Chapter 59.1
I absently stared at Damian. He caught my gaze and tilted his head, a questioning look on his face.
“Something you want to ask?”
“I was just wondering what kind of bad blood there is between you and Ricardo. He said the same thing.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Damian’s eyes narrowed slightly. Although he wore his usual languid smile, it didn’t reach his eyes. It felt more like a perfunctory expression.
His demeanor suggested a reluctance to discuss anything further about Ricardo. The palpable tension between them only fueled my curiosity. What sort of bad blood could there be?
My question remained unanswered as the carriage came to a halt. We had arrived at our destination.
Stepping out, I saw a small building. Located on the outskirts of the capital, it was, as I’d suspected, an orphanage for children with nowhere else to go.
“Did you guess where I was bringing you?” Damian asked, observing my unsurprised reaction. I nodded, gesturing towards the baggage cart that had stopped behind our carriage.
“I had a hunch.”
Seeing him purchase an enormous quantity of toys had narrowed down the possibilities. However, I still had no idea what connection Damian had to this place.
The orphanage where he’d lived before being adopted was a different one, one that no longer existed.
As we approached, the concealing magic on the carriage and cart must have been lifted, because curious eyes began to peer out from the building. Soon, several adults emerged, slowly walking towards us.
Children followed, cautiously observing Damian and me with a mixture of wariness and interest. They didn’t seem to greet Damian with any particular enthusiasm, suggesting he wasn’t a frequent visitor.
“I hope we’re not intruding,” I said, wondering if this was his first time here. He chuckled lightly.
“Would I do that?”
…Maybe.
As I formed my silent reply, the group from the orphanage reached us. A middle-aged woman, seemingly the eldest, stepped forward.
“It’s been a while, Damian.”
Damian glanced at me, his eyes saying, “See? They know me.”
“I apologize for arriving unannounced.”
“It’s quite alright. You’re always welcome here. Please, make yourself at home.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome.”
“The children will be delighted to see you. What brings you here today?”
The woman and Damian spoke as if they had known each other for a long time. It seemed this wasn’t his first visit. Hearing the respectful tone in Damian’s voice surprised me.
‘Well, I suppose he isn’t always informal.’
My perception of him had been skewed by my recent experiences. I hadn’t often seen him behave formally with anyone other than royalty.
…And then,
“I heard there were some new children here. I brought some gifts, though it’s a bit belated.”
Damian’s words were neither entirely formal nor informal, occupying a strange middle ground. He hadn’t spoken casually, yet it didn’t sound entirely respectful either.
The woman, however, seemed accustomed to this, simply replying, “Word travels fast. Thank you, Damian.”
She then directed some of the others towards the toy-laden cart. They seemed to be discussing bringing it inside with the driver.
I heard them address the woman as “Director.”
‘So, she’s the director of the orphanage.’
I nodded slightly, observing her. Her interaction with Damian felt more natural than the others.
The director’s gaze then shifted to me. Our eyes met, and I offered an awkward smile.
“And this is…?”
A flicker of curiosity crossed her face, quickly replaced by a knowing sparkle.
“When did you get married, Damian?!”
Damian’s smile deepened, and he started to nod. Startled, I quickly interjected, “Absolutely not!”
This man, I could never let my guard down around him.
***
Damian had been a benefactor of this orphanage. He usually sent gifts but had apparently never visited in person until today.
Following the director inside, I noted the building was well-maintained, showing no signs of disrepair. It seemed relatively new.
The teachers distributed the gifts Damian had brought.
“The weather’s lovely today. Shall we all play outside?” the director suggested.
A play area, resembling a small field, was set up in front of the building. Blankets were spread beneath the shade of a large tree, while energetic children ran about in the sunlight.
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