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Chapter 90.1

The nunnery loomed before Lia like an ancient fortress, its walls of thick bricks rising high into the sky. As she approached the massive iron gate, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of reverence. It was said that this place, a sanctuary for young widows and war orphans, had once strictly prohibited the entry of outsiders. But as the war raged on, one by one, these women came seeking refuge within its walls. They found solace in the care of the war orphans, a small but beautiful respite amidst their grief.

As Lia ventured inside, she couldn’t help but be awestruck by the serene beauty of the nunnery. The opulent interiors were no less grand than that of a nobleman’s garden, with intricate frescoes adorning the walls and lush gardens providing a peaceful retreat.

“To enter the nunnery, you need to pay an entrance fee. The fee varies depending on the size of the room and the number of maids. This money is used to help the needy, beautify and maintain the nunnery,” explained Edith, the lady-in-waiting of the duchess. She was born as the second daughter of a baron and came to the palace to learn etiquette, but fell in love with the duchess and has been working here for four years.

“So is it also an orphanage now?” asked Lia.

“Similar. Children whose parent’s fate is uncertain come here. We distinguish here which children should be sent to an orphanage and which should not. Most of them are very young,” said Edith.

Lia tried to be as inconspicuous as possible, but the duchess’ steps were very fast.

As they entered the inner sanctum of the nunnery, a group of children with bright, shining faces came running towards them. The duchess was a regular visitor here, providing food and supplies every week.

On one side of the garden, palace servants had set up tables and were serving a feast. The children’s eyes sparkled with excitement as they eagerly anticipated their meal. Their clothes were surprisingly clean and everyone was wearing shoes, a stark contrast to the orphans living in the slums. The comfort these children were enjoying was certainly due to the tireless efforts of many people.

“Thank you, ma’am!” the children exclaimed, bowing politely before rushing towards the food. The delicious desserts and dishes that they couldn’t usually afford disappeared quickly.

Lia joined Edith in helping the younger children with their meal. As they ate, the children slowly gathered around the two women. Some, with sauce smeared all over their faces, seemed curious about Lia and tugged on her hair, pointing and asking questions.

“It sparkles.”

“Who is the older sister?”

“Is she a princess?”

“Why is she wearing pants?”

Lia loved children, but the attention was overwhelming for her. She quickly thought of a game to play and suggested it to the children.

“I’m not a princess or a boy. We finished eating, so shall we play a game?”

At the mention of a game, the children’s eyes sparkled with excitement, eager to participate.

Lia stood up from her seat and walked over to the table where the food had been left. She picked up a few baskets and began filling them with an array of fruits and flowers, carefully sorting them by type.

“Come on, let’s play market!” she shouted, and the children rushed over, hands raised in excitement. Their laughter was pure and unbridled, like a pile of broken salt crystals.

With ease and skill, Lia played with the children, effortlessly teaching them numbers and words through the game. Those who were watching couldn’t help but be impressed by her natural talent.

“She’s quite eloquent, that girl. Her skills are quite good. Is she a young lady from a certain household?” asked the headmistress, smiling as she looked at Lia surrounded by the children. Lady Ihar, who was listening to a report on garbage disposal as part of the city’s purification project, also smiled brightly.

“She is going to be the Duchess. My son is completely infatuated,” she said.

“Oh my, is that so? Then you must be a valuable person from the capital. But you don’t seem like your typical noble, you seem humble and you like children,” said the headmistress.

Jasmine also agreed with the headmistress’s words and observed Lia with an amazed expression. Most noble young ladies would make many mistakes when wearing their black dresses, tarnishing the dignity of a duchess or being criticized for lacking fashion sense. But Lia seemed to understand the meaning correctly, and even wore a pair of black pants to match.

Was it her good insight or her quick wit? It was hard to expect such shrewdness from the pampered noble young ladies, who had never had to live their lives by observing someone else’s shrewdness. But why did this child know how to humble herself? Why did she have the ability to anticipate the feelings of others?

“It is eagerly awaited, my lady. The image of her standing alongside His Highness the Duke is already etched in my mind,” said the headmistress.

“I am also eagerly awaiting it,” replied Jasmine.

In the end, the volunteer work came to a close as Canillia became exhausted. After playing with the children and running around with a sore leg, she ultimately collapsed on the ground, surrendering.

“Come now, it’s time for bed,” Jasmine said.

Thanks to Lia, the noble ladies had a relatively relaxed time and called for the children. The children, who had been gathered around Canillia, reluctantly bid farewell with sad faces.

“Teacher, come again,” said one child.

“Goodbye, Teacher,” said another.

“Will you come again tomorrow, Teacher?” asked a third.

As the children called her “teacher” ran into the building, Jasmine approached the now empty-handed and contemplative Lia. “Did you have fun?” she asked.

“I’m sorry if I caused a commotion,” Lia replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“No worries, it was quite entertaining to watch. The children haven’t been this happy in a while. Thank you,” Jasmine smiled.

Lia stood up, taking Jasmine’s hand and smiled back at her. She couldn’t help but feel her heart race as if she had accomplished something great. She wiped the sweat off her forehead, noticing that she had even forgotten her walking stick, which was brought to her by the attentive Edith.

As Jasmine watched the servants finish tidying up the surroundings, she spoke, “Well, it’s time for us to take a break too. We’ve worked hard, so why not have a snack?”