Chapter 1-3:
The Orphanage
A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I BOARDED A carriage with my father and headed for the orphanage. The duke’s estate was deep in the Nobles’ District, meaning we would pass by other nobles’ residences along the way. Among them, I recognized one—it was only natural, since I had viewed this scenery many times before in my past life. Yet, try as I might, I couldn’t seem to remember who this familiar manor belonged to. It looked like any old hall where a low-ranking noble would live.
“Father, whose manor is that?” I asked, pointing out the window of the carriage.
“That belongs to Viscount Ravenwood,” my father replied. “The Ravenwoods are renowned for producing many generations of competent mages.”
I had never heard the name of that household before. Am I misremembering things? I wondered. As our carriage clattered past, I was unable to tear my eyes away from the manor, feeling reluctant to leave it behind.
The orphanage that I was led to was grander than I expected. The stone structure was next to a monastery and held some historic charm. There was even a spacious courtyard.
When I took a step onto the premises, I spotted kids playing around the yard. Laughter and happy chattering filled the air. The yard was well-maintained and blooming, with vibrant flowers adding splashes of color.
Huh? These children don’t seem very sanguinary… Why are they enjoying their lives? They don’t have any parents. I hoped that they’d be drowning in their despair.
The entrance of the building had an old, engraved wooden door with the name of the orphanage etched at the top.
Holy Haven Orphanage.
As I stepped inside, a long corridor greeted me. The walls were decorated with drawings and decorations made by the children. On both sides of the hall were their bedrooms, the beds lined up in an orderly fashion.
I was disappointed to see that this place had such good living conditions. I had envisioned a hellish institution where kids would practically fight to the death over a slice of bread.
An overweight nun greeted us. “Welcome, Duke Rosenberg and Lady Serena.”
This elderly lady was the director of this orphanage, and she exuded generosity and kindness. Personally, I had hoped for a more insidious character with a screeching voice who scolded kids mercilessly.
Is this the best place available? Are we sure that there are kids here who’ll diligently try to stray away from the proper path of life?
“I’m very grateful for your open-mindedness in selecting our orphans to become your servants,” the nun said.
Working at a duke’s manor was a lucrative role, and servants were treated well. Normally, one would need to be born to a decent rank and receive an excellent education to make it into our household. I found it only natural for the director to thank us, since we were specifically selecting an orphan as one of our workers.
Though I’ll be sure to treat my servants rather harshly, I thought.
“I’ve already selected a few orphans who are well-suited to work in the duke’s household,” the nun explained. “Please choose whoever you wish from this lineup.”
She then introduced the kids behind her. They all looked a touch nervous but were dressed neatly and had innocent expressions.
“Thank you for coming here, Your Grace, Lady Serena,” the kids recited.
They greeted us properly; perhaps they’d practiced their manners beforehand and were taught the basics.
No! These aren’t the kids that I want!
I needed them to be more on the dark side. If they began to regret their wicked deeds and their senses of justice kicked in right as they faced Eleanor, all my plans would go to waste. That cunning saintess was a formidable foe who’d managed to reform ruffians in the city with her tears. What I desired was a child who playfully killed bugs in the corner of a garden with an evil grin on their face.
“Dear Director, I cannot understate how grateful I am for your considerate actions,” I said. “However, I would like to observe each child carefully and select one for myself. If you don’t mind, I would love for you to introduce the other children to me as well.”
I chose my words carefully and tried to sound as polite as possible. In my previous life, I might have said something like, “It seems you only have unnecessary concerns and fat on you.”
The director didn’t seem offended at all. She brightly replied, “I see. Then I shall introduce you to the other children. What kind of child do you have in mind?”
“Well…” I started. “Perhaps a strong and violent child. Or a cunning one who always thinks of deceiving others. Ah, maybe a ruthless child who can kill animals without batting an eye would be best.”
The director’s eye twitched. “Pardon?”