Chapter 392: Cursed Veyra adjusted her cloak and released a long, tired breath. ’Two weeks.’ It had already been two whole weeks since the attack on the Academy ended, and somehow, life had refused to calm down even for a moment. Azel had been dragged back and forth for meetings in the Capital.... council discussions, incident reports, and all sorts of political nonsense that made her want to rip someone’s paperwork to shreds. But at least now, after everything, he was home. Rochel City was far behind them. Now they lived in a quiet, distant area called Lepreun Town, a place so peaceful it felt almost unreal after the nightmare they had survived. ’I wonder if the Academy will ever return,’ she thought, though she doubted it. The building could be rebuilt, the barrier replaced, but the soul of that place... its people had been scattered by tragedy. And anyway, the only thing she genuinely missed there was the food. The stall meals had been shockingly good, and she never quite admitted how fond she’d become of them. As for her education, Edna had taught her everything she needed. The Academy had simply been... scenery. The small Silverhain in her arms purred softly, the delicate fluffy creature nuzzling into her palm. Veyra looked down and smiled at her adorable familiar. In the end, Azel had gifted it to her. "Good girl," she whispered, scratching between her ears. The Silverhain furry... Taffi arched her back, her fur fluffing up happily. "All right, Taffi," Veyra said while lifting her gently. "We’re going in." She stood before the modest wooden gates of Lepreun Orphanage, the very place Aria had left her son. Azel had discovered Aria’s diary, and with it, everything she had never spoken aloud. That one discovery had led them here. Veyra stepped into the front yard. The sound of children laughing and running filled the air, and she felt a slight warmth at the sight. It was peaceful and innocent. A small boy sprinting with a toy sky ferry crashed into her leg and toppled over. "So-sorry..." he murmured, rubbing his head as he stayed on the ground. Veyra crouched immediately, pulling a small wrapped candy from her pocket. "Here. No need to apologize." "Thank you, Missus!" His eyes lit up as he took it, followed by an enthusiastic bite into the wrapper. "Are ya lookin’ for someone?" "Yes," Veyra replied with a gentle smile. "I would like to meet the owner of this orphanage. I’m here to adopt someone." The boy nearly dropped his candy in excitement. He dusted off his shirt, pocketed his toy ferry, and confidently took her hand. "Please follow me." He guided her across the large yard. Children ran everywhere... chasing each other, playing with toys, reading books, feeding small garden animals. Their laughter traveled like wind chimes. Every one of them seemed healthy, well-fed, and happy. ’In novels, orphanages are usually cruel, rotten places,’ Veyra mused. ’But this one... this one feels like a home.’ That warmth followed her until they neared a large tree at the back of the yard. On its thick branch sat a boy. He had black hair, pale skin, sharper eyes than a ten-year-old should have. His legs dangled as he read a book, entirely detached from the lively chaos around him. Aria’s son. The resemblance was undeniable. He wasn’t chubby like the others either. Rather, he was lean, quiet, and strangely composed... as if he’d hardened far too early in life. The little guide tugged her sleeve. "Are ya... interested in him, ma’am?" "Yes," she answered honestly. "Then please... don’t bother." The boy shook his head, his accent growing softer but sadder. "He’s got bad luck. Real bad. Folks’ve adopted him lots’a times... but they always come back sayin’ he’s cursed. Brings misfortune ta everyone ’round him." He kicked at the dirt. "I don’t wanna be adopted, but... I can’t imagine how lonely he must feel." Veyra listened quietly as they reached the stairs of the main building. There, the boy released her hand and stepped back. "Our madam’s inside. She’ll help ya. Thank ya kindly for the candy, Missus!" He sprinted off with the sky ferry raised high, making zooming noises. ’Bad luck, huh?’ she thought. Considering Aria’s curse... her connection to the Devil, this was tame. Mild, even. A little misfortune wouldn’t scare her. She opened the door and froze a bit. Instead of an office with desks and papers, she found a cozy living room filled with pillows, blankets, and children’s drawings pinned to the walls. It smelled faintly of soup and fresh laundry. "Oh, hello... you’re a new face." Veyra turned to find a middle-aged woman approaching her. She had soft, rounded features, a warm smile, and tired eyes but the kind that said she cared deeply for every child here. Something gentle radiated from her aura, something that made Veyra instinctively relax. "Good morning," Veyra said, adjusting Taffi and stroking her fur. "I would like to adopt a child. My husband and I have discussed it." And yes, she had gotten Azel’s permission, albeit with a lot of questioning on his part. "How wonderful." The woman beamed and motioned for the stairs. "Please, follow me to my office." As they walked, the caretaker spoke softly, with pride but also a hint of sorrow. "I’m glad these children can find warmth in a family. Many were abandoned at birth. Some lived with parents who simply couldn’t take care of them. No matter how much love we give, what they choose to do with their future... that’s up to them." She opened the door to a proper office this time... it was tidy, with stacks of letters and drawings, and a window overlooking the yard. "But still," she continued gently while sitting behind her desk, "a child flourishes best when showered with love by both a man and a woman. So, tell me... which child caught your eye?" "I want the boy under the big tree," Veyra answered without hesitation. "The one with black hair." The woman’s face drained of color. "I... I’m not sure you want him." "Why?" Veyra asked, though she already knew the gist. "As I’m sure Randy told you, he likes guiding everyone." she said slowly, "the boy is... different. Every family that adopted him suffered terrible misfortune until they returned him. Illness, accidents, sudden financial ruin... He brings misfortune wherever he goes." "Me and my husband don’t care about that," Veyra replied warmly. Then, with a calm voice, she added, "I met his mother." The woman’s eyes widened in trembling recognition. "And I promised," Veyra whispered, "that I would take care of him. Please... allow me to keep that promise." There was silence then a long, resigned exhale. "I will... need your husband’s signature, ma’am." ... Not long after, Veyra stood outside again with Taffi in her arms and with a new child by her side. Rene. Aria’s son. He was even more solemn up close, looking like a miniature brooding teenager stuck in a ten-year-old’s body. His arms were folded and his eyes were down, walking a step behind her like a prisoner being escorted. ’This place is a bit close to one of the neighboring Empires.’ She thought. ’The accent that boy uses is what most of the people around here use as well, except that lady of course.’ "I still don’t know why ya adopted me," he muttered, glancing up at the darkening sky. "Do ya... wanna lose all yer money? Or... ya want yer family to die?" Veyra blinked. "Excuse me?" "I’m bad luck," Rene repeated while staring at the clouds as if expecting lightning to strike him on command. "That’s why I stay away from everyone. Folks try to be nice at first but... my mother abandoned m—" "Shh." Veyra cut him off softly and placed her hand on his head. He tensed at first, unused to gentle touch. "You’re not bad luck, dear," she whispered. "You’re simply misunderstood." The sky grumbled. The bright afternoon dimmed. A cold wind swept over the town as thick raindrops began to fall. Rene sighed miserably. "See...? I tol’ ya. I’m ba—" "Look," Veyra interrupted. She pointed toward the yard. Rene turned reluctantly and froze. The children he’d watched from afar were no longer scattered. They were running, laughing, spinning with their arms wide as the rain soaked their clothes. Some stomped in puddles, others twirled, and a group had formed a circle, dancing in the mud. Their joy was so bright it made the rain look like sunlight. A tiny smile tugged at Rene’s lips before he quickly hid it. Veyra laughed softly and extended a hand toward him with an open palm. "Let’s play too," she said gently. "Shall we?" He trembled but took her hand. "Y... yes."