The People At The Orphanage

“It’s all right. Everyone, please take your time and prepare.”

An order had gone out to evacuate the royal capital, and because the orphanage had so many children, their preparations had taken time and they had fallen behind. After learning that, Kei had come here with Marianne to help.

“Hey, Kei-san. We’ll be able to come back again, right?”

The one who asked anxiously was Ys. He was usually a feisty boy, but even he seemed overwhelmed by this emergency.

“It’s all right. The important people at the castle are working hard right now, and Arthur-sama will be back soon, too. He’s so amazing he could even defeat the Five Great Calamity Beasts, so a disaster like this is no match for him.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Arthur-sama usually looked kind of pathetic, but he’s incredible.”

“Ufufu, he is. He’s my pride and joy of a little brother.”

Kei smiled and naturally acted like an older sister, but Neil was already used to it and ignored it.

However, there was something Kei hadn’t told the children. Marianne had told her what the disaster really was—that the ‘Five Great Calamity Beasts’ would appear in Britannia…. That was why she had worried even more and come to the orphanage.

‘They’re the orphanage children Arthur-sama cherishes. If I, as their older sister, don’t protect them, then who will?’

Of course, she wasn’t really their older sister at all, but her resolve was real.

“Once Marianne-san and Bedie come back, we’ll depart.”

““Okaaay!””

Hearing the children’s voices, Kei steeled herself for one more push. But as she spent time with Arthur, she had forgotten. This world wasn’t filled only with good people. There were nobles who abused power, and there were villains who resorted to violence and tried to steal….

Bang!! A loud sound rang out, and the door was thrown open roughly.

“Huh? Damn, there were still people here!!”

“Who are you?!”

Kei stepped forward to shield the children from the two men who had barged in. Marianne had gone out after Bedie, and the priest was at the church. As the only adult, she trembled, but glared at the men, determined to protect the children.

“But it doesn’t look like there are any knights. This really is Arthur’s orphanage, right?”

“He’s been giving you all sorts of stuff. Hand over anything valuable and we’ll leave.”

“There’s nothing like that!! In a situation like this, you’re acting like looters—”

They had probably chosen this moment because the castle’s knights were busy guiding the citizens and fighting the ‘Five Great Calamity Beasts.’ Even though everyone was doing their best… Kei couldn’t hide her disgust at their cowardice.

“What’s with that face? Getting cocky, aren’t you? I’ll ‘teach’ you some manners by taking good care of that body.”

“Hah, don’t overdo it, brother. We don’t know when the knights might show up.”

One of the men held a knife and wore a vulgar grin.

“Stop!! Don’t lay a hand on Kei-san!!”

Just as Kei recoiled from the gaze filled with ugly desire, Ys sprang out from behind her.

“Hahahah, you’ve got a lot of spirit. Maybe I’ll ‘take good care’ of the brat first!!”

“Ys!! Arthur-sama… please protect us.”

It was the moment the man raised his fist. A figure came rushing in from the doorway at a terrifying speed.

“Hey, Morgan, stoppppp!!”

“I’m sorry… um… you were too close, and my focus…”

With those voices, one of the figures managed to stop safely, but the one clinging to their back went flying as-is—slamming into the knife-wielding man—and only then came to a halt.

“Arthur-sama…?”

“Kei… I’ve got good news… Uoooooh!!”

Overwhelmed by the fact that the boy she had just called out to was right in front of her, Kei hugged him tightly with her generous chest.

“Arthur-sama… my big-sister prayers worked…”

“What are you talking about…? But if Kei feels relieved, then I’m glad.”

As Kei watched Arthur smile gently with his face buried against her chest, she felt the fear from moments ago fade away, replaced by tenderness.

And he had gotten so solid….

Just as her heart skipped a beat at how he had changed from a boy into a young man, someone cleared their throat near her ear.

“Ahem… I froze this one. If we call the knights, they should capture them… and, how long are you going to keep clinging to him?”

“I-I’m sorry, Morgan-sama.”

“Yeah… Kei’s warmth, after so long…”

At Morgan’s absolute-zero stare, Kei quickly stepped back. Even if she called herself his big sister, she knew it would be rude to hug him in front of his fiancée.

No, she wasn’t his sister at all, but….

“Prince Arthur, we don’t have time. Get to the point.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. Kei, I’m going to fight the one behind all this, but I need your help. Will you come with me?”

“My help…?”

Kei blinked at the unexpected proposal. Kei was just a maid. She had no fighting strength and no magic. And yet he was asking her to come somewhere with something even more dangerous than those men—normally, anyone would refuse out of fear.

“You… explain this properly—”

Morgan sounded exasperated at how much he had skipped, but Kei answered immediately.

“Yes, of course. Because I’m Arthur-sama’s big sister. But you have to protect me properly, okay?”

“Yeah, of course. I’m counting on you, Kei.”

When she saw Arthur’s smile, she felt strangely at ease. Even though they were heading toward someone more terrifying than before, there wasn’t even a shred of fear in her heart.

Because Arthur was there….

“All right, everyone. Wait here until the priest comes back.”

““Okaaay!””

“Ys, I’m counting on you to watch everyone.”

“Yeah. Kei-san, you do your best too.”

The children nodded, satisfied with their response, and Kei entrusted them to Ys, the oldest.

“Okay, let’s go. Morgan, why do you look so grumpy?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Haa, haa… I finally caught up… Are you leaving already?”

Leaving the grumpy Morgan and the red-haired knight who was out of breath behind, they said goodbye to the children and headed toward the ‘Five Great Calamity Beasts.’