Chapter 25: Orphanage
The city square slowly emptied.
The nobles returned to their carriages, murmuring incomprehensibly. Commoners drifted back to their stalls and courtyards, their conversations trailing off. But one thing was clear, the happy atmosphere from before was no longer there.
Only the trio remained beside the cart, along with a small group of children — eight of them in all, wide-eyed and smudged with dust, still gathered near the edge of the plaza.
The boy who had been pushed — now revealed to be the eldest among them — stood holding his younger sister's hand. His other hand gripped a matcha bun, which Lila had given her like it was the most precious thing he'd ever owned.
Riku quietly surveyed the tray.
"Still about fifty left," he said, more to himself than anyone else.
Lila tilted her head. "Trust the church to foul a good mood. Anyways, we can always take them back."
Riku, however, looked toward the kids.
"Nah. I think I know what to do with them."
He stepped out from behind the cart and knelt down near the children.
"Hey," he said, offering a gentle smile, "I've got a problem. I've got too many buns and no one left to eat them."