Mr. Guildford told me that the circumstances at the orphanage were dire.
The number of children currently staying there exceeded 200. Given that scale, several volunteers should have been present, but after the monster attacks, there was not a single volunteer left at the Gilford Orphanage.
Under normal circumstances, they would need to hire staff temporarily. However, the Gilford Orphanage had long suffered from chronic financial difficulties, and thus there was no extra money to spare for emergencies.
One clear result of this situation was the buildings that had cracks here and there. With looking after the children being impossible, there was no way to maintain or repair the buildings.
Fortunately, the children had divided responsibilities for cooking and cleaning, which kept things functioning. If it weren’t for that, the Gilford Orphanage would have been unable to operate at all.
Mr. Guildford expressed that this weighed heavily on his heart. These were children who should be focusing on learning and growing. Yet, the children were already learning how to designate duties and share tasks among themselves.
They had to survive. If they were kicked out of here, they had nowhere else to go.
It was a cruel reality. There were no other places for unaccompanied children to secure food and shelter. The Gilford Orphanage, even with its meager meals, was considered one of the better options.
Children without parents were thoroughly vulnerable. This was just as true in an orphanage. They had to be grateful just to be fed and given a place to sleep, so they dared not complain.
Thus, some orphanages exploited their children in malicious ways. It was not uncommon for some to feed them only one meal a day while making them work as laborers on farms owned by the orphanage directors.
The continent was overflowing with orphans, and there were many orphanages. Due to this overwhelming number, it was impossible for national authorities to oversee every single one, and there were even instances where they turned a blind eye to known abuses.
Even the worst orphanage was still an orphanage. More orphanages were needed on the continent.
It was simply because the orphanages were the only places that could accommodate countless orphans. To control children desperate to survive without guardians, additional investment in security and administration was necessary.
There was no nation willing to welcome such an investment. If they had the capacity to do so, it would be more rational to invest in other sectors.
The state had many responsibilities, such as maintaining city security, subjugating monsters in nearby villages, and expanding roads. They simply lacked the necessary funds and manpower to act.
It was a stark situation. No nation wanted to add the headache of “orphans” to its troubles.
At least the Holy Kingdom, with many devout believers, provided some budget support for orphanages. But, as evidenced by the situation at Gilford Orphanage, this support was grossly insufficient.
Still, it was better than having nothing. Mr. Guildford finished his story and let out a long sigh.
“It’s embarrassing. I can’t even properly welcome those who came to help…”
It happened to be dinner time. My eyes glanced at the tray placed in front of me.
Mr. Guildford had tried his best to provide a generous serving, but it was woefully inadequate.
The soup had almost no visible ingredients, and the meat was embarrassingly scarce.
Despite this, the children were eating eagerly, as if they had been waiting. This meager meal was the reason the children did not leave the Gilford Orphanage, even with the threat of monsters looming.
After all, going outside would only lead to starving on the streets or being confined back in a poor-quality orphanage. Staying at the Gilford Orphanage, even with the risk of being kidnapped by monsters, was the better choice.
It was tragic. I couldn’t lift my spoon due to the overwhelming emotion. I should be able to eat, but the thought of it felt impossible.
Hearing Mr. Guildford’s words, the Lady Virgin Saint and Yulen remained calm. Since they identified as graduates of the orphanage, they likely had some idea of the situation.
They had been busy managing the children with me all day and preparing meals. Nevertheless, they did not seem inclined to voice any complaints or dissatisfaction.
Whether their demeanor was genuine or feigned, I couldn’t tell. However, it was certain that their presence supported Mr. Guildford.
The Lady Virgin Saint made the sign of the cross and comforted Mr. Guildford with a gentle voice.
“Please don’t worry too much, Mr. Guildford. The grace of the Heavenly Deity shines like sunlight, so how could it distinguish between cold and warm? Also, I myself grew up in an orphanage. I thoroughly understand the circumstances of the Gilford Orphanage, so there’s no need for you to feel sorry.”
“…Thank you.”
Mr. Guildford struggled to speak with a choked voice before lowering his head.
It was a beautiful sight. As I watched the tender interaction between the Lady Virgin Saint and Mr. Guildford with a warm gaze, a sound broke the moment of inspiration.
“Ugh.”
The pairs of eyes exchanging comfort turned toward the sound. That included me, the Lady Virgin Saint, Yulen, and Mr. Guildford.
All eyes were directed toward one destination: Delphine and Elsi, who sat next to me.
Elsi wore a disgusted expression as if she was about to be sick, and Delphine stirred a pale porridge with an unhappy look on her face.
A look of bewilderment clouded Mr. Guildford’s eyes. My face started to heat up, and I placed my hand on my forehead.
Delphine’s voice emerged, twisted and sharp.
“There’s nothing more foolish than discriminating against food on the battlefield, but this is a bit much, isn’t it? It seems unsustainable.”
“Humph, did you confuse it with feed for the horses?”
On top of that, Elsi chimed in, their usual antagonism set aside for a moment to unite against Mr. Guildford.
Both Delphine and Elsi were high-ranking nobility. They had probably spent more days living under the scrutiny of others than not, which could explain their occasional insensitivity.
However, it didn’t bother me. I was already well aware of both seniors’ personalities, and if it came down to it, I had my hatchet.
But that didn’t apply to Mr. Guildford.
He was the person farthest removed from power in this place, and he was already feeling guilty. Complaining to him would only be venting my frustration.
Mr. Guildford immediately started to fumble, looking like he didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t a pleasant sight for an elderly man to be fidgeting under the scrutiny of women who could be considered his grandchildren.
“I-I’m sorry. Now that I think about it, you three are nobles, right? You’ve never had such a meal in your life…”
If left unchecked, it seemed like he would kneel down. I quickly waved my hands to stop Mr. Guildford. Then, I began to gather excuses as best as I could.
“It’s alright, Mr. Guildford. Delphine and Elsi are just not being completely honest. They sometimes make strange jokes to lighten the mood. Ha ha ha…”
Naturally, I couldn’t come up with anything plausible. The Virgin Saint was staring at me with cold eyes. Her gaze seemed to say,
‘You can’t even make a proper excuse?’
Strictly speaking, I was not the one at fault; it was Delphine and Elsi. I felt wronged. In the meantime, Elsi opened her mouth again, seemingly poised to chime in without any regard.
“No, what are you talking about? If you’re a noble too, you should speak your mind… Hieek?! N-no, I was joking! Just a joke!”
Of course, silencing her was simple. Gritting my teeth, I placed my hand on the hatchet, and Elsi quickly corrected her slip of the tongue. It seemed she had genuinely been frightened by my fierce glare.
Glancing over at me nervously, her small hands kept moving as she hurriedly ate the soup.
“Yum yum, it’s delicious… really!”
Her effort to make slurping sounds was commendable. Only then did I finally relax my grip and remove my hands from my waist.
Delphine’s eyes were filled with disbelief. She looked at Elsi with a disappointed gaze before scoffing and saying.
“The name of the Rainelle Clan has fallen to the ground. No matter the reason, I, Delphine Yuridina…”
“Senpai.”
I called her name softly. It was meant to request that she refrain, but Delphine’s eyes, resembling rubies, trembled violently when she met my gaze.
Her stare dropped slightly. A trembling voice came out.
“I-I, Delphine Yu, Yuridina…”
“Senpai.”
That was the final word.
Delphine’s eyes twitched violently. After a moment of hesitation, she eventually shut her eyes tightly and lowered her head deeply.
Chewing her lips as if in frustration, she said.
“…I-I like jokes. Yes, it was a joke.”
Only then could I let out a sigh of relief. It seemed I had managed to salvage the situation somehow.
With a triumphant look, I glanced at the Virgin Saint. However, the atmosphere among her, Yulen, and Mr. Guildford felt strange.
Mr. Guildford was alternately looking at me and the two seniors with a baffled expression. Yulen scratched her cheek awkwardly while flashing an uncomfortable smile. Most importantly, the Virgin Saint’s gaze towards me.
It seemed like she was looking at trash.
The Virgin Saint made the sign of the cross over her ample bosom. Then she pursed her lips and silently whispered to me.
‘Trash.’
It was an unnecessary confirmation. I shrugged my shoulders and buried my head back into my meal.
I felt wronged. So I thought I should find a way to bother Elsi later.
That was the daily life at Gilford Orphanage.
I thought this routine would continue for a few days.
Until the next day, before Elsi was inexplicably attacked.
It was when only Elsi and I were left together.
