Chương 3: Chapter 3
The three children and one fox reached the orphanage where everyone was waiting for them. As soon as they opened the door, Jamie was surrounded on all sides by a group of kids of all ages. The situation was definitely scary for an only child like Jamie, but he did his best to control his anxiety and console each of them.
"Alright! Alright! All of you stop crowding him. The General has been patiently waiting for hours already."
Slowly and reluctantly, the children dispersed from Jamie's side, giving him some much needed space. Jamie let out a breath and then looked up at the burly, manly man standing next to the nun. Jamie's eyes widen in disbelief. The man was like a mountain of muscle with tanned skin. There was a scar that started above his left eyebrow and ended somewhere inside his dense black beard. His black hair was long and curly with only a single silver hairpin keeping it in a wild bun. This type of ruggedness was something Jamie could only dream of for himself.
The General walked forward in sturdy, unwavering strides and peered down with his dark brown eyes. In his low yet commanding voice, he said, "It's time to go."
Jamie only stared at him before nodding his head.
Since he didn't exactly own anything as everything he 'possessed' all belonged to the orphanage, Jamie left with only the clothes on his back and the black fox in his arms. The General noticed the black fox the moment Jamie returned but said nothing about it.
As they entered the carriage, Jamie noticed how simple yet luxurious it was when compared to the plain exterior. Although he hasn't ridden one before, he has at least seen them in the online comics he read. The inside had the bodies of galloping horses in fields delicately carved into the glazed wood. The seats were covered with a firm cushion that matched the thick velvet drapes. In the middle was a tiny table where a few snacks such as fruits and nuts were displayed. What was even more amazing was the ceiling that was decorated with glowing stones that lit up the interior.
Once the two humans and one animal sat down, the carriage began to move forward. Jamie found the travel smooth enough. When compared to modern transportation, there were some obvious bumps, but living in the country most of his life, bumpy roads were his reality.
The General found the child he adopted was very quiet. When he first saw him, the child was responsibly taking care of some of the younger children. He was very mature and brotherly to the kids who weren't even blood-related to him and he treated everyone equally and with fairness. Later, he saw how lively he could be by climbing trees like a wild monkey. Seeing the cute kid change into someone so refreshing and cheerful reminded him of someone special. This was enough for the General to decide to adopt him and bring him home.
But when it was time for their first meeting, the General instantly regretted his decision. He was sure the kid was wary of him. All kids were, especially when they saw the deep scar across his face. After barely meeting, the kid asked to be excused and ran into the forest, staying there for almost three hours.
The General felt somewhat sorry for choosing the boy. Despite being 32 years old, he never married or had any children. He also was a sole inheritor of his Marquis household so he needed to find someone that would take his family name once he was gone. Initially, he was told to adopt a second or third son from a noble lineage, but the Marquis found it ridiculous. Why would he take away someone else's child? Thus, on his way back from the border, he by chance stopped at a small village for the night. It was then when he saw the orphanage and made a life-changing decision. The boy must be afraid..
As they quietly traveled, the General watched the child in front of him. Jamie's head was down as he smoothed the fur of the little fox on his lap. From time to time, he would turn his head to watch the outside, but he never looked up to the General.
Seeing this, the General let out a heavy sigh. He was a brawny military man that never interacted with children. But now, he's a father to a 10-year-old boy. 'What to do?'
Jamie heard the deep exhale from the General and finally decided to look at the man. It wasn't that Jamie was scared of him. The original story mentioned that the General was stern but never harsh with the MC despite the MC's lack of morals and good judgment. It was just that Jaime was a bit nervous. He's always had a doting grandfather to guide him. General Lovel, however, looked like the strict father he never had.
Meekly, Jamie raised his head and courageously said, "General... Thank you very much for choosing me. I promise to be good and do my best as your son."
The General's thick brows raised in surprise. He didn't expect the child to speak first. In his low timbre, he stated, "There's no need to work too hard. All you have to do is grow up well." His words were simple, but Jamie found them more comforting than one could expect from a hard-hearted General. There was no pressure added that would stress him out. All he had to do was to grow up well and that was enough.
As the sun began to set, the carriage reached a small town where they found a simple inn to stay at for the night.
When the carriage stopped, a light voice from the outside spoke. "Jedrek, welcome back."
The General let out a low grunt and descended the carriage with Jamie following. Greeting them was a tall and beautiful man with a heroic spirit. Unlike the General, this person had a very androgynous face, similar to Jamie's past self. He had light brown hair reaching his waist that was braided loosely, making him appear noble and elegant. The man bent down to Jamie's eye level and with a broad smile that reached his ears, he introduced himself. "Hello, little miss. My name is Avery Randel, your father's subordinate and best friend. It is an honor to meet you."
Before Jamie could say anything, Sir Randel took Jamie into a warm embrace and kissed him on the forehead.
Jamie's small body went stiff in the beautiful man's embrace. 'What the heck was this? I don't remember this in the storyline. Don't tell me Sir Randel is a pedo that preys on young girls! And what is up with him calling me a girl? I am a boy dammit! A boy!'
Randel hugged the little 'girl' tightly in his arms but was immediately pulled away from a strong hand behind him. In a low voice, the General lightly chided, "The child is a boy."
"A boy?" Randel let go of the tiny body in astonishment and gave the pretty fairy child a once over. The boy had a girlish face with round, green eyes that were framed by long, curly lashes and clean, willowy brows. His skin was dewy and pale like the petals of white lilac in the morning. His nose was straight and small. His lips were pink and plump with a cupid's bow that formed the perfect v-shape. His dark brown, almost black, hair was loosely pulled back into a ponytail and tied by a white bow. No matter how one would look, the child was a girl. 'Even I did not look this feminine when I was a kid....'
Jamie's green eyes stared intensely at the doubtful Sir Randel. In his still childlike voice that didn't exactly help his case, he affirmed, "Sir Randel... I am absolutely, positively, a boy."
Still skeptical, the beautiful man nodded, not bothering to hide the suspicion in his eyes.
The three men and one animal entered the inn where they were quickly led to their reserved rooms. Without a delay, Jamie set his fox-friend on the bed and searched for a mirror to see a pretty face that turned out to be ten times more girly than in his last life. "THE HELL!" Letting out a series of curses, he stretched the dewy skin taught as if to see if it was a mask. 'Though a bit androgynous, the protagonist was supposed to be a handsome boy that grew up into a handsome man! Why the hell do I straight up look like a freaking girl?' Jamie's mind paused momentarily before looking down at his loose pants. 'No... Don't tell me...'
With a shaking hand, Jamie opened his trousers to see that he thankfully still had his little junior. He let out a sigh of relief and patted himself on his flat chest. "Hah... I would have been a goner if I all of sudden became a girl... How would I pee? And there's no way in hell I would want to be cursed with a period every month. That would be torture..."
Jamie looked at himself and found that he didn't look anything like how the book described. The original body was supposed to have sharp amber eyes that made his feminine features look more masculine. His body was supposed to have lightly tanned skin that would bronze into a deep wheat color over time. Not only that, but his hair was supposed to be a brownish red that would slowly turn into a deep crimson as he grew stronger.
Nothing in the mirror reflected that description. And that really pissed him off.
Laying lazily on the bed, the little fox watched the myriad of emotions the human was displaying while looking at himself in the mirror. But though he found it strange, the little fox just swished its tail and ignored it. The human boy has always been a weird one. Thus, there was no need to worry.
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