IFAHWIPUTML Chapter 7

That night.

Verasielle tucked the blanket over Raphel's small form in the bed. Meticulously, leaving no gaps for cold air to sneak through.

"Sleep well, Raphel. I'll see you in the morning. If anything hurts or feels uncomfortable, just pull this cord, okay?"

Her hand gently smoothed through Raphel's soft hair before falling away.

"N-no!"

Raphel lunged for her retreating hand.

His expression looked ready to burst into tears at any moment, deeply anxious.

"Raphel?"

Concern flooded through her as Verasielle leaned in closer.

Transparent tears were already pooling in Raphel's eyes.

"Are you okay? Does something hurt?"

"Don't go..."

Small hands squirmed, gripping her fingers tightly as if terrified of letting go.

Those tear-filled eyes were clearly asking for something.

And Verasielle knew exactly what—the empty space beside Raphel on that wide bed.

"Should I sleep with you?"

Verasielle smiled softly and wiped away the tears gathering in Raphel's eyes.

She'd only tried to give him space in case he preferred sleeping alone. Apparently not.

Well, of course. A child who'd spent so many nights alone in that garbage dump would naturally be afraid of being by himself... She should have thought of that.

"Yeah!"

Raphel's gloomy expression vanished immediately, replaced by a bright smile. Then he quickly scooted over to make room, just in case Verasielle changed her mind.

That desperate eagerness made Verasielle's chest tighten.

I was really going to make this child sleep alone? She regretted her judgment as she quickly lay down beside Raphel.

"Hehe."

The moment Verasielle settled next to him, Raphel giggled happily and rolled over to face her.

No more terrifying nights spent alone in that desolate, cold garbage dump without a trace of human warmth.

No more nights spent trembling in fear until dawn broke, eyes wet with tears.

No more nights spent crying out for Mom and Dad, squeezing his eyes shut and covering his ears with his hands, terrified that the endless darkness would swallow him whole or that some monster would come for him.

From now on, he could sleep in a soft bed under warm blankets, with someone whose warmth he could feel beside him. The thought made Raphel smile with pure happiness.

"I'll stay right here. So you can sleep without worry, Raphel."

Verasielle patted the boy who'd turned to face her.

"Mmm..."

Relief washed over Raphel—he wasn't alone, there were two of them now. His eyelids grew heavier with drowsiness, and he rubbed at them with small fingers.

"Stay... wit me. Don't... go..."

The mumbling from his moving lips gradually faded. Soon, the sound of steady breathing flowed from the sleeping Raphel.

His chest rose and fell rhythmically, like a tiny bird breathing.

"Sweet dreams, Raphel."

Deep night settled over them.

Even long after Raphel had fallen asleep, Verasielle continued patting him gently.

Hoping this child would have peaceful dreams without nightmares.

She realized it had been ages since she'd felt another person's warmth while sleeping.

Maybe that's why her chest felt... full. Like something that had been hollow inside was finally filling up. It made her feel oddly emotional.

Verasielle decided to postpone her plan to seek out the Duke immediately after finding Raphel.

Raphel hadn't fully recovered yet. Once he regained his health, then.

So until then, just a little longer.

"..."

"..."

The quiet breathing of two people settled softly through the room.

"So I'm planning to keep him until Raphel recovers, then take him to the Halos estate."

Verasielle explained the whole situation to her parents sitting across from her.

She'd come down with Raphel as soon as her father summoned them that morning, and now she was explaining everything to her parents.

She'd tried to leave Raphel with the butler for a moment, but the boy had clung to her side, apparently uncomfortable with strangers, so she'd had no choice but to sit on the sofa together.

"This child..."

Baroness Rosalie looked at Raphel sitting before them with trembling eyes.

Yesterday he'd been covered in dust so she hadn't seen clearly, but now that he was cleaned up, that jet-black hair was unmistakable.

Especially those eyes. Those red eyes, trembling with anxiety.

The perfect symbol of the Halos family.

"I see."

The Baron and Baroness said nothing more. They simply pitied Raphael.

The story of former Duke Ion Halos dying tragically in a carriage accident was a famous incident throughout the Empire.

Famous enough to make front-page news.

According to the articles, the woman riding with the former Duke had also died instantly at the scene.

Which meant this small child had lost both parents in a single moment.

"Veraseel..."

Raphel's small hands fidgeted as he gripped Verasielle's sleeve tightly.

The gazes of the Baron and Baroness watching him seemed both unfamiliar and frightening.

"It's okay, Raphel. They're my parents."

She gently stroked Raphel's wary head as she spoke.

"Parents...?"

"Yes. My mom and dad. They would never hurt you. So you can relax."

"Veraseel's mom and dad?"

At the mention of mom and dad, Raphel's eyes widened as he glanced at the Baron and Baroness.

"It's all right, dear child."

When Raphel finally met her eyes, Rosalie gave him a warm smile.

That smile looked remarkably similar to Verasielle's, who sat right beside her.

"There's two Veraseels!"

Raphel seemed fascinated, looking back and forth between Verasielle and the Baroness. Even on second glance, the two women shared the same atmosphere and face.

"We look alike, right? Because she's my mother."

Verasielle laughed softly at Raphel's adorable wonder.

Even she could see how much she and the Baroness resembled each other.

She seemed to have inherited her mother's features entirely. The only thing she shared with her father was hair color.

"Don't I—don't I look like Verasielle at all?"

Feeling left out when only his wife was mentioned, the Baron leaned forward eagerly and showed his face to Raphel.

Raphel looked between the Baron and Verasielle, then shook his head vigorously.

"No! That's not Veraseel!"

"Hohoho. Verasielle does take after me more than you."

Rosalie's lips curved with amusement at Raphel's reaction.

The Baron, firmly rejected, stood up with a dejected expression.

"Let's have breakfast."

Unable to hide his hurt feelings, the Baron walked ahead.

At his attitude, Rosalie and Verasielle exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

"You still haven't found him? Does that make any sense to you?"

The voice filling the dark basement was low and deep.

The men kneeling before the voice's owner held their breath, only exchanging furtive glances with each other.

Their eyes said: Someone step up and make an excuse, please.

"Not answering?"

"W-well, we searched everywhere nearby, but we couldn't find even a single hair..."

"Are you messing with me? Finding him is YOUR job!"

Thud.

"Ugh!"

Finally losing patience, the master kicked the man in the stomach. The man curled up, body contracting from the throbbing pain.

The others watching from the side bowed their heads even lower in shock.

If they didn't, those fierce, brutal kicks would turn toward them next.

"F-forgive us!"

"Then bring me a corpse."

Truly cruel words, spoken without a hint of concern. The employer's face remained hidden behind a mask.

But the visible mouth was shadowed like a demon's—vile and sinister beyond measure.

"If you can't find him, then prove to me that he's dead!"

The sharp, irritated voice echoed through the basement.

"Y-yes! Just give us a little more time and we'll definitely find him!"

The eyes looking down at the trembling guild members prostrate on the floor held deep contempt.

He walked past them, tapping each man with the toe of his boot.

Still, his anger wasn't satisfied. These pathetic fools.

"One month. Not a day longer."

The merciless tone carried old, deep-rooted rage. Rage so old that one couldn't dare guess its origins.

"Thank you."

Leaving the guild members behind, the employer walked up from the basement.

Creeak—with the sound of the iron door, sunlight flooded in, making the small sapphire embedded in the employer's mask glitter.

The sapphire's blue light briefly colored the basement before vanishing like a mirage.