Amelia was clever enough to know that the moment her true identity came to light, her safety would be at risk.
That was why she had never revealed that she was the daughter of Marquis Agris. As a result, the orphanage director and the staff all believed she was nothing more than a commoner.
But there were some things that simply couldn't be hidden.
An unmistakable air of nobility clung to Amelia. Any aristocrat visiting the orphanage in search of a child to adopt would notice it immediately.
So that's why the director seated Amelia next to me.
Pretty children had a much higher chance of being adopted than unattractive ones. And a child with Amelia's grace and bearing would naturally stand out even more.
He must have assumed that, as a noble myself, I would recognize her value at a glance, so he had deliberately placed her beside me.
But if she claimed to be the daughter of criminals—and a brazen child who spoke such things without hesitation—
Any desire to adopt her would vanish on the spot.
Watching Amelia diligently nibble away at her bread, I let out a quiet laugh.
No wonder I hadn't seen her despite such striking looks. She'd been hiding herself until mealtime.
I had known from the original story that she was intelligent, but Amelia was proving to be far more remarkable than I'd expected.
"Is that so?"
Keeping my surprise hidden, I smiled.
The only reason I wasn't completely caught off guard was because I already knew that Amelia's parents weren't criminals—and that she had no wish to be adopted in the first place.
"Even so, just because your parents are criminals doesn't mean you're destined to become one yourself."
I knew what a kind and brilliant child Amelia truly was. I knew she would grow into an exceptional adult.
But I couldn't reveal that knowledge, so I settled for offering her a simple piece of advice.
"You're your own person, aren't you?"
Then I ended it with a gentle smile.
"Instead of worrying about things like that, eat plenty and grow up healthy."
More than anything, it saddened me that such a young child carried thoughts so heavy.
For some reason, Amelia had frozen in place while staring at me.
I quietly placed another piece of meat onto her spoon.
"Hurry and eat. It'll get cold."
"...Yes."
Once I saw the meat disappear into her tiny mouth, I turned my attention to the other children. It wouldn't do to focus on just one of them.
I wiped bread crumbs from one child's face, cleaned up spilled soup from the floor, and before I knew it, lunchtime had come to an end.
Leaving the cleanup to the staff, the director clapped his hands several times to gather the children.
"Everyone, go fetch your blankets and pillows. It's time for your nap."
"A nap?"
The children tilted their heads in confusion. Judging by their reactions, they had never had a scheduled naptime before.
"That's right. Once you've eaten your fill, it's time for a nice sleep."
I found it strange as well.
Some of the children, like Amelia, were already fairly old, but others were so young they could barely toddle around.
They can't have finished digesting yet. Is it really okay for them to sleep immediately after eating?
Even adults weren't supposed to lie down right after a meal. Wouldn't it be even worse for children whose digestive systems were still developing? Babies were always supposed to be burped after feeding.
The question lingered in my mind, but I lacked enough childcare knowledge to speak up confidently.
I had never given birth myself, and when Lucian was little, feeding him and putting him to bed had always been the nursemaid's responsibility.
"Come now, lie down quickly. If you don't sleep, you won't grow tall."
Under the director's persistent urging, the children fetched threadbare blankets and pillows that were little more than rags and spread them across the floor.
"Sweet dreams, my little ones."
The director kissed the forehead of the nearest child before walking to the window and drawing the curtains shut. The room was soon swallowed by darkness.
"Well then, my lady, shall we continue our unfinished conversation in my office?"
"Certainly."
Rubbing his hands together like a fly, the director led me toward his office.
Creeeak... groan...
The wooden door closed with an unpleasant noise.
It was the very same door Ruccella had broken earlier, crudely forced back into place.
"..."
At the sound, a pair of closed eyelids slowly fluttered open.
Blink.
Blink.
After several lazy blinks, pale green eyes, fresh as spring leaves, came into view.
Rolling those jewel-like eyes around the room, Amelia confirmed that every adult had left before immediately sitting up.
"Where are you going?"
The voice behind her made her hands stop mid-motion as she pulled back her blanket.
Turning around, she found Edwin patting the chest of a child much younger than himself.
"I'm going to the director's office."
"Then I'll come with you."
"No."
Amelia firmly stopped him before he could rise.
"If you come too, we'll get caught. It's better if I go quietly by myself."
"...Tch."
"I'll steal a cookie from the kitchen for you on my way back instead."
Expertly soothing the pouting Edwin, Amelia carefully slipped away.
I wonder which child they've come to adopt this time.
Her heart pounded anxiously as she headed toward the office.
Whoever else they chose was fine.
But she absolutely could not be adopted.
She had to find her uncle.
I just hope they don't choose me.
Because of her exceptional beauty and the noble aura she carried without even trying, Amelia was almost always the first candidate for adoption.
And every single time, she deliberately invented outrageous stories to drive people away.
"My father is a serial killer."
Or,
"My mother was a famous thief."
Strictly speaking, they weren't complete lies.
Her father had sentenced numerous criminals in his territory to death, and her mother had once been caught stealing her grandmother's jewelry as a child.
Whenever she told those stories, people would immediately look at her with disgust.
"Your parents are criminals? That's impossible! Amelia must be lying!"
Naturally, the director would wave his hands frantically in denial, eager to sell her off for a handsome sum.
But his desperate excuses only damaged her reputation further.
"A child who can tell such monstrous lies without changing her expression... That's even creepier."
After all, adults didn't like children who lied as easily as breathing.
Once the nobles left, the director would scold her harshly for sabotaging the adoption.
But Amelia didn't care.
Adults who chose children based solely on appearance weren't welcome from her side, either.
But that red-haired lady...
She remembered the woman who had appeared at the orphanage so suddenly.
The woman who hadn't seemed shaken at all after hearing that Amelia was supposedly the child of criminals.
"Even so, just because your parents are criminals doesn't mean you're destined to become one yourself. You're your own person, aren't you?"
She had never met an adult who didn't look at her with contempt.
Nor one who had said words like those.
And the woman hadn't paid attention only to the pretty children.
Whether a child's face was plain or their hands were marred by skin disease, she had tried to care for every one of them equally.
She was the complete opposite of every adult who had ever visited the orphanage.
I still can't conclude that she's genuinely kind. Maybe she's only pretending because the director is watching.
What would Ruccella be like when alone with the director?
And which child was she planning to adopt?
Filled with equal parts curiosity and anxiety, Amelia crept beneath the office window and rose onto her tiptoes.
A moment later, she caught sight of Ruccella speaking with the director inside.
"So then, have you found a child who catches your eye?"
"Every one of them was as adorable as an angel."
I answered while taking in the office around me.
The building itself was old, and the director's office was hardly in perfect condition.
Compared to the rooms where the children slept, however, it might as well have been a luxury hotel.
A thick, fluffy carpet covered the floor, and heavy curtains completely blocked the cold seeping in from outside.
Meanwhile, the children shivered in rooms with broken windows and doors hanging off their hinges.
The bookshelves displayed numerous plaques and awards.
On the table sat expensive chocolates and cookies laid out for entertaining guests.
Edwin told me he'd never tasted chocolate until he arrived at the duke's estate.
The director probably snacked on these whenever he felt peckish.
His bloated stomach and double chin made that much obvious.
There was little doubt that embezzled funds had gone toward fattening himself.
Unaware of my thoughts, the director continued smiling pleasantly.
"That's true, of course. But you can't adopt every child."
"I already told you. I didn't come here to adopt anyone."
As I took a sip of tea, a faint crack appeared in his smile.
He was clearly disappointed at the prospect of losing what he believed would be an enormous donation.
So he wasn't listening to a word I said.
He must have assumed I'd only claimed otherwise to appear modest.
Clink.
Annoyed, I deliberately set my teacup down with enough force to make a noise.
It seemed the director only understood blunt language.
Besides, this wasn't the time to dance around the issue.
"You are aware that I'm currently staying with the House of Bellomont, aren't you?"
"Of course! How could I not know?"
The moment the ruling ducal house of the territory was mentioned, the director straightened in his seat.
I decided to make full use of the family's influence.
"My brother-in-law, His Grace the Duke of Bellomont, takes the welfare of children very seriously."
I intentionally emphasized my relationship to the duke.
"And ever since my nephew, Young Lord Lucian Bellomont, was born, His Grace has shown a great interest in children of similar age."
I subtly reminded him that my nephew was the heir to Bellomont.
"As expected of His Grace! To care about the children of his domain despite his busy schedule..."
Just as I'd anticipated, the director became almost absurdly respectful, bowing over and over until he resembled a turtle stretching its neck.
But his smile didn't last long.
"Perhaps that's why His Grace has become very curious about how the orphanages in his territory are being managed... and whether the subsidies they receive are being spent properly."