The old man was again back in the office of the guild master.
He was waiting for another commissioned report.
“You of all the trivial things you come to me… what did you get into now?” the guild master was busy but the old man kept on asking of him.
“I don’t know yet that’s why I’m here,” the old man said.
“AAAAAAAARGH!!!” it was a terrifying scream, the girl that was together with the 7 was now sitting in the guild master’s office shuddering in fear thinking of what happened to the 6 that was brought underground of the adventurer’s guild, that scream, its voice was familiar, and that just multiplied her fear.
“The orphanage? Just let the church of light do their thing what’s the matter with you,” the guild master annoyingly said as he noticed the dress of the girl.
Well, it was a no-brainer since the old man specifically asked for the orphanage’s financial situation. It should be a public document since the orphanage was being maintained in tandem with the town’s government and the Church of Light.
“Kid what is your name?” the old man without paying attention to the guild master started a conversation with the girl.
“Gabriel… 10 years old sir,” she said with her voice shaking.
“Don’t worry everything will be alright” the old man assured her.
“Grahh!!AAH!!!” and another scream echoed from below.
“That damn kid… I hope he didn’t break any bones” the old man muttered, Gabriel just lost the little assurance she felt it seemed.
“Sir!! Here are the reports… it was awful,” a staff member immediately entered the guild master’s office. He started stating his reports.
The Church of Light governed the running of the orphanage, there are usually orphanages in every town and major city all across the continents since adventurers tend to die a lot. According to the report, the mayor of the town has never failed to pay the donations… still, the orphanage was in tatters.
It must have something to do with the priest who ran the orphanage. The orphanage served as the main representative of the Church of Light with its small chapel there in the town of Pharsha.
“I see… you are a fast one, Orera, how much did you price the Tugak’s meat we surrendered to you?” the old man asked.
“It's actually quite edible and has a good taste, 2 silver per meat,-” the guild master said. “-Oh poor boys…” the guild master suddenly said as he realized what the old man was going to do. Gabriel and the staff member shuddered as the old man smiled… the features of the old man’s face were fierce.
“Oh, but they would remember me forever,” the old man said as he left the guild master's office.
<--->
In the evening, the old man and the boy escorted Gabriel back into the orphanage after eating dinner, Gabriel felt relief and guilt; relief that she had food on her stomach and twice the guilt because the boys that she requested help with were left in the adventurer’s guild and that she was the only one who has food on her belly.
The orphanage was close to the market so they had the chance to buy things first, mostly food. It was almost dark when they arrived and they arrived with a borrowed cart. How did she wish she had that money to buy food for her brothers and sisters in the orphanage?
She understood that adventurers tend to stock up a lot of food for their travels and expeditions. Well at least on the dinner that night, she actually put up some bread in her pockets when they left, to the point it was bulging full and she was acting like it was nothing.
The orphanage was a two-story building. The windows were blinded, signs of failed repairs of wooden planks not properly placed, and holes still open, the old man wondered how they survived the winter.
When the old man knocked a nun tended to them and allowed them to enter in light of escorting Gabriel, the nun actually looked gloomy and that annoyed the old man.
“Show me the kitchen!!! Wake up the skinny brats!!!” the old man shouted to the nun, the nun was quite shocked by the old man’s loud voice.
“Yes sir!! Uhm who are you sir?” the nun asked.
“It doesn’t matter now we are going to feast for the night!! Simon!! Take everything in!!” the old man in good spirits said fiercely.
Gabriel was gaping her mouth, she was a bit confused. To the nun’s surprise, there was a ton of food outside the door which she didn’t see at first. Simon happily took the sacks of vegetables, flour, and meat inside.
<--->
The dark gloomy room of the head priest of the orphanage stank of alcohol. It was located on the ground floor while the rooms the children were in the second floor. He was sleeping half-naked on his bed.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
The head priest of the orphanage woke up with the sound of laughter, joy, and children burping. For some reason, the nuns were singing too.
He walked out and screamed. “It's in the middle of the night what are you doing!!!” he was angry, always angry.
The celebration stopped for a moment, and along with the orphans and the children, an unfamiliar old man stood up. The priest shuddered.
“Continue the party!! The priest and I will have a man-to-man to talk,” the old man said.
The priest cowered as the old man placed his hands on his shoulders pushing and pulling him back into his room. The party went on as their celebration for food and that they wouldn’t have a problem with it for a year. Simon was also there, still his eyes closed as he was trying to sing with the nun and the children but it was hard and awkward.
<--->
The priest and the old man entered back to the priest’s room and the old man immediately pushed him into the wall and punched him twice in the stomach, the old man really loved doing this.
“What!! Urgh!!” and another one right on his stomach again, and he hasn’t even handed a question.
“The brats are skinny… why!!!” the old man threatened with his fist as he asked in a low voice.
The priest immediately confessed; he was lured in by the promise of rewards through gambling. To worsen it up he actually gambled under a Sen-ran establishment. Usually, Sen-ran establishments were considered to be high-class facilities and just the entrance fee was really expensive.
“I just wanted to earn more money for the kids… sorry… SORRY,” the priest lowers to his knees, just a few punches on the stomach before asking was the key to his confession.
“Are you still in debt?” the old man asked.
The priest shakes his head for the no answer.
“It’s the card isn’t it?” the old man spoke and it was right on the mark, as the priest shuddered.
The old man had seen so much of this, adventurers and merchants falling into the Sen-ran’s reward system card.
The card gets stamped whenever the owner of the card plays and without counting the losses, all you have earned will be calculated based on some percentage and the owner of the card will receive money from that, not only did it spurred the gamblers to play more, it doubles the sensation of winning after all the lose.
“Give it to me… I know how you feel but…” Before the old man finished his sentence the priest immediately ran to his desk. The reward card was on his cabinet.
“Take it!! PLEASE TAKE IT,” the priest said like he was begging.
The old man nodded and went closer to him to take the card but the priest couldn’t let it go… the priest started sweating.
“I see… that bad huh…” The card suddenly turned hot and the priest let it go… infusing the reward card with magic it started to melt down.
The priest started to cry.
“Come and eat with us dumb ass,” the old man said.
<--->
For the next 2 days, the old man began training the 6 boys who were already out of the orphanage because of their age. They were taught the basics of stances and weapons too. He even included the priest to nullify the priest’s withdrawal syndromes. All while having Simon train his footwork.
And on the 3rd day was a mock battle with Simon.
“Fuck sake!!! He is just a boy!!! HIT HIM!!!” the old man was getting angry, the underground hall of the adventurer’s guild was lively again.
“But sir!!! He is just a boy!” the priest said, the 6 other boys were still trying to hit Simon as Simon tried to parry, Simon was not allowed to attack and to get hit.
“Simon!!! BREAK HIS NOSE!!!!” the old man screamed and Simon did a flash step of his own, the boy’s footwork was already at good work. He broke the priest’s nose, the priest was instantly taken out.
“PAM!~!!” the old man screamed. The 6 boys looked at the priest, it just made the old man snap more.
“Keep attacking boys!!!!!! KEEP ATTACKING!!!” the old man screamed again. The 6 boys maniacally tried to hit Simon.
“BOY!!! If you get hit even once there will be no food!!!” and he was harsher to Simon… Simon was in full concentration now.
Some of the adventurers who were lured by the screams went down to watch. They were terrified of the old man.
“GOD DAMN IT!!! IT'S NOT EVEN A CHALLENGE!! I’LL JOIN!!!” the old man finally snapped. This was only the first day after the 2 days of basic sword fight.
“Old man!! I don’t have a weapon” Simon protested. “You learned to complain now, boy!!! Attack!!!” and the old man commanded the 6 boys again. The priest was getting healed on the side while glaring at the old man. Of course, the old man felt it and glared back.
“After I train you, you will never feel pleasure from gambling again,” the old man said.
“Shit…” the priest muttered as the Pam was healing his nose back.
“CRACK!!” and the priest almost fainted with the pain in his nose being put back into place, he didn’t have the time to scream…
“Fucking gambler!!” the Pam said. (She is a product of the orphanage too hahaha!!!).
<--->
The next day, Gabriel visited to check up on his older brothers. She was led to the underground level of the adventurer’s guild.
“Keep the front intact!! There are 6 of you!!! Use your advantage!!! HEY!! Don’t back down you are the main tank!!!” and she saw a hell of a scene. The old man was commanding the 6 boys in a formation.
Gust was the main tank and was holding the largest shield, he was really large for his age, Tint was another shield user but a smaller one like a buckler, his job was to protect behind and the sides, he was also holding a sword.
Dawi was now holding a spear, he actually looked much fiercer than a thug now, he could launch an attack from behind the shield and was quick on his feet, he was also chosen as the party’s leader because of his wide vision, Law used a slingshot as the main range attacker, but he was carrying heavy loads of weights he was wearing on his body, he will be the manager and carrier of items.
Al was the mage, the only spells he could use were flame thrower and body warmth and all were used in close range, and finally Winar, he had the largest pool of magic out of the 6 and he was in charge of healing his party mates.
They were now fighting against Simon, treating him like some kind of monster. Simon was a bit annoyed by the idea but whatever training worked for him.
“Simon!!! Flank them!!! Flank them!!!” and the old man was pushing them to their teeth.
They could tell the difference between Simon and them, and they were still struggling even though they had already formed this adventurer’s formation.
Gabriel shuddered as she saw the scene. The priest was then behind her. The priest had already changed by the way his face appeared to the child.
“Gabriel, come here, you don’t want to get hit by miss fires okay?” the priest then guided Gabriel to the side.
“Did you come here to check on them? How’s the orphanage,” The priest in a warm manner began talking to the child, well he hasn’t been back in the orphanage for 3 days now.
“Head priest… you look better now,” Gabriel said as she smiled at the priest.
“Really… sniff… stay for a while, after they get annihilated we will have our breakfast,” the priest said but Gabriel was sure it was already past lunch time now.