Chapter 116……………………………………….
The child’s name was Riena.
She hadn’t been at the orphanage for very long, but she had become my best friend.
She rarely mixed with the other children and usually stayed alone. I kept talking to her because I was worried about that, and before long we had grown very close.
One day, Teacher Angela called me aside and told me that Riena was a child who carried pain in her heart, so I should treat her kindly.
After we had become somewhat close, Riena confided in me that she had once been adopted from another orphanage but had been returned not long afterward.
“They said I’m too quiet and they can’t tell what I’m thinking. They said I don’t have the cute charm that children should have.”
Her profile as she said that looked so sad that I promised myself I would be even kinder to her from now on.
We often sneaked up the back hill together, avoiding the spiteful director’s watchful eyes.
We filled our stomachs with wild raspberries scattered across the hillside and chatted until sunset.
Then one day, a stern gentleman dressed in luxurious clothing came to the orphanage.
“Oh my, what an honor for you to visit such a humble place! Welcome, Duke Cassius!”
The director, who normally yelled harshly at the children, bowed repeatedly while introducing the orphanage to the gentleman.
“I heard about it. You wish to adopt a child? Oh my, to show such kindness even to orphans. As expected, the Cassius family are truly noble aristocrats—”
“Which child was the closest to my wife?”
“…Pardon?”
“Unfortunately, I never heard the child’s name. My wife said telling me might give me unnecessary bias. She said I might end up liking another child more.”
“Ah… I see.”
“Do you not know which child it is?”
“W-well… the Duchess treated all the children kindly.”
“That does sound like her.”
“Now that I think about it, there is a child who resembles the Duchess quite a bit…”
At that moment, I approached them.
The director glared at me fiercely as if telling me to leave, but there was something I absolutely had to say to the gentleman.
The gentleman looked at me curiously.
“And you are?”
“My condolences, Duke. The Duchess of Cassius was truly a wonderful person.”
“…Yes. She was someone far too good for me. I still can’t believe she has left this world.”
The Duke, who had maintained a blank expression the entire time, suddenly looked unbearably lonely.
But he quickly composed himself and began asking various questions about life in the orphanage.
I wanted to expose the director’s corruption right then and there, but I barely held myself back.
That wasn’t something I could decide alone.
I had wanted to tell everything to the Duchess of Cassius as well, but other children had warned me not to trust nobles so easily.
The Duchess hadn’t seemed like a hypocrite who only pretended to care about orphans, but there were many nobles like that, so I couldn’t act recklessly.
If the director wasn’t properly punished, the ones who would suffer afterward would be the children.
The Duke of Cassius spoke with the other children as well.
Only Riena, who had been frightened by rumors that the “Devil Duke” was coming, failed to meet him because she had hidden away.
After a while, the Duke returned to me and asked,
“You’re the one, aren’t you? The child who was closest to my wife.”
I was startled.
Deep down I had wondered if it might be me, but since I had never heard it directly from the Duchess herself, I hadn’t been certain.
“How should I say it… When I speak with you, I get a similar feeling to when I spoke with Sheryl. You two must have gotten along well because something about you resonates.”
Angela, who had timidly approached while glancing toward the director, nodded along.
“Yes, I thought it might be Idel as well.”
The director frowned but reluctantly admitted that the Duchess had indeed spoken with me often.
The Duke of Cassius asked my name and then extended his large hand.
“Idel, would you become my daughter? If you resemble Sheryl so much, I believe you would get along well with our family.”
Even though I was young, I understood what those words meant.
To go from living as an orphan to suddenly becoming the daughter of the Cassius family—it was an incredible stroke of luck that might never come again in my life.
But after silently staring at the Duke’s face and his outstretched hand, I spoke.
“I’m sorry. I can’t become your daughter.”
Everyone present looked shocked.
Even the Duke seemed quite surprised.
“Do you dislike me?”
“It’s not that.”
“Then why?”
“Because my mom will come to take me!”
“Your mother?”
The director answered the Duke’s question.
“S-she was abandoned in front of the orphanage when she was three. But she says her mother promised she would come back for her once her situation improved.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Oh dear. Parents who say such things and never return are everywhere. Such a naïve child. I’ll talk some sense into her—”
I couldn’t ignore that comment.
“My mom isn’t that kind of person! She will definitely come back for me!”
“How dare you raise your voice! You barely remember her—”
“Enough.”
The Duke stopped the director with just that single word and then looked at me.
“Even so, could you reconsider? If your mother returns, I would be willing to send you back.”
The Duke’s face, making such an extraordinary offer, was filled with gloom.
“Since Sheryl died, smiles have vanished from our home. Before I knew it, I had stopped talking with my sons as well. But if you came to us, perhaps…”
“Duke, I’m not the Duchess.”
“…!”
“I might resemble her, but I can’t replace her.”
“N-no, that’s not what I meant…”
“If that’s the case, then I’m sorry. Actually, I once tried to think of Teacher Angela as my mother. But the more I tried, the more I wanted to cry. Teacher Angela is a good person, but she isn’t my mom.”
The Duke remained silent for a long time after hearing my words.
Then he lowered his head.
“I see. Perhaps I was trying to fill the space my wife left with you under the excuse of honoring her wishes. The hole she left in our family seems impossible to fill…”
His voice overflowed with sadness, so I awkwardly tried to comfort him.
“Um… please stay strong. The Duchess said you were someone who could overcome any hardship. Even if you’re very sad now…”
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I realized something.”
“…What?”
“In truth, I was hoping for a miracle—someone who would appear and save us from our sorrow. But miracles are called miracles because they usually don’t happen.”
For some reason, the Duke looked much lighter.
“Our family must overcome this grief ourselves. When I return home, I should talk with my sons. More actively.”
“Yes! I’m sure your sons want that too!”
The Duke chuckled softly at my response and extended his hand to me again.
“Will you come to Cassius? I’m not asking to adopt you. I would like to sponsor you.”
“Me?”
“You are a very mature and intelligent child. If you attend the Academy with the support of the Cassius family, your talents could truly flourish.”
It sounded like a dream.
The Academy was a place only noble children, wealthy commoners, or exceptionally gifted students could attend.
“I—I would love that! But…”
My gaze drifted toward the other children.
Noticing this, the Duke declared,
“If there are other children here who show talent, I will support them as well. Their talents don’t have to be academic. The world needs many kinds of gifted people.”
The children’s faces brightened.
Seeing that, I sincerely thanked the Duke of Cassius.
He told me to pack my belongings and come to Cassius, saying he wanted me to meet his two sons as well.
Now that I was certain he was a good person, I resolved to persuade the other children and report the director’s crimes to him.
Since he was now officially my sponsor, there would be many chances for us to meet alone without the director.
That night, while I secretly went around to talk to the children, I saw Riena.
“Ah, Riena. About the director—”
“Why did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Why did you refuse when the Duke said he would adopt you?”
“Well, because my mom will come for me.”
“That’s stupid. Do you really believe someone who abandoned you will come back?”
“I believe she will.”
“…Lucky you. Being able to trust your real parents.”
Riena looked at me with complicated eyes before turning away.
She left only one sentence behind.
“If I were you, I would never have made that choice.”
* * *
“What did you say?”
After hearing Idel’s message from the imperial knight, Terrence’s eyes widened.
“Baroness Lucivius suddenly had other urgent business…”
“That’s enough. You may go.”
He hadn’t asked because he misheard—he asked because he didn’t want to believe it.
Terrence sighed and looked around the room Idel used as her office.
Coincidentally, he was currently at the detached palace where Idel was staying.
Since he had finished his work early, he had come to escort Idel to his palace. But then the imperial knight had arrived with the unfortunate news.
On the rare day he had free time, Idel suddenly had urgent business.
He couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
While absentmindedly touching the desk Idel used every day, Terrence’s hand caught on a letter.
He swore he had never intended to peek at Idel’s mail.
But a few words written on the paper—lying open—caught his attention.
Soro Kingdom.
Migration.
Expected arrival date.
Train and ship…
Almost hypnotized, Terrence read the contents of the letter.
“I’m going to leave the Empire.”
Idel’s words from a few months ago resurfaced in his mind.
He hurried into the hallway and called out to the imperial knight who was about to leave after completing his task.
“Wait! Do you know what urgent business she had?”
“I apologize, Your Highness, but I don’t know… Ah, come to think of it, I believe she was heading to the Central Train Station.”
The letter slipped from Terrence’s hand.
