Side: Sheila

“Director, thank you for your time today.”

The director of the orphanage was a kind-looking old man.

“Yes, Lord. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

The same old man was making little children work. One truly shouldn’t judge others by their appearances.

If I hadn’t been informed beforehand that he forced children into labor, I would’ve been fooled.

“Director, this is the crown prince of Elda—His Highness Milan.”

“I shall be in you care today.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best to ensure the inspection will be enrichening for Your Highness.”

I truly couldn’t comprehend any of these criminals…

Why would the old man do his best for the prince of a country that’d tormented them?

Surely, the children wouldn’t welcome him. Are you truly not aware of that? Did he get bribed by Iris or Milan?

Otherwise, there was no way he’d welcome a prince from the enemy country.

This is the worst.

Why were people as unscrupulous as them allowed near children?

“Her Highness the Princess, Sheila, also joined us on the last minute.”

“Your Highness Sheila, there’s nothing here, but please observe to your heart’s content.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

That’s just obvious.

Unlike these people, I cared about the children. I shall confirm the truth with my own eyes and report it to my father. I was truly concerned about them!

“Then, please follow me.”

For some reason, despite my earlier statement, the director still glanced at Iris, as if asking her for permission.

Why, is there something I’m not supposed to see?

“Director, please lead the way.”

“Of course, here are the children.”

The fact that he felt the need to ask Iris for permission was very telling. He was hiding something—no, they werehiding something. I never realized Iris was that kind of person. I befriended her because I thought she was amazing.

“I heard you make children work.” I spoke.

“That’s correct. Children above ten must work. Younger children, up to the age of six, need to care for the smaller ones and help at the orphanage.”

He spoke nonchalantly, without any remorse.

“Laundry, cleaning, and cooking. In addition, they also help the staff keep track of our finances so that they can learn arithmetic.”

But children aren’t supposed to do that!

“Why are you making children do that? That should all be left to the servants!”

“…Servants?”

Why is he so confused? Does the director not know he can just leave it to the servants?

“We employ around three staff members, but considering the number of children here, everyone has their hands full…”

“Then just hire more people.”

Even though it shouldn’t be that difficult to understand, the director seemed perplexed. Then, he glanced at Iris for help.

As expected, they’re hiding something.

Perhaps, the director couldn’t outright state the truth because Iris was here. Was that why he kept glancing at her? Or was he trying to alert me that Iris was watching?

I mean, the director seemed so friendly. Could it be that he was actually kind-hearted, and was only an unwilling victim to Iris’ tyranny? Was he just following orders?

I see, so he has his own circumstances.

If so, I could ask my father to reduce the director’s sentence. Still, I first had to make sure he actually was a good person.

“Your Highness, there are no servants at the orphanage. The support fund is too low as it is, so rather than hiring more people, using that money for meals is more practical.”

“Wait, does the staff here take money from the children?”

How do they have the heart to snatch money from these pitiful orphans? Our country funded this orphanage for the sake of the children, not for the able-bodied!

“Your Highness, those employed here are living human beings. They’re neither dolls nor zombies. They have lives, too. The world isn’t so kind as to allow them to work for free.”

Iris paused and looked me straight in the eye.

“My apologies, I should’ve told you that managing the orphanage solely with the support fund is impossible. Your Highness, are you aware of what the country cuts off first during a crisis?”

“What do you mean by that? My father wouldn’t cut anyone off. To protect and ensure the wellbeing of his people—such are my father’s duties. My father is striving to build a country where every single citizen is happy.”

“…At any rate, when the war started, it was orphanages the country abandoned first. The children no longer received any support. My father, the former lord, along with the director and the staff of the orphanage provided funding from their own savings, yet there were still children who perished of malnutrition and starvation. In fact, a certain lord from another territory fled as soon as the financial aid was cut off, leaving the children of his orphanages to die. Even now, after the war is over, the financial aid has yet to resume.”

“…—hy?”

“Because reconstruction costs money. Those exempt from taxation are not considered citizens, and by that, I refer to the children of the orphanages and those who dwell in the slums. When your father said, ‘every single citizen,’ he wasn’t referring to any of them.”

I can’t understand what Iris is saying. Her words are simply outlandish. After all, my father is building a country where everyone is happy.

…Nevertheless, I can’t allow such misfortune to run amok in my country.

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***T/N: When you told the princess it’s A, she’ll still comprehend it as B

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