“As the festival approaches, donations might increase a bit…”
Ralph from the Alms House is busy today. In fact, he’s always busy. His job is to seek out the wealthy and plead for help for the poor. Of course, it’s never an easy task.
“Do I owe them something for living in poverty?”
People who say such things are at least not entirely wrong. But what can you say? If you don’t know and just demand money, aren’t you more of a thief than an almshouse?
Even when you talk about mercy, love, and all sorts of things, opening someone’s wallet is no easy task. Of course, there are generous benefactors who give large sums to charity. But they are by no means the majority. Extracting money from someone else’s wallet is just that difficult.
“The poor are like cockroaches. Even if they all die today, they’ll be back tomorrow. Honestly, what’s the point of feeding them? What value do they bring to society?”
People who genuinely believe that helping the needy is worthless are truly exhausting. Whenever Ralph encounters such people, he craves a cigarette. But even if he reaches into his pocket, there’s no cigarette. The money for cigarettes goes to buying corn, which can be made into cornbread, boiled corn, or even corn soup to feed one more person. For the same reason, he doesn’t own a wristwatch.
He even sold his gold ring and disposed of his family’s lavish assets. With that money, he runs the Alms House. Even he thinks he’s a bit of an oddity. But it’s because of such oddities that the world hasn’t completely cooled off.
“Oh my, is that a person?”
Late at night, after fundraising in the shopping district, he desperately wanted a drink but decided to save the money for food instead. As he trudged back, he saw a person lying stiff on the ground.
Someone had gone through their pockets, and their wallet was gone. Their clothes were stripped off, leaving them in just their underwear, unconscious on the ground. Ralph hurried over.
“Leprosy…”
Ralph couldn’t hide his instinctive disgust. Even he, who could shake the hands of dirty beggars without hesitation, couldn’t muster the courage to touch a leper barehanded.
“Here, cover yourself with this. Come on, get up and follow me.”
He took off his coat and draped it over the fallen woman. Only then did he help her up. He wasn’t sure if the coat would protect him from leprosy, but having that layer between them gave him some psychological comfort.
“Let’s go to the Alms House. How did you end up like this?”
Ralph sighed. Poverty isn’t someone else’s problem. People so desperate they’d strip a leper of their clothes aren’t from some distant land—they’re right here among us. We just choose not to see them.
“So you brought her here?”
Clark, who was making potato soup with donated potatoes, was shocked when he saw the leper his colleague had brought in. He looked around and sighed.
“Hey, Ralph. I’m not saying she should die, but this is too risky. There are already plenty of people who don’t like this Alms House. If word gets out that we’re feeding a leper, and it turns out to be true, what do you think will happen?”
“But we can’t just let her freeze to death.”
“Of course not. We have to save those who are dying. But what I’m saying is, once she recovers, we have to send her away. There’s no choice. This isn’t just about donations drying up.”
At worst, public backlash could brand the Alms House as a place of filth. They could even be driven out of the city.
“Let’s lay her near the fire for now. The potato soup is almost ready, so let’s give her a bowl and then think about it.”
“Should we take her to the temple?”
“If you know how the temple treats lepers, that’s murder. If you don’t know, you’re a fool. If she goes there, she’ll definitely die—starved to death in some remote prison.”
“Then what?”
No matter how much Clark thought about it, there was no answer. The world despises lepers. What can two people do against that? Even putting their heads together, no clear solution emerged.
“…Water.”
A groan-like voice broke their thoughts. They looked over to see a woman whose face was so disfigured it was hard to make out her features. She let out a long sigh, seemingly too weak to even speak.
“Water…”
“Here’s some water. Drink it slowly.”
The water was neither hot nor cold, just warm enough. Ralph slowly poured it into her mouth. Some spilled to the ground, but she managed to drink a bit. Slowly, a faint light returned to her eyes, though it was as weak and flickering as a candle.
“…Was it you who gave me water?”
The woman spoke in a voice as small as her groans. Ralph nodded. Only then did she notice the sound of soup boiling. Her stomach, now painfully empty, growled.
The bubbling potato soup smelled sweeter and more beautiful than nectar. But she couldn’t even ask for it. A nameless child’s thrown stone had shattered her last shred of dignity.
“Eat. Warm yourself up.”
When Ralph offered her the soup, she was stunned. She almost cried in surprise. She wanted to ask if he was mocking her, but her mouth wouldn’t open. Only when Ralph handed her a spoon did she realize it wasn’t a joke.
“Really…?”
“I don’t play games with food.”
After taking a bite of the potato soup, the woman silently wept. It was delicious. Even Ralph, who had tasted it, found it surprisingly good, thanks to the quality of the potatoes. After all, they were a gift from someone.
For the woman, the soup was a profound experience. Her favorite food shifted from roasted pork to potato soup.
“I came to this city looking for Priest Kyle.”
The woman, who had been silently eating, finally spoke up. She had been devouring the soup like a madwoman, momentarily losing herself to hunger. Only after her stomach was somewhat full did she remember her purpose.
“If you know him… or even just where he lives, could you tell me? I’ve come from far away to find him.”
“You’re looking for a priest named Kyle?”
Ralph and Clark exchanged glances. The woman was puzzled by their reaction.
“Why?”
“The potatoes used to make the soup you’re eating were donated by him.”
“But his reputation couldn’t have spread that far…?”
If it was a coincidence, it was a minor one. But if not, it was truly mysterious. Ralph thought for a moment before speaking.
“Then, at dawn, I’ll take you to his house. But… I can’t guarantee he can cure your illness.”
“I would be deeply grateful.”
The woman finally spoke formally. It was an acknowledgment. She, a royal, set aside her pride and recognized Ralph as her savior. After all, these two had reached out to her in her darkest hour, and there’s no one more deserving of gratitude than those who extend a hand when you’re at your lowest.
“Rest for now. I’ll wake you at dawn.”
“Is there anything I can do to repay you… Oh!”
“Your wallet and clothes were already gone when I found you. Some scoundrels from the back alleys must have taken them.”
If she hadn’t been a leper, they might have taken her body too. The back alleys at night aren’t known for their safety.
“Ha, haha… I really have nothing left now.”
She dropped her spoon in despair. She truly had nothing now. She was even borrowing Ralph’s coat. She didn’t have a single coin to repay her savior.
Her only possession, her body, was rotting from disease. The once-proud title of royalty had long since rusted and crumbled.
“Really, nothing at all.”
But what was most frustrating was that her tired body, warmed by the fire, was ready to sleep, ignoring her thoughts. Sadness faded, her mind grew numb, and sleep began to pour over her. And so, the princess drifted off.
“Master, just say the word—”
When she opened her eyes again, a beastman girl with deep blue eyes was glaring at her.
“I’ll take this trash out and be right back.”
It was Roka.
