Fighting Corruption ①
腐敗との戦い①
Since it was in the middle of the night, we urged the two to sleep first, while the tree of us remained to talk about what fates have in store for them or perhaps even ours.
“What if they decided to run?” Lady Anna’s concerns were clearly not one for own safety but the children. If they run, chances are the two will get captured by the ones who had ordered them, then either get separated or worst… get killed. The thought must have been too horrid for her as she kept on glancing where the two have finally fallen asleep.
“Rest assured Lady Anna. I have the two under my net and cannot move without me knowing.” Noting her concern, I then voiced my assurance all the while enhancing and activating my KI and MANA Perception around the house for any anomalies that might happen. Well with what sir Heid had said earlier, I doubt the two would run and risked getting separated.
“Then, how would we protect those two?” amazingly, the couple were in sync, instead of asking about who sent or what should be done for the crimes the two had committed, they instead asked how they can be saved.
While the two was frantic about what to do, another flash of inspiration hits me in the head.
“If you are that worried about the two, I have a few ideas. Are you interested?” the two unilaterally nod at my proposal and willingly extended their ears. “There are two options available to you. One is to adopt them. the other is let them join the Hunter’s Guild.”
“Ah!” the two finally noticed, when Lady Anna asked for their names, both only mentioned their names which indicate a highly that they are orphaned, so adopting them will be a good choice.
Allowing them to enter the guild, is also another option they can take. Whether they are orphans or have families of their own, once have enough finances they can do whatever they want with the money they themselves earned.
“I can probably train them to some extent in terms of combat.” I gave my next proposal.
“Yes, and I can teach them how to read and write.”
“And I will educate them with the common sense of this world so that no one will use them for evil deeds ever again.”
I am not too sure why, but I feel that the couple had somehow chosen the first of the two options from the get-go.
“Are you two planning on adopting them?” it was a rhetorical question met with an almost too obvious answer.
“Lan S. Romaria. Ran S. Romaria. It has a nice ring to it, what do you think… Ah sorry were you asking something?”
“Er, nothing. The names look good on them.”
“Right~.”
The couple were clearly on the adoption mode. It was clear that the couple were in love with each other and yet I have not seen any children. While I am curious, I was not too boorish to dig deep on things that might be taboo on the couple. I think they might have wanted children of their own and so decided to keep the second option as backup, for now.
“Ahem!” while the couple continued to have festive mood, there was still one problem that still needed to be touched.
“Right….” Looks like sir Heid noticed this too. “You are implying about where they came, perchance?”
When the twins did not mention about their surnames, I had an inkling that the two might be orphans or another likely reason abandoned. Regardless of the reason, they should at least be under the care of someone or of the town’s orphanage.
Both were problematic either way.
If they had families, relatives or other adults taking care of them, they would sure not allow the adoption. After all, the two are now culprits to an attempted arson if words come out, the family will surely be held as accomplices.
The latter is equally troublesome. The couple might have gained some trust from the townsfolk, but it was not like the allegation of treason has disappeared completely. If so, the orphanage, which is handled by the government will not likely entrust these twins to the couple. That and there is also a chance that the orphanage might be the ones who have sent the twins to begin with.
“Although the orphanage is a government entity, Molba, the Town Elder should be the one managing it.” Sir Heid somehow voiced out worries. “For now, let’s get some information.”
Right, in whatever academic or military endeavor one pursues, information is key to succeed them.
*****
“Good morning you two.” Lady Anna served the twins their breakfast. Thankfully, the night came to pass without anyone trying to do any successive attempts of arson or perhaps anything that will bring further harm to both the couple and the twins. The twins also headed sir Heid’s words and stayed so that they can be together.
“Will it be okay if we asked you where you stayed before here?” after breakfast, we needed to clarify the first hurdle. On who’s care where they affiliated with.
“Place with a lot of children…” that sums it, they are indeed in the care of the town’s orphanage. While I was at thought on how to proceed, the couple were turning grim. And looks like it was not unfounded.
“We steal and give money to our owner…”
“Tasked with bringing items here and there…”
From the way the two said it, the twins were not the only victims, the whole children in the orphanage were. All of them equally in danger, and the couple could not bare to hide their distraught.
“Ace, can we ask you for another favor?” sir Heid, did not need to ask for a favor as I am currently under their payroll as hired bodyguard. As he was a true ‘gentleman’, he still asked for my consent from which I readily gave.
“And you two” sir Heid gave the twin some warning. “Listen carefully, you are safe as long as you are not seen by anyone and stay here for now… but if someone sees and recognize you…” the four then gulped… wow, the couple and the twins were in sync. I think the couple are meant to adopt the twins. Fate?
That day, we then started our information gathering campaign all the while making sure that the twins hidden. Thankfully, having a diner was the best way to gain information without getting too much attention plus with the couple having no children of their own made it less suspicious.
“The orphanage… rotten place… brats will steal you off with ya belongings if not careful. Now don be wonder’n in such a place you hear… my lady.”
“It is a little bit sad but, as a person of the church, I can’t help it when I see children being dyed with the color of corruption.”
“Now that you mentioned it, I once saw the orphanage’s financial statements…. Now don’t go telling anyone but they have a large sum going to their accounts.”
Nothing good was associated with one of the town’s orphanage and all these accounts were from trusted sources too. The Lumberjack Department who had taken care of the orphanage’s repairs had run in with its children, the church who used to be the one who had managed orphanages before it was turned over to the government had seen how it had changed from a place of reform to a den of thieves and criminals. And the lastly, a government worker who has had dealing with finances with the orphanage had seen these so-called large sums that were not clearly used for the orphanage.
While the news was indeed undesirable, there was one good thing that came from it. If we can somehow gain evidence of these corruption, we can strip them off with any power they hold with the children.
“While it is not optimal, I think we have something we can use against them… but…” right, while it was a good to call up these crimes, we however are dealing with a government entity and as such we are not likely to win without evidence presented. However, that was not the only thing that concerned us.
“How should we get the children?” Lady Anna was on mark. As I was a former teacher, we had some cases where our learners were with abusive parents or guardians. The first action one should always take is to get the children from dangerous environment. The longer the time they spend in that environment the higher the chances of damages that will be irreversible to happen.
“We can help…” While we were at our wits end on how to rescue the remaining children, the twins who must have noticed our plight came and talk to us. “It is unfair that we the shortest to have stayed there be the first to be saved.”
Looks like the twins were not born from Amarante, but the time to ask about it was not now. “Let’s hear your thoughts then.”
Their idea was simply to ask the children to come with them. While they said it simply, the idea was very sound. If they came from their volition, then we will not be held in contempt for kidnapping. The problem is where to hide them while we gather evidence.
*****
“Looks like you two are threading a very dangerous road.” While there were many options as to where to hide them, the couple had decided the optimal place for refuge. “But as servant of God, my duty compels me to prioritize saving the children and disregard the danger that comes with it.” Feyth Romlis, the town’s only apothecarist and appointed priestess of the became our lifeline.
When the twins presented their idea, Lady Anna was a bit hesitant, if the two had to talk to the remaining orphans, that would mean that the twins had to go back to the scary place that was likely to get them killed. Lady Anna never wanted them to feel those horrors ever again. But the two had showed conviction that casted lady Anna’s worries and in the end decided to support the idea.
The plan was to have the twins convince the children to get out of the orphanage, that there is a better place waiting for them outside the scary orphanage. However, the so-called place which was better than the orphanage was not in our grasp. While the couple’s mansion was probably big enough to host remaining children, it was not an ideal place to hide the children, the orphanage caretakers will likely search the mansion as soon as the children goes missing.
We also, thought of getting them to the forest… but that was a no-no for Lady Anna and so was rejected…. I mean… yeah… a definite no. Sorry that was my idea. The same could be said if we have them escape to another town… I don’t think their pursuers will stop hunting them. and if they somehow get found, we will likely be charged with kidnapping that was not an ideal outcome for any of us.
So, we were left with no choice but to involve the church in our plan. At first, we were reluctant to involve other people with our plans since they might get dragged together with us. But we are thankful that we had asked the priestess none the less. “If the children come inside with their own volition, no one, not even nobles can easily touch them inside the Church.”
Sir Heid told me later that while nobles have higher status, the Church has power that equals or probably further exceeds that in terms of authority.
I am reminded again that faith and religion was something that can’t be messed with. This was the same in my previous world but is especially true when a blessing from the gods known as magic is so evident in this world.
Now… the only thing left to do is get the children in protective custody.