How the Villain Invests in the Female Lead

Chapter 40: Orphanage director

A few minutes later, Carter called us inside after getting permission from the orphanage director.

We entered the main room of the building, where an old man was sitting on a sofa, waiting for us. Around him, several children played with his silver beard. They laughed together like a real family, regardless of their different bloodlines.

A little girl walked up to us, joy written all over her face. She asked as she gently tugged at the hem of my wife’s skirt,

"Big sister, you’re so beautiful. I’ve never seen anyone as pretty as you before. Do you have a boyfriend?"

My wife smiled awkwardly.

"I’m married. I have a husband."

It seemed she didn’t know how to interact with children very well. But from what I could see, she truly loved them.

So, her wish in the system wasn’t a joke. She genuinely wanted a dozen babies in the future.

The little girl frowned and pointed at me.

"Don’t tell me this handsome big bro is your husband."

Then another little girl with silver hair ran over and hugged my leg tightly.

"Big bro, you’re so handsome. Will you make me your concubine?"

...

"Me too, Big Bro."

The little girl who had been talking to my wife hugged my other leg with a pout.

I simply stared at them with empty eyes, offering no response.

My wife hurriedly said,

"Don’t get close to him. He’s a psychopath."

The two little girls merely smirked.

"No. I think you’re just jealous because we’re stealing your husband."

My wife’s expression darkened. She forced her anger down before asking with an irritated smile on her lips, making the two children flinch in fear,

"What are your names, kids?"

The two girls answered at the same time.

"I’m Emma."

"I’m Ella."

My wife said with a firm voice.

"Emma, Ella... Let go of my husband and come here."

The two girls lowered their heads with sulky expressions before walking over to my wife.

Nearby, the orphanage director grinned.

"You two really do look like a married couple. I think it’s about time you started having children. A home shouldn’t be without kids."

My wife’s ears immediately turned red. She stole a few glances at me before looking away again, wearing an expression I couldn’t understand.

My eyes remained empty as I gazed at the old man before me. He looked like someone who had endured years of hardship. His eyes were filled with peace, free of any great ambitions.

A man who had already retired.

Carter whispered to me.

"He’s the orphanage director. His name is Ronan."

I nodded before sitting on the sofa opposite Ronan with Carter. Meanwhile, my wife was still talking with the children.

The old man slowly stood up, revealing his hulking frame. Even Carter and I flinched for a moment.

He walked over to the coffee machine and began making coffee,

"So... you guys are here to assess the children’s health and inspect the facilities... That’s alright. How could I refuse a request from Dawnreach Academy?"

Carter nodded.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Ronan carried a tray with several cups of coffee over and set it down on the table.

"Please, enjoy."

Carter and I nodded, each of us taking a cup of coffee.

As soon as the cup neared my lips, the rich aroma of coffee instantly filled my senses.

My heartbeat quickened. My mind became sharper. A familiar feeling I had experienced many times since arriving in this world.

Beside me, Carter asked,

"Sir, what kind of coffee is this? I’ve never had coffee this good before."

Ronan simply smiled.

"I added a few secret ingredients. If you’d like, I’ll give each of you a portion to take home."

Then, Ronan turned to me, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"Is something wrong, young man? Is my coffee not to your liking?"

I sighed and set the cup of coffee down on the table.

"On the contrary, I like it very much."

Ronan didn’t ask any more questions. He simply continued enjoying his cup of coffee.

A few minutes later, Ronan suddenly asked me,

"Did you see the children in the room? What do you think of them?"

I glanced at the children before replying,

"They look rather thin and undernourished, but they’re full of life. I can tell you’ve taken good care of them with your kindness and the small government subsidy you receive."

Ronan let out a tired breath.

’’I appreciate it.’’

"As you can see, my children are among the lucky ones. Outside the city, there are countless orphaned children living in the slums, many of them dying. But we can’t help them."

"I feel guilty."

Carter said in a sad voice,

"Don’t be too hard on yourself, sir. Even the government can’t help everyone. We can only do our best. Countless monster gates appear day after day, releasing hordes of monsters everywhere, along with the chaos caused by the worshippers. A lot of people have died because of it. So, it’s inevitable that the weak, especially children, end up dying too."

Ronan nodded.

"You’re not looking at the real problem to begin with. The gap in strength between people from birth. You and I are the same – we both have low potential. Even now, my limit is only [E] Rank."

"We can’t contribute to the world the way this young man can." He turned to me and spoke with admiration.

Carter sighed.

"Sometimes, we need to learn to be content with what we have."

Ronan smiled.

"I used to think that too... until my son was killed by a noble."

Carter fell silent, offering no reply.

Ronan continued,

"In this world, power determines our fate. If you’re only content with what you have now, your fate will one day be the same as mine. This world has never been fair to anyone, and it never will be. I hate it because I never give us a chance to change it."

His voice lowered.

"It needs to be rebuilt. Only then will everything return to the beginning, and the rules of the game will become fair again."