The Son of a Corrupt Lord Doesn't Want to Become a 'Saint'! V1C13
Stage 1-13: Nobles and Commoners
“Please, it
may not be an impressive building to invite a noble, but...”
She humbly
spoke, although it was more than sufficient for a woman to own.
As one gazed
upward, the towering structure revealed its grandeur, effortlessly
accommodating three spacious floors.
“That’s not
true. It may be a size that ordinary citizens would struggle to acquire.”
“An elderly
couple who were leaving Inivent kindly gave it to me. It used to be smaller,
and my children were living in cramped conditions.”
We were
invited inside, passing through the door.
Inside, a
room awaited where children could convene, dine together at a communal table,
and engage with scattered toys and teaching materials.
In one
corner, a group of children huddled together, seeking solace in each other’s
presence.
When catching
sight of Mio’s face, the boys and girls erupted with excitement and immediately
rushed to embrace her.
“Sister!”
“Mio nee-chan¹ !”
“Hehe.
Everyone, it’s alright now.”
...This kind
of scene should be normal.
As Mio
struggled to understand the difference from earlier, the children’s gaze turned
towards her.
“Chris—“
*Cough!*
Alice
purposely let out a fake cough, and the children instinctively covered their
mouths as if they had noticed something.
“Oh,
right...! Sorry! Alice onee-chan²
”
“You came to
play!?”
Come to think
of it, she must have known the children.
Alice
approached and gently patted the heads of the approaching children.
“It’s been a
month. Have you been well?”
“Yeah! I’ve
been practicing swordsmanship a lot!”
“I see, I
see.”
“Wait, did
Alice onee-chan defeat the bad guys!?”
“No, it’s not
like that. This time, it was my master who helped us.”
Mio received
the pass from Alice, and the children’s attention turned to her.
There were
ten of them in total. Considering that she was managing everything on her own,
it was a sufficient number.
These kids
are destined to work for me as my subordinates until they’re worn out.
Now, first
impressions are crucial.
Let’s give
them a sense of dignity and establish the hierarchy.
“I am Ouga
Vellet, the eldest son of the Vellet Duke’s family. I have come here to fulfill
Alice’s wish with my sword and to protect all of you. You already belong to me.
From today onwards, this orphanage is guaranteed safety under my name. You
should be grateful.”
Applause
resounded from Alice and Mio.
These two
would praise anything I do.
They might
even go as far as to applaud just for being alive, but I’ll ignore that level
of coddling.
Now, how will
the children react?
Hmph, after
all, I am a noble.
For them, I
am a person dressed in attire they have never seen before, exuding a noble
aura.
There is no
doubt that they will look up to me with respect.
Alright then.
No matter how impolite their words may be, I shall forgive them.
Now, shower
me with words of gratitude and make me feel good!
“Eh, you look
weak.”
“Alice is
much cooler.”
“Are you
really a noble? You’re just like any other kid.”
…………。
“H-hey... you guys!”
“Well,
because...”
“Aren’t
nobles supposed to be frail? That’s what Alice said, right?”
“That was
before we met Ouga-sama...”
“We learned
swordsmanship from Alice, so we seem stronger.”
“Yeah, that’s
right.”
The children
chattered and got excited, making derogatory remarks about me.
Mio, with a
pale face, quickly approached and bowed her head repeatedly.
“I’m sorry,
Vellet-sama! I will talk to them right away...!”
“...It’s
fine. It’s good that they have excess energy.”
Hold it in,
hold it in.
If I lose my
temper here, it would prove that I’m at the same level as these kids.
I am already
an adult. They only brats provoke others without consequences.
And mainly,
it’s the boys who are making rude comments.
Yes, that’s
why even if they tug at my clothes or hit me, I won’t get angry.
“Hey, let’s
fight!”
Calm down,
Ouga Vellet.
Isn’t that
something a child who hasn’t matured mentally would say?
Come on, it’s
alright.
Put on a
smile, as if you were a student council president, and handle this like an adult.
“Oh, maybe
not. Nobles like you must be too sluggish to engage in physical activity.”
“...I’ll show
you what I’m made of!”
Those
misbehaving kids need to be properly disciplined by me!
I take off my
jacket and toss it to Alice.
“Alice, I’ll
take care of these kids. You go and do what you need to do.”
“....Understood.”
Whispering
quietly, Alice quickly takes Mio and heads to another room.
That’s right.
I need to lay down Mashiro, who has been clinging to my back all this time.
And I can’t
get serious with these kids if our eyes meet.
“I’ll show
them the terror of adults...!”
And so, the
battle (play) with the children began.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“Ouga,
onii-chan³, you’re amaziiiiiing!!”
“Next, me!
Let me do it too!”
“Oh, unfair!
Me too! I want to do that flying thing too!”
“Hahaha! I’ll
do it as many times as you want! And you better praise me more!”
Laughter
echoes through the living room, a mixture of the children and Vellet-sama-sama.
Vellet-sama
gracefully lifts the children into the air, skillfully tossing them upward with
a gentle touch, ensuring they soar without ever coming close to the ceiling,
before deftly catching them with utmost care.
“Hehe...”
When was the
last time I saw such joyful expressions on the children’s faces?
Ever since
this orphanage became a target, I lived in fear of angry voices every day.
With my
powerless self, everything would have been taken away from me.
So, I took a
gamble and contacted an old friend, and it turned out to be a truly fortunate
decision.
“...Vellet-sama.”
The savior
who will save us all...
Alice was
right in her words.
He showers
the children with so much love.
“Phew... It
was difficult to hold back.”
“Welcome
back. Here, have a towel.”
“Thank you.”
I hand a
towel to Alice, who has just returned from another room.
I don’t ask
what she was doing.
But judging
by the blood splatters on her cheeks, I can make a reasonable guess.
“I have
obtained the necessary information, so we can strike the main stronghold
tomorrow. You can rest assured.”
“...Is that
so.”
I let out a
sigh of relief.
The children’s
daily lives won’t be threatened anymore.
“Alice, I
will definitely repay you for this. I will prepare the money, so please, could
you wait a little longer for your reward?”
“Oh,
certainly. But I believe that if it’s for the sake of Ouga-sama, I would never
ask for a single penny.”
Saying that,
Alice’s eyes, watching Ouga Vellet play with the children, sparkle with life.
Alice, I
apologize for my rudeness.
I didn’t
believe there was such a person.
For nobles,
commoners are replaceable at any time.
My mother was
like that too.
It’s abnormal
for a noble to reach out a helping hand to us, commoners who can’t even expect
any rewards.
“In any case,
Ouga-sama will make the final decision. Let’s discuss that matter after the
children have gone to sleep.”
“...Yes, that’s
a good idea. Dinner is ready, by the way.”
“No wonder it
smells delicious.”
Vellet-sama,
who had brought the children along, approached us.
It seems they
have grown quite attached, as some of the younger ones are even holding his
hand.
“Has it been
that long already? We got a bit carried away.”
Although he
says that, I’m sure Alice was buying time for him to finish his work.
Every now and
then, I caught glimpses of her discreetly leaving the room.
She must have
been keeping the children away from there.
“So, what’s
on the menu for tonight?”
“Since
everyone is here, I thought I’d make my best dish: curry.”
“Yay!”
“Sister’s
cooking is so delicious!”
“I love the
food Mio-neechan makes for us too!”
“I see, I
see.”
Vellet-sama
pats the heads of the excited children.
“Haha. You
all are lucky to enjoy Mio’s delicious food every day.”
“Huh...!?”
Eating my
food every day makes them happy→They want to eat it every day → Being together
every day→Marriage.
In other
words... a proposal!?
W-What should
I do?
As someone
who has never experienced receiving love, I’m at a loss.
“...”
As I gaze at
Vellet-sama, my cheeks start to feel warm.
...Maybe.
Maybe he
could fill this void in my heart.
By judging
and accepting my sins.
1. “Nee-chan” is a term used in Japanese to refer to an older sister. It is a casual and affectionate way for a younger sibling or someone close to refer to their older sister. The term “nee” means “older sister,” and “-chan” is a suffix used to express endearment or familiarity. So, “nee-chan” translates to “big sister” or “sister dear.”
