Seeing Rosaria sitting right next to her, Flora turned her gaze to her book.
Not that it helped her concentrate.
Was Rosaria not strong, but just… strange?
Hmm. She’s a little weird but only around me.
Apparently, after seeing the other children at the orphanage clinging to Flora, Rosaria had even asked Mrs. Fini to stop the other kids from approaching whenever she was visiting.
Seriously. This popularity is just too much to handle.
Looking at Rosaria, who was practically glued to her side and clearly not letting her read, Flora frowned and asked bluntly.
“Wosawia, what do you even wike about me?” (Rosaria, what do you even like about me?)
“Just… everything? Maybe it’s the fact that you feel like something I could never have. That might be what I like most.”
Despite the unexpected question, her answer came calmly.
“But you’we Hewmamnus. An’ you can’t have me?” (But you’re Hermannus. And you can’t have me?)
“If you were just a normal orphan, maybe I could. But Flora, your dream is to conquer the world, isn’t it?”
Rosaria held Flora’s hand, looked into her eyes with ease, and smiled softly.
World domination.
To be exact, it was a plan to regain her power as the Archdemon and wipe out humanity.
Flora had said it proudly in front of everyone when Mrs. Fini once asked what her dream was.
The other children had all vowed to become her subordinates and cheered her on while the adults wished her luck.
And Rosaria, noble daughter of House Hermannus, was no exception.
After hearing Flora’s dream, she earnestly told her to do her best and even brought her strange but compelling books like “World Domination: You Can Do It Too with This Book!” or “How to Conquer the World with Just 5 Minutes of Daily Meditation.”
“Then, once you conquer the world, can’t you make me yours?”
“Uuuhm… dat’s a wittwe…” (…that’s a little…)
“See? That’s exactly what I love about you.”
Rosaria was still a peculiar girl in many ways.
Everyone else wanted Flora, but she liked Flora specifically because Flora didn’t want her back.
Looking at the strange noble lady, Flora had to work hard not to scowl.
“By the way, I heard the supply of Shalia’s increased lately.”
“Uh-huh! It’s fun ta give ‘em watew~” (It’s fun to give them water~)
Shalia refers to the ornamental trees that, after Hermannus’s support, had brought new wealth to the orphanage.
Just as they were about to continue discussing the supply of these valuable plants, someone suddenly burst into the library.
It was Lian, the orphanage’s only staff member.
“Flora! Someone’s come to see you, and I think you should come out right away!”
“Hmm?”
Even while greeting Rosaria belatedly, Lian kept shifting on her feet, clearly agitated, as she urged Flora along.
“And just who would interrupt my time with Flora?” Rosaria asked grumpily.
But neither Flora nor Lian paid her any mind.
“I-I’m sorry, but…!”
And then came the shocking words from Lian’s mouth—
“Someone claiming to be Flora’s biological father is here!”
…Excuse me?
***
Today hadn’t started like the usual noisy morning full of children’s voices.
She’d woken up alone in a quiet room, washed her face neatly, brushed her hair, and put on her favorite white dress.
She’d enjoyed breakfast and watered her Shalia tree thoroughly.
It was the rare “free day,” once a month, where the other kids played without her, and she could do as she pleased.
〈I dunno why, but today feews wike a wucky day~〉(…but today feels like a lucky day~)
She had been humming happily, expecting a perfect day.
It should have been perfect.
Yet after seeing Rosaria off and opening the door to the director’s office, the first thing she saw was a familiar man.
His shabby clothes he’d worn last time were gone, he was neatly dressed now.
With his bear-like build and that eyepatch over his right eye, Atanas still looked as intimidating as ever, regardless of his outfit.
“Why awe you hewe…?” (Why are you here?)
“We meet again.”
He had said last time that he might return to the orphanage, but Flora hadn’t thought that meant he’d come for her.
And now—of all moments—he shows up right when someone claiming to be her father has appeared?
Sensing something off, Flora turned to glance behind her, but the door to the office had already shut firmly.
Then, from Mrs. Fini’s mouth came words she very much did not want to hear.
“Flora. This gentleman says he is your father.”
“Wha, what?”
Flora froze in place.
That couldn’t be right.
She didn’t have any parents… right?
Flora tried to recall her very first memory. When she’d opened her eyes after being born.
It had been a cold, snowy winter day.
A woman, wrapped in layers of cloth, had set down a bundle containing Flora at the orphanage entrance and walked away.
Without a glance back. Without hesitation.
There hadn’t been a man with her.
Because monsters had attacked the village from the nearby Forest of Demons, many people had died. Flora had assumed the woman was a widow who couldn’t raise a child alone, so she left her behind.
But that wasn’t true?
Then what was this man—Atanas, who now claimed to be her father—doing when Flora was abandoned?
Why had he only shown up now?
Flora’s gaze hardened with suspicion.
They didn’t look anything alike… But then she noticed it. His golden eyes—they were just like hers.
“Miss Fini…”
Flora quickly moved to sit beside Mrs. Fini, as if to hide from Atanas.
Fini looked a little overwhelmed by the man suddenly claiming to be Flora’s biological father.
Well, yeah. Even someone like her would be intimidated by a guy that scary-looking.
“Do you have any proof that Flora is your child, Duke?”
No. Mrs. Fini wasn’t overwhelmed at all.
“Gasp…”
It was only then that Flora realized what else had been said.
That scary man was… a duke?
So he wasn’t a holy knight after all?
She tried to hide behind Mrs. Fini’s back, face tense.
A duke? Then… no, it can’t be… right?
“When the child was abandoned in front of the orphanage, there should have been a circular amethyst pendant necklace left with her.”
“……”
“It’s a gemstone that resembles her mother’s eyes. I gave it to her personally. I was told she passed it on to the child.”
Flora grabbed the hem of Mrs. Fini’s clothes tightly with her little hand.
No, no, no. Please no…
But instead of denying it, Mrs. Fini opened a drawer and took out a small box.
Inside was the exact necklace the duke had described.
“Nersha—no, her mother—once said that if she ever had a daughter, she wanted to name her Flora.”
Nersha…
That was the same name he had mentioned during their last meeting. Someone he said Flora reminded him of.
“That’s correct. There was a note tucked inside the blanket, with the name Flora written on it.”
Mrs. Fini clenched her trembling fist and raised her voice in anger.
“But how strange. You’re a duke, and yet—why would someone like you abandon a child? Why are you only showing up now?! What are your intentions?!”
“That’s not it.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve been searching for her ever since I found out she existed.”
Atanas looked at Flora with a shadowed expression.
“I never stopped.”
His eyes were full of longing and sorrow.
Reading the depth of his emotions, Flora frowned slightly without realizing it.
“I searched across the empire. A young girl named Flora, with hair as pink as her mother’s.”
So that’s how he had ended up here.
Mrs. Fini let out a small cough, flustered.
“Your Grace… I understand. But please understand this—I don’t want Flora to be hurt.”
She gently stroked Flora’s soft cheek.
Flora, looking into her eyes, saw something she hadn’t expected.
Fear.
She’s scared? Scared I might be taken away by my real father?
It wasn’t just dislike. It was genuine fear.
That struck Flora as strange.
Even she, who had been a bit offended by Atanas at first, had to admit his demeanor was polite and respectful.
So why would someone like Mrs. Fini—who had always been kind and composed—be reacting this way?
A duke, huh…? Then why is she so cautious around him?
