IFHWPML - Chapter 3
"Is this the place?"
Werazel muttered as he looked down the dark alley.
Trying to recall fragments of the novel's plot, he speculated that the elusive Laphelion, whom Duke Haillos was searching for, would be somewhere in this slum trash heap.
Laphelion Haillos.
He was the hidden son of Eorun Haillos, the former Duke of Haillos known as the most powerful figure in the Empire, and the male protagonist of the novel.
Eorun Haillos, the protagonist's father, had not taken a wife for a long time after inheriting his title, because he had a beloved woman and a child.
Six years ago, Eorun, who had taken a solitary rest in a secluded villa, fell in love with a simple country girl who became pregnant with his child.
'And then what happened... Ah, he faced strong opposition.'
The Duke made efforts to bring the woman as his wife, but he faced fierce opposition from his father due to the lowly status of the woman.
Eventually, several months ago, after his father passed away and the funeral was held, Eorun was able to bring his beloved woman and child to the Duke's residence.
However, Eorun, who had left to bring his beloved wife and child, never returned to the Duke's residence again.
Unfortunately, he and his wife died in a carriage accident, leaving Laphelion alone in the world.
Due to the traumatic event, Laphelion suffered a severe shock to his head and lost his memory. He wandered until he was found by someone from the Duke's household and safely returned home.
"That's the background story of the protagonist so far... Now, what was the plot?"
Lost in her thoughts, she recalled the rough outline of the plot.
The main plot of the novel revolves around the relationship between the Duke of Heillos and the Marquis couple, who are old friends.
At their request, the Duke's daughter, Ainsia Heron, comes to stay with the Duke's family temporarily, and she becomes involved with the male lead.
The male lead suffers from severe pain every day due to lost memories, and Ainsia, who has mysterious healing abilities, helps him whenever he is in pain.
Through this process, the two become friends and eventually develop a romantic relationship.
They overcome various crises together and grow up as adults.
In short, it is a "heartwarming coming-of-age story" for children.
At this time, the Duke of Heillos is searching for his nephew, Laphelion, at great expense and effort.
"It was a garbage dump. That's for sure."
In the novel, it was written that Laphelion, who lost his memories, lived in a garbage dump for a while.
No one would have thought that someone would be living in a garbage dump, so he wasn't discovered early.
"I can't miss this great opportunity."
The reward money was a whopping 100 million shillings, enough to pay off all debts and still have 20 million shillings left, an enormous amount of money.
Werazel's face, trying to suppress laughter that kept bubbling up, was covered in greediness.
With anticipation in her heart, she entered a dark alley even in broad daylight.
As she walked through the alley, small pieces of trash crackled under her feet.
Normally, Werazel would have thrown a fit if her shoes smelled of garbage, but she didn't care.
"What does it matter if there's trash? There's 100 million shillings right in front of me."
She thought arrogantly as she passed through the dark alley and entered the garbage dump.
But Werazel's footsteps suddenly came to a stop.
"Did someone really live here?"
She was shocked by the unexpected sight.
It was hard to believe that anyone could survive in such a place...
The scene before her was gruesome.
The garbage dump was filled with all sorts of trash, haphazardly scattered.
From broken furniture to scraps of paper and rotting food.
The ground was covered in trash, with no place to set foot without stepping on garbage.
"Ugh!"
Werazel quickly covered her nose against the foul smell wafting towards her.
The smell was so strong, with a pungent acidity that could instantly numb her nose. The stench was dizzying, almost suffocating.
She looked around, trying to find the source of the smell while holding her breath.
Her face turned red as if it would burst from holding her breath for too long.
Her gaze fixed on a hill in the distance.
"It's just garbage...."
From a distance, the hill looked like a mound, but as she got closer, she realized it was a pile of garbage piled up like a mountain.
Flies buzzed around it, and hungry dogs and cats dug through the garbage, searching for something to eat.
Rustle. Rustle.
Then, suddenly, as she was frozen in shock, she heard a rustling sound near her ear. It sounded like an animal searching for food, but she briefly suspected it could be a rat.
Werazel cautiously moved her body.
"Laphel?"
However, there was nothing but garbage around her, and she couldn't see any human form.
Werazel cursed herself for being jumpy, and turned her body around. She wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.
The strong, acidic smell that could paralyze one's nose in an instant wafted on the wind. She felt nauseous. If she stayed here any longer, she might really throw up.
This place was an environment where no human could possibly survive.
No living creature could endure this place for even a month... no, not even a week.
'I'd rather not be here at all.'
It was a relief that the child was not here in this dirty, miserable, slum-like place.
"Mo.....m"
But at the small sound that reached her belatedly, she had no choice but to stop again.
"Is there someone here? Perhaps Laphel?"
Her desperate eyes scanned the surroundings, but all she could see was garbage.
De-gu-ru-ru.
In an instant, a piece of garbage popped out from a distant corner.
"Da...d."
Another faint voice reached her ears.
Werazel quickly moved her legs.
Her dress was being pulled by the garbage or her shoes were stumbling, but she didn't care. She just kept moving forward.
"Hu..."
A sigh escaped her lips involuntarily. There was a small child lying weakly among the trash.
The child had messy black hair spread over the garbage, and their red eyes were dull and lifeless, as if they could fade away at any moment.
Black hair and red eyes.
Symbols unique to the Heillos family.
The child was unmistakably a Laphelion Heillos.
"Laphelion..."
Werazel covered her mouth with her hand.
At the moment she locked eyes with the child who seemed like they could lose their life at any moment, an indescribable feeling washed over her.
Laphel's face and limbs were covered in dirt as if rolled in mud, and the gaunt features of their face revealed the outlines of their bones.
Their lips were a lifeless purple color, cracked and dried from lack of moisture.
"Mom?"
A trembling little hand grabbed onto the edge of her cloak, as if the child had finally found their lost mother.
In an instant, Werazel's nose twitched and her eyes turned red with tears.
"No... I'm not your mom. I'm sorry."
Guilt mixed with regret surged in her chest.
She felt ashamed of herself for only thinking about money, without considering the feelings of a child who had lost both parents and memories.
She felt a pang of conscience.
"Where is my mom...?"
"..."
Werazel couldn't bring herself to say anything in response to Laphel's question.
She knew the answer, but she couldn't bear to tell the child who was now alone in the world that their parents were no longer here, nor could she bring herself to lie and say that their parents would come back soon.
"Mom... Dad... sniff, oh, it hurts..."
Transparent tears rolled down Laphel's cheeks.
Werazel gently wiped away Laphel's tears with her hand, feeling a deep sadness and sorrow for the small child who was searching for parents who were no longer there.
'To cry like this while searching for parents who are no longer here... It's heartbreaking...'
Werazel's fingertips trembled with emotion.
"Sob... Haa..."
Laphel shed tears and breathed irregularly. His face was as red as a sweet potato, burning hot.
Surprised, she quickly brought her hand to Lapel's forehead.
"It's a fever."
The child's body was hot, as if immersed in burning lava.
Laphel's eyelids felt heavy, and it took a while for her eyes to open again after closing them. Her labored breathing was faint, as if about to stop.
"Can you get up?"
First, she had to take the child to a doctor as soon as possible.
We're Werazel put her hand behind Laphel's back as she lay down.
She tried to help her up with force, but the child couldn't control her body properly and just fell to the ground without strength.
"Ugh. Ah, my...."
"It's okay. I'll get you treated quickly."
She slowly helped Laphel's upper body up.
Lapel seemed to have no strength to walk, so it seemed like she would have to carry her out.
"I'm cold...."
Laphel stared blankly at the empty air and muttered like a half-conscious person.
"Cold? Wait a moment, where can I find something to cover you...."
She saw a piece of cloth not far away.
But she couldn't cover the ailing child with the cloth covered in food stains and dust from the accumulated garbage around.
Without hesitation, Werazel tore the hem of her dress with her bare hands.
With a ripping sound, she carefully wrapped the torn fabric around Laphel's body.
Fortunately, the fabric was woven in three layers, which would help maintain body temperature.
Werazel threw off her worn-out shoes and squeezed her feet into a pair of mismatched and worn-out boots nearby.
Despite the unpleasant smell, it didn't matter. It was better than running with a child in her arms and tripping over.
"It's okay. I'll make you feel better soon."
She immediately lifted the child in her arms with both hands.
Though his belly was empty, the weight of the child felt solid in her arms.
Ignoring the dress that reached up to her knees as she held the child, Werazel walked out of the trash heap.
".........."
Meanwhile, the warmth of Werazel's embrace felt like a mother's embrace to the child.
It was the first time the child had received such a touch in this place where no one would respond to his requests for help.
The person who called herself Laphel felt like a ray of hope to the child.
"Mom, please...."
Was that why? Laphel grabbed Werazel's arm tightly with his small, delicate hand. He didn't want to let go.
Laphel tried to capture Werazel's sweat-drenched face in his eyes, as his fading consciousness struggled to hold on.
As if engraving it in his heart.