Chapter 05
At those low but weighty words, Lodi’s face lit up.
This is it…!
That was what Lodi thought.
To be honest, he did want to become rich with that gold.
He wanted to take as much of it as he could and go back—but it was obvious what would happen. The headmaster would take it all away from him.
Lodi glanced sideways at Gambil, who was fidgeting nervously beside Iklis.
Not just Gambil—everyone he had seen on the way here had bowed so deeply their backs nearly snapped.
And that overwhelming wealth.
Chails really was just as he had heard in the rumors.
Then… he started thinking.
Wasn’t there a way to both take the gold and protect it?
And it seemed like he had found it.
Lodi clenched his small fist tightly.
“Punish the headmaster.”
…What?!
Gambil stared at him in disbelief.
Out of everything, that was what he chose instead of money?
But Iklis, on the contrary, looked intrigued.
Soon, the corners of Iklis’s lips curled up in satisfaction.
“Alright.”
“Really?”
As if he had gotten the answer he wanted, Lodi suddenly plopped down on the floor.
Then he grabbed a handful of gold coins that had rolled all the way to his feet.
“Th-then I’ll just take these!”
As if it suddenly felt like a waste not to, he hurriedly gathered the coins with his tiny hands.
He even glanced at Iklis and opened his hand slightly, showing how many he was taking—almost as if he still had a sense of conscience.
Iklis let out a small chuckle and stepped closer to Lodi.
“Was it Berodi?”
“It’s not Berodi, it’s Brodi.”
“Alright, Brodi. How about this?”
At the cryptic suggestion, Lodi, who had just stuffed a handful of coins away, frowned.
Iklis picked up another handful of coins from the floor and held them out to him.
“What is it?”
Lodi instinctively held out both hands and asked.
“Don’t you want to handle even more money?”
“More… money?”
No. 2. Special Selection! The Youngest New Recruit of Chails
He was offered a position in the guild.
Instead of going back to the orphanage he hated, they asked if he wanted to stay here and use his abilities.
‘I can leave the orphanage right away…? I never even thought about that!’
Lodi’s mind began racing.
Should he go back to the orphanage as usual?
Or stay here to earn money?
He thought hard about which choice would be better.
At the orphanage, he had his friends.
With Iklis, there was delicious bread, money, and success.
His small head became overwhelmed with thoughts.
Sneaking a glance, Lodi’s eyes softened as if he were gauging the situation.
“Can I bring my friends too?”
“No.”
Lodi immediately looked dejected.
His heart, which had been split evenly—five for the orphanage, five for Iklis—tilted slightly toward the orphanage.
“If you do your work well, I’ll consider it.”
Lodi’s head snapped up again.
4:6!
“But what do I have to do? I live at the orphanage. The headmaster said I’m not allowed to get adopted.”
He really hated the headmaster, but it was true that they were still his guardian.
So he would probably need permission.
If the headmaster got punished—or even removed—then maybe it would work…
“You said you wanted them punished. I’ll handle that.”
3:7!
“Um… also, can I sleep somewhere warm every day? If you hit me, I won’t do it.”
“Of course. Why would I hit something as tiny as you? If anything, I’ll take responsibility for anyone you beat up.”
Lodi’s thoughts spun quickly.
If he made a lot of gold here, bought a big house, and brought Berry, Zeno, and his friends…
Just imagining a big, warm house filled with over a hundred pieces of that white bread he just ate made him suddenly happy.
2:8!
‘If I become one of Chails’ subordinates, I won’t have to go hungry anymore.’
He’d still be using his abilities, but he wouldn’t have to beg for things he didn’t want.
And if he worked hard, he and his friends could live together without starving or being separated.
After all, getting adopted meant going with strangers anyway.
‘Teacher Tomi said this before.’
That in life, people would stand at crossroads again and again.
Depending on the choice, life could get better—or worse.
Was leaving the orphanage after fighting the headmaster a good choice for Teacher Tomi?
As Lodi recalled Tomi’s face, he suddenly felt that choosing Chails would be the better decision.
1:9…
“I’ll make sure the headmaster is dealt with.”
At that one sentence, Lodi ran straight to Iklis.
0:10!
Iklis’s complete victory!
“Please take care of me, boss!”
It was a perfect switch in attitude.
Lodi had never once told Iklis which orphanage he was from, yet the carriage was already traveling along a familiar road.
As they rode, Iklis asked if he really knew nothing about Chails—and seemed baffled.
“By the way… our headmaster is scary.”
“I’m stronger.”
“But they like people with money.”
“Then there’s no problem.”
“Also… um…”
After hesitating, Lodi finally spoke what had been on his mind.
“Can you pretend you don’t know about my ability in front of the headmaster?”
“Why?”
“They really hate it when other people know.”
“Does that even matter now?”
“Well… my friends are still there. If they get punished because of me… so until I can bring them with me, can you keep it a secret?”
For Iklis, saying he’d consider it was just part of persuading the child—but Lodi was already thinking about working hard and bringing his friends over.
Iklis looked at the small kid.
Just from being given a few pieces of bread, the starving child had already started to come back to life.
Still, anyone could see he was barely able to take care of himself—yet he was trying to look after others.
He was trying to carry a burden bigger than himself.
It was almost uncomfortable—like looking at his own past.
Back when his future had been uncertain, yet he still dragged his nephew along to stay by his side.
‘Tiny little thing. He’ll understand once he gets betrayed.’
Well, he’d experience it plenty in the future anyway. No need to learn it now.
“Do as you want.”
“Thank you!”
At the indifferent permission, Lodi beamed and chattered nonstop all the way to the orphanage, listing every single wrongdoing of the headmaster.
“So… you’re getting adopted, Lodi?”
Zeno looked at him in shock.
He hadn’t heard anything that morning, so hearing that Lodi was leaving as soon as he returned was a huge surprise.
“Yeah! Something like adoption!”
“But the headmaster said you couldn’t be adopted.”
Lodi shrugged.
While Iklis went to the headmaster’s office, Lodi came to say goodbye to his friends.
But most of the children were out, leaving only Zeno among those he was close to.
Berry had gotten worse and had been taken to the hospital by Teacher Son.
So Lodi decided to leave Berry’s share of his goodbye with Zeno.
“I can go now. Here, take this.”
Rustling, Lodi pulled out a paper bag from his clothes.
When Zeno opened it, he was shocked to find five large pieces of bread inside.
Earlier, Lodi had pretended to eat everything but secretly saved some pieces.
It was bread he got by luck—it would be a waste to eat it all at once.
“Give two to Berry and you eat three. Don’t tell the others, okay?”
Then he grabbed Zeno by both shoulders.
Looking at the still-stunned Zeno, Lodi spoke clearly.
“I’m going to become rich.”
“…What?”
“If you guys don’t find families by the time I come back, then come with me.”
“…Lodi.”
“I’ll get a house, and bread too. And I’ll gather this much firewood.”
“H-how are you going to do something that hard?!”
“I can.”
He had already made up his mind on the way here.
Lodi looked at Zeno with determined eyes.
“So take care, Zeno.”
“Lodi…”
Zeno dropped the bag of bread.
For the children in the orphanage, finding an adoptive family was the greatest gift.
And it was the happiest way to part with the friends they had lived with.
So he should be congratulating him—but for some reason, Zeno couldn’t.
Lodi picked up the fallen bag and placed it back into Zeno’s hands.
“Let’s meet again. Tell Berry too, okay?”
“W-will we really meet again?”
“Of course! The three of us are forever!”
Though he was truly sad to part with his friend, Lodi deliberately shouted more cheerfully.
Because this might be their final goodbye.
