I Only Raised Men for Revenge - Chapter 18

“When, when did I say I wouldn’t follow the law? I’m just a little taken aback by this situation.”

“Because it’s an orphanage with so few people, you see. It’s a bit suspicious. Especially seeing how the facilities aren’t even properly equipped. So, I’d like to talk to the children. If not, I can go out and talk to them now. His Imperial Majesty would be quite saddened to know that the children, the future of the Empire, are growing up in such a dilapidated place.”

Saddened, my foot. There’s no way the Emperor would care about that. The Emperor is dying soon.

The Crown Prince’s marriage was arranged so quickly because of the Emperor’s deteriorating health. So, even if you told him about the orphanage, he wouldn’t worry or send an investigation team.

Nevertheless, Sesenia pressured her as if she had been waiting for this.

Lizbeth, who was standing next to her, looked at her with a stiff expression.

‘Our young lady has returned. She’s definitely possessed by a demon.’

Her inner thoughts were so obvious. Even Sesenia thought she had changed from the past. In the past, she wanted to be a good person.

She had lived that way, never saying bad things to others or causing harm.

But now, she didn’t hesitate to threaten those who harmed her, including Elzer, or those who stood in the way of her own gain.

Ted’s eyes sparkled as he watched her, but Lizbeth was different.

Nevertheless, Sesenia was confident.

“Well, it doesn’t seem possible, so let’s go back.”

The woman, who had been nervously biting her nails in embarrassment, smiled awkwardly.

“The children aren’t quite right.”

“It won’t take long.”

Having gone this far, she couldn’t say no anymore. In the end, the woman from the orphanage sighed deeply.

“Well… nothing bad will happen, right? You have clear identification, right? Nothing bad will happen, right?”

As if she couldn’t let this place be discovered, she asked Sesenia again and again. As if telling her not to cause any trouble.

“Don’t worry.”

“…I understand. I’ll trust you.”

“Then Lizbeth and Teddy, please stay outside too.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Lizbeth stared at me. Her eyes were a little strange. Both Sesenia and Lizbeth seemed to sense that something was off. Lizbeth knew everything about Sesenia’s every move. Because they spent every moment together. From the slave traders to this incident, Sesenia had been acting without any information.

Even if Hepria Somme was one thing, Lizbeth would think it was strange as time went on.

‘If she hasn’t regressed… if she hasn’t experienced this time either, she wouldn’t think it’s that strange…’

Sesenia smiled faintly.

‘Besides, this is the place Lizbeth told me about.’

The Felice Orphanage, which became famously known not long after she became Empress. And Sesenia had briefly met the children here during her time as Empress. For not a good reason.

“Then please go in quickly. Before the director comes back.”

It was then. The orphanage teacher hurriedly urged Sesenia. Putting aside her thoughts about Lizbeth for a moment, Sesenia looked at the door.

“Yes.”

As expected, she wasn’t the director. A place with only five children in the orphanage. An orphanage where three of them had already been adopted. But the voices of the children couldn’t be heard anywhere.

Just then, Lizbeth opened the door, and Sesenia stared silently at the dark room, even though it was daytime.

“Close the door.”

At Sesenia’s command, Lizbeth closed the door. The woman from the orphanage still looked uncomfortable, but since she had already made a promise, she didn’t add anything more.

As the door closed, an even greater darkness descended. A place without any light. She picked up the candle next to the entrance that she had seen before the door closed. Instead of lighting it, she held it and approached the children.

“Hello. I know you can’t see me, but you can see me.”

There are twins here.

“I am an Imperial citizen, and I’ve come to save you. It’s hard to believe, but I’m going to take you to the temple.”

The woman here said that the children would be sent to the temple, but that’s a lie.

In the original timeline, I had met these twins. Royal twins who had escaped from Salmon, the kingdom known as the kingdom of wizards. To protect his younger sister, Pepe, the older brother, Silian, brought his sister alone to the Empire, but was captured again by the people of Salmon and was in this orphanage.

This orphanage was a fake orphanage secretly created by the people of the Salmon Kingdom to infiltrate the Empire.

In fact, the people of Salmon who tried to secretly smuggle these twins out failed, and the children were sent to the temple.

That glamorous event was exactly this. In the Empire, wizards were quite precious. In that situation, the royalty of the Salmon Kingdom. The children were overflowing with power. So, everyone in the Empire, as well as the Imperial family, paid attention.

It was the temple that could protect the children, but there was no reason for the temple to hide the children who had no backing, even the children who were focused on by the Imperial family.

‘It was a glamorous debut, but…’

It was a terrible future for the children. The children, who had no one to protect them, would live a life that was no different there.

‘So, I won’t make it that way this time.’

This may also be the hypocrisy of the rich and noble. But these children are needed. Because these children will eventually become the royalty of Salmon. Money alone was not enough to be a strong backing for Ted.

Strong power to protect him. Strength. These are what these twins have. Also, strong magic that can protect her no matter what happens.

It didn’t matter before I knew Elzer had returned, but now that I know she’s back, it’s a little dangerous. Elzer will try to kill Sesenia, who is superior to her, no matter what.

So, Sesenia decided to protect these children, not a glamorous debut. In addition, Sesenia’s divine power is actually measured higher than the average person, so she is even a candidate for the Saintess. It wasn’t difficult to ask for protection. The temple is the most honest and upright place in this country, and that temple will surely help.

“…”

“If you stay here any longer, you’ll be dragged back to Salmon. Even if that’s not the case, you won’t be able to protect your sister in a place where there’s no one to protect you.”

“…”

“Well, I’ve said everything I need to say.”

Although I couldn’t see them, I felt the children’s breathing change.

‘In the end, they’ll choose me.’

“I’ve come to make you an offer, and it’s up to you to choose. I’m going to start a fire now. You can avoid the fire, right? If you like my offer, get out of here. I’ll park a carriage two blocks ahead, so when you’re ready, come in with your sister in your arms. If you don’t like my offer, run away through the back door. This is what I can do for you.”

“…Why are you helping us?”

A young child’s voice was heard.

“I need you.”

“Are you going to experiment on us?”

“No, I can’t use magic. Why would I experiment? I just want you to be by my side. My life is a little precarious. So, I’m just going to keep you as escorts. Anyway, I’ll leave now.”

Then she came out. With a candle in her hand.

She didn’t listen for an answer. Sesenia was confident. She knew very well that the children would definitely choose her. The older brother, Silian, abandoned his throne for his younger sister and came here.

With a deep determination not to take his sister back to the Salmon Kingdom.

‘Even if they run away through the back door, they’ll be caught again. It’s not that they trust me and choose me, but the choice was only one from the beginning.’

And Sesenia was going to start a fire for a faster decision on that choice. So, Sesenia left the room with a much brighter expression than before.

“You came out quickly, young lady.”

“Yeah. I said I’d be back soon. Then let’s go.”

“What did you talk about?”

The tired-looking woman was following us and talking. She was so curious that she didn’t even care about the candle I had brought out of the room. But I didn’t answer.

Before we knew it, we had arrived at the orphanage door.

Sesenia then looked at the woman who had been following her. The woman, who had given up on Sesenia, who hadn’t been talking to her, took a step back in surprise.

“Salmon.”

“Yes?”

“If you’re from that background, you can use magic too.”

“What… what are you talking about?”

At Sesenia’s sudden words, the woman’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I’m telling you to use it. To live.”

“…No. That’s… well…”

“When there’s a fire, everything is destroyed. So, no one will know who was here. So, if you want to escape, now is a good time.”

Sesenia smiled at her.

“Yes…?”

“You’re also being forcibly held here, right? So, if you want to escape, escape. I’m going to start a fire.”

“What’s that?”

Sesenia lit the candle. When she turned on the small clockwork button, a small sound was heard and the candle inside the candle lit up. At the same time, Sesenia threw the candle at the wall above the cotton that was placed in front of the door.

The candle contained oil, and the outside was covered with poor-quality glass. So, the candle that hit the wall shattered, and the oil that came out of it quickly soaked the cotton.

“Oh, young lady…!”

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Yes…?”

The candle was quickly absorbed into the oil-soaked cotton, and the fire grew bigger. Sesenia grabbed Lizbeth and Ted’s hands and ran towards the door and out.

The weather was changing from autumn to winter. The Empire was unusually dry, and thanks to that, most of the wooden buildings were extremely dry. In other words, it was very flammable.

“Oh… young lady… arson…!”

“Did I commit arson?”

Even if she was a young lady from a noble family, arson was a pretty serious crime.

There were no other buildings around the Felice Orphanage, and there were no trees, so the fire didn’t spread, but it was still a big deal. But Sesenia just shrugged at Lizbeth’s words.

“…Yes?”

“I was just putting the candle down. Arson?”

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