NOVEL NEXT After Resignation, I Refuse the Obsession from the Male Leads
Chapter 21
When I got to the management office, the staff were staring at me with stiff, frozen expressions.
As I picked up the voice device installed there, a trembling voice could be heard. – Layla… “Uh, Director…May?” Honestly, it was a voice I wasn’t happy to hear. ‘If I’m in the dormitory, I don’t have to do any of the chores at the orphanage.’ I hesitated, afraid that she might ask for money. …But the director’s voice sounds strange. It sounded like she was scared… – H, Henry. He went out to play… For some reason, I didn’t want to hear what would come next. I thought that if I didn’t hear scary things… I thought I could act as if it was something that never happened in the first place. But I ended up listening to the director’s voice until the end. – Layla, the youngest has… disappeared. …At this point, I’m really curious. Why do bad things always happen on the days when I want to wrap up my day on a good note by leaving early? Just like when Mom and Dad passed away. * * * It may be a cliché, but all the children gathered at the orphanage are in a situation where they have been abandoned by someone. Because their families couldn’t raise them due to circumstances. Sometimes because they didn’t want to raise them. These are children who are lucky if they even have a note with their name on it. I, ‘Layla Lowell,’ was one of those children too. Luckily, the name ‘Layla’ was left on a note. On the other hand, the youngest, Henry, was a baby abandoned on a rainy day without even a note. ‘That’s why I was the one who cherished him the most.’ It was I who gave the baby the same name as Emperor Arfelt. Although his start in life may have been harder than others, I wanted him to know that he, too, was important. …The memory of the day I gave him that name flooded my mind like a rushing current. So I responded dumbly to the rapid-fire words from Director May. [The, the Young Grand Duke’s people were supposed to take care of him, but…] [Yes? The Young Grand Duke, you mean, Senior?] [Right! But when we changed shifts, only Henry was missing…] [How could that happen…] [You need to tell him right away! Eung? Get people out to search for him! No, why on earth did you assign such incompetent people?] Why does she take the standby personnel for granted in the first place? No matter how many of them there are, is it really acceptable for the person in charge to notice this so late…? ‘And why are you asking the male lead about that?’ But at that moment, I didn’t have the mental energy to ask the director. I couldn’t remember what had happened after receiving that call in the first place. I ran outside without thinking. My footsteps seemed to have headed toward the BM-RP Department… And then I ran into the office… “Ms. Lowell.” “Minister!” Neither the male lead nor Seamus could be seen; only the mastermind remained. It was the first time I was alone with the mastermind, but there was no time to feel tense. “I, I need to go back to the orphanage!” “Ms. Lowell. Calm down…” “I think one of the kids from our home has been kidnapped! We need to… get the kids right away!” “Layla Lowell.” The mastermind, interrupting me, stepped closer and grabbed my shoulder. When I first signed the employment contract, I thought he was a very easygoing person who would smile with his eyes. But when I saw his expressionless face like that. ‘It’s scary.’ He looked cold and reserved, but he was the complete opposite of the male lead who was soft-hearted. The mastermind woke me up with a stern voice. “Lupesque is already there. Before Miss Lowell even got a call.” “Yes? Already?” “Yeah. Finley should have joined by now.” I was so overwhelmed that I couldn’t properly grasp the situation. Tak! At that moment, a red sentence unfolded from the mastermind’s desk, and I heard the male lead’s voice. – Edgar. “Lupesque, have you arrived at the scene? What’s the situation?” – We found out quickly that the child was missing, so tracking him is easy. “Aah, that’s a relief.” – And the personnel deployed to District 20 will join soon as well. “Alright. Let’s try to save both the culprit and the child.” – Got it. Is Lowell there with you by any chance? When my name was called, I immediately raised my head. “Yes… Yes, Senior.” – If we manage to find the child, I’ll be counting on you. “….” I nodded, forgetting for a moment that the other person couldn’t see me. ‘If the situation comes where I can see the core, I have to handle it well.’ At the time of the female lead, it felt too unrealistic. So, even in a life-threatening situation, I was able to be bold. There were many people around me who would help me… ‘Will it be okay this time too? The male lead and Seamus are moving quickly.’ Even though I tried to calm my mind, I was mad at myself like crazy. I shouldn’t have just felt relieved at recalling the original work. I shouldn’t have felt relieved just because the orphanage was in District 15! ‘I should have contacted them more often, instead of making excuses that I was too busy with work…’ Ugh. I bit my lip until it bled. The most useless thing in life is regretting something that has already ended. At that moment, the mastermind lightly placed his fingertips on my shoulder. “Miss Lowell. We will follow too.” “To the scene?” “Yeah. We need to find where the kidnapper is hiding the other children.” “….!” That’s right. If the kidnapper has shown up in District 20, their hideout can’t be too far from there. ‘The farther away the hiding place is, the more dangerous it will be!’ In this situation, how can I argue with an office worker or a person? I cursed my stupid self and hurriedly followed behind the mastermind. * * * District 20 of the capital. It was a bustling area compared to the District 15 where I lived, with a park filled with dense greenery. The park was lively with people during the day, but it became eerily quiet at night when few ventured through. ‘Why does it seem bigger than it looks on the map?’ Because of the quick action taken, the park was blocked from the general public. – Minister, Lowell. I found the child. For a moment, my heart swelled as if it would burst. Those words sounded like the most beautiful words in the world. He found it. ‘And so quickly!’ But the joy was short-lived as the male lead whispered urgently. – Lowell, link your vision. My fingers, pressing the jewel of the ear cuff, stiffened and wouldn’t move properly. As a dull pain throbbed in my earlobe, the vision of another person appeared before my right eye. It was exactly the scene that the male lead was witnessing. ‘I think it’s deeper than the area where either I or the mastermind are.’ I could see a dark path lit by a few streetlights… In the middle of the path, a certain figure wearing a black robe appeared. A small child was being held in the man’s arms like a rag doll. ‘It’s Henry!’ But suddenly the damned thing threw Henry away. At that moment, the male lead could be heard shouting to the people around him to cover him. – Everyone be careful…! It’s a black magic rampage! The black mist sphere I had seen during the time of Yuriana quickly enveloped Henry. I could also hear the mastermind giving instructions to the male lead from the side. “Lupesque. You track the kidnapper.” “…Yes.” “Miss Lowell. Change your view to Finley.” “Yes, yes.” As I pressed the jewel on the ear cuff again, my field of vision changed in an instant. ‘This time, it’s Seamus’ view.’ Did I get closer to Henry than to the male lead? I could see the child much better than before. And… ‘That’s it! I can see the core too!’ A white glowing stone just like Yuriana! But this time, it was in a different place, not the heart. “Seamus! Forehead!” – ….! “Hit the center of his forehead! Just make contact!” After my shout, Henry’s figure grew bigger and bigger. Unlike the time with Yuriana, the black magic rampage wasn’t as intense this time. The black mist extending outwards was also limply swaying. But the moment Seamus reached out his arm toward his forehead. ‘Huh…?’ Is Henry looking straight at me…? I would greatly appreciate your continued support by leaving a positive rating on NU so I can continue translating this novel. Thank you.
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