Susan and the Orphanage

Susan was a very pretty girl, with long blond hair and wearing a white dress, which was now all dirty.

"I-I was collecting medicinal herbs", Susan explained.

Lilian looked perplexed at Susan, medicinal herbs could be found selling within the city for a not so expensive price, so why would she risk coming here to get them for herself.

"I live in an orphanage, and I am the oldest child there…one of my brothers is very sick, and the orphanage is having a hard time, so I decided to come here by myself without anyone knowing to get some medicinal herbs", Susan decided to tell Lilian everything.

"Is the orphanage having a hard time? Wouldn't the townspeople do anything about it?", asked Lilian.

Seeing Lilian's question, Susan tried to explain, "Usually yes… we used to receive donations from nobles before, but after a while the donations started to be less and less, the sisters who take care of the orphanage can't work and leave the children there and the donations from ordinary citizens are only enough for our daily meals."

After hearing Susan's explanation, Lilian was sure that there was someone behind it all.

"You told me that one of your little brothers is injured, right?", asked Lilian.

"Y-Yes."

"Did you get the medicinal herbs you wanted? And do you know what he has?".

After several questions, Lilian wanted to dig a hole and hide inside.

Susan had come here to get medicinal herbs without even knowing what her brother's illness was and, what herb was needed.

After some thought, Lilian said, "Well, I will help you".

Tears began to stream down Susan's face, "Are you really going to help us? But we can't afford it…you are clearly an adventurer, and we have tried contacting adventurers, but they always charge too much."

"No need to worry, I won't charge you anything", Lilian replied with a smile.

After all, with the money Lilian had earned from her guild missions, it was already enough for her to be okay.

Susan quickly bowed and thanked Lilian continuously.

The two then set off for the city, nothing much happened on the way, Lilian was always alert and took a detour whenever she spotted something.

Arriving inside the city, Susan said, "I will go to my orphanage, do you want to come along with me?"

Lilian nodded and followed Susan.

The orphanage was located in a very good area in the city, close to all commerce and tourist attractions.

Arriving in front of the orphanage, Lilian saw that it was very worn out.

As soon as Susan appeared in front of the orphanage, all the children came running and hugged her.

"Big sister, you are back!";

"Sis, where were you?";

"Don't go away anymore sis, please!";

More and more children began to appear and ask where Susan had gone.

Lilian seeing this scene felt a huge warmth in her heart, children always made her feel happy, there was no evil in them, they were like little angels.

Soon the children noticed Lilian and quickly hid behind Susan.

Lilian's appearance as beautiful as she was still frightened the children, her beautiful scarlet eyes shining in the sunlight made her look intimidating.

Lilian, seeing the children's reaction let out a small laugh.

"Children, this is my friend Lilian, and Lilian these are my little brothers and sisters", introduced Susan.

Seeing that Lilian was friends with their older sister, the children quickly let their guard down and began to interact with Lilian.

Many of the questions were about why she carried a sword, or about the raven on her head and about her scarlet eyes.

Lilian was very happy to answer them all and was slowly making the children more comfortable with her presence.

Susan was very happy to see Lilian and the children getting along.

Sometime after the commotion outside, some ladies came out from inside the orphanage.

"Good lord you are well Susan", came one lady and hugged Susan.

"You don't know how, worried we were, you never leave like that, and it takes so long to come back", said another lady.

"I made a friend", Susan said with a huge smile on her face, completely ignoring all the worries and nagging.

It was then that the ladies realized that Lilian was there crouching on the floor and talking to the children.

"Oh! A friend, how did you meet her?", asked one lady, she was the oldest looking one and was in charge of the orphanage.

"It's a long story, Aunt Meng, a long story…", replied Susan vaguely.

After playing with the children some more, Susan called Lilian and everyone else to enter the orphanage.

"Forgive me for not having the proper hospitality, just as I said before…we are having financial problems", Susan said clumsily.

"Don't worry about it, it was me who wanted to come here in the first place", Lilian said.

Even after being inside the orphanage, all the children still surrounded Lilian.

All the children who lived here lost their parents, some were abandoned in alleys and brought here by other people, but most of them lost their parents to zombies when they were still very young, with no one to come back and get them, they naturally had to stay living here.

Lilian stopped to think for a moment about the former owner of this body, if it wasn't for her neighbors, she would probably be just another child in the orphanage.

"Lilian, my sick little brother is, lying on the bed in his room, would you like to go over there and see?", asked Susan.

The moment Susan mentioned her sick brother, she had a huge change of expression, it was pure sadness.

Lilian nodded and accompanied Susan through the orphanage.