Chapter 52: Book

At the moment when Eve was still grimacing, unable to shake off the lingering taste of mint chocolate, Harp’s gaze naturally shifted toward Liel.

Liel’s bright smile looked so natural, as if she had always belonged there.

It was so seamless that it felt strange instead.

‘Hmm.’

Harp quietly stood up and approached Liel.

“Liel, let’s talk for a moment.”

Liel looked at Harp with a puzzled expression before nodding.

“Hmm? Sure! What’s up?”

Harp led Liel to a secluded corner near the kitchen, far enough that Eve and Sua’s voices could only be faintly heard.

“Liel.”

Harp looked directly at her and asked bluntly.

“Where exactly did you come from?”

At that, Liel blinked and smiled innocently.

“I told you earlier. I was just walking around and happened to find the orphanage.”

“That’s all?”

Harp’s voice dropped to a colder tone.

“You really came here for no reason at all?”

Liel hesitated for a moment before shrugging.

“It’s true! I’m an orphan, I didn’t get lost or anything. I just thought this place looked nice, so I came!”

Harp fell silent, mulling over her words.

Her tone, her expression—everything seemed completely natural.

And yet, there was an inexplicable sense of unease beneath it all.

“You… it feels like you’re hiding something.”

When Harp spoke quietly, Liel appeared momentarily flustered but soon regained her smile.

“Harp, you’re overthinking this. I really don’t have any hidden motives. I just want to stay here and get along with everyone!”

At those words, Harp narrowed her eyes, studying her closely.

‘Is there really nothing more to it? Or… is she pretending not to know?’

Just then, Sua’s voice rang out.

“Hey, what are you two up to? Let me join in!”

Sua approached them with a bright smile.

“Sua, we’re in the middle of a conversation. Don’t interrupt.”

“Aww, but I want to listen too!”

Sua tried to force her way in, but Harp firmly blocked her.

“No.”

With a pouty face, Sua backed off, and Harp turned her gaze back to Liel.

“I won’t ask too many questions. But one thing is clear—if you want to stay here, I won’t tolerate you deceiving our teacher or the other children.”

Liel seemed surprised for a moment, then smiled.

“Got it. Harp, you’re really cool! I appreciate how seriously you’re thinking about this.”

Her response was unexpected.

Harp looked at her with a slightly puzzled expression but didn’t say anything further.

“Alright, since you seem to understand, let’s end this conversation here. Got it?”

“Yep! I completely understand!”

Harp wasn’t sure whether to trust her smile or remain suspicious, but she walked away, deep in thought.

‘Something’s really strange.’

With her mind still tangled, she returned to the living room.

“Hehe, Teacher is such a baby. You can’t even eat mint chocolate.”

Back in the living room, Sua was teasing Eve.

“Ugh… Forcing me to eat this toothpaste-flavored bread is practically torture… If it were Bera ice cream, maybe…”

“Bera?”

“Liel, what’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Eve kept drinking water as if trying to wash away the lingering taste of mint chocolate.

Watching her, Sua burst into laughter.

“Come on, Teacher! Why do you hate mint chocolate so much? That refreshing taste is amazing!”

“I hate things that are ‘refreshing.’ Why should bread even have a refreshing taste?!”

Seeing Eve’s scrunched-up face, Harp let out a small chuckle to herself.

‘Teacher is really… making such a fuss over mint chocolate like a little kid.’

But Harp’s gaze soon returned to Liel.

She was still smiling brightly, watching Sua’s playful antics.

On the surface, she seemed like just an ordinary, cheerful child.

However, recalling their earlier conversation, Harp couldn’t completely shake off her suspicions.

‘Is she really just an innocent kid? Or… is she deliberately hiding something?’

Unconsciously, Harp clenched her fist.

If Liel had any intention of causing harm here, she had to stop her no matter what.

At that moment, Liel turned her head toward Harp.

“…Harp, why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?”

Her bright voice made Harp relax her stiff expression for a moment.

“No. I was just watching you guys goof around.”

Liel tilted her head slightly before breaking into another smile.

“I see! You should smile more too, Harp. If you always look so gloomy, it’ll be hard to get along with everyone.”

Sua immediately chimed in.

“Yeah, Harp! You’re way too serious all the time. Lighten up and smile a little, okay?”

Harp barely paid attention to their words and turned away.

“I’m fine like this. You guys keep laughing and messing around.”

Sua pouted at Harp’s response.

“Hmph! You’re no fun.”

But she quickly turned back to Liel, starting another round of playful teasing.

Harp watched them quietly until she heard Eve calling her name.

“Harp, you finished the dishes earlier, right? Good work. Take a break.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

Harp sat down quietly at Eve’s words.

But her mind remained tangled with thoughts about Liel.

‘Hmm…’

Maybe she really was just a bright and energetic child.

But her strangely natural behavior and smile.

Something about them felt slightly off.

Harp resolved to uncover what that uneasiness meant.

For Eve’s sake.

“I’ll be watching.”

Harp’s quiet murmur was drowned out by the laughter of the other children.

A quiet afternoon at the orphanage.

Normally, the place would be filled with Sua’s constant chatter.

But now, an unfamiliar silence lingered in the air.

‘Sua being quiet… That’s suspicious.’

Eve had gone outside a while ago to organize the storage shed.

Harp had offered to help, but Eve had waved her off with a confident smile, insisting she could handle it alone.

With nothing else to do, Harp took it upon herself to watch over the children in Eve’s place.

Yet, with the orphanage this silent…

It felt… unsettling.

“Sua? Liel?”

No response.

Something was definitely off.

At that moment.

A faint presence stirred somewhere in the quiet orphanage.

Harp silently activated a detection spell.

‘The bathhouse? …What are they doing in there?’

The presences inside were undoubtedly Sua and Liel.
Were they planning to take a bath at this hour?

No, that didn’t make sense.

Both of them enjoyed playing in the water, but they weren’t the type to sneak off for a bath when Eve wasn’t around.

Harp quietly stepped toward the bathhouse.

“…So, with Teacher, like this…”

“Oh, no way.”

Just as she reached the door, she caught the sound of hushed voices inside.

Straining her ears, she could make out Sua and Liel’s conversation.

“Ugh, this is too shady. Do you really think this is possible?”

“That’s what I’m saying! Look, Teacher’s body is soft, so she seems really flexible. If you read this part…”

The moment Harp realized they were reading something, she threw the door open.

“What are you two doing in here?”

Startled by her sudden entrance, Sua and Liel whipped their heads around.

They were sitting on the floor, holding a thick, old-looking book.

Sua’s face was flushed red, and even Liel looked flustered.

“H-Harp?! W-What’s with you, barging in like that?!”

“What are you two doing here? You’re not even taking a bath, so why are you in the bathhouse?”

Sua flinched and mumbled an excuse.

“Uh… Well, we were just reading this book for fun!”

“Hm?”

Harp glanced at the book in Sua’s hands.

Its cover was old and worn, marked with strange symbols.

“Where did you get that book?”

“Well… It was just lying around in the storage room, so I took it.”

Sua hugged the book tightly as she spoke.

Harp frowned and pointed at it.

“Let me see it.”

“Ugh, there’s no need! It’s just some old storybook.”

“Give it to me. Now.”

Realizing she had no choice, Sua reluctantly handed the book over.

Harp examined the faded cover.

The title, though barely legible, read The Day the Lilies Bloomed.

“…You were just reading this for fun?”

“Really… just for fun?”

Harp’s gaze sharpened.

“This is a novel, isn’t it? If it’s nothing special, why were you sneaking around to read it?”

“And if it’s nothing, why is your face so red?”

“T-That’s…!”

Liel turned her head away, unable to respond.

Taking advantage of the moment, Sua quickly laughed and chimed in.

“I just showed it to Liel since she said she was interested in studying! Right, Liel?”

“Y-Yeah! It’s just an old storybook! Really, it’s nothing!”

Harp didn’t believe them, but she decided not to press the issue further for now.

“Fine. But I’m taking this book with me. No more sneaking around like this.”

She held the book firmly and shot them both a warning look.

Sua pouted in frustration, while Liel silently nodded.

‘This book… Something about it feels off. I can’t just leave it here.’

As Harp left the bathhouse, she glanced back at Liel one last time.

For a brief moment, Liel’s eyes met Harp’s before shifting back down to the floor.

‘Liel… What are you hiding?’

Frowning, Harp opened the book.