Chapter 18
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Chapter 18
"Amelia, wait a moment."
I poured warm water from the kettle and handed it to her. She clearly needed to calm herself.
"So what you're saying is, your parents are gone, but you have family who can protect you? And that family is desperately searching for you right now."
While Amelia drank the water, I organized her words in my mind. In truth, I was merely arranging information I already knew from the original story.
"Yes. That's right."
Amelia nodded. Thanks to the warm water, she certainly appeared more composed than before.
"My uncle is... the Marquess of House Agris. If you contact him, he'll surely respond quickly."
"So I just need to reach out to House Agris?"
"Yes. Please deliver the message directly to my uncle, not to anyone else. I can't trust other people."
Amelia had spent time at the Orphanage and been disappointed by many adults. It was only natural that she couldn't trust others.
"...You're surprised, aren't you?"
"A little."
I already knew that Amelia was from House Agris, so it wasn't particularly shocking.
What surprised me was that Amelia trusted me.
At the Orphanage, where I'd arrived by chance, she'd been mistreated by the Director and staff.
I'd thought she wouldn't easily trust me, since adults had destroyed her peaceful life. To Amelia, adults must be frightening beings.
Yet Amelia trusted me.
She'd confided her secret only to me and asked me to find her uncle.
I was simply astonished.
'This child has already suffered so much. I can't hurt her too.'
The unexpected trust she'd placed in me stirred a sense of responsibility in my chest.
"I understand. I'll find your uncle for you. So don't worry too much."
"...Thank you."
"This is a secret between you and me, right?"
"Yes. I'm counting on you."
"I understand."
Amelia bowed her head to me before slipping out of the Director's Office, still cradling the music box in her arms.
I rose from my seat and put on the outer coat I'd set aside.
"I was planning to stay a bit longer, but I need to head straight back to the Mansion."
Amelia would be waiting with bated breath until her uncle arrived. To reduce even a moment of her wait, I needed to move quickly.
* * *
Claude Agris, the new head of House Agris, sat on the sofa with a weary expression.
He'd gone out again today searching for his lost niece and had only just returned to the Mansion. The result was the same as always—nothing.
"Amelia, where on earth are you?"
Claude murmured while gazing at Amelia's portrait placed on the desk.
It had been exactly a year since the carriage accident. The household staff had been urging him to give up, saying it was time.
But he couldn't abandon hope. He couldn't let go of even the slimmest possibility.
If Amelia were alive somewhere, and he simply hadn't found her yet—he couldn't face his brother and sister-in-law in death. This was why he searched for Amelia in secret.
"Master, may I come in?"
"Come in."
Claude answered with his hand pressed against his temple. Shortly after, the door opened and the butler of House Agris entered his study.
"These are the letters that arrived today."
Claude extended his hand, and the butler passed him a bundle of papers. Most of the correspondence consisted of tedious party invitations and gentlemen's club notices.
Nevertheless, Claude read through every letter meticulously, not missing a single word. Perhaps there might be a clue to finding Amelia.
What caught his eye was a letter sealed with red wax.
"Lucella Rilprey?"
It was a name he'd never heard before. Judging by the surname, she appeared to be from House of Rilprey.
It was quite common for young noblewomen he'd never even heard of to send letters to Claude. He was young, handsome, and possessed both power and wealth. As an unmarried marquess, he was truly a first-rate marriage prospect.
'Given that it's a woman's name, it's probably some frivolous love letter.'
With that thought, Claude unfolded the letter.
[I am protecting Amelia Agris, the niece of Marquess Agris. If you wish to meet the child, please come to the Büsnie Orphanage in Bellomen Duchy.]
Crash!
His chair toppled backward as he suddenly rose to his feet. But Claude didn't even think to right it.
The contents of the letter were far from frivolous.
Like a child learning to read for the first time, he read the letter over and over again.
"My lord, what is the matter? Has something unfortunate occurred...?"
"Prepare the carriage at once."
Claude gave the order swiftly to the concerned butler.
"Pardon?"
"We must leave for Bellomen Duchy immediately! I've received word that Amelia is there!"
"Is that so? No, this is not the time for questions. I shall prepare the carriage at once!"
There was no need for further deliberation. The loyal butler, who had served House Agris for over thirty years, rushed out of the study. Claude likewise quickly grabbed his coat and left the study.
'Amelia. Please, let me see you this time.'
His face was filled with urgency as he thought of his only blood relative.
* * *
A week had passed since I sent the letter to Marquess Agris. I had sent it by the fastest courier, so a reply should have arrived by now.
"Why haven't I heard anything?"
Despite my words about waiting patiently, Amelia couldn't hide her hopeful expression whenever I visited the Orphanage.
How sorry I felt each time I had to shake my head. Though she said it was fine, I knew it truly wasn't, which made my heart ache all the more.
"But if we wait just a little longer, it should work out."
If the letter reached him properly, Claude would surely come to the Büsnie Orphanage. So I just needed to hold on a little longer—just a little bit more.
"Sigh...."
As if echoing my heart, I heard a sigh from beside me. When I turned my head, I saw Lucian sighing so heavily it seemed the ground might collapse.
"What's with the sigh?"
What could a troublemaking little rascal possibly have to worry about?
"Amelia's mood seems off lately."
"Ah...."
If Lucian was noticing it too, then Amelia's atmosphere must have indeed changed recently.
"Edwin's been drooping as well. Though he's always quiet anyway."
Edwin is probably in low spirits because of you.
'Because Lucian has monopolized Amelia's attention.'
What started as an attempt to cheer Edwin up had somehow transformed into a beauty salon for the children. After that, I hadn't been able to pay attention to him because of Amelia's affairs.
'When Amelia leaves for the Agris Marquessate, Edwin will be left alone.'
If that happened, Edwin's mood would only grow darker. He might even become more pessimistic about his circumstances as a child without parents.
'I need to look after Edwin.'
Not just Edwin, but the other children too.
According to the original story, whenever a child was adopted, the others felt envy and sorrow. They had gained something they lacked—a family. From now on, they wouldn't be alone.
Amelia's situation was particularly difficult, as she wasn't being adopted but returning to find her real family. Seeing Claude arrive in fine clothes, all the children would surely feel envious and disheartened.
To make matters worse, today's drizzling rain cast a gloomy pall over everything. It was perfect weather for sinking into melancholy.
'I need to lift the children's spirits.'
Beyond just cheering them up, I felt I should also look into finding adoptive homes for them. If possible, finding them new families would give them hope for a better future.
* * *
Claude's carriage had just crossed the Southern Border.
Since the Agris Marquessate was located in the central region near the Capital, one had to cross the Southern Border to reach the Bellomen Duchy in the south of the Empire.
Fortunately, the road south was relatively flat. Once you passed through a single long mountain range connecting the central and southern regions, most of the rest was plains. The mountain range itself had well-maintained roads, so there was nothing particularly difficult about it.
However, there was one problem he had overlooked: the weather.
Heavy raindrops pounded against the carriage roof with such force they seemed ready to pierce through it.
"Can't you move any faster?"
"We're already at maximum speed. If we go any faster, the wheels will slip on the wet road."
"Damn it."
Claude's impatience burned within him.
To have Amelia within reach yet be unable to move faster was maddening beyond words.
"Surely this isn't some kind of trick?"
More than one person had come forward claiming to have Amelia while making false confessions.
The children they brought, claiming to be Amelia, had only the same hair and eye color as her but were different children entirely. Even though it had been over a year since he'd last seen her, Claude, as her uncle, could never forget his only niece's face.
Those who had learned that Claude was desperately searching for his niece had exploited this information, making false reports in hopes of securing a substantial reward.
If this too turned out to be a hoax, he would show no mercy. Whether the culprit was a lady or a frail elderly person made no difference. As he ground his teeth with this resolve—
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
"What's that sound?"
The moment he furrowed his brow at the noise from outside, the ground began to tremble as if an earthquake were occurring. The noise soon escalated into a deafening roar.
Claude immediately peered out the window.
A mountain, unable to withstand the torrential rain, was collapsing.
"A, a landslide!"
"Protect the Marquess!"
The coachman increased speed to avoid the cascading earth and stones. However, accelerating on ground made muddy by the rain was no easy task.
"Marquess! Take cover!"
With that final cry, the carriage was buried under the earth.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org