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Chapter 5
The place Reina brought Calix to was an orphanage located a little outside the Krolot estate.
Surrounded by lush green forest, the Green Garden Orphanage was quiet and peaceful, far from the bustle of people.
Reina gazed at the old, rugged building with affectionate eyes, its walls worn by time.
‘My safety net.’
That was right.
This orphanage belonged to Reina.
At the same time, it was the only escape route that would allow her to break free from the Krolot family.
When the possessed Reina turned eighteen, the count and countess eagerly suggested that she start a business.
A business meant for money laundering, no less.
After much deliberation, Reina chose this orphanage.
“Lady Reina! I didn’t expect you to come without any notice.”
A middle-aged woman hurried out to greet her when she saw the carriage arrive.
“Olivia. Have you been well?”
“I’ve been doing just fine, thanks to you, my lady.”
Olivia had once been a maid dismissed from the Krolot estate simply because she took a day off to care for her sick son.
Having also lost her husband in an accident, Olivia had been left with nothing. Feeling sorry for her, Reina entrusted her with managing the orphanage.
The reason she gave her not just a position, but the role of director, was because her talent would have been wasted otherwise.
“Did you come to check the ledgers?”
Olivia whispered quietly.
Reina had entrusted her, who was sharp with numbers, with managing double books.
Not to launder money—but to make it look like she was laundering money, in order to deceive the count and countess.
“As you said, Lady Reina, the donations keep coming in.”
Reina nodded calmly.
The count and countess had initially opposed Reina’s choice to run an orphanage as a business.
They argued that feeding and housing orphans wouldn’t make any money.
But Reina insisted that the orphans themselves could be utilized.
As the wealth gap in the empire widened, the number of orphans had increased significantly.
At the same time, a strange trend had begun among noble ladies and aristocratic daughters.
They had started spending their excess wealth on charitable donations.
Supporting the poor was an effective way to display their own generosity and virtue.
Among such causes, orphanages—especially those helping children—were the most popular.
Reina persuaded the count and countess that this was an opportunity to take advantage of the moment when the wealthy were practically throwing their money away.
Impressed by her reasoning, they immediately purchased a failing orphanage.
“I trust you’ll handle things well, Olivia. I came today because I have a special request.”
At the mention of a “special request,” Olivia’s expression sharpened.
At that moment, Maya stepped out of the carriage with Calix.
“I’d like you to take care of that child here.”
Reina pointed at Calix with her eyes and continued,
“However, I don’t want anyone else to know that he’s here. Is that possible?”
Olivia nodded without hesitation.
“Leave it to me.”
To Olivia, Reina was nothing short of a savior, and she was determined to help her to the best of her ability.
“Thank you. I’ll send the details through Maya later.”
Reina turned toward Calix.
She crouched down and looked up at him.
“What’s your name?”
Calix hesitated before answering.
“Calix.”
“Calix. My name is Reina.”
“Reina…”
He softly repeated her name, then cautiously looked around.
It was obvious he was intimidated by the unfamiliar place and unfamiliar people.
To ease his tension, Reina decided to redirect his attention.
“What kind of hero is that?”
“Pardon?”
Reina pointed to his neck with her index finger.
“The hero from the story you’re wearing.”
Following her gesture, Calix looked down and widened his eyes.
“I-it’s…”
He pulled the necklace out from under his clothes and placed the small figurine in his hand.
“It’s ‘Bomer,’ the one who protected his village by fighting off bandits.”
“Bomer?”
As Reina showed interest, Calix’s voice gradually grew louder and faster.
“Bomer had a weak body, so the villagers used to look down on him. But when the bandits appeared and everyone else hid in fear, Bomer was the only one who stood and fought.”
Compared to flashy heroes, Calix liked Bomer the most.
Because Bomer gave him hope—that even someone weak like him could become a hero.
“Bomer is really smart. He uses the land and trees to set traps…”
As he spoke enthusiastically, Calix suddenly stopped when he met Reina’s gaze.
He quickly lowered his head.
His face slowly turned red.
People never really listened to his stories.
Some said he was noisy. Others listened, but clearly found it boring.
Talking about something no one wanted to hear wasn’t just embarrassing—
it made him feel even lonelier.
‘I knew that… and still talked like an idiot again.’
Regretfully, Calix shut his mouth.
“Why did you stop? It’s interesting.”
At Reina’s casual remark, Calix slowly lifted his head.
“I can see why you like him. Bomer is a very cool and brave hero.”
Reina smiled faintly.
It was an unconscious smile, so she didn’t realize why Calix looked so surprised.
“Calix.”
She called him again, noticing he seemed more relaxed now.
“The person who will take care of you here is someone you can trust. They’ll treat you well, so you should trust them too.”
“…What about you, Reina?”
“Me?”
“You won’t stay here?”
When Reina nodded, Calix’s face darkened instantly.
“I’ll come back to see you soon.”
“……”
“Just wait a few days.”
Wait. I’ll come back. Be good.
Not once had any adult ever kept such promises to him.
But if he refused, he would be disliked.
So Calix nodded weakly.
As he watched Reina walk away, leaving him behind, he clenched his fist tightly.
Inside it was a candy she had given him.
As expected.
Calix’s prediction was not wrong.
Sitting on the bed, he stared blankly out the window.
The sky had turned gray since yesterday, and today a harsh rain poured down.
Listening to the raindrops tapping against the window, disappointment filled his eyes.
Today marked the seventh day since he had arrived at the orphanage.
Reina, who said she would return soon, still hadn’t come.
‘I thought she might come today.’
But if she hadn’t come on a clear day, there was no way she would come in such terrible weather.
Calix habitually reached to touch the back of his hand, but instead slipped his hand into his pocket.
Inside was the candy Reina had given him.
Although new candies were given every day with snacks, he couldn’t bring himself to eat the one Reina gave him.
Instead of touching his hand, he fiddled with the round candy.
‘Maybe it’s better this way.’
He wasn’t feeling well today either.
Since morning, a strange chill had run through his body.
On a day like this, even if Reina had come, he would have been stuck in his room.
‘Not that I can leave anyway.’
Olivia, the orphanage director, had arranged for him to live alone.
Just as Reina had asked, Calix was kept separate from the other children.
He was used to such a life, so he didn’t complain.
Though Lucius was famous in the empire, few people knew he even had a younger brother.
And even fewer knew Calix by name.
He had been raised in such a way that his disappearance would not seem strange.
So rather than hiding, Calix focused more on fulfilling Reina’s request.
‘She said I should help too.’
He had always been the one needing help—and had always been ignored.
When Reina asked for his help, he felt useful.
It was a feeling he had never experienced before.
No matter what happened, he was determined to follow her wishes.
‘Compared to where I used to live, it’s easier to hide here anyway.’
Just as he smiled bitterly—
Click. Click.
Someone turned the doorknob.
‘Olivia has never come at this time…’
Could it be—
As the door slowly opened, hope flickered in Calix’s eyes.
But the person who entered was not the one he had been waiting for.
It was a boy around his age.
Freckles dotted across his cheeks and nose, and his eyes lit up when he saw Calix.
“I knew it!”
The boy strode toward him.
Startled, Calix stood up.
“I was wondering why the director kept coming to this unused room—turns out someone was here.”
Proud that his guess was correct, the boy grinned.
“I’m Bill. What’s your name?”
Calix’s heart pounded.
He had been found.
Reina had hidden him, and he was supposed to stay hidden.
It was such a simple request.
And yet—he had failed.
‘Reina will be disappointed.’
If she was disappointed, she wouldn’t come to see him.
‘No…’
Calix quickly grabbed the blanket and pulled it over himself.
“What? You think I can’t see you if you do that? Are you stupid?”
Bill laughed playfully.
Though it was a harmless joke, it wasn’t harmless to Calix.
Stupid. Useless. Worthless.
The voices echoed in his ears.
His body began to tremble.
Heat spread from his chest, and cold sweat formed on his forehead.
It was the sign of a fever.
The same fever that had always tormented him.
“Hey, say something. Are you sulking because I called you stupid?”
Just as Bill reached out to him—
Calix suddenly sprang up.
“Ow!”
Bill stumbled as they collided, but Calix didn’t care.
He dashed out of the room.
When the fever came, he had to be alone.
Calix ran down the hallway.
Without a destination, he ran until he found the stairs and started descending.
The blanket over his head blocked his vision.
Step by step, he stumbled—
until he stepped on the blanket and fell forward.
Calix shut his eyes tightly.
But instead of crashing onto the hard floor, he was caught in something soft and warm.
“Calix?”
The blanket slipped away, revealing his face.
Calix looked up in shock.
The one who had caught him—
was Reina.
Soaked through from the heavy rain, having braved the storm to come see him.
Why now?
Why did it have to be now?
“N-no…!”
Calix hurriedly tried to push her away—but it was too late.
As darkness filled his vision, he lost consciousness
