Days passed.
At the training ground, Dahlia sat on a ladder-like bridge and watched the other children practicing there.
"Their numbers are dwindling."
They had been told that every few days someone would receive treatment.
Every child who had received treatment said they not only recovered but also felt stronger.
The doctor said the children felt stronger because they had been sick for so long and had been training while still infected. That's why they felt stronger.
During her time at the orphanage, Dahlia continued to adapt and get to know the other children.
Some of the children had good characters, some were still less clear-cut because they still seemed awkward around others, and some... were bad.
"Hey, look at that. He looks like he's planning to steal that kid's snack again."
"Poor thing. I hope he doesn't come here. Ah, Dahlia, you have to finish your food quickly, or he'll take it."
"That's right. Once targeted, you'll keep losing your food."
Dahlia glanced at the child who was snatching another child's food and ate quietly.
The child felt great after recovering and becoming a protector.
All the children who had undergone treatment and recovered were assigned to help the guards secure the orphanage.
Some of the stronger ones were even said to have been invited to fight the monsters, and that was something to be proud of.
Some had tried to complain to the orphanage administrators, but they were biased and only reprimanded the bad children without punishing them.
Dahlia looked out the window.
She had been in the orphanage for a long time and longed for the freedom outside. But she knew it was dangerous outside. Staying within the orphanage grounds was the best thing for them.
"Dahlia, we'll go to the side yard first. You'll catch up soon, okay?"
Dahlia noticed that some of her friends had finished eating and immediately nodded in response.
When she ate alone, she felt uncomfortable.
Was it because there were bad kids who liked to steal other people's food? Was it because she felt lonely? Or was it something else? Dahlia didn't know. But one thing was clear, she had to get out of there immediately.
As soon as Dahlia finished her meal, she headed to the park and played with the other children.
With the virus infecting her body, Dahlia still felt weak, but when she played, she didn't feel weak or tired.
It didn't take anything extraordinary to make the children happy. Just being together was enough.
It was getting late, and Dahlia immediately stopped playing.
She still had an hour of training left, so she needed to rest and get ready for practice.
As Dahlia went through the rest of the training session, she wasn't alone.
Several children who had completed their treatment were still practicing, even though their session had ended.
Dahlia understood that it was good to maintain a healthy body. She herself often felt the urge to exercise whenever she recovered from an illness, but seeing them working out until they were out of breath made Dahlia suspect there was something else driving them to that point.
A few days later, Monday arrived. It was a busy day, even for children like them.
At the orphanage, their needs were almost met. They received three meals a day, comfortable beds, entertainment, and security.
As long as they followed the rules and followed the rules, they didn't need to worry about danger.
Things would be even better if they were fully cured.
They were told that their treatment would not be cheap, which was why only one child was selected every few days.
Everyone would want to get well soon. But with dozens of children there, seemingly more than when Dahlia first arrived, competition was a given.
Arguments sometimes broke out. Each child, eager to recover, tried to perform well, even claiming they were the most suitable to be prioritized.
Once they recover, they will be assigned to assist the guards, like the other recovered children.
Rumor has it that the work will be hard, but is it really that much worse to be in an environment closed off from the outside world?
Each child promises to try and become more useful. Eventually, a competition will be held every Monday.
Dahlia initially isn't interested in the competition, preferring to wait her turn. However, everything changes when she hears that her treatment shift has been postponed.
"We apologize. But this has all been agreed upon by everyone. Those who deserve it deserve the best, while the rest..."
There was no need for further explanation; Dahlia understood what he meant.
She glanced at a name on the leaderboard. Hers, which had once been in the top ten, had steadily dropped and had been at the bottom for who knows how long.
She could still endure it, but it seemed like ranking also reflected a person's strength.
She, who had once been able to avoid the bad kids, was now becoming the target of bullying.
Almost every day, her snacks would be snatched away. And the other kids couldn't help; they could only watch with pity, just as she had once watched the same thing happen to other kids.
In the end, Dahlia had no choice but to participate in the match. She had hoped it would change her situation, but the reality was the opposite.
In the first match, Dahlia could only crouch and try to defend herself after several attacks.
The match was a fight using only harmless practice weapons, but Dahlia was defeated so easily.
As a child who had always lived in a safe environment and with parental love, fighting was... It was too much for her.
Every time she competed, she always ended up injured.
She didn't want to compete, but if she didn't, her ranking would remain at the bottom, and she would be the target of bullying.
Dahlia often tried to convince herself and cheer herself up, but with each passing day, she sank deeper and deeper into despair.
Being the weakest made her helpless.
From the start, she had been infected, making her body much weaker. If she wanted treatment, she had to become one of the best. But to do that, she needed a strong body.
To get what she wanted, she needed what she needed. However, what she needed could only be obtained after she had obtained what she wanted.
This became a dilemma.
In fact, Dahlia wasn't alone in her position; many other children were in the same situation, some even worse.
And like everyone else, Dahlia could only do her best.