Chapter 9

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Translated by: Miss Lassie

“Um, is that the only thing the Director has to say?”

Judith replied sarcastically in a joking manner. All of the donations she received so far, except for the small amount of pocket money she kept to herself, were all used to fund the nursery.

Of course, it was Judith’s decision. After discovering that the Director struggled financially with feeding, clothing, sheltering, and educating dozens of children, she willingly decided to give a large sum of her donations to them.

“And I know that you’ve been secretly sending letters to Mr. ANS. He was the one who extended the annex, right?”

“Oh my, how did you know that? Our Jude grew up so smart. Now she even knows how to make jokes.”

“What?!” Judith exclaimed in astonishment at the Director’s remark.

“Really? I was only saying…”

Rachel burst into laughter at her student’s embarrassed expression. Realizing she was laughing at her, Judith pouted her mouth.

“Anyway, I’m all grown up now, so I don’t need help anymore. There are a lot of children who need it more than I do.”

Last Christmas Eve, the five-year war finally ended with the victory of the Eylans Alliance. Thirty-four countries participated in the war, including fifteen countries in the Western, Eastern, and Southern continents. It caused a worldwide bloodbath that amounted to the deaths of tens of millions of people.

On the night the war ended, Judith couldn’t forget the sound of the reporter’s voice crackling through the radio.

“The Oberon-Greisen coalition agreed to a ceasefire, and the Kingdom of Eylans has declared an end to the war. Post-war negotiations will occur between the allies at the beginning of the new year.”

“The King of Eylans has declared today as the ‘Christmas of Glory’ to commemorate the end of the war.”

“The main agenda of the post-war negotiations will be the distribution and division of the colonies in the Southern continent and the Kingdom of Kilgeny by the United States of Oberon.”

Although the voice on the radio talked about the deaths of millions, it still sounded business-like to Judith’s ears that she found it unpleasant.

Of course, her reaction was only natural since the Federal State of Baja remained neutral throughout the five-year war. Guns and landmines had never trampled its land. The end of the war was simply nothing more than an exciting gossip from overseas. Christmas of Glory? What nonsense!

Judith cried until morning, soaking her pillow with tears. She tried to recall her memories, but she couldn’t remember anything. Instead, the horrors of the war resurfaced again, constantly repeating like an endless nightmare. She even saw Liesolette in her dreams after a long time.

Even after hours had passed and her tears dried up, Judith still suffered from phantom pains and a sense of guilt. Fortunately, the pain ebbed after a while.

Dear Mr. ANS,

Do you remember the letter I sent to you last Christmas?

Even though the war killed my sister, who was everything to me, life still flowed peacefully around me as if the war had never happened in the first place. But all of a sudden, I feel scared and strange. I was never patriotic, and I didn’t know why I felt this way.

But I think I know now.

I’ve never honestly forgotten the horrors of war, even after incorporating myself into this comfortable, peaceful life. I know that countless orphans have seen and experienced the same things as I did but have not been fortunate enough and are still aimlessly wandering.

So now, I want you to please help the children who cannot escape the hell I’ve once experienced rather than continuing to sponsor me.

Judith wrote the letter with no regrets but just a feeling of emptiness.

Rachel looked at her student, sipping coffee with a relaxed expression on her face. Loosely tied in pigtails, Judith’s dark hair shined healthily. Her face, which didn’t have an ounce of baby fat, looked attractive with her slim chin and straight nose. Long lashes framed her warm brown eyes, which looked much more profound than before. Her slender figure was more developed and mature now that she had reached adulthood.

‘She looks a lot like a lady now.’

Rachel readily agreed with Judith. After growing up so beautifully, it was time for her to live her life independently, just as she wanted. If her sponsor didn’t plan on taking responsibility for her for the rest of her life, it was better for them to part ways at this point.

“It’s a pity since it’s not easy to have a generous tycoon as a sponsor, but you’re right. You’ve received so much in the last five years.”

“What do you mean by that…”

“Are you sure you won’t regret it? You liked writing letters to him so much.”

Judith’s relaxed face darkened slightly, and she hesitated a little before she nodded her head softly.

“I still like it. It was my refuge, my comfort, and part of my daily routine. Which was why I added a postscript at the end of the last letter.”

P.S.

It might be impolite to ask you for this, but I have one final request.

For the first and last time, can you please write me back? You can say anything you want. You don’t have to tell me your real name or age.

You changed my life with just a few lines from your letter, so if you end this relationship with another one…

If you just write ‘cheer up’ or say something that will give me strength in the future, I don’t think I’ll be sad.

She bought the most expensive fountain pen in the village from the money she made working part-time for two years and enclosed it with the letter. Her hands trembled when she sent off the parcel.

Judith’s eyes looked like the sad eyes of a puppy abandoned in the rain.

“Somehow, I have a feeling that he won’t reply, but I was hoping he would since I’m all grown up now.”

“Well, your sponsor had always responded to you in actions rather than with words. Actually, I got a phone call this morning.”

“What? A phone call…”

“You’ll know soon enough.”

Rachel looked away from Judith’s bewildered face and turned to the window instead. Outside the wide-open window, a car that looked like a black dot from a distance made its way to the street leading to Wortherford. Judith hurriedly got up to clean her teacup.

“I guess a visitor is coming, Director. You should’ve at least told me beforehand.”

“Yes, indeed.”

Rachel replied meaningfully and stood up to approach the window. A black Rolls-Royce stopped with a grace akin to a gliding hawk in front of the nursery. It was a high-end luxury car that didn’t quite fit the serene countryside of Kinsley. Judith’s eyes widened in amazement as she witnessed the scene in front of her. Somehow, she felt an intense sense of foreboding.

“No way, Director…”

“You always misjudge people, but this is his first proper response to your letter.”

Rachel grinned as she tamed Judith’s baby hair.

“Well then, shall we meet Judith Wortherford’s guest who traveled from afar?”

“Did you come here all the way from Waltz?”

Judith asked as she couldn’t quite grasp the current situation. The gentleman who had traveled from Waltz to Kinsley to meet her politely extended his hand towards her.

“Long time no see, Ms. Wortherford.”

“Uhh, nice to meet you?”

Judith shook hands with him with her cold ones, scrutinizing his old, wrinkled face. His face… his voice… Old memories resurfaced again like a fish dragged out of the water.

“A distant relative of Miss Krauser has expressed his intention of becoming your sponsor.”

Judith’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh, were you the one who visited me in the hospital in Eylans?”

“Yes, I’m glad you still remember it. It’s nice to see you again.”

The gentleman took off his hand and extended his right hand to her again.

“I apologize I couldn’t properly introduce myself to you back then. My name is Willard Larson. I’m Mr. Curtis’ secretary.”

“I see. Uhh, excuse me, but where do you work?”

Judith shook hands with him, unaware that she had just missed an important detail. Curtis? The gentleman repeated his words.

“I work for the Curtis family in Waltz. They run the comapany called General Curtis, renowned for being the leading world-class military contractor in the defense industry.”

Rachel, who was listening next to Judith, muttered unexpectedly in surprise.

“Well, I expected the sponsor to either be a Tollthread or a Baldwin. I never imagined he would be from the Curtis family.”

Judith’s mouth fell open as she heard Rachel muttering to herself again.

“I should’ve expected more…”

‘You didn’t even tell me about this, Director!’

Five powerful families dominate the northern and western continents, all across the Federal State of Baja and the Kingdoms of Eylans, Oberon, and Pertha. Three of them hailed from the Federal State of Baja. These are the Tollthread family, masters of the financial sector; the Baldwin family, an oil mogul; and the Curtis family, the leading military industry company in the world.

“I know this is such a big surprise for you since my Master didn’t intend to reveal his name and family background. But he seemed impressed by Ms. Judith’s last letter, and he never expected to receive a request from her to sponsor other war orphans in response to the birthday present she received.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Judith’s face flushed in embarrassment.

“I’m an adult now, and I can take care of myself. I think it’s a shame to keep receiving sponsorship when other children need it more than I do.”

“Of course, the Master fully respects your wishes and agrees that it’s only reasonable.”

“Oh, I’m glad to hear that.”

Judith breathed out a sigh of relief. She was getting dizzy from all the revelations mainly because her sponsor was someone from the Curtis family.

Curtis. Judith recalled when Millian and Natia joked about someone from the Curtis family sponsoring her. It sounded so ridiculous that she just laughed along with them before.

She had often written somewhat impolite and casual letters to her sponsor in the last five years as if she was writing to a grandfather. There was a time when she pointed out his excessive spending and extravagant gifts, questioning his financial capabilities.

She recalled Millian’s analogy that an elephant wouldn’t care if a leech got stuck to its foot.

‘You’re wrong, Millie. It’s a mammoth, not an elephant.’

“The Master seemed sad that it was the last one since he had enjoyed reading Ms. Judith’s letters for the past five years. With that in mind, he made an offer.”

“Uh, what?”

“When does your summer vacation start, Ms. Judith?”

The question sounded natural to her that she didn’t know she was walking into a trap.

“The semester ends on the last week of May, so my summer vacation starts from June until the first week of September.”

“That’s great to hear. It just so happens that the Master will be spending his summer vacation at his estate in Waltz this June.”

“Oh, I see, but why are you telling me this?”

Judith saw the triumphant smile on Mr. Larson’s face as if he had caught a big fish. Warning bells started ringing in her head.

“No way…”

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Miss Lassie’s Corner

Judith’s life is about to change! Just a note here but ‘Ailance’ will now be spelled as ‘Eylans’ to avoid confusion with the word ‘Alliance’ lol it’s hard to edit at night when I see these words in the same sentence. Anyways, I apologize for the spelling inconsistencies but I’ll be updating all chapters every time there’s a new addition. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Our Judith has finally turned into a woman! A very prettly and headstrong FL.