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Chapter 37
“Good.”
Kristan finally came out of his thoughts when the orphanage outside the window was no longer in sight.
The last time he had seen his mother, there was no longer any warm affection in her eyes. Her cold gaze was as if she were looking at a complete stranger.
Thinking of that look pierced his chest like a dagger, but if it meant she could escape this cursed household, then it was worth it.
“It’s over now.”
The boy closed the carriage window and rested his tired eyes. Yet, even behind his eyelids, his mother still appeared warm.
“Wow, it’s Lady Karia!”
“Lady Karia, you look so pretty! Like a princess!”
Because she hadn’t visited the orphanage for a while, the children ran toward her excitedly upon seeing her. Dozens of children circled around her, leaving Karia in a dilemma in the orphanage yard.
However, she had already anticipated this situation. She raised her hand to shoulder height and snapped her fingers twice.
“Rodewick.”
“Yes, my lady.”
At her signal, the coachman unloaded gifts from the carriage—clothes, shoes, storybooks, toys—enough to make any child’s eyes light up.
As expected, the children, who always suffered from a lack of supplies at the orphanage, eagerly ran toward the gifts. Karia entrusted the children to the coachman golem and calmly walked into the orphanage.
“Duchess? W-welcome… But what are all these things?”
“Oh, I thought the orphanage might need some supplies since I last visited. I picked out some things for you all.”
The orphanage director was dumbfounded at the sight of Karia’s changed appearance and the mountain of gifts. But she soon regained her composure and scolded the excited children.
“Children, first, you must thank the Duchess!”
At her words, the children paused their busy hands and shouted together, “Thank you, Lady Karia!” Karia smiled at them and gently placed a hand on the director’s shoulder.
“The thanks are unnecessary. I give these because the children are lovely. I came today to speak with you about something else.”
“Oh, please come in. I will attend to you.”
The director guided her to the office with the utmost care, as if handling a fragile ice sculpture. Once seated, she offered a blanket and brewed warm tea, tending to her as if she were a patient.
“How are you feeling? Has the pain returned at all?”
“Well, it’s fine for now.”
“Duchess—”
“Oh, could you stop calling me that? I plan to divorce him—”
“Divorce? Divorce? Surely you don’t mean the Duke is abandoning you because you’re ill?! What kind of damnable man would—”
She bombarded Karia with questions and curses, calling the Duke a man deserving of death. Having noticed Karia’s prior mistreatment at the Duke’s house, she seemed utterly unable to forgive him.
Though the Duke might indeed be irredeemable, Karia quietly set down her teacup, stopping the director’s tirade. Even if the words were true, a commoner openly insulting a duke could be dragged off and killed without a trace.
“Enough of that. I came because I have questions and a request for you.”
“Yes, please tell me. I will do my best if it is within my power.”
“Based on your grandfather’s research, how long do you think I have left to live?”
The director’s mouth pressed tightly shut at Karia’s blunt question. She turned her head and stifled a sob, but did not show her tears, a small courtesy of hers. After a moment, regaining some composure, she answered in as clear a voice as possible for Karia, who had waited patiently.
“This illness begins with sporadic pain, gradually developing into regular cycles. As the disease progresses, the cycles shorten. Once it reaches about a week, the body rapidly weakens… No one has survived past six months after that.”
“From the first to the second occurrence took a month, then about a week afterward. So the next pain will determine the cycle. That means, at most, six months left.”
The orphanage director’s tears fell again at Karia’s cold, clinical tone, as if speaking about herself as if it were someone else. She pitied her, thinking Karia was forcing herself to be strong.
But Karia ignored the tears and focused on calculations in her mind.
‘The elixir recipe is verified, but can I gather the ingredients within six months? I don’t have enough hands.’
She briefly considered abandoning thoughts of divorce and secluding herself in the forest castle to create golems. However, supplies were insufficient there, and she would still need to collect resources from the city, making complete disappearance impractical.
Moreover, the forest was notorious for being unusual, and getting caught entering it would be problematic.
While Karia was pondering, the orphanage director suddenly grasped her hand, her eyes moist and her face resolute, pressing a small medicine bottle into Karia’s palm.
“I cannot do much for you, but I’ve made some pain relief medicine. It’s stronger than anything you can buy. They say the disease causes burning, excruciating pain…”
“Ah, thank you. I needed that, just in time.”
“One pill eases the pain, two puts you into a deep sleep. Chewing them works faster.”
“What if I take three?”
The director’s eyes brimmed with tears again. Karia could guess the outcome without an answer.
“I have something for you as well. Take this.”
Karia handed the director a folded piece of paper containing a check.
“Th-this… I cannot accept such a large amount!”
“Keep it. It was a check I intended to use for a house, but it ended up in your hands.”
Seeing the amount—100,000 gold—the director paled. That sum could fund three more orphanages of this size.
The director attempted to return the check, thinking the zeros were a mistake, but Karia waved it off.
“If it feels too heavy, consider it hush money. And if anyone asks about me here, just say I quietly helped. Never reveal anything about my illness, especially to anyone claiming to be family.”
This orphanage was well-known in her area of operation. If anyone noticed unusual activity, an investigation would follow. Karia trusted the director to remain silent. Satisfied, she rose to leave.
“Lady Karia, are you leaving?”
“I wanted to stay and play, but unfortunately, I must go.”
“Please come again next time, definitely!”
The children lined up to see her off, leaving behind the clothes and toys but watching her intently. Karia felt a warmth spread through her heart, long neglected, as the carriage departed.
“So warm.”
After a long time, her heart felt truly warm. She felt a rare warmth on a cool, starry night.
The warmth grew, making her skin tingle as the carriage entered the forest, approaching Rubaltberch Castle.
“Why is it glowing?”
The forest, always dark, seemed unusually bright today. Karia discovered the reason upon reaching the castle: dozens of elves surrounded it, lighting fires.
She jumped from the carriage at the sight.
“What are you crazy little beasts doing?!”
A furious golden lightning struck the center of the forest.
“So, who do you want dead first?”
It took three minutes. Defeating the hapless elves, hesitant to use offensive magic, required only the time to pour a cup of tea—most of it probably spent brushing dirt from her shoes.
Karia knelt on the cold garden floor, glaring at their crimson heads.
The elves struggled to free themselves from magical restraints, but could not, and even if freed, escape was impossible.
This was the power of a true mage. The elves, overwhelmed, lost all will to resist, wearing expressions of near death and despair.
“My lady, these long-eared beasts have been attempting to infiltrate the castle intermittently for three days. I believe they followed me through the forest, acting under your command. My apologies.”
