The Princesses of the Orphanage (3)
Father's decisiveness was like a runaway airship. Especially when it came to Mother and anything related to love—he allowed no one to follow in his wake. Just look at how he was sneaking across the border to the Empire's night market to fetch whatever cravings struck her during her pregnancy.
Once Father made up his mind, no one could stop him. Not even me.
The one thing I hadn't anticipated was—
"How the hell does a building like this go up in just a week?"
At that moment.
"Lady Mente. This spot was just flat ground when I was here a week ago, wasn't it?"
"Well, someone mobilized even the knights to build it. It's a wooden structure, right? Just a log cabin or whatever."
"It's a log mansion."
"The carpenters tell the knights where to cut, and they cut it precisely. That's all."
"......."
I could understand how a wooden building went up so fast. The rough exterior and simplistic aesthetic screamed that speed was the only priority. It was as if someone had rushed to make it livable right away.
And in fact, that was exactly the case.
Clang, clang, clang!
A short distance from the orphanage, laborers were hammering fresh rebar into the ground. Not leftovers from the elevator installation, but new stock procured directly by the Gibraltar Margrave Territory.
"Building a temporary structure in just seven days, while starting the main one at the same time... I mean, come on...."
"Not enough rooms to welcome the princesses?"
"......."
"You look seriously pissed. Makes sense. Your father went through hell back at the academy."
Lady Mente nodded with a face full of understanding.
"Open a locker, and love letters would pour out. Girls trailed him even to the bathroom. Hell, one lady even snuck into the dorms in disguise."
"And Father just let that happen?"
"Nah, not at first. The barrier that used to keep them off finally stopped working."
Lady Mente waved her hand up and down like a shield.
"Lady Carmen, his fiancée at the time, used to swat away all the girls clinging to the margrave. But after the breakup and switching to your mother, they all piled on."
"Once his heart changed once, they figured they had a shot too?"
"Exactly. And thanks to that, I had my hands full."
"You, Lady Mente?"
"I was student council."
"Ah."
I got it. Chaos like that at the academy, and the ones in charge wouldn't suffer?
"The margrave might not want you going through the same."
"Isn't it the opposite? Like, 'suck it up and toughen out'?"
"If that were it, he'd have left you alone till seventeen and then tossed you into the academy? Who wishes more hardship on their son than themselves?"
"The imperial family?"
"Ah, right. Them. What was that saying...."
"'A lion drops its cubs off a cliff.' What the current emperor told the crown prince."
Grow up strong from the start. The imperial family's motto.
"Lions don't actually do that, though."
"Really? It was in the papers?"
"Papers cover a lot. Want to read together sometime?"
"Pass. Knights just need to swing a sword well, guards just guard. I'm too old for newfangled knowledge~"
Lady Mente waved it off with a playful grin.
"For a guy, that'd be 'uncle.' No, 'auntie'? Haha."
"I won't say a word."
Even if she joked self-deprecatingly like that, prying would get me shut down fast.
"Let's talk orphanage. Father definitely plans to use that building for—"
"The squirts under Noir, I'd bet."
"...Pardon?"
Our thoughts diverged.
"Not the new orphans coming in? Lady Mente, heard something?"
"Nah, just guessing. But the real orphans this time—the girls, all around ten?"
Right. True, but—
"Wouldn't it be better to house the girls somewhere nicer? It's wood, sure, but good training for the kids too."
"...I'll have to discuss with Father."
As orphanage director.
* * *
The study.
"Mente told you?"
"Yes."
"Can't blab carelessly, then."
"I know the mansion inside out. Especially the orphanage—I check daily."
I met Father privately in the study to grill him.
"True you're giving up orphanage rooms for the girls from the Empire?"
"It is."
"Then the current kids get displaced."
"Just culling."
Father slid a roster across with a firm look.
"Spots are limited, budget fixed. You said you could use these kids, but the hopeless ones? Cut 'em early."
"That's not what I heard. I figured Noir's knight candidates would take the log temp building."
"Planned endurance training there too. But culling numbers? That's real."
Father had already marked some names in red ink.
"They vacate, and we get more Ethan Sezars."
"......Understood."
Father was optimizing personnel now.
"Pull the averages, fill with potentials. Sure."
"Got alternatives? Speak."
"Ditching the incompetent, demerit cases, or rowdy ones? Smart move."
We weren't hugging these kids out of love—we were grooming them to sell out the kingdom.
"But dumping them raw? They'll resent Gibraltar."
"No need to care."
"If they spill daily routines to enemies, those tidbits form plans. Assassination plots."
"Hm...."
No need to elaborate—Father got it.
Even orphanage layout from rejects would aid intruders.
"So eject without grudge."
More enemies ahead; don't breed them inside.
"Sell 'em off for Gibraltar gain. Not trafficking, mind."
Father flinched; I cleared my throat.
"These roster kids? Mediocre or talentless here. Low investment value."
"Right. How sell?"
"Fox is minion in tiger den, tyrant in rabbit warren."
I pointed to the kingdom map on the study wall.
"New orphanages sprouting everywhere. Dispatch there."
"Dispatch?"
"Yes. Foxes know our system cold. Sell that know-how."
"Learned about imperial corps lately."
Father nodded at the camera and Empire-language books by his desk.
"'Branch managers' sent to outposts. Borrowing that?"
"Spot on."
Gibraltar orphanage alumni had 3 months to 3 years experience.
"Nostrum's popping orphanages like weeds, but none run like ours."
"Sowing seeds on uncleared fields, expecting world tree growth like in Elf Forest."
"Yes. Sell 'em our 3-year ops tech—straight from kids who lived it."
Invaluable elsewhere.
"Orphanage 'managers'?"
"Empire term. Or 'butlers' for simplicity. Scattered locals support ops, scout talents."
"...And ship potentials back here?"
"Living in tiger den, butlers instinctively know."
Rabbits I can eat. Or tiger cubs that might eat me grown.
"Selling people works, but best? They spread pro-Gibraltar sentiment continent-wide."
"Sentiment."
"Yes. Ultimate goal: toxic rumors on the Incompetent King...."
Treason or treason, dethrone him without kingdom shock.
"Just reporting Gibraltar status? Their role's done. Noir-centric setup."
Talents from orphanage stuck to Noir.
"Orphanage butlers touch nobles too—stories leak right in."
"Yes. Regular letters home? Nobles peek, grasp our sitch?"
"We control the narrative."
Father drummed fingers, eyes shut.
"Useless now, so plant where useful later. Scouts and spies."
"Key: They work for Gibraltar with pride, unknowingly spies. Pride breeds loyalty."
"...Grey."
Father paused, eyed me.
"Leave it to you, then."
"Thank you. So—"
"But move kids to temp building. Can't give girls shabby digs—Mother's call."
"......."
"Hate it 'cause it's Mother?"
"Not that."
"Then...."
Father drummed fast, anxious-like.
"I'll convince Charlotte."
"Pardon?"
"Cares for girls, sure, but can't ignore system. Booting seniors for rookies? She'll get it."
"......."
First time, maybe. Father siding with me over Mother.
"Touching."
"This?"
"Yes."
Tiny thing, but felt different. Changed.
"I thought same as you—Empire girls in temp. Told her, she opposed."
"'Cause girls? Well, Mother...."
"No. You."
"...?"
Father tapped teacup boredly.
"Girls clustered? They'll faction up, fight over you."
"......."
"Better scatter rooms, foster unity here."
"Hm."
Of course.
"Isn't following Mother filial?"
Women know women best?
"Furniture incoming soon—I'll mull. Report decision."
* * *
Days later.
"Young master. Uh, visitor...."
"Visitor? This hour?"
"Yes. Margrave says come quick...."
"Father? Who the—"
I nearly lost it over one unannounced orphan.
"Princess Naria."
"I'm not Princess Naria, young master."
Frayed bread hat over short golden bob. Shabby vest, patched overalls.
But unmistakable green eyes, pale skin.
"So, an orphan."
"Yes. Pure stray. I'll do anything asked."
"No."
"Take me in."
The princess barged in—
"Call me 'Jabes'."
Claiming orphan alias, no trace of Naria.
"Grew up fatherless. Mother dumped me here. Mercy, please."
"...Lady Carmen pass any message?"
Just me and Father in the room.
"Yes."
Princess Naria pulled a letter envelope from her bosom, handed to Father.
"Mother left it dumping me."
"Dumping phrasing...."
"Sorry, margrave. Gotta drill it to remember I'm orphan."
"...Reason to sneak a princess here disguised—"
Father tore open, scowled openly.
"This crazy bastard."
"Father?"
"See."
Saint Geo got drunk and tried to kill Princess Naria.
"...Morgania's too close to capital—can't protect me. Mad king'll storm in demanding me."
Princess Naria bowed ninety degrees.
"Just for now. Let me stay here awhile, Margrave."
In that instant, a knife-slash scar gleamed briefly near her neck.