Leaving the Inn

Upon hearing Benedict's question, Carolyn took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye.

"I understand your approach for raising the children and why you pretended to be ignorant of Mike's activities. Given how difficult it must have been to keep track of Anthony, if he found out that Mike was discovered by you, then he probably would have made another child his spy, and that would have created another victim of his drugs. It was a logical decision. However, that doesn't mean I can accept it. I know locking the children inside or keeping someone on their tails at all times wouldn't have been perfect solutions if we wanted to catch Anthony, but I can't accept a solution that depends on sacrificing a child."

"Your outrage is understandable, but the incident has already passed. Whether you accept it or not won't change anything. Is that all?"

With a hint of disappointment in his tone, Benedict was ready to dismiss Carolyn, but she had more prepared.

"No. Like you said, no matter how upset I am, there's nothing I can do to change it now. But I can make sure it won't happen in the future. Let me take care of Mike once he overcomes the withdrawal symptoms and faces his punishment."

"He'll be forced to leave the church, so I don't have any right to stop you, but what do you intend to do with him? Surely you don't plan on having him live with you?"

"No. Though I disagree with his treatment, it is true that he betrayed the children here. It wouldn't be fair to them or to him if I gave him a reward for such behaviour. Instead, I want to rehabilitate him, to give him a second chance."

"Hmm? And you think you're capable of that?"

"I don't know. But I want to try. If you're the rope that pulls them out from hell, then I want to be the net that catches them when they fall. I can't promise to watch over them for the rest of their lives, but I can at least lend a hand if I see them stumble."

"... I still think you're concerning yourself too much with these children, but it seems you've made your decision. However, I trust you know that no matter how far you stretch your hand, it means nothing if the other party doesn't accept."

"I know that. I'll reach out to him, but there's nothing I can do if he doesn't accept my help. But in the case that he doesn't, can I ask you to check on him? Just to make sure that he doesn't end up losing his life."

If Benedict didn't accept her request, Carolyn planned on asking Lety instead, but fortunately, there was no need.

"Very well. I suppose I also bear some responsibility for using him to get to Anthony. I'll make arrangements to ensure he can keep his life as long as he stays out of trouble while I'm here."

"Thank you, Mr. Benedict."

"No need for thanks. I'm interested in seeing what you'll do with him if he accepts your hand. Moving on, I've compiled a list of substitute inns you can stay at. Would you like to see it?"

"Of course, but I'm surprised you already have one prepared."

"I had to wait until after we dealt with Anthony to verify it, but I've always considered other places you could stay at if Wild Boar Inn wasn't available for whatever reason. Once you've saved up enough funds, I can even point you to a house in the mixed or residential districts. Given the drop in prices because of fleeing residents, I imagine it should be possible for you after a few months of working in your current role."

The idea of buying her own house tickled Carolyn's interest, but she quickly dismissed the idea since it was still out of reach.

"I'll stick to staying at an inn for now. Buying a house would simply make it hard to leave when the time comes."

"Oh? So you do still remember your purpose for coming to this city."

"Yes. I admit I've gotten more involved in the city than expected, but I haven't forgotten about that day."

As she recalled the night she saw her parents for the last time, Carolyn tightly clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as the fire in her heart raged. True, she had been busy working, caring for the children and protecting her new friends, but the nightmares hadn't ended; they had only increased in variety.

"Good. Then, I suppose I'll give you your next task."

Carolyn's eyes opened wide as she looked at Benedict with shock and anticipation. The completion of her first task had coincided with Anthony's arrival, so this topic had slipped her mind. She was ready to hear what the next task would be, but she hoped it wouldn't cause her as much moral turmoil.

"What is it?"

"You've actually already begun working on it. For your next task, I want you to help Letira build her intelligence network. Once her webs have stretched to cover even the nobility district, you will learn a hint about the truth you wish to discover."

For a moment, Carolyn felt her heart stop as she listened to Benedict. She didn't have any issues with this task since it was something she already planned on doing, but the reward was far greater than she expected. So much so that she even had to doubt her hearing.

"Are, you serious?"

"What reason do I have to lie? Once her intelligence network develops to that extent, I won't even need to tell you; Letira will be able to discover it herself."

As shock gave way to excitement, Carolyn took deep breaths to regain her composure. Not long ago she had felt guilty for aiding the children with ulterior motives, but now her desires almost suppressed her original feelings. The possibility that she would finally touch a piece of the truth she searched for was simply that powerful.

'Calm down. This isn't the time to rush. If I let impatience rule me, I won't be able to accomplish anything.'

"... Understood. Once I've changed inns, I'll return for further advice."

"Mmm, I'll be waiting."

As Carolyn left her seat, Benedict sensed a resolute aura from her that put a smile on his face. The children could also sense something different about Carolyn when she left Benedict's office. She seemed to exude a strange heat that made her hard to approach.

"Carol?"

Reacting to Lety's voice, Carolyn turned towards her and managed to suppress her enthusiasm as she saw her concerned expression.

"Thanks, Lety, everything went well."

"That's good to hear, but was there anything else?"

"No, I just gained another reason to help you."

"Hmm?"

"You don't need to worry."

Carolyn crouched and gently patted Lety's head. Seeing her confident smile, Lety shook off her concerns and believed her.

"Okay."

After moving from Lety, Carolyn went to Mike's bedside and asked Lena for a moment to speak with him.

"Sure, but I don't think he'll be able to respond."

"That's fine. I just want to tell him something."

With Lena's permission, Carolyn sat down and watched Mike. He bit down on the towel in his mouth while clutching the sheets wrapping him with bloody fingertips. His appearance pierced her heart and brought forth the compassion that had been buried under her thoughts of vengeance.

"Mike, I know you have your hands full right now, but I need you to listen to me. Once you've overcome these withdrawal symptoms and accept your punishment, I've received permission from the Priest to look after you. I know you may not like me, but you should be well aware of how tough it'll be to live by yourself with two broken fingers. If you can't accept taking my hand, then just think of it as using me. I'll wait to hear your answer when that day comes."

Carolyn controlled the volume of her voice so that only Mike would be able to hear her. She didn't know what decision he would make, but even if it was just to make herself feel better, she wanted to give him a second chance. Mike didn't show any special reaction to her words; he only kept struggling against the pain and cravings.

After saying what she had to, Carolyn left the church and went to the Wild Boar Inn. She found her steps growing heavier once the inn was in sight. Given how close it was to the incident that had her and Lavender scolded by the staff, it wouldn't be strange for them to suspect that she was leaving because she was offended by their attitudes, but she could only emphasise that they weren't at fault and hope that her intentions were conveyed correctly.

Carolyn sighed despondently as she imagined how Kanna would react to this sudden news; however, her resolve was unshaken. Just like the case with Anthony, she had to expect that her investigation and support of Lety's business would have her crossing some dangerous bridges, so she couldn't stay with kind people who might be willing to lend a hand. This wasn't an issue that affected the fate of the city; it was her personal problem.