Chapter 143 – Encountering A Capturable Target

“Uhm–,” Ann reflexively tried to hide her face and even prepared to run away, perhaps out of guilt because during the hectic days, she completely forgot about the person she bumped into!! 

“Lea, you’re Lea, right?!” The person she bumped into quickly grabbed her hand, not letting her go.

Ann, with her head facing away from the person, tried to change her voice and said with a very sluggish voice, “Y-you’ve got the wrong person, kind sir…”

“You’re Lea,” the familiar voice said with certainty, this time.

“And she’s Faye,” the person pointed towards the little girl walking behind Ann like a little chick following her mother.

“………,” Ann’s brain short-circuited. She gazed towards the clueless Faye, and towards little Fina who was hiding behind Faye, perhaps unsure if the person next to Ann was a safe person or not, so she was looking with caution.

“Or are you saying that I mistook the two of you? There’s no way I could have mistaken two people who were always together. Or are you going to say that the two of you are my acquaintances’ twins?” The familiar voice said with a snort. 

“……That’s correct–”

“Do you think I’m an idiot?!” The voice asked coldly.

“…,” Ann heaved a deep sigh before she decided to turn around to face the person in front of her.

“Silas… Can you let go of my hand now? I won’t run away,” Ann finally greeted him.

“Good,” Silas finally let go of Ann’s hand. 

Seeing that Ann seemed to know the person talking to her, Fina finally didn’t hide anymore and looked curiously at the brown-haired man, her eyes staring into the man’s matching brown hair.

“Where have you been? Why haven’t you said anything? Did you really go on a family vacation like what your family friend said?” Silas asked.

“Uhm, we’re only volunteers. Isn’t it normal for volunteers to suddenly quit without saying anything?” Ann asked, wondering.

“Yeah, but you don’t like someone who’d do that. You look like you’ll at least give an explanation, and not the kind of ‘I’m going on a vacation!’ and then never come back,” Silas declared.

Ugh. He’s on point here! I am that kind of a person, yes!

Ann didn’t know if she should cry or be proud, since she looked like a very responsible person, but that… caused her to be questioned like this.

“And I am worried about you, okay?!” Suddenly, Silas stated his number one reason to reach out desperately to Ann, who he accidentally met. 

“Eh? Worried? About me?” Ann’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yeah. You suddenly left without saying anything. And then I met the person you were with before, the one you introduced as a family friend. At that time, he also said how he was actually your partner and not a mere family friend. Are you really alright? Were you not forced to marry him? Wait… why are you two dressed like nobles? Who is that pink-haired kid? Where is your little pink bird?”

A barrage of questions was quickly directed towards Ann. 

At last, Ann understood why the indifferent Silas, the one who was enamored with his childhood friend–the heroine, Laura, would suddenly care for her.

Perhaps the circumstances of her disappearance reminded Silas of Laura. Ann could easily guess that Silas thought that a noble had forced her to marry him, just like how his childhood friend was suddenly taken away by a noble. From then on, he had never heard from her anymore. 

Still, Ann felt so dizzy, she didn’t know where she should start explaining to Silas.

Back then, she used another identity named Lea because she didn’t want her identity as villainess to be known to anyone she’d associate herself with, during her temporary stay. 

Right, temporary stay! She wasn’t sure if she was going to live past her original 365 days fate! So it didn’t matter even if she used a fictional background, right? After she was dead, everything was no longer her concern! She would never have to explain things, after all!

So… she never expected that she would have to clean up the mess she had created!!

I guess this is what you call ‘you reap what you sow’… 

“It’s going to be a long story… Why don’t we go to the orphanage? Is Grace-san there as well? I’d like to explain it to the both of you…,” Ann said. 

If I want to stay in this world for good, I’d better clean up the mess I made. It’s going to come sooner or later, anyway. Especially with the heroine, Laura, being my best friend… I can never avoid Silas, who’s one of the capturable targets in this game!

So… better clear up the misunderstanding now!!

Ann hadn’t prepared herself mentally, but she would rather finish everything now than having another headache. 

I don’t think I will ever be ready for this, so now or never.

Thankfully, Silas didn’t demand Ann to start explaining now. He nodded and said, “My sister is in the orphanage currently. Let’s go.”

Then, he led the three of them to The Heart’s Wings Children’s Home. 

***

“It’s Teacher Leaaa!! Faye is here too!!”

“Faye, you’re so dressed up!!”

“Who is that child behind you?” 

“The three of them are wearing similar clothes!!” 

“Where have you been?! We miss you!”

During the way to Grace’s office, the children who saw Ann and Faye quickly greeted them, and even looked at Fina with curiosity.

“Teacher Lea!! Faye! Who’s the kid behind you?” A child was so bold to go forward and ask.

“Who’s Lea?” Suddenly, the silent Fina spoke.

“Huh? You don’t know her? She’s Teacher Lea!” The child pointed at Ann.

“She’s my sister! Sister Ann!!” Fina quickly corrected the child.

“But she’s Teacher Lea!!” 

“Sister Ann!!”

“Teacher Lea!!”

“SISTER ANN!!”

“TEACHER LEA!!”

What started as a civilised conversation between the two very young children suddenly turned into a fight. 

In a hurry, Ann carried Fina up, holding her from escalating the verbal fight to a physical fight.

“F-Fina, enough!” Ann said in a fluster.

“Ann-neesama, let me correct her!” Fina insisted.

“Teacher Lea, why is she calling you another name? You need to teach her your correct name!” The orphanage child pouted.

“Ahahaha… Mia, I will talk to you later, okay?” Ann quickly addressed the girl before she rushed off towards Grace’s office that was located not too far away from where they were at now. 

Ann arrived right in front of Grace’s office when Grace opened the door. As she opened the door, her voice rang.

“What’s with the commotion? Why do I hear Lea’s name? Ah, Lea?” Grace was surprised when she saw the familiar face at the door of her office.

“You’re back? Who is that child?” Grace asked as she turned with a gentle smile towards the pouting Fina.

“Uhm… the story’s long, so… can we all sit down in the office as I explain? And can you… help explain to the other children after this?” Ann asked. 

She didn’t know if she’d be coming back to this orphanage or not, but maybe she would occasionally visit from time to time. As a noble, it would only be right for her to do a charity to the orphanage. 

And who knows she’d need something to fill her time with? She could do something useful like teaching the orphanage children. After all, this world was unlike the modern world. Most of the commoners didn’t even get to learn how to read and write, let alone the orphanage children. 

Looking at the stunned Grace, Ann quickly added, “Ah, are you busy? If you’re busy…”

“No, it’s alright. Please come in. Silas, you too,” Grace gestured to his little brother.

***

“Uhm, so… I’m not Lea!” Ann started with the most important thing to clarify. 

“Huh?” Grace blinked, and tilted her head in confusion.

“But you’re clearly Lea… right?” She asked, clearly puzzled.

“I… Uh… I am Lea, but I am not Lea…,” Ann scratched her head. How to explain?

“Her real name is apparently not Lea, but Ann… Am I correct?” Silas asked.

“How do you know?!” Ann quickly turned to look at Silas, with a look of disbelief. 

“…The little pink girl just insisted you name’s Ann. I have a good head on my shoulders, so I just figured it out,” Silas replied and turned to look at Ann with an expression that seemed to say, ‘Do you think I am an idiot?!’ 

“…,” Ann felt like she wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it…

She hadn’t even started explaining yet!!

Can she really explain, when her explanation to Lea being her false name and Ann was her actual name didn’t go well, and had Silas explain for her?!