Chapter 18
We met with the orphanage director, Ms. Cicelot, before seeing the children. She greeted us warmly.
“Ah, Judith. Come on in!”
“Director, hello!”
“You’re right on time. It’s the two of you today, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Ms. Cicelot glanced at the clock and said.
“We’re about to serve the kids’ meals. Could you help with that first?”
“Of course!”
“The aprons are over there, so go ahead and change into them!”
“Yes, thank you. You— I mean, Axel can change over there.”
I had unconsciously almost called him Your Highness, but I quickly corrected myself. I never thought I’d be calling him by name like this. It wasn’t intentional, but it felt pretty good.
At my utterance of “Axel,” his eyebrow twitched. I shrugged my shoulders and gave him a look that said, “Well, what else should I call you?” Axel remained silent in response.
After finishing the meal distribution, Ms. Cicelot formally introduced us to the children. Their eyes sparkled like stars at the arrival of new people.
“Kids, these are Teacher Judith and Teacher Axel, who came to help today. Say hello.”
“Hellooo!”
The children shouted so loudly it made my ears ring. I waved my hand and smiled affectionately.
“Hi, kids. Nice to meet you!”
I nudged the still-motionless Axel. Then, in a voice only he could hear, I said, Your Highness, you need to greet them quickly.
Looking flustered, Axel reluctantly spoke.
“…Nice, to meet you.”
“Nice to meet youuu!”
I burst out laughing at his awkward phrasing and the unfamiliar tone I’d never heard before. It was obvious he wasn’t used to this.
Ms. Cicelot approached us and said.
“From now on, you can just play with the kids. Teacher Bena will be with you, so don’t worry too much.”
Ms. Bena gave us a nod of greeting.
“Yes. Understood!”
That’s when it happened. A little girl in a pink outfit toddled over and suddenly grabbed the hem of Axel’s pants.
“Prince! It’s a prince!”
Axel’s face showed he had no idea what to do.
“Looks like she likes you, Axel.”
Instead of the frozen Axel, I bent down to meet the child’s eyes.
“Does the teacher look like a prince?”
“Yeah! He’s super handsome.”
This kid has good eyes. She’s going places. Great sense of aesthetics.
I glanced up at Axel playfully and said to the child.
“Shall we ask the handsome teacher to play with us then?”
“Yeah!”
Axel’s brow furrowed deeply, as if to say, “What on earth do you mean?” I straightened up quickly and warned him in a voice only he could hear.
“…Even if Your Highness is handsome, your default expression is sharp, so if you frown even a little, the kids will get scared!”
Then, I acted on the urge I’d had for a while to press his furrowed brow. Being in the orphanage made me a bit bolder.
Before Axel could realize what was happening, I shouted loudly.
“Kids, the handsome teacher here is offering piggyback rides! Anyone who wants one, come over!”
“Me! Teacher!”
“I want one too! Piggyback!”
Soon, the children who had been scattered far away started gathering here. The best way to get over something difficult is to dive right in and learn by doing.
I hoped this opportunity would help him get closer to the kids.
A spark gradually lit in Axel’s once vacant eyes. I waved at him from a few steps away.
Fighting!
After tossing that bombshell at Axel and leisurely leaving the scene, I was looking around the orphanage when I spotted a boy sitting alone on a bench in the distance. He looked about middle school age.
I approached and sat next to him.
“Hi. What are you doing all by yourself?”
But there was no response. Feeling awkward, I rolled my eyes around.
“Oh, you’re reading a book… Don’t you play with the other kids?”
“Um… What’s your na—”
My words were cut off mid-sentence as I tried to ask his name. The boy had snapped his book shut with a thud. He looked at me for the first time and said in a chilly tone.
“Excuse me. That’s none of your business. Don’t pretend to be nice to me. And don’t talk to me.”
“…Huh?”
The boy stood up abruptly, muttered under his breath, and left.
“I hate people like you the most.”
I heard those words loud and clear.
As I sat there speechless and bewildered, the children came running over.
“Teacher, let’s play tag!”
“Yeah! Yeah!”
I stared blankly at the spot where the boy had disappeared, then quickly put on a smile and said.
“Sure, let’s go.”
After fully wrapping up tag, hide-and-seek, and even the Korean version of Red Light, Green Light with the kids.
We were all sitting together on the grass.
“There, all done!”
I placed the flower crown I’d made on the last child’s head.
“Thank you, Teacher!”
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
The children bowed politely to me and left.
Finally alone, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind.
“I didn’t know you had such skillful hands.”
It was Axel.
“Your Highness, you’re here?”
“You know how to make those?”
“I learned when I was young. More importantly, want to sit next to me?”
I only suggested it because I felt odd sitting alone, but Axel plopped down right beside me. I hadn’t expected him to actually sit, so I looked at him in surprise.
“…Your Highness, you sit on the ground?”
Axel let out a scoff, as if I’d asked a stupid question.
“I think that’s something I should be saying to you. Lady.”
Fair point—I was saying that to someone who’d rolled around on battlefields. Somehow, because of his noble image, it just didn’t seem to fit.
“I’m too tired to care.”
Not content with just sitting on the grass, I flopped back onto it.
“Ugh. I’m exhausted.”
“You didn’t show it for someone so tired.”
I scratched my cheek sheepishly and replied.
“Well… If I show I’m tired, the kids might notice and feel bad. I don’t want that.”
“…I see.”
A long silence settled between us. But it wasn’t awkward—it was comfortable.
The reddening sunset in the background, the cool breeze rustling through the grass. Just being still felt healing.
As I lay there with my eyes closed, Axel asked me.
“Is that something you prepared as well, my lady?”
I sat up and turned my head in the direction of his gaze. There, children were happily holding gift boxes.
“Yes. Since it’s the orphanage I sponsor. I can do at least this much.”
Seeing the children purely delighted brought a smile to my face without me realizing.
“It’s really hard for kids in an orphanage to get their own things.”
“…You speak as if you’ve experienced it yourself, my lady.”
“No way. Your Highness, have you forgotten what family I’m from?”
I laughed playfully, like a spoiled young lady.
That’s when it happened. From afar, the children’s voices called out to me. They waved their hands, gesturing for me to come quickly.
“Teacher Judiiith!”
Alright. I waved back just as enthusiastically, dusted off my clothes, and stood up.
“The kids are calling. Your Highness, I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll come with you.”
I firmly stopped Axel as he tried to stand up. I’d already made the imperial-blooded grand duke give piggyback rides—I couldn’t let this happen.
“No! Your Highness, rest here. This must be your first time doing something like this. You must be tired from giving the kids piggybacks because of me. In return, no punishing me later for today! Got it?”
His face from earlier, still flustered, was so vivid that I giggled while speaking. Watching my clear laughter, he wore an expression of disbelief, letting out a “Huh.”
I quickly moved away from him, then turned back and waved at Axel.
“Alright, see you soon!”
