onto Cecile.

She estimated it would take at least ten days to drag Elena back and seat her beside Viscount Benjamin.

Within that time, she could cover up Elena’s absence with a story about her being bedridden with a sudden illness.

Cecile staggered upright, her heart pounding.

Anger was fueling her like a drug. Where could the girl have gone? Had she been hiding money all this time?

She couldn’t possibly have afforded a train ticket. Trains were still the domain of the wealthy. Even hiring a stagecoach to leave Rebunto would have cost a considerable amount.

Still, the stagecoach option was more plausible than a train. Unless…

‘Someone helped her. Maxime?’

A handsome young man’s face flashed through her mind.

Ever since the banquet, Cecile had tried everything to get close to Maxime. If she could snag someone wealthy, young, and handsome like him, why wouldn’t she?

But no one would talk about him. Whenever she asked about Maxime, the noble ladies would quietly leave.

And even Cecile didn’t have the courage to approach Countess Presto, the hostess of the party—she was practically royalty. A single misstep could land her in trouble for insulting the royal family.

‘Still… I heard he’s staying there…’

Her eyes narrowed.

Could Elena have gone after Maxime? That foolish girl always aimed far above her station.

She might have caused real trouble this time.

Cecile took a deep breath. If things went well, she could just squeeze money out of the man. If not…

She would have Elena back within ten days.

Her mind was made up.