TSBSFVW 17

Chapter 17

Two Minnows. When You’re Crazy About Baguettes (2)

The item left behind with the short note was sweet and crispy.

— These are cookies. They’re delicious, so please eat them.

As soon as Iraine saw the bundle Ellie had left, she quickly hid it in her arms, afraid someone might see.

The small, round handwriting was unmistakably Ellie’s.

“It smells so good…”

It was like the scent came straight from Ellie’s plump white cheeks.

Burying her nose in the note, sniffing deeply, Iraine slipped one of the little pieces into her mouth.

The piece broke apart with a crisp snap, tasting nutty and sweet. She had thought it was just a hard, dried lump of bread, but the way it crumbled so easily proved otherwise.

Did Ellie make this herself? Was ‘cookie’ just the name she gave it?

Iraine wanted to ask directly, but she knew the closer she got to Ellie, the harder things became.

Every time Iraine tried to approach Ellie, her father would torment the girl.

As if Ellie’s very existence somehow brought misfortune to Iraine.

Because her father always defended Iraine alone, she came to learn the secret of her own birth very late.

At first, she too had believed she was truly a daughter of the McClure family.

But she wasn’t.

She was a child born of her father’s sin, the result of his infidelity. By rights, she never should have been allowed to set foot in this mansion.

And yet, strangely…

Iraine was raised as if she were the legitimate daughter, showered with all the love in the world. While Ellie was left by the kitchen, growing up neglected.

No one ever told her that Ellie was her younger sister. But the child with eyes exactly like her own stole Iraine’s heart instantly.

Those plump cheeks, the gentle downward curve of her smiling eyes, the lips that always moved in a small pout.

The rich brown hair and moist blue eyes formed the most perfect combination in the world.

When they were very young, Iraine remembered still managing to sneak in a few conversations with Ellie, out of their father’s sight. But eventually, whenever Iraine tried to speak to her, Ellie would just run away.

She would hide, flee, and in the end lock herself up in her room or the kitchen, refusing to come out.

“She’s gloomy like her mother. Leave her alone, Iraine. She and you are different.”

“But Father, Ellie is the rightful daughter of the McClure family.”

“…Yes. And that’s why I’m letting her be, just as she pleases.”

Thankfully, Ellie hadn’t heard his cold, muttered words.

“Don’t worry, Iraine. Everything in this house belongs to you. The only thing she’ll ever take is that empty, meaningless name.”

“I don’t want that.”

“You’re too kind for your own good.”

When it came to Ellie, her father never listened to her.

The ones who had truly sinned were her father and her own mother, and yet the blame fell on innocent Ellie and her mother. His hatred ran deep.

Looking into his eyes, blazing with hatred and contempt, Iraine was left speechless.

Once, while chasing after Ellie as she tried to run away, Iraine had fallen. Her father happened to witness it.

“How dare she hurt Iraine!?”

“No, don’t! Father, stop!”

“There’s no need to defend a wretch like her! Let go, Iraine! That beast of a girl won’t listen unless she’s beaten!”

“Don’t! Please don’t!”

Iraine clung to him desperately, throwing her whole body in his way to keep him from striking Ellie.

Ellie only watched in silence, her face a mixture of disbelief and pity.

There was no fear in her expression.

Her calm, steady blue eyes simply looked at Iraine and her father. And in that moment, Iraine wanted to vanish from the world out of shame.

How could her words about wanting to be close ever reach Ellie, when she herself was nothing but harm to the girl?

Just like her father.

After finally calming him down, Iraine secretly went to see Ellie.

“I’m sorry, Ellie…”

“It’s all right. You don’t need to worry about it, sister.”

“S-sister?”

“Of course. But it would be better if you didn’t come see me again.”

“Ellie…”

“If that lunatic—no, if he—finds out, he’ll just get angry again. He’s like he has a rage disorder. I’m not angry, and I don’t blame you. Understand?”

And then she added, telling Iraine not to hate.

How could I ever hate you? Only if you were the one to hate me.

Ashamed, humiliated, and guilty, Iraine cried all night long.

Just thinking about Ellie made her chest ache unbearably.

But for Ellie’s sake, she had to keep her distance. Her own helplessness cut down to the bone.

I have to leave this place as soon as possible.

By the year she turned ten, Iraine had already resolved herself.

Ellie had made her face the fundamental truth of her own illegitimacy.

Staying here was wrong. At every moment, Ellie’s existence reminded her that someone else—an innocent victim—was suffering because of her.

I want to be an adult quickly.

Once she became of age, she could leave this mansion.

Through marriage, or independence—she would find an excuse to go.

Her father’s love was obsessive and blind; without a proper reason, there was no escaping it.

Sometimes, Iraine couldn’t breathe. Often, she wanted to run away.

No matter how much love he poured onto her, it didn’t change the fact she was a bastard. It was a garment that would never fit.

“Iraine. My beautiful Iraine. You’re all I have.”

“Father… don’t cry.”

“Your mother abandoned me too and went off to die. A healthy woman like her, dying like that—it was all because of those women… I’ll never forgive them.”

“……”

“No matter what happens, I’ll protect you. You never need to worry.”

Because of the excessive devotion of the powerful duke, most people treated Iraine kindly.

But in truth, many of them pitied the lonely Ellie, shut away, and looked at Iraine as shameless.

Even Iraine herself.

Then one day, Ellie vanished from the mansion.

The fact only came to light much later.

A cook from the kitchen where Ellie often hid herself secretly told Iraine.

The young lady hadn’t been seen for over a week.

At first, Iraine thought she must have been locked in her room as punishment by their father, like always. But the cook worried—was she even being fed?

When she wasn’t in her room, Iraine assumed she was in the kitchen, or maybe in the maids’ quarters nearby. But Ellie was nowhere to be found.

Frightened, Iraine ran to her father.

What if he had done something?

“She disappeared?”

“Yes, they say it’s been over a week.”

“Looks like she finally grew some sense. Leave her be.”

“Father!”

“I warn you—don’t even think about looking for her. There’s no reason to take back someone who left on her own. She lived as good as dead anyway; no one will notice if she disappears for real.”

“How can you say that!?”

“Ah. Perhaps her bloodline could have been sold at a good price… what a waste.”

“……”

With that, he calmly ended the conversation and turned away.

Iraine was certain her father knew of Ellie’s absence.

Or worse—he might have had a hand in it.

Perhaps he had “disposed” of her.

Still, Iraine waited.

Her anxiety nearly drove her mad, but she clung to the hope her father wasn’t truly that cruel.

How foolish she was.

Whatever relationship he had with Ellie’s late mother, all of his twisted resentment was directed at innocent Ellie. To think he would do nothing, knowing that?

To Iraine, he was gentle and kind, pouring endless love over her.

Hugging her often, calling her pretty, saying he loved her. Promising he would do anything for her, that there was nothing he couldn’t give.

But Iraine finally admitted the truth.

Her father hadn’t gotten angry out of fear that Ellie might harm Iraine. He simply hated Ellie.

He was the kind of man who could truly despise and scorn someone who had done no wrong—his own flesh and blood.

He was capable of that.

Her father was trash.

The man who cherished and adored her was, to Ellie, nothing less than a monster.

And the proof of his sin that he treasured so dearly—was herself.

Because she had chosen to believe blindly, despite knowing the truth, Ellie had—

“I’m sorry, Ellie. Please forgive me.”

That innocent victim who had always looked straight at her.

That child who became unhappy simply because of her filthy existence.

Even from afar, when their eyes met, Ellie would smile faintly or give a little wave. Just seeing her lips mouth the word sister was enough to make Iraine happy all day long.

Like a fool.

When in truth, Ellie had only been unhappy because of her.

You’ll never call me sister again, will you?

But that was all right.

As long as she was safe.

I will find you, Ellie. No matter what.