CH 88

TL: Yuki

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The next morning, when we had finished our preparations and moved out of the inn, we saw something ridiculous happening at the entrance to the dungeon.

「Please take me along!!」

「Please hire me!!」

「With only one silver coin, I’ll accompany you anywhere!!」

There were dirty children looking that were desperately trying to get hired by adventurers trying to enter the dungeon. どのAll of the children were carrying a big bag on their backs which bigger than their body, and other than that everything else looks rugged.

But the adventurers seems to have already hired one from a faction, so they shoo other children away by kicking and beating them to drive them away and laughing after doing so as they entered the dungeon. It the first time I’ve seen something so cruel being done.

「That……」

「Those, those are  『Stray Baggers』right? Those are just children… 」

「That’s terrible……」

「I didn’t expect it to be like this…」

There were around a dozen children of around 5-10 years old. There are also some smaller ones sitting on the walls. Counting them all……there should be around 50 of them.

「Aidle～」

「Nn? Ah, did you bring it? 」

The one girl who was kicked was currently crying. I approached her and tried to heal her but she refused.

「U, uhm……please don’t!! I don’t have the money to pay you!!」

「I don’t need it. That’s why don’t go wild」

「It’s fine, you know」

Cielo gently held her hands. The girl is still frightened, but she quickly healed her injury and let go.「Hora, go now」 and after bowing several times, she ran towards her friends.

And then, the tallest boy among them approached them.

「Thank you for healing Run. You guys are also adventurer’s right? I’m Ashia. I’m the organizer of the orphans」

「Is that so, I Aidle. Also, can you tell me you are all working as Baggers? It seems like everyone is living a harsh life」

「……Because we don’t want to rely on just sympathy」

Ashia is looking down depressed as while explaining. First is that Ashia was the child of a prostitute. At first they will raise the children, but if the prostitute wants to meet adventurers again or they have grown to a certain age, they are thrown out usually in the alleys.

These children are usually too small to fight demons and couldn’t do anything on their own. The most they could do is to become 『Stray Baggers』 and enter the dungeon with the adventurers. That’s just how rotten this city has become.

「If the bags we carry falls apart, then so does the income disappear that would provide us with our daily food. Some children may end up dying if they can’t get a job for a few days. However, this is the only thing we could currently do. The injured, weakened and younger ones still need to be fed and taken care of……」

「What about orphanages?」

「There are no such thing in a city like this. Orphanages are seen only as gold diggers……」

I see, it is indeed not considered as a country, so there’s no protection for the people. There’s no point in for a merchant to lend his land in order to create an orphanage. They only find it profitable to stay in this and not really caring about kids.

「Then, why did Ashia decided to be everyone’s organizer?」

「……there used to be a leader other than me, that person after entering the dungeon……died. That’s why I took over even though I know that I’m not good as that person……」

As he said so, tears started to fall down his eyes, though after noticing it he immediately wiped it off. Hmmm, this again……it’s quite heavy.

「What they are saying is true Ojou-chan」

It was the Ojii-san from yesterday that spoke to me.

「Eh? Jess-san, the hut?」

「I asked another person to watch over it. Other than that, I was on good terms with that person who died. To begin with, you should listen to me, you can’t just let anyone hire you, you know? Being an adventurer is a job about profits. Those that are naive enough to be easily hired are usually left to die in the dungeon. It won’t even leave a bad aftertaste to them.」

What he said was certainly on point, and as I have expected he was a good person. But unfortunately for him, I’m an idiot and I do things my way.

「Arena, La Veil, Cielo, Mika, do you know what I’m about to do now?」

「As expected」

「of course♪」

「……?」

「Ah…it couldn’t be helped, I got it……」

Cielo didn’t get it. That couldn’t be helped, I’ll just have to show her again the power of a fairy.

「Ashia, are all the orphans present here right now?」

「Eh, yes. I can’t leave them on their own after all」

「Alright, Ashia, gather everyone here. Now, DASH! 」

「Eh, ah, yes!!」

Ashia who was surprised, immediately gathered everyone in one place. After a few minutes, all of them were gathered. Jess-san looked worried about what I was planning.

「Oi, what are you trying to do?」

「Well, I just came up with a great plan. 」

I don’t do anything that I find to be pointless. Yet I’ve always been doing reckless things. Now then, it seems like Ashia finally came back along with a lot of children. There’s 1, 2, 3, 4……53 people in total. Some are still toddlers, but older brothers and older sisters wrapped them in a cloth and as they carry them.

「Well then, I’ll be making an announcement. Starting today, all of you will be hired by me, and that includes the young ones. I’m going to help get all of you out of this situation, so make sure you’re prepared.」

「「Eh?」」

「I will also be paying 1 gold coin per person, so everyone should go in the dungeon with us. I will definitely adhere to what I say. I will also make sure that everyone doesn’t suffer from pain or any forms of hazards」

Because of trying to comprehend what I’ve meant, the children were troubled but also doesn’t make a rush decision. Everyone who knew Aidle couldn’t help but smile. La Veil and Arena are reacting as usual.

And then Jess, who had a worried atmosphere, approached me.

「You, do you know what you are talking about?」

「Of course, I said it after all because I can do it」

「No, you don’t get it. Going inside the dungeon with a big group of people, not to mention a group of 50 is insane. Not to mention, paying 1 gold per person? What’s the point of paying them large amounts of money? Or your aim is something else?」

The first half of what he said was being worried about the children on the other hand the second half was being suspicious about our movements. Hmmm, maybe he’s acting as a guardian for them?

「First of all, the 1 gold coin was because we probably won’t be able to return in just a day. It’s something like and extension fee. It’s just a proper compensation for the work I will be giving them」

I then took out a bag of gold from my pocket and show him what’s inside. The moment he saw what’s inside, the expression in Jess’s eyes changed.

「As for why I’m taking everyone along, it will be a little secret. I also want to teach them. You also don’t have to worry because I won’t be hurting them if they make mistakes.

Finally, it’s because we have the power to do that. La Veil」

「Umu」

I and La Veil showed our adventurer’s card to him. The moment Jess see our ranks, he looked back and forth from our cards to our faces. I also raised my hood to show him my face.

「We this, it will be fine. Do you have any problems about it?」

「……Certainly, I could understand why you didn’t want to go there」

What he said was probably because of the issue with the guild, but I don’t really care about them, after all they’ve been neglecting the children after all.

「Anyway, once we enter, we probably won’t be selling anything we collect after we go out」

Giving up on the argument, Jess couldn’t help but hang his face down in defeat. Now then, what about the kids? Ashia seems reluctant but he looks at me probably understanding the situation.

「Aidle-san. Why are you doing this?」

I’m not sure why. I just want to do it because I feel like doing it. Well, let’s just make an appropriate excuse for me to do it. There’s also no way that Arena would just leave this situation aside.

「Well, it’s because my best friend wants to help Run-chan……probably? Then I’ve thought of a good idea. That is to help everyone that I could help by hiring all of them to do all kinds of things. Besides, some of you guys know how to detect and disarm traps right? That’s why if we all go together, it will be safer and everyone would be able to learn. All of us are powerful people, so we have the power to protect you all, and we have the financial power to hire everyone. That’s the reason」

「Ah, um, what about Aidle-san, what’s the merit for you」

「Can’t I be allowed to help children without merits to gain?」

「Eh?」

I mean, isn’t it fine to take care of kids, right? Even though everyone was in the age that they should only be playing outside, but was instead driven to live in a life or death situation, it’s normally impossible to do it, you know?

「Well, if you become stronger you would have more advantages, children must become adults who can lead the future of someone. I don’t want you guys to grow the same way as the parents who abandoned you. And, what do we do? Create a one way ticket to a new future. 」1TL Note:  Do remember, AIdle was left behind by her parents, sold to mafia, die in a barrel cold and hungry 2

「I, I’ll go」

「Run!?」

The child who was helped by Arena raised her hand. Her face may look kind of grim, but you could see determination in her eyes. Those are good eyes.

「But you see, I can feel it, these people are not bad people. If people like them want to help me, the I will do my best!!」

The determination of that one girl begins to move other children along. Each one bay one raised their hand calling out 「Me too」, 「Me, me」.

The last one left. Their Leader, Ashia. As the person who leads everyone, he’s still conflicted about putting everyone at risk.

「……are you really sure you’re OK about this? You’re not just trying to fool us don’t you? 」

「I don’t really like doing that kind of stuff……besides, there’s still other things that you would need. Arena」

「Un」

「Eh?……Uwah」

I and Arena took out a lot of food and presented it in front of them, Arena then pulls Ashia close while showing her most angelic smile.

「It’s OK…It’s OK……」

Arena, since becoming an adventurer has always donated her money mostly to facilities caring for children. It’s not only for the underprivileged children, but because she loves children in general and wants to see them smile.

When I heard about that, I almost donated all of our money to various facilities, but before I was able to, I was prevented from doing it.

Ashia, whose head was patted by her for a while, hugged Arena and started to cry. In response, other children were patted and hugged by La Veil, Cielo, and Mika. I also patted the heads of some children.

After that I moved my sight to Jess and asked for a final confirmation. I gave him a bag which is an equivalent entrance fee for the number of people entering.

「This is fine, right?」

「………………Fine, do whatever you want」

Jess grasped the bag, without raising his face, and went back to the hut. Sorry about this……is what I’ve heard him sayng as he left. One other person tried to complain but he punched him in the face to shut him up. Now then, it should be time for us to go inside.

「Every one, let’s do our best today」

「「「Hai!!!」」」

「Now then, let’s start the adventure!!」

「「「Oooohhh!!」」」

In this way, our first dungeon exploration started.

Ｑ．Please state what you like about children.

Aidle: 「Their gesture of grabbing your clothes.」

Mika: 「The teary eyes as they look up to you is Justice」

Arena: 「Their Smile～♪」

Cielo: 「Their pure eyes, I think? 」

La Veil: 「Everything」