CHAPTER XIV: ADVOCACY

Hearing the call of her maid, Beatrice snapped and back to her senses. She calmed down. At that moment, Caville decided to put her down.

"My Lady? Your face.", Marielle said with moist eyes.

"Marielle.", she called.

After putting down the lady, Caville turned her gaze to the boy. His cold demeanor made the boy stood up, then, hurriedly, ran away from them. When he was about to chase the boy, Beatrice held his arm to stop him.

"It is alright, Caville. You don't have to chase that boy.", she said calmly.

"But My Lady?", Caville dissuaded. Then, he saw the red right cheek of the young lady. Caville felt his blood rose inside his body. He clenched his fist. "My Lady, we need to punish that boy—."

Beatrice shook her head. "No need, Caville. I already done it." She added proudly like a child, and gestured her hand like a cat, "I scratched his face."

Caville was dumbfounded with the reasoning of the lady, and thus, decided not to say any after that. He just heed her order.

Also, Beatrice thought that the boy is just a young child, vulnerable and has no idea of his own doings, especially, if there is no one who will teach him properly. With that thought, her irritation was replaced by sympathy to the boy. Further, she admitted to herself that she lost her composure at that time. "I am an old woman for Pete's sake." She thought that the child's immaturity might still in effect even it was possessed by an old woman.

After lost in thought, she, then, looked at the little kid crouching on the side of the wall. She walked towards to the little kid.

"Were you hurt?", she asked with a smile. "It's alright. We will not hurt you."

She reached her hand out to the little kid. The kid stared to her, and then, slowly accepted her hand. She helped the kid to stand up. She noticed the small bruises on the face, arms and one knee of the kid.

"Tha— thank you." The kid stammered and continued, "You—were hurt."

"That voice. She's a girl?" Beatrice thought that the little kid was a boy because of her short red hair.

She answered, "Yes". And she gently touched her cheek before continuing. "but it will heal in no time."

"..."

"Marielle, do we have first aid kit at the carriage?"

"Yes, My Lady.", Marielle answered while picking her loose shoe on the ground.

"Come with us. Let us treat your wound first.", she said encouragingly.

The little kid hesitated and stared on her eyes again.

"She might be still frightened."

"There is nothing to be scared of. After treating your wound, we will send you back to your home.", she said with bright smile.

The little girl then slowly nodded affirmatively, and while still holding her hand, followed her.

"My Lady, your shoe."

"Oh... Thank you, Marielle." Marielle kneeled and reached her foot to wear the shoe to her. She could not help but to feel embarrass. In the mansion, it has been Marielle, who helped her in dressing, but it was awkward when there are other people witnessing it. "Sigh. I really have to get used to it."

She averted her eyes from her maid, who was just doing her job properly. She, then, saw the paper bag holding by those little arms.

"Caville, please hold the paper bag for the little kid.", she calmly ordered.

"Yes, My Lady."

Caville gestured to get the paper bag from the little kid. The little girl faltered in a short moment. "Ah—"

"It is alright. Caville will give it back to you."

After hearing Beatrice's words, the little girl let go the paper bag, and gave it to the knight.

****-------****

"What's your name?" Beatrice asked.

The little girl is sitting down beside her in the carriage, while Marielle, who sat down on the floor, treating the bruises of the little girl.

"..."

Without a response, the little girl lowered her head.

"Don't be shy. We are not bad guys."

"This-- this carriage is yours?" Rather answering my question, the little kid asked back with a low tone.

"Little girl, you should first answer the question of My Lady.", Marielle nagged.

"The little girl means no harm, Marielle—"

The little girl lifted her head and asked, "You are a noble??" Her eyes widened.

"I am sorry. I did not mean— I am sorry. Please don't hurt me.", the little girl begged and lowered her head more.

Beatrice was baffled with the sudden acts from the trembling little girl.

"Is there something wrong for me being a noble? No. It is not me, but the nobles itself." Sigh.

She smiled and said, "It is true that I am a noble, but I have no intention to hurt you."

The little girl stared to her before answering. "Tru—true?"

"Yes."

"Then, I am... forgiven?"

"Forgiven? You haven't done anything wrong, little girl. How much trauma did you have from the nobles?"

"Yes, you are forgiven. Then, will you let me know your name?"

The little girl is fidgeting, but still answered averting her eyes. "li— Lily."

"Lily. You have a pretty name."

"..." "Pretty name?" When Lily heard the compliment, she felt embarrassed.

"How cute."

"So, where do you live? We could send you back there.", she continued.

"I am...am living at a foster house near at the Grande Forest.", she answered.

With the answer of the little girl, Lily, Beatrice peeked from the curtain and spoke to Caville, who was standing outside of the carriage.

"Caville.", she called.

"Yes, My Lady."

"Let's head to the foster house near at Grande Forest."

"Yes, My Lady."

After giving her order, she closed the curtain of the window, and the carriage started to move. Beatrice continued talking with Lily.

From their discussion, she learned that she is just four-year older to Lily. For her age, Lily is thin and small. Her skin is dry and her eyes are somehow dilated caused by malnutrition.

Furthermore, the little girl is living at a foster house or rather called a private foster house. It was different from an official orphanage that was lead and supported by the church and the monarchy. A private foster house has no support from those. It was only able to stand from the donations given by the nobles. Because of that fact, the nobles, who donated, in the foster house thought highly of themselves that they looked to them like a trash of society begging for their mercy.

The foster house has only five children and Lily was second from the oldest. The oldest from them and seemed to be the same age with Beatrice is called by the name, Andrew. The reason why Lily was the one who took the errand today was to buy the bread for their dinner, because it happened that her brother, Andrew, had caught a cold because of overwork in the field.

Beatrice thought of her previous world. "Whatever the world is, the poverty will always be there."

Because of it, she remembered her activism in volunteering. Using her free time, she joined in assisting orphanages or organizations related to children deprived by or abused by their parents.

On that note, she decided that even in this life, she wanted to continue her advocacy by supporting this foster house.

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Hi my Fairies!!

From this chapter, I will start to introduce the male leads of the story.

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Lovelots. Isaiah