IFAHWIPUTML Chapter 3

"So this is the place."

Verasielle muttered to herself, staring into the dark alley.

Piecing together the fragments of the novel she could remember, somewhere in this slum's garbage dump should be Raphaleon—the child Duke Halos was searching for.

Raphaleon Halos.

He was the hidden son of Ion Halos, the previous duke of the Halos family (known throughout the empire as ridiculously wealthy), and also the male protagonist of the novel.

The male lead's father, Duke Ion Halos, hadn't taken a wife for quite some time after inheriting his title. The reason? He already had a woman he loved and a child with her.

Six years ago, Ion had gone alone to a quiet villa for rest and fallen in love with an ordinary country girl. The woman became pregnant with Ion's child.

"And then what was it... Ah, right. He ran into opposition."

The duke tried to make the woman his wife, but faced fierce opposition from his father, who insisted her lowborn status made it impossible.

Finally, a few months ago, after his father passed away and the funeral was held, Ion could finally bring his beloved woman and child to the ducal estate.

But Ion, who'd left to fetch his beloved wife and child, never returned to the duke's manor.

Tragically, he and his wife died together in a carriage accident.

Leaving only Raphaleon behind in this world.

Due to this incident, Raphaleon suffered severe head trauma and lost his memories, wandering aimlessly until he was discovered by someone from the Halos ducal household and safely returned home.

"That's the male lead's backstory... now what was the actual plot?"

Lost in thought, she recalled the general storyline.

The novel's main plot involved Ainsea Heneron, the only daughter of a marquess family friendly with the Halos ducal house. At her parents' request, she stayed temporarily at the duke's manor and became entangled with the male lead.

The male lead suffered from extreme daily agony due to his lost memories, and each time, Ainsea—the female lead with mysterious healing abilities—helped him through it.

Through this, the two became friends and eventually developed into lovers.

Together they overcame crises and grew into adults side by side.

In short, a children's "cute growth story."

Which meant right now was when Duke Halos was spending money and time searching for his nephew Raphaleon.

"It was the garbage dump. Definitely."

The novel mentioned that after losing his memories, Raphaleon wandered aimlessly and ended up living in a garbage dump for some time.

No one thought to look in a garbage dump, so he wasn't discovered early.

'I can't let this golden opportunity slip away.'

The reward was a full 100 million shillings.

After paying off all debts, she'd still have 20 million shillings left—an enormous sum.

Greed plastered itself thickly across Verasielle's face as she suppressed a laugh trying to escape.

With her heart full of anticipation, she entered the dark alley in broad daylight.

With each step through the alley, small bits of trash crunched under her feet. Crunch, crunch.

The original Verasielle would have thrown a fit about garbage smell getting into her shoes, but she didn't care.

'What does garbage matter when 100 million shillings is right in front of me?'

Thinking it would be easy, Verasielle passed through the dark alley and entered the garbage dump—then her steps suddenly stopped short.

'He really lived in a place like this?'

She was too shocked by the unexpected scene.

She couldn't believe it. Could people actually live here...?

The sight before her was horrific.

All kinds of trash lay messily scattered throughout the dump.

From broken furniture to scraps of waste paper to rotting food.

The ground was so packed with garbage there wasn't a single place to step.

"Urk!"

The stench of rot wafted over, and Verasielle quickly covered her nose.

An acidic smell strong enough to numb her nose in an instant. A foul odor that made her head spin.

She looked around, searching for the source of the smell.

Her face, holding her breath, turned red as if about to burst at any moment.

As she looked around, her gaze fixed on a hill.

'That's just... garbage.'

What looked like a hill from a distance was actually trash piled up like a mountain.

Flies swarmed thickly around it, and starving dogs and cats dug through the garbage pile searching for food.

Rustle. Rustle.

Just then, a rustling sound reached Verasielle's ears as she stood frozen in shock. It came from quite close by.

"Is someone there?"

It seemed like the sound of an animal searching for food, but suspicion flashed through her mind that it might be Raphaleon.

Verasielle moved carefully.

"Raphaleon?"

But there was nothing around except trash—no human form could be found.

Verasielle dismissed it as a false lead and turned around. She wanted to escape this place as quickly as possible.

A nauseating smell came on the wind. Dry heaves rose up. If she stayed any longer, she might actually vomit.

This was an environment where people absolutely could not live.

No living creature could last even a week here... no, not even a week.

'It would be better if he's not here.'

In this dirty, miserable, hellish place—it was a blessing that the child wasn't here.

"Mo... mmy..."

But a small voice heard belatedly made her stop once again.

"Is someone here? Are you Raphaleon by any chance?"

Urgent eyes swept the surroundings, but still only trash was visible.

Roll.

Suddenly a piece of garbage tumbled out from a distant corner.

"Da... ddy."

The faint voice came again.

Verasielle moved her legs quickly.

She didn't care if her dress dragged through the garbage or if her body swayed in her shoes.

"Oh..."

A sigh escaped her lips involuntarily. Where her steps stopped, a small child lay limply collapsed.

Dull black hair was strewn across the garbage, and red eyes—about to fade away—were listless and dim.

Black hair and red eyes.

The symbol possessed only by the Halos family.

The child was definitely Raphaleon Halos.

"Raphaleon..."

Verasielle covered her mouth.

The moment she faced the child whose life seemed about to be extinguished, she felt something indescribable.

Raphaleon's face and limbs were filthy as if rolled in muddy water, and his gaunt face revealed the bone structure beneath.

His lips were a lifeless purple, cracked and crusted with dried blood.

"...Mommy?"

A small, trembling hand grabbed her skirt. Tightly, like a child who'd found his lost mother.

For a moment, Verasielle's nose stung and her eyes reddened.

"No... I'm not your mother. I'm sorry."

Pity and faint guilt coiled in her chest.

Shame for herself, who hadn't even tried to understand the heart of a child who'd lost his parents and his memories—thinking only of money.

She was feeling pangs of conscience.

"Where is my mommy...?"

"..."

At Raphaleon's question, Verasielle couldn't say anything.

She knew the answer, but she wasn't cruel enough to tell this child left alone that his parents were no longer in this world, nor brazen enough to lie that his parents would come soon.

"Mommy... Daddy... Sob. I-it hurts..."

Transparent tears ran down both of Raphaleon's cheeks.

Verasielle wiped away Raphaleon's tears with her hand, her heart aching with pity.

For such a tiny child to cry searching for parents who were no longer in this world... The poignant feeling made her fingertips tingle.

"Hic... Haa..."

Raphaleon shed tears while breathing irregularly. His face burned hot red like a sweet potato.

Startled, she quickly brought her hand to Raphaleon's forehead.

"You're burning up."

The child's body was hot. Far too hot, as if he'd fallen into a fire.

His eyelids seemed heavy—when his eyes closed, they took a long time to open again. His feverish breathing was faint, as if about to break.

"Can you stand?"

First, she had to get the child to a physician as quickly as possible.

Verasielle slipped her hand behind the lying Raphaleon's back. She tried to lift him with effort, but the child couldn't properly support his body and only collapsed limply to the ground.

"Hic. I-it hurts..."

"It's okay. I'll get you treated right away."

She struggled to sit Raphaleon upright.

He looked too weak to walk—she'd have to carry him out.

"Hic, cold..."

Raphaleon muttered, staring vacantly into space. Like someone half out of their mind.

"Cold? Wait, is there something to cover you with..."

She saw a blanket a short distance away.

But she couldn't cover a sick child with trash covered in food stains and thick dust.

Without hesitation, Verasielle tore the hem of her dress with her hands.

Rip. She carefully wrapped the torn dress fabric around Raphaleon's body.

Fortunately, the fabric was woven in three layers, so it would help maintain body temperature.

Verasielle kicked off her shoes and shoved her feet into mismatched, worn-out boots nearby.

An unpleasant smell wafted up, but it didn't matter. Better than wearing heels, carrying a child, running, and falling.

"It's okay. I'll make you better soon."

She then lifted the child up with both arms.

Though he'd starved until thin, he was still a child—she felt a heavy weight in her arms.

Carrying the child, she walked out of the garbage dump, ignoring her dress that now reached only to her knees.

"..."

Meanwhile, to the child, Verasielle's warm embrace felt just like his mother's arms.

The first touch of kindness he'd received in this place where no one answered his pleas for help.

To the child, this person calling him Raphaleon felt like a ray of hope.

"Mo... mmy..."

Perhaps that's why. Raphaleon raised his tiny hand and tightly grasped Verasielle's arm. He didn't want to let go.

Raphaleon clung to his fading consciousness, taking in the face of Verasielle sweating with difficulty.

As if engraving it into his heart.