I had only focused on my appearance and hadn’t anticipated that someone would pay attention to such minute details.

Besides, I was only pretending to be an orphan—I’d never actually lived on the streets.

‘I should’ve done more research, even if I didn’t have much time.’

The other kids seemed so naive that I’d mistakenly generalized, thinking this level of disguise would be enough for an ordinary “child.”

But this was a place where children who had struggled to survive on the streets gathered. I should’ve known there would be at least one or two sharp-eyed kids among them.

Recalling fragments of my past life didn’t fill the gaps in my current one. I had been too arrogant.

While I regretted my oversight, the boy continued speaking.

He rested his chin on one hand and tilted his head slightly.

“And in the dining hall, too. You said you were starving and begged the teachers to let you in, right? But then, you barely touched your food, like someone who’s used to eating well elsewhere.”

“…….”

“What’s your deal? There are plenty of kids here who are desperate for adoption, even without you. I’m no different.”

The boy gritted his teeth as he spoke.

If I felt a fleeting sense of strangeness from him, was it just my imagination?

While I was lost in thought, the boy stood up, as if he didn’t care to hear my response.

He looked down at me with a gaze as cold as the northern blizzards and said,

“So, if you’re here with ulterior motives, leave this place tonight. Swear that you’ll go. If you do, I’ll pull you up and won’t say a word to the teachers.”

The boy’s words were undeniably reasonable.

I was only here temporarily, while my biological mother was still alive. For the other children, this place was their only home and final refuge.

For someone like me, who would pass through like a fleeting wind, to take up space meant for the rightful residents was unfair.

But, oddly enough, his words stirred something deep within me.

An emotion I hadn’t even realized was there welled up, filling my throat as if it might spill out at any moment.

‘Do you think….’

Do you think I’m not desperate too?

Whether it was because of the pain in my wounds or the frustration building inside me, tears blurred my vision.

I forced myself to look up and bit my lip.

Of course, unlike these kids, I didn’t need to fight for adoption.

To him, my situation might seem like the complaints of someone who had everything.

But while our goals were different, my desperation was no less real.

‘At least you can live if you try.’

‘Laviela’ was destined to die.

That was an unchangeable sentence.

If the novel had simply described her as “dying of an unknown illness,” I would’ve tried everything to find a way to live with Mom.

But if there was no way to survive from the start—

If life was doomed to end—

Could you really say you wouldn’t act the way I am now?

‘I don’t care about your circumstances.’

I couldn’t afford to wallow in despair with so little time left.

Even if I had to throw that boy into the pit forever, I would save Mom.

‘But I can’t say that to him. He wouldn’t believe me anyway.’

So, for now, this was the best I could do.

I swallowed down the anger choking my throat and fixed my gaze firmly on the boy.

Then, I moved my lips.

“I’ll help you.”

The boy’s eyes widened at my words.

He looked visibly startled, as if he hadn’t expected such a response.

“……What?”

“You said you were desperate. I’ll help you get adopted.”

“Liar.”

“I don’t lie. I swear on my mom.”

If the boy cooperated with me to help me stay hidden from the Marquis, I had no reason to oppose him.

I had been taught to repay kindness, even if I found him unpleasant.

The boy listened to my words, then closed his mouth with a conflicted expression.

His wavering eyes suggested that my offer was tempting.

I couldn’t know for sure, but what mattered was that the hostility he’d shown earlier had momentarily softened.

To fan the flames of his confusion, I pressed on.

“Whatever you’re planning, do you really think the teachers won’t try to find me? If I escape and tell them everything you did, your reputation will suffer.”

Ultimately, adoption decisions were made by prospective parents, the teachers, and the director.

If an adopted child caused problems, some of the blame would fall on the orphanage. For that reason, the orphanage carefully evaluated children before introducing them to prospective parents.

…At least, that’s what Odile had told me when she brought me near this place.

‘If adoption is important to him, he can’t ignore his reputation among the teachers.’

And judging by the boy’s increasingly sharp gaze, my prediction seems accurate.

Before his hostility could grow too much, I quickly added,

“If you pull me up and keep my secret, I won’t say anything either. So stop doing this.”

“…….”

“Honestly… I’m about to fall. I’m at my limit.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration. My trembling fingers, gripping the edge of the pit, were visibly shaking now.

The tremor spread from my fingertips, up my arms, and to my shoulders.

After a moment of silence, the boy bit his lip.

His previously confused eyes grew calm, filling me with an ominous sense of foreboding.

And that foreboding soon became reality.

“…I don’t trust people who say they don’t lie.”

The boy’s face looked oddly hurt as he spoke.

With a cold expression, he turned and took a step away.

Watching his back, I sighed through clenched teeth. I felt a twinge of despair.

I glanced down at the bottom of the pit.

It looked even deeper than before, perhaps because of my fear.

‘It’s pretty deep… What if I break something?’

I could still picture the ducal family’s physician boasting about his expensive medicines.

‘If I go back with a serious injury, he might scream at me.’

Maybe I should use the remaining strength in my hands to try the breakfall technique Paul had mentioned offhandedly.

Just as I closed my eyes and prepared to let go—

Rustle—

The bushes in the direction the boy had been heading suddenly shook violently.

He flinched and froze.

“W-What…!”

As his voice, tinged with wariness, rang out, someone emerged from the bushes.

It wasn’t a teacher or another child from the orphanage.

“Hmm?”

A familiar voice tickled my ears.

I widened my eyes at the figure standing beyond the boy’s shoulder.

Another boy, Lucian, appeared with a faintly awkward smile.

“…What’s going on here?”

Why are you here…?

—

“My name is Lucian Cyclid, and I’ll be working here temporarily in the infirmary as part of my training. May I ask what’s going on?”

Why are you here…?

I was dumbfounded, but the pain radiating through my arm quickly pushed aside my confusion.

Whatever the reason, getting out of here came first.

I gripped the edge of the pit tightly and spoke urgently.

“…Could you pull me up first? I feel like I might fall while we’re talking.”

“Ah, of course.”

Lucian nodded readily and approached.

Then, he turned to the boy and asked,

“Would you mind helping?”

“…Me?”

The boy, still frozen in shock, flinched and responded.

Lucian tilted his head slightly, the movement strangely graceful.

“I don’t think I can do it alone. Oh, unless…”

Lucian’s silver eyes narrowed slightly.

He glanced between me, clinging to the edge of the pit, and the boy, who was frozen mid-step with his back to me.

Then, Lucian’s lips curled into a faint smile.

But his silver eyes were as cold as frost.

“Did you push her in? If that’s the case, I suppose you wouldn’t want to help.”

“……!”

The boy bit his lip at Lucian’s sharp remark.

After a moment of silence, he sighed deeply, turned around, and approached me.

Lucian, who had been watching him with an inscrutable expression, followed suit.

Just as my trembling fingers were about to slip, the two boys crouched at the edge of the pit and reached out to grab my arms.

As Lucian leaned forward, the silver chain of his glasses slid down with a soft sound.

In a calm voice, he said,

“I’ll grab this arm, and you take the other. On the count of three, we’ll pull her up. One, two.”

“Three.”

The boy counted briefly and tightened his grip.

With both of them pulling, I was lifted out of the pit in an instant, as if I were weightless.

Thud—

‘That was close….’

Only after my feet touched solid ground did I realize how stiff my body had become from tension.

I sat down and glanced at the pit I had nearly fallen into.

At most, it was about 1.5 times my height.

‘It seemed so much deeper earlier.’

If I’d known, I wouldn’t have bothered trying to convince him.

Feeling a surge of irritation, I turned to glare at the boy.

He bit his lip and quickly looked away, his expression flustered.

At least he seemed to know he was in the wrong.

Just then, Lucian came into view, brushing dirt off his hands near the boy.

I suddenly remembered how it had felt when he pulled me up.

‘Now that I think about it….’

[I don’t think I can do it alone.]

Lucian had said he couldn’t do it by himself.

But when they pulled me up, it felt like the arm Lucian held was lifted faster.

‘…No, it must’ve been my imagination.’

I shook my head to dismiss the thought.

After all, Lucian’s build was so delicate and refined.

His long, slender limbs made him look like he’d fall over with a light push.

If someone like him had that kind of strength, it would be surprising in its own right.

‘Hiss.’

The pain in my scraped palm brought me back to reality.

Frowning slightly, I lowered my gaze and saw my blood-stained hand trembling incessantly.

My legs weren’t faring much better, as they lacked strength.

I hesitated, wondering if I could use my scraped palms to push myself up, when Lucian conveniently leaned down and extended his hand to me.

“Shall we head back now? The teacher seemed quite worried and has been waiting anxiously.”

“Ah.”

“Take my hand and stand up.”