A letter arrived at the Stykov Count’s estate.
It was from Baroness Stephanie Fonfury, the Count’s younger sister, addressed to her eldest niece, Eleanor.
Eleanor read through her aunt’s graceful greetings without much thought at first, but her eyes gradually widened as she continued.
<I heard the rumors spreading through the capital. I worry about how difficult this must be for you alone. Eleanor, would you like to come stay at my estate for a while and recuperate? You could rest here, gather your thoughts, and live free from all the gossip for some time. There are things I wish to speak to you about as well, so please come to your aunt.>
Aunt Stephanie was someone Eleanor deeply respected and loved.
Gentle and compassionate, yet strict and highly capable, she was the very image of the woman Eleanor admired.
The only reason Eleanor did not consider her a true role model was because her aunt’s excessive diligence clashed slightly with Eleanor’s inherently lazy nature.
Still, Eleanor was overjoyed by the letter.
The concern woven into every sentence touched her heart. Aside from Lisa and Stella, Aunt Stephanie was the first person who had worried about Eleanor herself, wholeheartedly.
‘If I go there, I’ll finally get some distance from Lydia for a while too.’
It was not the complete independence she dreamed of, but it was still a perfect opportunity to get away from the protagonists of the novel for some time.
After the disastrous broken engagement with Edward, Eleanor badly needed time to recover and reorganize herself. Her aunt’s territory was famous for its natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere—ideal for rest and recuperation.
‘I should go.’
The moment she finished reading the letter, Eleanor made her decision.
No matter how she thought about it, leaving was the better option.
For herself, and for the Stykov family as well.
It was far preferable for the daughter currently dominating gossip papers to temporarily stay elsewhere under the pretext of recuperation than remain cooped up at home where everyone would notice.
So that very evening, Eleanor brought it up during dinner.
“I think I’ll go stay in Oklama for a while.”
The sudden declaration made the Count, Countess, and Lydia all stare at her in surprise.
Oklama was the southern territory governed by Baroness Stephanie Fonfury. Blessed with a warm climate and breathtaking scenery, it was a place the Stykov family occasionally visited for leisure.
But for Eleanor to suddenly announce she was going there—
“Oklama? Alone?” the Count asked.
“Yes. Aunt invited me, and honestly, it’s difficult to even go outside properly while staying here.”
The Count and Countess exchanged glances.
They looked at their eldest daughter, who waited calmly for their answer. During her seclusion she had not exactly lost weight… but her complexion had grown noticeably worse.
“That may be for the best,” the Count said at last with a sigh. “Stay as long as you want until things calm down. In the meantime, this father of yours will make sure that bastard Hans can’t even show his face outside again.”
The Count had secretly been worried about Eleanor isolating herself at home, so he agreed readily.
The Countess nodded as well. The capital’s social circles showed no sign of quieting down anytime soon, so perhaps it would be better for Eleanor to spend time freely in the countryside instead.
“Thank you. I’ll rest a little and come back.”
“Yes, yes. Go and get plenty of rest.”
“Then I’ll go too.”
Eleanor’s smile froze before it could fully form.
Lydia had suddenly volunteered to come along.
“Lydia, you too?”
“Yes. You’ll be lonely if you go by yourself, Sister. I want to go relax with you too.”
Eleanor carefully forced a smile onto her stiff lips.
She looked affectionately at her younger sister seated beside her.
Today, Lydia looked especially bright and fresh, her flower-petal-colored hair tied high into a single ponytail. Her bangs softened her face, making her appear even younger.
“Lydia, I’m really fine. I can go alone.”
If Lydia came, the four men inevitably attached to her would follow as bonus baggage.
Naturally, Eleanor refused gently—but firmly.
“Why? Let’s go together! Hehe, you’ll be bored all alone.”
Unfortunately, Lydia completely failed to grasp the very obvious rejection.
“No. If both of us disappear at the same time, people outside will think it strange. And one of us should stay here with Father and Mother.”
Hesitation crossed Lydia’s face.
Eleanor was right. With gossip surrounding the sisters already blazing hot, both daughters vanishing from the capital at once would only make rumors spiral further.
And leaving only the Count and Countess behind in the capital also bothered her.
Noticing Lydia wavering, Eleanor delivered the finishing blow with a warm smile.
“Protect the Stykov family for me while I’m gone. Please, Lydia.”
“Okay, Sister. Leave it to me.”
Lydia clasped her tiny hands together and nodded firmly.
Eleanor smiled softly.
“Thank you. I’m counting on you.”
“But you have to come back soon. It’s too lonely without you.”
“Of course. I’ll hurry back to see you.”
Eleanor lied without batting an eye.
Come back soon? She wanted to stay there for at least an entire season.
But the older sister of a heroine was supposed to be hopelessly devoted to her younger sibling, so she merely gave the correct answer.
After that, the conversation naturally revolved around Lydia again, but Eleanor did not mind.
She had gained a chance to escape, however temporary. Compared to that, what did it matter if everything still revolved around the heroine as always?
As she quietly chewed on a plump shrimp, Eleanor was already busy planning how she would pack her luggage.
Oklama was a remarkably warm region.
The climate was so mild it resembled spring year-round, with snowfall rare even during the dead of winter.
Eleanor packed mostly spring and summer clothing. No matter how long she stayed, she intended to return before winter arrived, so thick clothes were unnecessary.
Still, bringing too many outfits would attract attention, so she instructed them to pack only enough for about a month.
Anything else could simply be bought there later.
Having been granted full authority over selecting Eleanor’s wardrobe—because Eleanor herself found the task too bothersome—Lisa fell into deep agony.
A maid’s pride and duty was to ensure her lady shone brilliantly no matter where she went, even in a rural estate.
How Eleanor appeared to others depended entirely on what Lisa chose to pack.
The problem was that, in Lisa’s devoted eyes, every single outfit suited Eleanor perfectly.
If she chose this dress, the other felt wasteful to leave behind.
If she picked that one, then this one became impossible to abandon.
After much painful deliberation, recalling the scenery of Oklama from their visit two years ago, Lisa finally selected the outfits one by one.
Most were bright and lightly colored.
Thankfully, the dresses themselves were not bulky, so fitting them into luggage was easy enough.
When Lisa finally finished packing and wiped the sweat from her brow, Eleanor peeked her head into the dressing room.
“Lisa, choose the accessories too.”
In the end, Lisa endured two more rounds of hellish suffering before finally packing all the accessories, shoes, and hats.
The prepared luggage was sent ahead to Oklama before Eleanor herself departed.
What Eleanor would personally carry were the gifts prepared by her family, a few spare clothes, and her valuables.
On the way back after collecting the gift she had ordered for her aunt, Eleanor stopped by the Maxil Marquisate.
She wanted to say goodbye to Stella before leaving.
“Stella!”
“Eleanor!”
The two girls embraced as though reunited after years apart.
It had only been about two weeks, but considering they had barely seen each other even before Eleanor’s seclusion, the reunion felt strangely emotional.
Holding Eleanor’s hand, Stella led her into the garden.
The Stykov estate also boasted a beautiful garden filled with blooming hydrangeas, but the scale of the Maxil family’s grounds was entirely different—like a fragment of forest transplanted into noble society.
Under a pergola wrapped in climbing vines blooming with alternating yellow and white roses sat a tea table prepared specially for Eleanor’s visit.
“You’re leaving the day after tomorrow?”
“Mm.”
“How long are you staying?”
“About a season, I think. I’m exhausted… and Edward Hans doesn’t seem likely to calm down anytime soon.”
Unlike with Lydia, Eleanor spoke honestly to Stella.
No matter how long Eleanor intended to stay away, Stella would understand.
At least in front of Stella, Eleanor could be truthful.
The moment Edward’s name surfaced, Stella’s face darkened.
She slammed her teacup down loudly, practically radiating black murderous energy.
“That damned bastard. While you’re gone, I swear I’ll kick him right in the crotch.”
“Please don’t, Stella. Daniel might cry if he hears.”
Eleanor thought of Stella’s fiancé Daniel, a frail scholar-type man.
Tall and skinny, he was often called a useless scarecrow by Stella.
If word spread across high society that his fiancée had kicked her friend’s ex-fiancé between the legs, he might genuinely tremble like a frightened chick and burst into tears.
After all, he was already rather scared of Stella.
“Who cares about that coward? Honestly, if the engagement broke off, I’d be grateful.”
“As someone experienced in the matter, please refrain from that too.”
The moment Stella and Daniel broke off their engagement, every gossip paper in the capital would immediately release special editions.
The headlines would probably read something like:
<Following a Friend to Ruin? Two Close Friends Suffer Consecutive Broken Engagements!>
And besides, Eleanor had experienced three broken engagements, but that was abnormal.
Most noble ladies married the very first fiancé chosen for them.
Stella, despite delaying marriage, was still overwhelmingly likely to marry Daniel eventually.
“What’s the big deal about broken engagements anyway? Better than divorce.”
“If I ever got divorced, newspaper publishers themselves would come running into the streets throwing papers everywhere.”
“…That’s true.”
Unable to deny it, Stella cut into her cake with a fork.
If the papers already devoured broken engagements with delight, imagining the frenzy over a divorce was horrifying.
“Come visit during your vacation,” Eleanor said with a smile. “You can even bring your family.”
Oklama’s bright weather and lush scenery made it an ideal vacation destination. During summer, its valleys and lakes were perfect for swimming as well.
“I’ll come alone.”
“Why? Your family’s welcome too.”
Aunt Stephanie was very generous about family visits.
Although Eleanor only really had Stella as a friend, Lydia—who had many friends—had often invited entire families to stay in Oklama before.
Even the Ernst family, who were close family friends, had visited together.
But Stella shook her head firmly.
For someone raised as the beloved youngest daughter of the Maxil household, it was a surprisingly strong refusal.
“Is there some reason?”
“I don’t want to go with my mother’s sons.”
“Ah.”
Eleanor burst into laughter.
Stella had three older brothers, all of whom absolutely adored their youngest sister.
They doted on her like an overexcited puppy, which Stella found unbearably irritating. Even having her hair ruffled by their large rough hands annoyed her.
Since Eleanor had heard many complaints about the brothers before, she merely nodded with amusement.
“All right then. Come alone.”
“Exactly. Going with Mom’s sons is such a hassle.”
“What’s such a hassle?”
A shadow suddenly fell behind Stella, accompanied by an unfamiliar voice.
Startled, Eleanor looked up.
A man stood there with the same violet hair and crimson eyes as Stella.
Beneath his sharp eyes sat a beauty mark, and he wore the knightly uniform bearing the imperial crest, a sword hanging at his waist.
It was Cain Maxil, Stella’s third older brother.
Removing his black leather gloves, Cain immediately began ruffling Stella’s hair mercilessly.
“What’s such a hassle, you little brat?”
“Ah, stop it.”
“Tell me why going anywhere with your big brothers is so troublesome.”
“Take your hands off my hair.”
Like a hissing cat, Stella glared viciously at him.
Cain stared down at his younger sister for a moment before grinning mischievously and thoroughly messing up her curls with both hands.
“Hey!”
Stella screamed.
Her naturally curly hair puffed up wildly with static electricity.
Chuckling at the floating mess her hair had become, Cain casually turned his head—
—and met eyes with Eleanor, who had been laughing as well.
The playful look on his face vanished instantly. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he looked away.
Though Stella threatened revenge furiously, Cain ignored her and stepped back to straighten his clothes.
“It’s been a while, Cain. Have you been well?”
Since Eleanor frequently visited the Maxil estate, she was already acquainted with Stella’s brothers, so she greeted him first.
Cain glanced briefly at her gentle smile before nodding awkwardly.
“Uh, Eleanor… Have you been well too?”
“As if she could’ve been well. Stop interrupting us while we’re talking and—”
Stella snapped sharply, annoyed that her brother had barged into their conversation and stubbornly refused to leave.
But before she could finish saying “get lost already,” Cain pressed firmly down on the top of her head, silencing her.
Stella angrily tried to shove his hand away, but Cain simply extended his arm farther.
No matter how much she stretched, their difference in arm length was too great.
Watching Stella struggle like a cat trying to scratch its owner while Cain stood there with a tense expression, still pressing down on her head, Eleanor smiled softly.
They were truly close siblings.
“So, um… what were you talking about?”
Seeing Eleanor smile, Cain cleared his throat and asked.
His hand remained planted atop Stella’s head.
“I’m going to stay with my aunt for a while,” Eleanor explained. “So I came to say goodbye before leaving.”
“…What?”
Cain froze with a shocked expression.
Eleanor tilted her head.
Given the sensational gossip surrounding the triangle between herself, Lydia, and Edward, there was no way Cain had not heard the news already.
So surely he could also guess why she was leaving the capital for her aunt’s estate.
Still, his complexion had turned so poor that Eleanor assumed perhaps he truly had not heard.
“I broke off my engagement,” she said kindly. “Maybe you hadn’t heard yet?”
“No—I heard. I did. I just… didn’t know you were leaving.”
“It’s not forever. I’m only going to rest until things quiet down.”
Cain looked down at her with complicated eyes.
Of Stella’s three brothers, he resembled her the most—practically a male version of Stella herself.
Only the deeper shade of his eyes differed slightly, gleaming transparent like jewels under sunlight.
Eleanor quietly stared at Cain’s eyes shimmering beneath the garden sunlight.
They sparkled so clearly it felt like looking at marbles held against the sun.
“W-What?”
Feeling her gaze, Cain flusteredly touched his face.
Did he have something on him? Why was she staring like that?
“Oh, sorry. Your eyes are pretty, so I guess I kept looking without realizing.”
At those words, Cain’s ears instantly turned bright red.
“Ah—r-really? I don’t usually hear things like that… B-but, um, your eyes are pretty too, Eleanor.”
“Really? Thank you.”
Eleanor smiled kindly and took a sip of tea.
Meanwhile, Stella narrowed her eyes at her brother, who sat there with reddened ears, visibly panicking all by himself.
Watching Cain cover his mouth awkwardly with the back of his hand while looking embarrassingly shy was honestly revolting from a younger sister’s perspective.
Taking advantage of his distraction, Stella drove her elbow hard into his stomach.
“Ugh!”
Caught completely off guard, Cain staggered backward and finally removed his hand from her head.
“Idiot. You’re embarrassing yourself all on your own.”
“Stella?”
“Eleanor, shouldn’t you get going soon?”
“Oh, you’re right. The sun will set soon.”
Checking the time on her pocket watch, Eleanor rose from her seat.
Stella immediately approached and hugged her tightly.
Once again, the atmosphere between them turned sentimental.
It was not as though they would never meet again, but knowing they would be separated by such distance made the farewell feel unexpectedly sad.
“I’ll write to you, Stella.”
“I will too.”
“And you better visit.”
“Don’t worry. I’m planning to stay for a whole month.”
Their clasped hands tightened.
Even saying goodbye to family before departing would not have felt more emotional than this.
As each other’s first true friend, the bond between them ran deep.
After squeezing Stella’s hand one last time before letting go, Eleanor turned to Cain as well.
“I should be going now. Take care, Cain.”
“Uh… yeah. Have a safe trip.”
Waving goodbye even to the strangely dejected-looking Cain, Eleanor boarded the carriage with Lisa.
Once its master had entered, the blue carriage bearing the Stykov family crest rolled powerfully forward.
Eleanor leaned against her seat with a long sigh after waving to Stella through the window until the very end.
‘I’ve said goodbye to everyone.’
The thought made her laugh quietly at herself.
There had only really been one person worth visiting, yet she acted as though she had made a grand farewell tour.
Still, there was no one left to see now.
All that remained was to leave peacefully for Oklama.
