Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: 4. The Most Conscientious Orphan Dealer
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The knight from the Luton Baron's family, Hexon, let out a hollow laugh as if he couldn't believe what the Orphanage Director had just said.
This young punk of a director was spouting such arrogant nonsense.
'What? A break?'
Everyone knew what an orphanage really was, so why resort to such an obvious lie? The mere fact that someone this young was running one hinted at just how pathetic his life must be.
Hexon had no idea what kind of backing gave him the guts to deceive a proper knight like this, but it wasn't his problem anyway.
Srring.
"You're courting death."
If he resisted, he'd just crush that pathetic resolve of his.
He wouldn't kill him, though. The family head and the steward had nagged him endlessly not to touch the kid. That alone was annoying enough for Hexon.
'A mere blood-clot like this, and they're making a fuss?'
Some connections? Backing? So they said. But if he really had powerful backing, he wouldn't be in a backwater town like this, let alone running an orphanage.
More likely, he'd just bribed the steward enough to get a "hands-off" warning. The steward was notorious for taking bribes like that.
'Chop off an arm or something, that'll do.'
Above all, Hexon was a knight—a low noble in his own right. After all the effort to become one, he had no intention of kowtowing to some bribe-peddling orphanage director.
The family head had abandoned estate management to obsess over his dead wife, and the steward was a greedy sycophant. Hexon had no real reason to obey them. He just followed orders when it suited him.
Just as Hexon moved to draw his sword...
"......!!"
A sudden chill made his body tremble. He whipped around, scanning the area, but there were no hostile glares aimed at him.
Just the same cocky orphanage director staring at him with those innocent eyes.
'What the hell was that...? Drawing my sword would've been dangerous.'
It wasn't a brush with death. But his instincts screamed that it wouldn't be easy—that he'd take a fatal blow out of nowhere. Still, he couldn't suspect the director.
Feel danger from a kid this young, still smiling like nothing was wrong?
'No way. But...'
Better safe than sorry. Changing his attitude, Hexon cleared his throat and let go of his sword.
"This is an order from Baron Luton. Defy it, and you'll pay a heavy price."
"...If it's an order, I suppose I have no choice. Come in."
Unlike his firm stance moments ago, the director seemed to have second thoughts and opened the door, letting Hexon inside. Only then could Hexon get a proper look at him.
...Holding a long-handled tool in one hand.
"What's that?"
"Oh, I was fixing a chair until just now. It's just a regular tool—don't mind it."
"R-Right."
He eyed it closely just in case, but it really was just an ordinary tool. So what was that earlier sense of danger? Frowning, Hexon followed the director into the office anyway.
Naturally, Hexon took the seat of honor, crossing his legs, and promptly ordered the politely standing director.
"Bring the ledger."
"Understood."
"Resistance is futile... What?"
"Here it is."
What? Handing over the orphanage ledger just like that?
Hexon was briefly stunned, but after glancing at the ledger the director offered, he smirked as if he'd expected it.
Tossing the ledger carelessly onto the desk, he made a knowing face.
"You thought you could fool me with this fake garbage? Think again."
"Fake? It's not."
"Hah, so you expect me to believe this nonsense is real?"
That the orphanage meticulously recorded subsidies, donations, other income, and clearly listed all expenditures?
Most of the incoming funds went toward the orphans' food, upkeep, daily necessities, and something called "Talent Training." The leftovers were diligently saved as emergency funds.
Of course, it was all fake. Why would any orphanage actually care for orphans like that?
"You've got double books, right? Hand them over nicely."
"This really is our orphanage's ledger."
"Shameless. An orphanage spending money on orphans? You think I'd fall for such an obvious lie?"
"Then where does the orphanage spend money on orphans if not on them?"
"You're impossible to reason with."
Drawing his sword felt risky after that earlier warning, but violence wasn't the only solution.
Confident in himself, Hexon kicked open the office door and began ransacking the orphanage.
"Surely searching the place will turn up evidence...?"
It was spotless. No—beyond clean, it was disconcerting.
The beds where orphans slept, the kitchen, storage, playroom, study room—every space was neatly organized, lived-in, without whips or bloodstains anywhere.
It was the polar opposite of the filthy back-alley dives he'd seen while collecting bribes.
'I was gonna squeeze some cash while I was here...'
Did they always prepare this thoroughly to avoid getting caught? Unable to find any evidence, Hexon scowled.
Even checking the orphans for scars or wounds yielded nothing—they just cowered fearfully from his grimacing approach, looking perfectly fine. If anything, they seemed relieved when the supposedly most hated orphanage director came near.
Everything defied Hexon's common sense, and he'd gained nothing from it.
Returning to the office, Hexon decided to be more direct.
"Ahem! Sorry for suspecting you earlier. I'm sure you understand."
"Of course."
"You see all kinds of things in this line of work... Since I'm here at the orphanage anyway, I should help you out a bit, Director."
"Help how?"
"Pick out a suitable orphan. I'll take one when I leave."
Naturally, he wasn't planning a real adoption. Selling to the back-alley gangs he protected would net a tidy profit.
He'd gotten such "bribes" from other orphanages he'd visited, so even if this was blunt, it should be fine.
"I refuse."
"What?"
"You're not suitable by my standards."
"Hah, your arrogance knows no bounds. Didn't you hear me? It'll be better for you if you comply nicely."
"I'm sorry, but I don't think a knight needs to interfere with orphanage operations. And I certainly can't offer you bribes."
"...Then why the hell did you open an orphanage?"
It was a genuine question, far from his goals—yet one he couldn't hold back.
If you're not exploiting orphans for profit, abusing them to sate base desires, or laundering money, then...
Why?
"Because taking care of orphans is the right thing for me."
"Bullshit."
"It's the honest truth, without a shred of lie."
What kind of lunatic was this? Hexon clicked his tongue, staring at the director in utter incomprehension.
He wanted to draw his sword and bellow, but that persistent sense of danger held him back. Torn between pride and greed...
"...I'll head back for today. I'll come again tomorrow."
"I'll be waiting."
He decided to retreat for now. His real target, the "young lady," wasn't here anyway. Ransacking the place had been as much about finding her as evidence.
She'd definitely come to this orphanage, but she'd probably fled or returned to the alleys before he arrived. Thinking it would get messy, Hexon pulled out a cigarette.
"Sorry, but no smoking inside the orphanage. Please smoke outside."
"Tch."
Cocky to the end. As he stomped out deliberately loud, the director and orphans watched, but Hexon acted like it was natural.
That weird danger sense had kept his sword sheathed, but he was strong enough to kill everyone inside alone. That certainty made him bold.
Once outside and walking away, though, the director's arrogance nagged at him.
'Should I go back now and put him in his place?'
As he pondered and drew his sword...
"...You drew it, huh?"
"Hm? You're that girl from the orphanage earlier... Ah, I see."
Turning at the sudden voice, Hexon saw a girl with pink hair in a ponytail. Smirking at her pretty face...
Of course. An orphanage couldn't really be for orphans. Even that cocky director must've decided to pay up.
A bit late, but he'd forgive it since she'd offered now—
"Subdue him."
"Suddenly, wh-what!?"
"Yes, milady."
Clang!
Someone appeared behind him in an instant, knocking his sword away and pressing a blade to his throat.
He'd slacked on training since becoming a knight young, but Hexon was still a knight. He could overwhelm any number of commoners easily.
Yet this expert toyed with him like a child. And this orphan commanded such an expert with a single word.
Before Hexon could process it, familiar faces emerged behind the girl—the back-alley gangs he protected.
He didn't know why Luton alley rats were here, but relieved to be alive, he bellowed.
"You lot! Grab that girl now! Grab her!"
"........."
"You bastards! Are you deaf? Have you forgotten who had your backs!"
"...Milady."
"Hurry! Hurry up and grab h—!!"
"M-Milady! We told you everything about that Hexon scum, just like you ordered! Spare us now!"
"...Fine. You're free. Now scram."
"Th-Thank you!"
"What are you doing! Come back! Come back, I say!"
Hexon screamed himself hoarse, but the gangs fled weeping and laughing at the girl's word. As he watched their backs in dismay, a plump man approached her and bowed.
"Milady, what now?"
"That knight Hexon—what's his position in the family?"
"He's senior by tenure, but his incompetence and greed cap him there."
"Killing him might make the director suspicious, so 'educate' him. The Information Guild can handle that, right?"
"Haha, of course. Hodrick won't disappoint you, milady."
"Wh-What are you doing! Stay back! I'm a knight of Luton—"
"Galen."
"Yes, milady."
The last thing Hexon saw...
Was the orphan girl coldly looking down on him, commanding knights far stronger than him, back-alley gangs, and the Information Guild with a single word.
'No way... Could she be!'
The "milady" who'd recently unified Luton's back alleys, as he'd heard from the gangs he'd squeezed.
Only then did Hexon realize she was that girl.
Moments later, his vision went black.
*
While Hexon quietly received his "education" from the Information Guild, Laila stood in the office he'd occupied moments ago.
Looking at the innocent orphanage director who'd endured his harassment...
"...I'll go back."
"Lady Laila?"
"It's for my brother... and for the director too."
She spoke with a voice of resignation. Hexon's visit was just the beginning. With her father and family determined to retrieve her, not just her brother but the orphanage's children could get hurt if she stayed.
The director would step up to protect them, just like he'd shielded her earlier.
Thanks to his signals, she'd hidden without Hexon noticing.
"But milady."
"The director said it earlier, didn't he? Protecting the children is his job. That's what he's doing."
If she stayed, the other kids would suffer.
So sending her back was the director's duty.
Laila smiled wistfully as she said it.
"It's okay. It was only a week, but I'll never forget. My brother, my friends, and you, Director..."
"We'll go together."
"...Pardon?"
"Didn't you hear earlier? Protecting the children is my job. That's what I'm doing."
"Wh-What do you—"
"It was only a week, but you were still one of our orphanage's children."
"............"
"I'll go with you to the Luton Baron's estate."
The director's eyes brimmed with sincerity as he stood beside her.
And so, Laila quietly took his hand.
"...Yes, Director."
Going back home wasn't something she wanted. It should have been awful, so why?
With the director by her side, courage welled up within her.
Right now, it felt like it would be okay.