Chapter 2
Peering through the door above, a man asked with a gruff baritone, “Anna! How many have you washed? Are ya almost done?”
He said so in the form of a question, but it was clear that he couldn’t wait long.
“No! It hasn’t been long since I started! Don’t rush me!”
“Hurry up! Even the slowest one here could move faster than you!”
The hotheaded man slammed the ceiling door shut.
“Damn insolent bastard. S’not even the one paying my wages.”
Anna gnashed her teeth as she looked up with a resentful glare.
“Please give it here.”
Raphia stared right into Anna’s eyes and reached out her hand, asking for the towel so she could take care of it.
Gritting her teeth obstinately, she tossed the towel into Raphia’s small hand as if she were throwing it away and handed her some clean clothes to change into. Because she was forced to rush, Anna hurried her movements.
The towel, at first glance, would seem like it could be used to dry well, but the worn down cloth had a distinctly damp smell.
“I’ll do it obediently,” Raphia said and walked away before the older woman could change her mind.
The basement where children were bathed was quite spacious as it had many rooms. She entered the furthest one, and it was only after the door closed behind her that Raphia let out a deep sigh of relief.
This space allowed her to be alone at last.
It’s because, from now on, Anna would be facing quite a few difficulties.
If memory served her right, the next child to be washed would spill a lot of water while struggling. That’s why Anna would be grumbling as she’d draw a new bath.
True enough, she heard the sound of something rolling over and someone crying from beyond the thin door.
After wiping herself and getting dressed, she moved to one corner that light did not reach and took a seat there.
‘What the hell is going on here?’
Raphia only pretended to be calm in front of Anna, but in truth, she was terribly confused.
‘Did I just turn back time?’
She tried to make sense out of the situation by herself, but there was no other explanation for it.
But why was it that she returned nine years prior, at the time when she was ten years old?
‘I just wish to rest in peace . . .’
Gods, or anything like them, might not exist after all.
Just the thought of reliving this hellish life again was excruciating.
However, the girl soon shook her head.
“No, let’s not be so pessimistic. Maybe this could be another chance.”
She didn’t drag it out for too long. If she were to look at it in another way, this could mean she could start all over again.
Taking in a deep breath, she looked back and recounted what she knew one at a time.
Raphia Grenier.
She was the only one left to inherit the Grenier name.
For generations, the Grenier clan was known for its ability over speech called ‘Way of the Word,’ a technique involving language. Very few members of the family had control over this ability.
Within a lineage that had retained their power for thirty long years, the child called ‘Raphia’ was born and had inherited the clan name.
Time and time again, the Greniers had a long history of being taken advantage of by those in power. And so, as tragedy constantly struck, the elders decided to live in recluse to protect the remaining members of their family.
It was more than a century ago that they hid in the rough terrains of the Magent Gorge, the highest and most dangerous in the continent.
However, their peaceful days were short-lived.
A raging fire rampaged throughout the forest where they hid, and so they evacuated to a deep cave to escape the flames. But soon after, smoke followed them. At the overwhelming fumes, everyone shed tears and had runny noses, yet not one person there craved fresh air.
It was only Raphia, the youngest member of their extended family, who cried because she couldn’t understand why they were enduring such agony.
—Mother, i-it hurts a lot.
Raphia’s cries mixed with sporadic coughing weakened everyone’s resolve.
—Elder, can’t we save even just this child’s life?
—She is Granier’s child. Even if our eyes are shrouded, her life and death depends on God’s will.
Agonizing over this dilemma, the Elder eventually made a decision.
—Bring Raphia here.
Folded into the arms of her mother, they brought Raphia to the innermost corner of the cave. They faced what looked like a dead end, but there was actually a small opening that was just big enough for Raphia to crawl into.
The Elder carried the child and urged her over.
—Go on now.
As Raphia looked back over her shoulder, she saw her mother’s crestfallen smile.
—Run away, my child. Live quietly and hide your strength until you can reveal it one day. And my dear Raphia, you must never, ever forget your name, understand?
Her mother suppressed her tears and continued to tell her daughter to leave.
To the point that soil was etched into her fingernails, Raphia crawled laboriously until she finally reached the exit.
She could finally breathe in some fresh air.
But at that moment, several dark shadows loomed before her.
—I was waiting just in case, but I can’t believe someone really came out this way. What are you idiots doing, go catch the kid now!
Contrary to her family’s wishes, Raphia was captured in vain.
Amidst the tumultuous forest fire, the despicable men who caught the child clicked their tongues.
—Let’s go in and drag ’em all out, boss.
—You moron. We’re all dead if you do that. It’s a shame, but let’s just take this kid and leave.
—What can a tiny brat like this do anyway?
—We don’t need to know.
They mentioned something about a place where they could drop her off, and there, those men would finish their job.
At that, those men dragged Raphia away.
Her mother, aunts, uncles, elder grandpa, grandma neighbors . . .
They were all left behind in that burning forest.
* * *
‘The men who set fire to the forest might have been bandits.’
Before returning to the past, Raphia used to hear about the increasing number of bandits that caused trouble all over the Coppen Empire.
‘It would have been better if I came back at an earlier time.’
If she had, then she could have taken the entire clan and fled to another place before the fire was ignited.
But it already happened, and Raphia had already been handed over to an orphanage.
‘Tomorrow—’
Reflecting on what Anna mentioned, Raphia pulled her knees closer towards her torso.
‘Will the same thing happen again?’
That thought alone made her heart heavy. She gnashed her teeth.
‘No. I don’t want to live like that again.’
The life she lived once was so difficult and wretched that she didn’t even want to be reminded of it any longer.
‘I’m not going to relive that hell.’
Raphia clenched her little fist.
‘So I’m going to change it.’
My life. My position.
There wasn’t much time.
‘It won’t do to stay still like this.’
That person was scheduled to pick her up tomorrow.
‘I absolutely have to run away from that person.’
Unconsciously biting her thumbnail, she continued to think nervously.
The orphanage she stayed at was in a state of chaos. It was because they were preparing to send the children who had no parents away rather than continuing to take care of them, especially those with stronger personalities.
‘Marlon said he was helping the children to gain their independence, but . . .’
Though he said he was working for the children, he would pocket the donations he received. In consequence, the orphanage was placed under a strict, brutal surveillance.
Since only a few people entered and practically everyone wanted to leave, the Director was overly cautious, which was why many guards were placed inside and outside the institution.
‘My escape can’t be sloppy.’
Raphia was going to stay in this place for only three or four days. As it was now, she was detained, couldn’t walk around freely, and didn’t know the building’s layout.
‘I’m not even sure where I am exactly.’
On the off chance that she could escape safely from the basement, she would surely be caught again in no time.
‘Then I’d be placed under stricter surveillance.’
Raphia didn’t want to make any mistakes.
Curling into herself even more, she tried to think of a way—until something finally crossed her mind.
She pursed her lips.
‘Just one chance. There’s a way.’
Far from a life in the gutter that was originally in store for her, she now had an opportunity to run away and choose her own fate.
Chapter 2
Peering through the door above, a man asked with a gruff baritone, “Anna! How many have you washed? Are ya almost done?”
He said so in the form of a question, but it was clear that he couldn’t wait long.
“No! It hasn’t been long since I started! Don’t rush me!”
“Hurry up! Even the slowest one here could move faster than you!”
The hotheaded man slammed the ceiling door shut.
“Damn insolent bastard. S’not even the one paying my wages.”
Anna gnashed her teeth as she looked up with a resentful glare.
“Please give it here.”
Raphia stared right into Anna’s eyes and reached out her hand, asking for the towel so she could take care of it.
Gritting her teeth obstinately, she tossed the towel into Raphia’s small hand as if she were throwing it away and handed her some clean clothes to change into. Because she was forced to rush, Anna hurried her movements.
The towel, at first glance, would seem like it could be used to dry well, but the worn down cloth had a distinctly damp smell.
“I’ll do it obediently,” Raphia said and walked away before the older woman could change her mind.
The basement where children were bathed was quite spacious as it had many rooms. She entered the furthest one, and it was only after the door closed behind her that Raphia let out a deep sigh of relief.
This space allowed her to be alone at last.
It’s because, from now on, Anna would be facing quite a few difficulties.
If memory served her right, the next child to be washed would spill a lot of water while struggling. That’s why Anna would be grumbling as she’d draw a new bath.
True enough, she heard the sound of something rolling over and someone crying from beyond the thin door.
After wiping herself and getting dressed, she moved to one corner that light did not reach and took a seat there.
‘What the hell is going on here?’
Raphia only pretended to be calm in front of Anna, but in truth, she was terribly confused.
‘Did I just turn back time?’
She tried to make sense out of the situation by herself, but there was no other explanation for it.
But why was it that she returned nine years prior, at the time when she was ten years old?
‘I just wish to rest in peace . . .’
Gods, or anything like them, might not exist after all.
Just the thought of reliving this hellish life again was excruciating.
However, the girl soon shook her head.
“No, let’s not be so pessimistic. Maybe this could be another chance.”
She didn’t drag it out for too long. If she were to look at it in another way, this could mean she could start all over again.
Taking in a deep breath, she looked back and recounted what she knew one at a time.
Raphia Grenier.
She was the only one left to inherit the Grenier name.
For generations, the Grenier clan was known for its ability over speech called ‘Way of the Word,’ a technique involving language. Very few members of the family had control over this ability.
Within a lineage that had retained their power for thirty long years, the child called ‘Raphia’ was born and had inherited the clan name.
Time and time again, the Greniers had a long history of being taken advantage of by those in power. And so, as tragedy constantly struck, the elders decided to live in recluse to protect the remaining members of their family.
It was more than a century ago that they hid in the rough terrains of the Magent Gorge, the highest and most dangerous in the continent.
However, their peaceful days were short-lived.
A raging fire rampaged throughout the forest where they hid, and so they evacuated to a deep cave to escape the flames. But soon after, smoke followed them. At the overwhelming fumes, everyone shed tears and had runny noses, yet not one person there craved fresh air.
It was only Raphia, the youngest member of their extended family, who cried because she couldn’t understand why they were enduring such agony.
—Mother, i-it hurts a lot.
Raphia’s cries mixed with sporadic coughing weakened everyone’s resolve.
—Elder, can’t we save even just this child’s life?
—She is Granier’s child. Even if our eyes are shrouded, her life and death depends on God’s will.
Agonizing over this dilemma, the Elder eventually made a decision.
—Bring Raphia here.
Folded into the arms of her mother, they brought Raphia to the innermost corner of the cave. They faced what looked like a dead end, but there was actually a small opening that was just big enough for Raphia to crawl into.
The Elder carried the child and urged her over.
—Go on now.
As Raphia looked back over her shoulder, she saw her mother’s crestfallen smile.
—Run away, my child. Live quietly and hide your strength until you can reveal it one day. And my dear Raphia, you must never, ever forget your name, understand?
Her mother suppressed her tears and continued to tell her daughter to leave.
To the point that soil was etched into her fingernails, Raphia crawled laboriously until she finally reached the exit.
She could finally breathe in some fresh air.
But at that moment, several dark shadows loomed before her.
—I was waiting just in case, but I can’t believe someone really came out this way. What are you idiots doing, go catch the kid now!
Contrary to her family’s wishes, Raphia was captured in vain.
Amidst the tumultuous forest fire, the despicable men who caught the child clicked their tongues.
—Let’s go in and drag ’em all out, boss.
—You moron. We’re all dead if you do that. It’s a shame, but let’s just take this kid and leave.
—What can a tiny brat like this do anyway?
—We don’t need to know.
They mentioned something about a place where they could drop her off, and there, those men would finish their job.
At that, those men dragged Raphia away.
Her mother, aunts, uncles, elder grandpa, grandma neighbors . . .
They were all left behind in that burning forest.
* * *
‘The men who set fire to the forest might have been bandits.’
Before returning to the past, Raphia used to hear about the increasing number of bandits that caused trouble all over the Coppen Empire.
‘It would have been better if I came back at an earlier time.’
If she had, then she could have taken the entire clan and fled to another place before the fire was ignited.
But it already happened, and Raphia had already been handed over to an orphanage.
‘Tomorrow—’
Reflecting on what Anna mentioned, Raphia pulled her knees closer towards her torso.
‘Will the same thing happen again?’
That thought alone made her heart heavy. She gnashed her teeth.
‘No. I don’t want to live like that again.’
The life she lived once was so difficult and wretched that she didn’t even want to be reminded of it any longer.
‘I’m not going to relive that hell.’
Raphia clenched her little fist.
‘So I’m going to change it.’
My life. My position.
There wasn’t much time.
‘It won’t do to stay still like this.’
That person was scheduled to pick her up tomorrow.
‘I absolutely have to run away from that person.’
Unconsciously biting her thumbnail, she continued to think nervously.
The orphanage she stayed at was in a state of chaos. It was because they were preparing to send the children who had no parents away rather than continuing to take care of them, especially those with stronger personalities.
‘Marlon said he was helping the children to gain their independence, but . . .’
Though he said he was working for the children, he would pocket the donations he received. In consequence, the orphanage was placed under a strict, brutal surveillance.
Since only a few people entered and practically everyone wanted to leave, the Director was overly cautious, which was why many guards were placed inside and outside the institution.
‘My escape can’t be sloppy.’
Raphia was going to stay in this place for only three or four days. As it was now, she was detained, couldn’t walk around freely, and didn’t know the building’s layout.
‘I’m not even sure where I am exactly.’
On the off chance that she could escape safely from the basement, she would surely be caught again in no time.
‘Then I’d be placed under stricter surveillance.’
Raphia didn’t want to make any mistakes.
Curling into herself even more, she tried to think of a way—until something finally crossed her mind.
She pursed her lips.
‘Just one chance. There’s a way.’
Far from a life in the gutter that was originally in store for her, she now had an opportunity to run away and choose her own fate.
