[This is a time separator.]

Lea gradually woke from her reminiscence. Having grown up in an orphanage, Lea had begun to recall strange memories since she was eight years old.

A world full of high buildings and peculiar objects. Those were the memories of her past life, Yoonji’s life. At first, Lea thought she was having strange dreams.

But when she realized those were her past life’s memories, many parts of her life changed. Lea did not want to repeat her past life’s solitary existence.

From then on, she could accept the orphanage members as her family.

[Lea, I brought you in when you were a newborn, crying at the orphanage door. A little runt. You must have had some story…] [So I was abandoned at birth. Why was I abandoned?] [I don’t know about that. But your necklace was there with you. It must be a precious item, so keep it safe.]

And when she grew up enough to hear the detailed story from the director, Lea could remain calm.

‘Because I was not abandoned by my first parents.’

Lea fiddled with the necklace that she could feel inside her dress. The necklace with the embedded red ruby was the only proof that she had a family.

If I said I don’t resent the parents who abandoned me, that would be a lie. The fact that I was a lonely orphan even after reincarnation constantly tormented Lea.

However, Lea emptied out that painful feeling as well.

‘There must have been a good reason.’

It was a feeling of resentment that she emptied out to endure. When she let her heart down, Lea had more peace of mind than her previous life.

Because not all families have to be related by blood. The orphanage family was also precious to Lea.

“I need to send this first.”

She didn’t have time to be lost in thought. Lea collected the advance payment she received from Rickel and the profits from selling nutritional supplements in one place.

It was a considerable amount of money, but it was not enough to cover the food and repair costs of the orphanage’s facilities due to the flood damage.

‘And the shortage is…….’

Having just taken office as an apothecary, she couldn’t advance her salary, so there was no way to raise money right now.

‘Is that the only way?’

Lea got up from her seat with a worried look on her face, looking at her purse. Then she took the letter she had prepared to send and left the apothecary room.

[This is a time separator.]

Achkia was sitting at the table, looking at the note. This small note was a kind of report.

For him, who did not leave his bedroom, all the major and minor happenings in the mansion were included. Achkia’s gaze stopped at one sentence as he was reading the note as usual.

[Next is the apothecary. A letter arrived from your hometown, Tren, in the afternoon. The sender is someone named ‘O’.]

‘O? Strange name. If it’s a letter from my hometown, it must be a family or friend. It can’t be a family as she’s from an orphanage, so is it a letter from the orphanage?’

As Achkia looked at the note and connected his thoughts, at that moment.

[Knock] Count, it’s me, Lea.

Lea’s voice came along with a knock. The count chuckled and hid the note in his sleeve.

Although it was blocked by the curtain, it was the time when the sun was setting.

‘She wouldn’t have come to examine me at this time.’

He sat deep in his chair, watching Lea approach.

“What is it? Doesn’t seem like you’re here for treatment.”

“Well… I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

The count’s sharp and narrow eyes met Lea’s. She stood politely with her hands folded as if she really had something to ask.

“Yes. I urgently need to send money to my hometown, but I don’t have an instant money transfer.”

“……”

“So, could I possibly receive the contract money I was supposed to get now?”

Lea asked as if she had left money in his care. Achkia crossed his arms at Lea’s brazen request.

“I said I’d give you the contract money after seeing what you do.”

“I’m really in a hurry, that’s why. Can’t you give me even a part of it?”

“You, didn’t you make quite a bit from selling nutritional supplements?”
Her monthly wage as an apothecary and what the servants at the mansion purchased would be more than enough.

“That’s…… not it. Please help.”

Lea, who was about to say something, bowed her head again. She seemed in a hurry.

‘Where on earth does she spend all that money, and why does she need a down payment?’

Akkia looked Lea over. Her always dull style of onepiece dress, and the apothecary’s white coat she wore over it.

There wasn’t even a common accessory, so it didn’t seem like she lived extravagantly. As Akkia looked down, he discovered a single letter in her hand.

An ‘O’ naturally came to mind upon seeing the letter.

“Down payment, is it for the owner of that letter?”

“Letter?”

Lea followed Akkia’s gaze down. Then she raised the letter in her hand and smiled.

“That’s right! It came for Teo, and I plan to mail it as soon as I receive the down payment.”

“Teo?”

Upon hearing the masculine name, a slight crease formed on Akkia’s brow.

‘Could it be, the ‘O’ in the letter is a nickname for Teo……?’