NOVEL WEB Bad news and Time skip.
As Jake and Jenny's story unfolds, 'The Heaven's Garden' orphanage becomes a hub of chaos with the arrival of a new child, whose origins are unknown.
"Did you hear? There's a new kid here," a boy around 9 or 10 whispered to his friend.
"Really? Let's go see him before the news spreads," his friend replied, and they hurried out of their room.
The news traveled fast, like wildfire through dry grass.
Children of all ages gathered, peering into a room where toddlers played, and a maid held a baby, only 2-3 months old.
"Move along, children, or you'll frighten the little ones," an older woman chided the crowd, who dispersed like mosquitoes.
"This happens every time a new child arrives. I must inquire with the director about his origins," she murmured, heading to the director's office.
Shortly after, she entered the director's office, where the old man who had received Evan was engrossed in paperwork.
"Excuse me, sir, I need to ask you something," she said, capturing the director's attention.
"I thought you were going to come but not that much quick, I know why you are here Mrs. Suzie. It's about the new kid right." He asked as he finished his work and look at her.
"Yes, Sir, it seems that as time passes, you're becoming more adept at predicting," she said with a smile.
"No, it's not like that. I just know because you always come after a new child appears," he replied, causing Mrs. Suzie's face to flush with a hint of embarrassment.
"Sorry, Director, it has become my duty after working here for fifteen years," she said, and they both shared a brief laugh.
"So, who is he, and where did you find him?" Suzie inquired, causing the Director to halt his laughter.
"His name is Evan, a child I found on our doorstep," the Director explained as he took a glass of water from beside him.
"Oh, so it's the same old 'abandoning the child after birth, running away from responsibility' type of case, is it?" Suzie mused.
"No, it's only a partial truth. The child's parents were facing significant troubles and left him here out of fear for his safety. They promised to return for him once their problems were resolved or had subsided," the director explained. Suzie nodded in response, and after a brief exchange, she departed to attend to her duties.
"I hope they're safe. If anything were to happen to them, the child would truly be orphaned," he mused, gazing out the window at the children playing in the garden.
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{A/N: It's time for a big-time skip. Look like I can finally show my talent somewhere.}
{Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey,Fast-forward, don't be grimy!Flip the page, skip the fuss,Let's jump ahead, just because!}
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As time wove its rapid enchantment, fifteen years swiftly passed, and young Evan, now a teenager, resided with the other orphans.
In these years, a mix of fortunes befell them.
The orphanage rose to prominence in society, its reputation bolstered by the funds bequeathed by Evan's parents. This prosperity attracted substantial donations from noble families, eager to earn societal esteem.
Yet, dark tidings soon emerged. Whispers traversed the dragon kingdom of a couple, Jake and Jenny Windstone, apprehended for trying to trade secrets with a rival kingdom. Their failed escape resulted in their fatal confrontation with the law.
Upon Evan's arrival, the director recognized the names inscribed on a pendant—Evan's name on one side, Windstone on the reverse—signaling the end of the boy's parental ties. He understood that revealing Evan's heritage could condemn the boy to either death or a life tarnished by the stigma of his parents' supposed betrayal.
He set it aside and never revealed his name, burying the pendant in his past memories, leaving only the name Evan, without a surname.
Evan grew up like any normal child, but he was somewhat timid or scared because, at the age of three, he experienced a strange dream. The orphanage caretaker dismissed it as a typical dream where he was a man with a sword or sometimes a mage.
His dreams didn't end there; they continued every night, waking him up in tears. Concerned, he was taken to a psychiatrist at the age of five, who assured them that it was normal for children to have such dreams and advised distancing him from the manga and cartoons he watched on TV. Following this advice, his dreams ceased, but then, unexpectedly, they resumed seven years later when he was twelve.
This time, however, he told no one, aware that sharing would only lead to reprimands for watching TV or reading manga. So, he let it be, and his condition remained as such.
His behavior began to change as he distanced himself from other children who were his friends, becoming a loner who only read books or played by himself.
He spoke less and was always found silent, unlike other children his age who were energetic and playful.
Even when adults came to adopt him, attracted by his peaceful behavior, they returned him after a few days, not wanting a child so silent and unplayful, resembling an emotionless doll.
They reported that at night, he would suddenly start screaming and then, within five minutes, return to sleep, which frightened them every night. As a result, he was returned each time, leaving him the only one of his age not adopted.
At the age of fifteen, he unexpectedly spoke to the director, expressing his shocking desire to live alone, away from the orphanage.
Initially, the director was opposed to the idea, but upon considering the boy's condition, he agreed, with certain conditions. The boy was to live in his friend's apartment, receive money until he turned eighteen, remain under the apartment owner's supervision, and avoid bad habits like alcohol and cigarettes.
He was instructed to always behave well towards others, study diligently, and was warned that failure to follow these rules would result in his return to the orphanage.
He immediately agreed, finding the conditions quite favorable and to his advantage.
He bid farewell to his friends, whom he believed would miss him, and to all the caretakers who had looked after him. A few days later, he left the city for Lumina, where director friend resided. This departure signified the end of his fifteen-year-old life and the start of a new chapter, one whose future could be dark or bright, an uncertainty to all.
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