“I’m talking about you. Not the old Kreis.”
There were different kinds of love, of course. Loving someone didn’t have to mean romance. Honestly, I’d never experienced love or affection in any form, so I wouldn’t exactly be able to tell someone the difference if they asked.
“Ahh, so this is your new home.”
Siegfried stepped into the estate with a curious look on his face, taking everything in.
We’d had so much fun at the market that he just tagged along with us back to the house like it was the most natural thing ever. There wasn’t any reason to hide it. Anyway, this house was rather plain, especially for someone who was used to the luxury of the palace.
I hoped he wouldn’t look at things too closely. It was one of the bigger homes in this town, but it was nothing compared to the castle.
“Welcome home, Lord Kreis.” Theodore came out to greet us. He gave a respectful bow when he saw Siegfried standing there beside me. “Welcome back to you as well, Lord Siegfried. Karina has been hoping to serve you one of her home-cooked meals. If it pleases you, may I suggest you stay the night?”
“I think I will.”
Hang on a second, I’m the head of this house! I stood there astonished as the conversation progressed without me. Cirelle was still in Siegfried’s arms, and she tipped her head. “You’re spending the night, Lord Shigfweed?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’m sure my name’s a mouthful for you, so you can just call me Papa if you want,” he said.
“Papa?”
“Mm-hmm. Is that all right?”
“Yes! You bought me chocolate, so I love you, Papa!”
Cirelle, you just sold your soul for a chocolate bar. Father expected more for your future.
But Siegfried just smiled. “Oh? Then I’ll bring you more next time I visit.”
“Really? Yay!” Cirelle cheered.
“Now go share the chocolate with the others.”
“Okay!” Cirelle hopped down from my arms and ran off, hugging the chocolate boxes to her chest.
“Kids sure are weak when it comes to sweets...”
“You were stuffing your face at the food stalls too, you know,” I shot back out loud, forgetting that no one else could hear Professor.
“What was that, Kreis?”
“Er, nothing. Anyway, I can show you to the guest room if you’re tired.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me already, after we’ve just reunited?”
“Of course not! But if you’re not tired, we could have some tea and—”
“I’d love to,” he said.
Can’t you let me finish a sentence for once?
But it wasn’t hard to guess why he was so eager. I hadn’t given him a proper explanation about the children, the orphanage, or any of it. He probably had a million questions.
“You didn’t even send him a single message? That’s cold.”
I wanted to tell him that I’d been busy! I wanted to shout, but I swallowed it down. That excuse wouldn’t work here. This time it was really my fault.
“This way, please,” Theodore said, leading us to the newly furnished parlor. It wasn’t as fancy as the name suggested, but it was the nicest room in the house.
I waited for Siegfried to take a seat on the sofa and then sat down on the one opposite him. Then I leaned back toward Theodore and whispered, “Are you sure there’s even a room here fit for someone like Siegfried?”
“Before His Majesty arrived, Lord Lucas sent over a letter with apologies and a request to furnish a guest room in advance. Here it is.”
He handed me the letter, and I skimmed it quickly.
Apparently, Siegfried had insisted on visiting me no matter what. Lucas had worried that if he didn’t tell him where I lived, Siegfried might go to the Louboutin estate and bump into Claude, who was currently visiting Gilles. Lucas had therefore decided to reveal my location and send furnishings ahead as a peace offering in order to prevent that.
“Poor Lucas got dragged into this again.”
“And now he’s tattling on me too. Honestly...” Siegfried pouted.
Normally I’d be rolling my eyes, but I really was at fault. I offered a vague, sheepish smile. Meanwhile, Theodore started preparing tea.
“So if you were planning on opening an orphanage, why didn’t you contact me right away?” Siegfried asked as he tapped the armrest, his long legs crossed.
He was definitely a bit grumpy. And I couldn’t blame him. He’d helped me so much during that whole mess with Gilles, and I had completely failed to report back to him.
“This was just an idea I had. A personal project,” I said.
“Kreis, you just left your estate and haven’t even settled in. Don’t try to shoulder everything by yourself. You should use the resources you have,” he said calmly but firmly.
“You mean the fact that the king is my childhood friend?” I asked.
He nodded, looking very satisfied. “As a matter of fact, our kingdom is already investing in orphanages. Children are national treasures, after all.”
“National treasures...” Hearing that we shared the same thought made me feel very close to him. Siegfried didn’t pity these children or treat them like charity cases. He saw value and potential in them.
If he’d just been kind and nothing more, I didn’t think I would’ve come to care about him this much. But I’d seen his quiet, unwavering kindness in my first life here.
“I’m not even sure it’ll be big enough to even call it an orphanage...” I admitted.
“You’re wrong, Kreis. Don’t say you’re not sure. Say you’re going to make it big.”
“Make it big?”
“Yes. If you’re going to do it, then go all the way. Make it something big enough to support all the orphans in the domain. The more capable children you raise, the more this town will thrive. And when the town thrives, more people will flow in. Goods and information will follow. That in turn will solidify House Louboutin’s standing. Then your grandfather might finally acknowledge you.”
“You really see right through everything, huh?”
It stung a little, being called out for having ulterior motives beyond just helping people. But Kreis said it himself. I should have confidence.
“You and the children have mutual interests. That’s very important. Have you thought about what comes next?”
“For now, I’m just focusing on giving them an education.”
“I heard you contacted Lucas to get help finding teachers. I could’ve introduced you to some excellent people myself. It’s a shame you didn’t think to rely on me.”
Apparently he was still holding that grudge. I’d only meant to avoid bothering him while he was busy, but that clearly didn’t sit right with him given our longstanding friendship.
“Well, I’ve found teachers for academics and basic combat and swordsmanship, but that’s still not enough. If you know someone specialized in a particular field, could you introduce them to me?”
“Sure, but I’d rather dispatch an instructor directly instead of just issuing a referral.”
“Who?”
“Raiden.”
I nearly spit out my tea in surprise.