Chapter 7

"Here, I brought some cookies."

"Oh, Marie's cookies, huh?"

"Little Roro helped me bake them, so they're really delicious."

"Really, can kids do that?"

"Marie taught me."

Passing through the church, we came out the back. There was a building that looked like a residence, separated by a small garden. The garden faced the road, and it was set up so that you could enter directly from there.

Next to it was a flower bed with some trees. In front of it, a few children were playing with a woman.

"Hanna, you brought cookies, I hear!"

"Grandpa Bie, cookies?"

"Cookies!" The children also gathered around. Most of them were bigger than me. Overwhelmed by their enthusiasm, I instinctively grabbed Marie's skirt.

"Whoa..."

"It's okay."

"Okay."

"Hanna is here for the first time, Marie. And this is Roro."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Hanna."

"I'm Marie. I've known Grandpa Bie for a long time."

"Really?!"

She was a lively and energetic woman. She looked a bit older than Sister Reia. She was dressed like a nun, but she might still be a novice? Her skirt was knee-length.

She had bright, fluffy chestnut-brown hair and large, topaz-like orange eyes. The slight droop in her eyes gave her a gentle impression.

"I'm Roro."

I bowed, and she crouched down to meet my eye level.

"I help out here. Call me Hanna."

"Hanna."

"Right."

"I'm Roro."

"Okay, Roro."

She smiled, and her smile was like a sunflower.

"She takes care of the orphanage."

"Oh, that must be tough. They're all rambunctious, I bet."

"Marie, cookies."

"Right. Hanna, please share the cookies with everyone."

Marie handed the small basket she brought to Hanna. She had baked a lot.

"Oh, they smell so good. Everyone, let's have a snack. Go wash your hands."

"Okay!" The children ran into the building, which was probably the orphanage.

Looking closely at the children, some of them had animal ears and fluffy tails. Most of them were still small.

"Marie, the ears and tails."

"Yes, they are beastkin children. There are many different people in this country."

"Wow!"

It was the first time I had seen beastkin. My range of movement was limited to around the house, so I didn't know about them.

It was quite interesting.

"Please, Marie and Roro, come in."

"Oh, thank you. Roro, let's go."

"Okay."

Just as we were about to enter the building, a grand carriage pulled up behind the church.

It wasn't a cart you'd see in the city. It must belong to a noble. There was a crest on the carriage.

"Oh, it's the count's carriage."

Grandpa Bie muttered. The count?

"He's the lord who governs this territory."

"Lord?"

"Yes, the most important person in this town."

A woman in a beautiful dress got out of the carriage. She wore a wide-brimmed hat and a dress that suppressed her figure for going out. There were also people who looked like guards.

She gracefully got out of the carriage and walked over.

Grandpa Bie bowed to greet her, and Marie did the same. So, I bowed too.

"Welcome, my lady."

"Thank you, Father. I see we have a cute guest today."

As she said this, the lady, who was called "my lady," suddenly crouched down in front of me.

I was a bit surprised that the lady of the manor would crouch down.

"Did I startle you? Can you tell me your name?"

"A, ah. I'm Roro."

I was startled and stuttered a bit. She was very beautiful and smelled nice.

Her rose-blonde hair, which had a slight pink tinge, was neatly tied up, and even the strands of hair that escaped from her hat were elegantly curled. She looked at me with deep, rose-colored, gentle eyes.

"Oh, what a good child. You can say it clearly."

"Mother, you'll dirty your dress if you crouch down like that."

A male voice came from behind. A young man about the same age as Sister Reia approached from behind the lady.

He looked like a real young master. He was much more of a young master than I, who was called a young master by Marie. He was dazzling.

"Oh, it's fine."

"This is Lord Klaus."

"Grandpa Bie, I'm here to visit."

Lord Klaus, the young master, must be the lord's son.

He had silky silver-blonde hair tied back in a single ponytail. His eyes were a cool blue-gray. He would be very popular.

"You're a quiet one for a little kid."

As he said this, he suddenly picked me up.

"Whoa... M, Marie..."

I instinctively reached out to Marie for help.

"It's okay. You said your name is Roro, right?"

"A, ah."

"How old are you?"

"Three years old."

I awkwardly held up three fingers.

"Okay, let's go in together."

He carried me with a smile. Was he happy? He looked quite pleased.

"Roro, Lord Klaus is the lord's son. He likes little kids."

Grandpa Bie said, but what kind of reaction should I have to that?

"Grandpa Bie, don't say 'likes.' I just believe that all children should be raised with love."

Oh, is that so? But his mouth is twitching. Did my squishy body get to him?

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