The alley was littered with trash, and the rain made everything damp and foul-smelling. Filthy insects and rats scurried between the heaps. And there, in the middle of the garbage, lay a small child.

Blonde hair that had lost its luster from the rain, and hollow eyes that looked as if they might flicker out at any moment. And then, my eyes met those empty ones.

...Who are you...?

A hoarse voice echoed weakly in my ears through the sound of the rain. One would expect a child to be terrified when a strange man is looking down at them, but she showed no such sign. Rather, she looked composed. As if nothing mattered anymore.

She was clearly a child who had nothing to do with me. If I left her alone, she would surely die in this alley by herself. And yet, I couldn't do it.

Before I knew it, I had already brought the child back to the castle. I took her to a spare room. I didn't know what to do. Though I had lived for hundreds of years, I had never once taken care of someone.

The child huddled in the corner of the bed without moving. I knew I should say something, but I didn't know what. After all, I had brought her here suddenly on a whim. Then, finally, the child's small mouth opened.

...Hey, what's... your name...?