Chapter 64

Andrew who was trying to ride the mood was now attempting to get a donation promise out of me too.

Seeing the sparkle in his eyes, I felt a mischievous urge to put him in his place. But after hearing Mrs. Miller’s situation, I couldn’t help but feel moved as well.

Winter Winslet has money, and donating a large sum to an orphanage wouldn’t be a big deal for someone like me.

Besides, I already knew that this orphanage would be gone in six months.

I asked Mrs. Miller,

“Madam, has anyone tried to buy this orphanage recently?”

“Oh my, how did you know? Yes, there were. Some people came by several times, persistently trying to persuade me.”

I had a hunch.

A hunch that the people trying to buy this orphanage were connected to Sakis Lubas.

“Do you remember anything about them?”

“Just that there were two men… Oh, right. They might have been devout members of the church. They said this building used to be a monastery dormitory long ago and that they wanted to restore it after purchasing it.”

That had to be a lie.

Miller Orphanage was one of the few stone buildings in High Chapel, and what they wanted to build wasn’t a religious facility. It was probably a small fortress.

“So, did you decide to sell it?”

“I’m still thinking. It’s a humble orphanage, but even maintaining this place costs money. The money left from selling our former mansion is nearly gone now…”

“You said those people came multiple times trying to buy the place. Why haven’t you sold it yet?”

“Well, I’m quite old now, and moving isn’t easy. I’d have to take the children, too… and we don’t really have anywhere else to go. Unless they offer a very generous price, that is.”

“I take it they didn’t offer much, then.”

“It was a lot, considering it’s a run-down building in the slums, but not exactly a fortune.”

She still had the financial sensibilities of a former noblewoman.

I was grateful that the people trying to take over the orphanage had exercised the kind of caution typical of spies.

To avoid drawing suspicion, they must have offered a reasonable price—

But that price likely didn’t meet the lady’s standards.

Thanks to that, I now had an opportunity.

It meant I could make my move before Longsoniere turned this place into one of their strongholds.

But jumping the gun had its downsides too.

If I didn’t let them take over this orphanage, I’d be giving up the chance to strike one of their bases whenever I pleased.

Stopping the expansion of their power… or letting them grow, only to crush them easily later—

Which was the better option?

I didn’t spend long pondering.

“Don’t sell it.”

“Huh?”

“From now on, I’ll be supporting this orphanage.”

I had several money pouches set aside for emergencies while working under the alias Nice Goodman.

I reached into my coat and pulled out one at random, handing it to Mrs. Miller.

Her hand froze as she took it.

If it had only contained coins, she wouldn’t be able to tell whether they were bronze, silver, or gold—

But this pouch also held jewels.

“This much money…?”

“If you use it sparingly, it should be enough to keep the orphanage running for a while.”

She fell into thought.

And after a long pause, she set the pouch down.

“I’m afraid I can’t accept this money.”

“What? Why not?”

Andrew protested in my place.

“You said you were running out of funds!”

Mrs. Miller replied calmly.

“There are only two kinds of people who show up at an orphanage like this and offer large sums of money.”

“And what are those?”

“Those who buy people… and those who sell them.”

People who need slaves or brokers who provide them.

In other words, traffickers.

Despite the noble cause they represent, orphanages were often ideal grounds for the vilest crimes.

Children, while less efficient as laborers than adults, were easier to handle.

They were physically weak and mentally easier to mold.

And the children in orphanages who had no parents or relatives had no one to object, no one to search for them, no one to even notice when they vanished or met a grim fate.

In fact, among the poor, it wasn’t uncommon for parents themselves to sell their children.

How much easier, then, would it be in an orphanage?

Mrs. Miller was making it clear. She was not that kind of person.

I explained myself.

“My support for this orphanage isn’t about anything like that. I won’t ever ask for such a thing.”

“Most brokers say that at first. Then, over time, their story changes.”

“Mr. Goodman isn’t like that! The person who introduced him to us vouched that he’s trustworthy!”

Surprisingly, Andrew jumped in to defend me.

Though… it didn’t sound very convincing.

Mrs. Miller said firmly,

“I can’t accept this kind of money from someone who won’t even reveal who they are.”

“Would a name be enough?”

“Names can lie. Show me your face.”

“That’s not possible.”

The name Nice Goodman would soon be whispered through the Royal Intelligence Service and the criminal underworld alike.

Revealing my identity in a place like this was out of the question.

“Why are you wearing a mask, then? Are you hiding something shameful?”

“That’s because…”

“Mr. Goodman has terrible burn scars on his face. That’s why he doesn’t want to show it to anyone. Isn’t that right?”

Andrew lied without blinking.

Then he glanced back at me with a sly grin, clearly pleased with the excuse he’d come up with.

Since it was a matter of facial scars, even Mrs. Miller didn’t press further.

I spoke.

“So, would it be acceptable if it’s not a large sum?”

I took a silver coin from the pouch Mrs. Miller had put down and handed it to Andrew.

“Huh? Why are you giving me money?”

“With that money, buy food and supplies the children need, and send them to the orphanage. How about that?”

“…If that’s the case, then I’d be grateful.”

Andrew looked a bit appalled.

“Wait…hold on. You’re making me do it?”

“Didn’t you say good deeds are better when shared? You brought me into this, so it’s time to pay the price.”

“Ugh…”

I turned to Mrs. Miller.

“I’ll be stopping by from time to time to check in on the orphanage. It’ll still be here, won’t it?”

“Unless I get too old to move, yes.”

“Then that’s good enough.”

And with that, I had taken one of Sakis Lubas’s potential strongholds and brought it under my influence.

This was the moment when the unaffiliated mage, Nice Goodman, officially joined the turf war taking place in the slums.

“Let’s do good work together.”

“Thank you.”

Andrew grinned.

“Things worked out nicely, didn’t they? By the way, Mrs. Miller….if it’s alright, could I meet some of the children before I go?”

“The children?”

“Of course. Aren’t I their senior, after all? If not me, then who’s going to teach these kids life lessons that actually matter? Hahaha.”

“Do whatever you want.”

“But where are they all? I don’t see anyone.”

“The girls are probably in their rooms. I told them to stay there whenever guests come by. As for the boys, they hate staying indoors, so they usually play outside all day. But it’s almost lunchtime, so they should be coming in soon. Ah, there they are now.”

Three boys were trudging toward the orphanage entrance.

They weren’t unfamiliar faces.

“Ahhh! Those little punks!”

Andrew exclaimed.

Mrs. Miller called the boys over.

“Come say hello to our guests. They’re going to be supporting the orphanage from now on.”

As their eyes met Andrew’s, the boys’ expressions began to fill with dread.

In contrast, Andrew’s face lit up with delight.

The contrast between their joy and despair couldn’t have been more obvious.

“Hehehe, you little brats are so screwed…. I mean, how about we go have a little heart-to-heart over there, boys?”

***

Seeing the boys again, the same ones he had run into at the entrance of High Chapel, Andrew grinned like a kid getting a birthday present.

“Alright, my little darlings. How about handing back the wallet you stole from me?”

“Wallet? We don’t know anything about that.”

“Oh, please. You really think I’ll fall for that? Want me to go tell Mrs. Miller?”

Turns out even these brazen boys had something they were afraid of.

At the mention of Mrs. Miller’s name, they surrendered immediately.

“Okay, okay, don’t tell her. We’ll give it back!”

“Here. Happy now?”

The returned wallet was, of course, completely empty.

Andrew clicked his tongue.

“Tch. You little punks. I was actually going to give you some pocket money today, and you dared to get to it first?”

“Don’t lie. That wallet was already empty. You’re broke. Pocket money, my foot.”

“What was that, punk?”

Andrew gave each of the three boys a solid flick on the head.

“Ow!”

“Ah, come on!”

“You jerk!”

“Oh? You’re not even gonna lower your eyes? What, you think this place is your living room or something?”

“It is our living room. This is our orphanage.”

“Well, I’m the guy funding this orphanage, punks.”

Of course, I was the one who actually paid the donation.

Andrew reigned over the boys like a textbook example of someone wielding power they didn’t earn.

“Pickpocketing is one thing. But does Mrs. Miller know you’ve been out there selling drugs?”

The boys clamped their mouths shut and glared at him.

“Yeah, didn’t think so. Just imagining how heartbroken she’d be… breaks my heart too.”

“Please don’t tell the Director!”

“Should I tell her? Or do you want to confess yourselves?”

“Confess what? It wasn’t even real drugs!”

“Huh? Not real?”

“That’s right! Who would dare sell drugs in High Chapel without a gang’s permission? If they found out, we’d be gone without a trace.”

“We were just lying to scam some dumb kids out of their money, that’s all.”

Andrew placed his hands on his hips and glared at them.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Oh come on, why don’t you ever trust people?”

“Can you swear on Mrs. Miller?”

“Yes!”

“Hmmm…”

Seeing how boldly they answered, Andrew stroked his chin.

Then he nodded and said,

“Yeah… still don’t trust you. Real or fake, hand over everything you’ve got. I’ll toss it or burn it myself.”

The boys blinked.

“We can’t.”

“Huh?”

“It’s not that we don’t want to. We don’t have it. We just got robbed in front of the orphanage.”

“You’re not lying?”

“Search us yourself if you don’t believe it.”

The boys emptied their pockets as if daring him to look.

All they had were dust and trash.

“I’m telling you, some crazy woman jumped us, beat us up, and took all the fake meds. You see this bump on my head? Ugh, seriously…our luck’s the worst.”

“Serves you right. That’s what people call karma.”

The boys glared at Andrew, but none dared to talk back to a sponsor.

And Andrew, well aware of that, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself as he teased them.

“Anyway, what are your names?”

“Alma, Noma, and Lenny. We all go by Miller.”

“Miller? Isn’t that Mrs. Miller’s last name?”

“She gave it to us. All the kids raised in the orphanage take her name.”

“What? That wasn’t a thing back in my day!”

“Jealous, huh?”

“Jealous? As if!”

Andrew lowered his voice.

“Alright, take a seat. You’re about to hear the ultimate life story from the pride of Miller Orphanage himself. Andrew Gibson.”

Just then, Mrs. Miller’s voice rang out in the distance.

“Alma, Noma, Lenny! Come eat lunch, boys. If you don’t hurry, the others’ll eat your share!”

“Coming!”

The boys took off in a rush.

Left alone, Andrew gave a slight shiver, then stood up and said,

“…Let’s get going, Mr. Goodman. We’ve got a mountain of places to be, and we can’t waste any more time here.”

“For someone in such a hurry, you sure looked like you were having fun.”

“That was an illusion. You must’ve seen it wrong.”

There was no point in arguing.

“So, where are we headed next?”

The day was long, and it had just passed noon.

“Let’s head to Gray Chapel. I mean, all the slums in High Chapel are pretty much the same, right? It’s only when you get to Gray Chapel that you see a real slum.”

Andrew, once again, was putting on airs with that baseless confidence of his, though who knows where it came from.

As we were leaving the orphanage, I witnessed something utterly ridiculous.

A tall woman was sticking some kind of weed up her nose, grumbling with clear dissatisfaction.

“Hmm… Have I built up a tolerance from using too much lately? I’m applying it directly to the mucous membrane, and still nothing? Those brats swore this was the strongest stuff you could get around here…”

It was Monastrell.