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Chapter 7
I called out to the children with a trembling voice.
But unlike usual, neither Rohen, who normally acted sharp and hostile toward me, nor Lariz, who would secretly run toward me, appeared.
“Where are you guys…?”
I would have preferred if they had come out and reacted coldly like they usually did. Why weren’t they coming out today?
I forced my heavy legs to move and headed toward the corner where the children always stayed.
And there, the twins were crouched down.
Their already worn-out clothes had been torn even more, making them look even more miserable.
“Ah…”
For a moment, my legs lost their strength, and I collapsed down in front of the twins.
“You two…”
Even through their torn clothes, the traces of abuse were clearly visible.
“…It’s big sister.”
“…”
Lariz looked at me and smiled weakly, while Rohen silently stared at me.
“Ha… I was afraid this might happen. I really hoped it wouldn’t. That damn… that…”
The curses I couldn’t bring myself to say tried to burst out of my mouth.
How could someone do this to children so young while being the same kind of human being?
“It was that woman, wasn’t it? That woman… she did this to you…”
The sight was so horrible that tears suddenly fell from my eyes.
“Brother. Look. I told you she wasn’t like that. She’s crying because of us.”
“…”
“You… weren’t the one?”
“What do you mean, I wasn’t?”
“…I guess you weren’t.”
“I told you. Big sister… she isn’t that kind of person.”
I quickly wiped away my tears and approached the twins.
“Don’t look.”
Perhaps because he hated showing his injuries, Rohen hurriedly lowered his body even more.
“Ha… Really… I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I was too careless.”
Everything was my fault.
I had been too arrogant.
I thought everything would work out. I thought things would go according to my plans.
“Big sister’s fault.”
“It’s true. It’s not your fault. So… don’t act like you’ve become something great because of this.”
Even though Rohen threw those words at me bluntly, I wasn’t hurt in the slightest.
I was only worried about the children’s wounds.
Their physical wounds.
And their emotional wounds.
That was why I clenched my fists tightly.
“I can’t endure this anymore.”
“Big sister. You can’t endure it?”
“Knowing that this situation could happen again, I still left you two here… It’s my fault. Should I just set this place on fire right now? Would you at least be able to live like normal humans if I did that?”
That thought came out instinctively.
If I did that, at least the orphanage director would never come looking for the children again.
But then the children would have nowhere to stay.
It was miserable, but at least this warehouse kept them from getting rained on.
“Big sister. Big sister. Don’t cry, okay? We’re fine!”
Lariz smiled brightly and came into my arms, rubbing her face against me.
“Look. It doesn’t hurt anymore. So don’t worry!”
“…Even so, even if the wounds heal, that doesn’t mean everything is really okay.”
The face of the child who had been smiling the entire time became covered in a deep shadow.
“It’s true… Big sister. So call me Lari like before. I like the name you call me…”
“…Lari.”
That was why you two couldn’t open your hearts to me.
That was why you ended up carrying such terrible trauma.
Even though I brought you food, brought you clothes, and tried my best…
In the end, the moment the orphanage director came to see you even once, everything became meaningless.
Just like now.
Lariz seemed to have opened her heart to me a little more because of this incident, but Rohen’s distrust only grew stronger.
‘ I can’t leave this alone anymore.’
I looked at the smiling Lariz and slowly nodded.
“I’ve decided. I’m going to get you two out of here.”
“Huh?”
Because only then would something like this never happen again.
And only then would your father, the Grand Duke, consider my actions when the time came.
I wasn’t doing this because I was kind.
I decided to think of it as simply using the children for my own sake.
“Of course, it won’t be as simple as just leaving. If you leave like this, you’ll definitely be caught again and locked up.”
“Then when are we leaving, big sister?”
“I have a day in mind. Until then, let’s stay here for a little longer.”
“Okay!”
“Since she already came once… she probably won’t come again for a while. I’ll make sure she doesn’t come. I’ll keep pleasing the orphanage director. Just endure for a few more days.”
“Okay! Big sister.”
Lariz nodded as if she had many things she wanted to say.
“Don’t do unnecessary things.”
At that moment.
Rohen, who had kept his distance from me the entire time, approached me.
“Huh…?”
“…Take care of yourself first. Anyway, you’re no different from us.”
“Even so, I’m better off than you two. So I’ll save you.”
“…”
“And Rohen. Not ‘you.’ I’m your older sister.”
“…What older sister?”
But Rohen only tightly closed his mouth.
He didn’t avoid me anymore.
I stared at the two children, forced myself to smile, and left the place.
Originally, I didn’t want to interfere too much with the story.
But now, I had no choice.
‘For the children.’
I needed to step forward properly.
‘Fortunately, there aren’t many days left. Whether I should call it coincidence…’
Twice a year, priestesses from the imperial capital came to inspect the orphanages.
That day was when the orphanage children were washed clean and polished until they looked presentable.
A day when they could wear precious clothes they had never worn before.
A day when they could eat meat.
I was going to aim for that day.
