Chương 14: Little Pranks That Become Local Legends

Some orphanage classics: The time Joker and Harley convinced everyone to have a "pillow war" at 3 a. m. Result: 47 pillows exploded, feathers stuck to the ceiling, Lysithea crying with laughter while trying to scold them. The day Harley painted a mustache on the face of the goddess Lunalie's statue in the garden. Mirella made her clean the bathroom for a week. Harley thought it was great because "the bathroom has good echo for singing." When Joker made all the dolls in the playroom dance by themselves at midnight.

Marina wet the bed from fright. Joker got punished with no dessert for a week… but secretly shared his dessert with her afterward. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The grand finale: the "Children's Talent Festival" organized by the kids themselves. Rina juggled apples (and ate them all). Astrid lifted the entire table with one hand. Lirien sang an elven song so beautiful that even the flowers bloomed at night.

Joker and Harley closed the show with a magic act: they made Sister Graciela "disappear" (hid her in a cupboard for 40 minutes). Graciela came out cursing in ancient dwarvish, but laughing in the end. Full moon night (age 7) Full moon illuminating the dormitory. All the children asleep, scattered across their beds. Joker and Harley still awake, lying on their backs on the top bunk. Harley whispers: — J… when we grow up, are we really going to set the circus on fire?

Joker answers softly, his childish voice already carrying something ancient: — We are. But first we grow up, learn everything properly, make everyone love us… … then we burn it all down. Harley muffles her laughter into the pillow. — Deal. They high-five their little hands in the dark. Somewhere outside, a wolf howls. Inside the orphanage, eight children sleep. Six dream of princesses and dragons. Two dream of blood and applause. And no one—not a single soul—imagines what's coming next.