Episode 63
Perhaps what she really wanted now wasn’t mischief but comfort.
Maybe she hadn’t grown at all from the petulant ten-year-old she used to be when she threw tantrums at Theo. But Lillian thought it was all right. It was okay not to grow up. After all, a part of her soul would forever remain at age ten, so she didn’t even realize that it might be natural for her to remain at that age forever.
Lillian looked up at the portrait. The portrait of the deceased Duchess, Agnes, wasn’t as expressionless as other ordinary portraits. She was smiling brightly, which reminded Lillian even more of Swan.
When will I be able to think of Swan without feeling lonely?
Yearning for Swan while thinking of Swan again felt like drinking seawater to quench one’s thirst. Lillian knew she was trapped, but she didn’t know how to escape. She was only seventeen, too immature to tend to her own wounds, still unable to move on from memories of being ten.
“I think …… is right.”
Lillian said, turning her head. Theo’s shaded face was visible.
The face that had stolen the hearts of young maids had objectively pleasing features. The slightly raised and angled eyebrows added a straight, sharp feel, while the sharp eyes with distinct eye lines were sharp and clear. Above all, the lines from the nose to the lips were sharp, so every change in Theo’s expression could be keenly felt by the person facing him. So when people said he had a striking appearance, they were probably talking about Theo.
In fact, Theo was already handsome.
‘That’s why he was so popular in the orphanage.’
On top of that, his peculiarly blunt yet caring personality was strangely attractive, especially to girls.
Now Lillian could understand that charm too.
Lillian stared into Theo’s pumpkin-colored eyes.
“Kisses seem comforting.”
‘I thought he always spouted nonsense, but this time…’
For once, he said something useful.
Lillian kissed Theo again.
Recalling it, the kiss felt like embracing.
* * *
The next day was the weekend. As he always had for seven years, Theo left the mansion early in the morning and headed to Merryfield Orphanage. If he left before dawn, he could arrive around lunchtime. When he passed through the familiar gate and entered the building, the children popped out as if struck by lightning when they saw Theo.
“Theo!”
“Theo hyung is here!”
The children at the orphanage would cling to Theo whenever they had the chance, as if they hadn’t seen him in years. Although he always thought that people might think it had been years since they last saw him, Theo found himself suddenly carrying one on his back, two on his legs, and one in his arms. It was more accurate to say that the children clung to him unilaterally rather than him carrying them.
“Look at this! I got a bag! Now I’m going to school!”
“Me too, me too!”
The children, who had toddled around with short steps just seven years ago, were now old enough to go to school. All the children at Merryfield Orphanage were able to attend a state-run school with Cedric’s support, and if their grades were good enough, they could even go to a private boarding school.
Most of the children around Theo’s age had found their own paths, such as working in shops in the capital or finding jobs in other mansions, so the children left here were of two types: those who couldn’t leave because this place was their home, like Theo, and those who were still too young to leave.
“Theo oppa. You’re as popular as ever today.”
“Oh, Rose.”
Rose was among the former group. Like Theo, Rose, the eldest child at the orphanage, chose to stay and Cedric hired her as a teacher at Merryfield Orphanage. Rose, with her black hair loosely tied up and round glasses, had grown into a soft yet warm presence.
“Everyone really likes you, oppa. Some kids even want to become knights like you.”
“Is that so? It must be tough to learn under the director. Why bother becoming a knight when there’s an easier path like working in a shop?”
“Haha, shouldn’t you be saying that, oppa?”
“Hey, it’s really tough. It’s not easy to patrol every day. You don’t even get training when you start, and you have to do grunt work as a page for over a year—”
“You! Did you think I would just hand you a sword without anything in return?”
As Theo complained, a reprimand came from behind. But instead of darkening, Theo’s face brightened.
“Miss Mil!”
“It’s not Miss Mil, it’s Director!”
“Oh, ow!”
“Where do you think you can speak casually like that?”
“Ouch!”
Of course, there were a few punches thrown in the exchange.
Despite his complaints, Theo didn’t lose his smile. After Winston left and Milrad became the director, Merryfield Orphanage was no longer a place where children were sold off like livestock. It was Theo’s true home and hometown.
Everything was peaceful. Except for one thing.
“So, how is the Duke? Everything all right?”
“Hmm… Should be, I suppose?”
“If that’s the case, why so glum?”
Once again, Milrad’s cane aimed fiercely at Theo, but Theo dodged it deftly.
“I’m just worried that the support might be cut off. Not that it would happen.”
“So, there are other issues then.”
“…Yes, well.”
Theo didn’t bring up Lillian’s story.
The one issue at Merryfield Orphanage. It was that all this peace was entirely dependent on Cedric’s decisions.
So far, Merryfield Orphanage had been providing generous support to Theo in return for his help to Lady Maynard Lillian, the pretext being that Theo, who joined the Maynard Knights, worked there instead of receiving pay.
Thanks to this, Theo lived unpaid, but that wasn’t a problem for him.
The important thing was that this support might end someday.
“They’ve been relieved that I’ve been working with the Maynard Knights so far, but…”
They couldn’t shake off the thought that Cedric might change his mind and cut off the support. Even if he did, since Cedric’s intentions were sincere, there was no room for protest.
‘In this situation, it’s best not to bring up anything that could threaten Lillian’s position.’
Milrad, who had recently become the director, was like Theo, a commoner who became a knight.
He had good swordsmanship skills and could have attracted a considerable number of nobles, but he was exiled here after causing a scandal by refusing to endure injustice and causing trouble for nobles.
Perhaps because of that, Milrad believed Cedric could abandon them at any time.
“It’s fortunate that the support won’t be cut off soon. But nobles are fickle, so always be careful of your actions. We can always find new sponsors if the funds are cut off, but your life is at stake.”
“What are you talking about? I’m making sure the funds don’t get cut off. The Duke isn’t that kind of person.”
Milrad tried not to burden Theo, but Theo felt that if he were to mishandle things and lose the support, he wouldn’t be able to shake off that guilt.
He had been responsible for this orphanage all along.
So, Theo feared the battlefield even more.
If he went to the battlefield and something went wrong, what would happen to the orphanage that had been receiving support instead of his wages?
“By the way, someone came from the temple asking you to deliver this.”
“From the temple?”
It was a letter.
A letter proposing admission to the Holy Knights.
The conditions were just a bit more specific.
Promising Theo a high salary and position, even offering to sponsor the orphanage.
At the end of the letter, there was a compassionate phrase, tempting him.
[The embrace of the Lord is open to all.]
