“Ugh……”

That night.

Rodi groaned, clutching her aching stomach.

The bread she ate earlier was fine, but it seemed she had trouble after hastily eating the meat that was served for dinner.

“Ugh… urgh.”

It felt like the meat in her stomach had grown spikes and was poking her insides.

‘I should have eaten less……’

Fearing she might not be able to eat tomorrow.

She had to eat a lot of good food when the opportunity came.

She had hurriedly eaten one plate and asked for more, eating until her stomach was about to burst.

Afterward, Gemvil showed her a room with a nice bed, blanket, and carpet, telling her to sleep, and Bender had brought warm water, but.

In the most comfortable bed she could remember, all Rodi could do was curl up in a corner and groan.

Just a moment ago.

“Thank you for giving me a nice room!”

“I’m just following orders. Today is the last day I’ll help you. As you know, this isn’t a childcare facility. Learn to find what you need on your own. That’s how you’ll survive longer.”

“Don’t worry!”

Even while feeling her stomach starting to hurt as she listened to Gemvil’s gruff advice, she answered confidently, so he couldn’t turn and leave.

“Ugh…. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.”

Rodi continued to groan, breaking out in a cold sweat.

I’ll endure it.

I’m going to be rich.

I won’t go back to the orphanage.

So I have to bear it.

This pain is nothing.

She hated the thought of returning to a life of starving for days.

But,

It hurts so much……

Rodi’s consciousness began to fade gradually.

***

Usually, Gemvil would have gone home by now, but today he was still unable to leave the guild.

The guild owned a building that looked like a massive castle, consisting of three large 2-story and 3-story mansions merged together.

The second floor of the largest main building was a space that executives could use entirely as they pleased, like a home.

Padrid, who was working overtime, gave him a pleading look, so he couldn’t refuse and ended up helping until this late hour.

Gemvil, who had finally lain down, sighed.

Even though he was dead tired, he couldn’t fall asleep and kept tossing and turning until late at night.

It was because of the little one who had just arrived today.

Since she was staying here right after joining, he had prepared a room and roughly provided everything she needed.

It seemed like he had taken care of everything before leaving, but he couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling.

‘Will she go back tomorrow?’

Gemvil thought, looking at the ceiling with his hands clasped behind his head.

Regardless of age or gender.

Enduring here.

Earning money.

Everything had to be figured out on one’s own.

Especially mentioning status was something Master Eclise hated more than anything.

It was extraordinary for the little one to become a guild member, but she would surely be crying and making a fuss about going back to the orphanage in a few days.

This place wasn’t for children at all.

It was a place for those who came to be loyal to Master Eclise and for their own success.

‘What if she can’t find the bathroom and is groaning?’

She’s small, so she might need to go often. Did I tell her where the bathroom was?

Gemvil tossed and turned to one side.

Ah, but is three meals a day enough?

Shouldn’t she eat more? What time did she have dinner?

Gemvil, who had been lying awake, suddenly sat up with an “Aaaaargh!”

He should probably go and explain a few more things.

Otherwise, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to sleep all night worrying.

“Ah, it’s really bothering me!”

Gemvil flung open the door and went out.

***

Rodi managed to get outside while groaning.

Unable to bear the discomfort and pain any longer, she had come out to find someone to help.

But she collapsed after just a few steps and curled up again.

‘This isn’t good……’

Rodi closed her eyes again and completely relaxed her body.

But then, a black smoke spread thickly behind her, as if it had a will of its own, and gently wrapped around Rodi’s waist, lifting her up.

Rodi, who had been wheezing and sweating, opened her eyes at the strange sensation.

“…Huh?”

“A face I haven’t seen before?”

Jet-black hair and bright red eyes.

Despite having the same coloring, he didn’t resemble Eclise, yet somehow there was a subtle similarity between them.

No, an even prettier face was looking at her.

It was a boy who looked about four or five years older than her.

‘Is this a dream……?’

Rodi could feel herself floating in mid-air.

The black, formless smoke enveloped her body.

And the boy seemed to be manipulating the black smoke freely as if it were his hand.

“Lord Lexiard.”

Gemvil, who had just burst out of the door and was heading towards Rodi, stopped abruptly in the corridor when he encountered the two.

“I thought you weren’t coming today.”

Gemvil greeted him respectfully.

“I just dropped by. But this kid seems a bit strange. Who is it?”

It was a voice that was strangely both gentle and indifferent.

Young, but somehow carrying a sense of gravity.

“Ah, that child is.”

“It hurts……”

“Hm? You’re in pain?”

Lexiard turned his head from Gemvil and leaned towards Rodi. His voice became a little gentler.

Rodi, floating in the air, groaned while clutching her stomach.

Lexiard slightly raised his head.

“Seems like things aren’t being managed well. A child is wandering around while sick.”

“I apologize. She’s a child Master Eclise brought in today, I’ll take care of-“

“What are you doing? Stop pretending to be clueless and call a doctor.”

***

Rodi was back in bed.

A doctor appeared in an instant and completely treated her aching stomach.

The discomfort hadn’t fully disappeared yet, but he said she would be completely better after taking another dose of medicine in two hours.

Rodi liked anything that involved eating.

So even though the medicine was bitter, she gulped it down without leaving a drop.

As soon as she took the medicine and her stomach felt better, Rodi started to feel overwhelmingly sleepy.

She had used up all her energy groaning and straining all this time, so she had no strength left.

She should thank them…

If it wasn’t for the boy she met in the hallway, she might have been in pain for much longer.

Who was he?

Blink, blink.

Her eyelids felt incredibly heavy.

Rodi reached out and grabbed the closest hand.

Lexiard, who was about to get up, stopped, his hand caught.

“Th……”

Thank you. What’s your name?

She wanted to ask, but Rodi ended up falling asleep without even being able to say thanks.

Snore.

A soft snoring sound was heard.

Lexiard looked down at the smaller hand gripping his own tightly.

As she fell into a deeper sleep, the strength in the hand holding his gradually loosened and fell away.

Lexiard, who had been staring at it blankly, picked up Rodi’s hand again and placed it on her stomach.

Perhaps because of the touch he had just felt, he tilted his head.

“…It’s soft.”

That was Lexiard’s first impression of Rodi.

***

“…Urgh!”

Rodi stretched under the blanket, wriggling.

“You’re awake.”

At the deep voice, she poked her head out from under the blanket.

“Mister!”

Gemvil had stayed up all night watching over Rodi, leaning back in a chair.

It was Lexiard’s order, but even without it, he probably wouldn’t have been able to return to his room due to worry.

“It’s Gemvil. Does your stomach still hurt?”

Gemvil, who had been sitting with his arms and legs crossed all night watching over Rodi, groaned as he got up, feeling stiff.

At those words, Rodi half-raised herself and rubbed her stomach.

It had hurt so much yesterday, but now it was completely fine.

The medicine she took was very bitter, but she didn’t expect to recover this quickly.

“It doesn’t hurt at all.”

Even as he looked at her round eyes full of wonder, Gemvil didn’t seem very convinced and approached to place his hand on Rodi’s forehead.

“Oof. I can’t see!”

He probably only meant to touch her forehead, but his hand was so large compared to Rodi’s face that it covered her cheeks and chin as well.

“You’re not sweating anymore.”

Finally reassured, Gemvil pushed the chair to one side and headed for the door.

Rodi, who had been fiddling with the blanket, quickly realized that Gemvil had been nursing her all night.

Having never received more care than a teacher adding an extra blanket when she was sick, she noticed even the slightest bit of extra attention.

He had clearly said she needed to survive on her own, so it seemed she shouldn’t accept help anymore.

“Thank you, mister! I won’t bother you anymore!”

Gemvil paused just in front of the door.

“I told you, I’m not ‘mister’.”

“Ah, sorry, mister. I won’t call you mister anymore.”

One of Gemvil’s eyebrows rose slightly in dissatisfaction.