48 – A Generous Donation!
“Shall we take a break?”
I said to Miss Catherine.
Thanks to Miss Catherine’s help, we were able to treat all the children, otherwise it would have been impossible!
Now, thanks to her, the children have recovered from their colds.
They only have a slight fever, so all we need to do is take care of their complaints.
“Yes, let’s take a break. Lena, I’ll be back after a rest.”
“Yes! Take your time.”
Miss Catherine said to Lena and followed me.
We couldn’t leave the recovery room completely empty, so Lena stayed behind.
She takes turns resting with us.
“I’m taking a break.”
Before leaving, I gently stroked Elizabeth’s head, and her long ears trembled, which was fascinating.
“Is it fascinating?”
Miss Catherine asked me as I looked at Elizabeth’s two ears with curiosity before leaving.
“Yes.”
It’s really fascinating!
I’ve seen various supernatural beings that I never saw when I was in Korea.
Now I feel like I’m finally in a fantasy world.
Well, honestly, it was fascinating when I experienced magic and divine power.
Having different races like werewolves, dragons, and orcs is truly a fantasy world, isn’t it?
“Miss, is Elizabeth a dark elf?”
Based on the common knowledge that “a pretty girl with messy skin and pointed ears = a dark elf,” I asked Miss Catherine!
But her expression seemed strange.
“What’s an elf?”
“They are a race of the forest!”
“Do they exist in Kim Chul-soo’s hometown? I don’t know much about it, but Elizabeth is a fairy. Among the fairies, there are many different bloodlines, and Elizabeth is related to the Night Clan.”
“Is that so..”
From what I heard, it seems that elves are the same as fairies.
It’s just that the terminology is different.
After Miss Catherine explained it to me, she added some precautions.
“By the way, if a fairy’s ears tremble, it means they are embarrassed. It’s good to be careful.”
“Ah, so I shouldn’t have touched Elizabeth’s head?”
“It’s not like that. If her ears tremble too much, just stop.”
I see.
It’s like when a cat gets angry and raises its tail up towards the sky.
I guess it’s okay as long as I do it in moderation.
I nodded and headed to the shelter with Miss Catherine.
As we walked to the shelter, the children crowded around us and clung to our legs.
“Sir, are you the famous Kim Charles?”
“Did the gentleman really treat the children in the recovery room?”
These kids had a lot of curiosity about me.
As expected, these kids with bunny ears and cat ears. I gently stroked their heads one by one, bringing order.
“One question at a time! Hehe, that’s right, I’m Mr. Kim Charles. I did treat the children in the recovery room.”
“Wow!”
“Thank you for treating my friend!”
The children at the orphanage wiggled their animal ears and nodded in agreement.
They had so much fur on their bodies, it looked like a bunch of fur balls were stuck to them!
I answered each of their questions and gestured to Miss Catherine.
“You go first, Miss! I need to deal with the kids first.”
Miss Catherine smirked at my serious gesture, laughed, and nodded.
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“Alright. Let’s stay together and go. I like kids too.”
Miss Catherine, who insisted on participating in this chaos!
The kids also rushed to Miss Catherine and nodded in agreement.
I was a little tired, but seeing a group of chicks nodding made it impossible to resist their cuteness.
* * * *
A stack of firewood piled up in front of the Merhen Orphanage!
Our nobleman, Viscount Roland’s wood duo, carpenter Mr. Cotton and woodcutter Mr. Peter, brought all the firewood at my request!
“Hello, Mr. Cheolsu. There are about 30 people, including the kids. This should last for about 3 months.”
Mr. Cotton coolly pointed to the firewood and said.
Even on a cold winter day, I was sweating profusely as Mr. Cotton and Mr. Peter helped me move all that firewood. I was so grateful.
“Thank you, Mr. Cotton. I’ll make sure to pay you back!”
“It’s fine. It’s for helping the kids. It counts as a good deed.”
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
“Buy me a drink later.”
“Is alcohol enough?”
“It’s sufficient.”
“Hehe, great. I’ll just buy you a whole barrel of oak wine!”
As expected, the people of Viscount Roland are kind.
To provide firewood for winter without charge! I decided to buy drinks for Mr. Cotton and Mr. Peter.
The director of the orphanage, Mr. Alfonso, and the daycare teachers stood in the front yard of the orphanage, looking puzzled.
When I explained that we were donating to the orphanage, the orphanage staff became emotional, holding our hands and bowing their heads.
“Thank you so much. Thanks to you, we can spend this winter warmly!”
“We were trembling every night because of the lack of firewood, but it worked out well. Thank you.”
“If it was helpful, then we’re glad. After all, we came here at the request of Mr. Cheolsu.”
Mr. Cotton remained cool as ever.
That’s not all.
Barnkeeper Oliver borrowed a carriage and brought in a large amount of grain!
Thanks to Oliver, who came back and forth with the carriage several times, almost half a year’s worth of food piled up in the orphanage warehouse.
Thanks to that, the Merhen Orphanage could spend the winter very comfortably.
Director Alfonso held my hands and looked at me with warm eyes!
“It’s embarrassing to just receive like this, Mr. Kim Cheol-soo. Please, if there’s anything I can do, ask me to do it.”
“Oh, you’ve suffered raising the kids! Please, show the kindness you feel sorry for to the kids.”
“Oh… Why do you only think about giving to others like that?”
Ah, Director Alfonso was so passionately thankful that it made me feel awkward.
I just like that.
People being happy!
Isn’t happiness like a contagious virus?
If others are happy, I become happy too.
“But if you need anything, please do tell me. I will do anything!”
Director Alfonso seemed eager to do anything for me.
“It’s really okay, but please make sure the kids eat well. They were looking quite thin!”
I didn’t say much about the orphanage’s finances being poor.
The kids looked so thin that malnutrition was suspected.
Malnutrition greatly lowers children’s immunity, making them more prone to diseases.
It also hinders the proper growth of growing children.
At least I hope the kids can have a bountiful winter this time.
“I will definitely do that.”
Director Alfonso, with tears in his eyes, agreed to my words!
* * * *
Two weeks later.
Many of the children in the recovery room at Merhen Orphanage had been discharged.
Most of them had recovered from their illnesses and were now living outside the recovery room.
Erzhebert is still living in the recovery room.
Erzhebert had only been drinking water and porridge until now, but from the second week, he started eating oatmeal.
He can now chew on soft strawberries and cheese little by little.
When I ask Erzhebert to open his mouth, I can see white flesh gradually healing on the incision.
Now, the pain has completely subsided, so he no longer needs ice packs or boiled birch bark water.
Just a slight awkwardness when swallowing.
Nothing major.
“He’ll be fine soon.”
I thought.
During weekdays and weekends, after finishing work at the clinic, I came to check on Erzhebert’s condition.
The daycare teachers took good care of him, so there wasn’t much for me to do.
Now, Erzhebert would recover on his own even if left alone.
I wouldn’t be needed.
When I shared this thought with Director Alfonso, he seemed quite disappointed.
“I enjoyed seeing you, Mr. Kim Cheol-soo. It’s a shame.”
“Hehe, once the doctor finishes treatment, there’s nothing for a layabout like me to do. Oh well.”
“A layabout! Mr. Kim Cheol-soo, you’re welcome to rest as much as you want at our orphanage. Please feel free to visit when you have time. We’ll treat you to a meal.”
Director Alfonso offered me a free meal.
Honestly, whether I eat for free at the Viscount Roland’s or elsewhere doesn’t matter, but isn’t this a kind gesture?
“Hehe, shall I come by occasionally?”
It’s fun to watch the kids, too.
Most of all, Viscount Roland invites me to go hiking every holiday.
Merhen Orphanage isn’t a bad place to hide!
“Yes, please.”
Director Alfonso actually insisted that I come.
Hehe, such kindness truly warms the heart.
After finishing the conversation with Director Alfonso, I also mentioned it to the daycare teacher, Lina.
I’m not close to all the daycare teachers yet.
I’ve grown close to Lina while working together in the recovery room.
So when I said I wouldn’t come every day anymore, Lina seemed quite disappointed.
“The kids must have improved a lot. I don’t think I’ll come every day as before.”
“Ah… I enjoyed seeing you every day, it’s a pity.”
“Hehe, but I won’t be completely absent.”
“Please visit often. Kim Chulsoo is always welcome!”
“Thank you.”
“Ersiebert, won’t you say hello too?”
Ersiebert hiding behind Lina.
Tonsillectomy doesn’t render one immobile.
After the tonsillectomy, one can move the same day.
Ersiebert used to walk slowly in the recovery room.
Anyway, Ersiebert peeked at me from behind Lina, then only his head popped out as he asked, “Therapist… Won’t you come to the orphanage anymore?”
“I might not come every day, but I’ll visit occasionally.”
“…”
Ersiebert, with his black eyes glaring at me through teary eyes.
Big eyes are considered a sign of beauty in children.
Ersiebert soon slipped out from behind Lina and rushed towards me.
And what does he do? He wraps his arms around my waist!
“Come often. It’s sad when you’re not here… Hng.”
Hng! Ersiebert cried with sobs.
I saw the dignified Ersiebert cry for the first time.