MCQN 10

Chapter 10

└ [Honestly, sometimes I really want to just shave my head—it’s so frustrating.]
└ [Right?? Especially when drying your hair.]
└ [Feels super refreshing and convenient.]

Even the fairies in the comments earnestly recommended cutting it short for efficiency.
‘Shaving your head voluntarily and losing hair because of a scalp issue are totally different things, though!’

Torn between protecting my scalp and safeguarding my physical well-being, I was teetering on the edge—until salvation arrived in the form of a comment.

└ [Tiny tip: Before using hair dye, apply a small amount behind your ear or on your inner elbow—thin skin areas—for about a day. It’s to check for allergic reactions. It’s in the instructions, btw.]
└ [Yep, I didn’t do an allergy test once and ended up itching like crazy. Thought I was going to die ㅠㅠ]

‘Seriously?’

Grumbling about how they’d been hiding such useful info all this time, I was relieved to find someone finally spilling the good stuff.

Following the comment’s advice, I mashed some flower petals with salt and applied a small amount to the inside of my arm, then tied it down with cloth. When no rash appeared the next day, I was good to go.

‘Alright!’

Now I was fully prepped.
Using the excuse of “Let’s play hair dye,” I gathered the kids around.

“Be careful not to get it on your clothes—we’ll get in trouble if you do!”

If the dye stained our clothes so badly we couldn’t wear them outside, the stingy director would absolutely flip.
Right now, the most important thing was not angering him.

And beside him, I…

“Here! Put this on my hair.”

I was ready to become a mischievous Rose who, in the midst of play, accidentally dyed her hair.
Because I couldn’t reach the back of my head properly with my short arms, I had to enlist another kid’s help.
And since we might get caught by the director or a teacher mid-dye, I needed to act fast—so I asked Leon and Edin to help.

“You’re really gonna dye it red?”
“Yeah. Honestly, I don’t like having blonde hair. Why? Is it weird?”
“Not really, it’s just…”

Edin seemed hesitant—his touch was timid as he applied the flower dye.
On the other hand, Leon worked at a pace that completely satisfied me.

“I like it. It’s similar to my own color.”

└ [Leon’s a flirting master, fr.]
└ [Leon, you’re starting to grow on me. LOL]
└ [Edin, hurry up and tell her she looks pretty!]
└ [One true love = Leon]

Well, I guess it made sense. He inherited the sleek red hair of Duke Clarke, so it’s not like he’d seen many other kids with the same shade.
If he was this happy just seeing someone with the same hair color, imagine how thrilled he’d be if he found a real family member.

I felt a renewed sense of urgency to find his father.

‘You can do this, Rose!’

That evening…

“What in the world… What happened to your hair?!”

The director’s jaw dropped at the sight of my suddenly vibrant hair.
‘It doesn’t look that weird from a distance though…’

Because he knew my original hair color, he must’ve assumed something had gone wrong to cause this strange hue.
Maybe it was because the roots were patchy and uneven.

Still, we used natural ingredients from the hill behind the orphanage and kids’ hands—this was the best we could do.

“I’ll wear a hat! A hat solves everything!”

I pulled down the beret I’d prepared ahead of time, just in case he didn’t like it.
With this, I looked like a girl who was supposed to have coral-colored hair.

But the director, already suspicious, had put on metaphorical tinted glasses—he was clearly convinced something was wrong and didn’t look like he’d be changing his mind.

‘This isn’t good!’

I hadn’t even gotten started on the real reason I needed to leave the orphanage, and here he was, blocking me already.

Just when despair was creeping in, unexpectedly, a teacher came to my aid.

“Isn’t it fine? I think it matches her hat. It might even look cuter.”

That teacher usually isn’t the meddling type. Did I look that pitiful?

As I stood confused, the comment fairies nailed it with their analysis:

└ [He’s afraid the director won’t go to the capital if she doesn’t come too. 100% lolol]
└ [It’s like when the boss is heading out for fieldwork and doesn’t like what the employee is wearing. If I were the employee, I’d side with her too.]
└ [Not a fan of the guy, but I get it.]

I guess he figured the director wouldn’t make the trip without me.

“If we match her ribbon and outfit, the nobles might even find her adorable. They could think we dressed her up nicely.”
“Hmph…”

Fortunately, the director was highly conscious of how others perceived him—and super gullible.

‘For once, this is actually helpful.’

If only he wasn’t embezzling, he’d be tolerable.
Wait, no—nothing’s happened yet. I shouldn’t accuse him of embezzling just because I suspect it.

Thanks to the trust I’d built up guiding visitors around the orphanage, I was allowed to safely leave for the capital.

The capital of the Debeloa Empire.
Count Tortaux often visited for business and networking, and I’d spent a lot of time here too, attending social gatherings.

It was a familiar city to me, but since the era had changed, everything felt a bit foreign. I stared out of the carriage window, marveling at the unfamiliar sights.

“If you wander off just because something looks interesting, you’re going to regret it.”
“Yes, sir…”

All I did was quietly look out the window, yet the director warned me sternly.

└ [Every time the director talks, I want to punch him in the philtrum.]

No, no—it wasn’t that harsh.
I still replied with a polite “Yes,” but in truth, if I couldn’t coax the director to go where I needed, I would have to sneak off.

└ [Turns out it was a valid concern.]
└ [LOL sorry for cussing earlier.]

I stopped sightseeing and sat up straight, fidgeting with the collar of my dress.
Today was a crucial day, so I borrowed a necklace from Leon.

I promised not to lose it—absolutely not. I even reinforced the string, doubling it up with thread, and wore it securely.

I had considered persuading the director to bring Leon along too.
But…

‘The people who harmed Leon’s mother might be at this party.’

If they dared kill a duke’s lover, they were likely deeply entwined with the ducal household.
Nobles, no doubt—and maybe even some of today’s guests.

Besides, the director wasn’t the kind to bring two kids around.
So coming alone was the best option.

‘Thank goodness it doesn’t have any jewels on it.’

The necklace looked plain—metal engraved with a symbol, meant as a token rather than jewelry.
Since the director’s eyes didn’t light up, I figured it just looked like a basic trinket to others. Less chance of it getting stolen.

Once we arrived at the capital, we waited for the party to begin by eating at a nearby restaurant.

‘Ugh, I feel sick!’

Not because I was alone with the director—because I was scared I’d mess up!

When I barely picked at my soup, the director clicked his tongue and muttered, “Tsk tsk. So frail. People’ll think we’re starving you.”

└ [Director, shut up and let the girl eat in peace.]
└ [Didn’t you apologize for the insults earlier?]
└ [Even dogs are left alone while they eat, seriously.]

Thankfully, the comment fairies stuck close to my ears, offering comfort.

While I felt jittery, the capital was bustling.
The victorious Debeloa Empire was celebrating its triumph in war, welcoming its heroes and new nobility with joy and pride.

The ennoblement ceremony itself was held inside the imperial palace’s inner chambers, so we couldn’t attend that.
But the outdoor garden party afterward was open to all guests.

‘Now it really hits me—this is right after the war.’

The garden I remembered from ten years later had been far more magnificent.
So much so that there were jokes saying the palace’s gardeners were the highest-paid staff.

Though still grand and lovely, it looked newly landscaped.
There were more arranged flowers than blooming trees.

“Oh, you came too.”

Apparently, the director wasn’t the only one here seeking support—he spotted a few familiar faces and walked over. Probably directors or administrators from nearby orphanages.

As expected, birds of a feather flock together.

“Of course you wouldn’t miss an opportunity like this.”
“Says the pot to the kettle.”
“Let’s not step on each other’s turf, shall we?”

What looked like a friendly greeting quickly turned into a competitive stare-down.

└ [They really are all the same kind of people.]

‘My thoughts exactly…’