34

Chapter 34

Flange Orphanage, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, the Year 2022, Planet: Grimoire

After having washed off the muck and grime of that horrific massacre scene that still lingered in the back of his mind, Doyle Moline took the time to get dressed in comfortable, but moderately formal clothing. He kept in mind that he was not in his own home. A sigh escaped him as he contemplated what the day had in store yet again and shivers ran down his spine.

He couldn't get rid of the feeling that more misfortune surrounded the four newborns and now his fate was tied with them. "Bah, I'm exhausted and overly wearied from everything that has happened." Doyle grimaced in disgust. He really needed to eat something filling and then turn in for the night. There was much that would fall behind since he hadn't returned to the orphanage tonight as planned.

The testing and treatment could've gone either horribly wrong or barely tolerable depending on the mood of Tesha Murray. This time it had gone tolerably well because she'd been able to give Doyle a more thorough examination than before. He made a sour face. Luckily, she hadn't made him remain completely unclothed as sometimes happened in the past. "I'm too old to react like a stupid virgin teenager," Doyle muttered in disgust.

Maybe it was because he hadn't been around women close to his age enough. Oh well, at least it was relatively painless this time when she drew blood from me and the infants. A frown creased his brow, when Doyle recalled the peculiar gaze, she'd cast at him while studying the first preliminary results.

Whatever she'd found wasn't something she'd expected. Still, he was acutely uncomfortable around her while not fully clad. As soon as he could, Doyle hastily dressed in a clean set of clothing when he discovered his other set was nowhere to be found.

He wandered into the kitchen and discovered she was in the process of making a meal. "Is there anything I can do to assist you?" Doyle could make meals in a pinch, but he always stuck with very simple ingredients when creating something from scratch.

Tesha looked over at him from where she stirred a simmering pot. It was one of four she had filled with something delicious smelling. "Uhm, no, not as far as cooking is concerned." She glanced around the large room with dismay before finding something that he could do. "However, you can put down cutlery so that the dishes and bowls are ready to be emptied out by hungry people."

Huh, who else was she expecting to arrive that night, then Doyle wondered why he even wanted to know. "All right." He went about collecting the items she listed.

He set the table efficiently, much to Tesha's surprise. "I wasn't aware that you even knew the correct order of placement." She watched his actions. "Then again, I suppose it makes sense since you were once the young scion of a ducal or marquisate, were you not?"

Doyle frowned and grunted in response. "Yes, until I got embroiled in one too many scandals." Which he'd done on purpose to defy his father into getting rid of him from the register permanently.

Tesha's eyebrows rose. "Uh-huh, I'm not sure I should believe any of that trash reported on you now." She tilted her head in confusion. "I'd mistaken you for a monk what with your penchant for not mingling with the locals in the mixers that're hosted regularly."

His mouth twitched. "I found them rather tiresome and boring." Oh right, she knew about his upbringing before he'd relocated to the Shantu Republic.

"They're mandatory networking events and yet you find them tiresome and boring." Tesha looked amused. "No wonder you didn't gain any favors with the latest batch of potential investors."

Ugh, she would bring that sore point up now. "Well, I found some of their demands before investing in the orphanage to be undesirable and quite shady." He had his standards after all and knew exactly what he wasn't going to subject those foundlings to in the name of securing funds to keep the orphanage running.

It was after all why he worked as a hired hand in fields and still ran a few restaurants in neighboring towns that were located outside of Three Pronged Forks. It was one of the reasons why he'd had to leave so swiftly. Someone had attempted a hostile takeover of two of his businesses that were quite profitable.

As for his past, well, the less said the better. Doyle shrugged. "I might've been born to a noble family, but I certainly didn't last long in the stifling atmosphere within the royal echelon." His past was something of an embarrassment to him currently.

Tesha nodded. "So, I'm not shocked to learn." She looked wryly amused when observing his actions. "What did you do after the disowning and disinheritance?" Clearly, she was taking advantage of this moment to inquire more deeply about his actions.

Doyle didn't mind this time because he sensed genuine bafflement and curiosity radiating from her. "I spent much of my time working with the servants." He'd been demoted to that class after his disownment and disinheritance occurred.

It hadn't bothered Doyle one bit and he'd relished the freedom that came with less filial obligation. "Later I used that knowledge while working in a few restaurants and hostels."

Tesha regarded the set table. "You most certainly have impressed me, I will say that honestly." She shrugged. "Whether or not my late company has the same reaction, I won't know until they arrive."

Ah on that note, Doyle sighed. "Are they people I know about or complete strangers?"

Tesha shrugged. "You'll see soon enough." A sigh escaped her. "Once I got the results of the bloodwork, I was contacted immediately." She frowned. "It seems I have some leaks in my databases that I thought were quite secure."

Well, that didn't sound promising at all and was quite ominous in fact. Since she wasn't inclined to tell him who the visitors were ahead of time. Doyle resigned himself to the fact that they might be people from his past. Though why they would want to locate him now of all times, he wasn't quite sure. It wasn't as if he was fit to become an emperor, much less a consort of any kind.