Chapter 993
“And… Daddy!”
Parting was already emotional. However, hearing Orion say that made it feel as though someone was carving into Nina and Nash’s hearts with a sharp knife, one slow cut at a time. “We will. We’ll come back together to get you,” they promised in unison.
Their voices were thick with emotion, as if something was lodged in their throats, making it impossible to swallow the pain. But they had no choice. They could only keep moving forward without looking back. Orion watched them leave, not shedding a single tear.
Pharaoh knelt beside Orion, speaking to him with patience. “What do you want to do, grandson? Do you want to go out and play, or would you like to start school?”
At five years old, children in the Yaren Tribe were usually finishing their last year of kindergarten and preparing to enter the first grade. But because of his health, Orion had not had the chance to attend school. Like most kids, he longed for playmates and the experience of school. Looking up at Pharaoh with hopeful eyes, Orion answered, “Grandpa, I want… to go… to school.”
The last two words came out slowly, but his wish was clear.
Pharaoh was eager to fulfill Orion’s request. He immediately thought of Micah, who had once taught in the northern part of the tribe. Taking Orion to Micah seemed like the best option.
Wasting no time, Pharaoh set the plan in motion. Micah was thrilled to hear that Orion wanted to start school and immediately began preparing to teach him. But when Pharaoh heard that Micah intended to tutor Orion one-on-one, he was quick to express his disapproval. “If Orion wants to go to school, then he should go to school. What’s the point of bringing him to you if you’re just going to teach him alone?”
Micah, understanding Pharaoh’s concern, explained, “I just thought it might be better to introduce him to school slowly, to help him adjust first.”
“Adjust to what?” Pharaoh interrupted sharply. “My grandson is bright. He’ll pick things up right away. He doesn’t need special lessons.”
Pharaoh was adamant, but Micah had a point. Orion had just undergone a major surgery and was not fully recovered. He had been isolated under Dominic’s strict watch, with little contact with other children, which might make social interaction challenging.
After considering this, Pharaoh relented slightly. “Fine. Let’s start by having a few kids come over here so he can get used to being around others. If he handles that well, then we’ll send him to school.”
School and home were different environments, and Pharaoh knew that if they were going to send Orion to school, they needed to prepare him for the real experience, not keep him in a protective bubble.
“Alright,” Micah agreed, and soon, a few children Orion’s age were brought over. They had been carefully instructed beforehand to be on their best behavior, and they approached Orion cautiously, their small eyes filled with curiosity.
One child, bolder than the rest, asked, “So you’re the kid of the big-shot lady and that mysterious man? You look really sickly. Are you sure you can handle school?”
Despite their curiosity, they were careful, remembering the stern warning not to bully Orion.