Amazing! Totally Amazing!

After enjoying a late lunch with Alex, I wandered around the orphanage, inspecting all the newly renovated parts one by one.

"Wow... This door is so sturdy now!"

"Of course it is. This old man made it himself using hand crafted wood. Even most monsters wouldn't be able to scratch it."

"Whoa! That's amazing! Totally amazing!"

I grabbed the doorknob and yanked on it a couple of times with all my strength.

The old door would have fallen apart immediately if I did that, but this one didn't even budge. It stayed perfectly intact, completely unshaken.

"The windows are new too!"

Not only the doors, but the windows, which had previously been nothing more than big holes letting in the wind, were also completely fixed.

"Did you fix the windows too?"

"They weren't usable at all, so I replaced them entirely. Oh, and I cleaned up all the broken glass shards lying around too."

"Wow."

"I mean, honestly, it's a miracle you haven't stepped on any glass so far. That's pure luck."

"Don't mention it hehe."

"That wasn't a compliment."

It wasn't just the doors and windows.

The entire orphanage felt transformed. The rich, fresh scent of wood filled the air, making it seem like a brand-new building.

"Uh... Uhh, Alex?! What is this?!"

"What's with the fuss now?"

"The bedroom! Am I really seeing this right?!"

In the bedroom, which used to only have bare bed frames, there were now soft, fluffy blankets and pillows neatly arranged.

Oh my goodness.

Gone are the days of tossing and turning in the cold and on hard surfaces.

Now I can finally sleep in warmth and comfort!

"Haha, you're more excited than I thought. How is it? It's a little gift from me to our little miss. I hope you like it."

"Of course, I love it!"

Honestly, I felt like hugging Alex right then and there.

Of course, if I actually did, I'd probably die of embarrassment, so I settled for expressing my gratitude as enthusiastically as I could.

"Can I hug you?"

"Of course! Come on, anytime you wa—"

"Yippee!"

Before he could finish, I leapt into the air and dove straight for the bed instead.

Every time I get a new bed, it's basically a rule for me to do this little ritual.

"Wow, it's so cozy..."

"...That's what you meant, huh."

I hugged the springy, soft pillow close to my face and rubbed my cheek against it.

The texture was incredible. Perfect.

Dear Bed, let's stay together forever.

Starting today, we're inseparable.

"Alex, this is amazing! ...Alex?"

"..."

As I gleefully called out to Alex, I noticed his expression had suddenly darkened.

"...What's wrong?"

"Hm. It's just... a bit disappointing."

"What is?"

What could he be disappointed about?

Oh, maybe he thinks the gift isn't good enough?

I was already more than satisfied, but Alex didn't seem to think so. He pouted slightly, and I couldn't help but think it looked ridiculous.

"It's okay. I'm already so happy!"

"If you're happy, then I guess that's enough."

I flashed him a bright smile and gave him a thumbs-up to show him I meant it.

He responded with a faint smile that looked a bit forced.

"...Oh, look! The sun is already setting!"

"We did start early this morning, so the day's gone by fast."

"Shouldn't you head back before it gets completely dark?"

I glanced at the window, where the sky was painted with hues of orange.

One of the two suns was already gone, and the remaining one seemed like it was on the verge of setting as well.

"...You're right. I usually patrol the outskirts of the village around this time."

"Whoa, that sounds so cool!"

"What, I didn't seem cool before?"

"Only a little."

"...You could've lied just to make me feel better."

"I'm not very good at lying."

No wonder I hadn't seen any monsters around.

Alex had been patrolling the area and dealing with them all this time.

Not only is he good at carpentry and running a stall, but he also knows merchants and protects the village?

...Maybe Alex is way more amazing than I thought.

"If it weren't for the patrol, I would've stayed here longer. It's a shame."

"Well, you have to do your job. Besides, even if you stayed, there's nothing to do here."

"Nothing? What about looking after the little kid who needs care right in front of me?"

"...I've said it before, but I'm an adult. I can handle everything on my own."

"Really?"

Alex shrugged and pointed at the 'ABC soup'—well, the fruit stew—I had given him earlier.

Ugh, bringing that up is cheating.

"Even so?"

"...I just made a small mistake with the soup, that's all."

"Of course, of course."

"It's true!"

It was true.

If I made it again, I'd nail it perfectly!

"Anyway, I can't leave because I'm too worried about you."

"But you have to go, right?"

"That's why I said it's a shame."

Though he grumbled about it, Alex began gathering up the tools and supplies he'd brought with him.

It seemed it was time to say goodbye.

...Oh, wait. I almost forgot.

"Hold on a second, Alex!"

"Oh? Are you asking me to stay? Is our little miss begging me not to go? Well, if you insist, I suppose I could—"

"What are you talking about?"

Ignoring his nonsense, I gestured for him to hold out his hand.

Though he looked a little confused, he extended his large, calloused hand toward me.

"...Huh?"

His hand was huge.

I briefly thought about how rough and oversized it looked before pulling out the coins from my pocket and pouring them into his palm.

"What's all this?"

"Money."

Specifically, one silver coin and three copper coins.

After handing Alex the coins, he examined them curiously.

"A silver coin for the labor, sure, but the copper coins… Are you giving me a little extra because you appreciate how hard I worked—"

"Nope."

Those copper coins weren't a bonus for Alex.

They were actually change that the shopkeeper, Mrs. Gordon, had mistakenly given me last time. I'd been meaning to return them, but since Alex had dragged me along to the orphanage, I hadn't had the chance.

"They're for Mrs. Gordon, right? Could you please return them to her? She gave me too much change last time."

"...I see."

"Yes."

It was already too late in the day for me to visit her, and since Alex would be heading back to the village anyway, I figured he could take care of it.

It wasn't like coins were heavy or anything.

"...Alright."

But it seemed Alex interpreted the situation differently.

Judging by his reaction, delivering coins must've been a blow to his pride. He looked noticeably sullen, and his movements became exaggeratedly slow.

He pushed the door open so painstakingly that it let out a dramatic creak, as if the world were ending.

Sigh. Seriously.

I couldn't just let him leave like that.

Feeling guilty, I hopped off the bed and hurried after him.

"Alex!"

"Hmm?"

And then—hug!

I wrapped my arms tightly around one of his thick legs.

I wasn't sure if it was because I was too small or he was too big, but this was all I could manage.

"...What's this?"

"It's a thank you hug."

This was a small gesture to express my gratitude for Alex going above and beyond to renovate the orphanage, even though he had no obligation or reason to do so.

If it weren't for him, I'd still be shivering in the cold every night.

"...Well, stay safe."

Of course, I was still embarrassed.

After holding onto his leg for about three seconds, I dashed back to the bed and pulled the blanket over my head.

"Yeah, you stay safe too. Don't go wandering outside at night. …I'll take care of all the monsters in the area, but it's still dangerous."

"I won't go out."

"Good. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

Click.

The sound of the orphanage door closing echoed softly.

"...Is he gone?"

I peeked my head out from under the blanket.

Through the window, I could see Alex's broad back as he walked away.

Even though he was heading off to work, he somehow looked happy.

Seeing him pull out that huge greatsword with a grin on his face was… honestly a little terrifying.

…Wait. Where did he even get that giant sword from?

Anyway, with Alex gone, the orphanage became completely silent. Not even the sound of bugs could be heard.

"What should I do now?"

...Should I just sleep?

But I wasn't sleepy yet.

It felt like a waste to just lie here doing nothing.

"Hmm..."

I squirmed under the fluffy blanket for a while before eventually sitting up.

It had been a long day, and I was starting to feel a bit hungry.

"I'll make some food."

I decided to prepare enough for tomorrow too while I was at it.

And as for the ABC soup… this time, I would get it right!

Clenching my fists with determination, I mentally prepared myself.

* * * *

"...It's still stew!"

Of course, all that determination didn't stop me from failing again.

It was slightly closer to soup this time, but it was still more of a thick stew than anything else.

Tch.

Oh, and this is something I found out later.

Apparently, Alex was so hyped up that night that, while patrolling the area, he ended up clearing out an entire group of C-rank monsters near the neighboring village.

He even received a reward from the adventurers' guild for it.

Why?

Was it because of the fruit stew I made?

Or was it just because Alex is ridiculously strong?

Whatever the reason, it was good news.

...But what exactly is a 'C-rank monster group'?

I'll have to ask Alex about it next time.

* * * *

During the cold, quiet hours of dawn...

"C-Cold... it hurts... I'm hungry..."

A figure wearing a tattered robe, far too large for their small frame, stumbled through the forest.

Blood dripped from one of their legs, and their breathing was shallow and labored.

"L-Light... a light..."

Thud.

The figure collapsed to the ground, their gaze fixed on a faint light in the distance.

Beside the light was a small sign that read 'Orphanage'.

And with that, they lost consciousness.