Chapter 101

Updated: Mar 19

“Surprisingly… He seems to be within the estate.”

“Within Tersia?”

Darwin’s forehead furrowed unpleasantly.

“Yes. He happened to have fled to Tersia about two months ago. I confirmed this with the debtor who was after him.”

Ben was a very competent secretary, so his words were rarely proven inaccurate.

“Then it will only be a matter of time before we spot Lucifer.”

“That’s right. I was thinking of releasing a few knights. What does your Grace think?”

If it were any other matter, Darwin would have carefully considered it before speaking. However, his lips opened without hesitation.

“You can use as much as you deem necessary. But make sure to bring him. There is something I wish to confirm.”

“I understand.”

Before he could continue to hand additional orders to Ben, Darwin quickly glanced at Esther as she was still being squashed by the twins.

“Increase the number of guards surrounding the mansion. Make sure they keep in mind Esther’s safety as well.”

Lucifer’s presence in Tersia was unlikely to have anything to do with Esther. Nonetheless, increasing the number of escorts wouldn’t be bad.

***

Esther, Judy, and Dennis gathered at the garden after spending time inside Irene’s room.

This was because they promised to visit the slums today.

Unlike their previous trip, today’s wagon was loaded with food and groceries, which the 3 would distribute to the people.

“These are boiled potatoes. You can give them out with me.”

“Yeah!”

Judy glanced at a bag filled with potatoes and replied cheerfully. He was the first to board the wagon.

Esther followed inside, but left again when she noticed Dennis was taking too long to retrieve his books.

While she started heading back inside to retrieve him, a man suddenly walked across the garden and acted as if he recognized Esther.

“Ah, my lady.”

He wasn’t an every-day servant she saw frequently along the hallways. While Esther struggled to recall him, he pushed forth and greeted her.

“I see you are going somewhere.”

“Yes. I am heading to the village. Well… may I know who you are?”

While she felt guilty for failing to recognize him, the man only lifted the corners of his mouth knowingly.

“I am Evian. I previously treated the lady when she fainted. Do you remember?”

“Oh! I think I remember.”

That extravagant day when she was forced to go through several doctors’ examinations.

She vaguely recalled his presence amongst the many other physicians at the time.

“It seems you are also heading somewhere?”

Evian was carrying 2 bags filled with luggage on each hand. It looked like he was going to move to another place.

He raised a corner of his mouth and replied in a heartening tone.

“Yes. I quit my career as a physician and am leaving today.”

Esther blinked in surprise. To meet him on his way out of all times!

“I see.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Are you saying that to me? I did nothing to deserve a thank you.”

Esther’s head drifted to the side, confused as to why he was grateful when they only met once.

“No, and I think I will be more grateful to the lady in the future… I’ll see you again.”

Evian swept Esther with a corrupt gaze, bid her a last farewell, and left the mansion.

“…He is a very uncomfortable person.”

He seemed kind, but his attitude was strangely provocative. His gaze was particularly unpleasant.

“What did you talk about?”

“It’s nothing.”

Dennis, who she meant to look for, was now present with his books. They then boarded the carriage and set off.

“What kind of book is that?”

“All three books are history books. It is more useful to gain knowledge of history than anything else.”

“Aren’t they more likely to use it as kindling? They don’t even know how to read.”

Judy immediately ignited a dispute and argued that his toy knife would be of much more use.

“It is knowledge, I can tell you. When it comes to survival, there is nothing more useful than knowledge. It will become a weapon for Jerome.”

Dennis only responded nonchalantly whilst covering his ears.

Thanks to this, they earned themselves a journey filled with Judy’s endless bickering. Esther chuckled at the sight.

She left the wagon near the southern outskirts of the territory. Both her hands were occupied with the many supplies they had brought.

Judy and Dennis each held two bags filled with groceries, while Esther struggled with a package of potatoes.

As the 3 gradually entered the slums, the beggars who were wary last time now gleamed with interest.

Everyone seemed to be slowly rising from their spots, perhaps because of the food presented before them.

“There’s a lot more of a reaction today. If I had known this would happen, I would have brought food last time.”

“I know. Everyone will love this.”

The three arrived near the vacant lot where many beggars seemed to be gathered and dropped their bags.

They then gathered nearby and urged those who were swallowing their saliva to earn their share.

“Come closer and I’ll share this food with you!”

Esther was a bit embarrassed since she had never done something like this before, but that didn’t stop her powerful bellow from coming out.

The people still faltered hesitantly, their expressions filled with doubts.

However, everyone began to rush as they saw the groceries and boiled potatoes being handed out in the order of who came first.

“Is this really free? To use up later after we already ate it…”

“That won’t happen, so take your share comfortably.”

“If you don’t believe us, don’t take anything.”

It seemed that Judy’s words worked as a catalyst, seeing the vacant lot immediately burst with people desperate to earn any food to fill their gurgling stomachs.

“I can’t do this. Hold on.”

As the crowd reached a point where they began pushing each other, Dennis climbed up the rock next to him and drew everyone’s attention.

“If you do not line up, there will be no grocery distribution. We have brought plenty, so line up orderly if you wish to earn some.”

Those who wouldn’t budge even when Esther pleaded slowly began to organize themselves at Dennis’s calm threat.

“Ooh, Dennis’s pretty good at this?”

“I know. He’s really cool.”

Esther gazed at Dennis in admiration. He always read too many books and spoke too little. She wasn’t aware of the charisma he was concealing.

Thanks to this, it became much easier for them to distribute the potatoes and groceries.

Esther was busy handing out the hard-boiled potatoes along with her brothers.

“Enjoy your meal.”

However, as she held out a potato that everyone was desperately rushing to receive, her hand was left in the air for a while.

Esther looked up and looked at the person in bewilderment.

He was a suspicious-looking man who wore a big hat and had a long beard.

He stared at Esther blankly, like a shocked person who couldn’t even move.

“Will you not have a potato?”

When Esther asked one more time,

“Y-your name is…”

“Pardon?”

The man seemed to have disregarded the potato’s existence as he looked straight into Esther’s face while asking for her name.

However, the line behind the man was endless. Those waiting for their turn were beginning to become annoyed.

“Hey! If you’re not going to get yourself one, get out of my way. Or do you want them all for yourself?”

“Right. There are so many people waiting. Why is he doing this?”

As people began pushing his back, the man hurriedly received a potato and escaped from their wrath.

Despite the commotion, he continued turning around and glancing at Esther, regretful that he left.

Esther’s heart was on edge, but her discomfort quickly vanished as people approached nonstop.

As she reached her hand to pick a potato again, Dennis suddenly blocked her hand.

“Wait a minute.”

“Why?”

Esther’s eyes widened in surprise at his sudden actions.

“He has already received a potato earlier.”

Dennis’s eyes narrowed as he sighed while staring coldly at the person he claimed to have stood in line twice.

“W-when did I do that?”

“Lies are of no use here. I don’t forget the person I saw once. We won’t be able to give out more at this rate. Because of you, no one else will be able to receive any.”

Dennis spoke loudly so that those in line could hear him clearly.

“B-bastard…!”

When the people in the back cursed the man, his face reddened and he ran away.

“There are more people who need to leave.”

Dennis swiftly picked out those who had already received their share from the line as if to prove his words.

As everyone gradually realized his words were not empty-talk, no such thing happened again.

“Wow… Everything’s already gone.”

Although they brought plenty of food, everything ran out in less than an hour. Some were forced to return because there was not enough.

“We’ll have to bring more next time.”

“I know. Ugh, it’s so hard.”

Judy exasperatedly punched his shoulder while complaining that he was tired.

Esther felt sorry, so she gently rubbed Judy’s shoulders to relieve him.

She didn’t notice Judy smile as he gave in to her massage.

During the short break they managed to earn, the three shared the potatoes they had brought in advance.

Judy munched on a large bite he took out of his potato when he suddenly brought up Sebastian.

“Oh yeah. Sebastian wants to join us for volunteer work next time.”

“Why would Brother Sebastian do that?”

“I don’t know either.”

Dennis smacked Judy’s forehead as he saw him shrugging his shoulders.

“Are you an idiot? It’s because of Esther. Tell him not to come.”

Esther continued chewing on her potato while confused as to why all of this was because of her.

At that moment,

Someone shouted from afar towards the three siblings who were immersed in conversation.

“Sister!”

There was a bucket the size of his body balanced on his head, so it was difficult to make out who the child was.

“Jerome?”

He appeared to have a better complexion than the last time they met. She was relieved to see that he was eating well enough to have some fat on his face.

Jerome grumbled as he approached the three and put down the bucket of water.

“It was true. Someone said there were people giving out food, so I checked just in case… As expected, those people were my sister and brothers.”

Esther smiled and tidied Jerome’s sweaty hair.

“How’s your mother?”

“She’s been completely cured since that day, so she’s working now.”

As they listened, he informed them that she earned a job as a maid in the same dressing room at the center of town.

“Wow, really? Good for you.”

While Jerome and Esther were chatting, Judy glanced at the bucket of water Jerome held a minute ago.

It was definitely too heavy and overwhelming for Jerome to carry on his own. He frowned at the fact.

“Where did you get this water from?”

“A village underneath here.”

Jerome pointed his hand to a far off distance that the eye could not reach.

***

Sorry, it’s been three days now when I usually update once every 2, this is just me forgetting to update, so sorry for that I’m forgettable but I try my best lol