Taming The Villainesses-Chapter 401: Black Angmar Company (6)

They say the culture of valuing children hasn’t been around for very long.

Human history has always been riddled with conflict and chaos.

And in that endless turbulence, weak children—unable to protect themselves—were always the first to be ground down by the selfishness and cruelty of adults.

Especially in this chaotic world, a child without parents is just someone who could vanish at any time, only briefly gossiped about before being quickly forgotten.

That was probably why orphans were chosen as the test subjects for Solomon’s spell experiments.

So when Forest Keeper Faru led the children around the back of one of the monastery’s secluded buildings—I had the cold realization that perhaps things really were happening just as I’d feared.

Just in case, I followed him carefully, ready to catch him in the act if it came to that. At last, I saw him pull something out for the children under the dim shadows.

“Here, eat up. I just steamed them, so they should still be hot.”

“...Whoa, it’s hot.”

“Huahhahhah.”

It was a steaming root vegetable.

Potatoes, maybe? Watching the children scarf them down made something warm rise in my chest, like a hot potato swelling inside my own heart.

Was I being too suspicious?

Still, I waited until they finished eating. After all, luring hungry children with food and using them for foul deeds was such a common tactic it might as well have been a textbook case.

But after finishing their potatoes, the children promptly returned to their rooms. Only Forest Keeper Faru remained, cleaning up. Without turning around, he spoke.

“Who’s there?”

So he’d noticed me? Guess his title as a forest keeper wasn’t just for show—his instincts were sharp. As sharp as any wild animal’s.

Swish.

I stepped out from the shadows around the corner and walked toward him. Upon seeing me, he opened his eyes slightly and scratched his forehead in embarrassment.

“You’re Marmar’s friend, right? What was your name again...?”

“I’m Teo Gospel.” frёewebηovel.cѳm

“Teo Gospel, huh...”

Upon hearing my name, the man’s face shimmered under the moonlight with a curious expression.

But I could tell, vaguely, that it wasn’t because I was the most well-known half-fairy in Angmar. He muttered:

“Gospel, huh...”

“It’s a common name in orphanages like this one. Like Gloria or Gracia.”

“Right. Yes, of course. Even in this very orphanage, there are over ten kids named Gospel. And beyond these fences and forests, there are likely countless more. So then, can you understand what you just saw?”

“Children at that age can’t be satisfied with strict rations. They’re still growing.”

At my words, Faru’s bearded lips curled up into a smile.

“Exactly. I was like that, too. When I think back to my own childhood, all I remember ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) is being hungry. I did whatever it took to fill my belly. I hated that.”

“So that’s why you’re sneaking them potatoes?”

“Grown-ups think kids don’t matter, but the memories from childhood stick around sharper than you’d think. I just wanted them to have one good memory—when they grow up someday.”

Going to bed with a full belly after secretly eating a hot potato. Yeah, I could see how that might become a good memory. This man had a kind heart.

They say herbivores have an instinct for sensing danger. And nymphs are known to have a natural ability to distinguish between good and evil. As a half-fairy, I wasn’t much different.

I could tell that this man was a good person. And maybe, just maybe, this orphanage wasn’t the terrible place I’d feared.

Especially with Marmar’s friend acting as headmistress. Friends often resemble one another. If Narnar was someone Marmar respected, then perhaps she had also kept herself away from anything wicked.

“...Um.”

Just then, Forest Keeper Faru cautiously examined my expression and asked carefully:

“Teo, you seem to be someone of quite high status...”

“What makes you think that?”

“Among the people I know, Baron Voltaire is the highest-ranking and most elegant man. But you... You wear better clothes than him. Arrived in a finer carriage. And your bearing—it’s even more commanding than Baron Voltaire’s.”

I see—so he’d deduced my status from my attitude and behavior.

I paused for a moment, unsure how to explain that I was the royal court magician, the queen’s official envoy, and the sole surviving member of the Angmar family.

Forest Keeper Faru, looking quite uneasy, added quickly:

“And since you’re a friend of Marmar’s, I figured you must be someone with a good heart. I know it’s shameless of me to ask this, but... Please, save that child.”

“Save... who?”

The abruptness of it made me ask reflexively. Just as he opened his mouth to explain, someone shone a light toward us.

“Who’s there?”

It was a nun, wearing a black scarf over her head. At her appearance, Forest Keeper Faru shut his mouth and quickly vanished somewhere.

***

The next morning.

The bed was hard and uncomfortable, which made it easy to wake up.

Well—maybe it wasn’t just the bed. There were plenty of other reasons it was hard to sleep. What was it that Forest Keeper Faru had been trying to tell me?

It weighed on my mind.

If I could find him today, I had to ask.

Swish.

I rose and stepped outside, where the early dawn chill still lingered. In the dewy, misty air, I saw Marmar bustling about.

“Marmar, what are you doing?”

“Ah! Comrade! You’re up! I was just about to bring you some water!”

Creak, creak.

Marmar was hauling up a bucket using the well’s pulley system. Seeing her struggle with it, I tried to help, but she shook her head.

“I was in charge of morning water back then. I used to draw it from the well and leave it outside the headmistress’s and nuns’ rooms. There wasn’t even a pulley like this before! The place has improved a lot!”

“Really?”

Afterward, Marmar showed me the monastery’s vegetable garden and orchard.

“Nothing’s changed at all. It’s exactly the way I remember it!”

She looked bright and cheerful. To find your hometown preserved just as you remembered it—of course that would bring joy when returning after a long time.

“Hey, the swing’s still here! Faru fixed it with a discarded rope and tied it to this tree branch. We used to line up to ride it.”

Faru again, huh.

I asked, “So where is this Faru guy now?”

Marmar paused and looked around. “Hmm... I haven’t seen him since this morning. He’s probably out in the forest—he’s always busy! Anyway, comrade, come with me! I’ll show you something cool!”

Something cool?

Was she about to show me her twelve-colored glowing tail again? I felt a flicker of hope and followed after Marmar. But what she showed me was the high chimney of the monastery.

Once we climbed to the top, where pigeon nests clustered, I had a full view of the monastery grounds—and far in the distance, the grand sight of Monarch City.

“What a view.”

“Right? I used to wonder all the time from up here—who could be living in that huge city? But now, I’ve got a big building over there too!”

“You became a property owner, Marmar. You’ve made it.”

“It’s all thanks to you, comrade!”

Little Marmar used to look at the world from up here... As I stood by her side, seeing the world through childlike eyes again, someone shouted from below:

“You two! Don’t just stand around up there—get down and help! The patron’s arriving today!”

With that, the person vanished. Did they mistake us for other children? I suppose from a distance, both Marmar and I could look like kids.

We climbed down.

Though it was still early and not even breakfast time yet, the entire monastery—children and adults alike—was busy bustling about, cleaning and preparing.

I asked, “Marmar, what’s everyone doing?”

“...Not sure? I don’t know either. A big cleaning day, maybe? But I thought the big cleanings were done on the last Sunday of the month. Hey, sister, what’s going on right now...?”

Marmar asked one of the nuns carrying a water jar.

She must’ve been in a rush, because she only replied tersely, “Preparing for the patron.”

Now that I thought about it, someone had mentioned a patron earlier. Could it be that the orphanage’s benefactors were visiting today?

Just as I concluded they were sprucing up the place to look good for the sponsors, a young man came running into the garden, panting.

“The baron is arriving!”

The whole atmosphere changed in an instant. A carriage soon rolled into the monastery grounds. So much for carriages not being able to get through the forest. Well—there was probably one person who could manage it.

Baron Voltaire, the owner of this forest.

Clack, creak.

Finally, the carriage door opened, and a pointed shoe stepped out, accompanied by a cane.

Soon, black gloves, a sleek swallowtail coat, sharp goatee, and stylish pince-nez framed a pair of blue eyes. He looked every bit the part of a baron.

So that’s Baron Voltaire.

The children began clapping for him, and some even brought garlands—clearly prepared the night before—and draped them over his neck.

“Thank you, as always.”

The baron, who looked rather strict at first glance, smiled and patted the children’s heads. Then, with a chin gesture, he gave his coachman an order.

“Distribute them to the children.”

The coachmen unloaded packages from the carriage.

From those bundles, they pulled out various items and handed them to the kids.

“Lur, you said you wanted a doll, right? Oliver, yours was gloves. And Garon... was it paints and brushes? Here you go.”

He must’ve written down what the children wanted in advance and brought them. Now I understood why the monastery had gone to such lengths to prepare for their sponsor’s visit.

It looked like Christmas. A heartwarming sight. Even Marmar, whose tail had been bristling with suspicion earlier, gradually relaxed it as she watched the children’s happy faces.

“I thought Baron Voltaire was a bad guy for stealing the forest, but... he seems nicer than I expected.”

“Yeah.”

I nodded absently—when the headmistress, Narnar, appeared and bowed her head.

“We’ve been awaiting your arrival.”

Today, Narnar was wearing a black evening dress, looking more like a young noblewoman than a nun or an imp. Her face was lightly made up, and earrings and a necklace jingled around her ears and throat.

Was she really the same person from yesterday?

I was briefly thrown off by the change in atmosphere, when the baron spoke.

“Sister Nar... I have a gift for you, too. Come inside, I want to show you. You’ll love it. Even I had trouble getting my hands on it.”

Slide.

The baron placed his hand on Narnar’s waist like a lover, and the two of them disappeared into the building. A little dazed, I muttered:

“Those two... they’re definitely not just acquaintances.”

“......”

But I received no reply from Marmar. When I glanced over, I saw her looking utterly flustered, trembling all over.

“No way. Narnar... This has to be a mistake. I have to ask her. Narnar...”

And before I could stop her, she bolted off.

Like a squirrel, she scurried away—and I hurried after her, feeling a strong nymphic intuition that something bad would happen if I didn’t.

And I was right.

From the open parlor meant for receiving guests, I heard a woman’s sharp voice:

“Marmar! What on earth do you think you’re doing!?”

“But Narnar...”

Wondering what had happened, I hurried toward the drawing room—and saw opulent decorations inside, chandeliers, and a leopard-skin carpet covering the floor.

It was a luxurious room that clashed horribly with the monastery’s frugal image. What on earth was going on here?

“Marmar, apologize to the baron and leave this place. Even if you’re my old friend, this is going too far.”

“B-but...”

Narnar, visibly furious, was scolding Marmar. Fearing things might worsen between the two friends, I stopped watching from the sidelines and decided to step in.

“Excuse me, everyone—let’s all calm down for a moment.”

Just as I stepped between the two imps, Baron Voltaire—seated calmly on the sofa and watching the situation unfold—let his eyes glimmer faintly.

“Ah, you’re...”