261: Questions
Following Rhyn through to the two classrooms off to the side, I couldn’t help but remember when I used to sit in a classroom just like it, always in the back with Lucas and George, just counting down the hours before we could go back out to the yard.
Which just made me wonder what Lucas was up to now and if he was having as much fun as an adventurer as I was.
I didn’t get to think about it long, however, before Rhyn broke those thoughts.
“We run through the required curriculum here: basic writing and reading, messenger discipline, laws that need to be upheld, and basic battle tactics,” she explained.
In the room itself, all the kids were currently just staring at Crisplet, who seemed to be loving the attention, as he had already made three tiny flame statues of himself and handed them to the kids. The first one dropped it in fright before another was brave enough to hold it and realise it wasn’t hot.
I heard the kids asking, “How long does it last?”
Knowing Crisplet wouldn’t be able to respond and they certainly wouldn’t be able to detect the mana like I could, I interrupted Rhyn’s explanation.
“They last a very long time. If it starts to get dull, just place it near a fireplace and it will get bright again. And if anyone tries to steal them from you, find a way to let us know and they’ll be dealt with, okay? These are only for whoever Crisplet gives them to,” I explained.
I said the last part not so much for the kids but rather for Rhyn. I didn’t trust that some low noble or merchant wouldn’t try to take these statues from the kids, as I knew they were special, especially once they worked out it would warm a room, so a threat of punishment in some way would be required.
I was tempted to tell them it would turn to ash if they gave it away or sold it, but truthfully, if they were so poor and this was their only belonging, I wouldn’t want them to starve with the statue, when they could in that situation sell it and survive.
Though I wasn’t sure Crisplet would understand that.
Turning back to Rhyn, I asked, “Where does the learning material come from?”
She looked at me, confused, but carried on anyway, “I’m just following the instructions that were left for us. I believe it came from the capital and what needed to be taught?”
I expected this, and I really wanted to find out just what exactly they needed to teach orphans, as I couldn’t help but feel there was going to be a disconnect between what was suggested learning and what was actually taught.
“How do you manage this with only the two of you teaching?” I asked.
Rhyn straightened up. “I manage the breakfast and the classrooms, while Via handles training and dinner. We have the kids do cleanup as part of their chores.”
“And maintenance?” I asked, looking around at a building that likely needed a complete overhaul.
“As I’m sure you can tell, we are not able to do much. We have the kids help out where they can, and we try our best, but we don’t have the tools or supplies. We’d need to buy it out of the funding, so any emergency repairs we have to do come out of what we have for food and health,” she said.
She clearly expected an angry response to this, as she seemed to rush out the last part, but again I just couldn’t help but feel there was some miscommunication here. There was no way there would be the expectation to pay for building maintenance out of training and food expenses, especially when we already knew that wages were supposed to be paid by the lord.
The problem was, who knows? Is it recorded anywhere, and where exactly do the faults lie?
Clearly Luis believed every orphanage should get its fifteen gold, so somewhere between the royal family and the time it got here, what the orphans got had been muddied and stolen.
Leaving the classroom, I decided to ask a question I personally wanted to know.
“Rhyn, are you aware of the fate that awaits most of these orphans?” I said.
There was a long pause, as Rhyn froze, before a very soft, “I am,” came out.
“And you’re okay with it?” I asked.
Rhyn immediately shook her head. “No, not at all. I was an orphan myself, so was Via. We came here because we wanted to try and make it better, but it felt like an impossible task.”
I heard the emotion in her voice, and I wanted to believe it, but at the same time, if it was so bad and she knew it, why did no one do anything? Why didn’t anyone report it?
Letting out a sigh, I said, “Let’s continue. Crisplet, you’re fine to stay here.”
Crisplet just expressed happiness and trust, still making statues for everyone as Milo and I were led on.
The next room I was taken to was the dining room, which had already been transformed into an auditorium of sorts. I guessed they thought I might wish to address all the kids and were prepared for it.
What hurt me now was seeing the kitchen. There was nothing: an old pantry that was falling apart, a stone oven that looked to be more soot than brick, and an old pot that made my first ones look premium. The only other things in here were some old rags and two buckets to hold water.
Seeing this now, I wanted to solve it immediately and stock them up with food, and I still might before I left. I even felt Milo’s hand on my shoulder, as he must have known this would bother me.
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Even when I got closer, I saw the pot had a stew or a soup of some kind in it that must have been mostly water, judging by its appearance.
“Where does your food come from?” I asked.
“We usually go late to markets and find items the merchants couldn’t sell for cheap; that or donations, though we rarely get any,” she said.
Next, I was taken upstairs, where I saw that Rhyn and Via both shared a room. There was the office, which truthfully was smaller than the pantry back at the capital house, and full of old paperwork that I would need to have a look at eventually, but that could wait.
Finally, upstairs there were three dormitories where the kids slept.
In the last room, there were two kids, who were still in bed, with a loud, chesty coughs.
“What’s wrong with them?” I asked.
“They ran a fever last night and were unable to participate in lessons,” Rhyn said simply.
Milo, who’d been silently following, muttered, “Likely the big clean-up they did kicked up dust in the air and made them sick.”
Rhyn looked like she wanted to protest but didn’t say anything; even when I stepped forward into the room, it looked like she wanted to stop me.
“What are you doing to care for them?” I asked.
“Uh, well, we gave them a wet cloth and have given them extra soup, but truthfully we don’t have a lot we can do,” she muttered.
Knowing these two were some of the younger kids, I wanted to help, but I didn’t want to give them anything too powerful, when the perfect item came to mind.
Approaching the beds, I pulled out two small berry hard candies. Both had minor regeneration, which should help a lot for this, and would taste nice as well.
Kneeling by the first bed, I saw the girl was struggling to stay awake, where I held out one of the candies.
“Here, take this, it will make you feel better,” I said with a smile, before moving to the next bed and giving them the same.
Rhyn had come closer now, clearly seeing what I had given them, and I heard her say, “Candy?” but nothing else.
Once both kids had the candy, I stood back up, addressing Rhyn.
“Yes, candy, it has healing properties and will get them both back on their feet in no time. Let’s continue.”
I didn’t want to get too many questions about the candy itself, so I felt it was best to press on with the tour.
The final place I was taken was back downstairs and out towards the training yard, and what greeted me when I opened the door was both shocking and hilarious.
Before me were at least ten kids all striking at Gilain, or trying to, while he stood there laughing, occasionally deflecting the blows with only a finger, or effortlessly moving side to side to dodge.
To the side sat Hari, who looked bemused by it all, with Via, who looked shocked.
Which gave me a good opportunity to speak with her while all the kids were distracted.
“Via, was it?” I said, reaching her.
“Yes,” she said, practically jumping to her feet.
“I’m hoping you could tell me a little bit about yourself?” I put on my best smile, not wanting her to feel defensive.
“Yes, of course, I’ve been a combat instructor here for nine years now. Prior to that, I was an adventurer out of The Pinch here, uh, sorry, Tall Grove.” She quickly corrected herself.
“The Pinch is fine by me.” I laughed.
Perhaps the Lord didn’t like the nickname for this place? Maybe that was something worth exploring later.
“Why did you come to work at the orphanage? It would have been quite the pay cut by the sounds of it.” I cut straight to the point.
“Safety first and foremost. I, uh, I lost two party members and I didn’t want to go back out,” she said in almost a whisper.
I kind of regretted asking, but I pushed on.
“Are you aware what awaits the kids when they leave this place? Outside the adventure track?” I asked.
Via nodded. “I try to have them prepared best I can with the tools I have.”
Liane surprised me by appearing next to Hari, sitting in the spot that Via had just been in.
“But you are aware how many will still die in their first year, right?” Liane asked.
Via jumped, having not seen Liane till now, but nodded.
“I attempted to push them towards the adventurers’ guild, which I know isn’t greatly better for them, but it’s certainly better than the army. But we have the quotas we need to try and hit, so our hands are tied,” Via said.
This was the second time now I had heard about these quotas, and it was absolutely something I needed to address with both Luis and Lord Farrow.
“If you could change anything, what would it be?” I asked.
Via seemed to think long and hard. “I’d improve their food.”
This answer surprised me. I was expecting equipment or facilities, but I certainly didn’t expect food.
“Food?” I questioned.
Via nodded. “Yes, you can learn with wooden weapons and the dirt under your feet, but you can’t grow strong without plenty of food. The kids are hamstrung.”
She looked over at them as they continued to try and strike Gilain, who now had a random stick in his hand.
Turning to Rhyn, I asked the same question, “How about yourself? What would you change?”
She didn’t think for as long. “I would have another member of staff here. We can only do so much with two of us.”
“I see,” I said simply.
I didn’t say anything for a long while, and Liane surprised me by not saying anything either, though her scowl said a lot. The problem was I remembered what she told me all the way back when we first met on our trip to Boltron:
‘It’s not the people in the orphanage, it’s those above.’
Looking through my storage, I found a Buvul stew that I had pre-made in case I needed emergency meals. This one was not infused, so I pulled it out where I stood in the training yard.
“Via, could you serve this to everyone? Rhyn, let’s go to your office and see that paperwork before I go and have a word with Lord Farrow. I will tell you both now, there will be some drastic changes occurring here, and no longer do I want orphans shipped off to die. You can either embrace those changes or leave; that choice is up to you,” I said bluntly to both of them.
I couldn’t help but notice the two different reactions. Via just had a grin that broke the permanent scowl I’d seen on her, while Rhyn just looked worried.
“Now, let’s get this paperwork out of the way. Milo and I will need to see your financials, including your wage payments, property tax, and any paperwork stating what needs to be paid and when, also who you get your gold from, since you mentioned it doesn’t come from Lord Farrow,” I said, gesturing back the way we came.
As we turned back to leave the training room, I was happy to see both kids from upstairs run through the door, now looking much better, even healthier than the other kids who were already out here.
“Thanks, mister, I feel much better,” the girl said, running past.
I paused. ‘Mister’? I was only a few years older than them?