Chapter 6 (2/2)

“What’s going on?”

Strangely, the man’s voice seemed to be heard from her. When I listened carefully, it really was the sound that came from the white mist surrounding her.

[The nursery must have caught fire. Seems like it was quite a big deal, and the security guards are in trouble because the small mountain behind the nursery might catch fire. Looks like the castle gate guards are rushing in, too.]

“Fire in the nursery?”

As soon as the words were over, the white smoke that covered her face vanished like melting snow. Her expression was full of interest. And along with that, her intriguing gaze, and the boy’s astonished gaze, turned to me as well. It seemed like the gaze was asking me what had happened. I spoke calmly like it wasn’t anything trifle.

“I set the fire and came out, to make sure they didn’t know I escaped.”

“… you?”

“I left my door locked to make it look like I couldn’t break free and was killed. They’ll figure it out when I go back that I’m the culprit and I’ll be beaten to death.”

The boy’s expression next to me, filled with dismay at the calm words. As if he had heard something he couldn’t hear, I sighed a little to that weak reaction.

“What do you mean, beaten to death?” And in response, she asked me.

Although it wasn’t a very pleasant one, It was the first question that came back to me.

“They’re going to drag me somewhere tomorrow because I’m being cheeky. And If I go there and get some scolding, they said, I’ll never be that cheeky again. But the director said there’s a lot of people out there who hate my mother.”

“You must be talking about the slums.”

“Does my mom have anything to do with the slums?”

There was no answerback, I don’t know if it was because she was afraid that a child would get hurt, or because she didn’t want to say it like everyone else…

I was expecting a little more, and hope subsided, as I expected more.

‘I really feel like crying.’

I mean, I feel my eyes are sore, but crying here won’t solve the problem… You’ll just lose your energy. I slapped myself on the cheek for no reason and looked up at her with a straight face.

I came with my own feet, and I’m walking out with my own feet too. I’m not getting kicked out. I put aside my fear for a moment and looked up at her boldly and said,

“I came here just because I thought the director hated you, so you would help me.”

I put up with my sorrow and spoke.

“So I picked up the director’s words and came here… and, after all, you can’t help me, can you?”

You want me to die, don’t you?

Everyone wants me to die.

As if it were natural as if it were set.

Her glaring eyes were passionate. There were no tears, but her eyes looked like she was already crying, but she did not want to avoid the gaze, which was looking at her loosely.

To be honest, I wanted her to catch me. When I get out of here, I have nowhere else to go. I might shiver and die in the cold before I even get beaten and die. I really don’t want to die.

“Hmm.”

There was a sound of pondering for a moment, and I wondered whether my innermost thoughts had reached her. Her eyes were shining interestingly, and her mouth was smiling a little differently than before.

“Let’s start by introducing ourselves first. My name is Chloe Benedito. What’s your name?”

“It’s Daphne.”

“Yes, Daphne, what is it exactly that you want?”

“… I want to live.”

The voice of sincerity came out incessantly trembling. It was a trembling voice, but it contained a firm will, and the answer must have been in Chloe’s favor. Chloe smiled, her eyes curled like foxes.

“No matter how urgent it is, it is difficult to get into the main subject as soon as we meet. There’s a procedure for meeting people.”

Chloe tapped her cheek with a relaxed expression. After a short thought, she smiled.

“I’ve already heard the major point, but I’m still a person of courtesy. So I’d like to receive a flower from you as a greeting to me.”

“Flower?”

What are you talking about all of a sudden?

“So you’re saying that the documents weren’t enough, right?”

When I opened my eyes wide because I didn’t understand, she spoke in such a way that I was right.

“It’s enough, but I’m saying I’m not satisfied. Merchants are greedy people.”

Does that mean I should get one more?

Or is she turning around and saying no?

“… There are no flowers blooming in this weather.” She nodded as if it were natural.

“If there isn’t, you must go and get it. Do you think I’m going to take that easy-to-get stuff as a greeting?”