Family With Blood

Luxurious dishes were presented over the silky white tablecloth. Estelle had never seen so many foods put on top of a long table before. She had never seen a bread that was so soft straight out from the oven, nor had she ever taken sight of food that could cover one end of a long dining table to the other. Seeing how delightful it looked, Elle didn't feel hungry, she only thought of how this much food could feed everyone in the slums— enough for them to not starve for the rest of the week.

Count Arthur had sat at the end of the table with Lady Gladys beside him. Caroline was right beside her mother, her bright orange hair had been tied into braids to make her happy but her expression seemed as if she had sat down on needles.

Elle who felt awkward didn't want to sit beside her father or beside Caroline. As weird as it might appear, she sat at the seat nearest to the door, across Count Arthur and Lady Gladys. She sighed, feeling unsettled as Lady Gladys stared daggers at her.

It wasn't her fault that she had came here. Honestly, if Mikail hadn't threatened to harm Timothy, she would have rejected the offer of meeting her father and instead stayed in the slum. But she didn't see a point on telling this to the woman as whatever she does is only a thorn to her eyes.

Count Arthur seemed to be disappointed that Elle had sat so far away from him but didn't dare to force her. He tried putting on a happy smile, and raised his hands, "Well, you can start eating Elle. Tell me if you dislike anything. I'll have them be removed here."

Elle didn't even have the thought of saying she would dislike any of the food on the table. They weren't moldy like the one she had ate every day, the spoons are sparkly enough to become her mirror while the foods were warm and filling.

She carefully lifted her fork and knife, taking a piece of the meat while trying to hold back her excitement. Her stomach was rumbling as she eyed the rest of the food. Upon bringing the meat inside her mouth, her golden eyes sparkled as it was her first time eating something that would directly melt on her tongue.

"This is… delicious," she whispered and Count Arthur seemed proud as he had made a smile to appear on his daughter's face.

"Is it? Eat more, eat more," he said, supporting her and telling the maids to refill her empty glass by tilting his chin.

Caroline gripped to her knife and murmured in anger, "Peasant. Is it her first time seeing such good foods?"

"Carol," Lady Gladys said with a frown.

Elle placed more food on her plate but no matter how much she eat, she was constantly nagged by her worries. She could eat such great food now, but what about Lucas and Marcie? She was concerned that her brother and sister were starving. Even though she had given enough money by stealing those jewels, the children always eat only when she is around. The thought upsets her and even though the food tasted great, she didn't feel as fulfilled as she was eating back at her small wooden house.

As they continued to eat, Lady Gladys who couldn't hold back the question she had plaguing her mind for days finally inquired, "So what is your plan from now on, Estelle?"

Elle lifted her head after being in a brief ponder. She was confused by the question and the lady's tone that had turned friendly even though her pupils were dilated from a certain frustration. Not that she believe the woman was nice just because she softened her tone, but because how the woman was excellent in hiding her innermost thoughts.

"I suppose, I would like to go back home," she said with a smile.

Count Arthur almost dropped his fork and looked up at Elle with startle to the point that his skin whitened, "You are going back home? Was everything unsatisfying to you here?"

"Oh no," Elle responded quickly as the man seemed to be fighting tears. "No, no, that wasn't what I meant. I am glad to meet you and I do have questions about my mother but right now, all I plan for is to meet my siblings who I had left back home."

"Siblings?" Count Arthur inquired as he heard about it before but didn't pay much attention to.

"Marilyn had more children?" Lady Gladys said with a small grin.

"More rats," commented Caroline in a whisper.

Elle had dropped down her spoon and shook her head, "Not blood related but they are the children of someone who had passed away after taking care of me. I think of them as my own siblings and due to the knight from earlier, I couldn't explain to them that I had to leave. They must be really worried for me now."

"That's worrying," commented Lady Gladys. "Then you ought to be home. As someone with younger siblings, I will also be worried for my sisters."

The faster Estelle were to leave home, the happier they would be, thought Lady Gladys.

"No, but," Count Arthur shook his head, "I understand that you are worried about them Estelle, but wouldn't you like to stay here? As your father, it is my greatest wish to spend the lost time I couldn't stay with you now. You can stay in my home. About your younger siblings, you can leave them to me, I can bring them here so they could stay here."

"Dear," Lady Gladys said with a frown. It was already impossible for her to accept Elle to live as one of them but now they would bring more of the slums to children to her house?! She couldn't accept the idea while being sane.

Elle could feel the pressure but she remained firm in her respond, "I am truly happy by your words but I have a family in the slums. They are someone who I cannot leave behind."

"Family is indeed difficult to leave behind," Lady Gladys was confused why Elle didn't jump in joy and agree to stay in their luxurious house. There are many things in their house that Elle could never experience as she was just a peasant. But this work in her favor greatly as she didn't want the girl to be living in the same space as her!

"But Estelle," said Count Arthur, "Living in the slums is difficult. I know how much of a difficult life you must have led and to think you will go back there makes my heart break. I would do anything so you could have a better life. So why wouldn't you give it some more thoughts?"

Elle looked at the man who was desperate to have her in his house unlike Lady Gladys and Caroline who seemed to be smiling only when she rejected the offer. She could tell that the man only wanted for her to live a life in a better state as the slum was far from a place anyone could live in.

However… she have Lucas, Marcie, Grandpa John, Timothy, and the others.

She couldn't live a life where she would be the only one who live happily with privileges. Count Arthur might be her father but her family isn't him.

"I'm sorry," she expressed sincerely with her head hung down. She was certain no matter what was offered that she wouldn't change her mind

"It seems that she had made her mind, dear. Let us not force her," said Lady Gladys, inwardly laughing to the fullest as she didn't need to lift her fingers to get rid of Elle. The girl seemed to be smart enough to understand that there is no place here for her.

"Nothing can make you rethink of your decision, Estelle?" Inquired Lord Arthur and Elle shook her head.

"I owe my life to them, they are my family," and it seemed her word had hurt her father even though she didn't mean to do so.

"Well I cannot force you," Count Arthur pressed a smile between his lips, hoping that would be enough to lift the sorrowful mood. "But can you please stay here for tonight? It's late and I don't think going back now is a good choice. Instead, I will send a knight to ease the worries of your siblings in the slums?"

Out of politeness as well as guilt for rejecting his earlier offer to stay in their house, Elle nodded her had. Her father was polite as he even offered to send a message for her to the slum. "That would be great, thank you, Count Arthur."

"Father," Count Arthur said. "Regardless of the fact that you live in the slums, it shall not be changed that you are my daughter. Whatever you wish, you can tell me and I shall see it be done."

Elle accepted her father's sincerity but she doubted she could call him father. Although he seemed to be convinced she is her daughter, there were questions she was still unsure about their familial bond. But when Count Arthur smiled happily as a father, Elle returned the man's smile with a gentle one.

However, when no one look at him, Count Arthur's eyes that were warm with gentle suddenly lose its luster. He ground his jaw as his smile faded as if it was never there to begin with. He looked again at Estelle pink hair and clenched his hands.

He had lost it once, he wasn't going to lose it again….