Isabella had overheard part of their earlier conversation by pure coincidence. After calming herself down, she went back to the hall hoping to see Nina one last time, only to find that Mama had already left with her. The hall was empty, and just as she was about to return to her room in disappointment, she saw someone open the ornate main door.
At first, she thought it was Mama returning, but when the door swung open, she realized it wasn't. The figure looked familiar. Liza?
Before Isabella could process it, something even stranger happened. Liza was holding Nina's doll, and Mama's key. Had Mama asked her to bring them? No, that didn't make sense. Mama only had one key to the front door, and she always carried it herself. Why would she give it to someone else before going out?
Then Eren and Yako entered the hall. After noticing the doll placed conspicuously on the table, they seemed to fall perfectly into the situation Liza had arranged. Moments later, the two of them hurried out, chasing after Mama and Nina.
Isabella didn't understand Liza's intentions, but she couldn't believe all of that had been staged just to let them say goodbye. So when Liza eventually slipped out as well, Isabella followed. She needed to warn Eren. For some reason, she was irrationally afraid that Mama would scold him for breaking the rules and leaving without permission, even though it wasn't his fault.
Isabella had always trusted the children who grew up with her like family. Even now, she didn't believe Liza had bad intentions. Maybe it was a misguided prank. Maybe she meant well. Or maybe…
Lost in these tangled thoughts, Isabella unknowingly arrived outside the mysterious building Mama had strictly forbidden them from approaching. Fear immediately seized her. If Mama found her here, she would definitely be punished. She turned to leave, but then she heard a sharp, unnatural sound, like something heavy cracking against stone.
Was Eren in danger? Her body moved before her mind could catch up.
By the time she regained her senses, she was already standing before the massive doorway. What she saw froze her in place. Eren stood there holding a strange long sword dripping with dark blood. Before him lay a monstrous figure so enormous it could barely be called human.
Not far away, Yako gripped a similar weapon. Mama lay unconscious on the ground, and Nina rested quietly in Yako's arms.
In that moment, Isabella envied Nina. She envied her ability to sleep so peacefully in a scene that resembled the hell described in storybooks. If only she, too, could lose consciousness right now, wake up having forgotten everything, still the innocent child who trusted the orphanage and everyone in it. How wonderful that would be.
Her voice trembled despite herself.
"What… are you doing?"
Isabella tried her best to steady her racing emotions, but the tremor in her voice was impossible to hide.
Arthur and Saeko exchanged a brief glance, both caught off guard by this sudden turn.
"Isabella."
Arthur stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Do you still trust me?"
Her eyes flickered between the blood dripping from the blade in his hand and his face. In her mind, she could almost hear him humming beneath bright skies and rustling trees over the past few days. Those simple melodies had always felt honest, warm in a way she couldn't explain.
"I trust you."
As if forcing herself to overcome the fear rising in her chest, Isabella lifted her chin and looked straight into his eyes. "I trust you!"
Her voice carried conviction now. Eren couldn't be a bad person. She trusted her instincts.
Arthur's expression softened. "Good." Moonlight brushed across his features, casting faint shadows over his calm smile. "Then leave the rest to me. I need you to do something."
He motioned for Saeko to come closer, gently taking Nina from her arms before placing the girl into Isabella's embrace. At the same time, he slipped a small object from inside his coat into Isabella's palm.
"There are more monsters like that," he said quietly. "But they won't go near the orphanage."
He held her shoulders, speaking with deliberate seriousness. The urgency was clear, but so was the opportunity hidden within it.
"We'll draw the others away. Your job is to take Nina somewhere safe."
He paused, his tone sharpening. "But listen carefully. Don't let anyone see her."
"Don't use the same path we took. Circle through the woods."
"And you'll have to calm her down. Don't explain too much, she's too young to understand anyway."
He hesitated for a second before finishing. "In short… everyone's future depends on you."
For some reason, Isabella understood that "everyone" didn't just mean the four of them standing there. It meant all the children back home. The entire orphanage.
He was still young, almost boyish—but in that moment, his expression carried a weight that felt older than his years. The books she'd read once said that if someone's presence could quiet your fear, that was the person you could trust with your life.
Right now, she felt calm.
"I understand."
Before turning away, she took one last long look at him. "You… be careful."
Then she ran, not daring to look back as she disappeared into the forest.
Arthur watched her go, a complicated mix of relief and guilt settling in his chest.
"Will we tell her eventually?" Saeko asked softly. There was hesitation in her voice. Revealing the full truth would shatter everything Isabella believed in. It would leave scars that never fully healed.
"For her, knowing now or later won't change much," Arthur replied with a quiet sigh.
Unlike Isabella, they weren't truly children. They carried adult minds and memories, hardened by experience. Their tolerance for harsh realities was far greater.
But Isabella was just an eleven-year-old girl. She had never seen the world beyond those walls. And now, by sheer coincidence, she'd been forced to glimpse something far too heavy for her age.
After witnessing what she had tonight, there was no way she wouldn't start questioning things. She was smart. The more she thought about it, the more past inconsistencies would resurface. Doubts she'd ignored would begin to connect.
The truth doesn't stay buried forever, especially not from someone curious and perceptive.
And with Nina's safety now resting in her hands, there was no turning back.
Whether she wanted it or not, Isabella had already stepped onto their side.
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Hey there, I know these past few days haven't had regular updates, but let's just say exam season has arrived and I haven't had as much time to bring chapters to you. I'll try to get back to a regular schedule starting today.
By the way, I've got some news, I just opened a Patreon where you'll be able to read advanced chapters of the book. (Yes, I've joined the Sith… the dark side of the Force.)
Over there, I'll also post polls about the future of the story, where all members will be able to help decide changes... even free members. So feel free to join even if you're not subscribing, it'll be worth it, especially because chapters will be posted there faster.
Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening wherever you are. See ya!
Patreon link: patreon.com/ShadowNamelesz