Chapter 96: The Lord is With Us (17)
Chapter 96: The Lord is With Us (17)
Mr. Guildford, the director of the Guildford Orphanage, was an old man with hair as white as snow.
Though he was a grandfather with a thick, silvery-gray beard, his body was remarkably sturdy. His well-defined muscles boasted a level of health that seemed incongruous with his advanced age.
When asked about the secret to his physique, Mr. Guildford offered a boisterous laugh and a simple explanation.
“Hahaha! Believe it or not, I used to be a mercenary who hunted demonic beasts! I was quite well-known in my day.”
“...That is exactly right.”
It was dusk. The sun was burning along the ridge of the mountains, leaving behind the final traces of the day. Inside the shabby director’s office of the old orphanage, I sat across from Mr. Guildford for our meeting, a teacup placed before me.
Of course, the Saintess was there as well. Perhaps conscious of the eyes on her, she wore that same gentle, polite smile she always displayed in public.
Even without it, she was a woman of celestial beauty. With such a lovely smile gracing her lips, she truly lived up to the title of ‘Saintess.’ Had I not been fooled by that very smile myself?
The idea of the Saintess being a benevolent and warm-hearted woman was, in hindsight, nothing short of a joke.
If anything, she was closer to being black-hearted. While her fundamental nature leaned toward being good, she calculated every move she made, ensuring she never came out at a loss.
Even now, she was acting as if she had already thoroughly investigated Mr. Guildford.
Though this was only a two-week dispatch mission, it was highly likely she had already grasped every minute detail regarding the orphanage. She was just that meticulous.
She continued speaking gracefully.
“Director Guildford retired from his long life as a mercenary and established this orphanage with his remaining fortune. Currently, he protects over two hundred orphans.”
“Hahaha, the Saintess praises this old man so much I hardly know what to do with myself. I couldn't have done it alone; it was all possible thanks to the support of the Holy Kingdom.”
The Saintess did not let her smile fade at Mr. Guildford’s humility, but she shook her head gently. Her voice was incredibly warm as she addressed him.
“Without the courage to devote your remaining years and your entire fortune to the weak, could anyone truly save even a single orphan, no matter how much money they had? I truly hope many people will follow the example of your noble heart, Mr. Guildford.”
As she spoke, the Saintess flicked her pale pink eyes toward me. It was clearly a sign that I should be the one following his example.
What a temper. Even now, she was subtly prodding at me. My brow furrowed instinctively. Today, of all days, I found myself missing the sensation of gripping the handle of my hand axe.
How many seconds would it take?
Assuming Yuren wasn't around and I could land a surprise attack, I figured I could subdue her within a minute. No matter how skilled a martial artist was, it was incredibly difficult to go up against a blade.
Especially if they were completely unprepared.
Of course, it was a mere delusion. I wasn't the kind of person who would swing a hand axe just because someone was getting on my nerves. Unless, perhaps, the Saintess committed an undeniable wrong.
Yes, an undeniable wrong.
Short of that, there was no reason for me to draw a weapon.
And since the probability of the politically savvy and calculating Saintess crossing that line was practically zero, improving our relationship in the short term was essentially impossible.
The fact that I hadn't properly mastered the art of conversation in the past stung. I should have listened to my younger sister and learned it when she told me to.
Back then, I thought a single sword could solve every problem. I was young.
Still, there were many things in this world that couldn't be solved with words alone. Just as my younger self believed, there were plenty of problems that a single blade could resolve.
I intended to discuss those problems today. I didn't have the luxury to engage in a war of nerves with the Saintess.
“So, Mr. Guildford, I’d like to confirm the details of the request.”
At my question, Mr. Guildford let out a small exclamation. Scratching his head sheepishly, he soon lowered his voice with a serious expression.
“To tell you the truth... a demonic beast appears at this orphanage once every month.”
Once a month? I leaned back against my chair and crossed my arms.
A demonic beast that appeared with such regular frequency? Most demonic beasts lacked intelligence and moved solely on malice and murderous intent.
Of course, named-class demonic beasts possessed intelligence. But even so, their cruelty and ferocity remained the same; there was no reason for one to show restraint during a slaughter at an orphanage.
If anything, the moment it attacked, it would have tried to finish the job. If that were the case, today’s request wouldn't have been for scouting and subjugation, but rather a mission to track and kill a beast that had already committed a massacre.
That wasn't the only strange thing.
“And whenever the beast appears, one of the orphans always disappears.”
“Is it always exactly one?”
“Yes.”
My brow furrowed slightly. The Saintess, who usually maintained a neutral expression, looked the same.
Exactly one person, and once a month.
That meant an orphan was being kidnapped by a demonic beast every single month. The interval was consistent, and the number of victims was consistent. Anyone could see how bizarre this was.
What kind of demonic beast would carry out such a calculated slaughter?
However, hearing that, I finally understood why this request had been neglected for so long. In fact, that was the reason the Saintess and I had run into each other here.
Because the request had been ignored for such a long time, the Holy Kingdom decided to send the Saintess under the guise of volunteer work while also providing manpower to the orphanage.
But in the meantime, I had snatched up the request. In the end, the Saintess and I arrived at the same time, neither of us knowing there was another person taking the job.
I could understand the Holy Kingdom’s situation.
The continent was vast, and thus the reach of administrative and military power was limited.
Even in the cities, people hardly cared if an orphan or two went missing. There was no way the army would move just because one orphan disappeared every month from an orphanage in such a remote area.
On the other hand, the orphanage couldn't afford to hire mercenaries while struggling with financial difficulties. Even Mr. Guildford, a former skilled mercenary, hadn't been able to solve the beast problem yet.
This meant that a force greater than that was required to resolve the situation.
The math didn't add up. No one in the world would accept such a request.
Except for one person—me.
Mr. Guildford seemed deeply grateful for that. Despite his difficult circumstances, he willingly brought out tea leaves he had been saving.
They were cheap, but it was the sentiment that mattered. I sipped the warm tea with a grateful heart.
“...By any chance, have you seen any characteristics of the demonic beast?”
It was the Saintess’s question. At her cautious inquiry, Mr. Guildford scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“I’ve heard it’s a monkey-like demonic beast with long arms. It supposedly leaps in out of nowhere and snatches a child in an instant. It happens so fast it’s hard to even catch a glimpse of it.”
First it was wolves, now it’s monkeys.
I was sick of it. Monkeys were animals that could move freely through the trees. Since they were fundamentally intelligent, I didn't even want to imagine how troublesome this demonic beast would be.
What if there was a beast among them that was high-ranking enough to have a name?
“It’s quite intelligent. Could there be a leader?”
“Yes, probably. I’ve seen monkey-like demonic beasts in the surrounding forest a few times myself. I left them alone since they didn't enter the orphanage, but the one attacking us seemed to be their leader.”
He raised both hands, as if to testify to its enormous size.
“I heard it’s well over two meters tall. If it’s only attacking the orphanage once a month specifically to avoid being hunted...”
“Then its intelligence is abnormally high.”
That was the Saintess’s conclusion. With those words, the atmosphere grew heavy in an instant.
It went without saying, but the more intelligent an opponent was, the more difficult the subjugation became. If it could suppress its beastly instincts to that extent, it was reasonable to assume it possessed at least human-level intelligence.
My head was already starting to throb. Pressing my fingers against my temples, I spoke to Mr. Guildford.
“For now... I’ll search the forest as soon as my companions arrive. Do you remember when the last attack was?”
“I believe it was about three weeks ago. Based on past patterns, I expect it will come again within a week or two...”
Then time was tight. It also meant we had to stand guard at night.
Elsie and Delphine wouldn't be enough. I was actually starting to feel grateful that the Saintess and Yuren had come.
I hadn't expected the request to be this troublesome. The Saintess seemed to feel the same, as both our steps were heavy as we left the director’s office.
At the last moment, Mr. Guildford bowed his head.
“I... I am sorry. To ask such a difficult favor of busy people like yourselves...”
He looked truly apologetic as he glanced between the two of us. The Saintess and I both waved our hands and shook our heads simultaneously.
“Not at all. It is a noble’s duty to protect the weak.”
“It is the same for me. The Heavenly God looks down upon everyone. Immanuel.”
Silence hung between the Saintess and me as we walked away from the office.
I couldn't get a handle on it. The demonic beast attacking the orphanage had mysterious habits.
My eyes flicked toward the Saintess. She had been looking at me already and quickly turned her head away as if caught off guard.
She didn't seem to have a clue either. I asked her quietly.
“Do you know anything?”
“No, nothing at all...”
The Saintess answered with an immediate sigh. It meant that even she, who held a top position in the Holy Kingdom and had access to vast amounts of information, couldn't even see the outline of the situation.
Then there was only one answer. We had to find out by throwing ourselves into it.
With a sigh, I made a suggestion to the Saintess.
“Then I’ll have to head into the forest as soon as my companions arrive tomorrow. We need to find out something before we can come up with a plan...”
“What about tonight? If they attack tonight, we might lose a precious life.”
And on top of that, we’d lose the chance to catch the leader on the spot.
The Saintess didn't say it out loud, but that was the calculation underlying her statement. The problem was already complicated. For a moment, I felt a twinge of regret.
I should have just ignored the letter and picked whatever I wanted.
But then, if I had heard that someone died, I would have spent sleepless nights consumed by guilt again. It was unavoidable, but I felt frustrated nonetheless.
Even if I received the letters, surely there were more talented people than me. Why me?
I lacked both power and martial strength. I felt a sense of injustice, but the die was already cast.
I cautiously brought up a plan.
“It can’t be helped. For tonight, the Saintess, Yuren, and I will take turns...”
“Sister, Ian!”
It was then that a boisterous noise reached us.
The Saintess and I both turned toward the source of the sound. There, a man with jade-colored hair and androgynous features was waving his hand.
It was Yuren. And already, a child who appeared to be one of the orphans was perched on his shoulder.
That wasn't all. The boisterous noise was coming from dozens of children following behind Yuren, chattering away. He had said he was going to scout the area around the orphanage, but somehow he had already befriended the children.
Yuren had a wide smile on his face. When he saw our bewildered expressions, he grinned and spoke.
“Give me a hand. We need to start getting dinner ready...”
“...Dinner?”
At the sudden words, a crack appeared in the Saintess’s calm face. Yet Yuren looked as if he were asking something obvious.
“Yes, dinner. I heard they’re incredibly short-handed here.”
“...What about the other volunteers?”
“They said everyone ran away after the demonic beasts started attacking.”
Dammit. Without a word, both the Saintess and I immediately covered our faces with our hands.
Not only did we have to hunt demonic beasts, but we were also going to have to look after the children.
The next day, Delphine arrived in front of the Guildford Orphanage.
The brown-maned horse she rode let out a neigh, as if expressing its pity. Delphine stroked its neck in silence, soothing the animal.
She appeared composed on the surface, but Delphine’s heart was far from at ease.
Her eyes swept over the view of the Guildford Orphanage. It was a dilapidated building with cracks visible here and there; it was impossible to tell if it was because it was old or simply poorly maintained.
A sigh escaped Delphine’s lips.
She had no idea what she was supposed to do at this old orphanage. To be honest, Delphine didn't want to come to a place that wouldn't help her grades at all.
But when Ian had repeatedly urged her, Delphine couldn't bring herself to say she wouldn't go.
Her heart still felt as if it were shrinking. Those golden eyes she had seen that night.
The man drenched in blood had raised his axe as naturally as if that were his true form. And then, without fail, the screams. The blood. And the groans.
They had all been Delphine’s. The humiliation and terror of having her arms and legs shattered, of being treated not as a human but as a piece of firewood.
It was unimaginable. As she recalled the memories of that day, Delphine’s blood-red eyes began to tremble. She lowered her gaze and began to bite her nails nervously.
The man she had seen that night was a monster. Delphine had defeated countless demonic beasts and villains, but Ian was scarier than any enemy she had ever faced.
That fact ruthlessly butchered Delphine’s self-esteem.
Whenever she closed her eyes, she could see herself kneeling, pressing her head against the ground, and begging for mercy. What was even more terrifying was that every time she recalled that scene, she felt relief rather than shame.
I’m crazy. She had been completely broken after losing just once.
And what made her feel even more insane was the reality that she had to spend the next two weeks with the person who had destroyed her so utterly.
She couldn't even meet his eyes properly. If he ever picked up a hand axe, Delphine’s knees might give out instinctively.
It was almost better to just kneel and press her head to the ground. Then, at least, there was a guarantee of forgiveness. It would be a relief.
He said he would fix her attitude—what kind of terrifying preparations was he making while he waited?
That wasn't the only thing making Delphine depressed.
“Hmph, you’re finally here.”
Pretending to be nonchalant, a girl hopped down from her saddle. She was too short to lead a horse anyway. Despite having hitched a ride behind Delphine, her tone was incredibly arrogant.
A girl with doll-like features, characterized by brown hair, blue sapphire eyes, and a large pointed hat.
It was Elsie Lainella. She was also Delphine’s rival.
“...Aren't you going to say thank you?”
“Why should I? We’re companions for the next two weeks. If anything, shouldn't you show me this much kindness so I’ll think well of you?”
What a brat. Her way of thinking was just fundamentally different.
Delphine and Elsie glared at each other for a moment before snorting and turning their heads away.
They didn't even want to talk. Delphine was about to walk away when she suddenly froze.
Sounds were coming from the orphanage.
Most of it was the noise of children. But amidst it all, she felt a distinct vibration.
Delphine’s eyes filled with fear. It was the voice of the man who had broken her. What kind of spectacle was he calling her here to witness now?
She was already shattered. Delphine swore to the heavens that she had no intention of defying Ian. She could stake her family’s honor on the fact that she would never draw a blade in front of him again.
But it was already too late. Forcing her stiffened arm muscles to relax, Delphine pushed open the orphanage gates with a trembling gaze.
Creeeeak. The old gate made its characteristic, grating noise. Beyond it stood the man who had swung an axe while covered in blood that night.
“Hey, hey! I told you to stop running! Bell, stop picking on the girls! I’m going crazy, seriously... Oh?”
Standing among dozens of shabbily dressed children, he held a mop in his hand.
He looked so vastly different from the image Delphine remembered that her mind went blank. As she stood there frozen, the man began to smile broadly.
“Senior Delphine, Senior Elsie! You’re just in time! Could you bring me that broom over there?”
A broom? Delphine’s eyes darted to the side. There, she saw an old broom leaning against the gate.
Did he call her here just to do such a trivial errand?
Delphine was the successor of the Yurdina family. Nobles had their roles, and commoners had theirs.
At the very least, menial tasks like cleaning were not the work of a noble. This was even more true for a high noble like Delphine.
Perhaps he wanted to crush the last remaining shred of her pride.
Delphine couldn't contain her rising emotions and was about to raise her voice.
Of course, as soon as she met the man’s golden eyes, she immediately hung her head and could only squeeze out a tiny complaint.
“Why should I...! Why, why should I... do that...”
Delphine felt so ashamed and frustrated with herself for not daring to resist him. She felt like she was going to cry. At that moment, as she was biting her lip.
Thud. Someone brushed past her and grabbed the broom. A small girl began to trot toward the man.
Delphine, who hadn't been able to process the situation for a moment, stared blankly at the girl.
It was Elsie. Without hesitation, she picked up the broom and headed toward Ian like a loyal dog. Her actions were completely uninhibited.
Witnessing that scene, Delphine couldn't bring herself to speak.
Elsie Lainella—wasn't she also a member of a great noble family? It was unbelievable that someone as prideful as her could perform such a menial errand without any internal conflict.
“Here!”
“Thanks, Senior Elsie.”
The man even went so far as to pat Elsie on the head. It was an insulting gesture, but Elsie actually leaned into him with a silly grin on her face.
In her miserable state, Delphine’s blood-red eyes met Elsie’s blue sapphire eyes in midair.
Smirk. Elsie’s lips curled into an arc.
It was a clear sneer. On top of that, her gaze was triumphant, as if she had won a competition.
Delphine felt like she was going to lose her mind.