Elincia’s hand trembled as the needle hovered over the open wound. Several empty potion vials were scattered over the kitchen table. Health Essence, Mana Essence, Minor and Medium Health Potions. Elincia had tried every potion in her arsenal but none of them worked and the wound remained open.
At least there was a vial of concentrated rubbing alcohol and a ball of waxed thread inside the first aid kit. If I had to guess, Byrne’s time at the orphanage had a great influence on hygiene and ‘analog’ doctoring supplies. Health Essences were cheap to the point that even farmers could easily afford them.
“I can’t do this.” Elincia pulled the needle away from my skin.
“Just think of it as a torn cushion,” I replied.
“You are clearly not a cushion,” Elincia grunted. “We should call a healer, at least they know how to suture wounds… I think.”
The discussion circled back to the starting point.
“If we call a healer we would have to explain why the potions aren't working, and I would rather keep my Corruption a secret,” I said.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of for suffering from Corruption. Even if your Personal Sheet is corrupted, that doesn’t mean you are worthless or a lesser man.” Elincia pushed back with a fierce tone, her eyebrows almost touching in the middle. “I said I’ll take care of you, don’t forget that.”
The implications of Corruption were still alien to my earthly views, and yet, Elinca’s words touched me deeply. Maybe it was my love-distorted perception of reality, but Elincia was just too gentle and too pure for a world like this. I smiled over the pain.
“If the thieves were really targeting the orphanage, we can’t let them know one of us is incapacitated,” I said. “Besides, the cut is pretty clean. I have seen training injuries far more serious.”
Elincia glanced at me with an angry expression, the vein in her forehead threatening to burst.
“This is no accidental injury, they tried to kill you, Rob!”
My mind had long lost interest in the attack, what worried me was the implications. Money wasn’t going to protect us if a group of thieves, even low-level ones, tried to break into the orphanage. Which brought me back to Sir Janus' offering.
“I might have grown a bit insensitive towards the attempts against my life,” I admitted.
Elincia sighed, and for a moment I thought she was going to prick me with the needle. “I hate you, Rob. I wasn’t this weak before meeting you, I swear you put a spell on me or something.”
“People say I have a good hand for taming feral cats.” I grinned.
“Shut it or I’m salting your wound.” Elincia grinned back at me.
The friendly banter didn't help Elincia to ease her hand. I could empathize with her feelings. It wasn’t weakness what she was experiencing, it was fear of losing the home we had rebuilt over the months.
“Alright, I’ll go,” Elincia said.
Without a warning, I felt the puncture of the needle and the friction of the thread through my skin. I did my best not to wince as I thought about the magic of non-magical local anesthetic that we didn’t have. Potions were great, but the over-reliance on them was a double-edged sword.
I grabbed the edges of the chair and clenched my teeth.
“About Sir Janus' offer…” I grunted.
“I don’t think we should let the kids participate in the Stephannis Cup.” Elincia interrupted me. “We have enough money to not worry about food, clothing and fuel, and the kids are doing well in their studies… we don’t have to bring meddling nobles into our lives.”
She, as usual, had a point. With sweat and tears, we had managed to stabilize the orphanage’s monetary situation. But the equilibrium we had built was precarious at best. Two low-level opportunistic thieves were enough to throw our plans overboard. Without Firana, Zaon, and Janus, I would be dead and my body abandoned in a stinky alley. Not to mention the Marquis had a lot more power than a couple of thieves. If he wanted to topple the orphanage, a word from him and a squad of guardsmen would be enough to accomplish it.
Sir Janus was right. In my current state, I could do little to protect the orphanage. The stability and safety of counting on a noble family support was more than I could ever provide. If we played our cards right, we could achieve it. I just needed more information.
“What’s the deal with the Stephannis Cup? It sounds important.” I winced.
“Oh, right. Sometimes I forget you know nothing.” Elincia jabbed at me. “The previous Marquis used to organize an event every year to gather potential cadets for the Imperial Academy. Sir Janus won the tournament when he was fourteen, earning himself the previous Marquis's support.”
Over the pain, a plan was already brewing in my mind. Just as Sir Janus had said. If the kids reached later stages of the tournament, the orphanage would be in a privileged situation. I could even picture Firana fighting for a place on the podium.
It sounded too good to be true.
“There is a ‘but’, isn’t it?” I asked.
Elincia nodded.
“Sir Janus… put to shame several nobleborns and made a couple of enemies in the process,” Elincia said. “I don’t know if we can afford that. Even if some of them support us, others might want to harm us, and I don’t want to put the little kids on the line of court intrigue.”
The mere idea of a vindictive noble using the kids as leverage against us was dreadful but the alternative wasn’t any better. I didn’t get to voice my concerns because the door slammed open.
“Firana disappeared again! She was supposed to look over the small kids today!” Ilya stomped into the kitchen with an exasperated expression. “I swear, every time I thought she had changed, she always pulls this kind of thing!”
Only when she was halfway through the room, she noticed the kitchen was turned into a makeshift field hospital. The pile of bloody bandages and the empty vials on the table made it look a lot worse than it really was.
“What happened?” Ilya asked, suddenly pale.
Her astonishment only lasted a second because the next moment she was washing her hands and kneeling by Elincia’s side ready to help. Ilya’s decision left me astonished and it took me a moment to regain control of my voice.
“I got mugged, but the guardsmen caught the culprits,” I said, trying to calm Ilya down. However, Ilya didn’t need to be calmed down. The girl grabbed the needle from Elincia’s hands and finished suturing the wound with a steady hand.
“We gnomes are good with precision work.” She said as she tied the end of the thread. “Where next?”
Ilya barely reached my chest and was thin as a wheat cane, and yet, she exuded a confidence that seemed to defy her stature. I found myself at a loss of words.
“Where next, Mr. Clarke?” Ilya asked for the second time.
“The shoulder.” I quickly replied.
Ilya got to work and patched me up before I could fully grasp the situation. Surely, Ilya had a natural disposition to take care of others, but performing first aid next to a pile of bloody bandages was something exceptional.
“The potions aren't working. Why?” Ilya asked.
The girl was too keen to keep it a secret from her.
“I’ll explain everything later, for now, let’s focus on what’s most important. You said Firana disappeared again?” I asked.
Ilya rolled her eyes. She hated when I answered a question with another question but didn’t voice her complaints.
“Yes, just like before Mr. Clarke arrived at the orphanage. She just goes where only the System knows, and I have to do her chores.” Ilya grunted as she worked with the needle and thread. After a moment, the wound on my shoulder was perfectly sutured.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
I closed my eyes. Firana was roaming outside when she saw the thieves following me. Was she following me or was she going elsewhere?
“You know something, Eli?” I asked.
Ilya raised an eyebrow at hearing the moniker I had for Elincia.
The elven woman shook her head.
“I didn’t have time to follow her before. She is probably just wandering around Farcrest just like I did when I was a kid. There’s not much to do trapped here in any case.” Elincia shrugged her shoulders.
She had a point, when I was a kid I spent little time inside the house because there was nothing to do there. However, the Firana I knew seemed to enjoy pestering Zaon more than walking alone through the city.
“Wandering around? With this rain though?” Ilya replied.
“Firana might be a bit claustrophobic. Some people can’t stand being locked away for prolonged periods of time.” I pointed out.
Ilya was correct in her assumption. The fact that Firana was out in the rain during the worst storm of the year so far was at least suspicious. However, it was not a problem a kid like Ilya should solve.
“As long as she finishes her chores, I’m not meddling between Firana and her hobbies. The problem is she isn’t doing her part.” Ilya angrily said.
In the end, promising to have a talk with Firana about responsibility and accountability was enough to satisfy Ilya. At least when it came to that issue. The time to reveal the Corruption to the kids was near. They were almost adults now and they deserved to know about the current state of the orphanage.
“You are very good at this,” I said, glancing at the patchwork on my shoulder.
“I just imagined you were a cushion.” Ilya shrugged her shoulders.
“Thanks, Ilya. You are a lifesaver.” I smiled.
I wasn’t expecting a heartwarming moment, but I didn’t expect Ilya to sigh as if I was the cringiest man on earth.
“You better go rest. I’ll tell Wolf and Zaon that the afternoon lessons are canceled. And don’t forget your promises.” Ilya said as she cleaned her hands. Then, she exited the kitchen without saying anything else.
Getting scolded by a sassy fourteen-year-old light blue gnome girl was a one-of-a-kind experience.
“She got that from you,” I grunted.
“You heard the little governess. You better go rest and don’t worry about anything until tomorrow.” Elincia parroted Ilya’s words.
These girls were going to be my demise.
“Eli, check the inner pockets of my cloak,” I said.
“I hope it’s not squashed tarts.” Elincia jokingly replied, then she pulled out the first pouch of gold, then the second, then a third one. Soon after there was a small pile of coins on the kitchen table. She was speechless.
“We are ri–”
Before I could finish, Elincia jumped on me and pressed her lips against mine.
It hurt.
* * *
Shu’s advice proved to be accurate. Sick people get the privilege of sleeping in Elincia’s bed. The elven woman walked me to her bedroom and made it clear I should stay put, otherwise, I would lose kissing privileges.
I glanced at the ceiling. The wooden planks were old and were water stained but stood the test of time. I had been sleeping in Elincia’s room for weeks now but it was the first time I noticed the details of the ceiling.
It reminded me of my apartment back on Earth.
I wondered how my landlord was doing, my coworkers, and my father’s family. Thinking about my lack of significant friendships made me feel sad. The past me should’ve put more effort into moving forward, making new friends, and enjoying life. On the other hand, if I had moved forward, I might have chosen to return through the portal and never met Elincia and the kids.
Thinking about things that could have been made me anxious.
Thinking about staying in bed while there was so much to do also made me anxious.
Knowing that two guardsmen stationed by Sir Janus were watching over the orphanage was a little comfort.
I listened attentively to the distant sound of Elincia teaching classes. From time to time, she became silent and when she did, the chaotic mix of the kids' voices would suddenly rise. Whatever subject she was teaching, the kids seemed to be enjoying it. Most probably they would come to me after classes to brag about everything they have learned.
I slowly rose from bed and walked on the tip of my toes, or rather I slowly slid my feet, to avoid making any sound. I knew one of Elincia’s ears had to be put on the sleeping quarters. Luckily for me, the old rug muffled my steps. Resting while Byrne’s belongings still needed to be examined wasn’t on my plans today.
Even if the man was dead or long gone back to Earth, I felt some kind of responsibility towards putting his story together. Not only for Dassyra and Wolf but for myself. The reason I had stumbled into this world was Byrne and his portal. But that was half of the story.
Byrne looked like the man who knew a lot and I hoped his notes shed light on his findings. Politics, history, min-maxing, the System. Anything worked for me.
I moved slowly, not to disturb the sutures on my leg, but each step felt like a stab. I hoped Ilya was helping Elincia with the younger kids because I wanted to avoid being scolded by the gnome girl. She reminded me of my fifth-grade teacher. That old lady was hardcore.
The reception hall was empty and the door towards the western wing was wide open even if the orphans weren’t supposed to enter. The ceiling beams in the main kitchen were rotten and threatened to collapse. I closed the door behind me and slowly walked towards the ballroom. Maybe some of the older kids had decided to train on their own.
The ballroom wasn’t empty.
Zaon was sitting near the windows, looking at the rain.
It seemed to me, he was hiding.
“Didn’t Ilya tell you there are no lessons today?” I asked as I dragged my foot towards the table. Byrne’s notes were still there, just as I had left them.
“Yes, she notified me,” Zaon replied without taking his eyes off the window.
I put the notebooks in a separate pile to bring them back to the bedroom. The traveling suitcase was too heavy to transport on my own. Not that it contained anything interesting other than the notebooks but with a mysterious figure like Byrne, one never knew.
“How are you doing?” I asked.
“Fine, I guess,” Zaon replied.
It didn’t take a Ph.D. in psychology to know Zaon was not doing well, however, I wasn’t sure how to proceed. Half of the emotional support I did as a teacher was convincing the kids to sit down with their parents and tell them how they felt. The other half was listening, nodding, and promising things were going to get better.
I wish my father was alive to ask for his advice.
“Wanna talk?” I asked, pointing to the chair in front of me.
Zaon obliged, even if it was due to my status as a teacher.
My father always managed to make me spill the beans, but I had known him since I had a memory and I trusted him blindly. Zaon, on the other hand, only knew me for a few months and most of our relationship was merely student-teacher. It wasn’t like I was Elincia.
“I noticed you are down lately. Shouldn’t you be happy about your progress? Two levels in [Longsword Mastery] aren’t a small feat.” I said.
Awful opening. Telling someone how they were supposed to feel was the complete opposite of sitting and hearing.
Zaon sighed.
“I’m aware two levels of mastery before even getting a class is… something, but I feel it has been pure luck. It has to be a coincidence. I don’t think I can make it.” Zaon seemed to melt over his seat.
I remained silent, just in case the boy wanted to add something, but he just focused his eyes on the dents of the table. Getting into the Imperial Academy was a tall order, even for nobleborns.
“I used to feel that way. My first job as a teacher was as a substitute. I really believed it was going to go badly. But it didn’t, quite the opposite, the kids liked me, my colleagues also liked me, and I heard some parents wanting to keep me as a regular teacher.” I said. “You know what happened next?”
“You got a permanent job at that school?” Zaon asked.
“The regular teacher returned from his medical holiday, I said goodbye and didn't look for a job for three months due to fear of not being capable of performing well.” I laughed.
“But you did well in your first job…”
“It was probably luck.” I shrugged my shoulders.
“But you are a very good teacher…oh.”
The elven boy seemed to come up with some sort of realization because his face turned completely red.
“I understand that self-doubt can feel silly, Zaon. It happens to many of us. I might not have a good answer for it, but if you are feeling down, you can always reach me and Miss Elincia.” I said.
“But the Imperial Academy… you only have one shot and I don’t know if I have what is needed.” Zaon left the words in the air.
“Hard work is a talent in itself, Zaon. Just because you fail a test doesn’t mean you are useless or doomed to fail forever.” I said.
Zaon bit his lip before speaking again. “I don’t want to end up in the army. I want to stay here with Miss Elincia and the little kids… and you, and the rest. I don’t want to go to dangerous places and I don’t want to become a [Knight] nor an Imperial Knight.”
I grabbed Zaon’s hand over the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“What a strange thing to say for someone who just jumped straight into a fight to help Firana and me. Maybe the System doesn’t agree with me, but I think you are already a knight. You saved two lives today.” I said.
Zaon awkwardly nodded.
“Well, I’m sure Ilya and Firana would also love to help you if you seek their help,” I added.
“I’d rather not do that,” Zaon said just to look around to ensure no girl was eavesdropping. A part of me understood him. Both Firana and Illya were a bit too intense in their own ways. I have seen water-potassium reactions a hundred times more tame than the girls.
“Wolf might be a safer bet, but his solution might be doing pushups or something like that.” I jokingly said. “Not saying that exercising doesn’t work. It’s probably one of the safest bets to improve your mental state. Just don’t go overboard and try to top him.”
Zaon smiled and I smiled back.
“I’m not Firana.” He shyly joked.
“Let’s go, it's cold here.”
There was still a lot to improve, getting rid of insecurities was a long road, but I wanted to end the conversation on a high note. We grabbed the heavy suitcase and silently returned to the eastern wing. What we didn’t expect was to find both Elincia and Ilya waiting to ambush us in the reception room.
“Do I remember wrong, or you should be resting your leg right now?” Elincia asked one of those questions that wasn’t supposed to be answered with anything other than a lowered gaze.
“I got lost looking for the bathroom?” I said.
“You are so grounded, Robert Clarke,” Elincia said through her teeth.