Chapter 36
Merai told the moneylender that her son had used the building as collateral without permission and could not hand it over, but she was only slapped and driven away.
She needed money. An enormous sum that couldn't be repaid even if she sold all the children.
She visited the nobles who had bought children in the past, but was rejected every time. Merai even went to the temple to ask for help. One of the priests was a regular customer of hers.
And there, the moment she encountered an incredibly beautiful and mesmerizing painting, Merai trembled. It was as if an angel had taken her hand.
The painting depicted a curse array that the director had disposed of in the past to avoid inspection. Thankfully, the foolish temple people didn't even recognize it as a curse array.
Merai put aside her appointment with the priest and returned to the orphanage.
She had heard the entire process of the curse orally from the director, and fortunately, she remembered everything clearly.
After drawing the painting with blood drawn from her arm, and offering a child as sacrifice, Merai summoned a demon. That demon was the fool before her eyes who refused the countless amusements she provided.
"The demon said his name was Melek."
She succeeded in summoning the demon from the past again. Merai felt relieved, but a problem was discovered in an unexpected place.
"I'm sorry, but that's not me."
It was because the demon denied the past. A demon summoned in the same way—same appearance, same name, and even the same voice—yet claiming it wasn't him?
"Poor thing, you're still bound to the past."
The demon even sympathized with Merai. Because of whom did I end up like this? Overwhelmed by a bizarre sense of betrayal, Merai declared.
"In the end, you'll devour the children just like in the past."
The demon loves flawless, pure white souls.
For some unknown reason, the demon encountered after 20 years was suffering from hunger. He looked hungry, so she thought it would whet his appetite even more if she placed food before his eyes.
Merai brought all the meals the demon had so loved down to the basement, but damnably, the demon had tremendous patience.
In the end, before the demon's patience ran out, her beloved son brought some guests to the orphanage. The guards? Or priests like 20 years ago? Or the people who lent money to Troy? Either way, none were welcome.
Merai grew anxious.
If the demon refused to hunt on his own, there was another way. Merai sometimes fed the picky children vegetables directly herself.
Then wouldn't it work to pour well-prepared food directly into his mouth now? Merai pulled the chains binding the demon's body.
Melek began walking after Merai. The direction they were heading was the torture room where the children were imprisoned.
***
Soon after, the door opened.
Yulma tried to maintain composure as much as possible. Just do as discussed with Ranen. It's not difficult, so I can do well.
However, Yulma's breathing was immediately broken. The director hadn't come alone but brought a man bound in chains.
'Why did she bring him?'
Because the man was standing blocking behind the director, it became difficult for Ranen to target her rear. The man, restrained all over his body, moved like a puppet wherever the director led.
"Who untied Yulma?"
The director looked around the room and asked gently.
"Why is no one answering? The director has returned. Everyone, turn around and welcome me."
There was no answer in return. Because all the children had covered their ears. Yulma had told her siblings not to look back, to cover their ears, and crouch against the wall. The children were afraid of Yulma, so they would listen well.
She told them they could look back only after counting to a hundred for the impatient children, and as far as Yulma knew, there was no child who could count to a hundred.
"Yulma. You answer. What is this situation?"
"That's what I want to ask. Director, what will you do with us? I thought you were going to sell us."
At those words, the director narrowed her eyes and smiled gently.
"Sell? Hahaha, yes, that's a pleasant misunderstanding. Or is it not a misunderstanding since I originally intended to sell? You too, Yulma. If my son hadn't damaged the merchandise, I could have received a high price.... Making a wound in a visible place out of spite, truly a wicked child, aren't you?"
'I'm merchandise?'
Along with the sense of betrayal toward the director, Yulma felt faint gratitude toward Troy. Getting hurt was better than being sold to a place of unknown purpose. These kinds of wounds were neither flaws nor defects to Yulma.
"But the situation has changed now. Troy used the orphanage as collateral and borrowed a huge sum. Even if someone buys all of you, it can't be repaid. So I found another method."
Take back what she just said. That damned son of a bitch! This is happening because of the money that bastard borrowed?
Recalling her role, Yulma continued the questioning.
"So what is that method?"
"Would you believe me if I told you? I couldn't believe it until I saw it myself.... Yes, you'll understand when you see it too."
The director walked to the wall and ran her hand over the weapons. Yulma tensed up. Surely she wouldn't notice that one weapon was missing? Fortunately, the director didn't seem to notice and passed by the empty space.
The next moment, Yulma bit her tongue to keep from cursing.
The director picked up a blade.
Damn, this is crazy. Ranen was right. The director really intended to use that weapon on us.
"Yulma, you'll understand me later too."
Understand my ass! I'd rather starve to death than fill my belly by selling innocent children.
"You're a good child, aren't you?"
Was being good or not important even in this situation? That jewel-like phrase was something the director often said. The children had acted cute to receive that praise of being good.
"I like good children. That way the demon can be satisfied."
The director pointed the blade at Yulma. She was positioned entirely with her back to the door. And. Beyond the director's back, Ranen's shocked appearance was visible.
Except for the director holding the blade, things hadn't changed much from what the two had expected. The promise that Yulma would be the bait and Ranen would strike the director from behind.
The director raised her hand.
"Ranen!"
Praying for success, Yulma squeezed her eyes shut.
***
The drawer Lady Evangeline broke was where the director kept important things. Daisy also knew well that the director always carried the key to that drawer.
'8 silver 30 copper, 12 silver 150 copper, 10 silver 200 copper, 7 silver, 13 silver 32 copper....'
Daisy read and re-read the documents Troy had found. Even after repeating them dozens of times, the content didn't change. The documents contained records of the director selling children.
"I also found out about these papers only recently."
Troy, badly hunched over, barely managed to continue his explanation. It was the first time Daisy had seen him so dejected.
"Are you framing the director for what you did?"
"Can't you see what year it starts from? As if a five-year-old could have done that."
Daisy knew that well too. She just didn't want to accept the fact that the director, who had been so kind and devoted, had sold children.
"Director, do you think the children miss you? Why don't they ever come back...."
"That means they're living happily enough, doesn't it?"
The answer that came back when young Daisy had expressed her disappointment about adopted children not visiting came to mind.
Living happily? No, they just couldn't come back.
"Troy, did you know all along? Is that why you hurt Yulma?"
Troy nodded. Daisy recalled that Troy had been particularly cruel to children right before adoption. Yulma's adoption was canceled because of an ugly wound on her arm. So that wasn't just bullying?
"When did you find out?"
"I first found out when I was ten."
Troy was now seventeen, so it was only seven years ago.
"Why are you telling me this now? If you'd known earlier...."
"I told you! I did tell you. I said Mom sells the kids. That you live off that money! What did you say then? You told me not to be jealous of the kids going to rich families for no reason!"
Troy shouted in fury. Daisy remembered that she had told him to stop bullying because she hated him, and fell silent.
Troy did his best in his own way. He stopped the trade disguised as adoption and even defied his mother several times.
When words didn't work, he even reported his own mother, but there was no evidence, and the guards didn't investigate properly, saying what difference would it make if one or two orphans disappeared in a year. They were indirectly expressing their intention not to get involved since the people buying children would obviously be wealthy nobles.
"I know too! That my mom is crazy! That's why I did it—to destroy this damn orphanage!"
So Troy chose a secondary plan.
"There are thirteen children left in the orphanage. I borrowed 15 gold using the building as collateral, which couldn't be repaid even if all thirteen were sold. I thought that would make her stop selling children. But...."
The director disappeared with the children.
Troy said he only realized after committing the act that the director could sell all the children. Overwhelmed by the thought that he had made the situation even worse, he drank alcohol to evaporate his memories.
"It's because of me...."
Daisy embraced Troy, whose face was covered in tears.
Perhaps the children weren't sold. As Troy said, it was an enormous sum that couldn't be raised even if everyone was sold. Instead, the director must have found another method, just as Troy had.
She summoned a demon using that painting drawn on the floor and made a wish. Daisy realized and felt deeply the reason why the painting was drawn in the director's office.