“This is too much!”

“My Sister is right. This is way too much to accept, please put it away.”

Well this is rather awkward. We want to spend, but they refuse. Well it is ten large Gold, but that was what the egg was halfway bringing us in, so no worries about that.

“This might be our last donation for a while. We came to sell our wares here, but right now a merchant caravan will come monthly, which means we might not be here for several months. This will be the farewell gift.”

“Still, it is too much. We would be in your debt way too much.”

“What debt? We donate and do not want anything, but seeing the smiles of the children.”

Nice catch Snow. She is right. The poor should have to eat and poor children should have a smile while eating. Well I am rather attached to the whole Orphanage somehow. I do not know why, but I just want to help them.

“...Okay, but you have to take some of our older Children with you.”

What?

“What?”

That’s what I said, wait I was the one who said it right now. I am confused.

“Give me a Second, why do we need to take some children from you?”

“The truth is, right now there is some pressure of needed Workers.”

Isn’t that good? Those children might be getting a nice job and have a great life. Why should we just take them?

“The need is for expendable soldiers and stress relief, as the next Monster stampede is starting to form.”

Oh, the stampede… I remember, but not really. Was it not Petal who said something about it? So her ‘soon’ meant really ‘soon’.

“You want to make us take the Orphans and put them in a safe place, where those people do not get them?”

Well she nods, but there is a problem.

“Our Domain is extremely overabundant in Mana. Everyone who lives there will be hit with Mana burn. Although the truth about Mana burn is overinflated, it is still something those children might not want to bear and you should be aware of it.”

Now those two Sisters are shocked. Well it is a revelation they might not have expected. Now we are in a stalemate, what to do. Can they really go through with that, what they right now try to rationalize?

…

“Anna! We are going on a trip!”

“Huh?! Where are we going Snow?”

“To Halk! Your father will obviously come too. And Belk with his two youngest Children.”

Snow, if you just throw that right in her face it is obvious, she does not understand. She can not read your mind, jeez.

“Let me explain, the Orphanage is in a dilemma. Right now they are not sure if they really want those children come to us, because of the Mana burn. The travel is to explain how the symptoms are and if the children would like to come with us. We do not want to force anyone, so we show them what the demerit is, to go with us.”

Now Anna is in deep thought. Well it is rather much for a teen. How old she really is is sadly not known, as her Family first learned to count after coming here and the age plank with the carved lines of how old she really is was destroyed to hide her existence.

“Do I have to go?”

“Of course not. Snow just was too overenthusiastic. If you would rather stay here and not travel that far again, nothing will happen. Snow just thought you would be the best candidate to explain it to the Girls inside the Orphanage, as she trusts you the most.”

While thinking she looks at Snow.

“Anna, I am sorry. I was just a bit too direct, of course you do not need to do it if you…”

“I am doing it.”

“Please do not force yourself for me Anna.”

“No I am not forcing myself. I am a bit scared to go back. It feels as if I have to go back to my old life,if I travel there, but you would not leave me there, would you?”

“Of course not! You are my best friend, I would never just…”

“Then there is nothing to worry for me. As I told you I have still Nightmares sometimes of the shouts of my Mother. You helped me, and I should help others decide if they want to come here too.”

I pat her head.

“Brave girl. No wonder your father is so proud of you.”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“He is?”

“Of course I am.”

Ah, there he is. Right on time after talking with Belk about the expedition. Maybe he should have been the one to ask her, if there were not such an overenthusiastic Rat, jeez.

…

Here we are, but why are there even the small children in the room? I thought only the ones in the higher age group need a place to work… I have to seriously talk to the Sisters later.

“Children, you remember Sir Ava from before, right? He is with his… younger Sister Snow here to give you an opportunity, but it has some demerits, you should know about.”

Why the long pause because of the Sister? Just because we are not the same species, we still see each other as Family. Rude…

The children are way more enthusiastic. Many smiles and some even wave to Snow. She made a real impression in those kids.

Well it is now our part to explain. Maybe I should start, so the others can explain what is the problem with my place.

“Hello children, some of me might remember me as the weird guy, who wanted those bugs and animals. I assure you, I am not that weird as you might think I am.”

A few chuckles, but rather muffled, as the Sisters are here and want to keep it serious.

“Snow and I have a rather large Domain, which needs some tending to. Our Village is still only filled sparsely and we have a big castle which ever so often gets dusty. But there are problems with our place. To explain I have brought some of our Villagers, who can explain it better by showing what is the problem. Robert would you please unwrap your Hand?”

Coming forth he does not say anything really and unwraps his hand. The blue glowing scar is rather visible. Over the time this scar has become as large as going all over his arm up to his shoulder, but as he always wears heavy clothing he does only need to wrap the Hand.

Gasps are heard, some huddle together, others step one step back and in all eyes are seen fear but also some kind of wonder. Well you would be a strange kid if you were not full of wonder about everything on this World.

“Our Land is filled with Mana to the effect, that everything has Mana. The water, the food, even the air. Almost all of our people have those scars and live perfectly healthy lives despite of them. Normally we should just explain to your grown up brothers and sisters these Information, but somehow you little ones are here too…”

Looking at the Sister in charge she bows slightly. Well the others just evade eye contact, maybe they discussed something without telling me? I want answers.

“We explain everything after the talk to the children. Do not worry.”

This is the least you can do. Well lets go to the next thing to do.

“To understand what you would be going into, we have brought two fathers with their children, so you have honest explanations from people of similar age, as many of you definitely know how many grown ups often lie.”

I see a few nods and some sad or painful expressions. I knew I made the right choice bringing the children.

“While asking questions, maybe they want to play with you something. Their Fathers will be with them, so no secret romance.” giggles “Snow will be here too, I bet. So be nice and have some fun while asking. Remember some of you should really think about the proposal, as I heard there… Nevermind, just try to think about if you would like to be living in a new place, as I believe some of you will find the thought alone scary. Have fun!”

And with this the children mingle a bit. Some older ones even came to the fathers and ask about what they need to work on and if there is enough food.

Many different voices go all over the place, I can make out ‘does it hurt’, ‘its creepy’ and even some ‘we can get those?’ and ‘awesome!’ was mixed in it. I just hope not too many will come. We have the space but not enough hands to handle that many pipsqueaks.

…

“Care to explain?”

Right now we are in the visitors lounge. The Sisters and Workers look rather embarrassed, but right now the ship has been sailed. Now you have to explain the breach in our plannings.

“Apologies Sir Ava, while you were gone, we had a meeting to discuss the sending of our children into such a dangerous area. But rather than voices of discontent there were many who were in favor of the plan. In fact no one seems to be against sending our Children to someone who not only revealed the problems of his Lands but are genuinely and openly concerned about the health of our children.”

I nod, but that does not even explain what is going on. So I hope there is a continuation, or I will have to dig deeper, as the main question of the little rascals being there is still not explained.

“You should know, it is the first time someone came here and wanted to outright ask the children of their own volition. Mostly worker come and ask for us to just choose some of the stronger ones or make some demands we have to find in them to be worthy of the work. You on the other hand wanted not our input but the genuine feelings about it from the children. We thought it would be better to give everyone of our protected the same chance to choose, as you are a rare Person, who thinks of the children more than of himself.”

So many Words for just ‘we think you are nice’, well they have to learn how to smear honey around the mouths of people if they do not just give disposable workers for dangerous jobs, maybe. Still there will be demands from me.

“I understand now. Still I will have demands on you also. We had a verbal agreement and now the stacks are different.”

“Of course, you can always take the money ba…”

“I do not want the money I gave with open hands. I need caretakers for the now bigger band of rascals that might go with me.”

“Excuse me, what?”

She seems shocked.

“One or more of you need to come with us, so he or she can help with caring for them and keeping them save.”

That was met with silence. Of course you will need some more handlers if the little monkeys increase in number. Do not be so surprised.

“I… I understand. We need to discuss if someone is willing to go with you. Might we wait until we know how many of the children will be going with you? Maybe it will not even be necessary to send someone if they do not feel to go with you.”

At first she wants to throw the whole Orphanage onto me, now she hopes the opposite will happen? It is scary, when you have to travel too, it seems. Well they made their bed, now lie in it.

…

“Three and… um… Four!” “Seven!” “Woah!”

Oh yeah, Anna can count and do addition. The others are impressed with that. School has improved in those aspects, as I made an addition table and even gave some easy questions for now. All the children in the Lost Village are smart and even willing to learn all I have to offer them.

While the school is irregular as I am not always there, the children work on their own as they really want to become better for themselves. Many come and play with the word Memory and make their own equations to make others solve them. Self study as the School shack is always open and warmed up for children and adults to keep learning.

“Seven and six!” “Um… the horse rides the one… Thirteen!” applaud

Do not misuse Anna as your personal calculator you rascals. Snow on the other hand plays a dancing game with the others. Hopping on one foot a specific time before changing and start hopping to the other side, the looser is who falls over while bumping into one who you do not have to touch. Rhythmic exercise, nice game it seems.

The fathers talk with the caretakers a bit while keeping an eye on their own children. The two brothers of Belk seem to play with the other children knight and Bandits or something. Everything is harmonic. Some questions are still being asked then and there, but seems they see nothing wrong with their temporary new friends.

clap clap The Sister in charge just claps her hands and the children start aligning. Our children were a bit confused and got in line too while they were cooed by their parents to their side. Are you already thinking of you as an orphan?

“You now have heard the story about their Lands. The ones who think they would like to go with them, please go to this side, the ones who definitely want to stay with us, please on this side.”

Well there they go. Some decide directly, other think about. When seeing their friends standing on one side, they go from their side to them, while others still stand confused. Going back and forth this might take a while for all of them to decide their destiny.

…

Well are you sure you all stand on the right side? That side is the one mentioned to leave and not the one to stay. There are one, two three… stop moving… Thirty six… There hides a small one inside… Thirty seven want to migrate? I definitely want one of their caretakers for that amount.

Seeing my look, she should knows that it is inevitable for one of their members to go with me. Better make it a good one, or I have to improve her myself.