Chapter 18

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 18

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"Amelia, hold on a moment."

I poured some warm water from the teapot and handed it to Amelia. She looked like she needed to calm down.

"So, your parents have passed away, but you have family who will protect you, right? And that family is desperately searching for you right now."

While Amelia sipped the water, I organized what she'd told me. It was basically just reciting the original story's information verbatim, but still.

"Yes. That's right."

Amelia nodded. Thanks to the warm water, she definitely seemed calmer than before.

"My uncle... he's the Marquis of Agris. If you contact him, I'm sure we'll get a reply soon."

"So, we just need to send word to the Agris Marquis Family?"

"Yes. Please make sure it goes directly to my uncle, not anyone else. I can't trust the others."

Amelia had been let down by so many adults while staying at the orphanage. It was only natural she couldn't trust anyone else.

"...You must have been surprised."

"Yeah. A little."

I'd known she was from the Agris Marquis Family, so it wasn't that shocking.

What surprised me was that Amelia trusted me.

She'd come to the orphanage unexpectedly and faced mistreatment from the director and staff.

Her peaceful life had been ruined by adults, so I figured she wouldn't trust me easily. To her, grown-ups must seem terrifying.

Yet Amelia trusted me.

She confided her secret only to me and asked me to find her uncle.

I was simply astonished.

She's already been hurt so much. I can't hurt her more.

The unexpected trust stirred a sense of responsibility deep in my chest.

"Got it. I'll find your uncle for you. So don't worry too much."

"...Thank you."

"This stays our little secret, okay? Just you and me."

"Yes. Please."

"Alright."

Amelia bowed her head to me, still clutching the music box, then left the director's office.

I stood up, grabbing the coat I'd taken off earlier and slipping it on.

"I was planning to stay a bit longer, but I guess I need to head back to the estate right away."

Amelia would be waiting anxiously for her uncle to come. To shorten that wait even a little, I had to move quickly.

The new head of the Agris Marquis Family, Claude Agris, sank onto the sofa with a weary face.

He'd just returned to the manor after searching for his missing niece again today. As always, it had been a fruitless effort.

"Amelia, where on earth are you?"

Claude murmured, gazing at Amelia's portrait on the desk.

It had been exactly one year since the carriage accident. The manor staff kept telling him it was time to give up.

But he couldn't. He couldn't let go of even the slimmest chance.

What if Amelia was alive somewhere, and he just couldn't find her? He wouldn't have the face to meet his brother and sister-in-law in the afterlife. That was why he was searching for her in secret.

"My lord, may I come in?"

"Come in."

Claude replied, pressing his hand to his aching eyes. Soon the door opened, and the marquis family's butler entered his study.

"A letter that arrived today, sir."

Claude extended his hand, and the butler handed over the bundle of papers. Most were useless invitations to parties or gentlemen's clubs.

Even so, Claude read every single one meticulously, not missing a word. In case there was a clue about Amelia.

Then his eyes caught a letter sealed with red wax.

"Lucella Lilfrey?"

A name he'd never heard before. Judging by the surname, she was from the Lilfrey Earl Family.

Ladies whose names he didn't even know often sent him letters. He was young, handsome, and held both power and wealth. As an unmarried marquis, he was the top bachelor.

With a woman's name like that, it's probably some frivolous love letter.

Thinking that, Claude opened the letter.

[I am safeguarding Amelia Agris, the niece of Marquis Agris. If you wish to see the child, please come to Vusnie Orphanage in the Bellomon Ducal Territory.]

Crash!

The chair toppled backward as he shot to his feet. But Claude didn't even think to right it.

The letter's contents were anything but frivolous.

Like a child learning to read for the first time, he reread it over and over.

"My lord, what's wrong? Is it bad news...?"

"Prepare a carriage immediately."

Claude issued the order swiftly to the worried butler.

"Pardon?"

"We're going to the Bellomon Ducal Territory—now! Amelia is there!"

"Really? No, this isn't the time—I'll prepare the carriage at once!"

No need for further thought. The loyal butler, who'd served the family for over thirty years, dashed out of the study. Claude grabbed his coat and followed suit.

Amelia. Please, let me see you this time.

His face, thinking of his only blood relative, was filled with urgency.

A week had passed since I sent the letter to the Marquis of Agris. I'd used the fastest courier, so a reply should have come by now.

"Why hasn't there been any word?"

Despite saying she'd wait patiently, Amelia couldn't hide her expectant expression every time I visited the orphanage.

I felt so sorry shaking my head each time. She said it was fine, but I knew it wasn't, which only hurt more.

"Just a little longer, and it'll be okay."

If the letter reached him properly, Claude would surely come to Vusnie Orphanage. So she just needed to hold on a bit more—really just a little more.

"Sigh..."

A sigh echoed my feelings from beside me. I turned to see Lucian sighing deeply, as if the ground might cave in.

"What's with the sigh?"

What did that little troublemaker have to worry about?

"Amelia seems down lately."

"Ah..."

If even Lucian noticed, her mood must have really shifted.

"And Edwin's all mopey too. Though he's always quiet anyway."

Edwin's probably gloomy because of you.

Lucian stole all of Amelia's attention.

What started as cheering up Edwin turned into a makeshift salon for the kids. After that, I hadn't been able to pay him much mind because of Amelia's situation.

Once Amelia leaves for the Agris Marquis Territory, Edwin will be left alone.

That would make his mood even worse. He might start feeling even more pessimistic about his situation without parents.

I need to look after Edwin a bit.

Not just Edwin, but all the kids.

According to the original story, the children felt envy and sorrow every time one of them got adopted. They'd gained what they lacked—a family. They wouldn't be alone anymore.

And Amelia wasn't just being adopted; she was returning to her real family. When they saw Claude arrive in fine clothes, they'd all feel jealous and dejected for sure.

On top of that, a drizzly rain made the day even gloomier. Perfect weather to sink into depression.

I need to cheer the kids up.

Beyond just cheering them, I should look into adoption options too. If possible, finding them new families would be best for their futures.

The carriage carrying Claude had just crossed the southern border.

The Agris Marquis Territory was in the central region near the capital, so heading to the Bellomon Ducal Residence in the empire's south required passing the southern border.

Fortunately, the road south was relatively flat. After crossing one long mountain range connecting the center and south, it was mostly plains. The mountain paths were well-paved too, so there shouldn't be issues.

But he'd overlooked one thing: the weather.

Heavy rain pounded the carriage roof like it might pierce through.

"Can't we go any faster?"

"We're already at top speed, my lord. Any faster on this wet road, and the wheels will slip."

"Damn it."

Claude was burning up inside.

Amelia was right there, within reach, yet he couldn't hurry. It was maddening.

"This isn't some prank, is it?"

Plenty had falsely claimed to have Amelia before, confessing only after being caught.

The kids they brought, claiming to be her, matched only her hair and eye color—nothing more. Over a year might have passed, but as her uncle, Claude couldn't forget his one niece's face.

Those who'd heard he was desperately searching used it to scam a payout with false tips.

If this was another joke, he wouldn't let them off—lady or frail elder. He was grinding his teeth at the thought when—

Rumble.

"What was that?"

He furrowed his brow at the noise outside. The ground began shaking like an earthquake, and the sound soon swelled to a roar.

Claude peered out the window.

A mountainside, unable to withstand the torrential rain, was collapsing.

"L-Landslide!"

"Protect the marquis!"

The coachman whipped the horses to evade the cascading earth and rocks. But accelerating on rain-soaked, muddy ground was no easy feat.

"My lord! Get out!"

With that final scream, the carriage was buried in the mud.