CHAPTER 82: THE EMPTY ORPHANAGE

"Lydia!" Sera’s voice rang out from inside the tent. I looked up from what I was doing as she peeked through the flap, squinting against the early light, before stepping out into the cool morning air.

Lydia was already up, stretching against the morning breeze. Her arms reached high above her head as she twisted from side to side, working out the stiffness from sleeping on the ground.

The dawn breeze was fresh and comforting, carrying with it the scent of dew and earth. Around us, the leaves rustled in rhythm with the wind, creating a gentle, peaceful sound.

I was crouched near our packs, checking our food reserves and counting the coins we had left.

I laid them out carefully, organizing them by type. Now that Lydia had joined us, the estimates of our expenses had increased.

Of course, I’d looted well from the fallen soldiers back at the valley. My pack was heavy with their belongings. But I couldn’t just sell everything in one go and draw attention to myself.

People would get suspicious. How would I explain having so many artifacts of different types? A sword here, a pendant there, maybe some coins... that was normal. But a whole collection? That screamed trouble.

"Oh, good morning!" Lydia called back to Sera, her voice bright and cheerful. Her grin flashed wide against the rising sun.

"Haha." Sera smirked as she stepped fully out of the tent, brushing her hair back from her face. "Are you joining us?"

"Yup! I’ll be in your care." Lydia bowed slightly, her hands clasped in front of her. A mock formal gesture.

"Me too," Sera said, her own grin matching Lydia’s energy.

"Good morning," I called out to Sera, standing up and dusting off my hands as I finished organizing our supplies.

"Good morning, Rune," she replied, walking over toward me.

"Is Merin still asleep?" I asked, glancing toward the tent where it was still quiet.

"Nope, she’s pretending to be," Sera said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She crossed her arms with a knowing look.

"Good. I just needed a mule," I said, trying and failing to hide my grin.

*************

"Ugh..." Merin mumbled, her back arched under all the weight we’d piled on her. Her legs shook, threatening to give out at any moment.

I watched her for a second, then my eyes drifted to what she was wearing. It was still that thin, ragged dress the prisoners wore underground.

There wasn’t much to it, just enough fabric to barely cover her. Taking her into town like this would definitely gather attention. The wrong kind of attention.

I sighed. I’d have to ask Sera to talk to Sister Seraphina about lending Merin a proper dress at the orphanage.

I couldn’t take her to a clothing shop in town looking like this. People would ask questions I didn’t want to answer.

I drew my Blood Raven from its sheath. The blade gleamed in the morning light.

Clang!

The chains that had been blocking her aura and mana fell to the ground with a heavy sound, landing in the dirt beside her feet.

"Wha—" Lydia’s voice cut through the air, shocked.

In an instant, she had her dagger drawn and appeared in front of Merin, the sharp edge pressed dangerously close to her throat.

Merin didn’t move. She just stood there, staring down at the ground, her body still trembling under the weight of our supplies.

"Rune! What did you do!" Lydia snapped at me, her eyes fierce. She was ready to kill Merin at even the slightest movement.

"Relax," I said calmly.

Sera turned back from where she’d been walking ahead, drawn by the commotion. She’d been moving at a faster pace, all hyped up and excited to meet Sister Seraphina and kids at the orphanage. Now she stopped and looked back at us.

Lydia’s eyes darted between me and Merin, then back to me again.

Slowly, carefully, she moved backward, though her dagger stayed ready in her hand.

"You can use your powers only at my command," I said, looking directly at Merin.

Merin nodded silently. The collar around her neck was practically a leash, one that made her my slave, bound to my will completely.

I knew what she’d been trying to do. She’d tried to use her aura to strengthen herself so she could carry the luggage more easily. With her aura flowing freely, that much weight would be nothing more than a breeze to someone of her strength.

But her aura didn’t respond. It wouldn’t, not without my permission.

Her back was still arched painfully, her legs trembling under the strain. She turned her head toward me, her expression a mixture of exhaustion and something else, maybe resentment, maybe fear.

I walked past her without stopping. "When did I permit you to use aura to carry?" I said as I moved ahead.

"Ackk..." The sound escaped her lips as the full weight pressed down on her again, making her stumble slightly.

Lydia fell into step beside me without a word. I could sense something in her expression, a bit of pity, maybe, as she glanced back at Merin struggling behind us.

But strangely, Sera had no expression at all when it came to Merin. Her face was completely blank, like she didn’t even register that Merin existed.

I’d expected it to be the other way around. I thought Sera would have a soft corner for someone suffering like that, and Lydia would be the emotionless one. But people surprised you sometimes.

We walked forward in silence, Merin carrying our belongings behind us, her footsteps slow and heavy.

After a while, the bridge came into view. The wooden structure connected the forest to the village, spanning over a small ravine below.

Larkshade Village was surrounded on all four sides by thick wooden walls, with concrete reinforcements in some places where the wood had rotted or been damaged.

There were only two ways into the village, two bridges that served as the only connections to the outside world.

This bridge was used less frequently than the other one. The main bridge led directly to the next town and was the route merchants and locals used for trade and travel.

Me and Sera had used that bridge when we left the village before.

Now we were sneaking back in through the quieter route.

A single guard stood watch at the entrance, leaning against his spear, looking half-asleep already.

He didn’t stand a chance. He fell into a deep sleep the moment Merin’s toxin reached him, she’d released it silently as we approached, and he crumpled without even knowing what hit him.

We moved quickly, going around the back of the orphanage to stay out of sight.

Sera was practically bouncing now, like a ball of pure energy. Her excitement was almost contagious. She kept looking ahead eagerly, a huge smile on her face.

"So you lived here?" Lydia asked, her voice barely above a whisper as we walked through the familiar streets.

"Yep," I replied simply.

For some reason, even though I’d never actually entered this place before, something in my heart changed. I felt... happy. A warm feeling spread through my chest, and I didn’t quite know why.

It must be the recognition from the previous owner’s memories. This body had lived here once.

These streets, these buildings, the smell of the morning air... it all meant something to Rune who’d been here before me.

"I can’t wait to meet Sister!" Sera was practically jumping with joy, her feet barely touching the ground as she bounced along.

A smile crept onto my face without me even realizing it. I glanced over at Lydia and saw the same thing happening to her, she was smiling too, just watching Sera.

Her happiness was really contagious. It was impossible not to feel something warm spread through your chest when you saw her like this.

Behind us, Merin fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, her ragged breaths cutting through the quiet morning.

"We should look for anyone visiting, just in case," I said, turning my attention back to the orphanage ahead of us.

This place didn’t usually have many visitors besides Val, Seraphina’s sweetheart, but sometimes sponsors or representatives from the donating institutes would show up.

They’d come to greet Seraphina and check on the situation here, make sure their money was being used properly. Better to be safe than sorry.

Sera pouted, her bottom lip sticking out. "Do it fast!" she said, stamping her foot slightly.

She rarely threw tantrums like a child. I guess this was one of those rare times when her excitement got the better of her.

I turned to Lydia. She nodded once, understanding immediately, and then vanished from sight.

I closed my eyes and focused my aura, pushing it to intermediate level. My perception expanded outward like ripples in water, spreading through the building ahead of us.

I could sense a woman in the lounge downstairs. And on the first floor... kids. In their room. The big corridor with the beds.

Wait.

Those brats? In their rooms? At this hour?

None of the memories matched this. Those kids never stayed in their room during the day. Never.

Seraphina had to collect them one by one every single night just to get them to bed. Even then her duty wasn’t over! She had to tell them bedtime stories before they’d finally settle down and sleep.

Something was off. Very off.

"Is it clear?" Sera asked, her voice eager and impatient.

"It is clear... but..." I trailed off. I didn’t know what to say. What was I supposed to tell her? That something felt wrong? That the kids being quiet and in their rooms felt strange?

Maybe I was just being too sensitive to changes. Maybe things had simply shifted in the time we’d been gone.

Sera moved forward, heading toward the entrance. Her hand reached for the door.

Lydia appeared beside me suddenly, a smirk playing on her lips.

"What is it?" I asked, looking at her expression. That smirk meant something.

"Nothing," she said, but her smirk widened. "It’s just that she was calling a house mother ’sister.’"

I froze.

The words hit me like cold water.

"House mother?" I asked slowly, my voice careful.

"Yeah, a house mother," Lydia said, tilting her head slightly. "Fifty years old. And a grumpy eater from the looks of it."

My heart dropped into my stomach.

"Sister Serap—" Sera knocked on the door and started to shout.

But I interrupted her, my hand clamping over her mouth as my other arm wrapped around her waist.

I dragged her back quickly, pulling her to the side of the wall and out of view.

"Mmmm..." Sera’s muffled voice came through my hand as she tried to breathe, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Who is there?" An irritated voice came from inside, a woman’s voice, rough and aged. Fifty years old, just like Lydia had said.

Heavy footsteps approached the door.

I turned to Lydia urgently. "We can’t show ourselves. Talk to her," I whispered harshly, still holding Sera against the wall.

"What’s wrong... who is she?" Sera whispered back, her voice quiet but filled with worry now. She could sense something was wrong.

"Shh," I said, pressing a finger to my lips.

Lydia walked toward the door calmly, her expression shifting to something more neutral and polite.

I clutched Sera’s hand tightly. My palm was sweating.

It can’t be what I’m thinking, right? She’s just been transferred somewhere else. That’s all. Please let it be just a transfer...

I prayed in my mind, though my heartbeat was rising with every second that passed. The sound of it pounded in my ears.

"Rune..." Sera said quietly, looking up at me with worried eyes. Then she peeked around the corner toward Lydia.

I didn’t dare look. I couldn’t. I just focused on hearing every word, hoping desperately that it wasn’t what I thought it was.

"Ah... I’m an old acquaintance of Sister Seraphina," Lydia said, her tone perfectly polite as she bowed respectfully. "May I have an audience with her?"

There was a pause. A long, heavy pause that seemed to stretch on forever.

Then came the fifty-year-old woman’s irritated voice.

"Seraphina? That bitch died a few weeks ago."