There were walls where the draft whistled through the cracks, clothes that were little more than rags, and many a day where there was simply nothing to eat at all.
We would huddle together, all of us, sharing the meager warmth of our bodies as we slept. Every night, I offered a silent prayer that tomorrow might bring even a morsel of food.
* * *
For as long as I could remember, my parents were absent from my life. They say I was merely a babe wrapped in a thin bundle of cloth, left abandoned at the gates of the orphanage.
However, because I was surrounded by so many 'family' members who shared my plight, the sting of loneliness never truly took hold.
I didn't mind bowing my head to beg for food or being worked to the bone for a pittance of a wage, provided it was for the sake of my family.
'One day, let's make this orphanage grand and tall, so everyone can eat until they're full every single day,' my best friend and I used to whisper, dreaming of a future far beyond our reach.
As I grew, fortune finally smiled upon me, and I secured a position as a maid within the Duke house¹. While the pay wasn't exactly what one would call a fortune, the fact that it was a live-in job meant I could send nearly every coin back to the orphanage.
It was grueling work, certainly, but I found little to complain about... save for one glaring exception.
I simply could not bring myself to accept Master Kraut, the heir to the noble house. To me, he was nothing more than a selfish, pampered child who had grown unpleasantly round on account of his station.
There he would sit, gorging himself on expensive sweets and draped in ostentatious, tasteless finery-a perfect caricature of a wicked noble.
But what truly fueled my resentment was the way he would carelessly toss away food or confections simply because they didn't suit his whim.
To think that he would discard such things while we had once suffered through days without a single bite to eat-it was unforgivable!
I knew it was perhaps small-minded of me, but when the news arrived that Master Kraut had fallen from his horse, I felt no spark of concern. If anything, it felt like a long-overdue divine punishment.
Yet, from the very day of that fall, Master Kraut was a changed boy.
He abandoned his picky eating and gluttony, rising with the sun to run and practice his Sword² swings until he was spent.
He threw himself into his studies and etiquette lessons, subjects he had once loathed with a passion.
He became remarkably kind to the servants, often stopping to share treats or kind words with us.
And then-he began to pour his heart into charitable works.
I remember it so vividly; even upon learning that I hailed from an orphanage, he didn't look down on me. Instead, he bowed his head and asked for my help.
'In this town³, those who most deserve protection are being neglected,' Master Kraut said. 'I need your strength to help protect the children. Please, will you lend me your aid?'
Later, when he learned the full extent of the orphanage's dire situation, his face twisted into an expression of profound indignation.
Ah... this, I realized, must be the true Master Kraut. Surely some tragic circumstance had twisted him into that selfish child I once knew.
But now, he had reclaimed his natural kindness and nobility. He was, in every sense of the word, a true aristocrat (though, in truth, I was completely mistaken).
* * *
Every time Master Kraut swings his blade, his beautiful silver hair flutters like a banner in the wind.
Having shed his former weight, Master Kraut has become a strikingly handsome youth, possessing the very air of a high-born noble. When he stepped from the carriage earlier, the sight was so much like a prince from a fairy tale that everyone present seemed to catch their breath. One could easily believe he had stepped right out of the pages of a storybook.
I must admit, the rude reactions of the onlookers afterward made my blood boil, though I suppose it is hard for those who only knew the old Master Kraut to believe their eyes. That doesn't mean I'll forgive them, of course.
With every stroke of his blade, Master Kraut fells one, then two, then three opponents at once. To my untrained eyes, I cannot even begin to perceive how he cuts them down. This is surely a divine technique, born from his relentless effort. Truly, he is magnificent.
Occasionally, large, brutish men would charge toward us, perhaps hoping to take us hostage. However, they were swiftly intercepted by Lord Heliotrope. Quite excessively so, in fact.
I suspect Lord Heliotrope had reached the limit of his patience after enduring the lewd gazes of those ruffians and their mockery of Master Kraut. Though it may be presumptuous of me, I understood that frustration all too well.
Then, a particularly massive man, who seemed to be the leader of the thugs, lunged at Master Kraut. Yet, with a single, cool-headed flash of his blade, Master Kraut ended it. The man collapsed to the ground, utterly helpless.
With their leader defeated, the rest of the ruffians promptly surrendered. A thunderous roar of cheers erupted, and the sound of the people praising Master Kraut's name echoed throughout the entire street.
* * *
I look upon the newly constructed orphanage. Through the windows, I can see the flickering faces of children peering out at the world, and a smile tugs at my lips.
The walls are beautiful, without a single crack to be found. The children wear clothes that are clean and freshly washed, and today, they will eat delicious food until their bellies are full.
They will be able to sleep with peaceful faces tonight. And as they drift off, they will dream of the wonderful things that tomorrow is sure to bring.
Summary:
Laps reflects on her harsh upbringing in a drafty orphanage and her initial hatred for the gluttonous, wasteful Master Kraut. She describes Kraut's dramatic transformation after falling from his horse, becoming a hardworking, kind, and noble youth. Kraut enlists Laps's help for charitable work, leading to the renovation of her old orphanage. The chapter culminates in a battle where Kraut easily defeats a group of thugs, earning the town's adoration. Laps watches the happy children in the new orphanage, her loyalty to Kraut now absolute.
Character Insight:
Laps's perspective provides a crucial 'outsider' look at Kraut's redemption arc. Her transition from resentment to fanatical devotion highlights how Kraut's actions—specifically his rejection of waste and his focus on the vulnerable—have a tangible impact on the common people. Her 'misunderstanding' that his former self was just a temporary lapse adds a layer of irony, showing how effectively Kraut has rebranded his image through genuine effort and a bit of 'princely' flair.
Behind the Scene:
The chapter title's 'shaky voice' (震え声) is a common internet slang term used to indicate that the speaker is overwhelmed by emotion, excitement, or even a bit of fear at the intensity of their own feelings. It perfectly captures Laps's shift from a critic to the future president of Kraut's fan club.
T/L:
1 ↩ Duke house: Refers to the household of a Duke, the highest rank of nobility below the monarch. In this context, it implies significant political and financial power.
2 ↩ Sword: In many web novels, the capitalization implies a formal skill or a dedicated path of martial study rather than just a physical object.
3 ↩ Town: Used here to denote the urban area under the jurisdiction or influence of the Duke house where the orphanage is located.
Notes:
• Kraut - The eldest son of a Duke's family (9 years old). He has blue eyes, a straight nose, and short silver hair. Handsome and now he is slender.
• Heliotrope - Kraut's exclusive maid, fifteen years old (six years older than Kraut). She has long black hair reaching her waist and a cool, beautiful face. She is a 'slave battle maid' who was formerly a noble lady from a fallen northern country. She wears a Victorian-style long-dress maid outfit.
• Laps - A petite maid serving the Duke's house and an alumna of the orphanage Kraut is sponsoring. She has a cute, protective charm with short brown bob hair.