Volume 3 Chapter 8
8. Spring Breeze Orphanage
“Of course, it’s about sponsoring the Spring Breeze Orphanage,” Keith said. “This spring, the orphanage was even renovated thanks to the sponsorship… I must say, your side is really full of love, to actually care about those orphans in difficult circumstances…”
“…”
Xia Yi was thrown into great turmoil.
Very early on, when she was a helpless orphan wandering about, an orphanage took her in, giving her temporary support so she could survive without having to rummage through trash cans and fight with stray dogs for food…
That orphanage was the Spring Breeze Orphanage.
Later, she was secretly adopted by the Schubert family and left the Spring Breeze Orphanage.
At that time, the Schubert family did not reveal their identity as one of the four great families of the Rhine Kingdom to the Spring Breeze Orphanage. Instead, they borrowed the name of a minor noble family under them… Therefore, the Spring Breeze Orphanage did not know that she later became the Human Sword Saint.
Due to the Schubert family’s request to have Wright conceal his origins, he never went back to the orphanage.
However, now Keith was saying that sponsoring the Spring Breeze Orphanage was Xia Lulu’s idea?
“What’s going on?” Xia Yi asked. “If I remember correctly, the Spring Breeze Orphanage used to be… sponsored by other nobles, right?”
“Oh? You even know about this?”
Keith was a bit surprised. He nodded affirmatively at Xia Yi’s statement.
“Yes, that’s right. The Spring Breeze Orphanage was indeed sponsored by a small noble family… But at a certain point in time, that noble family withdrew their funding and stopped sponsoring the orphanage. Without financial support, the orphanage fell into hardship.”
“When was that?”
“About six years ago, I believe.”
Xia Yi lowered her head.
Six years ago, that was when she went to challenge the Silver Dragon Queen and failed.
“However, later on, under Miss Lucia’s instructions, we began to sponsor the Spring Breeze Orphanage,” Keith explained. “If it weren’t for your kindness, the children in the Spring Breeze Orphanage might have become homeless. That sponsorship was truly a timely help.”
All of Lucia’s actions were under Xia Lulu’s orders.
She couldn’t possibly know about Xia Yi’s past and couldn’t have coincidentally asked the Lawrence family to sponsor the Spring Breeze Orphanage.
It must have been after Xia Lulu investigated her background that she gave this order to Lucia.
This was something Xia Yi had never expected. Xia Lulu had actually helped her in this regard.
The Spring Breeze Orphanage held a very important meaning to her.
“Could it be that Xia Lulu had long predicted that I would leave the dragons…”
Xia Yi’s small hand clenched into a fist.
It was impossible not to be touched.
“To make decisions on her own, secretly doing such things behind my back…”
“Eh, Miss Xia Yi, what’s wrong with you?”
Keith was a bit puzzled.
Because it seemed that this loli mage looked like she was about to cry, her eyes already moist.
“Don’t, don’t mind me. I just got some sand in my eyes.”
Xia Yi noticed that she was still in front of an outsider and quickly raised her hand to wipe away her tears.
“Mr. Keith, I want to go and take a look at the Spring Breeze Orphanage.”
“Of course, no problem. I can arrange for someone to take you there at any time!”
Keith naturally didn’t know that Xia Yi had actually come from the Spring Breeze Orphanage. He thought she was representing the force behind her to come and inspect the results of his work.
“Mr. Keith, just arrange a means of transportation for me.”
“When?”
“Right now.”
“Alright, no problem, I’ll arrange it for you right away!”
Keith immediately stood up to take care of this matter.
No matter what, this rich loli must be coaxed and pleased!
…
The location of the Spring Breeze Orphanage was some distance away from Belen… If they were to take a carriage, it would take several days of driving to reach there.
However, now with the assistance of the Lawrence family, there was no need to take a carriage. Keith arranged a magic beast as a means of transportation for Xia Yi. It would only take half a day to arrive.
“Miss Xia Yi, please rest assured. We will soon reach the city where the Spring Breeze Orphanage is located.”
On the way, the coachman reported to Xia Yi.
“Mm.”
Xia Yi nodded, leaning against the window sill, watching the coachman control the magic beast. Its appearance was somewhat similar to a horse, but its body was more robust than a lion or tiger, and its running speed was very fast… If it weren’t for the restraints on its body, this magic beast might have stopped to attack the humans in its sight.
Typically, magic beasts are much stronger than ordinary animals and wild beasts.
This was because some wild beasts in the wild came into excessive contact with magic sources, absorbing magic into their bodies, mutating and giving birth to magic beasts.
Due to their magic-disrupted minds, magic beasts were also far more ferocious in temperament than ordinary beasts, making them highly dangerous. Ordinary people were generally unable to confront magic beasts, leaving it to capable adventurers to deal with them.
For example, the magic beast in front of Xia Yi’s eyes had been subdued by adventurers and fitted with restraints to be used by humans.
She recalled the past.
During her time as the Human Sword Saint, she had defeated many notorious magic beasts that plagued the land. The heads of those magic beasts were all made into trophies and hung in the Schubert family, earning the Schubert family quite a bit of prestige.
Now, none of that mattered anymore.
There was still some time before they reached the Spring Breeze Orphanage.
Xia Yi closed her eyes to rest.
…
“Miss Xia Yi, we’ve arrived.” The coachman said.
Xia Yi opened her eyes.
She felt a familiar and nostalgic fragrance wafting in the air…
It was osmanthus!
She stepped down from the carriage. Indeed, this city hadn’t changed much. On both sides of the road, there were still so many osmanthus trees!
Golden flower petals drifted down from the trees, slowly falling to the ground under the gentle sunlight.
In an instant, many nostalgic memories from childhood surfaced in her mind.
In her vision, she still remembered that under that osmanthus tree, in order to protect her companions from the orphanage, she had used the swordsmanship she had secretly trained for a long time to drive away the thugs.
It seemed that from that moment on, wielding a sword was for the sake of protecting those around her.
Following her memories, Xia Yi advanced through the city and arrived in front of the Spring Breeze Orphanage.
As Keith had said, the Spring Breeze Orphanage had been renovated and was no longer as dilapidated as in her memory.
At the entrance of the orphanage, a nun was holding a broom, cleaning.
Xia Yi widened her eyes and subconsciously called out her name, “Teacher Martha…”
This was the teacher who had taken care of her in her memory.
Hearing the voice, Martha raised her head in surprise. She stared at Xia Yi for a good while, her expression slightly changing. She took the initiative to step forward and walked up to Xia Yi.