Chapter 8: Secrets in the Dark

It had been months since Lady Helena began teaching Luck, and in that time, the orphanage had transformed into something beyond just a shelter—it had become a place of learning and hope. Luck absorbed every bit of knowledge with enthusiasm. Lady Helena taught her more about noble etiquette, geography, and the fundamentals of magic. Although Luck couldn’t cast spells herself, she learned about magical theory and how to recognize different types of magic.

One day, as she sat on a cushioned stool in Lady Helena’s study, Luck finally mustered the courage to ask. “Lady Helena, how do people know if they have mana?”

The noblewoman set down the book she was reading. “It usually reveals itself in childhood. Small things—sparks of flame when angry, or water flowing unnaturally. Sometimes, it’s an affinity that becomes clear through simple tasks. Why do you ask?”

Luck hesitated. “Just curious. I don’t think I can do any of that.”

Lady Helena smiled gently. “Magic isn’t everything, Luck. Your cleverness and determination are just as valuable.” Luck smiled back, comforted by the words. She may not have magic, but she didn’t feel jealous. She never had that kind of envy, not as Luck and not even as Lyra. There was so much to learn and so many ways to improve life at the orphanage, magic or not.

When she got back at the orphanage, Luck shared her newfound knowledge with the kids just like what she promised to them when she started her education under Lady Helena's wing. She gathered them in the orphanage’s small common room and recounted Lady Helena’s lessons. She didn’t expect much, but curiosity burned brightly in their eyes.

“Alright,” Luck announced, clapping her hands to get their attention. “Let’s see if any of you have an affinity for magic. We’ll start with simple things—like making a flower float.”

She placed a dried flower in a bowl of water, just as Lady Helena had shown her. “Try to focus on moving it. Think about the water flowing gently.”

One by one, the children took turns. At first, nothing happened. But when a little girl named Miri concentrated, the flower slowly spun.

Luck’s eyes widened. “You did it!”

Niko tried next, his eyes narrowing as he focused. The flower trembled, then lifted slightly out of the water. The other kids gasped.

Soon, more flowers were moving—some kids managed to create tiny ripples, while others produced little sparks when they clapped their hands. Luck couldn’t help but laugh at their excitement. Almost everyone showed some sort of magical affinity—everyone except her.

But instead of feeling left out, Luck was genuinely happy. Her heart swelled with pride at seeing the kids’ potential. They had a bright future ahead of them.

One evening, Luck and the remaining kids sat around the common room, braiding flowers into bracelets and necklaces. They had started incorporating tiny magical touches—flowers that glowed faintly or petals that changed color. It was beautiful, and the new pieces sold quickly at the market.

The orphanage’s reputation grew even more as the townspeople whispered about the talented, magical children. A few of them even found new homes with kind families who promised to take care of them. Seeing the kids being adopted made Luck feel both proud and a little sad. She would miss them, but knowing they were safe and happy made it worthwhile.

-

However, not everything was perfect. Luck noticed Niko’s behavior gradually changing. The boy who had always been by her side, making bracelets and sharing stories, seemed distant. He no longer joked with her, and more than once, she caught him sneaking out of the orphanage at night.

One evening, after they finished the day’s crafting, Luck finally confronted him. “Niko, are you okay? You’ve been… different lately.”

He shrugged, not meeting her gaze. “Just tired, that’s all.”

Luck frowned. “You’ve been sneaking out. Where are you going?”

His expression hardened, and he turned away. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Before Luck could press him further, Niko slipped out the door and into the night. Confused and worried, Luck decided to follow him. She waited a few minutes to give him a head start, then quietly crept after him, careful to stay hidden in the shadows.

Niko moved swiftly through the narrow streets, his posture tense and wary. He avoided the main roads, sticking to alleys and side paths. Luck had to stifle her breathing as she kept up with him.

Eventually, Niko slipped out of town and headed toward the forest behind the orphanage. Luck hesitated for a moment, then continued. The trees closed in around her as she followed the sound of twigs snapping underfoot.

The moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting eerie patterns on the ground. After a while, she heard voices—Niko’s and someone else’s. Luck crept closer, hiding behind a thick tree trunk.

Peeking out, she saw Niko talking to a man in a dark cloak. The man’s face was partially obscured, but his voice doesn't seem to mean any harm.

"I'm sorry, kid. It seems like we are still going to take quite some time before we fulfill what you asked us to do" the man said and Luck saw Niko bowed down his heead as if he failed to do something

Luck bit her lip to keep from making a noise. Who was this man? And why was Niko meeting with him?

Just as when she about to take a peek again, she noticed that Niko was about to turn around and in order to not get caught she went back to the orphanage and silently hoped that her friend will come back after a short while as well. As she make her way back to the orphanage, she cannot help but wonder on who and why Niko was meeting that stranger. What could have happened.

The next morning, Niko acted as if nothing had happened. He helped with breakfast, chatted with the younger kids, and even worked on more flower necklaces. But Luck couldn’t forget what she had seen.

She decided not to confront him yet. She needed to gather more information before doing anything rash. But as the days went by, Niko continued to sneak out at night, and the distance between them only grew wider.

Luck couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t good. She just hoped she could find a way to reach Niko before it was too late.

-

It's been almost a year since orphangae had already finished its transformation, thanks to the support of Lady Helena and the other nobles. The newly rebuilt orphanage was almost unrecognizable—bright, spacious, and well-maintained. The children now had proper beds, enough food to eat, and even a small library filled with books donated by Lady Helena.

As reputation of the orphanage had spread beyond the town nobles and merchants alike would occasionally visit, either out of curiosity or genuine interest in adopting one of the talented children. Luck had grown used to the bittersweet feeling of seeing her friends leave. At first, it stung to see them go, but she knew they were heading towards better lives.

In the past few months, children were being adopted more frequently. Sometimes it was every week, and at the very least, once a month. Yet, new kids always seemed to arrive just as quickly, abandoned or brought in by the townsfolk who couldn’t care for them. Despite the changes, the orphanage remained a bustling, lively place. Niko on the other hand, reverted back to his usual self however, Luck cannot brush off what she saw months ago and she also can't help but to notice his indifference not only to the matron but also to the nobles especially Lady Helena, who is her benefactor.

-

One sunny afternoon, Matron called the children into the main hall. Luck joined the crowd, her curiosity piqued. At the front of the room stood a noble couple—well-dressed and dignified, with a calm, gentle presence. Matron cleared her throat and addressed the children.

“Everyone, please give your attention to Lord and Lady Winfield. They’ve come to meet the children today and are considering adoption.”

The kids lined up, some whispering excitedly, others holding back their nerves. Luck spotted Niko at the back, his expression unusually tense and his fists clenched. That was odd—usually, he didn’t react this way during adoption visits.

The couple moved slowly down the line, greeting each child with kind words. When they reached the younger ones, their faces softened. One little boy in particular, Leo, caught their attention. He was barely six, with curly blonde hair and wide, innocent eyes. Lady Winfield knelt to speak with him, and the boy giggled shyly in response.

Matron caught Luck’s eye and gave a small nod, as if to say, It’s likely. Luck smiled gently, but when she glanced over at Niko, her expression faltered. His face was twisted in frustration, his jaw clenched tightly. It wasn’t just sadness—he looked angry.

She approached him cautiously. “Niko, what’s wrong?”

He didn’t meet her eyes, his voice a low growl. “They’re gonna take Leo.”

Luck hesitated. “Maybe. It’s good for him, right? They seem nice, and Leo would have a good life with them.”

Niko scoffed. “Nice? You don’t know them, Luck. You don’t know what they really want.”

A chill ran down her spine at his words. “What do you mean? They’re just looking for a child to adopt. Isn’t that a good thing?"

Niko glared at her. “It’s not that simple. You think all these nobles suddenly taking kids from the orphanage is normal? It’s not. I’ve heard things—stuff the Matron doesn’t talk about. They’re not just being generous. Some of them don’t even live around here, so why are they suddenly interested?”

Luck blinked in confusion. “You think they’re… lying about wanting to adopt?”

Niko huffed. “Think about it! Leo’s not the first one they’ve taken. And it’s always the little ones—the ones who can’t really speak up or understand what’s going on.”

Luck didn’t know how to process this. Niko’s suspicions seemed outlandish, but the intensity in his eyes made her pause. “But… Lady Helena supports the orphanage. She wouldn’t let anything bad happen, right?"

Niko’s jaw tightened. “You trust her too much. Just because she’s been good to us doesn’t mean all the nobles are. The Winfields didn’t even ask much about Leo—they just looked at him and decided. Doesn’t that seem weird?”

Luck bit her lip, trying to make sense of it. “But Matron checks their backgrounds, doesn’t she? She wouldn’t just give the kids away without knowing who they are.”

“That’s what she says,” Niko muttered. “But nobles have power. They can lie or bribe their way through things. I don’t trust them.”

Luck opened her mouth to argue but stopped. A part of her wanted to dismiss Niko’s concerns as just paranoia. But another part couldn’t ignore how serious he was. He wasn’t just being stubborn—he was genuinely afraid for Leo.