Ken yo, kaku katariki – 149

04 – Orphanage


In the quiet, only the sounds of breathing could be heard.

The underground facility that existed in Hotel Avanciel. They were multipurpose rooms that were offered to the guests. Though, these rooms were completely empty.
And so they used it for training.

One girl was now standing in the center.
Iria Orlando. With one sword in hand, she concentrated.

And then…

“Hah…”

A flash of steel.
An attack just as beautiful as she was.
However…

“…It’s no good.”

She frowned and sheathed her sword again.

(I’m still not even close to him…)

She had already known this. But now, she was starting to feel frantic.
Iria was Yukito’s apprentice. Even if he did not see her that way. That was how she chose to see things.
An apprentice was supposed to surpass the master eventually. Even if it took ten years or twenty.

—The reason for this agitation she was feeling was the meeting with the prince the other day.
Freedom.
What was freedom? To not be bound to others.
But if that was the case, was anyone in the world truly free?

And then she realized it. Yukito could make it happen.
There was no need for him to be bound to anyone, including her. No, to be precise, there was no one in this world who could bind him.
If there was an exception to that, it was the Sword Saint. But he surely did not mean to bind Yukito…

(No… I knew it all alone. It’s just that the prince’s words gave my feelings a clear shape…)

She was scared.
Of him leaving.
If only she could become stronger. And so she tried to train, but her mind kept wandering.

(I really am an ugly person…)

Wasn’t it all just an ugly wish to bind him?

(Why am I so…)

“Ah!”

She heard the sounds of the door opening and she jumped up.
When she turned around, a short girl was peering in.

“There you are, Iria! Breakfast will be over soon!”

“Ah, sorry. I was so focused on my training.

It was Fae.
A cheerful girl who, in spite of her stature, was a master of martial arts.

“Hurry up! We have plans today!”

“Plans?”

She could not remember what they had been.
After the attack, some thought that it would be best for the students to stay inside. But they had then been contacted by the police, and learned that everything was settled. And so they were now allowed to leave.
Besides, there were only three days left in the festival. And they had not been able to do much sightseeing at all.

Still, they would be responsible for whatever happened if they left. And Iria had heard that many had decided to stay on their own.

“You know! The orphanage!”

“Ah.”

Iria finally remembered that promise.

◆ ◇ ◆

There are several different orphanages in the imperial capital.
And they were all managed by a church.
The Twin Moon church believed in spreading love, and they have long existed as an organization that helped people. Those who lost their homes due to war, those who suffered from poverty, orphans. It was the church’s important duty to help them.

Yes, it sounded a little fishy.
Yukito did not have the best impression of churches and religions.
Perhaps it was a bad habit from his past life in Japan.

“Thank you so much for offering to donate.”

In one room in the church, a priest bowed his head.
Yukito had the idea to donate the money from the prince on the same day.
He did not feel like using it, so he might as well just donate it.

“Please do not worry.”

A woman in a suit smiled as she sat with them.
Apparently, she was from the welfare department. I had been advised to make the donation through them instead of as an individual.

(That was a surprise.)

The person who had given him the advice.

Millie Alensen.

‘As the church manages the orphanages, donating as an individual will mean no taxes. However, there are also no restrictions on use. But if it is through the country, then there will be no chance of embezzlement. So that would be more… Hey, why are you guys looking at me like that?’

Everyone was looking at her with warm eyes, which caused her to frown.

It seemed doubtful that the church would engage in embezzlement, but most of the workers at the orphanage were private contractors commissioned by the church.
Regardless, she said the church would understand. Indeed, the priest in front of him showed no signs of being upset, and he bowed his head gratefully.

“…The official procedures will be completed tomorrow. Mr. Yukito, as I understand you are living in the old capital, we will send someone from our office at a later date.”

“Thank you.”

And like that, Yukito became an official ‘Daddy Long Legs.’

“Mr. Tukito. If you like, we could give you a tour of the orphanage.”

Said the priest with a smile.
It awoke in an old memory.
From his past life…

He had been an orphan.
Well, he still was in this world. He didn’t even know who his parents were.
But He also knew that it was a good thing.

The hole that opens up in your chest. The pain was relative to the size of what you lost.
If it never existed to begin with, then it would not turn into pain. You would not feel the anger, regret and despair that was like seeking in the mire.

And so Yukito did not care about the parents who had abandoned him in the mountains.

“…What will you do?”

The priest looked at him questioningly, and Yukito shook his head.

“…Huh? Mr. Yukito.”

Someone called, and Yukito raised his head.
A beautiful girl with long black hair was standing there.

Next Chapter

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