Chapter 6
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Chapter 6
Amelia was intelligent enough to realize that the moment her identity was revealed, her safety would be at risk. That's why she never disclosed the fact that she was the daughter of Marquis Agris. Because of this, the Orphanage Director and staff believed Amelia to be a commoner.
However, an unmistakable air of nobility emanated from Amelia. The aristocrats who visited this place for adoption could not possibly fail to notice it.
'That must be why the Director seated Amelia beside me.'
Pretty children had a higher chance of being adopted than ugly ones. And if the child possessed Amelia's grace and refinement, all the better.
As a noblewoman myself, I was certain the Director deliberately seated me next to her, believing I would recognize Amelia's true worth.
But if a child had a criminal for a parent—and worse, if that child spoke of it so carelessly and without shame—
'Any desire to adopt her would vanish in an instant.'
I let out a hollow laugh watching Amelia chew her bread with such practiced composure.
How strange—despite possessing such a striking appearance, she had remained unnoticed. She must have been hiding her true self until mealtime.
I had known from reading the original work that she was intelligent, but Amelia seemed far more remarkable than I had anticipated.
"Is that so?"
I smiled, concealing my surprise.
The reason I could remain relatively composed was that I knew Amelia's parents were not criminals, and that she had no desire to be adopted.
"Still, just because your parents are criminals doesn't mean you must assume you'll become one too."
I know how kind and intelligent Amelia is. I know she will grow into a truly wonderful adult.
"You are you, aren't you?"
But since I couldn't reveal this knowledge, I simply offered her a bit of wisdom and left it at that.
"Instead of dwelling on such thoughts, eat more and grow quickly."
More than anything, it was rather pitiful to see such a young child burdened with such complex thoughts.
For some reason, I placed another piece of meat on Amelia's spoon, which had frozen in her grip as she stared at me.
"Eat up. It's getting cold."
"...Y-yes."
Once I confirmed the meat had disappeared into her small mouth, I began attending to the other children around us. I couldn't let my attention focus on just one child.
By the time I wiped the face of a child with bread crumbs around their mouth and cleaned up spilled soup from the floor, lunch had already come to an end.
The Orphanage Director, having delegated the cleanup to the staff, clapped his hands several times to gather the children.
"Everyone, bring your blankets and pillows. It's time for nap time."
"Nap time?"
The children tilted their heads at the Director's words. It seemed they had never experienced anything like a scheduled nap time before.
"That's right. Now that you've eaten your fill, it's time to get some rest."
I shared their confusion.
This place had children of varying ages like Amelia, but also infants too young to even crawl.
'Their digestion probably hasn't finished yet. Is it really okay for them to sleep right after eating?'
Even grown adults shouldn't sleep immediately after a meal—it's bad for the body. How could young children with underdeveloped digestive systems manage it? And the tiniest infants needed to be burped after feeding.
Though I had doubts, I lacked sufficient knowledge about childcare to intervene. I had never given birth myself, and caring for young Lucian—feeding and putting him to sleep—had always been the nursemaid's responsibility, so I had no experience.
"Come now, lie down quickly. If you don't sleep, you won't grow."
Urged on, the children brought out blankets and pillows that were little more than rags and spread them on the floor.
"Sweet dreams, my little ones."
The Orphanage Director kissed the forehead of the child nearest to him, then went to the window and drew the curtains closed. Soon the room grew dark.
"Well then, Miss, shall we continue our conversation in the Director's Office?"
"Yes."
I followed the Orphanage Director, who wrung his hands nervously like a fly, toward the Director's Office.
* * *
Creak, creak.
The wooden door closed with an unpleasant sound. It was the door Lucella had broken earlier, now forced back into place.
"...."
At that sound, my eyelids slowly opened. After blinking several times, jade-green eyes reminiscent of spring foliage came into view.
Amelia rolled her luminous eyes, confirming that all the adults had left before sitting up.
"Where are you going?"
At the question from over my shoulder, my hands froze as I was pulling back the blanket. When I turned toward the voice, I saw Edwin patting the chest of a child much younger than me.
"I'm going to the Director's Office."
"Then I'll come with you."
"No."
I firmly stopped Edwin from getting up.
"If you come too, we'll be discovered. It's better if I go alone and quietly."
"...Tch."
"In exchange, I'll sneak a cookie from the kitchen on my way back."
I skillfully soothed the pouting Edwin and carefully made my way forward.
'Which child are they coming to adopt this time?'
My heart raced with anxiety as I headed toward the Director's Office.
Regardless of others, I absolutely could not be adopted. I had to meet my uncle.
'I hope it's not me.'
Because of my unusually striking appearance and the refined air that emanated from me even at rest, I was always ranked first among adoption candidates.
Each time, I fabricated absurd reasons to diminish their interest in me.
'My father is a serial killer.'
Or,
'My mother was a famous thief.'
Such excuses.
In truth, these weren't entirely false.
My father had sentenced numerous guilty subjects to death, and my mother had once been caught stealing my grandmother's jewels as a child.
When I mentioned these facts, people always looked at me with contempt.
'Parents who are criminals? Impossible! Amelia must be lying!'
Of course, the Director waved his hands dismissively, eager to sell me for a high price.
But his denials only further damaged my reputation.
'A child who tells such outrageous lies without changing her expression. How chilling.'
No adult liked a child who lied constantly.
After the nobles left, the Director would scold me harshly for saying such things, but it didn't matter.
I had no interest in being adopted by adults who chose children based solely on appearance.
'But that Sister....'
I recalled the red-haired woman who had suddenly appeared at the Orphanage one day.
She remained unfazed even when I spoke of being the child of a criminal.
'But still, just because your parents are criminals doesn't mean you're destined to become one too. You are your own person, aren't you?'
It was my first time meeting an adult who didn't look at me with contempt, an adult who would say such things to me.
Moreover, she didn't show interest only in pretty children. Whether their faces were plain or their skin bore marks of illness, she made an effort to care for all the children without discrimination. She was the complete opposite of every adult who had ever visited the Orphanage.
'I still can't say for certain she's a good person. She might just be pretending to be kind in front of the Director.'
What would Lucella be like when alone with the Director? And which child was she planning to adopt?
Amelia stood before the window outside the Director's Office, her heart tangled between curiosity and unease. She rose onto her tiptoes.
Soon, the figure of Lucella conversing with the Director came into view.
* * *
"So, is there a child that catches your fancy?"
"All the children are as cute as little angels."
I surveyed the interior of the Director's Office and spoke.
Because the building itself was old, the Director's Office was in poor condition. Yet compared to the rooms where the children slept, the Director's Office might as well have been a hotel.
The floor was covered with a plush, fluffy carpet, and thick curtains completely blocked out the cold seeping in from outside. Meanwhile, the children shivered in spaces with broken windows and fallen door frames.
Various trophies were displayed on the bookshelf, and expensive chocolates and cookies for entertaining guests were piled high on the table.
'Edwin said he tried chocolate for the first time at the Duke's Mansion.'
The Director must have been eating chocolates here whenever his mouth grew bored.
One could tell just by looking at his bloated belly and sagging chin. It was clear he'd used the embezzled funds to fatten his own stomach.
Unaware of my thoughts, the Director continued speaking with his affable smile.
"That's true, of course. But you can't adopt all the children, can you?"
"I already told you. I didn't come here for adoption."
As I sipped my tea, a crack appeared in the Director's smiling face. He seemed disappointed to be losing the opportunity to receive a substantial donation.
'He didn't listen to a word I said.'
He apparently thought I was making up excuses to appear refined.
Clack.
Irritated, I deliberately set down my teacup with a sharp sound.
It seemed the Director simply wasn't capable of understanding plain speech, so directness would be best.
There was no time to waste anyway.
"You do know I'm currently under the protection of House of Bellomen, don't you?"
"Of course. How could I not know?"
At the mention of House of Bellomen and its master, the Director straightened his posture.
I decided to make full use of the Duchy's power.
"My brother-in-law, the Duke of Bellomen, takes considerable interest in child welfare."
I deliberately emphasized that the Duke of Bellomen was my brother-in-law.
"Ever since my nephew, Lucian Bellomen, was born, he has begun to take interest in children of a similar age."
I reminded him that my nephew was the heir to Bellomen.
"Indeed, what a noble Duke he is! To show such concern for the children of his domain despite his busy schedule...."
As expected, the Director became exceedingly polite. He bowed his head repeatedly, his neck craning forward so much that even a turtle would have wept, his posture utterly servile.
But his smile didn't last long.
"That's why he's been quite curious. About how the Orphanage in his domain is being run, and whether the support funds are being used properly."
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