Chapter 8.5

Elphie let out a sigh as she walked out of the cafe.

· ─ ·✶· ─ ·

Alanna Harris had always lived a smooth life. Her parents were kind, brothers caring, and she was not left wanting for anything. She believed that these days would continue endlessly, and their family would always be happily together like this.

But then, natural disaster struck, wiping out almost 60% of their family’s total assets at once. The contract penalties claimed the remainder, and her family frantically tried to salvage the pieces.

For the first time, Alanna learned what hunger was. Now, she could only stare at the windows of the dessert stores she used to frequent, feeling intense pangs in her stomach.

Her father slowly withered away, and her mother and brothers grew more and more haggard. Even then, they cherished her, always handing her the last piece of bread while pretending to be strong.

Alanna didn’t want that. She didn’t want the fake smiles, the fake condolences. Most of all, she hated how powerless she was.

Then eventually, they ran out of money to buy even basic necessities. Alanna could only hide silently in the corner as her mother shed tears, and one day, she ran outside.

The entire world seemed to turn gray and dreary, and taking advantage of the time her father and brothers were busy at the funeral halls for their employees, she ran to the restaurant street. This time, she didn’t glance in through the windows, and instead headed to the back.

She found a dark corner to cower in, and after a long time, someone finally came out and threw a bag that landed with a dull thud. When the footsteps faded and the door clicked close, Alanna suddenly stood up. She walked over to the black garbage bag, hands shaking as she tore it open, grabbing inside.

In the end, she found what she was looking for. Grabbing the half-eaten cake, she rushed back towards her house. Her family had already returned and were looking for her anxiously when she arrived. Then, she opened up her hands and showed them what she had brought back.

Their faces turned white, and the expressions on their faces were indecipherable. However, Countess Frieda still remembered it vividly to this day.

She couldn’t remember what happened to the cake anymore, but she did remember the items in their house disappearing one by one, and food began reappearing on the table once more.

Finally, their fate took a turn when Count Frieda the senior arrived at their house with an almost altruistic proposal. Her father’s face seemed to turn stern, but she jumped and bit the bait.

In the end, she married into the Frieda family, and their business truly took a turn for the better. Although her husband never turned to look at her properly even once, Alanna thought that was fine.

The gray skies slowly grew brighter again, and splashes of color filled her vision once more. Yes, this was the life she had imagined. Everything was finally back on the right track again.

Never again would she want for anything.

That period in her life was gone.

Done and over with.

Nothing else but the ending of the story mattered.

…

Right?

“You’re a coward, Alanna Harris.”

A coward?

Yes, if being a coward meant she never had to go hungry again, never had to wait for the scraps someone else didn’t want, she was absolutely a coward.

“No, you simply don’t dare to face the past.”

What past was there to face? It didn’t matter anymore, she was no longer the same hungry, helpless girl.

“You haven’t advanced a single step from back then.”

“Still powerless, still weak, unable to do anything for herself.”

“If you really had courage, you would face the truth and walk out of the mire yourself.”

Countess Frieda looked at the golden eyes of the pink-haired girl sitting in front of her. The pink-haired girl smiled as she told her:

“Save yourself this time, Alanna Harris.”