There was no such thing as hope.
Chaos, destruction, and the role of annihilating everything—that was what she liked best.
The children respected Flora’s dream of world domination, and so the role of the villain naturally went to her.
Everything after that… she hadn’t really listened, so she didn’t remember.
No, no. Focus.
Flora forced her wandering mind to settle.
Today, Atanas held a single white flower in his hand.
Why is it always flowers? Does he think I’ll be uncomfortable with other kinds of gifts?
Since his second visit, Atanas had always come carrying one small flower in his arms.
It was a bit unexpected that he wasn’t trying to overwhelm her with presents, but somehow, that restraint earned him bonus points.
Presents are getting kind of boring anyway.
Being the darling of the orphanage—and not just within it—Flora received more than her share of gifts.
Especially the dolls Rosaria brought her. They were top-tier, perfect for hugging while she slept.
Rosaria…
Since that day, Rosaria had stopped visiting entirely.
If she had come, Flora could’ve used that as an excuse to avoid Atanas.
Why aren’t you here when I need you?
With the flower Atanas gave her in hand, Flora walked with him into the garden.
“It’s still amazing every time I see it. So many Shalias, all in one place.”
Atanas looked around in wonder, while Flora, with an unamused expression, glanced up at the trees that had grown taller than she was.
“Will you be watering them again today?”
“Yup. If I don’t give ’em attention evewy day, they get aww sad an’ dwoopy.” (…everyday, they get all sad and droopy.)
Shalia.
Another stroke of luck that had come to Flora after Rosaria.
To explain how this tree came to surround the entire orphanage, we have to go back half a year.
***
Thanks to Rosaria Hermannus’s help, they had just barely managed to stop the orphanage from collapsing.
The fact that the kids could now eat like normal people was a huge relief in itself. Flora had no major complaints.
When Mrs. Fini, Lian, and the children cried so bitterly the day they got her back, Flora had promised herself she wouldn’t run away again until she became an adult.
But promises are made to be broken.
As Flora entered the Forest of Demons, she recalled the events from a few hours earlier.
Everyone at the orphanage really liked Flora.
Even when she casually muttered that she was going to take over the world, they didn’t find it strange. They always followed her around, fussing over her.
Way too much.
Ever since that day, whenever Flora went out, they’d bombard her with questions and wouldn’t leave her side.
Being three years and six months old, Flora simply couldn’t put up with it anymore.
She hated it so much that she ran off in the middle of a game of tag.
It definitely wasn’t because she didn’t want to be “it.” No way.
After wandering the village for a bit and returning to the orphanage, she found chaos waiting for her, just as expected.
As soon as she opened the door, the children rushed to her with teary eyes.
〈Flora! Where were you? We looked everywhere! You can’t disappear when you’re the tagger!〉
Even though she’d just been thinking how annoying they were, Flora answered them kindly.
〈The village.〉
〈Why were you at the village?!〉
〈Did you not want to be “it”?〉
She accidentally spoke the truth, and immediately regretted it but she kept her innocent expression firmly in place.
〈Ugh! If you didn’t want to be it, you should’ve said so!〉
〈Back off, Sophia! You’re always spoiling her, that’s why she acts like this!〉
A boy burst out from behind, pushed Sophia aside, and glared at Flora sharply.
〈Still! Do you know how worried we were?!〉
Johnny was angry, but Flora knew that anger wouldn’t last.
〈I did da can’t find me~ chant but nobody came!〉
〈You did?〉
〈Yeah.〉
〈Then it’s our fault.〉
Johnny’s anger melted away, and he pulled Flora into a tight hug.
Then a girl who had been fuming behind him shoved him aside.
〈You’re too soft, Johnny! Flora, I was hiding right next to you, and I didn’t hear that at all!〉
〈But Jenny! Has Flora ever lied to us?〉
〈Yes!〉
Jenny stood firmly in front of Flora with a stern face.
〈Be honest, Flora. Did you really say “you can’t find me”?〉
She’d probably forgive her anyway.
〈I said it in my heawt, so o’ couwse you couwdn’t heaw it!〉
〈Who says it in their heart?! Honestly!〉
But unlike Flora’s expectations, Jenny raised her voice.
Whoa, is she actually mad? Flora thought for a second—but.
〈Haah… I thought I understood Flora’s heart completely…〉
Nope.
Jenny’s eyebrows drooped, and her voice trembled as if she were about to cry.
The three of them all hugged Flora again, completely oblivious to how exhausted she was with this never-ending routine.
〈We were wrong for not realizing you didn’t want to be it.〉
〈Yeah, we didn’t hear you say it. It’s our fault.〉
〈I should’ve been able to read your heart, but I couldn’t…〉
To an outsider, it probably looked like a heartwarming moment of cute kids making up.
Flora sighed heavily and pushed the three of them away.
She liked that they respected her, called her the best, and always said she was number one.
It felt really good.
But—
At this point, I’m seriously worried about their future.
If they treat other people like this, it could be a problem.
With her arms crossed, Flora scolded them sternly.
〈No! You’re s’posed to get mad when I do stuff wike dat!〉
〈But we made you do something you didn’t want to…〉
At Sophia’s words, Flora raised her eyebrows.
〈We did wock-papew-scissows to pick the taggew faiw and squawe!〉
〈You said it, but we didn’t hear…〉
Johnny mumbled weakly, and Flora shot back immediately.
〈Of course you didn’t hear it! I said it in my heart!〉
〈I should’ve been able to read your feelings, but I didn’t…〉
Jenny looked deflated, and Flora smacked her chest in frustration.
〈Peopwe can’t just wead otha peopwe’s minds, y’know!〉
〈But—〉
〈No buts! That’s it! I’m not even gonna wook at you guys tiww you get mad at me!〉
〈What?!〉
〈W-wait!〉
〈That’s way too harsh, Flora!〉
The kids following behind quickly covered their mouths and tried to back away before they got caught up in it too.
Flora had once been worshipped like this as the Archdemon. It felt normal.
But this situation—this nonsense that kept happening again and again—was somehow uncomfortable.
It had been half a year since she swore not to get attached to the kids at the orphanage.
And yet, she’d apparently already let herself get too close.
This couldn’t continue.
She had to leave before the attachment became irreversible.
Realizing that, Flora stayed up all night and left for her second escape before dawn.
Her destination was, of course, the Forest of Demons.
She thought that if she stayed long enough, the demons would come find her and take her in.
But it didn’t work out that way.
No monsters chased her, and no demons came. She just spent a few days camping out, basking in the quiet energy of the magic in the forest.
Until Rosaria, realizing she had gone missing, sent knights from House Hermannus to safely retrieve her.
***
Even though it had already been half a year, Flora still clearly remembered how Mrs. Fini, Lian, and the kids—with their eyes all swollen from crying—welcomed her back.
Seeing that, she just couldn’t bring herself to leave.
Once she realized she’d already given them her heart, everything started feeling like a bother.
Fine. When I take over the world, I’ll just spare the orphanage people.
No, she’d make them her subordinates.
Thinking that, she curled up in Mrs. Fini’s arms and let herself be pampered.
Later, she was scolded to tears by Lian, an event that had left a serious scratch on her Archdemon pride but she had already forgotten about that part.
