Rico is an orphan and apprentice gray priest living in the Ehrenfest temple orphanage basement. As the smallest and youngest resident, he occupies the space farthest from the main entrance, where children are arranged by age. This placement leaves Rico severely disadvantaged during meal distributions. Older children near the door take most of the food, leaving little to reach the back. By the time any divine gifts arrive, only scraps remain for Rico, and even these are often stolen by stronger children.

Rico's weakened state shows in his physical frailty; he struggles to climb onto a chair and languishes on his hay pile. His sole activity is tracking time by watching the sun through a high window. His desperation for food is clear when an older boy knocks his single piece of soup-soaked bread from his hand. Rico immediately dives after it, eating it from the filthy floor along with clinging grit, hay, and debris.

The arrival of Myne and Gil changes Rico's situation. During their first cellar visit, Rico, positioned near the back door, eagerly devours a loaf of bread dropped by Gil. Focused solely on eating, he ignores Myne fainting nearby. The next day, Gil implements a new system ensuring equal food distribution. He enforces rules against older children stealing from younger ones and mandates using spoons instead of dirty hands.

Because of these changes, Rico experiences being truly full for the first time he can remember. The cellar's atmosphere shifts dramatically; the usual deathly silence gives way to quiet conversations among the children, signaling new security and community. Rico's existence transitions from constant hunger and despair to participating in these early, tentative social interactions.