Chapter 106: Fleeting Lives, Enduring Shadows

The orphanage was divided into two distinct sections: an outer court, directly connected to the church, and an inner court, which lay deeper within, closer to the main orphanage building.

As Lamia and Wade walked, they conversed about a myriad of topics, from their favorite colors and foods to preferred clothing styles. They shared much with each other.

Before long, their stroll brought them to the orphanage’s inner court.

The inner court was noticeably quieter than the outer, seemingly a sanctuary for those who sought peace, sunlight, and gentle breezes. Wade and Lamia had wandered into it unknowingly, only realizing their location when they spotted a fence and an old man diligently trimming flowers beside it.

“Greetings, sir and madam. This area beyond is the inner court of the orphanage,” the old man began, his gaze then settling on Wade. “And you, Sir Knight, is there something I can help you with?”

The elder, having noticed their approach, immediately recognized Lamia’s knightly uniform, clearly worn for a meeting. He offered a courteous, simple bow, a kind, gentle smile spreading across his wrinkled face.

“Ah… no, nothing at all. My wife and I were merely taking a stroll and inadvertently found ourselves here.”

Wade shook his head, then glanced at Lamia. He had instinctively looked at his ‘wife’ beside him, assuming she would offer a greeting and then politely suggest they leave.

However, Lamia’s attention was not on them, but rather fixed on something beyond the fence.

Her gaze was captivated not by an exquisite landscape or a handsome individual, but simply by a child.

More accurately, an infant.

The tiny creature was crawling on the ground, cushioned by soft mats laid out by the other children.

Although most residents here were toddlers—the slightly older children would typically be working for the orphanage or earning money outside—the orphanage did not compel them to labor. Wade, after having left, understood this well.

Perhaps it was because they had never experienced constant, meticulous care from a young age that they all developed a fierce independence and maturity. Living in such a large, communal family also instilled in them the habit of looking after one another.

Thus, even children who appeared to be only seven or eight years old would diligently lay out mats for the infant when a caregiver brought it out to bask in the sun.

Lamia watched, lost in thought, as the tiny life struggled to wave its arms and propel itself forward. Merely crawling over a small pillow elicited cheers from the surrounding ‘older brothers and sisters’.

‘Is this what life is like?’

Lamia had no childhood; she was born to become a Demon Lord.

She rarely witnessed the growth of young demons, as the fragile, slow-growing ones could not survive, nor would they ever appear within her circle.

‘How exactly is life born, and how does it grow?’

Though she had taken a young Kaze under her wing, essentially ‘adopting’ him, even a demon who appeared young was already decades old. They were nowhere near the innocent age of human children.

Nevertheless, she had indeed witnessed a part of Kaze’s growth—from clinging to her leg and begging, “Please don’t abandon me,” to his current declaration, “I’ll burn anyone who dares treat you poorly.”

‘That’s certainly a form of normal, I suppose.’

‘Yes, it must be.’

‘Still, human infants are truly peculiar.’

‘They are born and spend such a long time learning even to crawl. And during this crawling, they are protected by soft mats… truly precious creatures.’

‘Yet, even with such protection, their lifespan is still only a few decades…’

‘Ultimately, it’s but a fleeting moment…’

Lost in these thoughts, Lamia instinctively glanced at Wade, who was already looking at her. He had been watching her all along, so their eyes naturally met when she turned.

His eyes, as he had once promised, were filled with his purple hue, blending with his original blue. It felt as though she could truly stand beneath the clear blue sky.

‘But how much longer will these eyes be able to see me?’

‘Ten years? Twenty years? Thirty years? Forty years?’

‘Eventually, the eyes of an aging human will grow cloudy, and the sky will dim, as if veiled by a white mist. No matter how hard he squints, he might not be able to discern his wife’s face.’

‘So, when he’s old and even seeing becomes a struggle, in those final, lingering moments, will he remember what I look like?’

‘Human growth is steady and slow, but aging seems to accelerate, like a switch has been flipped. Before he knows it, his golden hair will turn white.’

[From such an infant to an adult like Wade, it only takes a little over twenty years…]

[Truly fleeting.]

“…”

The voice flowed into Wade’s ears, causing him to freeze. The hand holding his identification trembled slightly.

While Lamia was observing the child, the old gatekeeper had mentioned that if his madam wished to enter and take a look, she could register with identification.

It was common for couples to visit the children here, some missing their own, others hoping to adopt for various reasons. Thus, it was not a forbidden area, but merely required everyone to register.

“Wade Nairt… my, you’ve grown so much! More than ten years have passed in a flash.”

Upon seeing the identification Wade presented, the old man exclaimed. He wrote Wade’s name in the register and then returned the document to him.

“You recognize me?”

“Of course! Back then, Pope Osias was still in charge. He said you were a malleable talent, destined for greatness, and instructed us caregivers to guide you well, to ensure you wouldn’t stray. Seeing you now in a senior Knight Order uniform, I presume you’ve indeed achieved much.”

‘…achieved much, indeed.’

Wade accepted his identification, tucking it into his shirt’s inner pocket. He looked at the old man before him, seemingly trying to place him among his memories.

‘Could it be—’

“My, you still remember me! You truly are a good child.”

Hearing Wade accurately recall his name, the old man’s small, squinting eyes brightened. He happily patted Wade’s shoulder, as if still treating him like a young boy.

Only now, that boy had grown taller, larger, towering over the shrunken old man by more than a head.

“It was your excellent guidance. Thanks to all of you, I was able to walk the right path.”

This was the truth. Wade inwardly thanked the teachers and caregivers he had met at the orphanage for his achievements today. They were all gentle, kind people who taught him knowledge, practical skills, and correct values and perceptions.

“After more than ten years, you’ve grown quite handsome, and you have such a beautiful wife… Well, you and your madam must have things to do. Please, go on in. I, this old man, will continue tending to the flowers and plants here.”

It seemed the old man noticed Lamia’s gaze on Wade, and he wisely concluded their brief exchange before turning to leave.

Wade bid the old man farewell and walked over to Lamia.

Lamia lifted her head, looking at Wade as he approached.

She looked at the youngest child here, then at the youthful Wade, then at the hunched old man, and finally, cast her gaze down at her own unchanging, eternal shadow.

‘What was she thinking?’

‘Probably nothing at all, for she no longer knew where to begin, or from what angle, to even start thinking.’

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