The children of the orphanage wore tattered clothes. Most of them had visible stitches on their garments.
It wouldn’t be odd for them to whine about wanting at least one new outfit, yet the children did not complain.
There was no sign of discomfort at all. They seemed to think everything was fine even now.
Why am I telling you this?
“Hey, kids, let’s go buy some clothes.”
Today, we went out together to buy clothes.
It seemed difficult to find a good clothing store nearby, so we took Red’s car and drove a bit farther away. Naturally, the kids were excited about the outing.
Upon arriving at a clothing store that looked quite nice from the outside, the children gasped at the sight of the displayed clothes as they entered.
Their eyes sparkled with delight.
Unlike what they had worn until now, the clothes were neat and varied.
“Welcome!”
The Arachne clerk greeted us with a cheerful face.
The children weren’t particularly surprised by the spider-like body and legs.
With innocent faces, they bowed and greeted the clerk.
Red led the children toward the children’s clothing section.
Red started looking at the clothes. Seemingly unsure of what to choose, she slightly furrowed her brows.
She was deep in thought, stroking her chin.
On the other hand, the children were happily chatting, pointing at various clothes.
“This dress is pretty…”
“I think this would suit me, don’t you?”
“No. Not at all.”
“What!?
“If I wear that, maybe I’ll become popular too.”
“Dream on. That won’t happen.”
“Ugh!”
I chuckled and began to look at the clothes.
Thinking about it, it sure had been a long time since I’d been to a store like this.
I hadn’t been to clothing stores often; before coming to the orphanage, I had only worn tattered clothes.
“Little guest, the girls’ clothes are over there.”
While I was looking at the boys’ clothes, the clerk kindly pointed it out.
Well.
At this point, I didn’t particularly care about gender. After all, I had been in this body for over ten years. That phase had long passed.
However, clothes for boys were just more comfortable.
Skirts or dresses felt a bit uncomfortable, leaving the bottom half bare.
Reluctantly, I lumbered over to the girls’ section.
“I think Lily would look good in this.”
“No… this one suits her better…”
“I want this one!”
The girls were having a joyful conversation, and I couldn’t join in.
Sorry. I’m not well-versed in this kind of thing.
“Excuse me, are you looking for something in particular?”
The Arachne clerk approached Red, who had been contemplating.
Red hesitated for a moment before speaking. It seemed she’d decided it would be better to seek the clerk’s help.
“I need to choose clothes for the kids, but I have no idea what would be good. The kids’ clothes are handled by my younger sibling, you see.”
“Oh, is that so~? I’ll help you with that!”
The Arachne clerk clapped her hands with a smile.
She became excited like a fish in water and began picking out clothes suitable for the children.
Perhaps the clerk had a good eye as she recommended clothes that would accentuate the kids’ styles and personalities.
Each time a child changed into a new outfit and emerged from the fitting room, the remaining children gasped with awe.
“Is that really Bada…? They look like a completely different person.”
“So cute!”
“Wow….”
The clothes were like wings that transformed the children completely.
Some had their mouths agape.
Others sparkled with excitement, and some were blushing.
A satisfied smile appeared on Red’s face as well.
As I was enjoying the process, it soon became my turn.
‘…?’
However, the clerk’s fast-moving hands suddenly stopped, and a hint of confusion appeared in her eyes.
She had a look of someone contemplating what to do.
It didn’t take long for me to realize the reason.
“…That’s a nice mask. But would you mind taking it off while we choose the clothes?”
“Oh, that child doesn’t take off her mask due to personal reasons. Is that a problem?”
“…It’s fine. There’s no problem.”
Though she seemed taken aback, the clerk straightened her shoulders with renewed confidence, placing a fist on her chest.
With serious eyes, she scanned my entire body up and down before nodding as though she had made a decision.
After suggesting a few outfits, I took them and began changing in the fitting room.
‘…They say clothes are wings, and it really shows.’
After changing into the new clothes, I felt completely different. Like a crafted jewel, my true beauty shone through.
I couldn’t take my eyes off my reflection in the mirror.
I swallowed hard.
This was dangerous. If I wasn’t careful, the world might collapse.
I made sure to wear my mask again, double-checking before stepping out of the fitting room.
Naturally, the reaction was positive.
The clerk also lifted her head with a proud smile, seemingly satisfied with her discerning eye.
“So cute! Beautiful!”
“Clap, clap…”
If I took off the mask here, I might get even better reactions.
But that wouldn’t do.
For my sake, and for the sake of the world.
Thus, I changed into several outfits, like a doll.
Each time, great reactions exploded out.
“It seems like you’d be able to choose even better clothes if you took off the mask…”
The clerk muttered softly, disappointed.
Sorry, but that wouldn’t do.
But it seemed others felt similarly and started bringing up the mask.
“Can’t you take off the mask just once?”
“I think so too.”
“Are you too ugly to take it off?”
“Any face would be fine…”
The kids had been curious about my face behind the mask for some time.
Usually, their curiosity would fade quickly.
This time felt different.
Perhaps because I had shown a new side of myself, their curiosity surged, and they looked at me with longing eyes.
Just once.
This was truly difficult.
Holding my mask tightly with both hands to prevent it from falling, I shook my head repeatedly.
“Alright, everyone, that’s enough. Lily is getting embarrassed.”
Fortunately, Red stepped in to intervene.
With Red’s intervention, the kids ultimately had no choice but to give up.
They hung their heads sadly.
Seeing the disappointed children, Red spoke.
“Even if it’s not now, one day Lily might take off her mask first. So let’s wait until then, alright?”
“““Yes.”””
Phew.
I was relieved they listened well.
As I pretended to wipe my forehead with my arm, I met Red’s gaze.
Her red eyes held a hint of sadness.
It seemed she secretly wished for me to take off the mask.
Perhaps, as she said, there might come a day when I would take off the mask myself. But at least not now.
I would try to avoid taking it off for as long as I can.
I will let Red’s good intentions spoil me a little more.
*
Late at night.
Under the quiet night sky, a car sped down a street with only dark, unlit buildings.
The driver was a young woman.
Nina was a Solver.
As Isaac’s junior, she was a reliable solver who had worked alongside him for a long time. She was currently headed towards the orphanage run by Isaac.
‘…Why did she say that?’
Red had made the strange suggestion that Nina accompany her to the orphanage for an investigation.
Red’s words implied that Isaac was involved in something suspicious.
If that were the case, it would explain Red’s behavior thus far.
However, Nina trusted Isaac.
What kind of person is Isaac? What kind of Solver is he?
He is someone who mourns the death of his comrades, swayed by emotions. A kind human with rare goodwill in this world who tries to practice justice.
Because of his good nature, he established the orphanage and took in orphans to care for.
‘The representative would never do such a thing.’
Someone Nina respected and admired.
She had stepped into his office, drawn by his personality, and shared both joys and sorrows for a long time.
Throughout that time, she hadn’t sensed anything suspicious from him at all.
There was no way he could be involved in such things.
But.
‘He wouldn’t make such remarks as a joke.’
Red’s words couldn’t be brushed off entirely.
After all, Nina knew Red’s ability and personality well.
Thus, the conclusion was clear.
‘It’s clear she must have heard strange information from somewhere and has misunderstood something.’
The few streetlights on the road eventually vanished, leaving only the car’s headlights illuminating the dark street.
After driving for a while, the car finally arrived at its destination.
A place devoid of any presence.
Nina got out of the car.
She stared at the abandoned building.
‘I never thought I’d come back here…’
The building had been left unattended since the children went missing.
She had never come back here even once.
Nina pulled out her cellphone from her pocket but quickly put it back.
Originally, she was supposed to meet someone here, but she came alone.
It wasn’t to destroy evidence or anything like that. She just wanted to look around by herself.
Nina stepped inside the building.
Due to being left abandoned for so long, the floors and walls were all rotting and covered in mold.
She waved her hand in front of her face to ward off the musty smell.
The moonlight coming through the broken windows was insufficient to brighten up the darkness.
Nina turned on the flashlight she had brought and slowly began to look around inside.
The more she looked around, the more memories she recalled from the time spent here.
The past seemed to overlap with the present.
But the scenes of memories quickly scattered, leaving nothing in their wake.
‘Sigh, why did such a thing happen…’
The children who lived here were all ones with bright futures ahead of them.
How could a disaster strike these kids?
Nina felt a heaviness in her chest.
It was truly a heartbreaking matter.
Nina moved forward.
No matter how many rooms she checked or rummaged through things and furniture, she found nothing suspicious.
‘There’s nothing weird to be found.’
There was nothing troubling as she had feared, and just as she was thinking of leaving, her gaze turned.
It stopped at the fireplace in the room.
Nina’s eyes narrowed.
There were traces of a person near the fireplace.
This was a completely abandoned building that had long been devoid of any presence. Why was that?
Nina cautiously approached the fireplace. Frowning at the musty smell, she touched the floor lightly, and as she pushed inward, that particular brick moved in.
With a noise, the fireplace shifted, and dust fell in heaps.
Nina hurriedly stepped back, and when she looked again, a passage leading inward had appeared where the fireplace used to be.
It seemed the passage extended far.
“What is this…?”
Her eyes widened in shock.
Her mind was in chaos.
She had no idea such a mechanism existed.
Why would there be such a mechanism in the orphanage?
Nina swallowed hard.
An unsettling feeling began to creep into her heart.
She held her head in her hands and let out a long sigh. When she lowered her hands again, she had regained some measure of composure.
Nina steeled her resolve and stepped into the passage.
In a corner of her heart, she hoped her misgivings would be proven wrong.
