What does Shalia have to do with Flora’s second runaway?
Well, during that time in the forest, Flora had found a small pouch of seeds. She didn’t know who had dropped it, but she kept it safely with her and was eventually rescued.
Later, when Mrs. Fini discovered the seeds, she thought gardening might help with the children’s emotional development and set up a garden for everyone.
The kids were thrilled at the idea of growing their own plants and raised them with care and affection.
But then something unexpected happened.
Instead of small flowers blooming as they expected, trees started to grow.
And they didn’t just grow, they shot up at an almost magical rate.
Soon, the trees had grown taller than the children, sprouting white flower buds. But instead of fruit, the buds burst open to reveal more seeds.
Repeating the planting cycle led to rapid expansion, and before they knew it, the trees had grown to surround the orphanage.
Just when they were debating whether to start chopping them down, Rosaria visited the orphanage, as usual—and solved the problem.
〈Why is there Shalia here?〉
Shalia.
A rare tree said to bring luck to those who possess it, and whose fruit is rumored to heal wounds.
Its seeds were rare, and it was notoriously difficult to grow, making it a highly valuable ornamental tree.
Fini, who had been troubled by the sudden abundance of Shalia, signed a contract with the direct trade guild under House Hermannus through Rosaria’s help.
Thanks to the nobles eager to get their hands on Shalia, the orphanage soon found itself rolling in money.
Most people might have pocketed that money for themselves, but not Mrs. Fini. She firmly believed that since the children earned it, none of it should be used for personal gain.
She tore down the old house, built a grand mansion, expanded the garden, and even created savings accounts for each child.
Meanwhile, the Shalia trees kept multiplying. To prevent trespassers who were now targeting them, she had a holy protective barrier installed at great expense from the temple.
A mansion as big and beautiful as a noble’s estate.
Surrounded by precious, expensive ornamental Shalia trees.
Well-dressed children with proper education, nutrition, and loving guardians.
And even highly capable staff visiting four times a week to manage the estate.
Who would ever think this place was an orphanage?
If only they bore fruit, Flora thought.
As she later learned, Shalia trees wouldn’t bear fruit if touched by human hands, which was a shame—they couldn’t even sell it.
***
“Ah, Flora! Let’s play hide-and-seek—oh! Hello, Duke.”
The children who had rushed up to greet Flora quickly disappeared the moment they noticed Atanas.
Ugh, those good-for-nothing sisters and brothers…
Flora stared longingly at their retreating backs, but not one of them looked back.
“You seem to get along so well with the other children,” Atanas said quietly, watching the scene.
“Unnie and oppa weally wike me.” (My sisters and brothers really like me.)
“They treat you well?”
“Yup! They treat me better than anyone, so I don’t even wanna imagine a place widout them.” (Yes! They treat me better than anyone, so I don’t even want to imagine a place without them.)
So I’m not going with you.
Atanas, sensing the mood, wisely kept quiet.
A month into their meetings, Flora felt she was starting to understand how to handle this simple man.
***
「I can’t stand watching humans defile the world any longer.」
The Great Demon Morus was a being born from the hand of the god Beshart.
「My beloved child, you were born with the destiny to rule the world, to become its savior, and the master of all things.」
Beshart whispered tenderly, watching the creation he’d shaped with love, devotion, and immense power.
「Such a corrupted world is unworthy of you. You should rule a new, pure, beautiful world.」
To Morus, Beshart was both a parent and the entirety of the world.
「Wouldn’t it be fun if the destroyer of the world became its savior? My dear child, tear down the twisted world built by filthy humans and create a world of your own.」
But Morus wasn’t Beshart’s only child.
「Still, giving them one last chance isn’t a bad idea. They are my children too, after all.」
And with those words, Morus opened her eyes.
Beshart’s warm embrace was gone. She awoke on a vast, frigid land—a barren plain where nothing lived.
〈First, I need a place to stay.〉
With a wave of her hand, a massive black castle rose from the earth.
〈I’m strong, but I don’t want to personally go out and hunt down humans.〉
From the shadows, four demons were born to serve her.
〈They’ll need places to stay too.〉
The castle expanded.
〈And I should make it hard for humans to approach.〉
A dark forest formed around the castle.
A sudden, towering black castle, surrounded by threatening demons and monsters.
〈Beshart told me to destroy this world.〉
And so, her creations began to attack humanity.
The world was gripped by fear. People called the castle’s master the Archdemon.
Terrified yet defiant, humans rose up to resist and five warriors stepped forward to lead them.
〈What in the world? You’re the Archdemon?!〉
〈…How did a human get in here?〉
〈A child? This child is the Great Demon? That’s ridiculous!〉
〈Silence, human.〉
How he’d broken through the demon guard was a mystery, but that’s how Etar Lucifer first met the Archdemon.
The first living being she’d met, aside from the mindless demons who followed her.
Though she and Etar bickered, his passion soon won her over, and they became friends.
Afterward, she met the other warriors too. Watching them, Morus began to see new possibilities.
Contrary to Beshart’s claim, humans weren’t ugly or repulsive.
They were vibrant, full of hope and life.
So for the first time, Morus resolved to defy Beshart’s will.
Never imagining those very warriors would someday betray her and kill her with their own hands.
〈You said we were friends.〉
With cold expressions, the five warriors slayed Morus. No—slayed the Archdemon Morus.
To them, she was never a friend, only a threat.
Seeing the hatred, disgust, and contempt in their eyes, Morus, in her final moments, summoned the last of her power and cursed them.
〈You’ll live miserable lives haunted by nightmares and suffering. You and all your descendants will carry this cursed fate. You’ll struggle through your endless lives only to die in despair!〉
Yes, that’s how it happened.
Flora awoke with a bitter expression.
Dreaming of Beshart’s embrace…
Of her first meeting with Etar Lucifer…
Of being betrayed and killed by those she had trusted…
It left a foul taste in her mouth.
He’s probably coming again today.
The last thing she wanted was to see Atanas in this foul mood.
After washing off her sweat, Flora slipped out of the orphanage without anyone noticing, like she always did.
The demon forest’s probably off-limits now thanks to House Hermannus after my last runaway.
If she went into town, they’d find her quickly.
She needed to be alone today, and there was only one place for that.
After passing the hill that led to town and heading in the opposite direction from the demon forest, she reached the base of a tall mountain.
Flora looked down at her tiny feet and let out a heavy sigh.
“Jus’ a wittle bit of twouble, pwease hang in there, my feet.” (Just a little bit of trouble—please hang in there, my feet.)
The mountain behind the village was steeper than it looked. It’s not suitable for kids.
Which made it perfect for being alone.
Unlike usual, Flora didn’t hum. She clamped her mouth shut and started up the trail, neatly maintained near the base.
A child’s stamina wouldn’t get her anywhere near the top nor did she plan to go that far.
She just needed to find a spot where no one would bother her.
That thought alone made her steps feel a bit lighter.
On the way up, she saw squirrels scurrying nearby and fruit she’d never seen before hanging from trees.
Phew.
After climbing a good distance, she took out her handkerchief, laid it on the ground, and plopped down.
“Dis is exhaushin’.” (This is exhausting.)
All this just to avoid one guy from House Lucifer?
“Why’d it hafta be Lucifer, of aww peopwe, who’s my daddy?!” (Why did it have to be Lucifer, of all people, who’s my father?!)
The name Lucifer weighed more heavily on Flora than any other duke household.
He had been the first she gave her heart to and the first to betray that trust. The one who showed her the ugliness of mankind.
“And now ya get cawwed a twaitor of humankind?” (And now you get called a traitor of humankind?)
It made no sense.
He’d led the charge in killing her. What, did he regret it afterward?
If his descendants had been living arrogantly and comfortably, she wouldn’t have hesitated to wipe out House Lucifer first.
“It’s been eons since then. There’s bound ta be stuff I don’t know.” (It’s been eons since then. There’s bound to be stuff I don’t know.)
Not that she planned to go with Atanas anyway—so it didn’t really matter.
