Chapter 43

43

‘I thought the director was unusually kind…’

Anyway, it’s not like I believe in appearances.

In fact, those with such a kind appearance often have more sinister intentions.

‘I don’t know of any other orphanages.’

I got up from my seat.

Fortunately, unlike when I was 11 months old, I can now walk wherever I want.

Although I can’t walk for long, I can even run now.

"Where are you going?"

"To the soup."

"…Soup? Do you mean coal?"

It’s espionage, espionage. I’m going to do espionage.

‘Even if my pronunciation is terrible, how can you interpret it like that?’

I glared at him with dissatisfaction and headed in the direction the children had disappeared.

Actually, there are two types of human trafficking.

Although it’s called human trafficking, the first case is essentially adoption.

Sometimes couples who can’t have children buy a child. I’ve heard that some of the people who buy children are nobles.

In such cases, although it’s called human trafficking, it’s similar to adoption.

However, since the formal adoption process is not followed, there is no evidence on paper.

It’s perfect for pretending the child is a biological child. The younger the child, the better.

The second case of human trafficking is different. When sold to dangerous people, the child’s life itself cannot be guaranteed.

‘They say leaving home means suffering.’

A deep sigh escaped me.

Finding an orphanage is not easy.

‘Is there a kind orphanage that will raise me for just two years?’

I sighed deeply as I moved, and then I met a man coming out of the director’s office head-on.

‘…A robe?’

It’s not the robe given to mages in Silphia.

The deep crimson robe somehow captured my attention. The dark color looked like old, dried blood.

The man’s eyes were a deep red.

Although it’s impossible for a person’s aura to take shape, it seemed as if a dark aura was swirling around him.

The primal energy and malice I felt from him were considerable. How many people must he have killed for me to feel such dark malice from him?

"Hello."

He took a large step forward and greeted me.

It was a very low, chilling, and completely emotionless voice that sent shivers down my spine.

I instinctively took a step back. His hooded head tilted slightly in confusion.

The man reached out his hand to me.

His sun-tanned, dark skin approached me.

I took another step back, but he quickly caught up and placed his hand on my head.

When our eyes met again, a chilling sensation ran down my spine, and I couldn’t move a step.

His red eyes were like those of a corpse, showing no signs of life, only death.

I wanted to see his face, but the hood obscured it.

"An unexpected harvest."

Am I a sweet potato? A potato? A staple crop? What kind of harvest is this!

I struggled to break free from him, but to him, it was just like a worm wriggling.

"Hey, this is nice!"

"You weren’t on the list."

List? What list?

His voice sent shivers down my spine every time I heard it.

It felt like being sucked into the depths. It was as if he was forcibly pulling out everything from the deepest part of a person.

I never thought a human voice could be so devoid of emotion.

However, he couldn’t hide the experience in his voice.

‘Thirties? Forties? Which one?’

Older people are a headache. They make up for their shortcomings with experience and maturity.

That was the most frustrating thing for me.

I couldn’t possibly stand up to him head-on now.

It was far too disadvantageous. After a moment of thought, I decided to act like a clueless baby.

This guy probably doesn’t want to take care of a fool.

"Lira, ah!"

First, the biggest weapon of a young child.

…I decided to throw a tantrum.

‘Hmm, I’m three, what other method could I use?’

Black magic isn’t very effective against someone with strong vital energy.

A black mage who isn’t strong enough will be consumed by that massive darkness.

"You don’t have a choice."

"Because I’m pretty, ah!"

I’m not going because I’m pretty, you bastard.

You must have set me aside to sell me for a higher price because I’m pretty.

I wonder how much you plan to get.

Wherever I go, it seems better than this guy. I’ve never seen such a dark person in my entire life.

No matter how I look at it, this person is dangerous. If I get entangled with him, my life won’t be guaranteed.

"Kuk."

He laughed in a low, villainous voice.

‘Wow, villains really do laugh like that.’

I had seen villains laugh like that in romance novels I used to read, but I never thought I’d see it in real life.

My fingers and toes curled, and my body shivered.

I need to get out of here before it’s too late.

This place is clearly not my safe haven.

I need to go to a poorer orphanage that doesn’t engage in human trafficking.

I’ll manage to eat and survive somehow.

A scent of blood emanated from him.

Although it wasn’t actually vibrating, his malice made my mind fuzzy.

The number of grudges and curses clinging to him was countless.

Is he a black mage?

"You seem to understand quite a bit for a child."

A faint thrill was evident in his voice.

"Shut up!"

"I was looking for a child like you. A child with magic power."

What, this guy is stubborn too.

I shook my head and took another step back.

My body, which had been unable to move, fortunately started to move. In novels, the curious ones always die first. I never thought it would be me.

"You have a task to do."

"No!"

As I screamed, the director rushed out of his office.

The director, seeing the situation, looked surprised at me, then at the man in the robe.

The man in the robe glanced at the director and spoke.

"Sell this to me."

"This child is difficult."

"If money is the issue, I’ll pay whatever you want."

The director, looking troubled, alternated his gaze between me and the man.

Noticing his hesitation, the man slowly spoke.

"You’re going to put him up for auction anyway. If I’m the bidder, I’ll pay double."

No, I was already up for sale?

Although I’ve never liked humans, their ugliness is truly disgusting. Disgusting.

The director’s expression brightened slightly, tempted by the offer.

It was almost as if his mouth would open wide if he got any brighter.

The director didn’t immediately nod. Instead, he approached me and stroked my head with a smile.

His expression was so kind that if I were a little more foolish, I wouldn’t have understood what was happening.

I never thought his touch would feel so repulsive.

"This child has only been here for two days and hasn’t been properly educated yet."

"When will the education be complete?"

What kind of education would make this suffocating person back off?

As I wriggled, she held me and patted my back.

Does she think I don’t understand this conversation at all? Or does she want me to fall asleep quickly?

‘Maybe I should have stayed there until just before the academy.’

I might have been too bold in leaving the mansion so quickly.

Although it was a belated regret, it would have only been a few months’ difference.

Whether late or early, it was something I would have experienced anyway, so my regret faded.

Yes, it seems the right answer is to go somewhere else. For my peaceful growth, too.

I don’t understand why I always end up in these kinds of situations.

"Still, you’ll have to wait at least a month."

"Two weeks."

"…I’ll try my best."

The two of them discussed the price a bit more before retreating.

The director continued to stroke my back.

‘Really, I’ve seen the worst of humanity.’

To show a three-year-old baby a world with no dreams or hopes.

It’s disgusting, really. If I were really a baby, I would have resented being born into such a world.

"See you next time."

"Shut up."

At my words, the man’s red eyes in the robe narrowed slightly.

He paused as he was about to leave and turned back.

"Ah."

He took off a bracelet from his wrist and put it on mine.

It was a magical item, and the large bracelet that fit his wrist perfectly shrank to fit mine.

The bracelet tightly clasped my wrist, making it impossible to remove.

I flinched in pain.

The moment the bracelet clasped my wrist, the strength drained from my body.

‘This can’t be…’

I was shocked as the magic power I had painstakingly gathered was suppressed, and I stared at him with wide eyes.

"You have innate magic power. Your intelligence is also quite high, so it will be easier to educate you."

He lightly stroked my hair and then turned away.

"Kaitaki…"

The sudden shock of my magic power being blocked made my vision blur.

In the next moment, darkness enveloped my vision.