ODFEN 01

Chapter 1…

The Collapsed Child

“Ah, it’s so hot.”

I wiped the sweat beading on my forehead with the back of my hand and pulled my straw hat down snugly. A light breeze passed, making my straw-colored hair sway gently beneath it.

“I’ll just pick this last one and call it a day.”

I plucked the final herb and dropped it into my basket before standing up. After crouching for so long while searching for herbs, my legs tingled unpleasantly. Leaning against a tree, I looked down the steep mountain path and let out a sigh.

“How am I supposed to get all the way down…”

Carefully avoiding branches, fallen leaves, and acorns, I made my way down with effort. It was easier than climbing, but my numb legs made every step feel heavier than it should.

“Life’s hard… whether it’s my past life or this one.”

About three years ago, I woke up in the remote village of Heington.

I had no idea why, but I had ended up in someone else’s body. There was no one who would believe me, and nowhere I could go to demand answers. Fortunately, I had the original owner’s memories, so I could get by—but there was one huge problem.

I had inherited debt.

As the child of a poor provincial noble, I was now responsible for paying off the debts left behind by my deceased parents.

Judging by the poison bottle that had fallen beside the bed when I first woke up, the original owner of this body had likely taken her own life, unable to endure the burden.

“But seriously… why am I the one paying it off?”

Before I could even adapt to this unfamiliar world, I had to deal with rough debt collectors pounding at my door.

In my past life, I paid hospital bills. In this life, I’m paying off debts left by parents I’ve never even met.

My past life had been ordinary—aside from my illness.

I had been a long-term hospital patient, suffering from a rare condition. My airway would swell unpredictably due to inflammation, and I was constantly on the brink of death. Since it was incurable, I could never leave the hospital.

‘We thought we picked a healthy child… what terrible luck.’

That’s what my adoptive parents said.

To them, I was a failed product.

They had adopted me thinking I was healthy and intelligent—someone to rely on in their old age. But when I fell ill, they pushed me away. Eventually, when my hospital bills went unpaid for too long, I was thrown out…

…and died on the streets.

I came to a stop and looked over my current body.

Light brown hair. Even lighter brown eyes.

A perfectly healthy adult woman.

“If anything, I wish I’d been reborn as a big, burly man.”

Well… it is what it is.

“At least I’m healthy here.”

I smiled to myself and carefully continued down the mountain, using a nearby tree for support.

First, I’d pay off the debt. Then I’d save money and travel! Maybe even try expensive shark roe!

Lost in such happy thoughts, I eventually reached flat ground.

“Hup.”

I stepped out of the mountain and onto the field.

“Lucina!”

At the call, I turned and saw Beiser running toward me from the far end of the field, waving his hand high above his head.

“Beiser? What’s up?”

He rushed over and took the basket from my hands.

“Give it here, Lucina.”

“I can carry it myself…”

I said that, but handed it over without much resistance.

“So, what’s going on?”

“My father told me to come help you.”

“The village chief did?”

Well, I wasn’t about to complain.

Beiser smiled warmly and fell into step beside me.

“Let’s go, Lucina.”

Beiser was one of the few people my age in the village. As the village chief’s son, he helped connect us with merchants and assisted in selling herbs. He was diligent, well-liked, and considered ideal husband material by many.

He had clear navy hair like the open sky and deep blue eyes like the sea. When sunlight hit him, he seemed to shimmer like emerald waves.

Honestly, he looked far too polished for a countryside village—no wonder everyone adored him.

But today…

Something felt off.

He walked stiffly, like a poorly made wooden puppet.

“Beiser, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

“H-huh? No.”

He denied it, but his face was tense.

Yeah, right.

His arms and legs were moving awkwardly in sync. I narrowed my eyes and studied him.

Did he mess something up?

When our eyes met, he flinched, then suddenly stopped as if he’d made up his mind.

“Beiser?”

He swallowed hard, turned sharply, and faced me with a determined expression.

“Lucina, did you know?”

“How would I? What is it?”

“This year’s harvest festival is going to be even bigger than last year’s.”

He covered his mouth with his fist.

“Ahem. So, I was thinking… this year, maybe we could go togeth—”

“Oh my—! Isn’t that Indel?!”

“What?”

I dashed past him like lightning.

Shielding the plant with my body, I quickly scanned the surroundings. Thankfully, there was no one else nearby.

I leaned in and examined it closely.

“No way… it really is Indel.”

Indel.

A rare herb, nearly impossible to find. People were desperate for it.

Originally a poisonous plant, it could be deadly if used incorrectly—but when prepared properly, it was said to cure almost anything.

If I sold it at auction, it could easily fetch a year’s worth of living expenses for an average household.

That could pay off a good chunk of my debt.

I suppressed the urge to shout “Jackpot!” and instead smiled brightly. Carefully brushing away the surrounding dirt and grass, I wrapped the Indel in a handkerchief from my pocket.

No way I was mixing something this valuable with ordinary herbs.

As I finished wrapping it, I suddenly remembered—

Beiser.

“Beiser! Sorry—I found Indel. Weren’t you saying something earlier?”

He looked at me quietly, then gave a small, resigned smile.

“It’s fine. Go on.”

He stepped closer, hands behind his back, leaning in to inspect the herb.

“So this is Indel… It looks just like any other plant. I’d never recognize it.”

I slipped the handkerchief into my pocket and stood up.

“Beiser, do you mind heading back first? I want to look around here a bit more.”

“Ah…”

He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly disappointed. After a moment, he let out a small, helpless laugh.

“Alright. Just don’t overdo it.”

“I won’t.”

He stared at me for a moment, then sighed.

“I’ll tell you when you get back.”

“Tell me what?”

“…Nothing.”

He shook his head with a faint smile and turned to leave. As if he knew I was watching, he lifted the basket high.

“If you don’t come back soon, I’m selling all these herbs!”

Yeah, right.

I smiled as he disappeared into the distance, then turned back to scan the area hopefully.

Maybe there was more Indel.

After digging through weeds along the edge of the field and forest for quite a while, I finally collapsed in exhaustion.

“Well… finding another would be a miracle.”

As I glanced around—

My gaze stopped.

“A child?”

A little girl, about five years old, stood there. She had soft, cherry blossom–colored short hair and a delicate, doll-like face, dressed in elegant clothes.

I stared at her, momentarily entranced.

Then my eyes widened.

At first, I thought she was resting against the tree…

But she wasn’t.

She was unconscious, her body limp.

“Hey!”

I rushed over and checked her condition. Her chest rose and fell violently—her breathing was labored even at a glance. Sweat poured down like rain, her hair clinging to her face.

I gently shook her shoulders.

“Hey, wake up.”

“Ugh…”

Her eyelids slowly fluttered open, as if they were stuck together.

“Can you hear me?”

She squinted, likely because of the light.

“…Mom…?”

she murmured in a hoarse voice.

I placed my hand on her forehead.

Burning hot.

“This is bad… she’ll die at this rate.”

I slipped my arms under her and helped her up. She couldn’t even stand properly, so I hoisted her onto my back and ran home as fast as I could.

“Herbs… where did I put them?”

After laying the child on the bed, I tossed my straw hat aside and soaked a towel. I wiped her face, then frantically searched the house.

I was sure I had dried some fever-reducing herbs before—but where?

No matter how hard I tried to remember, nothing came to mind.

“Ah! Maybe the backyard?”

I slid open the window and checked—but only saw herbs for treating external wounds that I had gathered the day before.

What should I do?

It looked like heatstroke. The Heington region was infamous for its hot, humid climate—outsiders often collapsed from exhaustion.

Seeing her lying in the sun without even a hat confirmed it.

I glanced back at the bed.

Her complexion had improved slightly, her breathing steadier.

I let out a sigh of relief.

“Maybe she’ll recover if I just let her rest—”

“Ugh—!”

Nope.

She suddenly jerked like a fish out of water and vomited over the side of the bed. I rushed over and caught it with my hands. Since she hadn’t eaten anything, only pale liquid came out.

After she finished, I quickly washed my hands, glancing back at her the whole time. She lay there, groaning faintly.

Seeing such a young child like this made my chest tighten. It reminded me of the children I’d seen in the hospital in my past life.

“Should I get a doctor?”

I immediately shook my head.

No. What if something happened while I was gone?

Leaving her alone might be even more dangerous.

“I shouldn’t have sent Beiser away…”

With a heavy sigh, I pulled out the handkerchief from my pocket.

“…I have no choice.”

Indel.

A cure-all.

I had planned to auction it…

I slowly unfolded the cloth and stared at it.

For a moment, my eyes stung.

No. Focus.

Her life is at risk.

With resolve, I washed the Indel thoroughly and steeped it again and again. Because of its toxicity, it had to be processed multiple times before it could be safely consumed.

Boil. Strain. Boil. Strain.

Over and over.

By the time the room filled with steam, the medicine was finally ready.