Nodding at Sylvia's suggestion that there was something she wanted to do together, I sent her back to her room, looking a bit pleased, and the next morning arrived.
After getting ready to go out with Sylvia early in the morning, I was driven in a car by Sebastian, Sylvia's assigned servant, and upon arriving somewhere, I glanced out the window and gave a wry smile.
So that's why she asked the children if they liked it yesterday.
As I was quietly taking in the building visible through the window, Sylvia spoke to me.
"I heard that there's a plan to do volunteer work today, delivering support items. Since it's a meaningful activity, I thought it would be good if Miss Scarlett joined as well."
The sign on the building visible through the window read "Future Orphanage" in cute letters.
*
As we got out of the car, Sebastian took out envelopes filled with packaged items from the trunk and handed them to us.
When I looked at Sylvia with a puzzled expression, she smiled slightly and replied.
"These are items to be given to the children. There are toys, storybooks, and drawing tools. Since Astra is directly supporting this place, we occasionally deliver items they need."
Nodding, I followed Sylvia into the orphanage, and the sounds of children chattering could be heard from various parts of the building.
Inside the building, which was clean and neatly decorated, I could feel that it was a proper orphanage, with rounded edges to prevent children from getting hurt.
"First, we need to greet the director, so please follow me."
Following Sylvia, we entered a room marked "Director's Office" down the corridor, and a kind-looking woman, presumably the director, greeted us with a warm smile.
"Welcome, Miss Sylvia? Oh, just your presence would have been enough, but why did you bring so much?"
"Really? You don't need them? Then should I take them back?"
"Oh, no need for that. We don't refuse gifts. Hehe, always grateful. The children will be really happy."
As the director, who seemed to know Sylvia, took the envelopes from her and exchanged playful banter, she eventually noticed me standing there and asked Sylvia.
"Could you introduce this young lady to me?"
"Oh, this is my... no, Scarlett Evand, who is in the same class as me at Aegis Academy. She came today to play with the children as part of our volunteer work."
Introducing me, I bowed to the director, and she smiled happily in response.
"Miss Scarlett, I'm Maria, the director of this Future Orphanage. Thank you so much for coming to help today. Fortunately, the orphanage wasn't damaged, but due to the recent incident, some staff members are having trouble coming in. We were in need of people to play with the children... Thank you so much."
"No... no, it's nothing."
Waving my hand at the director's sincere gratitude, she chuckled for a moment before stopping and asked us.
"But both of you attend Aegis Academy, right? Then you might know our Siwoo."
...Among the people I know, there's only one person named Siwoo.
"Are you talking about Yun Siwoo? The one with white hair..."
As I hesitated in my response, the director's face lit up.
"Yes, that's right! The handsome boy. Are you close to him?"
"Yes... Well, we're in the same class. We're friends."
Thinking about the conversation I had with Yun Siwoo not long ago, I answered the director's question. I felt a gaze from the side.
Sylvia was looking at me with a somewhat resentful expression.
Wondering if I had done something wrong, I was about to ponder when Sylvia turned her gaze away and asked the director.
"How do you know Yun Siwoo, Director?"
The director smiled and replied.
"Siwoo is a graduate of our orphanage. He became independent a bit earlier than the other children."
"Really?"
Sylvia was surprised at the director's words.
Come to think of it, Yun Siwoo had a backstory of losing his parents, who were heroes, to a monster and being raised in an orphanage.
Finding it coincidental that it was this orphanage, Sylvia suddenly whispered to me.
"...Miss Scarlett, you don't seem surprised. Did you know?"
Well, I knew because I read it in a novel...
Nodding, I thought, and Sylvia muttered to herself, tilting her head.
"Hmm, I see... Miss Scarlett knows about Yun Siwoo, so you know about this too..."
Her tone seemed a bit hurt.
But since it was a barely audible whisper, the director continued.
"I only knew that he was going to attend the academy after talking to him once. But yesterday, while watching the group memorial service broadcast, he suddenly appeared. He was officially appointed as a hero. He should have at least contacted us first. It's worrying..."
The director, with a wistful look, then asked us with a meaningful expression.
"Anyway, did Siwoo cause any problems while at the academy? When he was at the orphanage, girls used to fight over him every day, saying they wanted to marry him. I was most worried about that when he entered the academy. He's kind, so he can't be harsh on people he likes. How about it?"
The director had a reason to worry.
In the original story, Yun Siwoo was known as a machine for attracting girls mindlessly.
However, I haven't seen many girls cling to him at the academy.
Sylvia seemed interested in Yun Siwoo at first, but it didn't seem like that anymore.
Thinking about this, I glanced to the side and met Sylvia's gaze.
Tilting my head in confusion, Sylvia sighed deeply and answered the director.
"...I don't think you need to worry about that. Yun Siwoo doesn't show it, but he's very guarded."
"That's a relief. I thought he might die because of a woman."
The director, who had said something ominous with a smile, then gathered the envelopes and said to us.
"The conversation has been long. Shall we go to the children's playroom now? Miss Scarlett, it's your first time, so the children might be a bit shy, but our children are less so. You'll get along with them soon, so don't worry."
Nodding at the director's reassurance, I was more worried about getting too close to the children too quickly.
I had volunteered at an orphanage a few times before, and I knew that getting attached to the children would make it hard to leave later.
Remembering the time I had to pry the hands of children who were crying and begging me not to leave, I hesitated as we arrived at a room where children's voices could be heard.
Opening the door and entering the playroom with the director, the small eyes of the children turned to us.
"Pretty big sister!"
"There are people we haven't seen before?"
The children, who were so excited that they almost ran towards us, were called out by the director.
"Everyone, attention! We have people to play with today! Everyone, say hello!"
"Hello!"
Following the director's call, the children put their hands on their bellies and bowed.
As I was about to smile at the cute sight of the children doing belly greetings, the children who had finished their greetings ran to Sylvia, surrounding her and chattering.
"Pretty big sister! Show us the glitter like last time!"
"Glitter fairy!"
It seemed that the children were more interested in Sylvia, whom they already knew, but the atmosphere changed when one child pointed at me.
"Look! This big sister has a robot arm!"
"Wow! It's so cool! Can it fly?"
"Rocket Punch! Rocket Punch!"
The prosthetic arm on my left arm seemed to pique the children's curiosity, and they suddenly started running towards me.
Surrounded by children asking questions, I was at a loss when Sylvia took something out of the envelope she brought and said.
"Hey, everyone. Want to see this?"
It looked like a sword handle without a blade.
But when Sylvia pressed a button on the handle, a golden light emerged, forming the shape of a sword.
I was amazed.
A toy sword mimicking the Radiant Holy Sword.
The broadcast was only yesterday, so how did they make such a high-quality toy in just one day? Is this the power of Astra's capital...
In any case, the high-quality toy was enough to capture the children's attention, and the interest that had been focused on me shifted to the toy sword.
The child who grabbed the toy sword from Sylvia first held it proudly and shouted.
"I'm Yun Siwoo! Where are the evil witches?"
"Me too! Me too, I want to be Yun Siwoo!"
"Okay, okay. I'll share them, so don't fight."
It seemed that the children had also watched the broadcast of Yun Siwoo's debut, as they all started role-playing with the toy swords, calling out his name.
As I was surprised by the chaotic scene, the director approached and said with a smile.
"Ahaha, a bit surprised, right? The children are very active. They'll calm down soon, so you can play with them then."
"Yes..."
...Seeing the children enjoying themselves, I thought it was a good facility.
In the middle of this thought, a girl sitting in the corner, holding a sketchbook around her neck, caught my eye.
"...Director, why is that child sitting alone?"
Concerned about the child who seemed sad, I asked, and the director looked at her and smiled bitterly.
"...You mean Leon? She's a new child who came here a few days ago..."