Chapter 8

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 8

-----------------------------------------------------------------

8

"Take your staff and get out of here right now."

I spoke firmly to the director, who stared at me in a daze.

"Go home quietly and await your punishment."

Truth be told, disciplining them wasn't within my authority.

Checking the orphanage's operations was the inspector's role, and deciding punishments based on their reports fell to the duke. Strictly speaking, I was overstepping my bounds right now.

Of course, the incredibly busy Bellomon Duke had no time to concern himself with such matters. Handling these minor issues was the job of his agents or the head butler.

But I can't ignore the situation right in front of me just because I'm scared of the fallout.

A director who exploited the children for labor, embezzled operating funds, and fed them rotten food? Any healthy child would fall ill living in a place like this.

How could I, as an adult, just stand by and watch?

I did feel a twinge of unease at invoking the Bellomon Ducal Family's name...

Don't chicken out, Lucella. I'm just doing the inspector's job for them.

The inspectors would never have let this slide if they'd seen it.

Besides, any resident of the duke's territory could report injustices like this.

And wasn't I a noble? Imperial nobles had the right to judge commoners at any time.

In short, it wouldn't be a problem even if I arbitrarily detained the director and staff.

Of course, what punishment they'd receive would be up to the Bellomon Duke—or more precisely, his agent.

"P-please, forgive us, Lady Lilfrey! Have mercy—"

"Mercy? You're asking me for mercy right now?"

His absurd words drew an involuntary laugh from me.

A person without a conscience should at least have some limits.

"Even a healthy adult would get sick from food like this. And you're trying to feed it to children? While serving me only the fresh stuff."

I hurled a tomato at the director's feet—one so rotten it was covered in black mold.

"Eat it."

"...Pardon?"

"All the rotten food here. You're going to eat it."

"......"

"If I hadn't found it, it all would have gone straight into the children's mouths, right?"

I grabbed a whole basket of vegetables that reeked of decay, long past spoiled, and shoved it at him.

"If you eat every bit of these rotten ingredients, I'll let it slide. It'll prove they're still edible, after all."

"L-Lady..."

"Open your mouth. Now."

At my resolute command, the director reluctantly parted his lips. He stuffed in a moldy tomato, his determination to escape punishment truly ferocious.

But I had no intention of showing him mercy from the start.

"Don't you know what 'eat' means? Stop just holding it and chew it down."

"Urgh..."

As he moved his mouth, red liquid oozed from the rotten tomato, staining his chin. But the act of chewing didn't last long.

"Blech! Urk!"

He couldn't hold back the nausea and began vomiting his guts out.

I shook my head at the director heaving repeatedly. Not even a single bite swallowed, and he was already retching.

"If it's too disgusting for you to eat, you shouldn't have fed it to the children either."

"Huergh..."

"No mercy for you."

I turned away from the director, still emptying his stomach, and headed out of the kitchen toward the coachman waiting in front of the orphanage.

"Go straight to the security office. There are vicious criminals here."

Confirming Lucella had left the kitchen, Amelia emerged from behind the jar.

The director was still there, but she no longer needed to worry about him. He and the staff would never set foot here again.

As she turned to head back to Edwin, Amelia halted in front of the director.

Even though Lucella had been gone for a while, he was still preoccupied with retching.

How could someone so weak scare us that much?

A man who couldn't even eat one rotten tomato.

Amelia pulled out the cookie she'd tucked away in her pocket for Edwin and tossed it at his feet.

"Go ahead and enjoy this mouse-nibbled cookie, Director."

"Urk, Amelia, you...!"

"Oh, right. You're not our director anymore."

She giggled behind her hand, taunting him, then slipped out of the kitchen. She heard him yelling something behind her but didn't look back.

It's all thanks to that lady.

Amelia recalled Lucella murmuring low threats at the director. This sense of liberation was all thanks to her.

But Amelia still wasn't sure if Lucella was trustworthy. Every adult she'd met so far had worn a false face.

Still... she doesn't seem like a bad person.

Maybe she could trust her a little?

Amelia watched Lucella talking with the coachman from afar, then started walking.

This is maddening.

I pressed my forehead, meeting the gaze of dozens of eyes fixed on me.

The security team arrived at the orphanage and swiftly hauled away the director and staff. In the meantime, I'd gathered documents from his desk drawer proving his embezzlement. Unless something unexpected happened, Sir Jillian—the duke's agent—would handle the rest.

Next, I called in servants from the ducal residence. They cleaned the filthy kitchen, stocked it with fresh ingredients bought nearby, repaired the drafty windows and the door I'd broken, tossed out the rag-like blankets, and brought in new bedding.

I even summoned a doctor just in case. In case any children got sick from the spoiled food.

Sure enough, a few had stomachaches, so I had them all examined—along with those with skin conditions or colds.

The real problem came after.

"Big sis, where'd all the teachers go?"

"They did bad things and went off to get punished. They won't be coming back."

"Really...?"

The children's wary faces lit up in an instant. But the relief was short-lived; soon, new worries clouded their expressions.

"Then who's gonna take care of us now?"

"Well..."

I hesitated to answer. I hadn't decided on a replacement yet.

I hadn't planned on firing the director on the spot.

I'd intended to observe a bit longer, appoint a successor, then dismiss them. Even if they were awful, suddenly changing guardians would confuse the kids.

But the orphanage was far worse than I'd imagined, and I couldn't contain my rising anger. So I'd acted without thinking ahead.

"Starting tomorrow, new teachers will come. They won't make you work, and they won't let you go hungry."

"Really?"

"Of course."

The moment we got home, I'd start looking for replacements.

They might balk at starting tomorrow, but a bonus should smooth it over.

Money talks, after all.

If that didn't work... we'd have to run the place with the estate maids for now.

How much will this cost?

I mentally tallied it up.

With the monthly stipend plus reclaiming the embezzled funds, operating costs wouldn't be an issue.

But right now was the problem.

The director had blown through all the stipend and donations, leaving nothing immediately usable.

In other words, I'd have to cover expenses from my own pocket until things stabilized.

I have enough money.

I received a monthly allowance from the ducal family—something my sister had secured in exchange for not meddling in the duke's private life.

Plus, the inheritance my sister had left me. My parents' estate had all been taken by my uncle, but hers remained.

Using sister's inheritance, I could renovate the orphanage properly and even arrange good adoptions for the kids.

And there'd still be plenty left.

But I couldn't bring myself to touch it. Not because I begrudged spending on the children.

...It's money traded for sister's life.

Despite everyone urging her to leave it to her son Lucian, she insisted on giving it to me.

I just want you to live happily. Money doesn't guarantee happiness, but the more you have, the better the odds.

She'd said that, gripping my hand tightly.

Live happily, Lucella. Promise me.

It was the money left by a dying sister who wished for my happiness until the end.

Could I really spend it freely?

For Edwin, Lucian's mortal enemy, no less.

Not just any money—her life's worth. That thought made it impossible.

So I'd vowed to save it and return it to Lucian when he came of age. It was money that would have gone to him if I hadn't existed.

But could I use the life-price my sister left for Lucian... on the child of the man who made her miserable?

Without her inheritance, I have no ready cash.

Reclaiming the embezzled funds would take time too. And if the director played stubborn and claimed poverty, we might not get it back.

The monthly operating budget was all that remained, but recalculating it would take time.

If I don't spend now, the kids will starve in this freezing place.

I gazed at the children blinking their clear, bead-like eyes. Faint hope mingled with fear on their faces.

Hope that I might be a good adult—and fear that I was just like the director.

No child under ten should wear such expressions.

I met each child's eyes one by one, until I locked onto a pair of clear red ones staring intently at me.

Those innocent eyes knew nothing of adult troubles.

Yes. I'll use it.

Innocent children shouldn't suffer for guilty adults' sins.

And ignoring starving kids wasn't what any decent adult would do.

If I spent it not for my gain, but to help the children, my sister in heaven would approve.

And this helps Lucian too.

Lucian's future hinged on Edwin and Amelia. Caring for the orphanage kids meant aiding them, and those helped by me might one day spare Lucian for my sake.