Chapter 9: If You’re Doing It, Do It Right
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The orphanage run by the temple of the main god, Leratna, was one of the most popular in the kingdom—especially with nobles wanting to show off their “morals.”
Most nobles didn’t visit personally, though. They just sent donations through a servant and called it a good deed.
Some would drop by now and then—but even then, they’d skip meeting the kids, grab a donation certificate, and leave quickly.
“You expect me to mingle with kids of questionable blood? What if they pass on a disease?”
Such cruel prejudices made the priests silently fume.
But there was little they could do. Without those donations, they couldn’t keep the orphanage running.
“I’d like to apply to volunteer.”
“Ah… right. Well, if you donate a certain amount, we can issue you a certificate…”
That’s why when Leriel first showed up, the priest didn’t even look up and handed her a form.
He caught a glimpse of her expensive dress through the window. Another noble trying to look virtuous, he thought.
“No, I’ve already donated. I’m saying I want to volunteer on top of that.”
But this time, it was different. Leriel didn’t come to raise her family’s reputation—she came to destroy it. Volunteering was part of her escape plan.
“…What?”
A noble wanted to volunteer? Seriously?
That almost never happened. The priest couldn’t resist and peeked out from the window.
There stood a cold, emotionless face that didn’t match words like “volunteer” or “charity.”
“Leriel Tenebris?!”
Even though the priest gasped out loud upon recognizing her, Leriel didn’t react.
The temple still processed her request—though they assumed she’d either not show up or fake her way through it like the others.
After all, when a good person does something bad, it makes sense. But when a bad person does something good—it only raises suspicion.
“Are you telling me to hand out this bread to the children?”
“Y-Yes… that’s correct…”
Of course, as expected.
Even though the task was the easiest possible, Leriel frowned as she looked down at the tray of bread.
The priest assigned to guide her cursed silently in his mind.
I knew it. It’d be better if she just left a donation like other nobles. Why bother showing up for this?
Just as he reached out to take the tray back—
“Throw all of this away.”
Leriel slammed the tray down with a deep scowl.
Clatter!
A piece of hard, poorly made bread flew off the tray and hit the floor.
The priest’s face twisted in frustration. Even if the bread was just flour and salt, here it was considered precious.
To throw it away?
A truly wicked thing to do—if she hadn’t said what came next.
“Also, contact Remington. Buy all the bread they have and have it delivered here. Charge it to House Tenebris.”
“…What?”
Remington? That luxury bakery in the capital?
The priest, in disbelief, stopped picking up the bread and looked up at her.
Remington’s bread was something only the wealthiest nobles could afford. Every ingredient—flour, butter, salt, sugar, milk—was of the highest quality.
Was she seriously saying she would buy all of that and feed it to orphans?
No way. She can’t mean it…
As the priest stood there, stunned, Leriel’s aura suddenly shifted.
She looked like someone delivering punishment—not someone doing charity.
“Did you not hear me?”
“Y-Yes! Right away!”
Panicked, the priest bolted down the hall.
Once the sound of his footsteps faded, Leriel sighed and bent down to pick up the fallen bread.
Bread? It was more like a rock.
How can they expect kids to eat this for a meal?
She couldn’t accept it. Even if she was doing this to get kicked out of her family, she wanted to do it right.
Clenching her teeth, she thought back to her old life—before she was reincarnated into this body.
Back in college, she had worked part-time jobs to pay her bills. When payments were late, she often skipped meals or ate the cheapest food she could find.
She still remembered how lonely and miserable that food made her feel.
She didn’t want these kids—who were still growing—to feel the same way.
Even just for today… I want them to eat something warm and delicious.
Just as she picked up the last few pieces of bread—
“Didn’t expect that from you.”
A hand reached out with a piece of bread that had rolled far away.
It was Perik Trian.
He looked at her curiously, clearly surprised.
Leriel smiled proudly, ready to say:
“See? I told you—I really just want to be a better person!”
But his next words shut her up immediately.
“So there is a way to volunteer using money. This way, you don’t even have to lift a finger but still look good.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Am I wrong? You just want to feel like you helped without doing any real work. You’re not here out of real kindness.”
That was too much.
Sure, Leriel hadn’t come purely out of goodwill. She had her reasons. And she wasn’t going to deny that.
“…I’m not here to just fake it and leave.”
But after seeing the kids eyeing even this terrible bread from behind the kitchen door—how could he say that?
“I’ll do anything. Cleaning, playing with the kids, manual work—you name it. I’ll do it sincerely.”
Leriel’s face was unusually firm and serious.
“And you too. Prince or not, noble or not—if you came to volunteer, then stop judging others and actually help.”
Before Perik could say anything else, Leriel scooped up the tray and walked away.
He raised one eyebrow and watched her leave, feeling something strange.
…Is that really the Leriel Tenebris I know?
He had intentionally provoked her with sharp words, expecting her to snap like usual.
That’s how she used to be—quick-tempered and selfish.
But Leriel is here today… She was different. Her sincerity was clear and heartfelt, not fake or shallow.
This doesn’t make sense…
Perik felt confused.
Just one month ago, at their engagement ceremony, Leriel had been exactly how he remembered—selfish, arrogant, greedy. The perfect villainess.
But the woman today…
No, I can’t fall for it.
Perik clamped his mouth shut.
He almost let himself believe she’d changed.
He forced himself to recall her old self to snap back to reality.
His heart was still pounding, but he decided it was just anger.
His sharp red eyes followed Leriel as she disappeared down the hallway.
One thing was certain—he had to keep watching her. He came this far, so he might as well see it through.
Sighing, he stepped out and found a priest. The priest spotted him and rushed over, looking relieved.
“Ah, Your Highness! The high priest and Saintess Anila are ready. Sorry for the delay—this way, please…”
“No need. Just give me something I can help with now.”
“…Pardon?”
“I didn’t come here to meet the high priest. If that were the case, I would’ve said so from the beginning.”
You said I should stop talking and actually help?
Perik chuckled bitterly.!