Translator: Nox

Ch#95

Odellie couldn’t help but smile unwittingly.

Seeing even these young children know of it, the “snow fairy” must be an incredibly famous northern legend.

“You lot! Show proper respect to Her Highness the Grand Duchess!”

“What’s respect?”

“Respect.”

“Respect!”

Told to show respect, the children came swarming over, shouting something completely off-base.

It seemed they had never actually seen a noble in this village.

“It’s fine.”

Odellie stopped the relief worker from scolding the children, worried about offending an important guest.

As she took a few steps, the children who had been hiding in the corner began to emerge one by one.

Most were still young enough to need their parents’ care.

With food supplies not abundant, the children’s faces were gaunt and hollow-cheeked.

Unable to wash properly, dirt smudged their faces here and there, and their clothes—still what they had been wearing when rescued—were worn and frayed at the hems.

“Hello, I’m Odellie.”

“You’re not the fairy?”

“But you’re white.”

“……I’m not a fairy. But I came to see you all today.”

Odellie lowered herself quietly, meeting the children’s gazes at eye level.

At that moment, the smallest child at the front seemed to muster courage and spoke up.

“Is this where we sleep?”

“Yes. You’ll live here from now on.”

Odellie extended her hand and gently took the hesitant child’s hand.

“Shall we go inside? We need to look around the rooms too.”

The young children followed out of curiosity, while some of the older ones trailed cautiously without letting their guard down.

Rudvil naturally followed behind them.

“Eek!”

“Gasp.”

……No, he tried to follow but stopped.

Perhaps due to his towering height and build, the children flinched in fear at even the slightest approach, looking ready to burst into tears.

They seemed like they’d have a fit if he even placed a hand on their shoulder.

‘It’s not just his size…….’

Well, even adults struggled with his intimidating presence—what must it be like for children.

Rudvil tactfully began trailing them from very, very far away.

In any case, the newly restored building was quite sturdy and clean.

“This is the room you’ll be staying in.”

Odellie showed the children around the new building briefly.

Cozy bedrooms with large windows, a communal dining hall, a bathroom with hot water…….

“……We’re staying here?”

“We can really sleep here?”

The children following quietly with bated breath wore expressions like they were dreaming.

And rightly so, since they had all lost their parents to monsters and been wandering the streets.

“It feels a bit awkward now, right? You’ll get used to it soon. This is your home to live in.”

Sniffle.

A small body trembled, and a stifled sob broke out.

And that sob soon spread to the children beside them.

The children who had been smiling innocently calling her “fairy” just moments ago had, in truth, lost their families and homes overnight. Hearing they now had a “home” brought an inexplicable sense of relief, and tears burst forth.

Odellie reached out and gently stroked the small, quivering back.

* * *

Odellie took a seat in one corner of the dining hall.

As warm tea and small pastries were brought out, the children’s expressions gradually softened.

“Is it tasty?”

“Yeah.”

“Eat more. There’s plenty.”

“Fairy lady, are you an angel?”

With one pastry, Odellie earned the title of angel too.

As soon as she spoke, small hands hesitantly reached for the pastries one by one.

The children exchanged glances, eyes sparkling, and soon traded words only they understood.

Before long, peals of laughter rang out among them, filling the space with lively chatter.

That pure clamor brought a smile naturally to her lips.

“Wow…… Fairy lady, you’re so pretty.”

One child hesitantly touched the hem of Odellie’s dress.

Then, a little girl sitting beside whispered.

“My big sister is pretty like the fairy lady too.”

“Is she?”

It was as if she wanted to boast about her sister.

Odellie smiled softly without realizing and stroked the child’s head.

“Yeah, her eyes are the same. Sky blue. White like the fairy lady.”

Sky-blue eyes?

Odellie recalled that she hadn’t seen any sky-blue eyes among the children at this orphanage.

And asked worriedly.

“Isn’t your sister here with you now?”

Odellie assumed the child meant a real older sister or someone from the neighborhood raised together.

But the child shook her head.

And answered innocently, with no idea of anything.

“Big sister said she’d give me a Rabbit Doll. She’ll come soon.”

Ah.

She was calling one of the relief workers “big sister.”

Odellie caught her breath for a moment and let out a short, self-mocking laugh at her needless tension.

In that case, there was no need to worry.

‘Someone will come soon and give the child the Rabbit Doll.’

She gently pushed the cookie plate closer to the child and said softly.

“You can have more.”

The child’s eyes widened round, and a small laugh spread.

* * *

Rudvil leaned quietly against the doorframe, gazing at her as always.

Small hands clutched at Odellie’s dress hem one by one.

When the children shyly hid their faces and said something, Odellie slowly lowered herself to meet their eyes.

She listened intently even to their tiny voices and smiled casually.

Rudvil couldn’t tear his gaze away from the sight.

‘Where have I…….’

Seen this scene before.

It felt like a warm landscape he had forgotten for a very, very long time.

So soothing it made his eyes drowsy.

Like soaking up to his neck in warm water.

Rudvil let out a very low chuckle.

Knowing it was foolish and pathetic, yet unable to look away.

Odellie, oblivious to everything, smiled while stroking the children’s heads.

Watching that expression made something he had lost long ago feel alive again.

It was then.

“…….”

Suddenly, an achingly familiar scent wafted from somewhere.

Rudvil’s heart throbbed violently, pounding so hard it hurt.

It was that scent.

The scent from when he had grasped that woman’s hand in his dreams.

When he had desperately tried to hold onto a voice that reached nowhere.

Sweet like a promise of salvation, the scent that made him want to devote everything.

‘……Why here.’

Rudvil slowly turned his back from the direction of Odellie.

It wasn’t Odellie.

From the completely opposite direction…….

Without realizing, he began moving one step at a time.

His footsteps echoed lowly on the floor.

It was then.

At the end of the corridor, in the space where fading light filtered faintly through the window…….

Someone stood there.

The hem of a white coat fluttered slightly.

As if an actress bathed in stage spotlight, that one person alone glowed serenely.

Rudvil’s heart pounded loudly.

He quickened his steps, little by little.

The breeze brushing his cheek carried the scent once more.

In that instant, all caution and suspicion crumbled.

Rudvil couldn’t think of anything.

He simply hurried forward on instinct.

Following the corridor, breathing grew ragged.

And…….

Finally, he reached right behind her.

As he drew close, that identical scent brushed his nose, futilely familiar.

Rudvil reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

She swallowed faintly in surprise.

And slowly turned around.

Clear blue eyes looked up at him from within the light.

“…….”

For a moment, breath caught.

His heart pounded painfully, crushed.

As if an old dream had crawled into reality.

Deep in his throat, a forgotten name seemed ready to spill out.

It was the woman from his dreams.