Chapter 5
The place Reina brought Calix to was an orphanage a little distance away from the Crollot territory.
Surrounded by lush green forest, Green Garden Orphanage was quiet and peaceful, far from crowds.
Reina looked at the old, simple building with affectionate eyes.
‘My safety net.’
That’s right.
This orphanage belonged to Reina.
At the same time, it was her only escape route from the Crollot family.
When Reina, after transmigrating, turned eighteen, the Count and Countess eagerly suggested she start a business.
‘A business meant for money laundering.’
After much thought, Reina chose this orphanage.
“Lady Reina! I didn’t know you were coming without notice!”
A middle-aged woman hurried out to greet her when she saw the carriage arrive.
“Olivia. Have you been well?”
“Thanks to you, I’ve been doing fine.”
Olivia had once been a maid at the Crollot estate.
She had been fired simply for taking a day off to care for her sick son.
After losing her husband in an accident as well, Olivia had been in a desperate situation. Feeling sorry for her, Reina entrusted her with managing the orphanage.
She didn’t just make her an employee—she made her the director.
Olivia was too capable to let her talent go to waste.
“Did you come to check the account books?” Olivia whispered.
Reina had assigned her to manage double-entry ledgers.
Not to launder money, but to make it look like they were laundering money—to fool the Count and Countess.
“As you said, Lady Reina, the donations are still coming in.”
Reina nodded quietly.
The Count and Countess had originally opposed her choice.
How could an orphanage that only fed and housed orphans possibly make money?
Reina had insisted they could make use of the orphans.
As the wealth gap in the Empire widened, the number of orphans increased.
At the same time, a strange trend spread among noblewomen and young ladies—they began spending their overflowing wealth on charity.
Supporting orphanages became especially popular.
It was an easy way to show how generous and compassionate they were.
Reina persuaded the Count and Countess that they should take advantage of this trend while it lasted.
Impressed, they immediately bought a failing orphanage.
“I trust you to handle the books, Olivia. I came today because I have a special request.”
Olivia’s expression sharpened at the words “special request.”
At that moment, Maya stepped down from the carriage with Calix.
“I’d like you to take care of this child here.”
Reina gestured toward Calix with her eyes.
“But I don’t want anyone else to know he’s here. Is that possible?”
Olivia nodded without hesitation.
“Leave it to me.”
To Olivia, Reina was nothing less than a savior. She would do everything she could to help her.
“Thank you. I’ll send the details later through Maya.”
Reina turned toward Calix.
She knelt down to meet his eyes.
“What’s your name?”
Calix hesitated, then answered.
“Calix.”
“Calix. My name is Reina.”
“Reina…”
He softly repeated her name and looked around cautiously.
It was clear he was nervous in this unfamiliar place.
To ease him, Reina decided to shift his attention.
“What kind of hero is it?”
“…What?”
Reina pointed to his neck.
“The fairy tale hero on your necklace.”
Following her finger, Calix looked down and widened his eyes.
“Y-you mean…”
He pulled the necklace out from under his clothes and held the wooden carving in his hand.
“It’s ‘Bommer.’ He fought off bandits and saved his village.”
“Boomer?”
As Reina showed interest, Calix’s voice grew slightly louder and quicker.
“Bommer was weak, so the villagers looked down on him. But when the bandits came and everyone else hid, Bommer was the only one who stayed and fought.”
Compared to the more glamorous heroes, Calix liked Bommer best.
Bommer made him feel like even someone weak could become a hero.
“Bommer is smart. He used the land and trees to set traps…”
He stopped when he noticed Reina watching him closely.
He lowered his head, his face turning red.
People never really listened to his stories.
Some said he was noisy. Others listened without any interest.
Talking about something no one cared about was more than embarrassing.
The more Calix talked, the lonelier he felt.
‘I knew that… but I still talked like an idiot.’
He shut his mouth tightly.
“Why did you stop? It’s interesting.”
At Reina’s calm response, Calix slowly lifted his head.
“I can see why you like him. Bommer sounds very brave and impressive.”
Reina smiled faintly.
It was an unconscious smile, and she didn’t realize why Calix looked so surprised.
“Calix.”
Reina called him gently.
“The person who’ll take care of you is trustworthy. She’ll treat you well, and you should trust her too.”
“…What about you?”
“Me?”
“Aren’t you staying here?”
When Reina shook her head, his face immediately darkened.
“I’ll come back to see you soon.”
“…”
“Just wait a few days.”
Wait. I’ll come back. Be good.
Adults had made promises like that before—and never kept them.
But if he said he didn’t want her to go, she might dislike him.
Calix nodded weakly.
As he watched Reina leave, he clenched his fist.
Inside it was the candy she had given him.
***
As expected.
Calix’s prediction wasn’t wrong.
He sat on the edge of his bed, staring out the window.
Since yesterday, the sky had turned gray. Today, heavy rain poured down.
Listening to the rain hitting the window, disappointment filled his eyes.
It had been seven days since he arrived at the orphanage.
Reina, who said she’d return soon, hadn’t come.
‘I thought maybe today.’
But she hadn’t come on clear days—there was no way she’d come in this weather.
Calix instinctively reached for the back of his hand, then instead put his hand in his pocket.
The candy was still there.
Even though new candies were given with snacks every day, he couldn’t bring himself to eat the one Reina had given him.
Instead of scratching his hand, he rolled the candy between his fingers.
‘Maybe it’s better this way.’
He hadn’t felt well since morning.
A strange chill ran through him.
If Reina came today, he would only be stuck in his room anyway.
‘Though I have to stay in this room no matter what.’
Olivia, the orphanage director, had kept him separate from the other children.
Just as Reina had asked, he was hidden.
He was used to this kind of life, so he didn’t complain.
Lucius was famous in the Empire, but few people even knew he had a younger brother.
Even fewer knew Calix’s name.
He had been raised in a way that made it unsurprising if he simply disappeared.
More than hiding, Calix focused on keeping his promise to Reina.
‘She said I had to help her too.’
He had always been the one asking for help—and always been ignored.
When Reina asked for his help, he felt useful for the first time.
It was a new feeling.
No matter what happened, he intended to follow her wishes.
‘Compared to where I lived before, hiding here is easier.’
He gave a bitter smile.
Click. Click.
Someone was turning the doorknob.
‘Olivia never comes at this time.’
Could it be—
As the door slowly opened, hope flickered in his eyes.
But it wasn’t the person he was waiting for.
It was a boy about his age.
Freckles dotted across his cheeks and nose. The boy’s eyes lit up when he saw Calix.
“I knew it!”
He strode toward him.
Calix jumped up in surprise.
“I wondered why the director kept coming into this unused room. So someone really was here.”
The boy looked proud of his deduction.
“My name’s Bill. What’s yours?”
Calix’s heart pounded.
He’d been discovered.
Reina had hidden him. He was supposed to stay hidden.
He had failed at the one simple thing she asked.
‘She’ll be disappointed.’
If she were disappointed, she wouldn’t come back.
‘No.’
Calix quickly grabbed the blanket from the bed and pulled it over himself.
“What are you doing? You think I can’t see you? Are you stupid?”
Bill laughed, sounding more teasing than cruel.
But to Calix, the words were different.
Stupid. Useless. Worthless.
Voices echoed in his ears.
Heat spread from his chest.
Cold sweat formed on his forehead.
The fever was coming.
The fever tormented him every time.
“Hey, say something. Are you upset because I called you stupid?”
Bill pouted and reached out.
At that moment, Calix suddenly bolted.
“Ow!”
He collided with Bill, knocking him down, but didn’t stop.
When the fever came, he had to be alone.
He ran down the hallway.
Without knowing where he was going, he spotted the stairs and hurried down.
The blanket over his head blocked his view.
Step by step, he descended unsteadily—until he stepped on the blanket and fell forward.
Calix shut his eyes tightly.
But instead of hitting the hard floor, he was caught by something warm and soft.
“Calix?”
The blanket slipped off his face.
He looked up sharply.
The one who had caught him—
It was Reina.
She was soaked from head to toe, having come through the heavy rain to see him.
Why now?
Why did it have to be now?
“N-no…!”
Calix tried to push her away—but it was too late.
His vision turned black.
And he lost consciousness.
