Chapter 162
After a somewhat bittersweet reunion, I followed the Nun into the building. I had been invited to have a cup of tea before leaving, since I was already there.
Before I entered the Building, a sudden worry came to me, so I asked the Nun.
“Is it really okay to invite me in so casually? I feel like people might look at us strangely...”
As someone who had been expelled, I couldn't help but feel a little worried. As I thought this, she replied with a benevolent smile.
“Come to think of it, you’re an Adventurer these days, aren’t you? I’m glad to see you’re doing well.” “That news reached even here?” “Of course, when the Knight Order sent an Extermination Squad to catch a Manifestor, it caused quite a stir, didn’t it?”
Indeed, it was quite chaotic back then. It’s an era where there are no secrets, thanks to Otherworlders and the opening of the World. Even if that news spread to this humble Orphanage, it wouldn’t be strange.
No wonder she accepted me so easily...
I continued my thoughts. Perhaps the news even spread that the Knight Order had backed down and granted me citizenship. Therefore, she might have secretly thought that I would eventually come back to the Orphanage. Since there was no risk in welcoming me now anyway, she must have done so comfortably.
*...Hmm.*
Thinking this way, the emotion I had felt earlier indeed seemed to fade a little. Of course, that doesn't mean the other person's sincerity completely disappeared.
Regardless, this Nun was a genuinely good Human. Ordinary patience wouldn't suffice to always smile while dealing with disobedient Kids. And constant effort would be required to care for children in this humble place.
It wouldn't even be profitable. Her actions truly deserved respect.
I don't really remember her name...
I just stayed quiet, thinking it would be awkward to ask her name now.
“By the way, you’ve really grown up well. Even after going through all that, you’ve grown up properly. It must be a blessing from God.”
She offered a short prayer as she walked. Indeed, as expected of a nun, her faith seemed very deep. Watching her, I wore a slightly subtle expression.
Well, God... since miracles exist, I can't help but believe. But that didn't mean my faith was deep. On the contrary, my aversion was stronger. While I make good use of holy water, it's essentially just a trick. The “divine power” that comes from it is like poison to me.
I had no right to stop her prayer, so I just stayed quiet this time, too.
As I entered the building, the kids began to greet me.
“Oh?”
“A guest is here!”
“It’s a handsome Older Brother!”
“What brings him here? Is he a Volunteer?”
As expected of innocent kids, they brightly welcomed the guest. The slightly older kids, perhaps shy, subtly retreated to the back. Most of the kids, however, approached me, staring as if I were an exhibit at a zoo.
Swarming in a group, they were like Goblins. I already felt my energy draining.
*I'm tired...*
Honestly, I didn't expect to come this far into the building. I should have bought some bread for the kids.
“Alright, Kids~ It’s a rare guest, so don’t bother him too much. He’s here to talk, so please step aside for a moment.”
Fortunately, that energy-draining situation didn't last long. The Nun stepped in and handled the Kids. So I followed her into a small room attached to the Building. The Nun, who handed me tea, spoke.
“You still don’t like kids, do you? You were like that even when you were little.”
“You remember that?”
“Of course. That kid used to grumble while taking care of his peers, it was so unusual; I couldn’t help but remember. At least now you don’t openly frown.”
“Haha...”
I laughed awkwardly and asked how the kids from back then were doing.
In this World, Kids have to leave the Orphanage around the age of 16. Unlike modern times, there are no schools, and welfare is insufficient in This Place, so they can't be cared for until adulthood. This means Kids have to face Reality before their bodies are fully grown. Their current situation couldn't help but be a concern.
“They’re all doing well.”
Fortunately, according to the Nun, they were not doing badly. A kid named Mirei caught the eye of a nearby blacksmith and became an apprentice. Karen and Adeline became adventurers and are making quite a name for themselves. Other kids entered the temple or found work and are making a living...
Honestly, I didn't remember any of those names. But hearing that they were doing well, I felt somewhat good. Next, I asked about something else. Because the name I was most curious about hadn't come up yet, setting everything else aside.
“Then, do you perhaps remember Livia?”
I was curious. How on earth did she leave the Orphanage and end up in Lemegeton? At the very least, what was the catalyst?
At my question, the Nun's face instantly darkened, as if recalling a bad memory.
“Livia... a truly unfortunate child.”
After a brief silence, the Nun spoke.
“After you left, Yor, Livia also secretly left. She was particularly fond of you. In her young heart, she thought if she searched hard enough, she might find you.”
But of course, she wouldn't have found me, since there was no memory of us ever meeting again. Honestly, I had expected this much.
“We realized it belatedly and searched the City for her. But we couldn’t find her. However, a few days later, after making inquiries, we heard a piece of news.” “What news?” “The news was that she had been kidnapped by Adventurers.”
At her words, my eyes widened for a moment.
Adventurer is always a popular profession. While it has a high ceiling, its popularity is more because no conditions are required to become one. No qualifications are needed to do it. All that's needed is a small amount of money.
As long as you have all your limbs, the Adventurer Guild accepts anyone, be they orphans or criminals. As a result, its lowest common denominator is bound to be very low.
Thanks to this, if you just look around at Adventurers, you can see a wide variety of Human types: from guys like me who once dabbled in crime, to third-rate thugs, and even kids who haven't finished growing.
Of course, they get filtered out as you go higher up... But it's still true that the quality of Adventurers is poor. There are certainly scoundrels like Bandits who commit kidnappings among them.
“That’s all I know.”
Unfortunately, no more was heard about Livia after her kidnapping. It made sense. After all, once she was missing, there was no way to know more. They certainly wouldn't have imagined that the Kid would become a Branch Leader.
But I could at least make a guess. After being kidnapped, Livia must have led a difficult life. Though it's not a world where slavery is legal, if one was determined, one could easily evade the law's oversight. Since they were scoundrels depraved enough to kidnap, they wouldn't have raised her kindly either.
So, after being captured and held by those Adventurers... she somehow ended up joining Lemegeton. Though I don't know what that method was. Perhaps the Lemegeton guys saw Livia's Magic talent and bought her. Livia's Magic was honestly quite powerful.
She seemed to hate Adventurers..., so there was a reason.
“Thank you for telling me.”
I thought that and concluded the conversation. For now, I didn't reveal Livia's current situation.
Because hearing that a kid who went missing as a child suddenly became such an important criminal figure would be quite a shock.
After finishing the conversation, I went outside and saw my Companions playing with the Kids. Im Haneul had one Kid on her back, giving the Kid a piggyback ride. Neria's red hair was being pulled this way and that, as the Kids found it fascinating.
“Giddy-up, giddy-up! Run!”
“Hahaha, your chest is so big it keeps jiggling!”
“Older Sister, Older Sister, why are you so quiet?”
“Your hair is so red! It looks like it’s on fire!”
“...”
Just looking at the scene, which drained my energy, left me speechless. Seeing this, I couldn't help but support the theory of innate human evil.
Look at that pure malice! It was the sight of wicked kids who inherently knew how to torment others. Of course, that sight didn't last long.
“You rascals, you shouldn’t treat a guest like that!”
The Nun stepped in and stopped the children.
As she did, I briefly checked the children's appearance. Their clothes were patched up multiple times, practically rags, and their bodies were all a bit thin. In This Place, which lacked resources, there were limits to supporting children.
When I was here, it seemed more abundant than this... It seemed that support had decreased over time. Perhaps because it was an ominous Orphanage where even a Manifestor had emerged, everyone was reluctant to provide support.
“Hmm...”
After a moment of thought, I went to the Nun and spoke. I told her I would send money regularly from now on.
Even if I believed in the theory of innate human evil, I couldn't just stand by and watch the children go hungry and not grow. Wouldn't children learn things, eat delicious food, develop social skills, and become a little kinder?
When I said that, the nun was surprised and said,
“Are you really sure? It will cost quite a bit of money...”
“Don’t worry. I earn a decent amount.”
“...Thank you.”
The Nun didn't refuse and gratefully accepted. After all, I had accumulated enough money from Extermination Rewards. And it's not like I spend a lot. Since the money was just accumulating anyway, spending it on something like this wouldn't be bad.
“Then, goodbye. Come visit often.”
“Goodbye! Older Brother!”
With that, I left the Orphanage, seen off by the Nun and the children. Afterward, I bought some reasonably delicious snacks and a ridiculously large sausage roll, then sent Neria back to the Altar.
Contrary to my worries, it was quite a satisfying day.
*
...And a month later, I received some news.
“A Demon has appeared again.”
At this point, it was beyond cliché; it was tiresome. But Chae-rin, who had come to deliver the news, still had more to say.
“And not just one, but two of them.”
“Oh.”
That was quite surprising.