Chapter 18: Orphans and GratitudeLuna Pov

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  Now that I've calmed down, let's think about why those goddesses would put this curse on me. They've clearly stalked me, given that they were even able to make out my secret wish of knowing how it feels to be a girl. If so, then why would they not fulfil my biggest wish? In fact, did they not fulfil it? I have a loving family, don't I? Even more, why would they add something that could make me resent the world? Wouldn't that rather be something the dark goddess would do? Wait! Who's to say that she didn't? Was there some kind of loophole in the contract?

  But if so, then why would she only change my eyes? She could have maniputed my parents as well. Or is it because she couldn't? Does the loophole only extend so far? What was the formution the goddess used again? Something like "not being able to interfere with our world"? In other words, could she have interfered with me before I came to that world? Very much possible.

  Now there is just one mystery I've yet to understand. Why did the goddesses not stop it or remove the effect? Could they not sense it? Or do they not care about me anymore? I don't think I'll be able to answer this question so easily.

  As I think, we reach the lord's residence. It's a pretty big Western medieval mansion.

  "Wow, he certainly splurged for that one," I say to Recepti.

  Recepti does a double-take and looks at me with admonishing eyes before saying, "Don't say things like that! What if he gets offended?"

  "Then he is an awfully incompetent city lord, and judging by how he asked you to invite me, I say he isn't. Well, even if he is, then we'll just go to a different city."

  "Hey! That- Okay, that actually makes sense."

  We arrive at the gates. The guards don't stop us, and we smoothly enter. There, a maid waits for us before leading us through the mansion.

  "Wow, a real battle maid!" I can't help but excim. After all, for once, I activated my sensing skills to protect Recepti in case of an ambush, not that I'm expecting one. But for friends, I can never be too sure.

  The maid's eyebrows twitch slightly in annoyance. It looks like the fact that she can fight is supposed to be a secret. Luckily, nobody heard me. Well, except Recepti, who is now looking at the maid in slight amusement.

  We reach a door, and the maid knocks on it before announcing, "Recepti, and the girl have come."

  "Come in," a voice says from inside. The maid opens the door for us and then closes it again when we are through, staying outside.

  We enter what seems to be an office. There, behind a desk with a big stack of papers, a man sits. His red upper garments scream "lord", and his moustache is rolled several times at the end.

  "It is nice to meet you again, little girl, even tho our st meeting was only from afar."

  He calls me a little girl? That calls for revenge! "Certainly.

  "I'm sorry, but do you have some kind of ailment? Your hands are awfully jittery. Or could it be that you are scared of a little girl?"

  "N- no. Everything is fine."

  "So why have you summoned me?"

  "I would like to commend you for saving the city in two days when I'm holding a speech."

  "Are you sure I won't scare them?"

  "No matter what, you saved the city. And it's precisely because everyone is scared of you that I must reassure them that you are not a threat."

  "I see. I'll appear next to you when you mention me. Is that alright?"

  "Yes."

  "Good. There is something I want to talk about with you as well, tho."

  "Oh, how can I help?"

  "What do you pn to do about the orphan situation?"

  "Unfortunately, I still have no solution."

  "Why don't you build a pce for the orphans to live. A pce where all orphans can grow up together."

  "But what would be in it for me? This may sound cruel, but I have no incentive to act if nothing comes out for me and the city."

  "You would get their loyalty. Having a group of highly loyal children you can train into any profession for just a bit of food and clothing would surely be an incentive, wouldn't it?"

  "That certainly seems attractive."

  "Think about it. We'll talk again after the speech." Saying that, I turn around and walk out with Recepti.

  She stays silent until we reach my pce. Then, she suddenly kneels down and excims, "Thank you! Thank you very much! I- I always wanted to do something for those orphans! And yet I couldn't! Nothing I tried worked!" Tears begin rolling down her cheeks.

  I hug her head and say, "There, there. Everything is fine. We'll help those orphans no matter what. Even if the city lord rejects the idea, I'll finance it out of my own pockets."

  She starts crying, and I can tell that a big stone fell off her chest. It takes her several minutes to calm down. Then I gesture for her to sit with me on the bed. "So, can you tell me why you want to help those orphans so much?" I ask.

  "Yes, I can."

  She begins to talk about how she lived alone with her parents in a house at the edge of the road, how she always pyed in the grass beside it, how one day, her parents never came back, how she went to the city but was unable to find a job, how she was denied becoming an adventurer, how she teamed up with other orphans, how they all died one by one and how she became a receptionist in the end.

  When mentioning her parents or the orphans, she wears a reminiscent smile. When mentioning their deaths, tears fall, and my shirt becomes even wetter. An eight-year-old consoling a full-grown adult must look silly, but neither of us cares. I'm just happy she trusts me enough to entrust such a story to me, and I can tell she is happy that she finally has somebody to listen to her.

  In the end, she falls asleep while talking. It has probably only been four or five hours since she woke up, but I can tell that the orphans' situation has always been a stone on her heart, weighing her down. Now that she is sure that the situation will be resolved, she is finally able to sleep a true sleep. A sleep without nightmares and dreams.

  I chuckle. I am happy Recepti thinks the situation will definitely be resolved just because I said so. After putting her on the bed, I cook up some carrot soup, change her clothes with magic, and set up a barrier around both her and the clothes, also setting a mechanism that will notify me when she wakes up.

  Then I create a portal and disappear to my usual training spot.

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