「We have officially withdrawn the adoption of Annette.

—Gerard von Axelferion」

‘I did it!’

I covered my mouth with joy.

At the moment when I was sweetly enjoying the joy of victory, I noticed the words that were written with a lot of pressure.

‘Ah, he must have clenched his teeth in anger.’

When I remembered Gerard’s trembling face, I felt somewhat refreshed.

‘Fufu. Fool.’

Madam Mimosa, who gave me the card, said to me,

“The Prince’s aide is coming to see you tomorrow afternoon. He says there’s an issue to settle.”

‘He’s trying to get the cigarette case.’

Before that, I should make sure.

I asked Madam Mimosa.

“Is it impossible to cancel the withdrawal of adoption?”

“That’s right, Annette.”

Madam Mimosa showed me the thick rule book (it’s a book of Forest regulations, she opened up the exact part accurately.)

[If the adoptee withdraws his/her intention to adopt, re-adoption is not possible. (However, except for re-adoption requests from the Tree’s side.)

This is to respect the human rights of Trees.]

‘It’s a rule made out of worry that the children would be hurt because of the nobles who do this and that without careful consideration.’

It worked very well for me.

Because Gerard would never be able to ask to adopt me again.

Madam Mimosa asked with an expression of strong curiosity.

“How the hell did you convince the Prince, Annette? He is by no means a man who would be persuaded.”

“..Well.”

It wasn’t persuasion.

Was it a mix of 80% transaction, 15% intimidation, and gambling in the remaining 5%?

I replied with a smile.

“I just slowly told him what I thought. I have to go now, Madam!”

I said goodbye to the madam, who looked full of interest, and left the room.

My steps were very light.

***

“Sister is suspicious.”

Heinrich said seriously with his arms crossed.

Now, the boys were alone in the incinerator.

It was Heinrich who secretly enticed Sislin, saying he had something to say. It was unusual. He usually doesn’t make such a proposal. Because they treat each other like shit.

So, Sislin knew that something serious had happened.

“Annette is suspicious. What do you mean?”

Sislin’s expression sharpened when Annette’s name appeared.

“Didn’t Sister say anything to you?”

“Tell me so I can understand.”

“Sister asked me something strange.”

Heinrich gently stroked his chin.

“She asked me what I would do if she was adopted? Asking something like that.. It was her first time. Besides, wasn’t she a bit suspicious at dinner earlier?”

It was very suspicious.

Heinrich explained as if he had seen a very frightening sight.

“Whenever a cream bun comes out, Sister eats it within 30 seconds. You know, right?”

“..Yes.”

“But she didn’t eat, she was lost in thought!!”

Sislin nodded with a grave expression.

Obviously, that was a huge change.

Annette’s lack of care for the cream bread might mean something serious had happened.

“It sure is strange.”

“It’s clear that Sister has a problem. But I think she’s trying to solve it quietly by herself. That’s why I’m making magic tools, to find out details and help out.”

Heinrich’s purple eyes lit up furtively.

“....”

Sislin looked at him expressionlessly.

Magic.

The ‘Basic Science of Magic Tools’ in the curriculum that 11-year-olds listened to was literally just basic science.

“Magic tools are very expensive because they are difficult to make, even with the financial resources of the Magic Tower.”

‘If he’s the one who’s making it, it will be crude.’

It wouldn’t be helpful.

Unless one was a tremendous genius, there was no way one would be able to make something useful just by listening to the basics of magic tools.

And to find out if this silver head in front of him was a genius—

“Ah, this genius brain.”

“....”

Heinrich, who was pretending to show off by putting his hand on his forehead, met Sislin’s cold eyes for a moment.

“Why, why are you looking at me with that expression, you bastard?! Don’t look at me like that!”

Sislin shook his head silently in front of the deaf cat.

Then he said bluntly.

“I think you should keep an eye on Annette for a while.”

“..That, will be a yes.”

The two decided to become a team.

These two boys subtly despise each other, but formed a ‘temporary alliance’ for Annette.

It was the first moment when the poorly constructed Ojakgyo Bridge designed by Annette worked erratically.

“Yes. Do well.”

“All right! Mind your own business, you bastard.”

The fire at the incinerator burned brightly.

***

“Huh? Why are my ears itchy?”

Some people must be talking about me. Stop it, stop it..!

I rubbed my ears.

Kung kung!

It was then. There was a very faint knock on the window.

“....?”

But I was the only one in this warehouse?

I looked out the window, puzzled, and was startled.

‘What is that bloody cute creature?’

There was a little bundle of fur.

A baby squirrel with a red bow tie, a rich tail, and sparkling black eyes.

Its front teeth were protruding cutely.

The squirrel again knocked on the window with its front paws (which were held together politely like begging hands).

Kung, kung!

“..Oh, did it knock with its little forefoot?”

‘Aww, it’s so cute I’m dying!!!’

I ran quickly and swung the window open.

Then the squirrel jumped up and pulled out a card the size of its body from under the window.

‘Is it a carrier animal?’

As I accepted the card, the gentlemanly squirrel bowed and greeted me politely with a nice pose.

“Thank you, my cute little friend.”

The card had an emblem of a crossed magic gun, a skull, and a rose.

Where could it be from?

A family that used a cute squirrel instead of a carrier bird.

‘I’ve learned about this emblem in class.’

Magic guns, in particular, were used by wild and cruel intelligence agents in the underworld, so few nobles used them.

There was only one family in the country that used this shotgun.

“The Marquisate of Winston!”

Sure enough, his signature was written in a luxurious cursive font under the emblem of the family.

Bizet Winston

‘I think a lot of good things are going to happen today.’

I received confirmation that I had escaped from that damn prince and the Imperial Palace, and if that wasn’t enough, I also got an invitation from my innocent supporter.

As I was excitedly opening the card, I flinched.

‘Maybe not.’

Come to think of it, he might have belatedly thought it was too much of an invitation, so he might be writing to me to cancel it.

‘Maybe it was a word of apology.’

The truth is, I still haven’t been able to find out why my sponsor supported me.

I was from an orphanage in my previous life, and no one wanted to adopt me.

An orphan girl with nothing special.

No adult had ever been so kind to me.

The orphanage I was at in my previous life was not as good as the ‘Forest’, and I was always hungry because the director was a villain who stole the state subsidies.

The only time I enjoyed myself was at the baking class held at the orphanage once a week.

The smell of that fragrant bread.

The smell of bread meant that I did not have to starve today.

It was the smell of abundance and warmth.

So, when I left the place at the age of 18, I had a precious dream of becoming a ‘bakery owner’.

That was my lifelong dream.

I really wanted to achieve it at least once.

It always warmed my heart to imagine opening a small bakery and distributing a lot of delicious bread to hungry people.

What did I say as I walked out from the orphanage gate?

“This is the beginning. My life.”

The moment I said that, I was hit by a drunk driving motorcycle and died instantly.

‘It was really a life without much to see.’

My shoulders drooped a little.

‘Strangely, I don’t have the courage.’

Suddenly, I was afraid to open the card.

“Even if he cancels..”

Even if the sponsor canceled the sponsorship and invitation, there was nothing I could do about it.

Such blind and sweet kindness was highly likely to burst like a bubble one day.

That was something I had already learned in my previous life.

“Huu.”

I increased my deep breathing.

Then I took out an acorn stored in the warehouse and gave it to the helpful baby squirrel.

Nyam, nom, nom—

The carrier bird (?) from Winston eagerly ate the acorn, holding it with its cute front paws.

In the meantime, I put a pile of soft straw on top of a box in the warehouse, and after sitting down cozily, I opened the card.

‘Let’s never be disappointed with anything.’

I swore and read it.

「Dear Miss Annette.

I’m finally ready to invite Annette to the marquistate.

At 11am in two days, will you come to my house?

I have prepared a lot of food that Annette will like.

I hope it’s not insufficient, but I don’t know what more to do.

Every day, I made an invitation plan while thinking about what my baby would like.

Oh, by the way, Kyle is looking forward to it too.

He asked me to keep this a secret, but after the banquet where he met Annette, every day, he has been so excited that he can’t sleep.

I have to agree with him.

I’ll see you on that day.

—With affection, your sponsor.」

It was as warm as a very friendly hug.

Contrary to my expectations..

Anxiety and worry melted away like snow, and I rubbed the back of my hand against my strangely tearful eyes.