Chapter 276


    <strong>Orphanage</strong>


    “Say Takumi-san, do you have any ns for today?”


    “No, we haven’t decided yet . ”


    The next day, right after we finished breakfast, Reba-san asked us what we were nning .


    “If you have not decided, why don’t you go with me to an orphanage?”


    “Orphanage? Sure, why not . ”


    Orphanage, huh~ Erm, is this something like a sympathy call?


    Huh? In different world stories, it’s usually the temple that manages the orphanages, right? I went to the temple in every town we visited, but I never noticed an orphanage . Do things work differently in this world?


    “Err... right now?”


    “I n on going a little before lunch . I’m bringing ingredients for lunch with me . ”


    “Is that so? I have to do my best to help you then . ”


    “”Do my best to help!””


    “Fufu, thank you . ”


    So, we apanied Reba-san to the orphanage .


    During the carriage ride, I asked Reba-san about the orphanages in detail, and she told me that orphanages are not run by the temple, but by funds from the country and the lord of the fief .


    “Hello, Director . ”


    “Reba-sama, thank you foring . ”


    The person called the Director was an elderly woman who smiled calmly at Reba-san .


    “Are there any changes?”


    “Yes, the children are in good health . ”


    “I see . That’s good to hear . Then, I will let you prepare the meal as usual . ”


    “Thank you very much . ”


    Under Reba-san’s direction, the cooks and maids from the Ruven household began to bring in the food and other items .


    “Umm, I should help too...”


    “”... Help too . ””


    “Oh my, you don’t have to help over there . You are helping me by staying by my side . ”


    I came here with the intention of helping with the cooking, but Reba-san quickly dismissed me .


    From Reba-san’s point of view, visiting with her is helping .


    “Takumi-san, this is your first time visiting an orphanage, right?”


    “Yes, that’s correct . The children here seem to be healthy and the environment also looks good . ”


    “Oh my, does it seem that way? That is great . ”


    There were more than a dozen children in the room . All of them have the characteristic plump face of a child .


    “It’s Reba-sama~”


    “Really!”


    “Reba-sama, wee!”


    From three or four years old, smaller than Allen and Elena, to fifteen years old, pre-adolescents kids were rushing towards us .


    “Huh~? Who is thish~?”


    The gathered kids noticed us and inquired .


    “Hello . I’m Reba-sama’s helper, Takumi . These children are——”


    “... I’m Allen . ”


    “... I’m Elena . ”


    Allen and Elena were bing less shy, but they seemed to be a little nervous, probably because they’ve never been looked at by so many children before .


    “My little brother and sister . Will you y with them please?”


    “Sure!”


    “Let’sh pway!”


    “What should we y?”


    The children of the orphanage seemed to be sociable and approached Allen and Elena with immediate approval .


    “”... What about helping~?””


    Allen and Elena look up at me timidly .


    They seem to be concerned because I told them we were here to help .


    “It doesn’t seem like they need our help here . You can go y with the other kids . ”


    It’s not often that they get the chance to y with so many children, so I want Allen and Elena to have fun .


    “Reba-san, is it all right if I take out some toys to y with?”


    “There’s no problem at all . ”


    “Is that so? Thank you . ”


    I took out a soapy balloon from my Infinite Storage .


    “Here, how about you y with this?”


    “What is that, Oniichan?”


    “It’s a soapy balloon . Allen, Elena, how about you teach them how to y with it?”


    “”Okay, got it . ””


    “Quickly, let’s go~”


    “Let’s y, let’s y . ”


    Allen and Elena received the balloon and moved to arge area with the children of the orphanage .


    “Right, Reba-san . What should I do if I want to make a donation?”


    “Oh my, Takumi-san, you shouldn’t give donations so easily . ”


    “Eh!? Is that so?”


    Donations are no good? We have a good amount of money, so I thought it would be good to donate some...


    “Easily, I mean . It’s not like you can’t . ”


    “It’s fine as long as I don’t give out donations easily, then?”


    “Yes . However, you seem like someone who would instantly make a donation if the children in orphanages were skinny . You have to be careful~”


    “Ah~ I might not be able to stand it and just watch...”


    In fact, I found Allen and Elena when they were scrawny, and I immediately gave them food to eat and raised them . Well, that’s because we had a connection .


    I wouldn’t take others in if we are not fated, but I have plenty of money, so I might as well help them, right?


    “As I said before, orphanages are run by the country and the lords . And yet, if the children’s nutrition is poor or the building is obviously in shambles, what can you think of?”


    “Ah~ the lord or the director of the orphanage is neglecting the management?”


    “It could also be someone else’s work, but that’s what it is about . ”


    I see~ You can’t just donate money to an orphanage just because you feel that the orphanage doesn’t seem to be doing well .


    “That’s why you have to immediately report to His Majesty if you find orphanages like that in other towns, Takumi-san . ”


    “Eh, to His Majesty, you mean Tristan-sama!?”


    “If you do a bad job trying to find out who is at fault, they could conceal their traces . The best thing to do is to report it to the top and leave it in the hands of the investigation team . ”


    Certainly, it’s as Reba-san said . If I find an orphanage like that, I will report it to Tristan-sama before anything .


    “I understand, I will do just that . However, there’s no problem in donating to a proper ce, right?”


    “Fufu, that’s fine . The buildings will inevitably age and unforeseen incidents might happen, so there are cases when the annual budget is simply not enough . That’s why we appreciate donations . ”


    “I’m afraid I can’t do it here, so please help me with the donation when we return back to the mansion . ”


    “Thank you . By the way, it’s also important to properly state what you want your donation to be used for . Or you can donate daily necessities instead of money, too . ”


    “I’m learning a lot . ”


    I’m learning a lot of things I really didn’t know about .


    While I was talking with Reba-san, it seemed that lunch preparations were finished . I saw all the children moving together to the dining room .


    I could also see that the children from the orphanage were inviting Allen and Elena to go with them .


    However, Allen and Elena seemed to be wondering if it was okay for them to go, as they were ncing at me .


    “My, oh my, it seems that they have be good friends already . ”


    “Indeed . ”


    I gestured for them to go, and Allen and Elena nodded and headed toward the dining room .


    “We should move to the dining room as well, Takumi-san . ”


    “Okay . Though, this makes me feel a bit lonely~”


    “Because the children distance themselves a little from their older brother?”


    “Yes . ”


    Allen and Elena, who would havee back to me without hesitation before, started to distance themselves from me . I was happy to see that they had grown up, but at the same time I was sad .


    “Fufu, children grow in a blink of an eye~”


    “That is true . Ah~ What am I going to do if I’m the one that can’t distance myself from my little brother and little sister?”


    “My, oh my!”


    When I expressed my sincere feelings, Reba-san startedughing .


    “You are terrible, Reba-san . I’m being very serious here~”


    “Fufu, sorry about that . But, it’s fine . It won’t change the fact that both Allen-chan and Elena-chan love their older brother . ”


    “They both love you too, Reba-san . Of course, me as well . ”


    “Oh my, I’m happy to hear that . Then, I will have my precious son escort me to the dining room . ”


    “Leave it to me . ”


    We smiled at each other and headed to the dining room .