Chapter 90 90:Heilford Orphanage



The smartphone screen flashed with the onslaught of messages one after another, seeing which Lucas sighed.

"Haaa!"

"Sir, is there a problem?"

A soft husky voice rang from outside.

"No, everything is fine. When will we arrive?"

"Within an hour?"

"Drive slowly. The road is quite bumpy."

Advising the coachman, his eyes darted at the series of messages.

The messages were typed hurriedly but the underlying sweetness and hidden concern in it could be felt with a glance.

Lucas propped up his chin staring at the rough scene outside.

'Mother seems to be worried about this mission.'Muttering inwardly, he looked at the screen.

[Son, listen to my advice. In the name of a mission, just come back home.No need to take trouble.]

[I haven't seen you for three months. My poor child, are you even eating well? You don't like vegetables and bitter things. How are you having your fill?]

[Just ignore this stupid mission and come back home.]

[Mama, will take care of you. It's okay if you fail. What can they do? Expel you, so what? I will hold a feast and donate food to the poor if they expel you. Such a happy occasion.]

"Mother, why are you so lovely and amusing?"

Lucas murmured looking at the screen with warmth.

Closing his eyes, he reminisced about his mother. From the photos, he had seen his mother is a redhead beauty with sharp eyes like Phoenix.

She looks so young and beautiful as if she was his older sister.

It was really weird that this guy had not gotten any genes from his mother. Contrary to his mother's charms, his father looked like a middle-aged man with wrinkles.

Their facial features were identical to the parents of his previous life except for the colour of his hair and pupil.

Lucas's black hair and golden eyes were his father's blessing.

Typing the message, he put down the smartphone.

From his point of view, the mission was quite easy. He already knew where to find the clue which would lead to the source where the children were kept.

He just needs to keep patience.

"We have arrived at the Helford Orphanage."

As soon as Lucas stepped down with the thoughts of this place.

"Ughh....."

A disgusting voice came across the small lodge beside the gate.

Who can it be except for the king of trash talk?

As soon as the trash talk master saw him, he waved his hand beckoning Lucas. Beside him, Roan, swayed his body like a shy girl while Frederick was already facepalming due to a headache imagining the things going to happen now.

Seeing that stupid face, Lucas had the urge to pull out the sword impulsively, but he held his desire.

Reckless is not the spirit of nobility.

Subduing must be done with a dignified scholarly attitude.

"Surprise...Surprise...Are you shocked that we are here?"

"Are the events of past and present flashing before your eyes?"

"Did you feel your effort of going alone dumped in the trash can?"

"We took the portal and reached before you. Did you think you could go on a mission without us?"

"Haha!"Parth laughed heartily.

Parth opened his arm to greet. He was about to take a step when a dagger flew straight at him.

"Holyshit?"

A dagger struck at the place where Parth stood.

'I take my words back.'

'Some people don't deserve kind intentions.'

"I already expected something like this. What angered me is that, if I knew this I wouldn't have wasted my damned money and time to take Carriage?"

Like another world, there were portals but it was quite expensive, and only wealthy ones used it.

"Roan, I did not expect this from you."

"I...I.Parth threatened me to keep quiet?"Roan dumped the load on Parth.

"Hey, pipsqueak, when did I threaten you?"

"Let's not make a scene?"Frederick intervened.

Agreeing to the words, the three finally calmed down and decided to visit inside.

.......

Heilford, the director of the orphanage, was an old man with white hair. He seems to be a grandfather with a shaggy silver-grey beard but he had a strong healthy body.

The bulked curved muscles inside his clothes boasted a terrifying aura.

When he was asked about this, he gave a hearty laugh.

"I was a mercenary. I had hunted monsters in my prime. I was at the peak of 4-Star but my strength had dwindled a lot since then. I am getting old. I am probably as good as a 2-Star or some."

It was sunset. The sun was scorching with its brightly red rays. In the shabby old office, Frederick and Lucas had a talk with Heilford over a cup of tea.

"So, you used all the wealth you accumulated for 30 years to build this orphanage."Frederick stared at him with sincere admiration.

"It's nothing much."He chuckled.

"Is there a story behind it?"Lucas asked.

Heilford gave a dry smile. A look reminiscent of the past flashed in his eyes.

Twirling his finger, he pinched his brows to compose himself for a moment.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?''

Lucas almost choked his saliva.

'Grandpa, we are still kids.'

Lucas's thoughts stopped for a moment. On squinting his eyes, he saw a gentle curl in Frederick's lips, giving a bashful impression.

Seeing this display of sweetness, Lucas's eyes twitched.

'Being lonely and single is not a big matter.

But it's exactly for people like this, who display their affection publicly being single feels like a curse.'

Sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere, Heilford broke the silence.

"As a mercenary, we are always on the move. We never had a fixed place to stay. One time, I accepted a task to clear monsters in a village. I was wounded while killing the monsters, so I ran for my life to look for help but I passed out at the edge of the village."

A gentle smile appeared on Helford's face.

"On waking up, I found a village girl nursing me. Fortunately, I collapsed on the farmland and the farm girl found me. She was quite delicate and innocent. After spending some time recuperating, I started to fall for her."

"I managed to woo her and even decided to leave working as a mercenary and settle down."

"Alas...fate was cruel."

Lucas and Frederick were taken surprised, as they saw the bright warm gaze of those eyes morph into the darkness filled with pain and loneliness.

"Wha...What happened to them?"Frederick asked cautiously.

"Died.."

"While I was away on work, a beast tide occurred. My wife along with my unborn child died."

"I…I was too late to save them.''

Heilford's expression broke.

His shoulder drooped down and he started to tremble. The painful expression was etched deeply in his heart and since then, he had blamed himself for being absent that day.

If only...If only he had not gone away, everything would have been different.

Sadly, there was no if.

"My wife loves children very much. Children were the apple of her eye. After she died, to fill the emptiness in my heart, I decided to build this orphanage to fulfil her wish."

"Sir, your wife would have been proud of you if she was alive," Lucas spoke.

"I am sure she is smiling at you from heaven."Frederick consoled him.

Lucas exhaled deeply, admiring the man.

People like this, very easily lost their way drowning in the endless darkness of treachery and Omen, target people like this.

Fuelling their hatred, they sharpen them into a weapon turning them against human society.

Heilford opening an orphanage for the betterment of the kids proved his tough will and immense perseverance to resist the temptation of getting derailed.

After Heilford calmed down, they talked about the main thing.

"As per the contents, you want to look for a missing child, is that it?"Frederick asked.

Heilford's eyes shone with confusion.

Lucas's brows creased sensing something amiss.

"That's half of it," Helford answered, narrating the events.

The more Lucas listened, the more ugly his expression became.

According to Helford, children went missing every month.

This had been happening for around 4 months. After complaining to PSB, the Public Safety officers patrol the area.

They found a monster snatching the kid. They dealt with it and reported that this was a monster's work and they have gotten rid of them, however, a few days after another child went missing.

Lucas's expression darkened for a moment.

Mr. Heilford's story made Lucas realise the ambiguity in the novel. A single casual chapter in the novel differs vastly when it comes to reality.

Everyone in this place had a story and a background. One can't treat them as nonchalant objects.

Lucas knew the preparator, but he had to follow the storyline to find that place.

However, as per his knowledge, there shouldn't be any monsters involved here.

Lucas massaging his temples, pondered inwardly.

'It looks more complicated than I thought!'

.........

Walking out, they saw the children tidying themselves. All of them had an amicable and innocent expression on their face that warms their heart.

"Arghhh!"

"Stop it!"

"Hey don't pull my hair!"

"Stop…Stop, don't kick them."

It was then, they heard screams and saw Parth being tortured by the group of children on the other side.

And a little away from them, Roan stood with a traumatized expression.

Seeing this Frederick and Lucas with a tactical understanding run out of the building.

Frederick, walking out, asked, "From where should we begin the search?"

Lucas propped his chin, rubbing it gently.

"Hmmm...."

"Let's visit the bar."

"What? Did I hear you right?"Frederick screamed.

"Yes!"

"Bar….But, I remember you don't like bars and you don't even drink."

"Humans are subjected to change."

Giving a vague answer, Lucas walked ahead to greet the children playing in the garden.

Frederick stared at Lucas back in bewilderment.

"Don't tell me Parth's infection had spread to him."

"Damn! One was already enough. The world can't handle the birth of the second Parth."Frederick wipes the bead of cold sweat while vowing inwardly, to make sure Lucas doesn't get affected by Parth.