novelraw Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Episode 7
There is no such thing as hope.
She liked the role of chaos, destruction, and bringing about the downfall of everything the most.
The children respected Flora's opinion, who dreamed of world conquest, and the villain role went to Flora.
She didn't properly listen to what happened after that, so she doesn't remember.
'No, this isn't it.'
Flora firmly grabbed her wandering attention.
Today, Athanas held a single white flower in his hand.
'Why is it a flower every day? Does he think I'd be burdened by other gifts?'
From his second visit onwards, Athanas always came carrying a single small flower.
It was a bit surprising that he didn't continue with a volume-based gift offensive, but this also worked in his favor as a plus point.
'Gifts are getting a bit boring too.'
The popular figure of the orphanage was popular not just inside but also outside, receiving loads of gifts.
Especially the dolls Rosaria gave were top-quality, perfect for hugging while sleeping.
'Rosaria...'
After that day, Rosaria's visits stopped abruptly.
If Rosaria visited, she could use that as an excuse not to meet Athanas.
'Why are you never around when needed.'
Flora, holding the flower Athanas gave her, headed towards the garden with him.
"It's always so amazing to see. That there are so many Shalias here."
At Athanas's words, Flora looked at the trees that had grown taller than her with an indifferent expression.
"Are you going to water them today too?"
"Yep. If I don't pay attention to them every day, they get sad and start to wilt."
Shalias.
Another piece of luck that came to Flora after Rosaria.
To explain why this tree filled the orphanage grounds so abundantly, we have to go back half a year.
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Thanks to Rosaria Hermannus's help, they barely managed to prevent the orphanage from collapsing.
It was fortunate that the orphanage children no longer went hungry like ordinary people, so she had no major complaints.
Mrs. Finny, Lian, and the orphanage friends had cried so pitifully the day they got Flora back that she had decided not to run away before becoming an adult.
But resolutions are made to be broken.
Swallowing her anger as she entered the Demon Forest, Flora recalled the events from a few hours prior.
The orphanage people liked Flora very much.
They didn't find it strange even when Flora muttered jokingly that she would go around conquering the world, and they always followed her around like puppies, being a bother.
Yes, they were too bothersome!
Ever since that day, if Flora went out anywhere, they questioned her daily and tried not to let her out of their sight!
Flora, a young child of 3 years and 6 months, unfortunately, couldn't stand the stifling feeling.
So, because she disliked that, she slipped out of the orphanage in the middle of a game of tag.
It was absolutely not because she didn't want to be 'it'.
After wandering around the town a bit and returning to the orphanage, the children were, of course, in an uproar.
The moment Flora opened the door, the children ran to her with tearful faces.
〈Flora, where did you go! We looked for you for so long! What are we supposed to do if 'it' disappears!〉
Even when she found the children bothersome, Flora kindly answered.
〈Town.〉
〈Why the town!〉
〈Because I didn't wanna be 'it'?〉
She accidentally spoke the truth and thought 'oops', but Flora maintained an expression of innocence.
〈Gasp! If you didn't want to be 'it', you should have said so!〉
〈Get away, Sophia! It's because you keep babying her that Flora acts so willful!〉
Then a boy from behind jumped out, pulled Sophia away, and glared sharply at Flora.
〈Even so! Do you know how worried everyone was?〉
Johnny was angry, but his anger wouldn't last.
〈I called 'peek-a-boo' really loudly, but you didn't come out.〉
〈You did?〉
〈Yep.〉
〈Then it's our fault.〉
At Flora's words, Johnny's anger melted away and he hugged her tightly.
Then the girl who had been huffing behind him pushed him away.
〈You're too soft, Johnny! Flora, I was hiding right next to you, and I didn't hear you say that!〉
〈But Jenny! Have you ever seen Flora lie to us?〉
〈Yes, I have!〉
Jenny stood firmly in front of Flora.
〈Tell me clearly, Flora. Did you really call 'peek-a-boo' saying you couldn't be found?〉
Probably, Jenny would forgive her too.
〈Yep. I said it in my heart.〉
〈Who says that counts! You really are!〉
But contrary to Flora's expectation, Jenny raised her voice.
Oh? Is she getting angry? she thought with slight anticipation, but.
〈Ha! I was so confident I knew everything about Flora's heart.〉
She wasn't.
Wasn't Jenny's eyebrows drooping as she sniffled?
Not realizing that Flora was tired of the same situation every day, the three of them simultaneously hugged her tightly.
〈It was our fault for not realizing Flora didn't want to be 'it'.〉
〈Yeah, yeah, it's our fault for not hearing Flora when she spoke.〉
〈It was my mistake for not being able to read your inner thoughts.〉
To someone who didn't know the context, it would look like a heartwarming scene of cute children making up.
At that moment, Flora let out a big sigh and pushed the three away.
It was nice that they respected her opinion, always said she was the best, and called her number one.
It felt really good, but!
'I'm starting to worry about these children's futures, you see.'
Wouldn't it be a big problem if they acted like this with other people too?
Flora crossed her arms and scolded them sternly.
〈No! When this happens, you're supposed to get angry and say it's not okay!〉
〈But it's our fault for forcing Flora to do something she dislikes.〉
At Sophia's words, Flora raised her eyebrows.
〈But 'it' was decided fairly by rock-paper-scissors!〉
〈But we didn't hear Flora when she spoke...〉
She immediately retorted to Johnny's timid remark.
〈I said it in my heart, so of course you couldn't hear it!〉
〈I should have read your heart, but I couldn't...〉
Looking at Jenny speaking dejectedly, Flora slapped her chest in frustration.
〈People can't read other people's thoughts in the first place!〉
〈But!〉
〈Don't 'but' me! That's it! I won't look at unnis' and oppas' faces until you get angry with me!〉
〈What?〉
〈W-wait a minute!〉
〈That's too harsh, Flora!〉
Then the children following behind covered their mouths, trying to quickly distance themselves so the blame wouldn't land on them too.
As the Great Demon, she had been revered like this before, and it was a matter of course, but still, this absurd situation that kept repeating felt uncomfortable.
She had decided not to get attached to the orphanage children just half a year ago!
She must have unknowingly blended in with the orphanage children.
This won't do.
She had to leave before she got completely attached!
Staying up all night with this shocking realization, Flora ran away for the second time before the sun even rose.
Her destination was, of course, the Demon Forest.
She thought that if she stayed in the Demon Forest, the demons would naturally come and take her away, but that wasn't the case either.
There were no monsters chasing her, and she just camped out for a few days, feeling the peaceful demonic aura imbued in the Demon Forest.
That is, until Rosaria, who belatedly found out about her running away, sent out the Hermannus knights and safely rescued Flora.
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Even though it was already half a year since she was rescued like that and Mrs. Finny, Lian, and the children with puffy eyes welcomed Flora back, the memory was still vivid.
Seeing them like that, she couldn't bring herself to turn away.
Realizing she had already given her heart to them made everything feel bothersome.
Well, if she ends up conquering the world later, she'll just spare the orphanage people.
No, she could just make them her real subordinates.
Thinking that, she snuggled in Mrs. Finny's embrace and acted spoiled.
Later, she was scolded by Lian until her tears dried up, an event that scratched the Great Demon's pride, but she had already forgotten that.