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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Even Though We're Both Abandoned by Our Parents
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Even though we're both abandoned by our parents.
To cut to the chase.
My attempt to bloom the mana herb ended in failure.
No matter how much I racked my brains and poured all my focus into it, the mana herb refused to bloom.
I couldn't even coax common flowers like roses or hydrangeas into blooming. For now, the silver flower herb was the only thing I could reliably make flower.
It seemed some special condition had to be met to manifest the divine power.
"Hey, where are you off to now?"
It was the usual moment—I was just stepping out to sell my bundles of herbs.
Eddy and his gang were glaring at me with sharp eyes. A few of them had planted themselves right in front of the main gate, blocking the way.
"Mind your own business, Eddy."
"Nah."
He sauntered over with his hands shoved in his pockets, striking a cocky pose. His twisted scowl made it look like he was about to hawk a loogie.
"I heard you're making money, huh?"
How'd he find out?
But then again, I hadn't exactly hidden my identity while selling the herbs, so it wasn't that surprising.
"What's that got to do with you?"
"I won't tell the Director. Just share some with me."
Unbelievable.
For a kid, he was awfully brazen and bold. God knows what he'll turn into when he grows up.
I had zero interest in dealing with him anymore.
I pulled out a handy little weapon I'd been relying on lately.
A single flower with pure white petals.
I let a drop of spit hover threateningly over his head, and Eddy flinched, staggering back a step.
"Better run before you get a taste of something dirtier."
"T-That... doesn't scare me anymore!"
"Your mouth says one thing, but your feet are still backing up."
I held the flower bud in my hand and advanced slowly toward Eddy.
At that moment, a girl with frizzy golden hair burst forward and threw her arms wide to block me.
"Annie."
She was one of Eddy's crew—and the one girl who hated me most of all.
"Annie. I'm seriously gonna spit."
I warned her firmly, but Annie didn't budge an inch.
She even glared at me defiantly, thrusting out one cheek like she was daring me to try.
"Good job, Annie!"
Eddy, who'd been cowering behind her, suddenly lunged and grabbed a fistful of my hair.
"Ugh...!"
The searing pain of my scalp being yanked twisted my face involuntarily.
"Gotcha!"
A vile smirk curled on Eddy's lips as he wrenched my head back hard.
"Let go."
I growled through the pain, but Eddy showed no sign of listening.
"Give me money and I will! It's not fair—you hogging all the cash like a cheat?!"
"If you were born a man, earn your own damn money. Quit begging off women like a parasite."
My icy retort made Eddy's face contort in rage.
He ignored the advice completely. Instead, he yanked even harder, like he was venting his fury.
"You little...! You done talking shit?!"
"Ugh...!"
The surging pain made my hand dart toward the inner pocket of my top without thinking.
I was on the verge of pulling out what I'd hidden there when, after a split-second hesitation, I pulled back—instead clamping down hard on Eddy's arm.
"Let go while I'm asking nicely."
"What makes you so special? You're no different—you're just like me... abandoned by your parents!"
"..."
"You're nothing but another filthy orphan from the gutters!"
"...I've been plenty patient already, Eddy."
I could forgive Eddy's childish antics a hundred times over.
There wasn't a single adult in this orphanage who properly taught right from wrong, after all.
But this? This crossed a line no human being should ever step over.
Quietly, I raised both hands and set them on Eddy's shoulders.
Then, channeling every ounce of strength, I drove my foot up between his legs.
Thud-!
A heavy, meaty impact echoed out.
"...Huh?"
Eddy blinked vacantly, oblivious to what had just hit him.
Moments later, his facial muscles began to crumple. His legs wobbled and buckled.
"Guh... guoooooh...."
He spat out a grotesque groan before crumpling to the floor in a heap.
I gave him a pitying look and gently patted his head.
"Don't pull this crap again."
The kids around us all recoiled in horror, scrambling backward.
Their eyes held pure terror, like they'd spotted a demon. From a boy's perspective, it was understandable.
"Does that hurt that much...?"
Annie was the only one tilting her head in genuine confusion.
"What is this commotion!"
I was just about to slip away from the scene when the Director came charging toward us, eyes blazing.
She scanned each child, piecing together what happened, before locking her piercing gaze on me.
"Was this your doing, Bella?"
"...Eddy grabbed my hair first."
I protested anyway, even knowing it wouldn't stick.
"I see."
But what happened next caught me off guard.
The Director flashed me a gentle smile before scowling down at the collapsed Eddy.
"Eddy! How many times have I told you to quit stirring up trouble! No dinner for you today!"
An unexpected turn. All I could do was blink in stunned silence.
After barking at Eddy, she turned back to me with that same warm smile.
"Bella, dear. Care to have a little chat in my office?"
...What was with that ominous smile?
She was taking my side, but it filled me with nothing but suspicion.
I'd have preferred a scolding—she was no ally who'd actually help.
Tucking my unease deep inside, I quietly followed her to the office.
In this rundown orphanage, the Director's office was the one space that still looked halfway decent.
Expensive paintings adorned the walls everywhere. It was like they were screaming, We embezzled it all!
What if the temple found out? How did she plan to wriggle out of that?
Or maybe she wouldn't even care if they did.
"Hehe, some tea?"
Her syrupy smile never failed to unsettle me.
"I'm good."
"Of course. Bella's always been such a sensible girl. You have no idea how much you prop up this place."
...It was starting to make my skin crawl.
I wanted to bolt to my room and retch my guts out.
"What do you want?"
"Bella, I've heard you're earning money out there."
She lifted her teacup for a delicate sip before cutting to the chase.
"And?"
"Word is, you pull in about fifty runes a day. Most impressive."
She'd even looked into that?
"Bella."
"Yes."
"Now that you're growing into such a fine young lady, how about lending a hand to our orphanage?"
I'd always known this day would come, so I hadn't bothered hiding it.
But I never imagined she'd be this nakedly greedy about it.
"What exactly do you mean by 'a hand'?"
"I'd like you to donate half your earnings to the orphanage."
Her highway-robbery demand left me too stunned to even laugh.
"You know how tight things are around here. That's why I need you to step up, Bella—just a little."
The reason things were tight was obvious.
You lot embezzled every last coin of the temple's support funds.
"If you help us out, it'll make things better for everyone. For you, for me."
It sounded like a plea on the surface, but it was really just a thinly veiled threat.
Refuse her, and she'd find some way to make my life hell.
"Our sweet Bella will help the Director out, won't she?"
"No."
I refused to be played. Not a moment's hesitation.
Her smile faded slowly. One eyebrow arched as displeasure crept across her face.
"Bella, dear. Don't forget the grace this place has shown you."
"Grace? All I remember are the beatings."
"Who do you think fed you and put a roof over your head?"
She called that grace?
The bread was rock-hard and impossible to chew. Sleep meant moldy mattresses. Winters were ice-cold baths with not a drop of hot water.
"Do you have any idea how much it cost to raise you for eight years?"
"That money all came from the temple's support funds."
The Director's eye twitched faintly.
She clearly hadn't expected me to know that much.
Every registered orphanage got steady funding from the temple—and the more kids you had, the more you received.
"Did you even spend half of it on us?"
Slap-!
The familiar sting of her hand across my face.
A sharp crack, followed by the metallic tang of pain blooming on my left cheek.
"You insolent little brat...!"
Where was the doting praise from moments ago? Now she was just a snarling demon glaring daggers.
"Think it over again, Bella. Helping each other out would be best—for your own sake."
"Say it a thousand times... I won't give you my money."
My unyielding stance drew a disbelieving scoff from her.
"Fine. We'll talk about this another time. Off you go for today."
Truth was, I wanted out of there more than anyone. I turned on my heel and shoved the door open hard.
Isabel stood outside, watching me with a troubled expression.
"Bella..."
"I'm fine, senior."
"...Sorry."
Isabel bit her lip and bowed her head.
Why was she sorry? She was just as powerless here as I was.
"Really, it's okay. She won't kick me out or anything."
She couldn't afford to.
Losing me would mean less funding.
At worst, the bullying would ramp up.
I brushed past the bowed Isabel and trudged down the long, endless corridor.
For a kid's legs, it felt endless.