Episode 2
Damn it—it’s the director! I need to hide, fast.
Instinctively, I dashed toward the bed. I was scrambling to climb onto it when the door burst open.
“Loblien! You dull, stupid child. Do you even know what day it is? I told you to get up and wash quickly!”
Amy, the woman who ran the orphanage.
Amy only pretended to be kind to the children when someone was watching.
But if they didn’t obey, she punished them without hesitation—always in secret, so no one would know.
I looked at the dress in Amy’s hand.
Ah, today… the day I was sold to the Baron’s household.
What exactly happened then?
Before I could gather my thoughts, Amy seized my arm roughly. She almost dragged me to the bath. Throwing me into the tub, she barked:
“We’re short on time, so wash up quickly. Don’t do anything stupid. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
When I obeyed quietly, Amy looked at me with disgust, then stormed out.
Let’s think this through slowly while I wash. I’m ten years old right now—just before being adopted into the Baron’s family.
Then it struck me.
What was the Baron’s family name again?
I racked my memory.
Deloni? No—Delani Baron family! I remembered how I eventually returned to the White Ducal House.
The Delani family had once been vassals of my grandfather’s house.
I thought carefully.
Someone must have recognized me and reported it.
But who?
I put on the freesia-colored dress Amy had prepared.
The first time I’d worn such a dress, I’d thought it was happiness.
Now, it just felt “better than wearing rags.”
Amy stomped back into the bath, grabbed my arm hard, and yanked.
“So slow!”
That temper of hers…
If left alone, she’d do the same thing again. More children like me would suffer.
Thankfully, the Baron and his wife who bought me were good people.
But I couldn’t expect every child to be that lucky.
As soon as we left the bath, Amy gripped my arm roughly. Pain shot up from her grasp.
I frowned slightly but forced my expression to remain calm, hiding the pain.
I didn’t want her to notice—
I wanted her to leave more bruises.
Amy opened the parlor door. Inside sat the Baron Delani and his wife.
When I hesitated, Amy shoved me forward.
The Baroness rose and approached me.
I smiled brightly at her.
“Hello, Baroness. I’m Loblien.”
“Oh my, how adorable. Come here, dear.”
The Baroness led me to the Baron.
I held my skirt and gave a small curtsey.
“Good day, Baron. Please call me Loblien.”
It was a perfect, well-mannered greeting.
The Baron looked pleased, clearly satisfied.
The Baroness took my hand and seated me beside her.
Warmth flowed from her delicate grip.
Amy brought out cheap tea, poured a cup for the Baron, and said:
“Um, Baron, about the remainder of the donation you mentioned earlier…”
The Baron sipped the steaming tea and frowned.
“Is Dane outside?”
A man in a butler’s uniform entered the parlor.
“Bring what we prepared.”
“Yes, sir.”
Moments later, the butler returned carrying a large bag and handed it to Amy.
Amy’s lips twitched upward in greedy delight.
Ugh, disgusting.
That must be the money she got for selling me.
Anger flared. I glanced at the wrist she’d grabbed earlier—
a faint bruise showed near the cuff.
That should do.
“I’m thirsty,” I said, tugging lightly on the Baroness’s sleeve.
The Baroness stood at once.
I didn’t miss my chance.
I reached toward the steaming teacup on the table.
Clatter!
The cup shattered, spilling hot tea over my wrist.
Ah! So hot!
The Baroness shrieked in surprise.
I heard the Baron telling the butler to call a physician.
I cried as loudly as I could.
The butler rushed back in with a damp cloth.
He tore open my sleeve up to the wrist—and saw it.
Bruises—dark blue—covered my reddened wrist.
He flinched and gently lifted my arm.
The Baron and Baroness looked at my wrist, then turned their heads toward Amy at the same time.
Amy stammered out a ridiculous excuse.
“Th-the girl is clumsy! She’s always tripping and bumping into things! W-when did you even get hurt, child? If you’d told me, I would’ve treated you!”
She faltered, but the couple’s eyes only grew colder.
Those bruises couldn’t have come from mere falls.
When they didn’t believe her, Amy shouted:
“Surely you don’t think I did it? These are precious children! I never hit them!”
“So you’re confessing, then?”
“N-no, that’s not what I meant—!”
Amy waved her hands frantically, trying to explain, but the Baron was already glaring at her with utter contempt.
How satisfying.
I secretly stuck out my tongue at Amy.
Her face flushed red with fury.
“You little—!”
Realizing what I’d done, Amy lunged at me.
“Catch her—now!”
“Child!”
The Baron shouted to the butler, and the Baroness shielded me.
Luckily, the butler was faster than Amy.
Thud!
Amy’s heavy body slammed onto the floor.
I clung to the Baroness and sobbed deliberately.
“It’s all right now, Loblien. No one will ever hurt you again.”
Sniffling pitifully, I asked the Baroness:
“But… what about the other children here? The director will hurt them too.”
The Baroness’s face twisted in anger—an unexpected reaction.
“Are you saying she’s been beating the other children as well?”
Wiping my tears, I nodded.
Without hesitation, the Baroness stood and strode toward Amy, who sat bound on the floor by the butler.
“AAAH!”
The Baroness kicked Amy square in the face.
Amy groaned in pain, clearly hit hard.
So, the lady had a fierce side after all.
She raised her leg again—but her body swayed.
The Baron hurried to support her.
“My lady, are you all right?”
The Baroness’s once-gentle expression turned fierce.
The tenderness she’d shown me was gone; only fury remained.
“Crush that vile woman completely. If you don’t, don’t bother showing me your face again.”
“M-my lady, that’s too much—”
She grabbed his cravat roughly.
“Then do it thoroughly. Completely. Understand?”
The Baron nodded meekly.
From that, I learned who truly held power in the Delani household.
After seating the Baroness beside me again, the Baron barked an order:
“Ahem. Butler—inspect the other children at once.”
At his command, the butler sent the servants to check on the orphans.
There would be plenty of evidence of abuse.
Amy would not escape punishment.
Life at Baron Delani’s estate was quite pleasant.
The Baron and his wife, who had no children of their own, cared for me as if I were their own daughter.
Perhaps because of them—or maybe because of what had happened at the orphanage—even the servants treated me kindly.
And what delighted me most was the news about Amy.
I’d entered my room unnoticed while the servants whispered.
“The director of the orphanage where the young lady used to live—she’s been punished, I heard.”
“They confiscated all the money she’d embezzled and threw her out penniless!”
“Our poor young lady. Imagine what she must have endured in such a place.”
“You’re right. But I’ve heard the new director there is a good one this time…”
At the best bit of gossip, my mood lifted; I even hummed a tune.
“Oh! My lady, when did you come in?”
“Just now.”
My personal maid entered.
The chatting servants hurriedly scattered to work.
“Goodness, I nearly forgot! My lady, you must get ready early today.”
“Hmm? Why?”
As she brushed my hair, the maid replied:
“A noble guest will be visiting today.”
I nodded.
Ah, so today is the day.
It must be a guest connected to my grandfather.
I have to meet him.
The maid tied my hair with a red ribbon.
Soon another maid brought in several dresses and asked:
“What color would you like today, my lady?”
I chose something that would highlight the White Ducal House’s platinum-blond hair—a simple sky-blue dress trimmed with lace.
The innocent maid even clapped her hands in delight.
“My lady, you look so beautiful!”
I smiled and returned the compliment.
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you.”
“You’re even kind-hearted! To think someone dared to treat such a lovely young lady so cruelly…”
The maid pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes.
She had been the one to bathe me the first day and had seen the bruises then.
Ever since, she sometimes wore that same pained expression.
There was a knock. It was the butler.
“The guest has arrived, my lady.”
