Chapter 2-3:
The Director’s Visit
“THE DIRECTOR IS VISITING US?” I ASKED.
It had been about a year since I brought the orphans back, and my father had told me that the director of the Holy Haven Orphanage would visit us.
“That’s right, Serena,” my father replied. “She said that she wanted to see if the orphans you’ve brought home are being useful to us.”
“Useful?” I asked. “They’re still in the midst of training.”
Once they deepened their bonds with the puppies, I would order them to kill those animals with their own hands, through their tears if they had to. Then they would finally become full-fledged assassins. I spent every single day in fear of the dogs attacking me and eagerly awaited the day that they would be slaughtered.
“You’ve done very well,” my father assured. “I admit that I was worried at first, but those orphans are more well-mannered and move more nimbly than the servants of our manor.”
But of course. If any of them showed ill manners, the entire group was punished. If any of them dawdled for even a moment, another group punishment awaited them. The penalties depended on my mood, but they weren’t anything serious. I would make them swim through the river in full suits of armor, or throw them into the forest and not allow them to return until they defeated ten monsters. As I said, it wasn’t anything serious. These punishments made the orphans treat their jobs more seriously, unlike the servants, who got away with mere stern scoldings when they failed their tasks. The orphans could already act with the utmost etiquette as squires.
“I don’t mind, but it’d be a bit problematic if she wants them back after all this time,” I said. “I might’ve been too strict with them, and they might feel compelled to return to the orphanage.”
Our former butler had told me that the stricter the training was, the more loyal the assassins would be. Unfortunately, I didn’t sense any bit of loyalty from those orphans, and it would be an issue if they cried that they wished to go back whence they came.
“I’m sure that won’t happen,” my father reassured me. “I know just how hard you worked to train those kids, and I’m sure that they won’t want to go back to the orphanage.”
I wonder… I thought. Just recently, I’d had them cross a bridge with no rails over the river and fired spells at them as part of their training. If they fell in, they had to start from the beginning. I had great fun sending the orphans into the water again and again, but I felt like I had overdone it. The house of a duke wielded great power and influence. I didn’t think that the orphans would be taken back, but I didn’t want them to blab about their training to others.
Better prevent it while I can…
✦ ✦ ✦
That morning, Serena lined up all the orphans and addressed them.
“Puny worms, you’ll have a visitor today,” she declared. “It’s the director of the Holy Haven Orphanage. How nostalgic. Does this news make you happy?”
“Sir, yes, sir!” the orphans chanted.
The six were completely in sync as they knew that Serena wished to hear no other response. In truth, they weren’t exactly ecstatic about this visit. They didn’t really like the director all that much, but any person could seem like an angel compared to Serena.
“Would you like to return to your kind director’s side?” Serena asked.
“Sir, no, sir!” they shouted.
They couldn’t vocalize their wish to return, even if their lives were on the line. If they ever dared to say those words, they knew that they wouldn’t go back to the orphanage, but into the ground to fertilize the soil.
“I see,” Serena said. “I’m happy to hear that you desire to be with a strict person like me instead of your kind director.”
“Sir, yes, sir!”
The six were a bit puzzled by Serena’s description of herself. “Strict” didn’t even begin to describe her harsh nature, and the word seemed far too tepid for a lady like her. If it were up to them, they would call her “demonic” or “diabolical” instead. Nevertheless, they still managed to respond excellently without hesitation. If they paused for even a moment, they feared what Serena would do to them.
“I love you all,” Serena said. “And you, in turn, love me as well. We share a splendid relationship, do we not?”
“Sir, yes, sir!”
The orphans were all convinced that if she was acting out of love, the person she truly loved would be the unluckiest one in the world. Offering up one’s life wouldn’t be enough; perhaps their very existence would be eradicated from the face of the globe.
“If any of you were to betray this wonderful relationship that we have, I’d be very sorrowful,” Serena said. “And I’m sure that you would feel the same. I order you to answer the director’s questions with only a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ today. Should you share any other shred of information, I shall see to it that you’ll never be able to laugh or cry again. Do I make myself clear?”
“Sir, yes, sir!”
The orphans couldn’t even begin to imagine what her words meant. How in the world would they become unable to laugh or cry? But they all knew that Serena could make good on her word. When they pictured themselves standing around like emotionless puppets, cold shivers ran down their backs.
✦ ✦ ✦
The director was practically moved to tears when she visited the duke’s residence. The orphans had matured far more than she anticipated, and they were in neat attire and exhibited splendid etiquette when they welcomed her. She couldn’t hide her surprise when she saw the transformation that had occurred over a mere year. The director was especially shocked by Isabel and Oscar. Whenever she’d scolded them, the two would yammer on and on with silly protests, which only induced headaches for her. Now, the kids simply smiled and answered in short “yes” or “no” replies and nothing more. They had practically been born chattering, so this change was astonishing.
“Isabel, have you been doing well?” the director asked.
“Yes,” Isabel smiled.
A year ago, she would have snapped back “You think I’m doing well in this orphanage? What a funny joke. I feel like I’m saying ‘good day’ to corpses in a coffin.” She had always been a pretty child, but now she resembled a proper noble lady, with an immaculate outfit and elegant etiquette that she had learned throughout the past year.
“Oscar, have you had any issues in your life here?” the director asked.
“No,” he replied.
He gave a proper bow. At the orphanage, he would have said something along the lines of “Do you think that there aren’t any problems at an orphanage? First, I want rich parents, and I also want the freedom to head outside as I wish. This place is like a prison for children, to put it mildly.”
His witty comments had only caused trouble for the other nuns, but now he acted with the grace of a splendid gentleman. He’d always had a handsome face, and his childlike charm had matured into a charisma that could enchant those around him.
Richard, Lewis, Emma, and Alice had also grown in their own ways. Richard had been a bulky child with a violent temper. He always had a rough posture and attitude, but now he stood upright like he was trying to balance something on his head. No longer did his larger frame exude a menacing aura like it had back at the orphanage—on the contrary, he resembled a reliable knight.
Lewis’s plump body had slimmed down considerably in the past year, and the director could hardly believe it. She couldn’t imagine what the duke’s house had done to allow this boy to lose so much weight. His roundness had masked his looks. Though not as handsome as Oscar, a slender Lewis held a friendly and gentle face that would surely grab the attention of the ladies around him. When he was asked how exactly he’d managed to lose weight, Lewis only replied with a troubled smile.
Emma and Alice had never done anything that didn’t pique their interests, but they were now able to act with grace fitting for those who served a noble. At the orphanage, one had been energetic and restless, refusing to sit still, while the other had been engrossed in reading.
“How truly splendid,” the director said. “Our problem—I mean, our children who were a bit difficult to teach have turned into such splendid people who can serve nobles. I would’ve never imagined I’d see this day. Lady Serena, I certainly see that you had a keen eye to pick these children.”
Serena pinched the hems of her skirt and elegantly curtsied at the director’s praise. Her actions were nothing short of perfect and made it apparent that the orphans still had a long way to go if they wanted to look as dignified.
Before the director left, she turned to Serena, her tone laced with happiness. “If they’re this well educated, I’m quite certain that other nobles would want them as squires. Oh, how I’d love it if you could educate the other children of Holy Haven.”
Serena smiled back. I don’t need that many assassins though, she thought.