Chapter 98

★The Exiled Saint's Climbing Life - Book Release on October 11th★

Even though I said the story of the Naris Kingdom was over, I forgot about the interlude. It turns out there are four more chapters. I'm sorry.

It's almost the 100th chapter, and it seems to be about Prince Rolf. The 100th chapter, a milestone, will be about Rolf.

Is there a demand? I would be grateful if you could read it with a warm heart.

"Who was my father?"

I asked my mother this question, and after hearing her answer, I never asked it again from that day on.

By the time I was old enough to understand, I was already living with my mother alone. The town where I was born and raised was a plain, unremarkable place, about three days' ride from the capital. We lived in a dilapidated house in the lower town, where poor people lived. My mother worked as a waitress at a nearby tavern and took on sewing jobs at home to support me. I think I started doing odd jobs and earning daily wages at a nearby shop when I was around five years old. Since the other children were in similar situations, I didn't question it and ran around working. I would buy food and sweets with the money I earned and proudly bring them back to my mother.

My mother was a calm woman. She treated me, her only son, neither with special affection nor dislike, but as a person. When unpleasant customers bothered her or when we had no money, she would calmly accept it as part of life. She had a plain and unassuming appearance, and her personality was gentle. My face, which I saw in the mirror, didn't resemble hers at all, so I naturally understood that I must have taken after my father.

My life changed when I turned ten. My mother died from a disease that was spreading throughout the country. Although the disease could be cured with proper nutrition and rest, it was impossible for us, who were already poor. My mother passed away as if she were just falling asleep. Even in death, she remained calm, and I felt a sense of numbness as I saw her off, thinking it was just like her.

With no other relatives, my only option was the orphanage. Many children in the lower town had lost their parents to the epidemic, and those without relatives were all sent to the same orphanage. The orphanage was a place so harsh that the poor life I had with my mother seemed like heaven in comparison.

There was too little food for the number of children, the beds were thin and dirty, and there was no one to take care of the children, who were left to get dirty. Infants who couldn't move on their own were left in a skeletal, near-death state. The windows and doors let in drafts, and some walls had holes. The fireplace, which hadn't been used in a long time, had no fire.

The caretaker, an old woman, was weak and emaciated, and her trembling hands tried to take care of the children. To be honest, she needed care herself, not to mention taking care of the children.

Seeing this situation, I, who had come to the orphanage as a last resort after losing my parents, felt a surge of anger.

"Hey! Let's go earn some money!"

I called out to the other children who had been brought to the orphanage like me. I thought that as new arrivals, we were still in better physical condition.

"Rolf, how are we going to earn money?!"

Bain, who was a year younger and always followed me, asked, trembling. He must have been scared, seeing the orphanage's condition and thinking he might end up like that.

"Like usual! Children under eight and the girls will clean here and take care of the infants. The rest of us will get food and firewood."

Since I had been the leader of the neighborhood children, the others responded quickly to my words. They rushed to the listless children and infants, offering their help. The children in the lower town were used to helping each other to survive, so there was no hesitation.

"Bain, take the older children and go around the shops! Not just the usual places, but try to find new ones too. Exaggerate the orphanage's situation. Start with the Lois Trading Company, which donates a lot to the church's food distribution!"

"Got it! What about you, Rolf?"

I grinned and pointed to my face.

"I'll use this."

◇◇◇

"Oh, Rolf! My, it's been a while. You've grown even more handsome... Oh, I'm sorry. Your mother passed away, didn't she? That must have been so hard."

I knocked on the back door of a trading company, and a woman appeared. She looked happy to see me at first, but then remembered my misfortune and invited me in with a sad expression. The woman, the mistress of the trading company, made tea and served delicate pastries. Several maids stood by, glancing at me and blushing.

"Oh... to the orphanage. How terrible, Rolf."

I pretended to shed a tear, and the mistress followed suit, moved by my apparent concern for the other children. The maids sighed and looked at me with sympathy.

"Rolf, is there anything I can do? I can't do much alone, but if I ask the other ladies, we can work together. You are well-liked by the ladies. They will surely help if they hear you are sad."

The mistress squeezed my hand. I smiled inwardly and weakly raised my head. My face, which seemed to attract women, had always been treated kindly by the wives of the merchants I had connections with.

"But... won't it be a bother to the ladies?"

"It's the orphanage in our town. It's fine, Rolf. Tell me what you need."

I took advantage of the mistress's enthusiasm and boldly stated my needs.

◇◇◇

"We've secured firewood and food for the time being, and new blankets too!"

When we returned to the orphanage with boxes full of food and firewood, the children cheered.

"Sure enough, big bro Rolf! I told you, you can trust big bro Rolf!"

Shuren, the leader of the children under eight, said proudly. If he were a dog, his tail would be wagging furiously, showing how much he trusted us.

"Shuren, distribute the food and blankets. Prioritize the smaller children."

"Got it!"

Shuren's face lit up as he took the box from me and efficiently distributed the food. The orphanage looked tidier than when we left, and the children had been washed and the place cleaned. Shuren must have given them instructions, as there were no arguments over the distribution of supplies, and they followed his orders calmly.

I left the rest to Shuren and started a strategy meeting with the older children.

"Bain, how did it go with the trading companies?"

"The orphanage's situation shocked them. Since it's off the main street, it wasn't very noticeable. When I told them there were no proper caretakers, they were surprised."

"What about food?"

"The church will cooperate and provide leftovers from the shops. They said they can do it daily. The noble in charge of the orphanage is far away, and the management is entrusted to a relative, who has a bad reputation. The noble seems to be embezzling the orphanage's funds and is hated in the town."

"Let's deal with them later. If we complain, they'll just crush us. More importantly, we need to make sure the food from the trading companies doesn't get noticed. We don't know what kind of trouble they might cause."

"That's taken care of. I arranged for the children to get food at the church. The head of the Lois Trading Company will make sure it doesn't get noticed."

Bain rubbed his nose proudly. This guy always thinks ahead and helps out.

The head of the Lois Trading Company, who came from a poor family, is kind to people like us. He has taken in many children from the lower town and raised them to be merchants. He has even enthusiastically invited me to work at the trading company when I grow up.

"Got it. How about we go to the church to learn to read and write from the priests? That way, it won't seem strange for the orphanage children to go there."

"Good idea! The priests were eager to help, so I think it will be fine. I'll go to the Lois Trading Company and the church again!"

"Thanks."

Bain left the orphanage energetically. I gathered information from the other children about the reactions of other shops and the movements of officials, and we managed to establish a basic system to survive.

"The children in the orphanage aren't in good condition."

Michelle, the oldest girl, three years older than me, reported with a dark expression. She is reliable and straightforward but very kind to younger and weaker children. She has a gentle smile and is very cute.

"This child, I thought he was a baby, but he's almost two. The other children have been trying to feed him milk and porridge, but he's getting weaker."

Michelle held a brown-haired boy named Yuse. He had been abandoned at the orphanage's entrance with his umbilical cord still attached. Yuse doesn't speak, just sucks his fingers and looks blankly into the distance, unusually quiet for a two-year-old. His arms and legs were painfully thin.

"Can he eat? Is he able to eat?"

"He can eat a little, but he doesn't cry much or smile. It's so sad for such a young child."

I placed my hand on Michelle's shoulder, which was trembling with tears. If she cries, the other girls and younger children will follow, which I want to avoid.

"If he can eat, it's okay. Don't worry too much. Feed him a lot and smile at him. Your smile is cute, and he'll be happy."

Michelle blushed and nodded shyly. Her flushed face and moist eyes were adorable. Yes, she'll be fine.

"Alright. Let's feed them and cheer them up before teaching them how to work. Once they can work, we'll have more strength. Then, we'll be invincible!"

I poked the cheek of the child who was staring blankly into space.

I won't let them die. I will protect them.

☆☆October 11, 2022. The Exiled Saint's Climbing Life - Book Release☆☆

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