Chapter 3 - In the Case of Anna Myers <1>
I
"Mmm, what a beautiful day!"
Standing in the field with the children in tow, Anna Myers took a deep breath of the pleasant autumn air. A slightly strong breeze gently swayed the single braid she wore.
She looked to be about fourteen or fifteen. With large, striking green eyes that danced like glittering sunlight, Anna might have seemed young to be leading a group of children, but she watched their boisterous play with the calm expression of an adult.
The children were full of energy today, and the scenery was beautiful. It looked to be the start of a wonderful day.
Growing in this smallish field was the friend of the poor, the sweet potato, which grew well even in barren soil. The golden flesh wrapped in bright red skin was sweet, fluffy, and the greatest feast of the season.
This year, they were blessed with a bumper crop, the likes of which they had never seen before. Anna secretly believed this great harvest was surely a reward for their good deeds. It was always better to think positively than to dwell on the negative. That was Anna’s motto.
The heart-shaped leaves, rustling in the autumn wind, were beginning to wither, signaling that it was time to harvest. If they withered too much, it would be no good, so now was the perfect time. It was truly good fortune that the long-awaited harvest day was met with such a fine autumn sky.
"Anna-neechan, what should we do first?"
As the children, holding various farm tools, asked with excitement, Anna broke into a smile.
"First, let's cut off the stems we don't need!"
As she spoke, Anna pulled a sickle from the tool pouch at her waist and set to work.
"Okay!"
The older children followed Anna's lead and took out their sickles. The younger ones waited patiently. It was too dangerous to let anyone under seven handle a blade. They cut the excess stems from the sweet potatoes and carefully tied them to their waists. These stems, once dried, would become fine food. For a poor orphanage, this too was a precious source of sustenance. As she worked, she occasionally looked up, and the scent of earth and greenery filled her nostrils.
"Mmm, I'm really working!"
It was at times like these that Anna felt the joy of farming. The pride of a farmer was in having the strength to find happiness in work.
"Alright, let's do our best!"
"Yeah!"
This was the Village of Vishnu, a small village less than two days' journey from Ciedena Forest. Blessed by a clear river that originated in the forest, it was a village centered on agriculture and dairy farming. It was a highland area with short summers and long winters. Thanks to the Eneonea Central Mountain Range, it wasn't a heavy snowfall region, but they were still snowed in during the winter.
For that reason, the village, centered around a hill with a church that worshipped the Water Spirit King and an orphanage, was by no means wealthy. Even so, the people lived a leisurely life, enjoying their environment. They celebrated the short summer, and in winter, they enriched their lives even in the cold, spinning wool from the village sheep, knitting, and sewing.
Anna was the adopted daughter of Anton, the old priest who lived in the village church. Like Anton, who was also a water spirit user, she could handle spirits and served as a caretaker at the orphanage run by the church. Naturally, she too had been an orphan before becoming Anton's adopted daughter.
"We're having a party today!"
The children cheered at Anna's words. Anna's heart danced along with theirs. After all, for a poor orphanage, the potato harvest day was the single biggest event of the year.
In the Yuresla Kingdom, perhaps due to its recent prosperity, there were relatively few orphanages. She had heard that there were many back when the country was in a terrible state of civil war, but as the nation stabilized and grew prosperous, the number of orphans decreased. It had been thirty-five years since the end of the civil war, and the country had been stable ever since. Peace was a good thing.
The orphans of the Vishnu orphanage, located in the northern part of the kingdom, and the parent-and-child of this church lived a modest, impoverished life together. Just because it was attached to a church didn't mean it received aid from the Water Main Temple.
This orphanage, founded by Anton in his youth, earned its income from the goodwill of the village, the orchard on the hill, and the vegetables grown by the children. The fruits from the orchard and their processed goods were a particular source of income. But that alone was not enough for nearly twenty orphans and the parent-and-child to live on. So, thanks to the villagers' donations of food and daily necessities, they somehow managed to live a modest, though poor, life with food and clothing.
Because of this lifestyle, even though the orphanage children grew their own crops, they never ate until they were too full to move. They needed to store food to make it last a long time. The common consensus among all who lived at the orphanage was that the most important thing was to keep everything—food, clothing, and shelter—at about seventy percent capacity.
But there was an exception. Only during the autumn season, when these sweet potatoes that grew large and plentiful even in barren soil could be harvested, could they eat until they were truly satisfied. Plus, there were many ways to cook sweet potatoes, and best of all, they were filling.
So, a few years ago, Anna decided that the day of the annual sweet potato harvest would be a day to fill the table with all kinds of potato dishes and eat until their bellies were about to burst. This was commonly known as the 'Great Sweet Potato Harvest Festival.' The one who named it was, of course, Anna, who loved to eat.
Sweet potato pie, potato salad, potato rice, potato bread, and potato stew. And of course, baked potatoes would be the main event. Just thinking about it was exciting. In other words, the party held tonight was the one major event where they could eat until they were completely full.
In front of the children, Anna acted as if she preferred this modest life more than anyone, but in truth, she loved to eat so much that she often dreamed of food. For someone like Anna, just thinking about the dishes she would make and eat made her steps light and bouncy. She had been waiting so eagerly for the harvest day that she had been bursting into song all morning.
Suddenly sensing a gaze, she turned to find the children looking happily at her elated state. Anna thought she was skillfully hiding her gluttony, but maybe the children had seen right through her.
When she offered a bashful smile, the children returned bright smiles of their own. There was almost no sense of tragedy among the orphans in this orphanage. A child who had just been brought to the orphanage would naturally have various problems, but before long, they would be influenced by Anna and the other children, whose motto was to live each day happily.
"Party time, party time!"
Anna sang as she rolled up her sleeves. Before her, the red potatoes waited, as if they couldn't wait to be harvested by Anna, eagerly anticipating their emergence from the ground.
"I'm coming to get you now, my little potatoes~"
The thought was so much fun she couldn't help it. Anna loved harvesting potatoes. The thrill of seeing so many potatoes come out in a chain from that one vine, and the premonition of the certain sweetness and rich texture in her hand was irresistible.
Once they had finished cutting most of the excess stems, Anna gathered everyone and explained how to harvest them properly. If she didn't do this, the harvest would take twice as long.
"Is everyone here? Listen carefully. You pull on the thickest part of the stem and gently shake it."
As she explained, she looked at the children and saw they were fidgeting restlessly. Everyone wanted to start harvesting already.
"Is everyone listening?"
Anna placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks in a mock pout. The children then mimicked her, puffing out their own cheeks. It was so funny that they all burst out laughing. When there's a lot to look forward to, even little things like this are unbearably amusing. Fortunately, there were no new orphans this year, so everyone had experience from the previous year.
"We know, Anna-neechan, we did it last year."
"You're right. Well then, shall we begin?"
"Yay!"
As if they had been waiting for those words, the orphans all grabbed the sweet potato stems and crouched down. As they held the stems and shook the entire sweet potato plant, the soil gradually loosened.
"Anna-neechan, it's getting loose!"
"Can I pull it out now?"
Such calls rose from the little children all around. Anna was busy responding to their calls.
"I'll come check in a second, so just wait!"
Nimbly running between the smiling children, Anna called out to the older group who had already started pulling.
"Hey, big kids, help out the little ones!"
"Okay~"
"If it's too deep and you can't dig it out, make sure you dig a hole to get it."
"Okay~"
Anna busily went around checking on the children's progress. Before long, everyone was able to pull out the potatoes skillfully. At this point, Anna's help was no longer needed. Anna leisurely made her way to a spot she had marked as likely having the most potatoes and began to dig up her own.
"This is my special privilege, after all~ Come on out, little potatoes~"
Just shaking the stem with excitement was fun. She had put so much time and effort into raising them for this day.
Soon, the potatoes would come slithering out... Ah, just imagining it was pure bliss!
But her enjoyment was to be put on hold. The children had dug something up. Of course, it had nothing to do with potatoes.
"Anna-neechan, we found something pretty!"
For a brief moment, she thought about pretending not to hear, but Anna wasn't the type of person who could do that. Still, the allure of this potato was hard to resist. As Anna hesitated, more and more children started gathering around the one who had called out to her.
"Anna-neechan, hurry up and come see!"
There goes my fun...
Anna reluctantly released her hands from the stem. Judging by the feel of it, it would have been a massive potato.
"She can't hear us, let's all call her!"
"Yeah!"
"Ready, set..."
At this point, she couldn't hesitate. With a sense of longing, Anna let go of the potato stem and turned around with a smile.
"I can hear you~ I'm coming now."
Walking nimbly over the softened, difficult-to-walk-on soil, she reached the child who had made the discovery. The child showed Anna a beautiful gem resting on their palm. It was a small, blue, glass-like orb that would fit snugly in her hand. It was strange how it seemed to turn green, red, or yellow depending on the sunlight.
She'd never seen anything like it.
As she gently took it, the orb felt faintly warm.
"I wonder if the priest dropped it?"
The moment she peered into it, the orb suddenly began to emit light. Her eyes were dazzled. Unconcerned with Anna's plight, the light grew stronger and stronger.
"What is this..."
She instinctively dropped the orb.
"Ah..."
Just as she thought it would shatter, the orb floated gently in the air.
"It's floating..."
The orb rose to Anna's eye level and then, right before her, began to shine brightly again. The light seemed to be calling to her. She didn't know who it was, but for some reason, it felt terribly nostalgic... That's what it felt like.
At times like this, there was nothing to do but ask Anton. Anna asked the children, who were standing there dumbfounded.
"Can someone go get the priest for me?"
But there was no need. There stood the familiar figure of the white-haired old priest, Anton, smiling gently. It seemed Anton had come to watch the sweet potato harvest. With a warm light in his kind eyes, Anton quietly approached Anna.
"I am here. It seems you've dug up something unusual instead of a potato. Let me see it."
Anton took the blue orb from Anna, placed it carefully in his palm, and stared at it intently. A quiet silence fell.
Anna noticed an unfamiliar expression on Anton's face. It was a strange look, both sad and relieved. Perhaps to avoid worrying the children, Anton quickly erased that expression and put on his usual gentle smile.
"I will take good care of this, so you have nothing to worry about. Now, continue with your potato digging. Or you won't be able to have your party today."
At Anton's voice, the children finally snapped back to reality.
"No way!"
"Oh no, we have to hurry and dig!"
Reassured by his smile, the children scattered back to their respective spots. But Anna, whose earlier cheerful mood had vanished, stood still and watched Anton. She had seen the change in his expression. Even if they weren't related by blood, they were parent and child.
As if sensing Anna's anxiety, Anton smiled his usual gentle smile.
"Don't worry so much. I will definitely tell you about this orb after the harvest season is over. Go and enjoy your potato digging. If you miss out on this once-a-year fun, you'll have to wait until next year, you know?"
Hearing those words, her sunken mood lifted just a little. She was concerned about her adoptive father's expression and this orb, but the joy of the sweet potatoes she had raised for this day was great.
If they didn't finish the harvest, they couldn't have their potato party. If Anna got lost in thought and they couldn't have the party, the children would be sad.
Besides, Anton said he would tell her, so all Anna had to do was wait. It was absolutely impossible for her adoptive father to lie to her.
"You have to tell me about the orb! Promise, Father!"
Anna ran off toward the spot where she had estimated a large number of potatoes to be.
II
This year's party was also wonderful. Peeling and cooking a massive amount of sweet potatoes was hard work, but if it meant she could savor the happiness of a full stomach from the bottom of her heart, she was up for anything.
The party was almost over, and just as she was deciding on the cleanup plan amidst the calm and satisfied atmosphere, the bell installed at the church entrance to announce visitors began to ring violently. It was rare for someone to come at this hour. Usually, it meant there was a medical emergency, or a pack of wolves or silver foxes was attacking, so the tension instantly heightened.
"I wonder what happened."
Muttering to herself, she stopped her cleanup, left the rest to the older children, and headed for the church. After leaving the orphanage, she hurried down the corridor connecting to the church and passed through the silent sanctuary. The orphanage doors were locked at night because there were children with various circumstances, so the only open door was the one to the church.
She could tell someone was on the other side of the church door. Frosted glass was set into both sides of the sanctuary's wooden doors, allowing a faint view of the outside.
But the faintly visible figure didn't match anyone in Anna's memory. There shouldn't be anyone this tall in the village.
"Who could it be?"
Though she wondered, Anna, who had been told by Anton since she was a child that the church doors should always be opened properly for anyone, opened the door without any sense of caution.
"Who is it?"
When she called out, a tall figure was standing on the other side of the door. From her line of sight, she couldn't see his face. Surprised, Anna took a step back and slowly looked up at the person. It was a man with black hair and what looked like a desperate expression. Judging by his attire, he was clearly not a farmer.
Nor did he seem to be a clergyman like her adoptive father. He had a large sword strapped to his back, and his clothes were made of sturdy-looking fabric, far from the light attire of a farmer. He was probably a soldier or someone in a similar profession.
A gentle hand was placed on the shoulder of the stunned Anna from behind. She turned to find Anton there.
"Who might you be?"
In Anna's place, Anton asked the man gently. At that moment, the tall man clasped his hands together toward Anton. Anna froze, taken aback by the unexpected action.
The man's eyes, fixed on Anna and Anton, were dead serious. As she tensed up, wondering what he was about to say, the man made a pitiful request.
"Excuse me... Could you please give me some baked sweet potatoes? I haven't eaten a thing all day."
Stunned by the unexpected words, Anna stared at the man's face. A sense of tragic desperation from hunger was etched on his face, so much so that she almost laughed.
"I'm starving, I'm at my limit. This smell is baked sweet potatoes, right?"
Since it was party time, the smell of cooking had wafted all the way to the church. The unique, sweet aroma was especially strong, even here.
Anna, who had been fixated on this strange man, was brought back to her senses when Anton gently patted her shoulder again with a smile.
"A traveler has come seeking food."
"Ah..."
The church also provides charity. The basic principle was to offer food and lodging to travelers and the hungry.
"You should give him some."
"Yes, Father."
Watching Anton guide the man from the corner of her eye, Anna rushed back into the orphanage where cleanup was underway. The long table had been wiped clean, so she quickly asked the child in charge to put out a new tablecloth, then returned to the kitchen herself.
There were still plenty of baked sweet potatoes left, roasted to a golden brown on a large number of stones gathered from the nearby river. She had planned to make potato and onion croquettes with them tomorrow, but it was wrong not to offer them to someone who was hungry. There was also some potato salad and sweet potato pie left. Oh, and she had some fried potatoes, too.
To serve a meal to someone who came hungry. That was the duty of the church, no matter how poor they were. Until now, no one had come to Vishnu, located in such a remote area, on an empty stomach, so this was a first for Anna.
Guessing that a large person would eat a lot, Anna piled potatoes onto a large platter. Three of a size that would fill Anna up with just one. Then she skillfully arranged the other potato dishes on plates. And of course, the staple, bread. This was important. Eating only potatoes somehow didn't feel like a proper meal. At least, not for Anna.
With the food piled high, Anna nodded. This much should probably be enough.
When she returned to the dining hall with a child helping her, Anton was guiding the man in. Seeing his appearance, Anna was once again captivated by him. Even in the bright light, he was really tall. And not lanky, but rather robust, comparable to a farmer's hardworking hand. His black hair was messy but seemed to be well-cared for, not like a vagrant. A distinctive feature was his back hair; for some reason, one lock was long and glossy.
This physique and the large sword on his back. This person must be a soldier. Anna, who had never left Vishnu since birth, was seeing a soldier for the first time.
"Please have a seat here, traveler."
"Yes."
The conversation brought her back to her senses. Right, she had to offer a meal to the traveler.
The man sat down in the chair as prompted by Anton. But he seemed restless, looking for something. Curious about what he was looking for, she followed his gaze, and his eyes stopped on Anna. To be precise, they stopped on the fragrant, sweet, golden treasures Anna was holding... the stone-baked sweet potatoes.
The moment he saw them, Anna saw the man's eyes light up and narrow with heartfelt joy. Anna almost burst out laughing. It was cute, like a child. She had never seen an adult with such honest eyes. She thought soldiers were scary, but this person didn't seem so frightening.
As she was thinking this, their eyes met. It seemed he had noticed her about to laugh. The man shrugged with an awkward, bashful expression. His eyes were a calm dark brown. For some reason, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of those eyes. He had beautiful eyes.
Anna stared back into his eyes, but the man's gaze shifted from her back to the potatoes. He was probably looking at her, but not really seeing her existence.
But she understood how he felt. Not eating for a whole day was quite tough. Anna couldn't possibly endure it.
Thinking it would be cruel to make him wait any longer, Anna gently placed the platter of potatoes in front of the man. The children who had brought the other dishes followed suit. Once all the dishes were laid out, Anna smiled at the man.
"Here you go, big brother. They're fresh from the oven."
When she said this cheerfully, the man broke into a good-natured, beaming smile.
"Thank you!"
He's really no different from the children, Anna thought with amusement.
The man, served the food, dug into the baked potatoes as if he were devouring them in a dream. He probably didn't even notice Anna's lips curling into a smile. The man's hands moved without rest, picking at the food. A tremendous appetite. The sight of a grown man happily stuffing his cheeks was either adorable or amusing. For some reason, it was very pleasing.
"They're hot, so please be careful, okay?"
She gave him a warning, just in case, since they had just been taken out. The children would definitely burn their mouths.
"Ank oo. Eally."
The man replied with his mouth full. He probably just responded unconsciously. Anna realized from the man's face that being hot meant nothing in the face of hunger. It was really funny. She had thought all adults were calm like her father and didn't show their emotions like this, but apparently, there were different kinds of people in the world.
As Anna watched the man eat with great interest, the children who had finished cleaning up gathered around. If even Anna found this tall soldier unusual, he must be even more so for the children.
Moreover, what he was eating with such gusto was the very potatoes that the children had painstakingly grown for half a year and had just harvested today. A rare guest eating the vegetables they had grown. It was a sight they had never seen before. That's why they were so curious about the man's reaction.
"That was good..."
With a look of having finally found relief, the man looked up, satisfied. His expression was gentle, so the children who had been keeping their distance slowly moved away from Anna and approached him.
"Oh..."
Perhaps he hadn't noticed while he was eating so intently, but the man's eyes widened in surprise as he found himself surrounded by children. But the children, too, stared at the man without moving, as if looking at a rare creature. Watching this scene from behind, it was somehow very funny. To the children, this unusual man was apparently no different from a wild beast in a traveling circus.
"Ha, hahaha..."
Suddenly, the man looked at Anton and Anna and started laughing. It seemed he had become self-conscious. It was understandable, having been observed by more than twenty people while he ate with such abandon. The man's gaze wandered in embarrassment, and eventually, he seemed to notice the seriousness in the children's eyes and turned a questioning look toward them.
"Is there something on my face?"
But the children didn't answer, continuing to send him expectant gazes. After a while, the man, unable to understand the meaning, looked alternately at Anna and Anton for help. Anna also smiled and looked at Anton. Anton nodded and then laughed, his face wrinkling.
"The ones who grew those potatoes are these children, and Anna."
Saying so, Anton introduced Anna to the man.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Anna."
Anna bowed her head energetically with a smile. The long red braid tied into one at the back of her head bounced cheerfully.
"Ah. Likewise."
The man replied, still bewildered. Anton spoke to him again.
"These children want to hear your thoughts on whether the potatoes were delicious. After all, it's the first time they've seen a guest eat the crops they've grown right in front of them."
Finally understanding the meaning of their gazes, the man stood up from his chair to meet the eyes of the children surrounding him and crouched down on the floor. He's very good with children, Anna thought, impressed. It was rare to find someone his age who could do that. Even a soldier with a big sword, there were people like this.
"They were delicious, thank you! You saved me."
The man said brightly. The children all cheered and laughed, running around the man. It's very pleasing to be praised for something you've grown yourself. It was the same for Anna. To be told that with a smile felt like their own efforts were being praised, and it was very gratifying.
Even though she had just met him, Anna took a great liking to this person. He seemed like a very nice man.
"Alright, kids, your big brother is going to play with you! All who want to play, gather 'round!"
The man said this and began to play with the children as if he were a child himself. It was a way of playing that was clearly different from Anton's or Anna's. In other words, it was all about brute force.
Anna and Anton, who usually played with them, were small, so they couldn't play very dynamically. In comparison, this man was big and seemed to be strong, making him the perfect playmate for the children. The children let out shouts of joy, swarming around the man. Some hung off him, others tackled him; the way they played varied from child to child.
Anna watched the good-natured man calmly with her adoptive father.
"Hey, hey, one at a time, one at a time!"
After that, the man spent an unexpectedly long time playing with the children. He must be tired from his journey, yet he was so kind. Anna was thoroughly impressed.
About an hour later, Anna judged the time to be right and clapped her hands twice loudly. The children's movements came to a halt.
"Alright everyone, it's time for bed. We have an early start tomorrow."
When Anna said this, standing with her hands on her hips, the children reluctantly moved away from the man.
"Okay~ Now say your goodnights properly."
As she prompted them, the children faced the man and Anton.
"Goodnight, guest-san."
"Yeah."
"Goodnight, Father Anton."
"Yes. Goodnight. Sweet dreams."
Following the children's greetings, Anna said goodnight to the man and Anton.
"Come on, let's go."
After glancing back and forth between the lingering children and the man waving with a tired face, she slowly closed the dining hall door.
III
The moment the children left and the door closed, the big man... Ritz slumped his shoulders. The exhaustion from the two days of walking while cursing his father hit him all at once.
Out of embarrassment and pity for having greedily devoured the food, he had played with the children with all his might, but to be honest, it was quite exhausting. But Ritz had a few weaknesses in this world, and one of them was children. The next, by the way, was the elderly. As it happened, this church had both of Ritz's weaknesses: children and the elderly.
He collapsed into the chair he had been sitting in just moments before, and the old priest brought him a cup of hot tea.
"The children are so energetic, you must be tired, traveler. Thank you. It must have been difficult."
The old man said his thanks with a gentle smile. Ritz straightened his posture at the polite attitude.
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. Showing up suddenly, receiving food..."
"It's quite alright. We all help each other in times of trouble. Are you departing early tomorrow, traveler?"
While reflecting on his own greed, Ritz finally got the chance to tell the old priest his true purpose. He hadn't come all this way just to eat potatoes and play with children.
"You are Father Anton, correct?"
"That I am, but?"
Ritz stood up and bowed his head.
"Forgive my late introduction. I am Ritz Alster, of the Ciedena Spirit Tribe."
At those words, Anton's eyes widened in surprise. He probably thought Ritz was unusual for a member of the Spirit Tribe. But at the next words, he smiled knowingly and stood up.
"I have come on an errand for my father."
"I see, from Karl's place... I have heard the stories, that he has an unusual son."
Ritz didn't know how his father had described him. He gave a wry smile.
"An unusual son... you say?"
He certainly was unusual.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ritz-kun. Welcome to Vishnu."
Ritz shook the offered hand, which was wrinkled but warm.
"The pleasure is all mine."
Anton smiled and gestured for him to sit. Ritz complied. As he was about to take a sip of the slightly cooled tea, Anton spoke cheerfully.
"I see, at this time of year, you must be here to press for sweet potatoes?"
He almost burst out laughing. It seemed he had seen right through him the moment he introduced himself.
"Yes, I'm embarrassed to say..."
Apparently, Karl came here every year to press for sweet potatoes. While exasperated with his gluttonous father, Ritz felt pathetic that he was in no position to talk. He was the one who had just devoured baked sweet potatoes upon arrival.
"I was told to give you this. It's a gift."
Ritz took a small package out of his bag. It was small but had some weight to it.
"Thank you. Compared to this, the sweet potatoes are a small price."
Anton accepted it respectfully and opened the package with a smile. Inside was a beautiful bottle filled with liquid.
"Is that... water?"
"Yes, it is water. But it's a special water that's not easy to come by."
"Special water?"
Anton carefully took the bottle out of the box. The bottle sparkled in the lamplight.
"This is the very water of life, blessed by the trees. It's an important water used in the festival after the annual harvest festival, to offer thanks to the Earth Spirit King."
"Water of life... Why would my old man have that?"
Anton answered the tilting Ritz politely.
"This is water from the spring of Ciedena, purified by the spirits of the trees. That's why only the Spirit Tribe who live in that forest can make it."
Ritz recalled seeing his father long ago, scooping lake water into a silver basin with a prayer, while his mother knelt before the water and offered her own prayers. Thinking back now, that must have been the ritual to create the contents of this bottle.
"Will you be taking the sweet potatoes back with you?"
Immersed in the old memory, Ritz was brought back to his senses by those words.
"Please deliver them to Melite. I'm setting out on a journey from here."
Even for Ritz, it was a hassle to return to the forest and start over. If he went back to the forest, he would undoubtedly be at the mercy of his parents again. And going back only to set out again was a waste of effort he'd rather avoid.
"Then I shall have a villager with some free time go to Melite."
"I'm sorry for the trouble."
"Not at all. The holy water is originally a luxury item. It's a cheap price to pay in exchange for sweet potatoes."
"Ah..."
For his gluttonous father, potatoes were surely more important than money. Karl probably prayed things like 'May I be able to trade this for delicious potatoes again this year' when he made the holy water.
"You said just now that you were setting out on a journey. Do you have a destination in mind?"
Asked so suddenly, Ritz came back to his senses.
"No. I don't really have a destination..."
"I see..."
Anton muttered to himself and then fell into thought for a moment. Wondering if it had something to do with him, Ritz silently waited for him to continue.
"...Could you possibly wait a week before you depart?"
Ritz tilted his head at Anton's words after a long thought.
"A week?"
"That's right. Would that be impossible?"
Ritz answered Anton's strangely serious question with a smile.
"I can wait. It's not like I'm in a hurry."
Anton smiled gently, as if relieved.
"That's good, that's good. We have a harvest festival in a week, so you should definitely see it. It's quite lively."
He could sense there was something behind those words, but Ritz chose not to ask. A week or so wouldn't be a problem for this journey. After all, he hadn't even decided where he was going.
"You can stay here until then. We have plenty of private rooms in the orphanage, you see."
"Thank you for your hospitality."
Ritz gratefully accepted Anton's offer. He had seen the village on his way in, but there was no inn. And free was a welcome bonus.
When the conversation paused, Anton asked Ritz a question.
"By the way, you have a rather unusual appearance for a member of the Spirit Tribe. Is your upcoming journey related to that?"
Ritz fell silent for a moment. It wasn't that he couldn't answer, but it was somehow difficult to say. Ritz was on leave, but he was a mercenary. Moreover, he was a mercenary captain who had made a bit of a name for himself on the northern battlefields. For some reason, he felt hesitant to mention that in this peaceful village. Anton seemed to take Ritz's silence in a positive way.
"Hmm, I've asked a rather blunt question for someone I've just met. Would you mind telling me when you feel like it? As a priest, I'm quite good at listening, you see."
Ritz couldn't help but smile at Anton, who said this jokingly and laughed.
"If there's something I can talk about, I might ask you to listen."
"I'll look forward to it."
Anton's face lit up as he said this. He was a gentle person. As different from Ritz's father as heaven and earth. Or maybe it was because he was apparently a friend of that father that he felt at ease. Come to think of it, this old priest who could be friends with that father was probably no ordinary person.
"Well, we have an early start tomorrow, so shall we get some sleep?"
Anton guided him with a smile to a relatively spacious room on the top floor of the orphanage. It was neat and tidy, with nothing superfluous.
After Anton left, Ritz, now alone, looked out the window and saw that the area around the church, which was always lit, was all fields and orchards. It seemed all of this belonged to the church. The children he had played with today probably tended to it. Ritz, who was not good at productive activities, let out a heartfelt sigh at the scene outside the window.
"That's quite something."
Ritz muttered as if it had nothing to do with him, but he had no idea that he would soon experience the vastness of that field firsthand.
IV
In the middle of the night, Anna knocked on the door to Anton's room. The corridor had grown cold, and it was a bit chilly. Without waiting long, the door opened immediately.
"Were you asleep, Father?"
When no one else was around, Anna called Anton 'Father.' It was an agreement they had made since she became his adopted daughter.
"...What is it, at this hour?"
Startled, Anton beckoned her in, and Anna let out a sigh of relief before entering the room. Looking around, she saw that he had still been awake; the lamp was on, and a book was on the desk. At his invitation, Anna sat down in a chair and, as if a dam had burst, began to question Anton.
"Hey, Father, what is that blue orb? When I saw it, I felt kind of nostalgic... but also a little scared, and... I felt strange."
As Anna stared into Anton's eyes, he quietly lowered his gaze. His eyes were fixed on the book on the desk. The book looked like an old diary. Anna couldn't see its contents.
An indescribable anxiety slowly welled up in her heart, and to dispel it, Anna questioned Anton again. If she didn't put it into words, her anxiety felt like it would overflow. Anna had definitely felt it. That orb was the end of something and the beginning of something else.
"You know, I was in bed thinking about that orb the whole time. And then I got scared. I thought you would know something, so I just..."
Anton interrupted the flood of words from Anna with a quiet voice and a smile.
"Listen, Anna, I will definitely tell you about that orb. But not now."
"But, Father..."
Anna didn't miss the subtle wavering in Anton's eyes. It was the first time her adoptive father had made such a face, the first time he had hidden something from her.
"Be a good girl and get some rest now."
Anton smiled gently. Anna somehow understood the meaning of that smile. Anton was also struggling with something. And it was for her sake.
"Will I... be able to stay with you forever?"
Anna voiced her greatest fear. The words did not come from the questioned Anton's mouth.
"I'm your child, right?"
Anxiety grew in the momentary silence. The truth was, Anna was not as old as she looked. She had been raised by Anton for thirty years already. Anna aged at about half the rate of Anton, which was about half the speed of a human.
The reason for Anna's slow growth was not well understood. Since this was a country where the Spirit Tribe lived, Anna herself had baseless thoughts that she might be a child from a union between them. The villagers knew this and had agreed with Anna's thoughts.
When Anton found the still-infant Anna in front of the church, he was in his late thirties. The orphanage had just gotten on its feet, and he was working frantically and was exhausted. But he had heard that meeting Anna brought him a strange sense of peace. People who interacted with Anna said that they gained such a strange sense of peace. It was very pleasing, but of course, since she couldn't interact with herself, Anna herself didn't know.
After learning that Anna aged slowly, Anton separated her from the orphans in the orphanage, registered her as his own adopted daughter, and always kept her by his side. It was because they couldn't keep a child who didn't age in an orphanage for decades.
When Anna saw that orb in the field, the expression that appeared on Anton's face, a face she had grown so accustomed to over the years, was one of unfamiliar sadness. That's why Anna had become anxious.
"Anna, you must remember. If, and this is just a hypothetical, if it ever comes time for you to leave here, the fact that we are parent and child will not change. Do you understand?"
Anton said this calmly and quietly, as always. Anna, consumed by anxiety, could only nod slightly.
"Why do you look so worried? If you were to leave, this church would be in trouble, wouldn't it? So don't worry."
At Anton's words, filled with a gentle laugh, Anna felt a little more at ease. It was true that this orphanage couldn't function with just Anton alone. She convinced herself that she needed to be there.
"I understand. Well, I'm going to bed now."
As Anna was about to leave, Anton called out to her with a bright voice, as if he had just thought of it.
"That's right, from tomorrow, take Ritz-kun to the fields with you. It's good to be in touch with the earth."
"Ritz-kun?"
"Yes. The guest who came today."
So the big man's name was Ritz.
"Yes! Goodnight, Father."
After closing the door, Anna took a deep breath.
"It's okay, I'm his child."
Inside, she was worried about the orb. And she couldn't shake the vague sense of anxiety. But for now, she trusted Anton. It would be okay. Telling herself this in her heart, Anna left Anton's room.