If Gabriel took her with him, I'd be able to visit her in prison and question her at my leisure. He had mentioned planning to arrest the abbess as well. Incidentally, both women were headmistresses. _As the saying goes, the higher the position, the greater the temptations._
"Well, that's all."
When I returned, Gabriel appeared to have already listened to Daisy's account.
"Sir Gabriel said he would take care of the children," Kanna informed me quietly.
"We decided to send them to the temple shelter," Gabriel explained. "It would be difficult for you two to take on such responsibility."
Indeed. Daisy and Troy were still too young to care for so many children on their own.
"Take the children to the carriage."
At Gabriel's command, the knights immediately set to work.
Suddenly, the children rushed toward me and bowed low—so low their foreheads nearly touched the ground.
"Thank you... thank you..." one of them stammered, the bravest of the group, speaking on behalf of everyone. He must have bitten his tongue in his nervousness, because he lisped slightly.
"...Yes," I managed, feeling strangely uncomfortable accepting their gratitude. I'd felt something similar when Rafaella had thanked me...
When the novel's characters behaved like this—with genuine emotion, with tears in their eyes—they seemed like real, living people. Having survived this serious test of gratitude, the children followed the knights toward the carriage.
Troy decided to accompany them, wanting to keep an eye on the little ones during the journey. Daisy, however, lingered behind. She seemed to want to discuss something with me.
_Wait—Troy borrowed the money!_ I hoped he hadn't spent it yet. Noticing my sudden anxiety, Gabriel mistook my concern and hastened to reassure me:
"...I grew up in an orphanage myself. So you needn't worry about anything happening to the children."
_What?_ Gabriel had suddenly started talking about his past.
"And even if they live in a shelter, that doesn't mean their future is predetermined," he continued, praising the temple shelter as if he were its director. "Yes, I know there are strict rules, but at least there's no corruption. Children can choose their own path and receive proper support. Unlike other shelters—"
"Yes, you're right," I cut in. "I'm reassured if you say so."
Gabriel finally ceased his advertising campaign. He now resembled less a romance novel hero and more an overzealous sales manager.
_It's time for us to go too._
Jelly's friend and Jelly himself had already boarded our carriage. Pudding followed close behind.
As I was about to climb in, the two children who had separated from the group earlier came running back. Lanan and Yulma, I believed...
They'd already said goodbye. What else did they need?
"Can we go with you?"
"Lanan! What are you doing?" Daisy was clearly unaware of their plans.
"Yulma and I agreed that if we managed to escape, we'd start working," Lanan explained earnestly.
"I know it's impudent..." Yulma added, eyes downcast. "But Sister Kanna said we could try..."
Kanna avoided my gaze. _When had she managed to befriend them?_ It seemed our heroine, so enamored with the villain, had decided to spread rumors of my miraculous transformation.
_Well, no matter._ I would have given them money anyway—but all they were asking for was honest work. What admirable young people.
"I can provide you with employment on my estate."
"Thank you!"
Their faces lit up as if they'd won the lottery. Of course, finding work was an enormous victory for them. But Daisy looked worried. She was probably afraid they'd make countless mistakes at their first job.
"My lady, but..."
"If you're that worried, you can return to the estate with them. You have nowhere else to go, correct?"
"...Yes."
If she was so reluctant to leave the children alone, she could simply accompany us. Besides, Jelly lived on the estate! Troy would live separately, and Daisy would be close to Jelly... _Perhaps they'd finally grow closer?_
"I want to come too!" Mary shouted suddenly.
"Mary!" Daisy was genuinely angry this time. "Lanan and Yulma are grown. But you're still too young."
"I apologize. I'll take her back immediately."
"She won't be able to work," I said, "but if she simply lives with me... I don't mind."
I already had more than enough money. One extra mouth to feed wouldn't burden my budget.
"...Thank you." Daisy squeezed Mary's hand tightly and bowed. The little girl was so small, so fragile. Because of the headmistress, a child was forced to care for another child... _How sad._
Meanwhile, Gabriel appeared to have concluded all his business. The temple carriage stood ready to depart, awaiting him. But hadn't he said he'd come to see me on business?
"By the way—you said you wanted to discuss something with me?"
"Yes, but..." He glanced toward the departing carriage. "I couldn't leave the children unattended."
Of course. Sending ten children off alone would have been unwise. It was fortunate the knights' commander had gone with them.
Then... it was time to say goodbye.
Gabriel extended his hand toward me. _He wanted to kiss my hand again?_ That gesture always made me feel awkward.
_Next time I'll wear gloves..._ I hadn't known we'd meet today, so my hands were bare. But Gabriel would pretend to kiss the glove anyway, so it should be fine.
I offered him my hand.
Gabriel leaned down and... kissed it.
A soft touch.
_Wait—soft?_
"My visit today wasn't quite... official," he said, straightening. "So I'll come see you tomorrow. On an official visit."
I... I couldn't speak. I was so shocked the words died in my throat. _He... did he just... kiss my hand properly? On bare skin? And he's acting so calm about it?_
_Oh, right. He's a character from a romance novel._
Gabriel, leaving me completely stunned, departed with the others. One knight remained in his place.
He had melon-colored hair. Very fantasy-like. Why had he stayed behind?
"I'm so glad to see you again! Do you remember me?"
I'd seen him somewhere... _Exactly!_ The knight I'd saved with holy water!
"That very one...?"
"Yes! You saved me, my lady! My name is Michel. I didn't have the chance to thank you properly then... but today I heard the commander was coming to see you, and I decided to accompany him." His eyes shone with earnest admiration. "And I heard you saved the children... You're so kind!"
"Michel, stop chatting. Let's go," Gabriel called from the carriage.
The melon-haired knight bowed and hurried off.
_It seemed my virtue points had risen again._
"My lady, is it time for us to go as well?" Kanna asked.
Perhaps it was.
I expected us to be cramped in the carriage, but it was surprisingly roomy inside. _Where had Jelly's friend and the children gone?_ Hena was missing too. I'd definitely seen them climb in.
"Miss Jelly sent them to the estate," Kanna explained.
I jumped in surprise. _Right! Jelly can teleport!_ How had I forgotten about his abilities and treated him like nothing more than a bloodhound?
"You should go too," I told Kanna. "I need to speak with Daisy."
"I shouldn't hear this?"
I hesitated, then shook my head.
"Then I'll stay."
Pudding looked at me with pleading eyes, and I gathered him into my arms.
Jelly said he would go ahead, gave the coachman the address of the Rohanson estate, and vanished.
The carriage lurched into motion.
It had seemed to me that Kanna and Daisy had grown somewhat closer... but now a deathly silence filled the carriage.
Usually, Kanna—like a true heroine—found it easy to connect with people. But now... _something felt wrong._ Was I the only one unsettled by this silence?
_Time to start a conversation._ Especially since I needed to ask her something.
The children had been found. We could ease into the topic gently. Although... asking her about this now, when she was so shaken... _wasn't that too cruel?_
_Whatever. Here goes._
"Daisy."
"...Yes."
"Regarding the fee for the wish fulfillment..."
Daisy swallowed audibly. She was wound tight as a bowstring.
"Just answer my question honestly."
I wasn't asking her to do anything terrible. Just answer a simple question. _How hard could it be?_
"What did you tell Gabriel about me?"
Daisy inhaled sharply. She looked like she wanted to flee, but there was no escape from a speeding carriage. I waited patiently.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of hesitation, she spoke.
"I... I told Sir Gabriel... that you... are not my mistress."
"What?"
What did that mean? That I was no longer her employer because she'd quit?
"You... you're not Evangeline Rohanson." Her voice dropped to barely a whisper. "I told him about it."
_Wait... wait!_
She'd seen through me? But *when*? And *how*?! My memory loss cover story had been flawless!
Wasn't the rule that no one should know I was a soul from another world—just like no one discovers the sorceress's identity in those TV dramas? Was anyone supposed to guess that in stories about soul possession?
Sure, sometimes protagonists confessed at the story's end... or it became some kind of emotional barrier to overcome... But I hadn't even *started* building a relationship with Gabriel yet! And if he hadn't been protecting me, I would have been executed already!
_And she told him about it?_
But... he didn't know what "soul possession" was. He'd probably assumed I was possessed by a demon or a ghost.
_Or had he?_
He hadn't shown any sign of it when we met...
Then... perhaps this was exactly what he wanted to discuss with me? A chill ran down my spine.
_How... how am I supposed to face him tomorrow?_
**_"I hope tomorrow never comes..."_**
I cursed myself for having so frivolously agreed to his visit.
_Had she told Hena about this too?_
Now Hena's depression made sense. Of course she felt betrayed and confused—the person she'd faithfully served had turned out to be someone else entirely.
And now Kanna knew as well. _I won't even mention Pudding._ If I'd known this was how things would unfold, I would have sent Kanna away with the children!
_This won't do._ I needed to prepare for Gabriel before he arrived ready to exorcise demons from my body. I needed to build up an immunity—and fast.
"Kanna." I turned to face her directly. "What do you think? Do you feel betrayed?"