Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: 2. Orphan Gacha Probability Up Event
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Well, of course, I didn't think things would go smoothly just by flashing the land deed and permit. From the start, the residents' protests had nothing to do with legality.
Even so, there was one reason I showed them the documents: to seize the initiative in the conversation, to take control of the flow.
The residents who had been shouting at me emotionally to get out were now flustered by the documents I held out.
"What, what is this? The lord gave permission?"
"I heard the owner of that land changed, but it was the orphanage director...?"
"Elder, these documents aren't forged, are they!?"
"...In my younger days, I served the lord. The format and family crest are impeccably authentic."
"No way... The lord permitted building an orphanage?"
I didn't just passively accept their confusion. I barely managed to obtain these documents by tapping into my adventurer connections.
Sure, real estate is plentiful enough in this world that you could build a house on some outskirts and live without issue.
Still, having land deeds and permits stamped by the lord himself carried tremendous weight.
"I laid out in detail for the lord the schedule, plans, and purpose of the orphanage I plan to establish, and I received permission after a strict review."
Strict review, yeah. Took about three minutes.
Just to be safe, I asked an acquaintance, and he went through some incredibly strict and convoluted process to get the documents from the lord. Honestly, he's a guy I hate contacting even more than Hella, so I just left a thank-you and cut off communication.
But above all, I had one more document to show them.
"And we're receiving donations from a most glorious source."
"Donations?... What? The Beril Count Family!?"
"It's merely a small connection."
Hah, do I still look like one of those run-of-the-mill orphanage directors littering the area?
You can't trust an orphanage director. You can't trust a young orphanage director. But can you refuse to trust an orphanage director who's been approved by the lord and backed by the empire's powerhouse, the Beril Count Family?
'Long live the Beril Count Family.'
To repay the favor, I'll definitely sell Laila off as an adopted daughter. Reaffirming that resolve, I turned my gaze to the residents, who were now fidgeting anxiously upon realizing nobles were involved.
Just moments ago, they held the advantage, but not anymore.
"Of course, I understand your attitudes toward orphanages. There are plenty of abandoned plots around here, which means several orphanages, and no doubt some of them caused you trouble."
"Y-Yeah! Those damn orphanage brats stole our vegetables."
"That director ran up a tab on booze and never paid!"
"And they bring in those shady guards... Just seeing those guys lurking around is scary!"
No wonder 'orphanage = something to drive out' was ingrained in the residents' minds. Caused trouble? Wrong. Every single one caused trouble without exception.
That's why I'd gone as far as the city center or even neighboring towns... but it looked like that issue was about to be resolved.
Just as the residents had been waiting for an excuse to chase out the orphanage and its director.
I'd been waiting for an opportunity like this too.
"Even so, you're just the same kind of orphanage director! The lord got fooled!"
Good. Nice start.
I whipped my gaze straight to the guy who'd shouted in defiance. Look at that ugly mug. Perfect.
Our eyes met abruptly, and he flinched. I didn't miss the opening.
"You're right. I am an orphanage director. Utterly ordinary."
"Th-That's right! You too just mistreat orphans and───"
"One who takes in pitiful, unfortunate children, feeds them, puts them to bed, lets them play freely, helps them grow up properly into fine adults."
"Wh-What?"
"That's the purpose of an orphanage, and the duty of its director, isn't it?"
No.
The purpose of an orphanage is to sell its products at a premium, and my duty is to pocket that money for a comfy retirement.
But aren't those basically the same thing?
"I'm just that kind of orphanage director. I came all the way to the village because one of my children was forcibly taken."
"Taken?"
"The girl behind me, Karen. Daniel here and those other kids said they dragged her off by force."
"Lies! My Daniel wouldn't...!!"
"I-It’s true!"
"...Daniel?"
"W-We... we dragged this kid by force! It's not a lie!"
"D-Daniel! Why would you do such a thing!"
"Because Mom and Dad... say every day that orphanage scum need to disappear, that they're bad guys... So I was trying to make it happen for them..."
"Daniel...."
"A-And I... said awful things to her first... Hic!"
I quietly soothed the once-again crying Daniel and sent her into her parents' arms. Daniel's parents hugged their guilt-ridden, sobbing child and looked at me with complicated eyes.
"I have some tact. I knew you residents didn't look kindly on me as the orphanage director, so I avoided coming this way as much as possible... but even if I can dodge it, I can't dodge problems involving my orphanage kids."
Especially when it's not just any product—they touched Karen? Our precious 4-Star orphan? The future top seller of the orphanage??
Merchants always make a huge fuss over stolen or damaged cheap goods to prevent repeats. Let alone the store's priciest item? Not losing it would be weirder.
The residents buzzed as they saw my eyes, brimming with pure, unfeigned sincerity.
"I-Is he really an orphanage director? Different from the others..."
"But that's just talk. That kid could be getting abused for real."
"Of course it's a lie! No orphanage director would! They're all human scum!"
Why does that ugly bastard keep raising his voice? He knows the golden rule of negotiation: the loudest one eats first. Not your average guy.
Just as I opened my mouth to counter amid that nagging suspicion he wasn't just some random resident.
The crying Daniel dashed up to the ugly guy and yelled.
"No! The director isn't like that!"
"What? K-Kid? This is grown-up business, so you just..."
"He even got burns on his hand protecting me earlier!"
"Burns?"
"Wait, look at the orphanage director's hand!"
"Oh my god..."
Ah, shit. I'd been trying my best to forget, but now that it's mentioned, it suddenly hurts like hell.
My right hand was already a gruesome mess of burns and blisters. Does it hurt? Like dying. But this level of pain? I'd endured it multiple times during my adventurer days.
You don't get used to it, but at least you don't bawl and scream. The residents stared in shock at my burns and blisters.
"...That was just natural. Karen threatened Daniel with magic first."
"Magic? Magic?"
"N-No! I said mean things to her first... I was the one who messed up first!"
"Mean things?"
"Like... she doesn't have a mom or dad..."
"Daniel!"
No matter how true, it was too raw a fact-bomb for an orphan, leaving even Daniel's parents flustered.
I smiled and said to Daniel.
"Daniel, good on you for recognizing your mistake. But strictly speaking, that statement was wrong."
"Y-Yes...?"
"I might not know about mom, but at least I'm the father to Karen and all the kids in our orphanage."
"...!!"
I swear I heard Karen swallow hard behind me, but that wasn't the point right now. Not who started it, not even my calculated 'father' line for PR.
The key was subtly letting slip that Karen had used magic.
Your average residents might not catch it, but that elder who seemed like the representative? He looked like he'd held some office. A guy like that would recognize the value of a 4-Star orphan.
"...Director, could you show me that hand?"
"Elder?"
"I ask you."
The elder—his tone much softer now—placed his hand on my burned-up wreck.
A warm, gentle sensation washed over my entire palm, and the burns and blisters vanished clean.
"This is...?"
"This old man served the gods in his youth. Retired now, but my skills haven't rusted too much."
Even for a priest, instant healing like this? I'd planned to head back and beg Hella for treatment.
Divine power at this level? At least bishop-class───
"Sorry for the misunderstanding. You seem like a proper orphanage director, but ones like you are awfully rare."
"...Sorry for those words. Thank you for saving our Daniel."
"Truly grateful."
"No need. If anything, I should make sure our orphanage doesn't cause you any trouble..."
"If any kid from the orphanage gets hurt, bring them to me. I'll heal them on the spot."
"Really!?"
Free, right? Has to be free at this timing, this vibe? No way he'd charge now?
My plan to rely on potions for injuries and illnesses? Completely scrapped. With potion costs in mind, free healing was worth prostrating myself.
'Of course, not purely selfless.'
A healing expert like him probably wants to check if the injuries are from innocent play or whips and overwork. Not my problem, though. I don't run my products that way.
And it wasn't just the elder stepping up.
"Sorry about that. Bring your groceries to my shop from now on! I'll cut you deals as a fine young man like yourself."
"If you need seeds, just say. Or I'll share some harvest now and then."
"Daily necessities running low? Come by. I'll sell cheap."
"Everyone...! Thank you so much!!"
This was the real jackpot. Community collaboration and economic ties!
The orphanage business thrives on local connections. Groceries and sundries are one thing, but selling products? Nothing beats the shop next door for speed and ease.
Plus, to build rep from those sales, smoothing relations with residents was essential. A year's worth of groundwork paid off.
If I'd approached first, they'd have stonewalled with suspicion. But with this perfect hook? Smooth sailing.
"Y-You all! Don't trust a guy like that! What kind of degenerate life has a young punk like him lived to end up running an orphanage!?"
"Carlson, enough."
"But elder!"
"We've misunderstood and been wary of the director all this time. Shouldn't we trust him now, as atonement?"
"But..."
"I said enough."
"Y-Yes..."
For some reason, the ugly guy—who'd been clinging doggedly—finally clammed up. Then he shot me a pretty vicious glare... What're you looking at? Wanna scrap?
He looked like a deadbeat, not a shopkeeper. Community ties matter, but I don't need to win over useless bums who add zilch to business.
Ignoring him completely, I smiled and clasped the ex-priest's—no, the free clinic's—hand.
"Pleased to be working with you, elder."
"Likewise."
The community pact was sealed.
"Karen, you made up with Daniel?"
"...Yes."
"Good girl. But you'll get scolded again once we're back. No matter what, you can't use magic recklessly."
".........Yes."
On the way back.
Karen was riding piggyback on the director. She could've walked, but after slumping from exhaustion, he'd offered his hand.
And why had she collapsed?
"...Director..."
"Yes?"
"What you said earlier... is it true?"
"Sorry, but I scold hard when I scold. Scary as that is, it's still better than getting it from that wench Hella..."
"No, not that."
"Hm?"
"...That you'll be our father."
"Ah, that one?"
The director chuckled at Karen's tentative words. She didn't pick up on the undertones of advertising or lip service.
Still.
"Of course. Well, if you kids hate it, can't be helped."
"........."
"At least, I want to be your father."
His hand stroking her head felt incredibly warm.
Like the warmth her mother—before she turned cold—used to give so often.
'Father...'
Karen couldn't accept the director's words.
To her, a father was nothing but an enemy she had to avenge someday.
'...I don't know.'
In the end, Karen couldn't reach any conclusion between her two 'fathers.'
She simply burrowed deeper into the director's back, greedily soaking in the warmth.