Dirty Heart - Chapter 35

As soon as day broke, a large-scale search operation began centered around Saint Agatha Orphanage.

“So far, this is the only clue we’ve found.”

What the captain of the guard held out to Lionel was a single shoe believed to belong to Courtney. Judging by its worn and tattered state, it was clearly the one she had been wearing.

Staring silently at the lone shoe left behind, Lionel gave an order in a low voice, “Search this area a bit more thoroughly.”

“Yes, understood!”

After the captain withdrew, Alex approached Lionel and asked cautiously, “Young Duke, how is your condition? You seem much better than yesterday.”

Thanks to the emergency medicine brought from the carriage, Lionel had regained some of his strength. The wound had quickly stopped bleeding, and it had also been disinfected.

If anything, that was fortunate. Still, a vague sense of unease lingered in a corner of Alex’s heart.

‘No matter how I think about it, isn’t he too calm?’

If the woman he loved had disappeared overnight, it would be normal to search for her like a madman, yet Lionel’s attitude was unnaturally composed. As if everything were already part of an intended sequence.

“Young Duke.”

“What?”

Unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, Alex finally spoke, “Did Miss Courtney really run away on her own? She came all the way here because of that orphan boy, and now she runs off? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Simultaneous questions poured out of his mouth like a torrent of water.

“And there’s something even stranger. You were attacked and bleeding like that, and she left you alone?”

At least, the Courtney Alex had seen until now would never do something like that. Whenever the Young Duke showed even the slightest sign of pain, she would fuss and worry as if it were her own problem.

“Could it be… that it wasn’t an attack, but that the two of you had a serious fight? And the stab wound on your neck… could it be Miss Courtney…?”

“….”

“So my guess was right. You should’ve treated Miss Courtney better. Watching the way you treated her, I knew something like this would happen sooner or later.”

At the rather sharp remark, Lionel’s brow lifted faintly. “Alex. You talk too much. Just do your job quietly.”

At Lionel’s irritated retort, Alex immediately shut his mouth. It seemed he had completely forgotten how he had been rambling alone about chess the night before.

‘You’re the one who talks more.’

Muttering inwardly as he looked up at the sky, something unusual suddenly caught his eye.

“Huh? There’s smoke.”

Tilting his head, Alex pointed toward the black smoke rising in the distance.

“Saint Agatha Orphanage is on fire!”

Soon after, one of the patrol members urgently reported the fire.

***

Rattle, rattle.

A violent impact shook her entire body. The moment her fading consciousness began to return, her mind snapped awake.

“….”

A faint beam of light seeped into her vision, but with the sack covering her face, she couldn’t see anything at all. A musty stench mixed with the smell of dirt filled her nose, making even breathing difficult.

Because her limbs were tightly bound with thick rope, it was difficult for her to move at all. Then, once again, she felt a jolting impact. She still couldn’t see anything, but judging from the situation, it seemed she was being loaded onto a cart and dragged somewhere.

“…Hic. Where on earth are you taking me?”

Unable to overcome the overwhelming despair, she finally broke down in tears. She had struggled so desperately to escape from Lionel, yet was she really going to die like this in the end? Everything felt hopeless.

“Sister Courtney….”

At that moment, a small hand fumbled around and grasped Courtney’s hand. Startled by the warmth of the touch, she turned her head.

“Li… am…?”

“Yeah, sister. It’s me, Liam. Don’t cry. It’ll be okay.”

Even though it was obvious he was trembling in fear himself, that small hand tried to comfort her more bravely than ever.

“Someone will come to save us soon.”

“…Liam.”

At the boy’s calm composure, tears welled up in her eyes again. Guilt surged like a tidal wave, and her heart collapsed helplessly. Just moments ago, she had been thinking only about running away and abandoning Liam, and now she felt disgusted with herself.

“Liam… you must’ve been scared all alone…?”

When she asked in a trembling voice, Liam deliberately answered in a cheerful tone.

“Sister, I’m really okay. More importantly, are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yeah… I’m okay too.”

In truth, she wasn’t okay at all. The fear was still there, but she tightened her grip on Liam’s hand to hide it.

But something felt strange. Unlike her own hands that were tightly bound, Liam’s hand was free.

“I barely managed to cut the rope. Sister, just hold on a little. I’ll untie you quickly.”

Moving closer to Courtney, Liam began scraping at the rope diligently with a sharp stone. His fingers were scraped raw by the rough stone, blood dripping from each knuckle, but Liam didn’t seem to feel the pain at all as he kept moving the stone desperately without a moment’s rest.

Scrape, scrape.

Thanks to Liam’s relentless effort, the rope gradually began to fray. She could clearly feel the tight bindings around her wrists loosening little by little.

“Liam… aren’t you tired?”

“It’s done!”

At last, the rope tightly wrapped around her wrists snapped completely. Liam quickly removed the rope around Courtney’s ankles and the sack covering her face as well.

Finally freed, Courtney pulled Liam into a tight embrace.

“Liam, thank you. Thank you so much. Wait, your hand? Is your hand okay?”

“Ah.”

Liam calmly removed the bandage wrapped around his finger. There were faint scars left behind, but his finger was completely intact.

“How did this happen? I clearly received your fi-finger in a package.”

“Later, sister. We don’t have time for this right now.”

Reassuring her like an adult, Liam grabbed Courtney’s hand tightly and whispered urgently.

“Sister. As soon as the cart stops, run right away. I’ll draw their attention. Got it?”

“What are you saying? I’m never leaving you behind, Liam.”

Shaking her head firmly, she held Liam’s hand tightly.

“Liam, we’re escaping together. I’m never leaving you behind alone.”

“Sister….”

This small child, too, was trembling in fear just as much as Courtney. Only after hearing her say they would escape together did tears well up in Liam’s eyes, and soon he nodded firmly.

***

Carrying oil cans in both hands, Marco walked down the corridor with a grim determination.

Starting with the main building where the director’s office was located, he had already set fire to all the other buildings. Now, the only place left was the dormitory where the children were sleeping.

“Purification… a new beginning….”

Repeating the director’s words over and over, he finally tilted the oil can in his hand.

Just as the one true god of the Empire had punished depraved humans, Saint Agatha Orphanage also had to be purified.

“….”

For a brief moment, hesitation crossed his face before the final task. The sight of the children sleeping peacefully, unaware of the horrific fate about to befall them, lingered in his eyes.

“You will become my most precious son there, Marco.”

But what soon came to mind was the director’s benevolent face. She had called him her “most precious son” and even offered to take him to a new land together.

“You should have listened to the director more. This is all your fault. Lazy, neglecting your work, and living in such indulgence. All of you must be purified.”

In the end, having steeled his resolve, Marco scattered oil throughout the dormitory and walked outside.

Clank. The sound of metal striking echoed through the silent corridor. To make sure the children wouldn’t escape if they woke up, he completely sealed the entrance.

“Brother Marco? What are you doing there?”

At that moment, a child who had woken up slowly walked toward the entrance, still half-asleep.

“There’s a strange smell, brother.”

“It’s nothing. Go back to sleep,” Marco answered in a trembling voice as he struck a match.

Fsssh.

A small flame flickered, signaling the beginning of purification.