IOWYC Chapter 15

Chapter 15 

Cough, cough!

Just then, a girl’s coughing could be heard behind me.

“Noona!”

One of the children who had passed out had woken up.

She was coughing hard, clearly suffering from all the smoke she had breathed in—but at least she was conscious. That alone was a relief.

I quickly rushed to the children.

“Kids, you have to stay focused now. That’s the only way we can get out of here.”

Diaz and the girl nodded seriously at my words.

I grabbed both of their hands and led them toward the door. These two, the ones who were awake, had to get out first.

That was when the fire spread along the wooden beam and flames began rushing into the room.

I stretched my hand toward the flames, gathering power at my fingertips.

Like a wild beast tamed by its master, the fire calmed. Soon, the flames along the beam had nearly vanished.

But it wouldn’t last.

My flame power could control fire, yes—but it was always harder to suppress it than to create or spread it. At the moment, I could only hold the fire low for a brief period of time in a small area.

As the flames died down, I saw a gap beneath the beam—just big enough for the children to crawl through.

“Can you hear me?”

I turned back. Diaz and the girl were trembling in fear.

“You see that space down there? You have to crawl through it.”

Though the flames had calmed, the beam still held embers. The kids looked at it and then at me, eyes wide with fear, almost crying.

There wasn’t time to waste.

Marie and one other child were still unconscious.

I looked at the two awake children with a firm voice.

“Go!”

The girl seemed to gather her courage and pulled Diaz toward the gap.

Diaz looked back at me with teary eyes.

“But what about you?”

I was sweating, one hand holding back the flames. They were getting fiercer again.

Still, I smiled at him to keep him calm.

“I’ll be right behind you—with the other kids.”

Diaz nodded, sniffling.

“P-promise?”

I nodded firmly at him.

That was enough. He crouched down and crawled through the gap.

“You remember the door that leads outside, right? Run straight for it!”

The kids nodded and started making their way over fallen beams and rubble.

Once I was sure they were gone, I turned to the unconscious children.

I had to carry them out myself.

Taking a deep breath, I released my control over the flames and rushed to them.

As soon as I let go of my power, the fire flared up again, roaring more fiercely than before.

I clenched my teeth and picked Marie up onto my back, carrying the other girl in my arms.

They were heavy. My ability didn’t make me stronger—I was just an ordinary woman in that regard.

Each step felt like my legs would collapse. My lungs burned with every breath. But step by step, I made it to the doorway.

I gently set one child down and reached my hand forward.

The fire obeyed again, pulling back enough to give me room.

That’s when—

“My lady!”

It was Jared’s voice from the other side of the beam.

The same man who once tried to kill me—and yet, I had never been so happy to hear his voice.

“Jared!”

He must have finished helping the other kids. His clothes were torn and burned, and his arm was bleeding badly with what looked like a burn wound.

“Diaz and the others made it out safely.”

Relief swept over me.

The kids had found Jared and asked for help. Thank goodness.

“Please—take this girl first!”

Still holding back the flames with one hand, I lifted the unconscious child with all my strength.

It was almost inhuman—but in that moment, I managed it.

Jared reached across the burning beam and took her.

Now, just Marie was left.

Then—

RUMBLE—!!

“My lady!”

A large beam from the weakened roof came crashing down between us.

Reflexively, I rolled backward, shielding Marie with my body.

Pain exploded across my body. My lungs burned. My eyes stung.

The fire blazed all around us, too thick to see through. I couldn’t even see Jared anymore.

“My lady! Are you alright?!”

I heard his voice through the wreckage.

Looking around with Marie in my arms, I shut my eyes tightly.

There was no clear way out.

If we stayed, even Jared and the others could be in danger.

I forced myself to steady my breathing and yelled:

“Jared! Take the child and escape!”

“What?! What are you saying?!”

There was no way he could clear the wreckage quickly. Trying to would only put everyone in more danger.

“Go! That’s an order—from the Lady of Valdormer!”

Silence.

Then, through gritted teeth, Jared replied:

“…Understood.”

I could feel him moving away.

Only then did I curl my body protectively around Marie.

The fire around us was a living monster now, devouring everything in sight. I poured all my remaining strength into forming a shield of flames around us.

It blocked the fire—but not the smoke.

I ripped the bottom of my dress without hesitation and dipped it in the small puddle from a shattered water bottle.

Then, I covered Marie’s nose and mouth—not mine.

Marie’s eyes fluttered open faintly.

“My lady…”

She was too weak to move.

Holding her close, I whispered like a prayer:

“It’s going to be okay. It’ll be okay…”

My mind started going fuzzy.

My chest burned. My head throbbed.

But I didn’t loosen my grip around the child.

Unlike me—someone stuck in a cycle of meaningless death and rebirth—her life mattered.

So I had to protect her.

That’s when something white floated down through the hole in the collapsed roof.

Snow…?

In my fading vision, I watched the snowflakes drift through the flames—and then, everything went black.

✧ ✧ ✧

Kallion stood at the edge of a burning forest, staring blankly.

Was this a dream…?

Below the cliff, black flames surged like they were waiting for prey.

And someone stood at the very edge.

Golden hair that shone like sunlight, and red eyes that held fierce fire—his wife, Yuliana.

She stood with her back to him, flames swirling all around.

She looked so fragile, like she could fall apart at any moment.

Without thinking, he called out.

“Yuliana?”

She slowly turned to face him.

Her expression was blank—but for some reason, he thought she looked like she was crying.

His chest ached for no reason.

“You’re the one who killed our child.”

Child…? Our child?

Her pale face looked red in the firelight.

Before he could say anything—she fell.

“Yuliana!”

He ran toward her, but it was too late.

She disappeared into the flames below.

✧ ✧ ✧

“No!”

Kallion woke with a start, gasping for breath in his familiar office.

He had fallen asleep?

It was just a dream—but his heart was pounding with fear.

She was from the enemy family. He had always hated her.

It was just a dream—so why did it leave him feeling so shaken?

And the words she said… our child.

That phrase echoed in his mind.

Then—suddenly, loud footsteps.

Without knocking, the door burst open.

“Kallion! Something terrible has happened!”

It was the head butler.

“What is it?” Kallion asked, already irritated and tense.

But the butler’s next words made his face go pale.

“T-The orphanage… It’s on fire! And the Lady… she’s still inside!”