Whatever was going on inside the wardrobe, Veil paid it no mind as he opened the door. Not far away, Alice quickened her pace the moment she saw him, breaking into a light jog until she practically leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly.
With a small pout, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and said apologetically, "Sorry, Young Master. Things at the orphanage have just been a mess lately. I've had to juggle classes and take the kids out for field activities—it's all so time-consuming."
She sighed, looking genuinely guilty. "And Granny, the head of the orphanage, hasn't been doing too well recently. I even had to go door-to-door to gather donations because we were afraid the kids might get too rowdy and refuse to sleep."
Veil lowered his gaze to the girl who rambled on and on. Oddly enough, he didn't find her chatter annoying in the slightest.
