Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: 2. Orphan Gacha Probability Up Event
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Luton was a common small city in the Empire. Not particularly large, not a key transportation hub—just an ordinary, modest town. Yujin's orphanage was located on its outskirts.
To be sure, it was a city, but the people living here saw themselves more as villagers than city folk. Even if it was called a city, being on the outskirts meant it was physically distant from the city center, and no one in the area expanded their daily life that far.
And on the outskirts of such a village.
Thud!
"........."
"Wow, look at her—not even a peep. Are all orphans like this?"
"They're kids who grew up in filthy alleys. Gotta be tough ones."
"Hey, can you talk? You're not mute, are you?"
"............"
A red-haired girl had collapsed. Surrounding her were several kids who looked about her age.
The red-haired girl, Karen, showed no reaction at all. The kid who seemed to be the leader spoke up.
"Hey, orphan."
"............"
"Get lost while I'm asking nicely. This village isn't a place for filthy kids like you."
"Yeah! Get out!"
"We hate orphanage brats! They steal our toys and candy every day...!!"
"Last time, the orphanage kids even took our allowance! Mom and Dad said not to hang out with them!"
"Get out! Go away!"
Regardless of the barrage of insults from the kids, Karen didn't react.
She hadn't resisted being dragged here, and she ignored all their words. It was as if none of this mattered at all.
She had recently been focused on learning magic, but even that was only because it aligned with her goals—she wouldn't have cared otherwise.
With her attitude screaming, *You talk, I'll ignore*, the leader kid huffed and shouted even louder.
"No wonder your parents ditched you!"
"...What?"
"Your mom and dad probably dumped you at the orphanage and ran off!"
At those words, Karen, who had empty eyes, finally reacted.
Perhaps because Karen reacted, the kid grew even bolder and spewed more.
"That's right! Orphans like you don't have parents, so that's why you're—"
"You."
"H-Huh?"
"Take that back."
No parents? Sure, it was an insult, but that's what made her an orphan in the first place. The word "orphan" itself was practically a parental slur, yet Karen hadn't flinched at that. But the moment her parents were mentioned, she stood up and approached the leader kid.
Kids' confidence comes in numbers. There were over five of them now, but their bravado was crumbling against one Karen.
Those eyes—empty, yet somehow menacing.
They instilled fear, making the kids whimper.
"W-What?"
"I said take it back."
"What's wrong with telling the truth to a parentless brat!"
Maybe he couldn't back down. While the other kids cowered in fear, only the leader yelled defiantly.
But Karen replied coldly.
"It's fine to insult the man called my father."
"W-What?"
"I've never even seen him since I was born, so I know full well he's trash. But... I won't forgive anyone who insults my mother."
To Karen, badmouthing her father was no issue. She hated the man herself.
But her mother.
Insulting the woman who raised her, loved her, sacrificed for her.
Whoosh!
"I won't forgive it."
"W-What's that!"
"Fire!"
"Speak."
"U-Ugh........."
"Say you're sorry. Say you take it back!"
"Uwaaaah...!!"
Was he too terrified, or was it childish stubbornness holding him?
As the fireball atop Karen's hand grew larger, the kids fled, and the leader collapsed in tears. Yet he still wouldn't say what Karen demanded.
So Karen said with empty eyes.
"If you won't say it......"
She'd make him.
With that thought, as Karen took one step toward the collapsed kid.
"Karen."
"............"
"Step back. Dismiss the fireball too."
A familiar voice came from behind.
It was the voice of the orphanage director she'd heard every day for the past ten days.
For a moment, Hella's words flashed by—*The director's done so much for you; think about what you can do for him.*
"...Don't interfere."
"Second warning, Karen. Dismiss the fireball and step away from that child."
"I said don't interfere."
She couldn't forgive him. Insulting her mother—the woman who'd borne an unwanted child, yet embraced her with love.
Equating her mother with that father figure.
She couldn't tolerate it.
"Last warning, Karen."
"So you—"
Whoosh!
"...!?"
Another hand overlapped the fireball blazing atop Karen's. Karen recognized it. Since coming to this orphanage, that hand had embraced her every day.
The director's hand began to burn. Naturally. The fireball harmed only Karen, its caster—everything else burned equally.
The smell of roasting flesh filled the air. Sickening and agonizing.
"Wh-What...!!"
Stunned by the sudden act, Karen hurriedly tried to extinguish the fireball. But even a genius loses control when flustered like this. Especially since the fireball had been growing with her surging emotions.
Yet the director didn't flinch as his skin and muscle charred black. He clenched his fist.
Finally extinguishing the flames completely.
"Karen, let me make this clear. Never point your magic at people recklessly."
"...But, but! He started it!"
"I know. That's why I came running to save you. But Karen, does that mean he committed a capital crime?"
"That's..."
"Your magic can harm people easily. Kids can throw stones or hit with sticks. But your magic is different. If you'd taken one more step just now, that child would've been charred black."
Karen turned her gaze. There was the terrified child who'd wet himself, and the director's hand covered in burns and blisters.
The director quickly hid it behind his back, but Karen couldn't unsee the gruesome sight.
"My mistake. When I taught you the basic magic book, I should've started with the dangers of magic."
"Th-This... this..."
"You're a child with special talent, Karen. That's why you must use it appropriately. Talent wielded carelessly... will only hurt many people."
"............"
"Above all, you were in danger too. Control is key in magic. But just now, your flames wavered and grew with your emotions. Was that what you intended?"
"No, I..."
"Then that flame nearly burned you as well as that child."
"Ah..."
As if that were truly crucial.
With the gravest expression, the director approached the whimpering leader kid.
"Child, what's your name?"
"S-Sniff... D-Daniel."
"Yes, Daniel. Are you hurt anywhere? Any burns?"
"N-No. Sniff."
"I did scold Karen, but that doesn't mean you did well. If a quiet child like her got that worked up, you must have done something wrong too."
"U-Ugh..."
"Why did you drag Karen here by force? She's from our orphanage. Taking her without permission is..."
"B-Because!"
"What?"
"Mom and Dad said the orphanage is bad... and should disappear... and the orphanage kids bully us... so!"
"...Sigh."
Seeing the child blubbering incoherently, the director.
Quietly embraced him.
"Breathe slowly. Calm down."
"S-Sniff..."
"I know other orphanages have caused problems. But that doesn't justify treating all orphanage kids as enemies. That's wrong."
"I-Is that so...?"
"Did you say something to Karen?"
"Y-Your mom and dad... ditched you and ran..."
"Harsh words. Wouldn't that hurt if you heard it? Imagine your parents suddenly gone, leaving you sad, and other kids mocking you like that."
Held in the director's arms, calming down as he gently admonished her, the child's face paled.
As if realizing what he'd said.
"That... would be so sad. And angry."
"Right? What you said to Karen is the same. Words can't be unsaid, of course. But you can do something now. Know what?"
"...Um."
"............"
"S-Sorry... for the mean words... sorry."
"...Good."
Karen turned her head at the mumbled, sniffling apology.
She didn't nod or take his hand. No reason to get close to this kid anyway.
Even so, she turned away because.
......She couldn't bear to look at the director's face, his hand.
"You're brave. Apologizing is simple, but many don't. You did it, so you'll surely be a great person."
"Y-Yes!"
"Good. Since you're unhurt, let's end it here..."
"What are you doing right now!"
The director had planned to leave now that the child had calmed and Karen was unharmed.
But a furious voice made him stiffen and look over.
There stood the kids who'd fled earlier, now with adults, sniffling.
"Get away from my child! You damn orphanage director!"
"Daniel! Come here!"
"M-Mom? Dad?"
"You bastard! Get away from our son!"
"That orphanage scum's finally kidnapping kids! We should've driven him out sooner!!"
The kids must've fetched them. A swarm of villagers—adults' malice, rage, shouts—came flying.
"U-Ugh...!!"
Karen trembled, though she knew it wasn't aimed at her.
Not from fear of their words. This scene blurred with a memory.
When her mother died, and she sought her father.
Unable to even meet him, surrounded by the clan's adults mocking and blaming her—the gazes too heavy for a child who'd buried her own mother.
*'Mom, Mom.'*
Surrounded by adults, her only choice escape. Unable to meet the father, unable to scream *Mom died—what did you do?*—just crying for her mother over and over.
When the man called father was the villain, yet adults screamed as if her mother were the criminal.
That scene pierced the memories of Karen, who'd sealed her heart.
"No..."
Karen collapsed weakly, covering her ears. No one here was on her side. Her only ally, her mother, was dead. Everyone blamed her and her mother.
She'd shut her heart to escape this sight, forced herself to see it all as meaningless to avoid hurt.
Because remembering her mother, showing emotion, meant getting hurt again.
*'It's happening again.'*
She sealed her heart. Wouldn't open it. No one in this world was on her side. She was alone.
So...
"It's okay, Karen."
......What?
"Stay here a moment."
Though it must hurt. Though his hand burned in agony.
The director, showing no sign of pain to Karen, removed his outer coat and draped it over her.
That thin coat felt like a sturdy shield protecting her. Hiding her from the adults' gazes and voices.
Karen.
"............"
Silently.
Gazed only at the director's back, standing protectively before her.
The second adult to take her side.
*
"Orphanage scum! Let go of Daniel!"
"Those bastards are finally kidnapping kids...!!"
"The food thefts last time were you too!? And my wallet pickpocketed!"
Well, I knew a day like this would come. We'd scraped by the past year, but had to go to the next city for groceries.
Why go to the neighboring city even if it's close? Because buying food around here got tough.
Simple reason. Because I'm the orphanage director.
More precisely, the industry's bad reputation.
*'Damn industry peers.'*
You really trashed the image. Suck the profits and bail? Bastards. Even diligent operators like me get smeared—unfair.
They never looked kindly on me since building the orphanage. Things stayed quiet till now, but this incident exploded their suspicions.
"You're corrupting our kids! Get out!"
"Making orphans do all sorts of dirty work, you scum!"
"Just having you nearby makes us uneasy! Stop squatting illegally and leave!"
Before 3-Star Orphan Tricksy came, we'd had pickpockets, and other orphanages' "merchandise" did who-knows-what here. Sure, other orphanages, but to them, all orphanages look the same.
A conflict I'd have to resolve eventually since settling here.
I approached the elderly man who seemed the representative.
"Are you the village representative, sir?"
"I am."
Hmm, his voice drips wariness and hostility. Well, they say young directors must've lived scummy lives to run an orphanage so early.
Unfair for me, who chose this for profitability, future prospects, subsidies—but I had a counter.
I pulled documents I'd brought just in case from my pocket and handed them to the elder.
"Take a look."
"I don't know what this is, but today for sure... Hmm?"
"Land deed approved by Luton's lord. See the Luton family crest below? The land our orphanage is on and surrounding plots are officially mine."
"........."
"And these are the construction permit and orphanage license issued by the Luton family."
"Uh, um........."
"Get it now?"
Illegal occupation? Leave? Get out of the village?
By whose authority?
*'I'm the landowner and building owner.'*
Why should I leave?