Chapter 13: Miracle and Compensation

We chased the boy down, and the sight made us feel nauseated.

This is, so cruel.

A ten year old girl is fallen on the ground, covered with bruises and blood gas.h.i.+ng out all over her body. Most likely, she was. .h.i.t by many people. There are several children gathering around and calling her. The boy who stole Farunos pouch is there too.

Oi, wake up, Mille! Mille, come on! The boy frantically jolts the battered body of the girl.

I step behind him and stop his swaying.

What are you doing, old man!?

Whos old man!? Im only fifteen!

Thats still old!

Those ten year old children can only see it that way, huh?

Never mind that. Her head is probably hit as well. Dont rock her, youll only make it worse. My tone leaves no room for refusal, so he can only stop and take a step back.

Tha-thats, no way, oi, you, are you a doctor?

Im not, but I have some understanding in this area.

Ive read considerable amount of doctor-related books, and because there is no doctor in the pioneering village, my experience in dealing with medical care has been stacking up.

I beg you. Please, please save Mille!

Im planning to do that. Thats why Im following you here. Letting a child die leaves a bad taste, after all.

I lift the girls upper torso, continuing the medical examination. Clearly, this is the worst that could happen. Her ribs are fractured, piercing into her lung. Moreover, I can see that the bone fractures occur all over her body, leaving inner bleeding in her viscera.

Oi, how is it? Can you make her better?

Itll be too late to use normal means.

I reply while applying emergency measures. No matter how excellent of a doctor he can find, in the situation of this scale, she cannot be healed. She can only wait for her death.

My words drained the color from the boys face.

Why, why!? Mille mustnt die.

And arent you the one who knows that better than anyone?

I curtly reply to the boys laments.

.What are you saying?

Im saying that its a retribution coming back to your a.s.s.

Th, thats, were just doing anything we can to stay alive.

I exhausted all the knowledge of normal medical care that I knew to generally use stopgap measure. From now onwards, if I dont use my magic, theres nothing else that I can do.

Ive done everything that I can, more or less.

I have to thank you. Milles face has regained some color.

I dont need your thanks, because I didnt save her. I only made her condition a bit easier. The only thing that awaits her is still death.

Its saddening but this is the limit.

Still, thank you. Im happy that you still do your best for her, even just a little bit. The boy clenches his fist. Hey, you.

He looks at me with imploring eyes.

Before, you said that she couldnt be healed with normal means. So is there other means thats not normal?

Hou, he was quick to catch onto my words even in that kind of situation. Indeed, if its me, I have a way to cure her.

Indeed, I have a way.

Then please save her. Ill do anything; anything that I can do, I will. If you want to work my a.s.s off, I will. If you want money, with enough time I can collect them. So, please, save Mille.

He does a

dogeza

. The other boys and girls are also bowing down deeply.

I take a deep breath.

Im naive. I dont have the power to throw them away here like this.

Before I make my decision, tell me, how did she get into this state?

First, lets get that issue cleared.

Mille no, everyone here, were entrusted by an acquaintance to sell some drugs.

Narcotic?

Yeah, thats right. Mille lost the bag that carries the drugs. Maybe, just maybe, someone a.s.saulted her and took them forcibly because they didnt have money to buy them. Since she resisted, she became like this. I think she desperately resisted because if the drugs were taken away, those people would kill her for sure.

Youre a pickpocket, shes a drug seller Why on earth would you do this?

I know thats a meaningless question, but I still ask him. The answer is already obvious.

To stay alive. Were all orphans. I gather the bunch without relatives, accept some jobs, and live like this.

As I thought.

Pickpocket and drug seller. Probably, there are people in the shadow who use these children.

Thats impossible. There are orphanages in this town. How would there be children who need to do this kind of things to survive? Faruno bites her lips.

Thats the way it is. Its unbelievable to you, but were going to get killed to be there There are many among us who escaped from there! They didnt get anything to eat, they would get beaten up, and there were worse things there.

But thats still better than this kind of life, Im sure.

Its because we have it better here that we escaped. We definitely wont go back to the orphanage!

The boy shouts, interrupting Farunos words.

No matter in what era, this kind of thing exists. There were those who would open orphanage for the financial aid, then getting the children do the heavy labor, or treating them like toys.

A common practice.

Faruno, its reality. Accept it. If you still dont believe it, get them to tell you which orphanage it is later on, then dispatch a spy there. That will make this matter clear.

Thats for the best. What happens afterwards will be up for Faruno to decide.

Yes, I will do so. I wish to know the truth.

Now Im pressed to make

my

decision. Theres a way to make everyone happy.

Ill ask you brat one thing.

Its not brat. Its Johann.

Okay. Johann, are you the leader of these kids?

Yeah, they all listen to me.

And you all do things like pickpocketing or selling drugs?

Thats right, we can only live in this town by doing that.

The boy answers with obvious guilt in his voice.

Not all hope is lost for them, then.

Faruno, can I ask you one thing? I intend to recruit people for my pioneering village in this town.

Kurt-sama, are you saying what I think!? Farunos eyes are wide open in surprise.

Is it okay to bring these kids to my village? Will Marquis Fernandes allow me to do so?

Immigration requires some procedures. Frankly, I dont know how to proceed in case of the immigration of children without any relatives. Adopting them into my village is for the sake of being responsible for them. Even if I cure them right here and now, theyll lose their lives anyhow, for example. If I want to extend my hand to them, I have to see it to the end.

That will be difficult. No, I will personally get my father to approve it.

Is that so? Then, Im glad.

With her words, the issue of formalities is settled, as well as the matter of Farunos will.

Now, its just about what I want to do. And, what these kids wish to do.

Johann, my condition to save this girl is to have you to lead all of the kids here to move to the village I govern and do manual jobs there.

The children all take a sharp breath in. I must have looked like slave trader to them.

Are we forced to work there?

I will make you work. However, I dont intend to exploit you. Right now, youll do about the same amount of work as the villagers, youll get about the same amount of food as them. Its a poor village, but I wont let you starve. I promise you that itll be better than what you have now.

You lied, didnt you? You think its okay to make the children work until we break. You think that were just tools. Youre definitely going to use us until we die Hey, can you allow just me to do that? I can endure any job you put me through, Ill work as hard as many people at once. So, please, save Mille. Spare all the others.

Johann, whos already in dogeza position, deepens his bow until his forehead touches the ground.

I took a liking to this boy already. A person wholl go this far for the sake of his comrades is rare. Hes young, but hes a good man.

I wont accept it. It has to be everyone. If I take you, the leader, away, do you think that these kids will have a good life to begin with? Theyll continue doing this kind of life; there will be others who suffer Milles fate. In that case, dont you think its better to give them new lease of life instead?

Johann gives a hesitating look upon my question. Theres no way that their current life style feels good for them. He at least knows that much.

Johann, I will go with you. I wont let you go alone.

Im going too. Ill go to h.e.l.l if its with you, Johann.

Im scared but I will go with everyone.

The children shouts in a strange tension. Seeing them, Johann finally comes into his resolution.

Got it. Everyone, lets go to h.e.l.l together!

Yeah.

Yes!

Oou!

The children cheers in loud and heated manner.

Looking at those children, there are a single person who gets mad. Yes, the person behind me.

What kind of trash talk is that!? Kurt-sama is definitely not that kind of person! Kurt-sama definitely wont lie! Hell definitely bring happiness to everyone!!

Tina is the one who gets mad. Her tail fur stands up as she cries angrily.

Your kind of people wont get how we feel.

True, true!

Saying that while wearing that kind of nice clothes!

The children take the chance to counter her words. They must have seen Tina like some kind of young lady.

I do understand! Because Im a kitsune! Kurt-sama picked me up and made me happy! I wont forgive anyone who talks bad about the kind Kurt-sama!

Isnt that because nee-chan is pretty?

Thats right, youre beautiful.

His goal is your body.

Kids nowadays are really mature.

What kind of nonsense is that!? Kurt-sama doesnt do perverted things to me, ever! He never even kisses me! He treats me preciously! Hes a gentle person!

Tina denies vehemently. And after pa.s.sionate shout, she blushes to deep red.

Honestly, what a clumsy girl. But thats what makes her so precious.

Putting aside Tinas words, my village truly lacks people. Those who are willing to work arduously will be warmly welcomed, and there are rewards for those who bring good results. So please decide upon that notion.

Weve told you our answer just now. Well go. Were not reluctant either. From that nee-chans words, we want to go even if Milles not in this situation.

That answer is enough for me. I take a deep breath. Then, I reach into my bag and take out a black bead.

Nii-chan, is that?

This is a legendary medicine that will be able to cure any illness, any wounds in a second.

Theres no such thing.

There is. Right now, Ill use it for Mille. You can look and see for yourself.

I make a serious look, then I bring the black lump to Milles lips with trembling hand.

Nii-chan, your hand is shaking, you know?

Well. To be honest, Im still hesitating. This is a legendary medicine, after all. I probably wont be able to obtain a second one. It can cure any wounds or illness. This kind of medicine doesnt have any market price. If I sell it, I can have all the money I need to live luxuriously all my life.

All the people in this place hold their breaths.

Oh well, if theres such a thing, I can enjoy a luxurious life. But thats a big fat lie. Its just a lump of brown sugar. But theres no way that I can reveal my Heal right here, especially in front of Faruno. Thats why Im acting like its real.

Using such a valuable medicine for our sake

Of course Ill do this much. Youll become my new comrades in my village.

You, it turns out that youre a really good person.

The children are crying.

Oh, well, I might as well get this debt of grat.i.tude.

I put the black lump into Milles mouth. At the same time, I use Heal on her, curing her wounds, but of course, I wont let her gain mana power.

She slowly opens her eyes.

Eh? I, I was. .h.i.t a lot of times, I thought I died.

She props herself up. Johann glomps with tearful face right after.

Mille, Im so glad, Im really glad that you didnt die!

He squeezes her and starts sobbing childishly. The other children are affected and start crying too.

Theyll become my new comrades. Their bonds will surely become useful for the development of my village.