Chapter: 06
“This is the minimum amount I can release the child for. Anything less is absolutely out of the question.”
“…The amount is huge. I could pay it as a donation, but somehow it feels like I’m being scammed.”
“If you don’t want to, then forget it. We won’t lose anything, anyway.”
She could feel the small hand she was holding trembling.
Unlike the boldness the little one had shown earlier, the child’s face had turned pale, and they couldn’t even move their lips.
It was obvious that they didn’t even dare meet the director’s eyes, which hinted at the kind of treatment they had suffered until now.
“Let’s get out of here immediately. I don’t want to leave you in the same space as someone like that.”
“Wait a minute! We haven’t finished the payment yet. Where do you think you’re going?”
“Money? If that’s what you’re worried about, go ahead and take it. There’s plenty here.”
Clang.
The director’s face lit up with a smile as he received the heavy pouch full of gold coins.
“Please come again, sir! If it’s children like these, I can find as many as you need.”
The man’s face, after decades of committing such evil, showed no trace of shame.
Seeing the director’s eyes glinting with desire and greed, Lenia made a decision.
“Little one, there’s no one else in this building besides him, right? It’s completely quiet.”
“Yep. The director’s safe is here. No one except him and the guest can enter.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
With a gentle smile, Lenia held the child’s hand and led them out of the director’s office.
And shortly after:
“Ugh, aaah! Somebody help me!”
Boom!
Like a bomb had gone off, a massive explosion erupted, sending a pillar of fire into the air.
The child stared at the blazing director’s office with disbelief.
“W-Was that you, nuna? How did you…?”
“So you finally call me ‘nuna.’ I’m quite touched.”
Lenia carefully ruffled the child’s blonde hair with a smile.
The silky strands sliding through her fingers were incredibly soft.
“Stop touching my hair all the time. I’m not a baby, you know.”
“Hmm. Do you dislike it when I do this?”
“…Not exactly, but…”
The child’s cheeks flushed red, and they shyly lowered their head, accepting her touch.
Even with flames dancing behind them, the two of them felt warmth as cozy as candlelight on a cake.
“Oh, I almost forgot something important. Little one, what’s your name? I’m Lenia.”
“Lakan. No surname.”
“Same here. I just made one up to sound fancy.”
The surname Crestian was one Lenia had given herself after escaping the orphanage.
She remembered her parents’ surname clearly, but she refused to follow the name of those who had sold her to the backstreets.
“I’ll give you a grand surname someday. It might change a few times along the way, but I’m sure you’ll like it.”
“Your words are hard to understand. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don’t.”
“That’s okay for now. I’ll teach you slowly, one step at a time.”
“Mm-hmm.”
From the way the child nodded, Lenia felt a small but strong sprout of trust growing in their eyes.
She didn’t yet realize just how deeply her actions had impressed the little one, who was experiencing life outside the underworld for the first time.
“Wow, is this really our room? It’s enormous!”
“Don’t run around too much, Lakan. Dust isn’t good for your lungs.”
“Look at this bed! It’s so soft! Does it have jelly inside or something?”
After returning to the room, Lakan couldn’t stay still and bounced around excitedly.
Ten minutes after starting to jump on the bed, Lenia, unable to hold back, tried to stop him, but the extremely excited Lakan had no intention of stopping.
‘Let’s just let him do whatever he wants. He’ll get used to it eventually,’ she thought.
It was understandable that the child enjoyed such a comfortable environment for the first time in their life.
Deciding to give up trying to control him, she let him enjoy himself.
It was a little noisy, but they were using an entire hotel floor, and the soundproofing was perfect, so there was no concern about the noise leaking outside.
“So soft beds actually exist. Amazing.”
“I thought the same when I was your age. Brings back memories of my hardships.”
“But Lenia, what exactly are you? A room like this isn’t for just anyone. Honestly, when I first saw you, I thought you were just a regular person from the underworld.”
“Hmm… well, that’s a long story to explain.”
“That’s fine. I’m not sleepy. I can listen carefully!”
When Lakan’s eyes sparkled, Lenia let out a light sigh and began explaining herself slowly.
Her explanation was honest and thorough.
Even though he was a child, she couldn’t just lie and gloss over things.
Since she had drawn Lakan into her life, she intended to explain the situation clearly and give him the freedom to choose.
“So, you want to go to the capital and become the heiress of the duke’s family, right? That’s why you want to disguise me as a son?”
“Exactly. You have quite the comprehension skills, Lakan.”
“Wow, that seems really easy. I was nervous for nothing.”
Lakan shrugged casually, showing a relaxed attitude.
It turned out Lakan had been trained from a young age to be placed into a noble family.
From speech and manners to general refinement, he had been trained extensively.
For a child from the underworld, who would usually learn codes before letters, this was quite exceptional.
“That’s why the other kids hated me. They often made me eat separately under the guise of teaching table manners. I remember the first time I cut a steak—I went hungry for two days after that.”
“…You must have had a really hard time.”
“Well, it’s all past now, so it doesn’t matter! At least I’m confident in acting like a noble child. I can stay by your side now, right?”
He looked truly happy to be able to be with her, his large eyes shining.
Feeling a bit sorry for him, Lenia gently ruffled Lakan’s hair again.
“Of course. I should be the one grateful that you’re staying with me.”
“Why would you be grateful? You give me food and money. That’s weird.”
“Not at all. The adults who told you that were wrong. I’ll teach you everything, step by step.”
Lakan tilted his head, not quite understanding, but didn’t protest.
“It’s too late. Let’s sleep for now, or we’ll oversleep tomorrow.”
“Mm… okay. Can I sleep with you, nuna? I sleep nicely.”
“Of course. Let’s wash up and sleep.”
The two slept in the same bed, and didn’t wake up until nearly noon the next day.
Lenia fed the child, coaxing him while he clung to a pillow, and helped him put on clothes she had requested from the counter.
For a moment, she truly felt like she was Lakan’s parent.
‘Single and taking care of a child… it’s absurd, but somehow, it doesn’t feel bad at all.’
