The Kind Older Sister Is No More

As if she could never be shaken, Noel could see the undeterred resolution in Irene’s eyes. He could see how desperate she was and the strong feelings of conviction.

    While still staring at Irene, a soft, gentle voice could be heard from Noel’s mouth. Noel’s voice was calm and sweet, as if it had been blown in with the winds.

    “We may be able to save each other. That’s quite a romantic remark.”

    “Then…”

    “But Miss, how can I trust you?”

    “...yes?”

    Irene’s eyes widened at the unexpected question. As he said this, Noel was still intensely staring at Irene. He was waiting to gauge her reaction. His eyes flitted across her face and down her body.

    From looking at her dress, the shoulders are a little loose. So, this dress must not have been custom-made. She also does not look like she often wears makeup from the colour of her lips. Neither does it seem like she’s excessively vain - there aren’t any rings or accessories she has worn on her hands.

    On the surface, she looked like a daughter from a decent family. However, if one took a closer look, there were many awkward things about her. Her stiff facial expressions and awkward actions, stutter, and cautiousness made her look like a misplaced puppet. Noel could ascertain, she had come here out of her own motives. 

    At least, she does not seem to be like a woman ‘they’ sent.

      ‘They would have sent a much more perfect lady than a careless daughter of a noble family, like Irene. Her flustered countenance amused him; however, it was still hard to trust the woman in front of him.

    “Pardon me if this offends you, but I have many enemies - much more than one can imagine. Then you suddenly appeared in front of me, offering help. That’s why when you say you want to get married to me….”

    “...”

    “I think anyone would find it suspicious.”

    Noel took a step back whilst saying that, causing Irene to glance up at Noel in surprise. A part of her knew how her act was suspicious, but at the same time, she did not expect him to be so blunt. Nervousness was written on her face. Irene, who was afraid that Noel was going to disappear, hurriedly opened her mouth.

    “My name is Irene Chase. I’m the eldest daughter of the Chase family. I have graduated from the Imperial Academy, and… I like painting…, and….”

    “What are you doing right now?” Noel quirked up his eyebrow, amused.

    “Of course, I know it’s ridiculous. A woman you don’t know suddenly appeared and said that they could save you. I would be embarrassed and suspicious, too, if I were in your position. But, please, trust me. I’m serious about this. I’m not saying this because someone ordered me. You can investigate me.”

    “Why are you going this far, just to leave your house?”

    Looking at Irene’s desperate eyes, Noel asked with an incomprehensible face. Irene slightly bit down her lower lip. Her heart had been pounding so fast that it seemed like it was about to explode.

    Irene did not have many friends, so originally, she was shy when faced with a stranger. So, it had required a lot of courage to hold onto a man she had never met before and bring up such an intimate topic.

    “I don’t want to repeat the same mistake anymore.”

    Irene said that whilst looking straight into Noel’s eyes. Noel could see that she was not lying. Her eyes were clear, and the olive tint of her irises glowed under the moonlight. Specks of bright lights from the lamps guiding the pathways of the garden shone like starlight. Reflected in her eyes was himself. It was someone who he recognised, a young boy who, even till now, struggled to escape his fate.

    When the memory that he wanted to forget emerged in his mind, Noel turned away from Irene’s gaze and walked away. Irene could no longer catch up to him and could only look at his back. His back diminished as the distance between them increased, becoming farther away.

    When Noel completely disappeared from her sight, Irene fell on the spot. She could feel the texture of the grass touching her skin.

    I feel like my heart is going to explode.

      It was the first time Irene had talked so much in her life when she realised that she had felt dizzy in the middle of conversing before but persevered with determination.

    I did not expect my offer to be rejected.

    However, Noel did not give a definite answer to Irene’s offer, which meant he had not yet refused.

    It must be because I revealed my family.

      Irene had done all the things that she could. All that was left was Noel’s choice. Whether he was willing to accept or reject her offer was up to fate. Irene looked up at the stars, hoping that if a God out there were seeing her misfortune, they would take pity on her and grant her freedom. 

After a while, she slowly got up from her place and cleaned the grass that clung to her dress. Then, for a moment, she looked in the direction Noel had disappeared in. Irene hesitated before turning her heel and retraced her steps back to the other side.

♔♔♔

As soon as Noel left her, Irene went past the hall and immediately left the banquet. There was no reason for Irene to be there anymore. While she was on the way home, she stopped the carriage for a moment to visit the small gallery in the corner of the main street.

“Welcome to the gallery.”

The owner of the gallery greeted her as she went inside. She wore a large shawl covering the dark blue dress she wore at the banquet hall. It was undeniable that she appeared to be a noblewoman. The owner’s attitude humbled upon realising her position, her posture showing more courtesy towards Irene.

“What are you looking for in this gallery?”

Upon hearing the question, Irene hesitated and took out a scroll. Inside was an oil painting. The merchant’s eyes sharpened upon seeing the contents.

“Can you set a price for this painting?”

It was the painting of the garden at Chase Mansion that Irene had drawn. She had drawn it in secret, without her father knowing. Amongst all the paintings Irene owned, this was the smallest in size. Thus, she could only manage to bring this one along with her when she attended Duchess Jasmine’s banquet. 

“Excuse me.”

The merchant put on gloves to examine the painting. He reached over and touched it delicately, gauging its worth. Irene nervously looked at him. The one painting before him was one of the oldest paintings she had. It was a meaningful piece of art for Irene.

She had poured her emotions into curating it, and in her heart, although she had drawn many that were dear to her, this was the first. When the merchant finished examining the painting, he raised his head and took off his gloves. Then with a bright smile, he said.

“I like the portrayal of colour and shades expressed in this painting. Essentially, I think the person who drew this has a good understanding of art and the feelings of the artist. It is painted well, and each stroke of the brush is placed precisely.”

“Then…”

“I can buy this painting for up to twelve pieces of gold. We can still bargain the price if you want.”

“There’s no need. I will sell this painting at that price.”

“Thank you.”

The merchant bowed his head and scurried to hide away Irene’s cherished painting. Then he went inside the store and held out a pouch that contained twelve pieces of gold coins to Irene.

“The painting displays not only the scenery but also the artist’s manner and personality. The person who painted this picture was probably a person with a delicate and friendly heart. I can tell because they painted every little detail of that garden. A heartfelt picture could also change a person’s heart. I hope you will sell more paintings to this gallery next time.”

Irene was shocked at the unexpected owner’s words and bowed her head at him. She went back to the carriage, and after closing the door, the carriage made its way towards the Count’s house. 

Irene looked at the gold coins in her hand that she got from selling her paintings. Twelve gold. For a peasant, this money was enough for living expenses for two weeks, but for aristocrats, it was only enough for a day. But for Irene, twelve gold was a large amount of money, but it was not enough money for her to become independent.

However, the twelve pieces of gold she had received from her paintings felt more valuable than any other treasure. Irene, who cradled her gold coins, smiled as she looked beyond the carriage window.