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Chapter 7
When the sun that illuminated the world disappeared behind the distant black mountain range, the long day’s work finally came to an end.
Twilight arrived as the moon slowly rose into the evening sky.
It was the hour when those returning home after a hard day’s labor were blessed with dinner—and when Wade Wesley came alive once again.
At this time of day, white smoke rose from the chimneys of every home, each one shaped differently.
To the people of this world, dinner was more than a meal.
It was a sacred moment—a celebration that they had survived another difficult day and safely returned to the embrace of their families.
That was why they always tried to prepare better ingredients and tastier food for the evening meal, even if it meant stretching their finances.
Why else would nobles compete to recruit master chefs into their households?
Why was one of the greatest boasts among commoners,
“My wife is an excellent cook”?
Because dinner carried special meaning here.
Just by looking at a family’s dinner table, one could understand their circumstances.
But…
“…Sigh.”
The evening meal at Hope Orphanage could hardly be called a blessing.
“…What should we do?”
Inside the tiny kitchen, barely large enough for five people to stand comfortably, a huge iron pot simmered with thin oat porridge.
The room was filled with the smell of oats.
Since they had no choice but to use poor-quality grain, a stale odor lingered beneath the nutty aroma.
Yet that wasn’t the reason the woman standing before the pot frowned.
Dressed in a black nun’s habit, Lurude Grace knitted her brows together.
“No matter how I look at it… there won’t be enough.”
After spending the entire day searching everywhere…
She had managed to gather a few extra loaves of bread to go with the porridge.
But considering how many children lived at the orphanage…
It was nowhere near enough.
Sigh…
She couldn’t stop herself from sighing.
More than sadness…
More than frustration…
What she felt was humiliation.
Hard coarse bread that was difficult to chew.
Watery oat porridge stretched thin to feed as many mouths as possible.
And even that…
She couldn’t provide enough.
That reality filled her with despair.
“Lady Angelica… please watch over these poor little lambs.”
Closing her eyes tightly, she silently offered a prayer.
Just then—
“Sister! Sister Lurude!”
A hurried voice came from outside the kitchen.
Sister Anna, the head of Hope Orphanage, rushed inside, breathing heavily.
Without even catching her breath, she blurted out,
“H-He’s here!”
“…”
Lurude frowned again.
Pretending not to notice, Anna forced a wrinkled smile onto her face.
She rambled on about how grateful they should be for his visit and reminded Lurude not to treat him so coldly this time.
“…”
Lurude understood.
“So even Sister Anna can’t escape the power of money…”
She couldn’t entirely blame her.
The orphanage was in such desperate condition that they couldn’t refuse the money that that piece of trash brought.
What angered Lurude…
Was that she herself had become the collateral for those donations.
Her feet refused to move.
She felt like livestock being led to market against her will.
“But if I don’t go…”
“He’ll surely torment someone else.”
Biting her lip, she forced herself to follow the Mother Superior.
Every step toward the church’s old wooden doors felt unbearably heavy.
Creaaak…
The door opened with an unpleasant groan.
Cold evening air brushed against her face.
Then—
Her eyes widened.
“You’re not going anywhere! One at a time! Form a line first!”
“Yay! Hurry! Hurry!”
“Hey! Stop pulling! I said everyone will get one!”
Lurude wondered if she was dreaming.
Children laughed joyfully as they received clothes and food.
And standing among them…
Laughing just as brightly…
Was Ian Blake.
Considering everything she knew about him…
It was an impossible sight.
Her confusion was only natural.
But only for a moment.
“…How disgusting.”
The words escaped her lips before she realized it.
Exactly one week earlier…
Around sunset…
She had witnessed almost the exact same scene while returning from buying food.
But back then…
The atmosphere had been completely different.
The children’s laughter had been replaced by crying.
Ian’s laughter had been cruel mockery.
And—
“You filthy little beggars! Do you know who I am?! You dared touch my carriage with those dirty hands?!”
His behavior then…
Hadn’t even been human.
“Cut off those filthy beggars’ hands!”
A beast.
That was what he had been.
“…”
She could barely contain herself.
Just seeing his face made her grind her teeth.
One of the children whose hand had been severed simply for touching Ian’s carriage…
Was one of Hope Orphanage’s children.
An orphan whose parents had already been killed by monsters.
“And now…”
“Now you come here pretending to be kind?”
That child still cried himself to sleep every night.
How much resentment…
How many tears…
“You expect me to believe you’ve changed?”
The absurdity was almost laughable.
Just then—
A child covered in mud ran toward Ian.
The child tripped.
Crash.
He bumped into Ian’s luxurious carriage, leaving a muddy streak across its polished surface.
Instantly…
Silence fell.
“…Ah.”
Lurude’s face turned pale.
She remembered what had happened last time.
One of Ian’s mercenaries stepped forward with a frown.
Just like before.
“N-No…!”
She knew exactly what would happen next.
She had to stop it.
That was the only thought in her mind.
The muddy child noticed everyone staring and began to cry.
“Don’t cry! Please!”
Lurude ran toward them.
If the child cried now…
She couldn’t even imagine what Ian would do.
She desperately rushed forward—
Then…
“Hey!”
“You scared him!”
Ian shouted.
Not at the child.
But at his own mercenary.
“…Sir?”
“What do you mean ‘sir’? Wipe that look off your face! You’re scaring the kids! Can’t you see this little guy’s terrified? Smile! Come on!”
“B-But… you always ordered us to frighten everyone…”
“…Seriously.”
“Just how many insane things has that idiot done…”
“…Wait.”
“Even so…”
“Why are you frightening children?”
“It was your order…”
“My order?”
“If I told you to die, would you do it?”
“No, right?”
“Move aside.”
Ian shoved the mercenary away.
Then…
Without hesitation…
He knelt on one knee.
Ignoring the muddy ground beneath him, he lowered himself until he was eye level with the child.
Using his sleeve, he gently brushed the mud off the child’s face and clothes.
“You okay?”
“Did you get hurt?”
“N-No…”
“Good.”
“What’s your name?”
“T-Tommy…”
“Oh!”
“Tommy.”
“That’s a nice name.”
“I don’t know what it means, but still.”
“You fell over and didn’t even cry.”
“You’re pretty brave.”
“Yes!”
“I’m brave!”
“Hmm…”
Ian dramatically rubbed his chin.
Then snapped his fingers.
“Brave kids deserve rewards.”
He rummaged through one of the supply wagons.
Then handed Tommy a thick strip of jerky.
The boy’s face lit up with delight.
“Just be more careful next time.”
“Yes!”
“Good boy.”
Ian patted Tommy’s head twice before standing again.
“…Why’s everyone staring at me?”
Apparently…
He was the only one who didn’t know why.
Everyone present thought the same thing.
Lurude.
Gren.
The mercenaries.
Every single one of them.
“A-Anyway!”
Sister Anna hurriedly stepped in.
“You’ve traveled a long way.”
“Please come inside.”
“We’ve prepared a simple meal for your escorts as well.”
“Children!”
“Go wash your hands and come inside!”
“Yeees!”
The children happily ran into the church.
A few stubbornly insisted on staying to collect more presents, but Anna eventually dragged them inside.
Soon…
Only Ian…
Gren’s mercenaries…
And Lurude remained.
Lurude’s expression was conflicted.
But soon…
Her face returned to its usual coldness.
“It’s all fake.”
“Even that smile.”
“Even those actions.”
“Tonight he’ll stay as usual…”
“And babble about wanting me to accept his feelings.”
Her fists clenched tightly.
She hated herself for being unable to reject him completely.
The orphanage needed his donations too badly.
She couldn’t refuse.
All she could do…
Was protect herself behind the excuse of being a nun.
“Using my weakness against me…”
“That’s the worst kind of person.”
Even now…
He was staring at her.
Normally his gaze was openly lecherous.
Enough to make her skin crawl.
But today…
“Something’s different.”
His expression wasn’t filled with lust.
Instead…
He looked strangely serious.
“Can he even make a face like that?”
She immediately bit her lip.
No.
This was Ian Blake.
It had to be another act.
When his usual methods failed…
He’d resorted to pretending.
“Deep down…”
“You’re still ruled by filthy lust!”
“…Please come inside.”
She steeled herself.
“I won’t let my guard down.”
Yet…
This day would become the strangest day of her life.
“Uh…”
“I’m actually a little busy.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’ll come another time.”
“Don’t be too disappointed.”
“When I have time, I’ll visit again.”
“…Ah.”
“Well then.”
“I’m leaving.”
Clean.
There was no better word.
Ian turned around without hesitation.
No lingering.
No pestering.
He simply instructed a few mercenaries to unload the donations…
Then boarded his carriage and left.
“…Was that…”
“…a dream?”
Lurude stared blankly.
Then pinched her own cheek.
“…It hurts.”
That quiet whisper perfectly expressed her bewilderment.
*
[Sub Quest No. 10 Complete]
[Donation (1/1): You performed a good deed.]
[You obtained 37 Status Points.]
As the system notification disappeared…
Ian glanced back through the carriage window.
Lurude Grace still stood where he’d left her.
She was undeniably beautiful.
Jet-black hair.
Black eyes.
Slightly drooping eyes.
A distinctive beauty mark beneath one eye.
“Honestly…”
“She’s exactly my type.”
“And that incredibly kind heart…”
Ahem.
“Damn this useless eunuch-like trait.”
“One day, I’m definitely getting rid of it.”
Even after the carriage had traveled far away…
His eyes remained fixed on Lurude.
Not because of her appearance.
At least…
That’s what he insisted.
Lurude Grace
Female | 28 | Human
Priestess with Two Faces ★★★★
- Level: 74
- STR: 24
- INT: 96
- DEX: 44
- CON: 69
- CHA: 77
Traits:
- Spirit of Service
- Motherly Nature
- Clergy
- Advanced Cooking
- Lust
- Lewdness
Alignment: Hostile
Potential: B Rank
“…I’m not entirely sure…”
“But judging by those stats…”
“Shouldn’t she be serving at the Grand Temple instead of an orphanage?”
Among everyone Ian had appraised so far…
She possessed the highest raw abilities.
“If I had stats like that…”
“There’s no way I’d be living in poverty.”
Her devotion to service and her maternal instincts probably kept her tied to the orphanage.
Still…
One thing stood out more than anything else.
Lust.
Lewdness.
“A two-faced priestess…”
“A lustful nun overflowing with desire…”
“People really aren’t what they seem.”
Who would ever guess that someone like Lurude secretly possessed traits like those?
No one.
“My Appraisal Skill really is ridiculously overpowered.”
Simply by looking at someone…
He could understand almost everything about them.
The more he used it…
The more absurdly useful it seemed.
Just then—
“You’re not staying at the orphanage today?”
Gren rode his horse closer to the carriage and spoke.
“Whoa.”
“You startled me.”
“My apologies.”
“It’s fine.”
“I just didn’t expect you to start a conversation.”
“…I was curious.”
“About why I left so quickly?”
“…”
Gren answered only with silence.
Ian thought carefully before replying.
“There wasn’t any reason to stay.”
“I delivered the donations.”
“My real objective outside the mansion is the black market.”
“…I see.”
“What?”
“Did you want to say something?”
“…Nothing.”
Those words never left Gren’s mouth.
At some point, his hand had already settled on the hilt of the massive sword strapped to his back.
“With stats like his…”
“No wonder he can move so naturally without anyone noticing.”
Then…
Gren slowly relaxed.
“The Amilleur escorts have arrived.”
“Amilleur?”
Before Ian could ask another question…
The carriage slowed to a stop.
They had reached a quiet forest road overlooking the lake.
Following Gren’s lead, Ian stepped down from the carriage.
As if waiting for him…
A figure wearing a deep black hood emerged from the darkness.
“Ian Blake.”
“We will now escort you…”
“…to Amilleur.”
