...kindness...?

"It was only a few minutes since the amputation. The cut was rather clean. I guess it must have been done with a butcher's knife. And you're young. An adult with the same injury wouldn't be assured of regaining full range of motion with the reattached hand even in the exact same scenario."

"Th-they wouldn't…?"

The black-haired man explained, causing the boy to let out a fearful gasp.

"A basic magic pellet by itself isn't omnipotent. So don't make getting caught a habit, okay?"

"!!!"

The black-haired man chuckled, although his expression turned stone-cold instead of smiling, startling the boy quite a bit.

"That looks just about done. here. For being a brave patient. And this one's for you, for being a smart child and asking for help."

"!!!"

"...uuee…eh…?"

As if he didn't do anything special, the black-haired man moved his hand to check the boy's injury, and after confirming that the two parts became one again, he let go of the child's arm and stood up after picking up the box.

Well, not before taking two of the skewers he bought and giving one each to both children, confusing the little girl into stopping crying.

"Now, if you excuse me. I have to go. I'm supposed to visit the orphanage run by the

Church of the god of commerce."

The black-haired man nodded at the children, stepping back and turning around as he mentioned offhandedly, 

"AH…! Mister! Mister, that's our orphanage!"

"Mhmm!"

The boy gasped and exclaimed while the girl nodded her head and hummed, already halfway done with the skewer.

"Mister, why are you visiting? Do you want to adopt someone?"

"Will you adopt us, Mister?!"

The children gasped. The little girl went as far as to climb on her tiptoes and cling to the black-haired man's leg.

"I might consider it."

"..."

The man hesitated for a moment before nodding with an indifferent expression, which made the children flinch and lower their gazes with upset expressions.

After all, it wasn't the first time they heard that answer to that exact question.

They knew it was simply a no in disguise so that the adult wouldn't feel bad about rejecting them outright…

"It all depends on how the visit to your orphanage will go."

"...!"

"!"

But then the black-haired man added something that the children did not expect. An actual follow-up that suddenly made it seem that there was hope for them!

"Let's go, let's go! MIster, why is your hair like that?"

The girl who already finished her skewer called out, grabbed the man's sleeve, and began pulling him forward.

"Anna! Don't be rude!"

"Ack…! Sorry, mister…"

The boy called out, worried about the man's reaction, and the little girl flinched and apologized with a pitiful expression.

"What are your names?"

But instead of being bothered, the black-haired man merely tilted his head and asked, taking the children by surprise.

"I'm Anna!"

"That's only your nickname because you can't spell your own name, dummy! Her name is Aithne, mister. And my name is Rolph."

The girl chirped happily, making the boy shake his head at her and introduce her properly before giving his own name.

"It's nice to meet you, Aithne, Rolph. My name is Medea. I am the personal assistant of Young Lady Zorivia Rotteloss. If you don't mind, would you show me the way to your orphanage?"

"O-of course!"

"Or course!"

The man nodded at the children in approval and asked, making the boy nod hurriedly, and the girl parroted him without delay.

"Then let's do it like this… here, Rolph. Hold this in your right hand, like this. That's right. Now, give me your left hand. Aithne, your right hand, please."

Medea passed the boy the box with the delicious-smelling skewers and then held hands with both children, who suddenly grew all timid, doing their very best not to get their hopes up.

"Hmm? Would you prefer I carry you?"

"Huh?! N-no… no… it's okay, mister!"

"...it's okay…"

Rolph blushed and lowered his head, seemingly bothered by some memory of his, and once again, Aithne parroted him, although she did so while looking up at Medea and fidgeting, clearly actually wanting to be pampered like that.

"Let's go then."

"Eh!? Yaaay~!"

Medea nodded and leaned down, easily picking up the little girl, causing her to gasp in shock, only to gasp in excitement when she ended up being carried.

"Geez, mister…"

Rolph sighed, looking up at the beaming Aithne with a bit of jealousy mixed into his expression.

"Is it a long way from here?"

"No, not at all!"

"I can point you where to go, mister!"

The indifferent-faced man asked, and the children began speaking over each other with great gusto as they walked.

It really wasn't a long trek, even with Medea adjusting his speed to a pace comfortable for Rolph.

Aithne was enjoying the ride the most, not realizing how much attention they got.

"..."

Rolph was a lot more cautious… well, that might be the wrong word.

He seemed to be happy about the situation, but he was equally as scared about the very real option that it was only a one-time thing, and Mister Medea wouldn't actually adopt him or his sister.

So he couldn't act the same way Aithne did.

He felt that if he opened his heart, it would break when that person would end up the same as everyone else.