journey towards the northen duke

Seon responded while his voice trembling, "I am Yoon Seon."

"Yoon Seon, who is your grandfather?? take a deep breath and answer properly.

Where are your parents? What has transpired? Please explain calmly"

Seon met Jane's intimidating gaze and began to recount a fabricated story which he drawed upon his limited understanding. "My grandfather told me yesterday that we would be moving to a town. He mentioned that he purchased a house there and used my father's insurance money to buy a new bed for me. He also said we could not return to the village for a long time and instructed me to say goodbye to my aunt and uncles. When I went to my aunt's house, no one was there, then i heared loud sounds i was scared and returned home, only to find that my grandfather and the furniture were gone. Big brother, please help me find my grandfather. I no longer have a mother, and my father passed away last year."

The villagers surrounding him speculated that the old man had absconded with the money, leaving the child behind, and they regarded Seon with sympathy. He narrated his tale in such a manner that most believed it to be true, even convincing nearby soldiers, who chose not to comment on the situation, as it was not their concern whether the child had been abandoned or if his grandfather had been kidnapped. Their primary interest lay in determining whether the grandfather was connected to any criminal activities. Seon's plight did not elicit the pity he had anticipated; the elite officers, seasoned by their experiences in various war zones, had witnessed far worse tragedies, including the deaths of innocent children and the suffering of those caught in the crossfire. They had learned to endure, finding solace in the fact that they themselves remained unscathed.

After listening to Seon's account, Jane directed his gaze towards him and subtly gestured to his subordinate to investigate further. An elite soldier swiftly vanished into the dust, unnoticed by anyone.

Upon closer examination, it becomes evident that Seon's narrative is riddled with inconsistencies. The trained veterans possess a keen ability to detect deceit, making it relatively easy for them to discern the truth from such individuals. However, due to his age, Seon was perceived as innocent. Nevertheless, Jane did not overlook his subtle signs of anxiety and fear of being discovered, as he maintained his silence without issuing any commands.

Unaware that his deception was being uncovered, Seon began to pinch himself in an attempt to appear more sorrowful. Such subtle actions did not escape Jane's observant eyes.

After what felt like an eternity, Jane cleared his throat and spoke.

"We will certainly locate your grandfather. It is unwise for you to wander alone as it is still dangerous now," with eye signal from jane a solider came forward to listen for instructions. After gesturing seon to the solider he said " Accompany this soldier brother ,he will bring you something to eat first and then we will proceed to your home after our inquiries."

Upon hearing Jane's words, Seon's heart sank, and anxiety washed over him, yet he complied and followed the soldier.

The soldier, adhering to Jane's instructions, soon procured a nutritious meal from a nearby house. As Seon surveyed the dinner, he thought it might be his first and last delicious meal, prompting him to devour the food, which was clearly sufficient for two adult males.

After hastily consuming the meal, he felt vulnerable, akin to a lamb before slaughter, and began pacing back and forth, brainstorming ways to escape the predicament. Seon reflected that even with two extra pairs of hands and legs, evading the well-trained veterans would be impossible, especially given their weaponry. 

Gradually, he regained his composure and, while grinning, considered that the worst outcome for him might be being sent back to the orphanage, as he had committed no crimes. He felt confident that if he were returned to the orphanage, he could escape again, having done so once before. However, he knew he would first endure beatings and starvation before achieving that escape.

In this unusual circumstance, Seon never considered reaching out to the Janes, as he understands that no one is willing to adopt these orphans. If the crimes of the orphanage were exposed, it would result in all the other children becoming homeless and starving. He recognizes that the orphanage is not inherently harmful to obedient children; rather, it is his refusal to engage in theft or begging that has marked him as disobedient. Despite being a child himself, he comprehends that stealing and deceit are wrong. However, what about the other children? From birth until now, they have been indoctrinated to believe that accepting money from unscrupulous individuals is not theft. He feels like the only outlier, having been placed in the orphanage at the age of five, while most other children were brought in shortly after their birth. The influx of newborns into the orphanage remains a mystery. Seon endured six years of abuse before managing to escape that dreadful place. It is not that he never sought assistance from others; he made several attempts but was repeatedly let down, leading him to abandon hope for others and focus solely on his own survival. Consequently, he has little faith in these so-called military heroes.

After a considerable time, as the sun began to set, he was summoned to an empty house. Jane entered shortly thereafter and took a seat in the chairs that had been arranged by others earlier. he then signaled for everyone else to leave. Once they were alone, an awkward silence enveloped the room.

Jane was the first to break this silence.

Jane shattered the silence.

"Are you not going to act again?"

Sean's pupils flickered momentarily before he fell silent. He thought to himself, I've already been caught; what's the point in arguing? I need to conserve my energy for when I'm sent back to the orphanage. He fixed his gaze on Jane, silently conveying, 'Yes, I was caught. So what?'

As Jane studied Sean, he resumed speaking. "No more lies; answer my question honestly."

Sean nodded in agreement.

Jane asked, "What is your name?" 

Sean replied, "Yoon Seon." 

Jane continued, "Where do you come from?" 

Sean answered, "From the Angels Orphanage." 

Jane pressed on, "Why are you here?" 

After a moment of hesitation, Sean admitted, "I escaped from the orphanage in a vegetable truck that brought me here." 

Jane inquired, "How long have you been here?" 

Sean responded, "Two months." 

Jane processed this information, thinking, 'So you've been living in that dilapidated house for two months without being discovered by the villagers?' 

"Yes," Sean confirmed.

Jane's expression shifted to one of sternness as he posed his final question, "What happened there?" 

Sean hesitated briefly before recounting the orphanage's misdeeds one by one. He reasoned that sharing these details wouldn't cost him anything; no one would come forward to help anyway. After listing everything, he noticed Jane's face contort with anger. Internally, he scoffed, thinking, 'It's unlikely you'll change anything.'