The headmaster of Gilford Orphanage, Mr. Guildford, was an old man with snow-white hair.
He had a bushy gray beard, but his body was as sturdy as they come. His curved muscles boasted a vitality that was unfit for his old age.
When I asked him the reason, Mr. Guildford responded with a hearty laugh.
“Hahaha, believe it or not, I was once a mercenary who roamed about hunting monsters! I had quite the reputation.”
“…That’s true,” I replied.
It was dusk. The sun was setting, burning the ridges with its last remnants of light. In the shabby headmaster’s office of the old orphanage, I was having an interview with Mr. Guildford, a teacup in front of me.
Of course, the Lady Virgin Saint was also present. Perhaps aware of the attention from others, a kind smile that I had seen many times before rested on her lips.
It was needless to say that she was a woman of celestial beauty. With such a lovely smile, one could hardly argue against calling her a “Saint.” Had I not been enchanted by that smile myself?
Looking back now, it was amusing to think of the Saint as a woman of compassionate and warm character.
In fact, one could argue that she was closer to being dark-hearted. Her disposition tended to be good-natured, but there was always an underlying calculation in everything, ensuring she never lost out.
Even now, she was showing an attitude that suggested she had done her homework on Mr. Guildford.
Though the mission was barely a little over two weeks long, it was likely she had already gathered detailed information about the orphanage. She was that thorough.
She gently continued speaking.
“Mr. Guildford retired from a long life as a mercenary and established this orphanage with his remaining fortune. Currently, there are over 200 children under his care.”
“Hahaha, with the Saint spreading some gold paint on this old man’s face, I’m at a loss for words. It wouldn’t have been possible with just my own strength, and this is all thanks to the support from the Holy Kingdom.”
The Saint maintained her smile at Mr. Guildford’s humility, her voice warm as ever.
“If you hadn’t had the courage to dedicate your remaining years and all your wealth to protect the weak, could you even save a single orphan? I hope many people can emulate Mr. Guildford’s heart.”
At that, the Saint cast a fleeting pink gaze in my direction. It seemed she wanted me to take after him.
With her temperament, she was still subtly poking at me. My expression instinctively crinkled. Today, I particularly missed the feeling of holding an axe handle.
How many seconds would it take?
Assuming Yulen wasn’t around and an ambush was possible, I thought I could subdue someone within a minute. No matter how skilled a martial artist was, it was incredibly difficult to oppose a blade.
Especially if they were unprepared.
Of course, it was just a fantasy. I wasn’t the type of person to swing an axe over something as trivial as having my temperament poked at. Unless, of course, the Saint committed a blatant wrongdoing.
Yes, a blatant mistake.
If not, there was no reason for me to draw a blade.
And the likelihood of the politically savvy Saint crossing a line was essentially zero, making it almost impossible to improve my relationship with her in the short term.
My past regret over not mastering rhetoric was painful. I should have studied harder when my sister suggested it.
At that time, I thought having just a sword would solve all problems. I was young and naïve.
Yet there were many things in the world that could not be resolved merely with rhetoric. Issues that I’d have sworn could be solved with a single sword piled up one after another.
I intended to discuss that issue today. I had no leisure to engage in a battle of wits with the Saint.
“So, Mr. Guildford, I’d like to confirm the details of the request,” I said.
At my question, Mr. Guildford exclaimed “Ah!” He scratched his head as if shy and soon adopted a serious expression, lowering his voice.
“Actually, this orphanage has a monster appearing once a month.”
“Once a month, you say?” I replied while crossing my arms and leaning back in my chair.
To have a monster appear with such regularity? Most monsters were devoid of intelligence, driven only by instinct and malice.
Of course, named monsters might possess intelligence. But even so, their cruelty and ferocity remained, so I could find no reason to endure slaughter at the orphanage.
If they were to attack, they would likely finish the job in one fell swoop. If that were the case, today’s request would be transformed to tracking down and exterminating the monster that had committed a massacre at the orphanage, rather than mere reconnaissance and extermination.
That wasn’t the only odd part.
“And when the monsters appear, it happens that one of the orphanage’s residents always goes missing.”
“Only one for sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” Mr. Guildford replied.
My brow furrowed slightly. Even the typically expressionless Saint showed a similar reaction.
The fact that it was only one missing was curious, appearing each month at that.
It essentially meant that one child was being abducted by the monsters every month. The timing and the number of missing orphans were consistent. It was obviously strange.
Which monster would commit such a meticulously calculated slaughter?
However, upon hearing that, I finally understood why this request had been neglected for so long. In fact, it was the reason for my and the Saint’s unexpected encounter.
Given how long the request had been left unattended, the Holy Kingdom decided to send the Saint, ostensibly to volunteer while dispatching personnel to the orphanage.
However, I had ended up accepting this request in the meantime. Eventually, the Saint and I arrived here simultaneously, unaware that there might be another request applicant.
I also understood the circumstances of the Holy Kingdom.
The continent was vast, and thus the administration and military power were limited.
Even in cities, if one or two orphans went missing, it was of little concern, let alone in such a remote orphanage where a child disappeared each month. There was no way the military would act for such a location.
They couldn’t afford to hire mercenaries, especially when the situation was difficult. Despite being a capable ex-mercenary, Mr. Guildford had yet to resolve the monster issue.
This meant that a greater force needed to be deployed to resolve it.
The numbers simply didn’t add up. There was likely no one in the world who would take on such a request.
Except for me.
It seemed Mr. Guildford was quite grateful for that. He willingly shared even the tea leaves that he had cherished in tough times.
Though they were just cheap leaves, the sentiment mattered. With gratitude, I sipped the warm tea.
“…Have you seen those monsters’ characteristics?”
It was the Saint’s question. At her cautious inquiry, Mr. Guildford rubbed the back of his head in distress.
“I’ve heard they’re monkey-shaped monsters with long arms. They suddenly leap in and snatch a child in the blink of an eye. It’s so fast that it’s hard to even bear witness.”
Last time it was a wolf, and now it’s a monkey?
This was becoming a nuisance. Moreover, monkeys were creatures adept at navigating trees. They possessed relatively high intelligence, and I didn’t want to think about how troublesome such a monster would be.
What if among them was one that deserved a name?
“Sounds intelligent. Is there a leader?” I inquired.
“Yes, possibly. I’ve seen monkey-shaped monsters a few times in the surrounding forest. I left them be since they hadn’t entered the orphanage, but the one attacking the orphanage seems to be their leader.”
Saying this, he raised his hands as if to testify to the immense size.
“I’ve heard it’s over 2 meters tall. If it’s attacking the orphanage only once a month to avoid being hunted…”
“That’s abnormally intelligent,” concluded the Saint. This marked the moment the atmosphere grew heavy.
Naturally, the more intelligent the opponent was, the more complicated the extermination would become. To suppress the monster’s nature, it would need to possess at least above-human intelligence.
I already felt a headache coming on. I pressed my temples as I spoke to Mr. Guildford.
“First… I will search the forest as soon as my comrade arrives. Do you remember when the last attack was?”
“I believe it was around three weeks ago. Based on precedent, I expect it might come again in about a week to two weeks…”
That meant time was running short. It also meant we needed to guard the orphanage at night.
With just Senior Elsi, Senior Delphine, and myself, we were insufficient. I was rather thankful for the Saint and Yulen coming along.
I hadn’t imagined this request would be so complicated. The Saint seemed to share the sentiment, the heavy footsteps echoing as we left the headmaster’s office.
In the final moment, Mr. Guildford lowered his head.
“I-I’m sorry. I asked too difficult a favor from busy people…”
He seemed genuinely apologetic as he glanced between us. The Saint and I both shook our heads, denying it.
“No, protecting the weak is a duty of the nobility.”
“Likewise. The Heavenly Deity watches over everyone, after all, Emmanuel.”
As we exited the headmaster’s office, silence enveloped us.
I couldn’t quite grasp the situation. The monster attacking the orphanage had a puzzling behavior.
My eyes glanced back at the Saint. She, having been looking at me, turned her gaze away, as if caught off-guard.
It appeared she too was at a loss.
I quietly asked her, “Do you know anything?”
“No, not at all…”
The Saint sighed and responded promptly. Even she, holding so much information as one of the highest-ranking officials of the Holy Kingdom, couldn’t seem to get a grasp on it.
The answer was clear. We would have to find out through action.
I suggested to the Saint in a voice mixed with a sigh.
“Then, I guess we should head to the forest as soon as my comrades arrive tomorrow. We need to find out something to devise a plan…”
“What about tonight? If they strike tonight, we could lose a precious life.”
Along with losing the chance to apprehend the leader monster on-site.
Though the Saint did not voice this, the underlying calculation in her words was clear. The problems were already multiplying. It was a moment I regretted inwardly.
Ignoring the letter and simply choosing as I wanted would have been preferable.
But if I did that and received news of someone dying, I’d surely spend another sleepless night burdened by guilt. I couldn’t help it, yet I felt frustrated even more than that.
Even if there were other more capable individuals than me who could receive the letter, why did it have to be me?
I neither have power nor force. That was an undeniable grievance, but it was already spilled water.
I cautiously presented my plan.
“It can’t be helped. For tonight, I, along with the Saint and Yulen, will take turns…”
“Sisters, I-an!”
The sudden uproar cut into our discussion at that moment.
Both my and the Saint’s gaze simultaneously turned toward the source. There, a androgynous-looking man with aquamarine hair was waving his hand.
It was Yulen. And perched on his shoulder was a child who already seemed like one of the protected children.
But that wasn’t all. The uproar was coming from dozens of children following Yulen, chattering boisterously. He had said he’d scout the surrounding area, but who knew he’d become close to the kids so quickly?
Yulen had a beaming smile on his face. As our bewildered eyes met, he grinned and said, “I need a bit of help, it’s time to prepare dinner…”
“…Dinner preparation?”
The unexpected words cracked the Saint’s calm expression. Still, Yulen wore an expression as if to say, “What normal thing are you asking?”
“Yes, dinner preparation. I heard there aren’t enough hands available.”
“…What about the other volunteers?”
“They all ran away after the monsters started to attack, apparently?”
Damn it, the Saint and I instinctively covered our faces with our hands.
We needed to not only hunt the monsters but also care for the children.
The next day, Delphine arrived in front of Gilford Orphanage.
The brown-maned horse she rode whinnied, expressing its sympathy as she stroked its neck without saying a word.
At a glance, she seemed relaxed, but Delphine’s heart was anything but comfortable.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings of Gilford Orphanage. A dilapidated building with visible cracks here and there; it was unclear if it was due to age or neglect in maintenance.
A sigh escaped her lips.
What on earth could be accomplished in this old orphanage? Frankly speaking, Delphine did not want to come to a place that wouldn’t help her grades.
However, when I-an insisted she join him again, Delphine couldn’t bring herself to decline.
Her heartstill clenched. That night, those golden eyes.
The man stained with blood raised an axe as if it was his natural form. And the screams, blood, and groans that echoed ominously.
All were hers. The humiliation and fear of her arms and legs being treated like firewood, no longer human.
She couldn’t imagine it. Just recalling that night caused Delphine’s blood-red eyes to tremble. Lowering her gaze, she nervously bit her nails.
The man she saw that night was a monster. Although Delphine had vanquished many monsters and villains, I-an terrified her more than any enemy she had encountered.
That fact mercilessly sliced her ego to pieces.
The image of herself begging for mercy with her head to the ground, kneeling, arose in her mind as soon as she closed her eyes. What was even more frightening was that each time she recalled that scene, she felt relief rather than shame.
What a madwoman—she had been utterly broken by just one defeat.
And now, the most disturbing reality was that she would have to spend the next two weeks with the very person who had shattered her.
She couldn’t even look him in the eye properly. If he ever raised an axe, her knees might buckle involuntarily in fear.
It would be better to kneel and bury her head in the ground. At least then, there would be a guarantee of some reprieve. It would be comforting.
What kind of fearsome preparations awaited her as he purported to reshape her mind?
Delphine’s reasons for feeling gloomy did not end there.
“Hmph, you’ve finally arrived.”
Feigning nonchalance, the girl jumped off the saddle. Having been too small to ride, she had no choice but to be carried behind Delphine all this time, making her voice even more arrogant.
With brown hair, sapphire blue eyes, and a large, hooded hat, the doll-like girl was Elsi Rainelle.
Delphine’s rival.
“…Couldn’t you at least say thank you?”
“Why should I? Here’s to us being comrades for the next two weeks; shouldn’t you be the one being kind and catering to my needs?”
This insufferable girl; at the end of the day, her way of thinking was simply different.
Delphine and Elsi glared at each other for a while before turning their noses up in unison and looking away.
Neither of them wanted to engage in conversation. As Delphine thought so, she paused.
Sounds were emanating from the orphanage.
Most of it was noise from the children. However, amid that, a distinct vibration was clearly perceptible.
Delphine’s eyes glazed with terror. It was the voice of the man who had devastated her. What kind of nightmare was he about to bring her into?
She swore to the heavens that she had no intention of rebelling against I-an. She could stake her family’s honor that she would not draw a weapon in front of him.
But it was already too late. Forcing her stiffened arm muscles to relax, Delphine opened the orphanage’s large door with a trembling gaze.
Creeeak, the irritating noise of aged hinges echoed. Beyond that, stood the man who had wielded an axe while drenched in blood that night.
“Hey, hey! Didn’t I tell you to stop running around?! Bell, don’t bother the girls! I’m going nuts!”
Amid dozens of children in shabby attire, clutching a mop in his hand,
The gap between the sight Delphine had remembered and the reality was too overwhelming. Frozen in place with her hair turned white, the man began smiling broadly.
“Senior Delphine, Senior Elsi! You arrived just in time! Could you grab that broom over there?”
Broom? Delphine’s gaze shifted sideways. There it was, an old broom leaning against the gate.
Was he really calling them here just for such minor errands?
Delphine was the heiress of the Yuridina Clan. Nobles had their roles, and commoners had theirs.
At the very least, menial tasks like cleaning were not the work of nobles. Particularly for someone from a prominent noble family like Delphine.
Perhaps he had no idea. He might want to crush what little remains of Delphine’s pride.
Delphine could hardly hold back her rising emotions and sought to raise her voice.
Of course, as soon as she made eye contact with the man’s golden eyes, she could only bow her head and utter the slightest complaint.
“Why should I…! What do you mean I have to do that…?”
Delphine was filled with shame and anger at herself for not being able to oppose him. She felt tears threatening to spill. Just as she was gnawing at her lips in frustration,
Suddenly, someone brushed past her and grabbed the broom. A small girl trotted toward the man.
Moments of confusion passed for Delphine as her gaze automatically drifted to the girl.
It was Elsi. Without a moment’s hesitation, she picked up the broom and moved toward I-an, loyal as a dog. An unabashed action.
Witnessing that scene rendered Delphine utterly mute.
Elsi Rainelle, wasn’t she also a member of the nobility? Seeing her strong sense of pride so readily undermined by such an act was beyond belief.
“Here you go!”
“Thanks, Senior Elsi.”
To top it off, the man even patted Elsi on the head. With such a demeaning action, Elsi grinned, leaning against him.
Delphine stood there, unable to utter a single word in despair as her blood-red eyes locked with Elsi’s sapphire blue ones in the air.
With a smirk, Elsi’s lips curved in a mocking line.
It was a clear derision. Plus, there was a glimmer in her eyes as if she had just triumphed in some grand contest.
Delphine felt as if she might lose her mind.
