Chapter 31
II.
The surroundings were in an uproar.
Along with the sound of something breaking, I could hear people talking.
“G-Good heavens, she’s here! The Madam and the child are both safe!”
“Oh, God!”
“Heaven truly must have been watching over them. To think they’re alive and well after being trapped in those flames.”
Only then did I struggle to lift my heavy eyelids.
When I did, I saw the familiar figure of Jared.
“M-Madam! Are you conscious?”
“Good heavens! Madam! Do you recognize me?”
The director, looking utterly disheveled, asked worriedly with her face covered in tears.
But none of that mattered to me.
“The child…”
“She’s safe! Thanks to you, Madam, all the children are safe!”
It seemed the villagers had gathered to help with the rescue, because I could see Marie being held in another man’s arms. Behind her, I could also see the orphanage children being held by the village women.
Thank goodness. They’re all safe…
Only then did the strength suddenly leave my body, and a sigh of relief escaped me.
“M-Madam, are you alright?”
At Jared’s worried question, I forced myself to sit up as though I were fine.
But perhaps because I had inhaled quite a bit of smoke, my head spun and I staggered. Jared hurriedly caught and supported me.
“You shouldn’t be moving yet. We’ve decided to use the village inn as a temporary treatment center, so I’ll take you there first.”
“Thank you.”
At my strained voice, Jared continued solemnly with a distressed expression.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you. If it weren’t for you, Madam, the children wouldn’t all be safe.”
His voice sounded almost reverent, and I smiled awkwardly.
The children of the orphanage seemed to mean even more than family to Jared.
I didn’t know exactly when the orphanage had burned down in the past, but if the fire back then was this same fire, many children had probably died in it.
Perhaps that incident had a profound effect on him.
Just then, Jared suddenly bent one knee and bowed low before me.
“Words of thanks aren’t nearly enough. Madam, you are the benefactor of both the children and me. Although I serve elsewhere, I swear that if you ever face hardship in the future, I will devote myself entirely to helping you.”
“No, you don’t have to go that far…”
“This is the greatest repayment I can offer you.”
To think I would hear such a vow from the assassin who had once targeted me in my previous lives.
Perhaps I could use this moment as an opportunity to learn more through him.
His vow was so solemn that it felt as though refusing it would be wrong, so I slowly nodded.
“Thank you. I’ll gladly accept your vow.”
“Thank you, Madam.”
At the sight of Jared bowing his head deeply as though genuinely delighted, I smiled awkwardly.
“You need to be examined by a physician first, so I’ll help you.”
Just as I rose with Jared supporting me, my gaze happened to fall on someone wrapped in a pitch-black robe.
The person stood behind a tree some distance away, making them difficult to notice unless one was looking carefully.
“Wait.”
Perhaps that person was connected to the fire.
With that thought, I staggered forward.
But by the time I pushed my way through the crowd, the person had already disappeared.
Only snowflakes falling from the sky fluttered through the spot where they had stood.
Who was that? Could they have started the fire?
Or…
Just then, Jared hurried over.
“Madam, what’s wrong? Did you see something?”
“Just in case, I think it’d be best to search the area. The person who started the fire might still be nearby.”
At my calm words, Jared rubbed his chin with a puzzled expression.
“Actually, the fire started because of an old fireplace… but I suppose there’s no harm in investigating. Understood.”
The fire was an accident?
Then that person wasn’t the culprit? So why were they watching from so far away?
The question briefly crossed my mind, but the throbbing headache made it impossible to keep thinking for long.
I had kept the flames from reaching us with my ability, but I couldn’t completely block the smoke.
On top of that, perhaps because I had lost consciousness at the end and my ability had weakened, I had suffered minor burns on my arms and calves.
For now, just as Jared said, I needed to receive treatment first.
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