---

{Place}: The orphanage

---

Vincent: "Hi. How are you guys?"

Wiley: "It's Vincent! Everyone Vincent came!"

Hyatt: "Hello, Vincent. Will you play with us today?"

Bast: "Rather he will finally teach us how to handle a sword, right Vince?"

Karina: "Hey! Don't trouble Vincent, he is not a kid like you guys!"

Bast: "Just shut it, don't interrupt when adults are talking,"

Karina: "What are saying, you are just a kid too!"

Bast: "What did you say? If you want a fight then I'm on."

Karina: "That’s why you are just a kid!"

Verena: "Mister Vincent, Will you tell us about your adventures in the dungeon? I would like to hear it."

Hyatt: "Me too, me too!"

Wiley: "Me three!"

Vincent: "Karina, Bast, Please don't fight. I will play with you all, but a bit later, okay? And I will tell you about the dungeon. But before that, I want to ask you something. How is the orphanage doing? Are you getting enough food and such?"

Karina: "What kind of question is that? Nikola Mama is taking care of us and also mister Vincent..."

Vincent: "You all are growing kids and need nutrition. I'm worried that the orphanage doesn't get enough support. Anyway, for now, I would like to talk with miss Nikola. Is she here right now?"

Karina: "Nikola mama? Yes, she is home."

Wiley: "Nikola mama! Vincent is here!"

Karina: "Don’t scream, you idiot. Please wait a bit, Vincent, I will go and bring her."

Vincent: "No it's alright. I will go meet her myself. Bye, you guys. We will play later."

[Explanation]: ’Haha. What cute kids. Hmm. That one kid, what was her name again, what is she doing?'

---

Bast: "What are you playing some goody two shoes for, you thing Vince bro would be interested in some little kid like you? Dream on!"

Karina: "What did you say?! Fight me!"

Bast: "Hahaha, who is the kid now? Who?"

Karina: "You... How annoying!"

Erika: "..."

Camelia: "They are all little human children. What do you think of them, master Erika?"

Erika: "I..."

Verena: "Hey, who are you miss?"

Erika: "Wha...!"

Camelia: "Oh it's one of those children, it's amazing master Erika, I didn't even notice her. Uhm. Hi there, little girl, this person here is my master Erika Tempest and I'm Camelia her magical Fox familiar. And who are you all kids?"

Wiley: "Hey look everyone, there's another person there and there is some strange creature too."

Hyatt: "It looks like a Fox but its color is strange."

Camelia: "Hey don't be rude I'm not strange at all!"

Wiley and Hyatt: "Uwah it talks!"

Karina: "Hey you boys, just shut up for a second, you are bothering our visitors! Miss Erika, is it? What are you here for? Is it to visit Nikola Mama?"

Erika: "Mama?! What is this place? W...what's going on, what is Vincent doing here? Don't tell me he is your..."

Bast: "M...miss Erika, are you looking for Vince bro?"

Erika: "Yeah...No! That’s not it. I was just bored.”

Camelia: “What are you talking about, master Erika? Weren’t we following mister Vincent just now?”

Erika: "Eh? No, I was just playing around."

Verena: "Playing around? You said you were bored and now you say you were just playing around?"

Erika: "...Yeah, yeah…"

Karina: "Miss Erika, are you alright?"

Camelia: "Master Erika, are you feeling sick?"

Erika: “Shut it, you critter! That’s right I was bored, so I went on a little stroll and I just accidentally came here. Just accidentally."

Hyatt: “I see, then will you play with us, miss? That strange talking thing too?”

Erika: "Eh? Play?"

Karina: “Hey I said don’t bother them. They don’t have time for playing with kids like you.”

Hyatt: “But, she said it herself, that she was bored.”

Bast: “I… wouldn’t mind if she stayed with us a bit.”

Karina: “What, even you? Didn’t you want Vincent to teach you swordsmanship or something?”

Bast: “T...that’s right. miss Erika, you know I’m learning swording from Vince. I’m gonna be an adventurer just like him.”

[Explenation]: 'Uwah. Looking at the way that girl Erika feeling all awkward is cute too.'

Karina: “What swording, As if your little brain can learn anything.”

Erika: "Well...I don't know how to play..."

Wiley: “Hahaha, that creature is so strange, hahaha.”

Camelia: “Please, stop, that tickles, haha, … master Erika, please help me. He's touching my feet, master. He's pulling on my feet!”

Hyatt: “Hey miss, please play with us. Please. Pretty please.”

Erika: “Hey, what are you doing, don’t grab my hand...”

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

---

{Place}: Inside the orphanage, a certain room

---

Vincent: "Hi, miss Nikola, it’s me, Vincent."

Nikola: "Oh, it's you, Vincent, what brings you here today? Did you come to play with the kids again? They will love it.~"

Vincent: "Not exactly. It's about 'that' matter."

Nikola: "Oh, I see. Thank you for doing this, even though you are busy yourself. So what did you learn?"

Vincent: "Well I'm helping an acquaintance right now with her matters, but I had a bit of free time those last two days, so I could check on 'that' matter for you. I'm not going to lie. Things aren't good. I learned that the bishop is taking money from that gangster of a landowner. I'm afraid that they might start something soon. You need to watch out."

Nikola: "But, the orphanage and the land belongs to me, they have no rights to it!"

Vincent: "I know, but that bishop is suspicious. He is a leader of this city's church and after the Illomathians invasion, the church got a lot of influence between the populace quickly. Who knows what he might do."

Nikola: "But, he is a priest, a person of faith, would he use that for his gain?"

Vincent: "Don't underestimate humans greed Nikola. Money and power was always a thing that people sought, no matter when and where. And there's also the matter of that gangster of a landowner. For now, he only stopped himself at simple persuasion of selling your orphanage to him, but I'm afraid he might soon start to do worse things. I think they will want to give you pressure. Technically they can't do anything illegal, but there are always other ways."

Nikola: "I won't be threatened, they won't steal the orphanage from us!"

Vincent: "You say that. What if they do something to you or the children?"

[Explenation]: 'Vincent takes a pause and looks down a bit.'

Vincent: "I'm sorry, I didn't want to scare you, but as I said before. I just don't know what will happen. But what I do know is that you should be prepared for anything."

Nikola: "I can't just let them do whatever they please. I won't give up."

Vincent: "It is your choice Nikola. I'm sorry I can't do more."

Nikola: "No, Vincent. You are already a great help. You play with the kids. You even give us money, even though you surely have your obligations. You even investigated those people for us. Don't worry, we will manage somehow."

Vincent: "...I'm glad to hear that, but still, I hope you will reconsider."

Nikola: "Don't look at me like that. I know I'm not that reliable. But we can't just give up, it's our only home after all."

Vincent: "It could be better if you and the kids hid somewhere, but that's not possible. Just as I thought I need to do something about them."

Nikola: "But, Vincent..."

Vincent: "Wait. Do you hear anything?"

[Explenation]: 'Oh, did they finally realize?'

Nikola: "What do you mean? I don't hear anything unusual."

Vincent: ”No, it's from the outside."

Nikola: "Aren't that just kids playing like always? They can make a lot of noise."

???: "Oh come on, this is ridiculous. Stop it, you idiot!"

Vincent: ”That's not it, I hear some other voices besides the kids. And they seem kind of familiar...?"

Nikola: "Another visitor? Who might it be? Don't tell me it's that landowner again. I will tell him today!"

Vincent: "Wait, Nikola... I think I know that voice."

---

Wiley: "Hahaha miss Erika, you are so funny."

Erika: "Stop! Don't run away. Stop right there and let me catch you obediently."

Hyatt: "I think there's no one in the world that would just stop and let someone catch them like that."

Erika: ”What did you say!? Even though you are just a little kid..."

Camelia: "Haha, master Erika. That game is so fun, though you seem a bit bad at being the chaser."

Erika: ”Shut up you stupid Fox, this time I'm gonna catch someone for sure."

Bast: "W...well, if you want to, I might let you catch me instead."

Karina: "Hey, no cheating! The game only had meaning if you catch someone by yourself."

Bast: "But...'

Erika: "I know that! You don't have to tell me. Just wait you kids, this time I will surely... Uwah!"

Bast: "Miss Erika!”

Verena: "Hmm~. It seems Vincent is coming back, and with Nikola too. I hope he will tell me some adventuring stories today."

Camelia: "Master Erika are you alright? You fell quite spectacularly indeed.”

Wiley: "Hahaha miss Erika, you are so clumsy, it’s too funny I can't take it anymore, I'm gonna die from laughter.”

Karina: "Hey that's rude! Miss Erika are you alright?"

Bast: "That’s right, please let me help you.”

Erika: "I'm fine. I don't need some kids to worry about me. I just fell a bit. And you, don't laugh at me!"

Nikola: "Uhm, who are you miss, are you alright? Your fall was quite hard.”

Erika: "Ehh...?"

Vincent: "So it's you Erika and Camelia too. What are you guys doing here?"

Erika: "W...what, Vincent? Why are you here?”

Vincent: "No that is my line."

Camelia: "This is a simple matter mister Vincent, we were just casually following you when until you went inside and master Erika started to... It hurts master Erika, please stop."

Erika: "Shut up. I'm gonna seal your mouth this time."

Camelia: "Noo!"

Vincent: ”Erika. Were you following me?"

Erika: "No. That is. We were just strolling around when somehow we just came here. Haha, what a coincidence. Right Camelia?"

Camelia: ”But master Erika. That's completely not..."

Erika: "Right, Ca~me~lia~."

Camelia: "That's right, we were just strolling around."

Nikola: "Uhm, Vincent do you know those two?"

Vincent: "Ah, yeah. Let me introduce you all. It is Erika Tempest and her familiar called Camelia. And this person here is Miss Nikola. And those kids are..."

Erika: ”Don't tell me! Are you their father?!”

Vincent: "What?"

Nikola: "Hahaha, Miss Erika, right? You are one funny girl. So, it's that person that you were talking about, that you are helping right now, Vincent?"

Erika: "Hey don't laugh."

Vincent: "Yeah, I'm helping her."

Nikola: "I see. Then. Kids, go and play by yourselves for now. We need to have adults talk.”

Erika: "Hmm?"

Boys: "Eeh, but Nikola mama..."

Karina: "Hey! Listen to Nikola mama, we should leave them for now. They have important things to talk about.”

Bast: "But..."

Karina: "No buts Bast! We are going."

-

Nikola: "Alright. I’m sorry for taking your time just like that, but to explain your previous question miss Erika I need to talk about me and those kids first."

Erika: "Uhm, I don't quite understand."

Nikola: "First, don't worry. It's not what you think.”

Erika: ”I...I'm not worried."

Nikola: "I see, but let me explain it anyway. Vincent isn't those kids' father and I'm certainly not related to him either."

Erika: "...mumble... I see That's good... Mumble mumble.”

Vincent: "Erika, are you alright?"

Erika: "Nothing, I said nothing. You have some hearing problems, Vincent.”

Camelia: ”Master Erika, you are so adorable."

[Explenation]: 'I wholeheartedly agree!'

Nikola: ”Seriously Vincent, they are so funny, just where did you find them."

Vincent: "No well...I didn’t find them, it’s better to say they found me instead."

Nikola: "It seems there is a story to it, maybe you will tell me someday. Anyway let's return to the matter, miss Erika you remember one year ago, this city looked completely different than it looks now, right?"

Erika: ”I do, before Ilomathians came, we lived under the magical dome in this Magical City Namteh, but what does it have to do with anything?”

Nikola: "That's right, we lived hidden from the world completely engulfed in our matters, then one-day so-called Ilomathians came."

Vincent: "..."

Nikola: "They destroyed the dome, invaded our home. Countless people died. Those kids are ones of those that miraculously survived, but their parents, their whole families perished at that time, living those helpless children behind. Now their only family is me and other kids."

Erika: “But, that means…!”

Nikola: "That's right, they are war orphans. And I take care of them. Vincent is just helping us from time to time. Playing with the kids, giving us some financial support. We are grateful to him. So don't worry miss Erika, it’s not what you think."

Erika: "Vincent..."

Vincent: "..."

Erika: ”Somehow I feel so stupid. I...I...I'm sorry Vincent. The truth is... I was following you."

Vincent: "You were? Why is that?"

Erika: "I..I...it's not important. It’s completely unimportant so let's just forget about it."

Camelia: "The truth is, master Erika was just worried that mister Vincent would be...mumble..."

Erika: "Haha, just what is she saying, that dumb critter.”

Vincent: ”Somehow you seem strange today Erika. Are you alright?”

Erika: ”I’m fine, what are you saying. I'm completely normal, awesome Erika Tempest, haha..."

Nikola: "Somehow, you are really funny miss Erika. You are quite a positive person, I like that about you. Could we become friends?"

Erika: "I... Don't mind. N...Nikola was it. I can let you become my friend."

Nikola: "I see, I'm happy, Erika~"

Erika: "Hmph."

Camelia: ”Uwaaa. Master Erika, I'm so touched, you finally made a real female friend. Even though you were unable to make any friends in your magical academy days and later when you owned a shop. This. We need to celebrate it.”

Erika: ”Shut up. You stupid fox. Don't say anything unnecessary."

Nikola: "Hahaha~”

Erika: "But, uhm... About those kids, can I do anything to help?"

Vincent: "Are you sure Erika? Don't you have your shop to worry about?”

Erika: ”No, it's just a bit, a bit, if it's just a bit then I can do it too."

Nikola: "Well. If you want to come then, I don't mind, I watched you earlier playing with the kids and they looked happy. Also, we can talk as friends too. Yes, I will look forward to your visits Erika."

Erika: "Uhm. Okay.”

Camelia: "Uwaaa. Master Erika, you are good at this. I want to cry."

Erika: "Shut up."

[Explenation]: 'And that was the start of Erika helping out in the orphanage. As days passed by, she started to visit more often. She got more involved with the kids as well. Or that's how the story usually goes. Fight on, Erika!'