Chapter 9

"Hey, Liam, why Eastern language?"

"Eastern is the largest country on the continent, and it has a lot of immigrants."

"In other words, if you were to leave the country, Eastern would be recommended... um... right?"

"Well, there's a lot of back-and-forth with this country, so it's easier to blend in."

"Huh?"

"If you find it troublesome, I can teleport us anywhere in an instant."

"That's cheating, isn't it?!"

Eleana covered her mouth in surprise.

Lately, conversations with Liam had been strictly in Eastern. It was part of a Spartan education method, as speaking it in practice was faster than learning from books.

Liam silently held out his palm to Eleana, who had accidentally spoken in her native language.

"Ugh..."

Eleana paid the fine with a sense of resignation. She had been working diligently while staying at the Zagary household, and had saved a considerable amount of money without any wasteful spending.

"Well, well, just think of it as money for snacks on the journey."

"That's true..."

Eleana regained her composure and continued her Eastern language lessons.

Zagary, the head of the merchant guild, was a busy man, often away from the capital for negotiations and procurement.

On the day of the orphanage incident, by the time Eleana returned to the Zagary residence, he had already left for a neighboring territory. She hadn't seen him since.

(I should tell Mr. Zagary.)

Eleana thought she should inform him of her departure, as she had been working for him and had received his hospitality.

A few days later, when Zagary returned to the mansion, Eleana finally had the chance to have dinner with him. Since the live-in staff consisted only of Eva and Betty, Zagary always ate with everyone for efficiency.

While savoring Eva's homemade beef stew, Zagary listened to Eleana's story.

"Ellie was crying so much that day, it was heartbreaking to watch."

Occasionally, Betty would defend Eleana. But when Eleana announced her intention to go to Eastern, Betty's eyes widened.

"What?! You're leaving?!"

"Yes. I want to follow Betty's example and travel light."

"Well, when you put it that way, I can't argue."

Betty slumped her shoulders, but she would likely bounce back to her usual cheerful self soon. She had recently found a new love.

"In that case, would you like to go to Eastern with me?"

Zagary, who had been listening silently, finally spoke.

"The war has ended, and I plan to shift my business focus to Eastern for a while. Actually, the main office of the Easton Guild is in the capital of Eastern. I intended to have Ellie work at the branch in the capital, but she can also transfer to the main office. Either way, it would be easier to enter the country with us."

"Really?!"

His offer was exactly what Eleana had hoped for. Though she was a noble, she had been forgotten by society. It would be safer and less suspicious to travel as a commoner named Ellie, blending in with the merchant group, rather than crossing the border with Liam alone.

"Of course. In exchange, we'll visit several branch offices in the provinces before reaching the main office, so it will take some time to get to the capital."

"I want to see many places."

"Then it's settled. I'll add Ellie to the entourage and arrange the travel documents. Just pack your things."

Zagary had planned to go to Eastern for a while, and the departure was set for two weeks later. Eleana was excited about the prospect of traveling abroad.

"Well, it's sad to see you leave so suddenly."

Eva, who had been watching the proceedings silently, sighed. She had thought of Eleana as her own daughter, having only a son of her own.

Eva brought out a notebook from the kitchen cabinet and handed it to Eleana.

"I was going to give this to my future daughter-in-law, but since it might be a while before I find one, you can have it if you like."

It was Eva's recipe book, which included the recipe for the homemade beef stew they had just eaten, as well as recipes for berry tarts and cinnamon apple pies.

Eva's cooking always contained plenty of love, which not only filled the stomach but also the heart, brightening the atmosphere.

"Thank you."

Eleana accepted the notebook gratefully. She decided that from now on, she would make delicious meals with love for everyone.

When she packed her belongings into the old trunk she had brought from the Barley household, it became heavy.

She had replaced her two initial outfits with new ones and was now on her second diary. She also had the recipe book from Eva and a few hair accessories she had never owned before.

The contents of her purse remained the same, but this time her wallet contained gold and silver coins.

"Your things have really increased, haven't they?"

"I didn't have much before. It used to be empty. Did you forget anything?"

"No."

Eleana looked around her room in the Zagary residence, where she had lived for two years. Overwhelmed with emotion, she bowed her head in silence before turning to leave.

Today, she was leaving this place.

She opened her parasol with a snap and walked toward the carriage where the Zagary Guild's group was waiting.

"Are you sure you want to leave this country?"

Just before departure, Zagary gave her a final confirmation. Eleana nodded firmly.

Zagary hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault for sending you to the orphanage that day."

"No, it's not your fault. Please look up."

"No, I knew in advance that Ellie's father would be visiting that orphanage. I thought it would be a surprise if we happened to meet. If I had followed the proper procedures from the start, this might not have happened."

Even a wealthy merchant like Zagary needed to make arrangements to meet the head of a noble family with whom he had no prior relationship.

He must have thought that the best way to reunite Ellie, a commoner, with her father quickly was to have them coincidentally meet at the same place. Her father had just returned to the capital, and Zagary was about to leave, so time was short.

Eleana had never intended to rely on him to that extent.

"I hadn't thought that far. I'm grateful for your consideration."

Eleana's face was bright and clear.

"Let's make them regret it."

As she got into the carriage, Liam, who was lying on her shoulder, whispered something dangerous in her ear.