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Chapter 83

What Sybilla Saw Through in the Children of the Orphanage and What I Can Do For Them

 

After finishing our investigation for the day, we delivered the orc’s ears to the guild and headed back.

The pay wasn’t much, but what mattered most to me was that we’d hunted down a monster threatening the town.

 

「With this, we reduced the danger around the town even a little.」

 

「…That’s true.」

 

I tried to start a casual talk with Sybilla about our accomplishment today, but she didn’t sound very happy for some reason.

 

「Oh yeah, you were talking about how the monsters were deliberately let to roam around or whatever, weren’t you?」

 

「It’s not something I want to talk about until I’m one hundred percent sure of it, but…」

 

「For example, helping someone in a pinch makes it easy to earn favor, no?」

 

「That’s one way to put it, but, yeah, I guess…」

 

「And to create that exact situation, it’s more convenient to have monsters around.」

 

Don’t tell me…

 

「We can’t make a move until we can pinpoint where exactly these orcs are spawning from. But the Crimson Church is definitely using this, 『saving people from the orcs』noble cause, as an excuse for their operation. That’s why if the number of orcs decreases, it will be inconvenient for them.」

 

So that’s why Sybilla suspects the Crimson Salvation Church is adjusting the number of orcs and releasing them from the dungeon to this plain, huh.

 

「I certainly don’t intend to make enemies out of all those followers at this early stage when we have nothing but suspicion. But I want to at least make it so that they can’t do that.」

 

Sybilla stopped looking so serious and finally let a triumphant smile spread across her face.

 

「And I believe we can do just that!」

 

「I see, if it’s us, the 『Twilight Pact』, then…」

 

「Right. If we can’t act openly, then we, the 『Twilight Pact』, just have to defeat the Demon Lord of the dungeon these orcs are spawning from. That’s why we came all the way here after all.」

 

She’s not wrong about that.

If we defeat the Demon Lord, monsters won’t overflow from the dungeon so easily anymore.

I don’t know to what extent this will solve the problem in this town, but it should at least force the Crimson Salvation Church to abandon Madeira as their base of operation.

 

Now the question is, just where is this second dungeon the orcs are spawning from?

 

Upon returning to the orphanage, the first thing I saw was Emmy playing with the children right near the entrance.

 

「Emmy, we’re back!」

 

「Welcome back!」

 

Emmy greeted me cheerfully, but then she suddenly flushed and looked down.

 

「What’s wrong?」

 

「I-It’s nothing!」

 

「Hmm~ I see Emmy-chan wants to get a job where she gets to say, 『welcome home』 in the future, huh~?」

 

「D-D-Don’t tell him thaaat~!」

 

Ahh, so that’s what it was.

Hearing the reason explained again like that, I can’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

My eyes met Emmy’s for a moment, but we both felt awkward and looked away in silence. …It’s Sybilla’s fault, yeah.

 

「By the way, Russell, if I were to say 『welcome home, D-A-R-L-I-N-G』 to you, would that make your heart flutter?」

 

「Holy crap, that gives me the chills. Stop it, seriously.」

 

「Isn’t that too harsh!?」

 

When it comes to you, I just don’t think that’s quite right.

Saying,『you’re late』 when I come back suits you more, and that’s good enough for me.

 

After all, what I like about you is that you’re always authentic and never try to flatter anyone.

But I won’t say it out loud, since you’ll probably get carried away if I do.

 

More importantly, there’s something I need to confirm with Emmy first.

 

「By the way, Emmy, weren’t you supposed to be with Frederica? It’s not like you to hang around here instead when you said you’ll stay to act as her bodyguard.」

 

「Frederica said she’d rather have me keep an eye on the kids, you see. You know how popular she is with kids, but she said she wanted to cook, so…」

 

I see, so that’s how it happened. Frederica’s love of cooking never changes, no matter which orphanage she goes too it seems.

Both Emmy and I were saved many times over by her cooking when we were all together back at the orphanage.

There might be a child at this orphanage who, like I was back then, tries to help Frederica but ends up just getting in her way.

 

Sybilla was stroking the heads of the children watching our conversation, tickling each one, rubbing their cheeks against them, and hugging them close to her chest.

Her face was beaming with the widest smile I’ve seen her make today, like that of a mischievous kid.

 

There’s a slight difference in how she interacts with each child. I was wondering why, but the reason became clear immediately.

Once Sybilla had stroked their heads, she opened her arms with a wide smile.

 

「I’m Sybilla! Are you all good kids, I wonder? If you’re the children under Ashley’s teaching, surely you all have grown up to be smart kids who can spell my name right~?」

 

「Syvilla?」 「Sybi, ra?」 「S-Sybilla-san…」

 

As the kids called her name one after another, Sybilla began to hug each of them in turn.

Sometimes she’d take their hands, letting them stroke her head or kiss her forehead.

When she finished, two of them clung tightly to Sybilla. Meanwhile, the remaining one stood there fidgeting with his face bright red.

 

Color me surprised… she’s way too fast in closing the distance with the kids. Just when I thought she was forcing herself because of the situation, the kids already approached her on their own.

Seriously, this chick really loves kids, huh? Isn’t she more experienced in taking care of kids than Frederica, hell, more than Gemma Baa-san even?

Well, age-wise, she’s probably older than that Baa-san, so I guess it’s just the experience that comes with age.

 

Sybilla stood up while lightly patting the head of the kids on her sides… when she turned to me with a frown.

 

「Don’t read my mind.」

 

「…What are you talking about?」

 

Huh? Was that not it?

I thought she was pissed because I suddenly brought up her age, although only in my mind, but I guess I was just making assumptions on my own.

 

…Wait a second.

Then why is she making such a sullen expression right now?

 

「What’s wrong?」

 

「『Legend of the Saintess, Goddess’ Prayer Chapter』. Just this place is fine, so… can you, please?」

 

The moment I heard her request——I immediately understood Sybilla’s intentions.

 

「《Cure Link》」

 

The truth behind the Legend of the Saintess, the Goddess’s Prayer.

It was a legendary tale of the Saintess who『Healed an entire village with just her prayer』, but in reality, it was thanks to the healing magic she had mastered.

And the very healing magic that made such large-scale healing possible was this Cure Link magic I just used.

 

Sibylla stroked the kids’ heads and looked closely at their faces.

She must’ve realized it then.

That they were afflicted by some sort of illness.

 

「…Huh?」

 

One of the kids stood up.

 

「I suddenly feel kind of hungry now…」

 

「Feeling hungry is a sign of good health, you know? And it was the Mister Black here who made everyone feel better. Now, as Ashley’s students, you should know what to say to him, right?」

 

With one eye closed, she raised a finger and urged the children.

The kids then looked at each other before bowing their heads simultaneously.

 

「Thank you mister!」

 

Compared to when they were calling Sybilla’s name before, their voices sounded much more vibrant this time.

Their condition had clearly improved.

…Though I’m a bit conflicted about the nickname “Mister Black”.

 

「With this my worries are all taken care of! I’m off to nag Frederica about dinner now. If it’s not ready yet, I suppose I’ll just have to sneak a bite.」

 

Sybilla gave a mischievous cat-like grin this time and headed inside.

Emmy sighed as she watched her go.

 

「Even though some of the kids still wouldn’t open up to me even after a whole day… Haah~ as I thought, Sybilla-san is really amazing, isn’t she?」

 

「Don’t let it get to you. Honestly, that guy might even be better at handling kids than magic. Besides, Sybilla herself is counting on you to hold down the fort while she’s gone for the day. Neither me nor her can be a better shield to protect this place than you, no matter how hard we try, after all.」

 

「Ehe-Ehehehe, you think so? …I see, thanks. Alright~ I’ll do my best then!」

 

Just the fact that you’re trying to compete with Sybilla already makes you pretty impressive enough in my book.

Unlike me, who decided to leave the heavy lifting of anything that requires intellect——including everything related to the church and the goddess——to her.

I just want to avoid making the situation worse by intervening without the proper knowledge. Because that’s usually the kind of guy who’s hated the most.

 

Instead, like what I did just now, I’ll take care of most of the other things aside from those.

Otherwise, I’d end up leaving the matters of Madeira entirely to them.

 

Besides, I feel it too.

The time when I can shine is definitely coming.

 

We entered the kitchen with the children.

Ashley’s eyes widened when she saw the children’s current state.

As someone who had been with them for so long, she must have noticed it.

 

「….Umm, Saint-sama… could it be that…」

 

「Sybilla saw right through it, so I fixed them up real quick. Ah, I won’t charge you a dime, so don’t worry about it.」

 

I wouldn’t be able to shut my eyes in peace at night if I let a child like them suffer.

Good grief, I guess it’s precisely because of this nature of mine that I ended up being bestowed a job like “Saint”.

 

Hearing that, Ashley… knelt again in the kitchen.

 

「Aahhh, t-thank you so so much, Saint-sama! As I thought, Saint-sama is my one truly savior! Saint-sama, please tell me if there’s anything I can do to repay you…!」

 

「Then, please just call me Russell from now on.」

 

「You’re too humble, Russell-sama!」

 

「I just want you to stop because the stares from others are painful, though…」

 

She sure is one hyper energetic woman, isn’t she?

When I looked away, Frederica was smiling with her hands pressed together.

She must have had her hands full dealing with this girl’s high energy countless times…

 

Frederica’s cooking is as wonderful as ever, even after we go all the way to Madeira, and Ashley mentioned the kids are eating more than usual with a smile on her face.

Ah, it’s good to see that we can still save those who are within our hand’s reach, even when the town is currently like this.

Someday, I hope to spread these hands throughout the whole town and make it as bright as this dining table.

 

After witnessing what happened in the 『Red Salvation Church』 today… I really wanted to end the day on a good note.

So, as the final act to wrap up the day, I feel like I did a good job.

 

I suddenly recalled the day Brenda called me the 『Black Kite Saint』.

Her smile that day overlapped with the child in front of me, whose mouth was being wiped by Ashley after tasting Frederica’s cooking.

…In a way, maybe it was always me who was saved by the sound of children’s laughter.

 

Alright, let’s give it our all for tomorrow as well.