‘A country where every single citizen is happy.’

I almost scoffed at the princess.

What a childish fantasy.

No such country ever existed, and a king who waged a war shouldn’t even dream of achieving such a thing.

I mean, why would you start a war, then?

“For now, I’ll guide you to the children. I’ve instructed them to continue as they normally would.”

After regaining his composure, the director resumed the tour. The first place we were shown was a bedroom.

“This place is…?”

The princess gazed around with doubt on her face.

Is something strange?

“It’s a bedroom for the children.”

In that bedroom, three children could be seen with brooms, four with rags, and two others collecting garbage. As they went on with cleaning their bedroom, they’d sneak glances at us, wondering if we had business with them.

“A bedroom? This? Why are there so many beds lined up?”

“Why? What do you mean ‘why?’”

Unable to comprehend the princess’ question, the director fumbled with his words. Honestly, the meaning of her question also escaped me.

“Princess Sheila, private bedrooms are unheard of at orphanages.”

Perhaps fed up, the crown prince answered in my stead. In response, the princess turned to look at him, wide-eyed.

Is it that surprising?

Doesn’t she often volunteer at an orphanage? How can she not know that?

“Allow me to clarify something, Your Highness. What do you usually do when you volunteer at the orphanage?”

“I converse with the children, distribute the cookies made by the chef, and then present them with clothes.”

—Have you ever toured the inside of the orphanage?

At most, she only mentioned the director’s office or the cafeteria where everyone would gather.

“What kind of clothes?”

“Custom-made ones by the tailor at the royal capital.”

I assumed that whenever the princess visited, the children would be finely dressed to appease the royal family. Afterwards, the clothes would be sold to cover the operating expenses of the orphanage.

—However, that was only if the director was well-intentioned. In worst-case, the clothes would be sold and the money pocketed.

Given that I didn’t know the director of the orphanage at the royal capital, I couldn’t say much. It was possible that even if he did embezzle the money, he had a decent enough cover-up to pull the wool over this princess’ eyes.

He could pull that off even though the purpose of inspections aren’t just to support the orphanage, but also to confirm whether or not directors are upholding their duties…

“More importantly, Director. What are these children even wearing? Why are they dressed in such rags? Don’t you pity them?”

“R-rags…? Certainly, the younger ones are wearing hand-me-downs, so they’re pretty worn out, but…”

“You’re even making them wear something that others have worn!? How despicable!”

“Your Highness, please calm down.”

The director shrank at being questioned by a member of the royal family. Although, there was also the fact that he wasn’t a stern person to begin with. The children also stopped cleaning and anxiously looked at us.

Who would’ve thought that the princess was this ignorant? That’s it. She should have spared me—and the crown prince—all that talk about her volunteering at a relief center or an orphanage. Her naivety was simply a disgrace.

“Forgive me, Director, but I’m ending this inspection. I apologize for our disturbance.”

“N-no, Your Excellency, I should be the one apologizing, I wasn’t up for the task…”

He did nothing wrong.

I failed him by underestimating the princess’ naivety.

“Iris, what is this, all of a sudden? Is it because we’ve stumbled upon your true colors? Even if you try to conceal it, don’t think that I won’t notice.”

Please, stop talking.

“Your Highness, the children are still here. You don’t want to make the children uneasy, right?”

When I said that, the anxious gazes the children were giving us finally registered with the princess, and she reluctantly abided by my words.

---

***T/N: Press F to send one brain cell to this princess.

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