Foreboding

Suddenly, an injured demonkin was brought into the chapel. No one asked any questions as the situation was rather urgent. Quickly, with the help of the others, Maria patched the demonkin up. With his wounds cleaned, stitched, and dressed, he was placed in the room Eliza had used before passing away.

After laying him to rest, Maria and all five of the orphans gathered at the chapel. There, Edwin was asked to explain the situation.

"I just found him collapsed on the side of the road and decided to bring him back. I mean, you all saw what he is. I can't exactly take him to the doctor," Edwin quickly explained himself.

"I won't say that you did a bad thing," said Lucas, the deep frown on his face suggesting that there were many things that he was holding himself back from saying. "But this... This is going to cause us some trouble."

"For now, let's do our best to treat him," Maria gave her suggestion. "We can worry about the rest as it comes. It's not as if it's against the law to shelter a demonkin."

As the three 'grownups' worry about what to do, the kids sat in their own corner, listening in on the conversation.

"I thought the demonkins are the bad guys, why are we helping him?" Fio asked innocently.

"Well, I guess maybe not every demonkin are bad people. I mean, with humans, we have good and bad people, right? Maybe the demonkin are the same," Theodore spoke while feigning ignorance, opting to instead explain it in a way Eliza, who he was rather close with before she passed, would have explained to him.

"Don't you think so, Lina?" Theodore turned towards Lina, looking for some kind of approval, and was rather surprised by the scowl on Lina's face as she stared into space. She did not appear to be listening to him.

"Lina?"

"Oh! Um... I- I guess?"

Though he had gotten a response, Theodore couldn't help but wonder if she knew what she was agreeing with. It was rare for her to space out in such a manner. That being said, Theodore could more or less guess what was going on in her head.

The five that had been taken in by the temple were all children from the southern regions which were mostly countrysides bordering lush forests and vast mountains. The lands were underdeveloped and had problems with bandits and beasts that had made the forests and mountains their nests. Near the end of the war with the Demon Lord, the soldiers stationed there to provide security as the lands were being developed were called to the frontlines, leaving it largely undefended, allowing the bandits and beasts to run amok unchecked.

Then, there were the demonkin soldiers under the Demon Lord who survived the final battle. Wounded and desperate, a number of them fled into the southern regions of the kingdom, joining the fray with the bandits and beasts. The details weren't exactly clear, but apparently, the place where Lina used to live was attacked by one such band of roving soldiers.

It was a strange feeling, to feel guilty for the things that one had never actually done with their own two hands. Even so, Theodore felt bad. Even though it was something that occurred after the Demon Lord's defeat, even though it was the army of, arguably, a different person. Just having the memories... Just being able to recall the faces of those that fought at his command and imagining those very same faces ravaging the villages, his heart was struck with pangs of guilt and regret.

Without a sound, Theodore got up from his seat. When Fio gave him a quizzical look, he gave a wink and placed a finger before his lips. Discreetly, he circled behind Lina and softly wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into an embrace.

"T-Theodore!?"

"It'll be alright," said Theodore, his tone insistent. "No matter what, we'll stick together, all six of us. That's how it's been, right?"

Hearing those words, Lina began to pout.

"I don't need you to baby me. I'm supposed to be the older one here."

Theodore let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, who cares about that? We're family, aren't we? Older, younger, it doesn't matter. We're going to watch out for one another."

"Yep!" Fio chimed in as she tackled Lina with a hug of her own. "We're going to be together forever!"

Warmed by their embrace, Lina felt her worries fading away. With one hand, she began patting on Fio while the other grasped onto Theodore's arm.

"You know, Theodore, you sound really grownup sometimes. It makes me wonder if you're actually older than I am."

"Maybe that's because I'm a genius."

"Genius? Maybe you are. It seems that no matter how hard I try, I just can't do things better than you."

"Who cares about that? Who cares if you do things better or worse? I'll always love you. Because you're my big sister."

"What's gotten into you?" Lina said shyly. "You're a whole lot cheekier than usual."

"Oh, nothing much. You just looked like you needed some cheering up, that's all."

"Is that so? I guess you're not wrong. Thank you, Theodore, I love you too."

"What about me? What about me? I love both of you too," said Fio, vying for attention.

"Of course I love you, Fio. I love everyone here." Lina caressed Fio's hair softly. "I want us to be together forever."

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End of Chapter 7

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