"Zane, you know, New Eridu has never been short of orphans. The Hollows disasters, gang wars, power struggles—this city is packed with people doing illegal things just to survive..."
"So even though a lot of people are trying to help, the orphanages are nowhere near enough."
"The older kids, once they can support themselves—or just don't want to burden the orphanage when they grow up—choose to leave."
"They want their younger siblings to have a better life, or to make room for other little ones who still need a place to stay."
"There's no other choice."
Hearing this, Zane's expression grew complicated.
Nicole was absolutely right. When she'd told him about her childhood, she'd left the orphanage herself once she was old enough.
She had clawed her way through life in New Eridu, trying every way she could think of to make a living—sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing.
It wasn't until she met Anby, Billy, and founded Hare's House that her life finally began to settle down...
"Hehe, Zane, you don't need to look like that! I'm working hard to change things now!"
Nicole glanced back at him with a bright smile.
"In the future, I want to expand the orphanage. That way, more kids can have a first home."
"Actually, land around here is relatively cheap. The area's always been underdeveloped, and there's still a lingering Hollows disaster nearby."
"Maybe we could even build one or two more orphanages."
Nicole was confident in her plan—and unless something unexpected happened, it wouldn't take too long.
Zane stood off to the side in thought, then offered a suggestion.
"Honestly, instead of just expanding the orphanage, I think building a small school would be more valuable."
"If they can't get a proper education, the kids here will have almost no future."
He didn't sugarcoat it. Listening to his words, Nicole's expression turned thoughtful, her gaze darkening slightly.
He was right. Kids from the orphanage had few paths forward.
In her memory, too many of her old friends had ended up as raiders—only to die in some accident...
"If they can learn something, they can give back to the orphanage. That kind of positive cycle is the only real path to stability."
Zane finished speaking. He knew full well that education was a luxury for these kids—a dream, really.
There was no compulsory schooling here, and the fees were ridiculous...
But still, it was good to have a goal.
Nicole nodded in full agreement. Then she brought up the headmaster—someone Zane had yet to meet.
"Actually, the headmaster thought the same way. But back then, he didn't have the means. So he ended up serving as both director and teacher—that's how he got the title."
"Come to think of it, some of my business sense actually comes from him."
Nicole smiled at the thought. Zane glanced at her—she always seemed to get lost in memories here.
And who could blame her? This place held so many for her.
Nicole's expression shifted again, dimming. Zane noticed and spoke at the right moment.
"By the way, Nicole... Anby and Billy—they know about what's going on here, right?"
"After all, Hare's House is drowning in debt, expenses are tight, yet they've never complained. They're still there, fully committed..."
Zane didn't look at her. He kept his eyes on the children playing in the courtyard, voice calm.
He didn't believe for a second that if Nicole were some greedy, heartless boss, Anby and Billy would stick around—let alone put up with skipped meals and meaningless paychecks.
That "Boss Nicole" title wasn't just something they said casually. It meant something real.
Nicole froze at his words, then gave a small smile.
"Well... they didn't know at first. But of course, it wasn't something I could hide forever. Later on..."
Her eyes shimmered. Thinking of Anby, Billy, and even the newcomer Nekomata, her throat tightened.
Yes—for all this time, Anby and Billy had supported her quietly, never once questioning how the money came or went. Even Nekomata, newly arrived, had done the same.
In fact, during the time when she hadn't told them the truth, Anby and Billy had realized what was going on—and chosen to say nothing.
If she hadn't come clean later, they probably would've kept on like that forever.
"I have a really good family."
Nicole said it softly.
And it was true. To her, Cunning Hare's House wasn't just a team—it was a home. The people in it were her family.
Honestly, from the moment she'd named it Gentle House, she'd already had those hopes and dreams in mind.
Zane listened, his eyes glowing faintly.
As a handyman service, Hare's House had long held one of the highest negative ratings on the forums—always in the top three. The most common complaints? "Commissioned items were damaged" and "damage exceeded what was necessary."
Was that really because Hare's House was incompetent?
Hardly. Anby's combat skills were top-tier, and Billy—when fully stocked with ammo—was more than a match for most assignments.
No—it wasn't about lacking ability or being careless. The flood of bad reviews meant one thing:
In Nicole's eyes, no matter the job, no matter the reward, nothing was more important than her companions.
She always tried to keep Anby and Billy from taking unnecessary risks—even if that meant letting an item break during a mission.
Nicole might not say it outright, but her feelings showed in everything she did.
A responsible leader.
A young woman full of hope.
"Nicole... that child over there—what's her story?"
Most of the kids in the courtyard were playing. But Zane's gaze had fallen on a little girl sitting alone in a corner.
He'd noticed her back at lunch. She seemed a bit of a loner—not because anyone bullied her, but because she chose to be alone.
"That one..."
Nicole looked up, saw who he meant, and sighed. Her emotions were mixed.
"Her name's Pixie. She's part of the orphanage too, but... she's a bit precocious. Closed off. She doesn't bother anyone, but it's hard for others to get close to her."
"Over time, she just ended up this way."
Nicole met Zane's eyes and explained softly.
"Zane... she's different from me. Different from the other kids here. Nicole is the name the headmaster gave me. But Pixie... that name came from her parents..."