“Yours sincerely, Marchioness Genevieve Ainsworth…” I finished reading the letter aloud in a quiet whisper and tossed the fine paper onto the bed. Thoughtfully, I stared at the wall, the silence of the room settling around me.

  The words echoed in my mind, turning over and over, until something finally… clicked.

  A loud, incredulous laugh burst out of me, startling Pip, who looked up at me from the bed with an inquisitive tilt of her head. Sighing, I let my head hang, another short, humorless laugh escaping me. In retrospect, it should have occurred to me much, much sooner. Lady Ainsworth had already offered to place me in an orphanage… after I had participated in the planned tournament.

  What were her exact words again? “I could arrange for you to be placed in an orphanage here in Aegis. A good one.”

  Huh. She had said that a few weeks ago, before everything went to hell. So, this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision born from pity after the execution.This was a contingency plan. Perhaps the plan all along. This was her way of making amends, of cleaning up the mess her husband had made. After everything Lord Shitsworth had put me through, it felt like the absolute minimum. The image of Theo’s terrified, lifeless face flashed in my thoughts… what had happened to him was incomparable to anything I had suffered. I shouldn't let myself get too down about accepting her charity. It was the least she could do. I shook my head, trying to force a clear thought.

  Of course, I was happy to be here, and that it was so beautiful and peaceful. But surely, this wasn't the norm for orphanages. It felt… staged. Even in my old life, in a world with far more resources, most orphanages were very, very sparse, functional institutions at best, often grim and underfunded. How could I have possibly thought that here, in this archaic, almost medieval world, there would be beautiful, idyllic orphanages for poor, parentless children? That brought up another question… how could Little Garden afford this… lifestyle? Through donations? Even if wealthy people like Lord Ainsworth donated a lot of money, how was it decided who was admitted here and who wasn't? From my experience, the rich rarely wanted to see their money spent on common street kids; if they did, they could just help them directly in the gutters instead of funding a fairy-tale manor in a private forest.

  I scratched my chin thoughtfully. Could it be that the orphans housed here were… special? Maybe from fallen noble families? Illegitimate children of powerful figures, hidden away? So many questions… and as always, so few answers.

  I sighed again, a wave of weariness washing over me. Maybe I really was a fool for not accepting Lord Rockford’s offer of a formal apprenticeship… but for now, at least, we were safe. That had to be enough.

  I put the items back in the basket and stood up wearily while Pip made herself comfortable on the bed, already claiming it as her own. I stored the basket in the wardrobe and then walked over to the desk. My gaze wandered out the window. In the darkness, I could see the treetops swaying back and forth, their leaves dancing like dark silhouettes in the wind. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and said to the empty room, shaking my head, “What a day… but maybe tomorrow will look completely different…”

  Blood. Again and again, the flash of red against steel, the spray of it warm in the air. Sighing, I opened my eyes and rubbed my face vigorously. I felt like I hadn't slept a single second all night. Every time I had drifted off, the images had returned, vivid and horrific. The sound of the blade whistling through the air. The dull, wet thud. The image of Theo’s head being severed by Lord Ainsworth. The image of Lord Ainsworth being beheaded with impossible speed by the King.

  Even though I had killed goblins myself, and brutally at that, crushing skulls and breaking bones in a desperate fight for my life, I wasn't equipped to handle these images. That had been monstrous, but this was… human. The sight of a man executing another man. Over and over, I saw the blood spray, saw the life drain from their eyes. Theo was the first human being I had ever seen killed before my eyes, and Lord Ainsworth's execution so soon after had disturbed me on a level I couldn't yet comprehend.

  I closed my eyes again, trying to block it out, and focused on the only peaceful sound in the room: the soft, contented sound of Pip snoring beside me, a little rumble of pure innocence. Carefully, so as not to wake her, I slipped out of bed and walked to the window. Dawn was breaking, the first pale light pushing back the darkness. Soon, it would be bright. I got dressed in a set of the simple clothes from the wardrobe and wondered how best to pass the time until breakfast.

  A soft scratching at the door gave me my answer. Pip stood by the door, wide awake now, meowing up at me expectantly, her claws making a soft tick-tick-tick sound against the wood. “What, you want to go out?” I whispered, rubbing my chin thoughtfully. "You can do your business while I practice some magic?" Her response was to scratch at the door with even more enthusiasm.

  I opened the door quietly, and Pip immediately shot out like a black arrow. I poked my head cautiously into the corridor and looked left and right. It was still very early, so it was no wonder that no one was in sight. But… am I even allowed to be out and about yet? Well, no one had told me otherwise. So, I shrugged and padded silently down the hallway and towards the stairs.

  The orphanage felt like a ghost town. I heard no one, and I saw no one. But the rich, delicious smell of freshly baked bread told me that someone was definitely awake and working in the kitchen. Since I had no idea where the kitchen was, and honestly, I had no desire to ask for permission to go outside, I just headed for the main entrance.

  Pip was already waiting there, scratching impatiently at the grand front door. Apparently, her “business” was really urgent. I quickened my pace, went to the door, and opened it. Pip practically flew out and disappeared somewhere into the nearby thicket of the forest. “Have fun…” I grumbled to myself, and stepped outside into the cool, crisp morning air.

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  I looked around, considering where I should practice. The path in front of me led back into the woods from which we had come with the carriage. Not suitable. To my right was the large vegetable garden, and to my left, the fruit trees… yeah, definitely not there. I would almost certainly get into a lot of trouble. I rubbed the back of my head thoughtfully and decided to simply check the other side of the house.

  My footsteps crunched softly on the gravel as I followed the path. Arriving behind the main building, I stopped, perplexed. I saw something that surprised me greatly. A large, open grassy area that bordered directly on the forest. And Grimelda, walking with a determined stride, right into those same woods.

  What the hell is that woman doing in the forest at this hour? I wondered. Don’t they have latrines here? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought. Going into the woods alone at night, or in the pre-dawn gloom, just to relieve oneself? That sounded…creepy, and dangerous. I shook off the feeling and focused on more important things. Magic.

  I stood now on the grassy lawn, the long blades of grass dancing in the gentle morning breeze, and considered how best to proceed. Should I focus on refining my control? Work on utility spells, like, for example, improving my garden-watering skills? Or maybe even try to learn a slightly less… extreme attack spell? My thoughts drifted back to the incidents with Lord Ainsworth and the rats in the cellar. Neither gravity magic, which I couldn’t control, nor my ‘Roaring Flames’ spell, which drained me completely, was a practical means of attack, or rather, defense. I needed something smaller, more sustainable.

  My gaze wandered unconsciously towards the vegetable garden again. I shrugged. With that, it was settled. Today’s task would be to design a new, more efficient irrigation system.

  I raised my hand and shaped the mana into a sphere of water, which took form, shimmering, above my palm.

  Hm. Now what? I laughed, a little embarrassed, and rubbed my chin with my free hand. Do I make it fly high up and then explode, like rain? Or do I generate steam with fire…which would probably just cook the plants. Yeah, bad idea.

  The wind blew coolly against my face, and with it came the obvious realization. But, idiot that I was, instead of facepalming with my free hand, I smacked myself right in the face with the hand holding the water sphere. Splat. Cold water ran down my nose and chin. Sighing at my own stupidity, I summoned a steady stream of air and used it to blow the water droplets from my face. Wind. Of course. Wind was the answer.

  Once I was dry, I raised my hand and summoned a new water sphere. Satisfied with the result, I now carefully tried to introduce a current of wind. The water sphere wobbled unsteadily, but nothing more happened. I tried to feel the two different types of mana at once – the cool, flowing sensation of water and the light, almost ticklish feeling of air. It was like trying to pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time. The moment I focused on one, I lost control of the other. The water sphere collapsed. I tried again. This time the air stream sputtered and died. Okay, this is harder than it looks. I increased the wind input drastically, and suddenly, the water sphere burst, the droplets flying away from me in a fine spray.

  A small smile touched my lips, and I nodded. The first step was done. Now, I just had to summon both water and air at the same time and find the right balance. And oh boy… that was easier said than done. Too much water, not enough air. Too much water and too much air. But slowly, painstakingly, I began to find the balance, the feel for weaving two different energies together. After what felt like an hour of trial and error, it finally came. The proof that it was working.

  < Spell learned: Sprinkle (Inferior) >

  A slow, satisfied grin spread across my face, It still needed some fine-tuning to better regulate the output, to create a gentle shower rather than a forceful spray, but now I could properly water the fields when the time came. A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered the back-breaking work of watering the fields on that bastards farm…thank the gods, that would never happen again.

  I stretched expansively and looked around. No one was outside, and I couldn't see anyone through the windows. Was anyone else even awake yet? Shrugging, I let out a sharp whistle for Pip, who didn't take long to appear. With a joyful meow, she darted out of the forest and rubbed affectionately against my legs. “Come on, let’s go see if anyone’s awake,” I said to her, and we went back inside.

  I walked up the steps to the orphanage’s main entrance and saw Pip waiting patiently before the door. Grinning, I opened it, and Pip zipped inside. But as I went to step in after her, I almost crashed right into a person.

  Startled, I took a quick step back and saw that it was Verity. She had the doorknob in her hand from the inside; she was probably just about to go out herself. “Oh! I beg your pardon,” I said quietly, lowering my head slightly. “I didn’t see you.” But no reply came.

  When I lifted my head again, Verity was just… looking at me. Expressionlessly. Her face was a blank canvas. Unnerved, I stood there before her for what felt like an eternity, the silence stretching uncomfortably between us. My hands started to sweat with nervousness, but she said nothing, just stared with those calm, unreadable brown eyes. I expected a scolding, a question, anything. I got nothing. It was only when Pip, bless her curious soul, rubbed against Verity’s legs and meowed loudly that Verity’s gaze finally shifted, looking down at Pip, and then back up to me. With emotionless eyes and a serious voice, she asked, “What were you doing outside?”

  Pip meowed again in response, as if answering for me. I blinked, confused for a second. “W-We went out because Pip had to do her cat business,” I explained, feeling unnerved, rubbing my sweaty hands on my trousers. “She was inside all night…”

  Verity looked at us for another long moment, and her gaze seemed to relax, just slightly. But I still got no verbal reply. She just gave a curt, almost imperceptible nod and then walked past me, out the door. She seemed to almost float as she moved from the path onto the meadow, her blonde hair waving gently in the morning breeze. There was something strangely ethereal about the scene. My gaze lingered on her until her silhouette, just like Grimelda’s had earlier, disappeared into the woods.

  Pip pulled me from my thoughts, meowing at me admonishingly, probably about breakfast. I looked down at her and said placatingly, “Yeah, yeah, we’re going to breakfast now.” But before we went, my gaze wandered on last time into the depths of the forest. Hm… I wonder what that’s all about. What are they doing in there so early?

  Shrugging, I made my way towards the dining hall. As we passed the grand staircase that led up to the rooms, I saw Emma, Arthur, and Mara coming down the steps. I raised a hand in greeting. Emma waved back cheerfully. Arthur was busy concentrating on the steps, one hand on the railing. And Mara? She pierced me with those deep purple eyes of hers. But I could have sworn that she looked slightly less… indifferent than she had yesterday when I greeted her. Just a flicker of something else in her gaze – curiosity, maybe?

  Emma called out, her voice bright and happy, “Piiiiiiip! Are you hungry yet?!” which Pip, of course, immediately confirmed with a loud meow.

  Sighing, but with a contented smile on my face, I shook my head. I could definitely get used to this.