Chapter 28 [Side Reisha Granbell] The Thief'S Circumstances
"Marianne-sensei, here's the money for this month."
"I'm always sorry, Reisha."
I handed a sack of coins to Marianne-sensei, the director of the orphanage.
Marianne-sensei, who came out to greet me in the front yard, smiled at me apologetically.
I noticed that Marianne-sensei's face had a few more wrinkles.
"It's okay. I love this orphanage... no, I love everyone in the orphanage."
"Reisha, you're a kind child. Even after leaving this orphanage, you still care about the children. Thanks to you bringing the living expenses regularly, we are really grateful."
Marianne-sensei's words struck a chord in my heart.
Even though the source of the money I just handed over is something I can never tell Marianne-sensei or the children.
Still, I think to myself.
Even so, I'll do anything to protect this orphanage.
"Hey Reisha-oneechan! Let's play together!"
"No way! I'm going to play with Reisha-chan!"
"How long can you stay today?"
Lost in thought, I was surrounded by the children from the orphanage.
With a gentle smile, Marianne-sensei said, "Go ahead," and I decided to take her up on her offer.
"Alright, Reisha-chan won't run away. Let's all play together, okay?"
"""Yes!"""
The pure smiles of the children felt so bright.
These children are always honest.
They don't know about the dirty world, and I earnestly hope they can grow up without ever knowing it.
All the children in this orphanage have experienced being abandoned by their parents.
Some of the older ones understand that they were the ones who were abandoned.
But instead of cursing their situation, the children here live each day to the fullest.
They say that everyone in this orphanage is family, and that this orphanage is their home.
Living robustly without complaining about the old buildings and poor meals.
――This orphanage is a precious place filled with our feelings.
So, I truly wanted to protect this orphanage from the bottom of my heart.
* * *
"Wow! It's a feast!"
"Reisha-oneechan made it for us!"
"Really, can we eat this!?"
On dinnertime.
The gathered children cheered.
On the seasoned table, there were soft bread, herb-scented meat, and fresh vegetable dishes.
All of these were bought with stolen money.
Still, I wanted to bring some joy to the children who always lived in poverty.
"Yeah. You always have bean soup, right? Sometimes you need something more nutritious."
"Thank you, Reisha-chan!"
"Hehe. Don't eat too fast and choke."
"""Let's dig in!"""
"Let's dig in!"
Sitting around the table with the children and Marianne-sensei, we enjoy a peaceful time together.
"How's the food, Meek?"
"It's really delicious!"
"Good to hear."
I turn to Meek, the oldest boy among the children, and speak to him.
Meek was serving food to the other children, even though he hadn't started eating his own yet.
As I watch him, thinking he's a kind and caring kid, Meek suddenly mutters,
"Thanks, Reisha-oneechan."
"Huh...?"
"Preparing all this food must have been tough, right?"
"..."
Thump――
I felt a prick in my heart as Meek's sincere eyes seemed to pierce through me, leaving me unable to respond immediately.
"You silly. Meek, you don't need to worry about that. Look, there's still plenty left, so eat up."
I cover the thorn in my heart with a smile.
I didn't want my true feelings to be noticed...
"Oh, by the way, I received a job ability from God today!"
Meek shared this news after we finished our meal.
He looked very happy as he spoke.
When I congratulated and blessed him, Meek's smile grew even wider.
"Did you tell Marianne-sensei about it too?"
"Yeah... Oh, but she said not to use my job ability yet because it's still unstable. She said to wait until I'm a bit older."
"I see, that makes sense."
"By the way, I'm going to the royal palace with Marianne-sensei next time."
"The royal palace?"
"Yeah. Marianne-sensei said it might be a very special job ability, so they're going to investigate it properly."
That's quite a big deal.
Going to the royal palace might involve having the royal appraiser examine it.
Perhaps Meek's job ability is truly remarkable.
If that's the case, it's something to be very happy about.
"If I can properly use that job ability, I'll help out Reisha-oneechan."
"..."
Meek said that with a smile.
I squinted my eyes, thinking that she really is a kind child.
After that, we all chatted and talked about various things...
Ah, I thought to myself, I really do like everyone here at the orphanage.
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