Chapter 9: Investigating Occurrences

The next day, it was confirmed. Leo would be leaving with the Winfields at the end of the week. The announcement was met with mixed reactions—cheers from some of the kids, and quiet acceptance from others. Luck couldn’t help but glance at Niko, whose face remained stony.

When the day finally came, the orphanage gathered in the courtyard to see Leo off. The little boy was dressed in a new outfit that Lady Winfield had brought him—clean, warm, and well-fitted. He looked almost like a miniature noble himself, but his eyes were red from crying.

Niko knelt in front of Leo, adjusting the collar of his shirt. “You’re gonna be okay, got it?” he said firmly.

Leo sniffled. “But… I don’t wanna leave you, Niko.”

Niko forced a smile. “Hey, you’re gonna have a big room and lots of food. Remember what I taught you? Always stand up straight. You’re strong, right?”

Leo nodded slowly, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

Lady Winfield approached, placing a gentle hand on Leo’s shoulder. “It’s time to go, dear.”

As the carriage pulled away, Leo’s small hand waved out the window. Niko didn’t wave back, just stood there, fists still clenched. Luck approached him cautiously.

“Do you really think they’ll hurt Leo?” she asked.

Niko’s voice was low, almost a whisper. “I don’t know. But I hate it. I hate that we just hand them over without really knowing where they’re going. Luck, I’ve heard about other orphanages—places where kids just disappear after being adopted. No letters, no visits… nothing.”

Luck felt a knot form in her stomach as she remembered something, the other kids who left first promised to write them a letter or send gifts. She didn't expect anything because she knew that the lives of the kids who were adopted will change drastically and that includes the people they are to interact with “You think… that could happen here?”

Niko didn’t answer, just gave her a look that spoke volumes.

That evening, Luck couldn’t sleep. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Niko’s words repeating in her head. He wasn’t the type to worry without reason, and his anger wasn’t just about losing Leo as a family member—it was about something darker.

She thought about Lady Helena’s support, the sudden increase in adoptions, and the way some of the children had simply vanished from their lives after leaving. Maybe Niko was right—maybe they were being too trusting but maybe he is also overthinking things. Lady Helena, was nice to have thought her things that she was able to share to the kids in the orphange, there is no way that she is involved in this kind of thing.

Sitting up, she made a decision. She needed to know more—about the nobles, the other orphanages and theirs, and what really happened to the children after they left. If Niko was right, then they couldn’t just keep letting kids go without questioning it.

And if he was wrong… well, at least she would know the truth and she would later ask Niko who was that person that he is talking to.

-

The next day, Luck sat by the window, her mind racing with thoughts. Niko’s words kept echoing in her head:

“I’ve heard about other orphanages—places where kids just disappear after being adopted. No letters, no visits… nothing.”

She had always trusted Lady Helena and the nobles who supported the orphanage. But Niko’s suspicions planted a seed of doubt that was growing fast. If there was even a chance he was right, she had to know the truth.

But where to start?

Luck knew that the nobles were practically unreachable. Lady Helena was kind and approachable, but asking her directly would be risky—especially if there was something she was hiding. Their next meeting was still a week away, and Luck couldn’t afford to wait that long.

The only other place that might hold answers was Matron’s office. Luck had never really questioned how adoptions were handled. The children were just… chosen. Matron would file some papers, and then the new families would take them away. Everything seemed simple. Too simple, now that she thought about it.

It was late at night when Luck made her move. Most of the kids were already asleep, and the few that were still up were playing quietly in the common room. She slipped out of her bed and padded down the hallway, careful to avoid creaky floorboards.

Matron’s office was at the far end of the corridor. Luck reached the door and tested the handle—locked, as expected. Biting her lip, she scanned the area. Just beside the door, hanging on a hook, was Matron’s heavy brown coat. Luck carefully rummaged through the pockets and found a small iron key. She is just lucky that she is not that petite nor tall because she is able to roam around without being able to be detected and without creating that muchh of a noise.

Got it.

She slid the key into the lock and turned it, cringing at the soft click. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and slipped inside, closing it quietly behind her.

The room smelled faintly of dust and old paper. Moonlight filtered through the small window, casting long shadows over the worn desk and cluttered shelves. Luck didn’t waste any time and went straight to the desk, opening the top drawer.

Inside were neat stacks of papers—mostly records and financial ledgers. Nothing unusual. Well, she wants to look into the financial ledgers because she knows that there could be something fishy about it as well. Although the matron is someone who took care of them and has improved drastically over time - she cannot help but to be uncomfortable every time she sees her smile. It is like there is really something about her that is off and tht she is simply putting up a facade. But that is for another day, she needs to accomplish something different.

She moved on to the next drawer, finding folders labeled with the names of current and past residents. Her fingers brushed against a thick file marked “Adoption Records”. Pulling it out, she flipped it open, scanning the names. It listed each child, the date of adoption, and the name of the adopting family. She found Leo’s name at the bottom of the most recent page:

Leo Harper - Adopted by Lord and Lady Winfield

Luck frowned. That seemed normal enough. She flipped back a few pages, recognizing some of the other kids who had been adopted in the past few months. Everything looked perfectly documented. But then something strange caught her eye. Some pages had a red mark in the corner—a small circle with a line through it. Intrigued, she scanned the names on those pages. One of them was a girl named Mira, who had been adopted months ago by a noble family from a distant region.

Why the mark?

Before she could investigate further, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Luck’s heart pounded. Hastily shoving the file back in the drawer, she closed it as quietly as possible and slipped behind the large wardrobe in the corner. The door creaked open, and Luck could hear Matron’s heavy footsteps as she entered the room. The woman muttered something to herself, shuffled some papers on her desk, and then approached the wardrobe. Luck held her breath, pressing herself against the wall.

Matron sighed, apparently not noticing Luck’s presence, and sat down at the desk. After a few minutes of rustling papers, she mumbled, “Can’t keep losing sleep over this… Leo will be fine. The Winfields are reputable just like the others and I am simply helping those pitiful kids to have a family of their own"

Her voice however is void of any emotion, it seems like she is simply trying to console herself for whatever it is that she is hiding. Luck wanted to step out and confront her, but fear held her back. Instead, she listened as Matron murmured, almost to herself, “Disposal is necessary, it is nothing new. As long as we are not found out by the authorities then there is nothing wrong. I just need to follow what they ordered or else I will lose my money".

With hearing that, Luck immediately covered her mouth to prevent herself from making a sound from gasping. "What did I actually hear? What is the matron up to and who is she talking about?"

After a few more moments of silence, Matron rose and left the office, locking the door behind her. Luck stayed hidden for a few more minutes to make sure the coast was clear. When she finally emerged, her thoughts were a whirlwind. She looked for the documents again and begun looking into every detail. Each line, each mark symbolizes something - especially that red mark, it wasn’t just random. If Matron was worried about the adoption and what comes after then it definitely meant something.