Chapter 110: Orphanage Angel

Ugh…

A deep sigh escaped me automatically.

The screams of people were still ringing in my ears.

Of course, I didn’t do it on purpose, but why do people always misunderstand my good intentions?

Let’s go home…

It was the moment I tried to move my tired feet.

“Momma! Someone’s hidin’ ober dere!”

Cecilia suddenly shouted in an excited voice, pointing to the corner of a building.

I followed the direction her small finger was pointing, but I couldn’t see anything.

Huh?

I narrowed my eyes and looked closely at the spot.

All I could see were weeds growing between old bricks and stacked wooden boxes.

Has she become a ruler and her senses have become better than mine?

Cecilia’s abilities were becoming more surprising by the day.

But what I was curious about was something else.

But why didn’t they run away and stay?

Don’t people usually run away when they see the market getting destroyed?

No way…

A ominous thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

‘Is it a reporter!’

Yes, it must be!

The bad guys who made my reputation like this!

I could already imagine it.

-The Terror of Lycoris, Market Destruction? This is Just the Beginning.

-“I Just Drank Blood.” Rumors About Lycoris – Not a Conspiracy, But the Truth!

The numerous clickbait article titles I had seen in my past life came to mind.

Just imagining it made me angry.

“I’ll have to teach them a lesson!”

I clenched my fists.

“I’ll go get ’em!”

Cecilia’s eyes sparkled as she ran off with a patter.

The sound of her small feet kicking the ground was like a clear bell.

“Aargh!”

A child’s scream suddenly erupted from the corner of the building.

Huh?

A child?

“I-I’m sorry!”

Along with a dull thud, screams continued to be heard.

Surely she’s not hitting them…?

Soon after, Cecilia appeared holding something.

No, to be precise, she appeared holding someone.

“…”

I was at a loss for words.

Cecilia was lifting a boy high above her head with both hands.

She had a proud expression, as if she were lifting a trophy.

What in the world is this sight…

The boy had brown hair and a thin body.

He looked to be about ten years old.

But now his face was pale with fear.

“I’m sorry! Please save me!”

The boy shouted, flailing his arms and legs in the air.

He looked quite desperate.

Just then, I heard a surprised voice from the side.

“Lendi!”

It was Iris.

Her blue eyes were wide open as she looked at the boy Cecilia was holding.

“S-Sis! It’s you, Iris, right?”

The boy called Lendi let out a sigh of relief when he saw Iris.

He managed to recognize Iris while being held in the air.

“What? You know him?”

I looked back and forth between Iris and the boy.

“Yes, he’s my family…”

Huh?

Family?

I took a closer look at the two of them again.

Black hair, large eyes, a sharp nose and jawline… Iris with idol-like visuals.

Under the sunlight, her skin was white and smooth like porcelain.

Her long, dark eyelashes cast a shadow, making her look like a doll.

In comparison, Lendi with brown hair, small eyes, a blunt nose, and slightly rough skin… ordinary visuals.

He was definitely different from Iris.

Is it a genetic lottery…?

Did their parents give all the appearance genes to Iris?

Sometimes there are families like that.

One is celebrity-level and the other is…

Umm.

“We’re not biological siblings, we’re from the same orphanage.”

As I was staring at the two of them, Iris said with an awkward smile.

What!

Orphanage!

My goodness, how rude of me!

My face flushed without me realizing it.

To think I was comparing their appearances just now.

How rude a thought was that to the two people who called each other family despite not being related by blood!

“S-Sorry!”

I quickly apologized.

Then, I tried to make my voice bright to somehow salvage the situation.

“Yes! That’s right! It doesn’t matter at all if the same blood flows! True family has trust and love thicker than blood! My family is like that too!”

For a quick recovery, I thought that was a pretty good line.

In fact, what I said was sincere.

Master and I, and Cecilia and the Worms are also not related by blood, but we are a family!

For reference, Glaia is a pet I’m raising!

“Heheng! Dats wight! Momma is my momma!”

Cecilia laughed brightly and chimed in.

While still holding Lendi.

She could put him down now…

“Wow…”

Lendi let out a voice of admiration.

His scared expression from a moment ago instantly changed to one of wonder.

Hmph.

Not only Cecilia, but Lendi was also moved by my words.

As expected, I sometimes say really cool things.

“Thank you, Lady Lycoris…”

Iris also gave a sincere thanks with a surprised expression.

It looked like tears welled up in her blue eyes for a moment.

Surprised!

I’m originally a kind person!

Ugh, this side of me needs to be widely known…

“So what were you doing?”

“Uh… I saw someone who looked like Iris next to you, Lady Lycoris, and I wondered if it was really her…”

Lendi answered hesitantly.

While still being held in the air.

“Didn’t Iris say she works at our house?”

“Yes… she said she was going to a distant brewery and then suddenly disappeared one day.”

Huh?

She ran away from home and was working?

I looked at Iris.

She was hanging her head low, perhaps out of guilt for lying.

But it was understandable.

Both Master and I are rumored to be scary monsters, so how could she say she was working for us?

Anyone would have tried to stop her, saying it was dangerous.

She probably didn’t want to worry her family.

“Momma! Should I put him down now?”

Cecilia finally asked if she should put Lendi down.

I was wondering how long she was going to hold him.

“Yeah, put him down.”

“Okay!”

Thud.

“Ugh…”

When Cecilia put Lendi down on the ground…

No, when she threw him down, Lendi let out a groan.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be seriously injured, but it was clear he had received a big shock.

Lendi lay face down on the ground for a while, soothing his dizziness, then slowly got up.

“Are you okay?”

Iris asked worriedly.

“Yeah, I’m fine…”

Lendi said, looking up at Iris.

In his eyes, along with the joy of meeting her after a long time, there was a desperate light.

“Sis… have you left the orphanage for good now?”

“Huh?”

When Iris was flustered, Lendi quickly continued.

“Everyone misses you a lot! Especially Serina talks about you every day… The director is worried too… Can’t you just stop by once in a while?”

Iris’s expression became complicated.

She hesitated for a moment and then cautiously glanced at me.

Why is she looking at me?

Ah, right.

Since I’m her exclusive maid, she’s asking for permission.

But actually, my heart was already leaning that way.

Listening to Lendi, I was somehow reminded of the old days.

Because I’ve also missed Master before.

Because I know the loneliness and desperation of being left alone.

The children at the orphanage must feel the same way.

The feeling of missing Iris, who is like family.

“It’s okay, you can go now.”

“Really?”

Iris’s eyes sparkled.

“Yeah, you can’t not go when your family misses you.”

Wait a minute…

But suddenly a good idea came to mind.

If I go to the orphanage, sponsor the orphanage, and show the children a good side of me, won’t my image improve immensely?

I could be known as the ‘kind big sister who helps orphanage children’ instead of a ‘scary monster’!

This is a golden opportunity!

“I’ll go with you!”

“What?”

Iris made a surprised face.

“Why, can’t I?”

“N-No! It’s fine!”

It seems like she’s forcing herself to agree…

Is she worried that I’ll destroy the orphanage too?

I’ll be really careful this time!

“So where is the orphanage?”

“It’s just a short walk from here. It’s close!”

Iris smiled brightly and led the way.

“Then let’s go!”

And so we started walking towards the orphanage.

Cecilia happily hopped around, and Lendi diligently talked about recent events next to Iris.

Swoosh.

Just then, a strand of my hair was pulled out.

I turned my head and saw Miel writing in the air with my hair.

-By the way, did you abandon Glaia?

Ah!

Glaia!

I completely forgot about her!

I looked back and saw Glaia, still passed out with her face planted on the ground, looking like a small dot in the distance.

Hmm…

It’s a hassle to go back…

But on second thought, it seemed like something strange would happen again if the troublemaking and scary-looking Glaia came with us to the orphanage.

I can tell just by what happened at the market.

“I’m giving her a moment of reflection!”

I said confidently.

She has to take responsibility for her own mistakes!

“A punishment from Momma!”

Cecilia also nodded and said.

Yes, stay with your head on the ground until I get back!

As we continued walking, Lendi suddenly raised his hand.

“It’s here!”

But when I saw where he was pointing, I doubted my own eyes.

…?

In front of me was a building too magnificent to be called an orphanage.

A four-story stone building with a large garden…

This was almost at the level of a nobleman’s mansion.

No, it looked bigger and more splendid than some noble mansions.

The decorations carved all over the building, the well-tended flowers in the garden, and even the large fountain.

This…is an orphanage…?

The orphanage in the fantasy world I knew was a shabby wooden house on the verge of collapse…?

Where the roof leaked, there were holes in the walls, and children shivered in the cold, surviving on a bowl of thin gruel!

So I was going to make a grand entrance, build a new orphanage, serve the children warm food, and completely transform my image into a ‘kind big sister’…

It’s already all done!

I looked to my side and saw Iris also staring at the orphanage with wide eyes.

Her mouth was slightly open and fixed.

“You’re surprised too, sis? It’s completely different!”

Lendi said proudly.

Completely different…?

Oh no!

Someone beat me to it!

My plan to become the orphanage angel is completely ruined!

Who the hell is it?