Summer Break Begins!

Today is the first day of summer break!!

I spent the morning going around to greet everyone in the ducal household, then left the estate in time to meet Ronnie.

Since I was going home, it would just be me, so Roger wasn't coming along. At first, Roger said he would come too, but I turned him down. It wasn't that I disliked having him around or anything, but he might be able to take some time off while I was gone, and my family probably wouldn't be able to relax with him there.

Come to think of it... does Roger have a family?

I'd heard that he was from the capital, but I'd never asked him about his family. Hmm, should I avoid asking about something like that until he brings it up himself? Maybe I should leave it alone for now.

I'm sure he'll tell me someday once we get closer.

Thinking about that, I walked to the square and arrived a little before our meeting time.

When I got there and looked around, I spotted Ronnie in the distance. He's carrying an enormous bag—or is it a sack?—but I wonder what he's planning to put in it. That thing would be pretty heavy if it were full.

I figured it wouldn't be right to keep Ronnie waiting while he carried something so heavy, so I hurried over to him.

"Ronnie, sorry to keep you waiting."

"Leon! I just got here, too."

"What's in that? Isn't it heavy?"

"Oh, this? It's empty right now, so it isn't heavy."

"Really? Then why are you carrying such a big bag?"

"I'm planning to use it to carry gifts for everyone at the orphanage. Once we get there, I thought I'd buy lots of food that keeps well and bring it back with me. I've managed to save up a little money from working at the food stall."

Ronnie said that, then smiled happily.

Ugh... Ronnie's such a good kid. Too good. I want to give the orphanage something, too.

I'm going to be staying there for a few days, so I should definitely bring a gift.

"Then I'll bring crepes as my gift, and I'll buy the ingredients."

"You don't have to do that. You don't need to bring a gift, Leon."

"No, I want to buy something. Besides, it would be rude to stay there without bringing anything, right?"

"I think it would be fine even if you didn't bring anything. But if you want to buy something, then go ahead..."

"Yeah, I'll bring something! Come on, let's go to the market."

Then Ronnie and I headed to the market, bought the crepe ingredients, and boarded a shared carriage.

I bought a little extra of the ingredients that would keep for a long time, like flour. If there was any left over, I could just leave it at the orphanage.

After that, I spent a while being jostled around in a shared carriage for the first time in ages, and a few hours later we arrived near Ronnie's orphanage. It had been a long time since I'd ridden in a carriage without cushions, but my backside was sore and I was tired. Riding one again really made me appreciate just how comfortable the ducal family's carriage was.

I gave a long stretch as I got off the carriage. It felt great to stretch out my stiff body. As I stretched, I looked all around the carriage stop.

It wasn't all that different from the area around my parents' home. I'd only ever been to the area around my parents' home and the city center, so I was a little excited to see somewhere different, but it looked the same. Well, the shared carriage stop is along a main street, so I guess that part wouldn't change. It's still the same capital, after all.

"Leon, there's a market this way. The orphanage is in the same direction, so let's go."

"Okay. The capital looks pretty much the same everywhere, doesn't it?"

"Well, it's all the same capital. I only know this area and the city center, too, but does it all look similar?"

"It's pretty similar, though maybe that's because they're both along main streets."

"That's true. All the main streets might look alike. But even if you go down the side streets, there are workshops and apartments, so doesn't it feel much the same?"

"I guess you're right."

After chatting for a while, Ronnie and I hurried toward the market, quickening our pace after our conversation had slowed us down. After that, we'd finally be going to the orphanage. I was a little nervous, but excited, too. I'd been inside churches before, but never an orphanage.

I wonder what it's like. I had no way of finding out anything about orphanages, and I'd never interacted with the children who lived in one, so I had no idea.

Actually, I was planning to stay at the orphanage, but would they even let me in? Would they let me stay there?

I was starting to get worried.

"Ronnie, I forgot to ask, but is it okay for me to go into the orphanage? I was planning to stay there, but could that be a problem?"

"It'll be fine at my orphanage. Some orphanages might turn you away, but mine is one of the really good ones."

"There are good and bad orphanages...?"

"Yeah, apparently quite a few. I learned about it while studying and looking into things. Orphanages are state-run, so they get funding from the government, right? But apparently there are places where the staff use some of that money for themselves. That means the children get less to eat, and things can be pretty hard for them. Still, it sounds like they get enough to survive."

...Isn't that a crime?

And places like that are just left alone? Besides, if an orphanage were really awful, wouldn't the children run away and report it, or all the children flock to the good ones?

"That's a crime, right?"

"It is, but the amounts aren't that large, and apparently there are a lot of orphanages that do at least a little of that. So those places are apparently just left alone. Besides, the government isn't going to worry about commoners, especially orphans. They probably have a lot of bigger problems to deal with. And when the staff use the money for themselves, it's usually just things like buying good ingredients and eating them by themselves."

"I see... Don't the children all flock to the good orphanages?"

"Not really. You can't tell which orphanage is good until you've lived there. You can survive even at a bad one, and most people stay at the first orphanage they reach. Besides, if you don't know what a good one is like, you probably wouldn't realize yours was bad."

I see... That makes sense.

Even with orphanages, life for orphans must be tough. The government probably wants to solve the problem, but has so many other issues that it keeps getting pushed aside. I guess there's only so much they can do.

"I'm glad you ended up at one of the good orphanages, Ronnie."

"I was really lucky! Life at the orphanage was hard sometimes, but it was a lot of fun. I even got to study there. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone!"

"I'm looking forward to meeting them, too. I wonder if I can make some friends."

"There are quite a few people around our age. But aren't you going to hire employees rather than make friends, Leon?"

"That's right. If anyone says they're interested in working, I'll interview them and hire them."

"Then I'll start by talking to the people I think would be suited to working at your shop, Leon. And you should talk to anyone who catches your eye, too."

"Yeah! Thanks."

We'd been so absorbed in talking that we'd slowed down, so we picked up our pace and hurried to the market. After buying lots of food there, we headed to the orphanage.

The orphanage where Ronnie grew up seemed to be attached to a church, just like the one near my parents' home. There was a church in the middle, with the orphanage and a healing clinic on either side. I guess they're all laid out the same way.

Ronnie headed toward the orphanage as if he knew his way around, then opened the door. It didn't seem to be locked.

"We only lock it at night. There's nothing valuable here that we'd be worried about someone stealing, and the orphanage's motto is to welcome anyone who comes and not stop anyone who leaves."

I'm not sure if that motto is good or bad for an orphanage... Well, letting anyone come in is probably a good thing.

Beyond the door was a large room that looked like a dining hall. There were lots of big tables and chairs, and I could see several doors. It seemed no one was there at the moment.

Ronnie walked right in, so I followed him.