420: || Chapter 409 || Poor Little Souls

|| Chapter 409 || Poor Little Souls

Ghana stood in the gray stone courtyard. It didn't look too big to be grand but there was a charm to how quaint it appeared. The area looked clean despite the remains of a few dead leaves swept to the edge just barely on the grass. It could've looked bright and lively on a bright sunny day. Unfortunately, the gray clouds continue to derive the land from that kind of joy ever since the Kron took over. 

Ghana released a breath and spoke to the three sentinels standing behind her. "No one comes inside until I say so."

"Understand, captain."

Ghana stepped unto the porch of the orphanage and opened the door. 

"Oh, Hello there." A middle-aged lady with a kind smile greeted her. She wiped her hands on her worn-out apron before shaking Ghana's hand. 

"Are you the sentinel who's going meet up with the new children?"

"Yes, I am," Ghana replied and followed the woman deeper into the house. 

Ghana recalled her history with this orphanage. Several years ago, when Lord Hadrian had just started assembling this city, many people were hungry and fearful. The people wanted shelter, food, fresh water, clothing, and medicine which were scarce at those times. 

It was difficult to find resources when malibreeds kept finding their way toward the city. The sentinel guilds worked to find and rescue survivors. Some of them were children, orphaned, sick, and severely malnourished. Most of them were traumatized. People were too selfish to care for others when they were struggling for their own safety and survival. No one could take care of the children. 

Lord Hercullio could not ignore these issues, he instructed sentinels to build a shelter for these little ones and Ghana was one of the sentinels instructed to take care of the children here before a caretaker was finally assigned. She wasn't very good at children so she remained stuck in the kitchen. 

The gentle woman gave her a brief tour of the place before she led Ghana to the garden. A few children mischievously ran past them, giggling while muttering their apologies. The garden was small and there were several plant boxes filled with beautiful flowers. It looked lovely.

'It used to be a lot smaller.' Ghana thought with a smile. 

In the center of the garden, a tall tree with branches widely spread apart stood. It looked like a green umbrella. The woman then pointed to the little figure squatting at the base of the tree. 

Ghana stared deeply at the child. She was one of the children, Moulin and Sarion rescued at early dawn. 

"The poor little girl mostly spends her time alone under that tree. Unlike the two other kids here, she's quite silent." The lady said, shaking her head with a sigh. 

Ghana nodded. The woman then excused herself and left Ghana to approach the girl alone. 

Usually, Moulin was the one who'd interact with people and children. Ghana wasn't sure if she'd be able to get some information out from the little girl without sounding urgent. But tomorrow night was the siege, it would help if they had more information. Ghana was worried that she would scare the child if she'd force her to remember.

With a deep breath, Ghana neared the girl until she stood before her. Noticing her presence, the girl opened her eyes and flinched at the sight of the tall woman in front of her. 

"I'm not going to hurt you..." Ghana hesitantly reasoned. "It's alright..."

"You..." the girl paused and observed the woman before continuing. "Are you his friend?..."

To Ghana's surprise, the girl was the one who started the conversation first.

"His?"

The girl pursed her lips and drew her knees closer to her chest as she mumbled. "Um... the man with pretty hair and eyes."

Pretty? 

For a moment, confusion filled the female sentinel's eyes before the realization struck her at last. Ghana's blue eyes brightened. 

"Ah, yes. Moulin, the one with white hair and fancy silver eyes. Yes, I am his friend."

The girl relaxed and then nodded, "Why doesn't he come here?"

Ghana's forehead creased. She wanted to meet Moulin, huh? 

"He's very busy. But maybe I'll come back with him next time. Would you like that?"

The moment Ghana said this, the girl beamed, "Yes!"

"Okay, it's a promise." Ghana mentally sighed. Everything going smoother than she thought. Now for the tricky part...

Ghana asked to sit beside her and as expected the girl nodded with enthusiasm, gleefully patting the grass next to her. 

"What's your name, ma'am?" The girl asked. 

'She's even asking for my name first. Ah, how low I've sunk.' Ghana thought before replying. 

The little girl nodded and then spoke before Ghana could ask. "I'm Nara."

"It's a pretty name." Complimented Ghana. "So Nara, can ask you a question?"

"Mn, Okay..."

'Oh boy...' Ghana cleared her throat before proceeding. The hesitated a bit when faced with Nara's bright beady hazel eyes. 

"You see, we're trying to catch the bad guys who took you and your friends. Can you tell me what happened?" Ghana tries to soften her voice as much as she can. 

Predictably, reluctance flashed in the little girl's eyes. The fear on her face immediately made Ghana regret asking. She watched as Nara embraced herself a little tighter and buried her head on her knees. She looks as though she was crying with her shoulders slightly trembling before Ghana's eyes. Sure enough, a sob was heard. 

Ghana wanted to panic but she knew it would do nothing to alleviate the situation at hand. This, she was stuck in silence. Ah, what to do? Why didn't she just toss this task to someone else? Moulin perhaps...

All of a sudden, the girl raised her head and sniffed. She wore a determined expression and turned to face Ghana. Her lips trembled before hesitantly speaking.

"E-Each one of us was taken away from our orphanage in the second district... T-The man who took us into the house to sell us off... I heard him talk about something before we were dragged out to the rain..."

"What is it?" 

Nara tried to remember. She recalled the tight roped biting into her wrists as she was dragged into the room with three other children. Fear was like a blizzard, the cold raked throughout her skin until she was trembling, waiting for death. However, although blindfolded, she heard the man talk, cursing and shouting in frustration, as he vented his anger out on the things in the room.

"It's not my fucking fault that they lost a child to the sentinels! How could they even lose a skinny half-blind kid so easily?!"

"Did they know how many weeks I spent to get a kid like that? How hard it is to find an Aphrodite? Crazy people. The effort I did to obtain that child. Thought they'd sell him, or use him, in the end, they just beat him up for nothing."

"If it weren't for the crystals, I wouldn't be stuck doing this filthy job again. Hey, you! Stop crying and shut your trap! Did you hear me?!"

Nara clenched her eyes as she finished talking. She sniffed, shaking her head, trying to forget the experience. 

Ghana stooped, "Did you say half blind?"

"...?" Nara blinked her moist eyes and nodded slowly. 

"An aphrodite?"

Nara tilted her head, "Yes?..."

Ghana took a deep breath. Then... that child. If she wasn't wrong, the child in Jagra's home...

Nara was startled when the sentinel was suddenly up on her feet.

....

Creak...

Moulin stopped his movements. His hand remained clutched around the door handle. The door clearly wasn't oiled well. And Jagra who was stuck in his workroom couldn't care less, of course. However, Moulin manage to crack open the door just a little bit, enough to peek at the slumbering figure in the bed.

'Ah, he's asleep.'

With a sigh, the silver-eyed youth opened the door as slowly as he could and hurriedly stepped inside the room. 

Carefully, he made his way toward the bedside and sat on the cushioned chair with ease. He released a breath, realizing that the boy hadn't woken up at all despite his poor attempts to be quiet.  2

With soft eyes, Moulin gazed at the sleeping figure. Erthyl was recovering. Some of the bandages have been removed and one could see the healthy rosiness of his cheeks. His dark brown hair looked soft and fluffy to the touch. The child curled around the warm blanket, snoring quietly. 

He's quite a good-looking child. Moulin was glad he was getting well.

Moulin smiled. But when he remembered that deranged woman hiding in the basement of her house, Moulin could not help but feel anger. Did she torture Erthyl? This weak child... How many were there waiting to be rescued? How were those children faring?

Anxious and mad in fury, Moulin clenched his fists. 

"Mnmh..."

Moulin stopped. Erthyl shifted underneath his blanket. His brows are furrowed as though he was having a bad dream. Feeling sympathy for the little boy, Moulin stroked his head gently and murmured comforting words just like how his mother used to comfort him. 

Erthyl's expression eased. However, Moulin's cold touch triggered the boy's awareness. Thus, when he realized that someone was touching him, his eyes snapped open and he rose from the bed, startling Moulin.

The boy was trembling and panting as he turned to look at the person beside him. Then he stopped when he recognized those warm eyes and serene countenance.

"It's alright. You're okay... You're safe." 

Moulin's reassuring voice slowly crept into the boy's heart, guiding him to relax. 

Erthyl gradually followed Moulin's breathing and finally calmed down. 

"Feeling better? Sorry, I wasn't able to visit you so often..." Moulin said while he fixed the sheets on the bed. 

Erthyl blinked when Moulin came closer to fix the blankets, he reached out his frail hand and touched Moulin's magical-looking white arm. In truth, he had always been curious about why the young man's arms looked different from each other. However, they looked beautiful still.

"Do you like them?" Moulin asked. His silver eyes curved in warmth. 

Erthyl dazedly nodded. Pursing his lips, the little boy curiously caressed the golden marks on Moulin's arm. They glistened beautifully under his touch. The boy had never seen something so pretty before. Before he knew it, tears accumulated in the boy's round eyes.

He's actually touching something so pretty and fascinating. Someone like him... who is as low as trash could actually touch and see something this pure and beautiful. To be... cared for by someone this kind and gentle?

Moulin stiffened. He's crying. He's crying? Ah, why is he suddenly crying? 

"Uh... don't cry. Why are you crying, hm?" Moulin stroked the boy's back. His heart shook when he felt the little tremors underneath his palm.

"It's alright. Don't cry..."

"Ah..."

"Yes, don't worry. It's going to be right-"

Moulin's hand stopped. 'Ah?'

Did he just hear...

Slowly, Moulin shifted his eyes to look at the boy's face. Erthyl's lips parted as he sobbed. It was wincing as he tried to... to...

"I..."

Silver eyes widened. Erthyl was trying to speak?

Moulin blanked out for a minute. It wasn't until his gaze fell on Erthyl's bandaged neck that he spoke again in urgency. 

"No, Erthyl. Don't try to speak. It's painful, isn't it?"

Erthyl shook his head and kept his mouth open. He's moving his lips and looking at Moulin with a plea.

He was trying to tell Moulin something...

Confused, the young man tries to decipher his movements. He sayings his eyes. What... What is he trying to say?

However, noise from outside the room caught Moulin's attention. Erthyl also stopped, anxiously balancing at the door. 

With a frown, Moulin stood from his seat and walked across the room.

"I'll be back..." He told Erthyl before he open the door and stepped out.

He sensed multiple people entering Jagra's abode. Hasty footsteps sounded making the floorboards groan loudly. Whoever it was, they were impatient and rude.

Moulin expressionlessly walked into the hallway before and was greeted by the sight of four sentinels walking toward him.

"Ghana?" Moulin's brows rose.

The female sentinel with cerulean eyes turned and met her friend's silver gaze. Ghana was sweating. Her chest rose and lowered alternately. 

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