Chapter 54
According to the laws of the Agent Empire, children at Gretel Orphanage were required to become independent upon turning sixteen. However, what kind of life could a mere sixteen-year-old have after leaving the orphanage? Finding a place to stay or a job was far from easy, and many ended up facing a life even harsher than the one in the orphanage. To address this, Gretel Orphanage had come up with a solution.
The most developed industry in the Floa territory was mining. Until recently, however, the mined minerals were common and not of high enough quality to become precious materials. Additionally, the social circle was dominated by Count Joubert, making it difficult for others to expand their influence, so there had never been a shortage of labor.
That changed entirely when a diamond mine was recently discovered. Baron Potry’s diamonds once again ignited the passion of gem collectors. Moreover, Potry’s diamond jewelry overtook Count Joubert’s influence in the social scene. As a result, there was a significant shortage of labor.
It wasn’t the number of miners that was lacking, but the people needed to sort and record the mined minerals, contact jewelers across the region, and handle shipments. Therefore, Gretel Orphanage arranged for children as young as thirteen to take on these skilled tasks.
The pay was lower than that of a miner, but when they turned sixteen, the children could either leave with the money they had saved or continue the work they had been doing since thirteen.
“This… what should we do? I heard a child named Ellison went to the Rocky Mountain. Perhaps she went to meet someone. It’s about the time the children should be returning…”
“And the others?”
“They’re all here.”
“What does Ellison look like?”
“She has brown hair and gray eyes. While playing, she got a branch across her cheek, leaving a long scar.”
Ellen, fifteen years old, was Ellison’s older brother. He was currently responsible for recording the quantity and type of mined minerals. Ever since the discovery of the diamond mine, the workload had steadily increased, often keeping him out through the night.
The young Ellison, wishing to play with Ellen who left early in the morning and returned late at night, had gone to the Rocky Mountain. Normally, Pepper would have forbidden it, but today Ellison had sneaked off, avoiding Pepper’s notice.
“Then I’ll go to the Rocky Mountain first. Lock the door and allow no one to enter except those involved.”
Theodor mounted his horse, looping the reins around his hand twice.
This was unexpected. Not only was a child missing, but it was also about time for her return. If a slave trader knew, they would likely be waiting along the path from the Rocky Mountain. At most, a sixteen-year-old. Luring children is far easier than herding cattle.
“Lucius.”
Theodor swept back his long mane, staring at the Rocky Mountain. His horse, Lucius, snorted and galloped forward with force.
The distance between Gretel Orphanage and the Rocky Mountain was not great. Yet, no one was visible along the way, which felt ominous. According to the deputy director, there should have been signs of life at this time. Yet, not a single soul was in sight. Theodor felt something was wrong and halted the horse.
There was no wind. A familiar stillness, like the quiet of the living hell he had endured on battlefields over the past five years.
At that moment, Theodor spotted a carriage standing in the middle of the road. It wasn’t just that the carriage was there—it drew his attention for a more disturbing reason.
“…Is it too late?”
Theodor clenched his lips. Surrounding the carriage was a sea of blood. The ground was soaked, forming puddles, and chunks of flesh, unidentifiable, were scattered more than the stones. Now he understood why it had been so quiet all along. It wasn’t quiet—it was dead silent.
[There’s only one path down the Rocky Mountain. There is another, but it’s rough and uneven, so most descend via the eastern path. The children also usually use that path.]
They were all dead. Theodor dismounted, his steps heavy.
The deputy director had said that most people used the same path. All who had come down this route had been killed, explaining the eerie silence. He observed dozens of footprints and dragged bloodstains leading toward the Rocky Mountain. The opposite side was no different.
‘They tried to escape… but were caught. Where are the bodies?’
Theodor approached the carriage. It was not for passengers, but for carrying goods.
Was it a carriage from the Rocky Mountain? The compartment for the cargo was covered with a tarp, fluttering as if wind blew from inside outward.
“AAAH!”
At that moment, a man emerged from inside the carriage. His clothes were torn, and he was covered in blood. Upon seeing Theodor, he tried to shout, but before he could, his mouth was silenced by a pale, skeletal arm emerging from the darkness.
“Grrrr…”
It was impossible to tell whose arm it was. Inside the carriage, darkness and the cries of beasts filled the space. Most horrifyingly, the man wasn’t held by just one arm.
Another arm extended like a crawling snake, grabbing him. More followed, until dozens of hands seized the man’s limbs and dragged him inside the carriage in an instant.
“Ugh, AAAHH!”
With a horrifying scream, the tattered tarp began to be drenched in blood. Theodor retrieved a signal flare from his chest and fired it into the sky.
The carriage, shaken violently from side to side, came to an abrupt stop with the sound of gunpowder. Theodor drew his sword from his waist.
The figure that emerged looked human but was not. It snarled and crawled forward—a monster.
For a brief moment, Charlotte could not respond at all. As the letter had suggested, she had anticipated meeting the Kennys soon. Yet, regardless of her mental preparation, the letter felt unbearably heavy. She hesitated to open it, fiddling only with the edges.
“Thank you for delivering the letter. Now go back and work diligently.”
Ash, the first to notice, began to gently usher Baron Verbel out of the attic. The baron, unaware of Charlotte’s subtly subdued expression, babbled incessantly as he was pushed out.
“You force me to work while the duke rests.”
“If you finish early, you can go early. Haven’t you said you hardly have time with your wife these days?”
“I’ll go immediately. Then, young lady, I’ll take my leave.”
Charlotte nodded. The letter in her hand was slightly crumpled. Once Baron Verbel left and the door closed, Charlotte slowly sank onto the sofa.
“Are you alright, young lady?”
“Huh?”
“You don’t look well.”
Charlotte pressed the back of her hand against her cheek, taking a deep breath. She was fine—or rather, she had to be. The letter from Baron Verbel’s wife likely contained scheduling details. She guessed that it outlined a possible schedule and suggested a meeting with Aria accompanying her.
When Baron Verbel’s wife said she would set the earliest schedule possible, Charlotte almost responded with “that’s unnecessary.” She had told herself not to, but receiving the letter brought back the suppressed desire. She wanted to spend more time with Aria, even though she knew it was selfish.
“Do you… not want to send Aria for adoption?”
“!”
“If that’s the case, it’s better to refuse.”
“No, I’m fine with it.”
“Why rush the adoption?”
“Because if sent young, Aria will be less hurt. I don’t want her to remember being abandoned, then taken in and cared for by me, and finally adopted by another family.”
Aria was already smart and perceptive. If she grew older here, she would likely remember this moment into adulthood. Charlotte didn’t want that. She planned to ask the Kennys to handle it carefully.
Do not let Aria know she was adopted. Tell her she was born and raised by the Kennys from the start. Those were the two conditions.
“I understand your concern for Aria. As you say, that’s the better approach.”
“My head knows it’s right, but my heart struggles. You don’t need to worry.”
“How can you say that? You have a look that makes me worry.”
“If you mean this expression that naturally worries….”
Ash knelt, meeting Charlotte’s eyes on the sofa. Even though he had recently escaped the curse and felt lingering anxiety in his chest, being with Charlotte made him feel strangely at ease.
Even as their gazes met, instead of feeling overwhelmed, he found himself drawn to her navy-blue eyes, as clear as the night sky, overcoming his unease. Ash carefully observed himself reflected in Charlotte’s eyes, and the troubled expression on her face.
‘She truly loves Aria.’
Charlotte was affectionate. She had much love. So her attachment to Aria was undoubtedly deeper and more unique than anyone could imagine.
Some might ask why she cherished a child she had just met and shared no blood with, but Charlotte had always been like that. She had built walls due to fear of being hurt, but when shown affection, she would break them and respond willingly.
When she fled to Nostri, the first to embrace her was Aria. Even knowing nothing about each other, Charlotte likely found comfort then. By holding the wounded Aria, she healed her own wounds.
Ash smiled quietly.
“You always had that expression when hiding your true feelings.”
“!”
“When I half-joked that you hadn’t changed since childhood…”
It was true. Charlotte did not want to send Aria away. She had been forcibly hiding it.
Knowing this, Ash still couldn’t do anything immediately. He quietly thought to himself:
‘What can I do for Charlotte…?’
