“Be grateful that I’m not reporting you or demanding medical expenses, and never set foot near here again!”

With that fierce rebuke, the door slammed shut once more. Eloise had to weep for a long time in front of the firmly closed gate.

To experience such a miserable incident on the first day back in the capital. Was her resolve lacking? Or was it simply bad luck? Was it wrong to push away that unpleasant man’s touch?

‘…If I hadn’t pushed him away, I would have inevitably gone through something terrible, wouldn’t I?’

Unanswerable questions followed one after another. Meanwhile, Eloise stood with teary eyes, facing the cold wind.

She couldn’t contain her sorrowful and wronged feelings.

Seeing the old lady coddling that good-for-nothing man as her precious son made her miss her own family even more.

But she couldn’t keep crying forever.

Although her heart was still pounding fiercely, Eloise swallowed her miserable feelings and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

Then she bent over and gathered her belongings scattered on the ground. The action was quite solemn.

Finally, Eloise blew on her dirt-stained diary, carefully wiped it with the hem of her dress, and put it in her bag. Only then did the front of the gate look spotless.

Carrying her luggage bag, Eloise stepped down the broken glass-covered stone stairs one by one on trembling legs, thinking.

‘So where should I stay now? I have no money either.’

She felt an unfathomably bleak feeling, but in the end, there was only one path.

The bead factory.

In this cold and heartless city, that was the only place she could go now.

Although the thick scent of alcohol made her dizzy, she had no energy, and her legs were as heavy as waterlogged cotton, on the verge of collapsing at any moment…

‘Still, I have to go. The factory is the only place that might understand my situation.’

Eloise, grasping the bag handle with her stinging hand, finished descending the stairs.

These days, autumn had arrived silently, and the days had grown noticeably shorter. The chilly cold and pitch-black night would soon rush in, so she had to hurry to arrive before it was too late.

Leaving the alley, a busy Friday afternoon unfolded before her eyes. Amidst the people coming and going frantically, Eloise felt a sudden dizziness.

She wanted to cover her ears against the ear-splitting shouts of the peddlers, but one hand was holding the bag and the other was gripping the hem of her dress, so it was inconvenient.

‘So dizzy…’

Eloise hastened her steps with a stiff expression. In the process, she bumped shoulders countless times and stumbled.

When a child clutching a large loaf of bread passed by like a flash, she staggered greatly and almost tumbled to the ground.

At that moment, it even seemed like everything in this city was trying to drive her out. Then it felt like all the strength was draining from her body.

“Hah…”

Eloise wanted to just sit down and cry out of sorrow.

Her exhausted legs trembled like those of a newborn fawn, and the pain in her palms gripping the bag handle intensified.

It had been really hard to decide to leave home again, but on top of experiencing a shocking incident as soon as she arrived, she was kicked out without even a chance to prepare herself.

As she mulled over what had happened to her, the image of the man tumbling down the stairs and bleeding resurfaced in her mind, but Eloise shook her head hard to dispel the thought.

For now, she had to hurry to the factory. People would leave and the doors would close in the evening.

She was more anxious because she intended to impose on the factory for the night if possible.

“…I should eat something first.”

Eloise muttered with a heavy sigh. Come to think of it, the last time she ate anything seemed to be well over half a day ago.

It was because when the carriage made its final stop, she had skipped a meal thinking she would soon unpack her luggage not far from Mrs. Mullitch’s house.

The moment she realized that fact, a fierce hunger struck as if it had been waiting.

It was true that she was exhausted, but she probably had no energy because she hadn’t eaten anything.

Fortunately, this was the kingdom’s capital, and looking around, there was an alley lined with taverns not far away.

If she filled her stomach with warm food, she would gain strength, and then she could easily let go of her anxious thoughts.

It’s okay, it’s okay. Repeatedly chanting inwardly, Eloise turned towards the alley.

A cold wind caressed her disheveled brown hair as it passed by.

The inside of the tavern was very dark due to the small windows that failed to serve their purpose.

Relying on the flickering candlelight, Eloise ate hot beef stew and mashed potato dishes.

Although she emptied the plates, it wasn’t a very pleasant meal time, unfortunately.

The inside of the tavern was too noisy to enjoy a comfortable meal.

Eloise felt a renewed disgust at the fact that there were so many people who got drunk and chattered carelessly in broad daylight.

Even now, somewhere, someone would be working tirelessly.

Quietly contemplating the gap between the two worlds made her feel strangely empty.

“…Thank you for the meal.”

Having finished eating, it was time to return to the weary world.

Eloise, who had been silently looking down at her palm with dark red scabs, placed a few coins on the table and picked up her luggage bag.

Outside, after pushing through the busy servers and lively tables, it was already late afternoon.

Even though the sun had hidden behind the clouds, having stayed in the dim restaurant for a while, even that faint light felt as fierce as claws scraping the eyeballs.

It was a little over an hour’s walk from here to the factory.

Although Eloise had regained some energy compared to before, the road ahead still seemed like it would never end.

There was a time when she used to go back and forth without any problem morning and evening. The change in her situation in just a couple of months felt unfamiliar even to herself.

Eloise, holding her head high as if to muster strength, started walking again.

Her mind was busy piecing together how to explain to the factory manager about her absence for the past two months.

‘I don’t need to explain in too much detail, right? I’ll first convey a polite apology and just say that there was a big incident in the family.’

And tonight, no, until she finds a new place to stay, she needs to ask if she can impose on the factory. If not the office, even a corner of the workshop would be fine. She’ll behave well so the other workers won’t notice…

“Hah.”

A sigh escaped involuntarily. It would naturally seem pitiful and strange to suddenly show up and make such an absurd request.

Moreover, Eloise also had to demand her wages for the last work period.

Even though it was a rightful claim, the situation being what it was, she already felt timid, which was a problem.

‘No. Although it was wrong to be absent without a word, demanding my earned share is justifiable, so there’s no need to feel timid…’

At that moment, Eloise’s thoughts abruptly ceased. Because of the shadow that blocked her at the end of the narrow passage.

“Hello, miss.”

A distinct wariness settled in the transparent eyes that shone even under the hazy sky.

The thought that it might be a good-natured passerby asking for directions vanished without a trace the moment she saw the man’s mouth curl up stale.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“…”

To be blocked like this when she was in a rush.

Eloise was too tired to even get angry. It would turn into a futile fight anyway, and it would only waste time and energy.

“A foreigner? Looks heavy, want me to help?”

The man jerked his chin as if pointing at the luggage bag. Even in the midst of that, his eyes were packed with impure emotions.

Ridiculously, it was a very familiar gaze now.

Eloise didn’t even want to answer, so she swiftly turned her body. It would be a bit of a detour, but she preferred that. Screaming wouldn’t make much of a difference anyway.

Eloise had already come to know too well what kind of place the capital was to wait for someone to readily extend a helping hand.

“Huh, ignoring me? With a dazed face as if drugged.”

A tsk, tongue-clicking sound was heard from behind, but Eloise ran to the other end of the alley as if hearing nothing.

While recalling the voices of the kind people who used to tell her that her eyes always sparkled like stars and her smile was as bright as flowers.

But unfortunately, they were in a very distant place.

Perhaps becoming an adult is a process of gradually losing the light one possessed. Eloise’s chapped lips were bitten tightly.

It was late in the evening when she arrived at the factory.

Naturally, the door was firmly closed, and not a single ray of light leaked out. A futile sigh burst out.

“…Hah.”

Eloise, who had unconsciously touched the surface of the closed door, hurriedly removed her hand due to the stinging pain in her palm.

The sky she looked up at was completely dark. Just like the vague reality before her eyes.

After hesitating for a long time in front of the door, Eloise entered the small warehouse installed next to the factory building as if she had made up her mind.

The old wooden warehouse had no door and one wall was open, causing the cold wind to rush in unfiltered.

‘Still, it’s better than sleeping on the streets.’

Eloise placed her heavy luggage bag in a corner and pulled over a musty-smelling blanket to spread next to it.

It was too dirty to lie directly on it, so she took out some old clothes from her bag and covered it, creating a fairly decent bed.

Thud, lying down her body consumed by fatigue, it was rather sleep-worthy. Eloise tried to think that way.

In fact, she was afraid that someone might come barging in at any moment, and having to sleep in such a place felt so miserable that it seemed unreal, but she didn’t want to cry anymore.

Without fail, morning would come.

When dawn breaks, people will start arriving one by one, and after talking with the manager, everything will be fine.

Then she’ll start working again and find a new place to stay…

Everything feels daunting now, but she just needs to slowly set things right again one by one.

Eloise curled up into a ball, hugging her trembling shoulders. While trying hard to ignore the anxiously pounding sound of her heart.