Episode 4: Duty in Love (3/4)

“Ah..”

“Are you okay?! Quickly run it under the faucet, I’ll go get a bandage.”

Afternoon, lunch preparation.

EunHa knew how to cook a little. So she volunteered to help in the kitchen. Her assistance was most welcomed because of her culinary knowledge. However, during the preparation of seaweed, she accidentally cut her finger.

The knife was sharper than she thought.

“EiYun-san, here.”

Eli helped apply a plaster to the small wound.

“I didn’t think you’d cut yourself.”

“I lost focus… sorry.”

“Are you sure you don’t need to rest? We can manage it, it’s fine to take it slow. You just got here after all.”

“No. I want to help. There are things I want to take my mind off of…”

“I think it’s dangerous if you continue in the kitchen.”

“Then how about teaching the younger kids mathematics?”

Someone chided.

“Bro, no one wants to learn mathematics.”

“Then just tell her to play with the kids.”

“How about it?”

Eli asked.

“…”

The orphanage was busier than EunHa expected. There were so many things to take into consideration within the limited time given each day. To care for a few hundred young, innocent souls was no easy feat. From cleaning and laundry to food preparation and shopping.

EunHa, who had mostly worked in environments of order and discipline, found the lack of it appalling.

“Cinnamon can fly, no fair!!”

“Get the broom!”

Snap. Snap.

“Yarr!!”

“Akane-unnie, I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, when is the food going to arrive?”

“Come on, don’t just think about food you twerps.”

“I want blueberries.”

“Can someone help with the clothes?”

“Ah! YuNa-anee is here!”

“YuNa-san!”

“Kids gather around. We’ve got laundry.”

The playroom was a mess.

The communal hall where meals were often held was also the place where the kids hung out the most as it was the most spacious area within the whole orphanage. It annexed the bedroom chambers and linked outdoors.

A few dozen seniors taking care of the hundred-something children. Even with some of the older orphans helping out, and external volunteers providing the needed distractions, the work proved to be endless.

EunHa watched as a third of the children gathered around a pile of clothes to be folded, another third following YuNa to the backyard to gather the rest of the clothing from the drying rack, and the remainder doing their own things in disregard of the situation.

EunHa wasn’t confident she could organise the clothes, so she went outside to help with the heavy lifting.

“Wow! You’re so strong!”

“How do you do that?!”

Most of the kids that went out weren’t even there to help. They were just there to cheer.

“Someone help put this rack back. And keep the clips back in the store.”

Letting the voices pass, she brought the basket of dry clothes towards the pile.

“You can put it down here.”

“Is that the last of it?”

“Almost.”

EunHa said.

Once folding was done, the next was to bring them to the bedrooms. EunHa was once again tasked with carrying the load, moving up and down the stairs a couple times.

“So you’re actually from the military?”

YuNa asked, wiping the sweat from her dead tired expression.

“Yes…?”

“No wonder you don’t look tired after all that carrying. Is the training as strict as they say? I can’t imagine having to do a million push ups and squats while crawling through mud.”

EunHa wanted to say that it wasn’t that bad. But recalling herself fainting from G-force training, and accidentally swallowing mud, she thought maybe YuNa was right.

“Do you always do this every day?”

EunHa posed a different question to divert the topic.

“Chores? Yeah, we do it every day.”

“Isn’t it tiring?”

“It is. But what can we do? It’s part of running an orphanage, otherwise, who would do the hard work? Tell you what, it’s worse when there are fewer people not on leave from work.”

While YuNa thought EunHa was amazing for her strength, EunHa thought YuNa was amazing for her patience.

When they returned to the communal hall, lunch was being served.

The kids were jumping for joy at seaweed mashed potatoes and miso rice.

“Here’s your portion.”

Eli gave EunHa extra, that much anyone can tell.

Snap. Snap.

Cinnamon was happily enjoying the side of raw jellyfish prepared. There was even a cuttlefish bone specially prepared on a pilaf leaf.

EunHa took a few bites of her meal and then stopped.

She looked at the seat beside her.

“Rize-chan isn’t back.”

YuNa said, noticing her gaze.

“…”

Didn’t she promise to return in the morning?

◃⊰⊱⊹. ⊹⌖Ω ⩏⊹ϑ ⊰⊱▹

EunHa woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling.

She could hear the snores of nearby children around her.

The sun had yet to rise, her body naturally woke up at this time out of habit.

She raised her body and looked around the dark room, packed with about 20 people sleeping on floor mattresses and blankets.

Rize was nowhere to be seen.

The shadows swayed, forming faces.

Her hands trembled.

She grabbed the sleeve of her dress, biting into her lips.

Dread begins seeping into her mind. Dark emotions take shape.

Die.

The world would be better without you.

Or live.

And watch everyone you love die before you.

“Help me…”

The words came out in a hoarse whisper.

Fear.

She was scared.

Scared to lose herself.

Rize said she would return.

Just bear with it a little longer. A little longer.

Everything will be alright.

◤◢

Another day had passed.

The orphanage was operating as usual. EunHa returned to help in the kitchen.

Today’s dish was stir-fried whale meat in soy sauce with rice, a side of fresh kelp salad, and shark fin soup.

She moved like a robot. A blank expression on her face the whole time.

Cutting the whale meat into cubic chunks. Dicing onions into strips.

The smell and steam from the kitchen numbed her senses.

“EiYun-san, that’s too much.”

“Ah.”

By the time she realised, she had poured too much sesame seed on the kelp salad.

“Sorry…”

“Don’t worry about it. Sesame seed is good for hair growth.”

“…”

“You’re really out of it today.”

“…Sorry.”

“You’re apologising too much.”

“Yeah, all because you’re bullying her Eli.”

“What? When did I ever?”

“Lol. That’s right. You keep telling her this and that like you’re her boss.”

“I’m sure Rize-sama will return soon enough. She’s sometimes like this.”

One of the girls patted EunHa’s shoulders and reassured her.

EunHa nodded meekly.

◤◢

After breakfast, EunHa sat on one of the benches out in the backyard. She stared up towards the sky with a dazed expression.

She observed the streams of sky waterfalls forming vertical pillars, and cloud formations that cluster around smaller islands in the distance.

The serene scene belied the darkness within her heart.

When will Rize return?

What if something happened because of her?

What if another Cloud Hive was attacking the city somewhere?

Could it be that Rize was already dead?

“EiYun-san.”

“U-Uh?”

Someone pinched her cheeks.

“You’re scaring the kids.”

YuNa said. EunHa looked around, realising that everyone was warily looking at her.

“Sorry.”

EunHa lowered her head.

“How about taking a nap? It helps to rest when you’re not feeling good.”

“…Okay.”

Reluctantly, she agreed.

“I’ll guide you. This way.”

Under the concerned gazes of the others, YuNa brought EunHa to the bed chamber.

There a few of the younger kids could be seen sleeping. Some of the cheeky ones were playing tent.

In a world where smartphones didn’t exist, children had become rather creative in entertaining themselves.

YuNa brought some bedding from the corner and laid them on the floor.

“There. Take a short nap, it should help make you feel better.”

EunHa laid her head on the pillow.

The room was cool and dim. It was certainly the perfect environment to doze off.

YuNa laid down beside her.

“Are you worried about Rize-chan?”

She asked quietly.

Yes. So much that EunHa wanted to cry.

“She’ll be sure to come back. Don’t worry.”

EunHa had heard the same thing from so many others. But this fact couldn’t help calm her nerves.

The problem wasn’t about when Rize would be back. It was Rize’s absence.

The reason she was able to easily accept the fact that she was alive when should be dead—it was all because of Rize.

She had an unexplained presence that gave people courage.

The light that kept the dark away; the drug that kept the pain at bay.

Without her, everything returned to reality.

A world where her existence should be forfeit.

EunHa was dead. She no longer existed.

And her current identity was bound to Rize.

If Rize decided to abandon her, she would fall apart completely.

The thought of it scared her.

It scared her more than dying.

Because her resolve to die had already disappeared. She was already scared of dying.

Yet to not die meant to suffer.

Someone stroked her forehead. Someone snuggled close to her.

“Rize used to do this for me.”

YuNa comforted EunHa in her embrace.

“Sometimes when emotions can’t be put into words, the best cure is someone’s touch.”

EunHa buried herself in YuNa’s shoulders.

The tears she hadn’t shed the past two days finally poured out.

In a suppressed whimper, she cried.

And cried.

And cried and cried…

◤◢

YuNa stayed with her until she fell asleep.

Wiping the tears off EiYun’s face, she got up and stretched.

All the kids that weren’t sleeping curiously gathered around, watching. Their faces showed as if they had witnessed something amazing.

“Go to sleep or get out of this room.”

She hissed.

The kids quickly ran and hid themselves under the blankets.

YuNa groaned.

“Why you…? Why did Rize choose you, of all people?”

This girl who Rize made her daughter—she still couldn’t accept it, but she had to. Even if she disliked it, she didn’t want to do anything to harm Rize’s possession.

“…I hope you’ll feel better after your nap. If not then I’ll really have to search the world for Rize-chan.”

Leaving those words behind, YuNa left the bedroom.

When she reached the bottom floor, she found that the orphanage received two unexpected guests.

“Who?”

YuNa asked Eli.

“Um. A soldier by the name Wu XiaoLe…?”

◃⊰⊱ϑ⊹ ⨞⋅⫝⫘⌖ ⊹⊹⊰⊱▹

Why did Rize resign from First Sergeant Hai’s company?

Some say she left because of the shock she received from Staff Sergeant Chu’s death.

Others say something changed about her after killing the cursed girl.

Whatever it was, XiaoLe had to get to the bottom of the issue.

Tatsuki Rize, the Black Siren.

In XiaoLe’s first life, Rize was the 2nd most well-known individual just shy of EunHa’s fame.

XiaoLe had only met her a few times in her first life. But she knew beyond doubt that this girl was a key piece in ensuring humanity’s survival.

About four years ago when XiaoLe met this queen for the first time in her second life, she was completely taken aback when she learned of her true age.

The innocent child with gorgeous black hair and bewitching eyes. The person who would in the future be hailed as the Black Siren… she was only 8 years old.

“Who is Tatsuki Rize?”

Kenji asked.

“Before my regression, she was the one and only queen who ruled over the First Stratum following the first cataclysm. The Black Siren. ”

From the limited knowledge XiaoLe had, she knew that the Tatsuki Rize of her previous life never left First Sergeant Hai’s company.

This meant that the decision of sending EunHa to Fortress 13 had created an unintended butterfly effect.

With so many changes to world history owing to her preemptive actions, predicting the chain of events and consequences was becoming impossible. More and more, her knowledge of the future was losing its edge. XiaoLe felt uneasy.

“So she’s that other God’s Emissary you mentioned besides me.”

“Yes.”

Humanity conquered four strata in XiaoLe’s previous life.

The zeroth, first, second, and third.

And of those four strata, the Second Stratum turned into an uncontrolled demonica spawn after the first cataclysm.

Yet despite this fact, the First Stratum never fell. And the whole reason behind such an absurd reality was owed entirely to the Black Siren.

Receiving pressure from both the lower and upper stratum, the fact that she was able to maintain municipal stability in such a bleak situation spoke a lot about her capabilities. To do so required vast knowledge of various subjects beyond the sphere of military know-how.

“Maybe she knows something about EunHa.”

There was a reason why XiaoLe assigned First Sergeant Hai’s squad for EunHa’s execution.

Secretly, she hoped that the Black Siren would be the judge to determine if EunHa should die or live.

“If it’s true that EunHa is still alive, then the only place she could be is by her side.”

She hoped that the Rize she knew in this world was the same as the one she knew from her past life.

◤◢

The Black Siren was a girl who bathes in the blood of her enemies. A wicked, yet merciful existence embodying contradiction itself.

“Rize-chan? Did she leave the Fortress already?”

“I don’t know, we’ve not seen her.”

“Maybe you can ask that Sergeant that always accompanies her. What’s his name again? I think Sir Chen.”

“Nope, haven’t seen her around here.”

“Have you checked with her boss? She’s usually by his side.”

“I heard she resigned… I’m also curious about the details.”

“Tatsuki Rize? That sunshine of a girl? She could be anywhere. It’s better to get in touch with her comrades first.”

“The Black Siren? Why not ask the people of her orphanage.”

“…She owns an orphanage?”

Why didn’t XiaoLe she know about this?

She knew the Black Siren’s fame and contribution in the military was remarkable. But to think that she had the audacity to run personal businesses and philanthropy at the same time…

“Yeah. You don’t know?”

“I’m ill-informed. Do you know where the orphanage is located?”

“It’s in Miriyo district. I’m not sure how to explain the exact location, but I’m sure you can ask the locals.”

“Alright. Thank you.”

Heeding the advice of the soldiers, XiaoLe and Kenji advanced towards Miriyo district.

“XiaoLe, you know, if she’s so influential, why didn’t you reach out to her much earlier, like you did for me?”

“She’s only 12 years old.”

“What? Twelve…?”

“I didn’t want her experiences to deviate too much from history.”

It had been four years since Kenji’s arrival to this world. Almost a decade since XiaoLe regressed. And perhaps six or seven years for Rize?

“But… it’s because of my oversight that everything’s messed up.”

Rize’s original fate had already deviated from this point onwards. She gritted her teeth, praying that the future of humanity wouldn’t become screwed because of it.

◃⊰⊱⊹. ⊹⌖Ω ⩏⊹ϑ ⊰⊱▹

“…Rize’s Welfare Home for Children. This is probably the place.”

XiaoLe read aloud.

Kenji looked up at the cute, out-of-place signboard displayed in front of the huge cathedral building. It certainly contrasted the imposing, steel black fences that surrounded the estate.

The sounds of children giggling could be heard even from far outside. Visitors came to and from, bringing things like fruits or snacks.

“Let’s enter and see.”

Visiting was open to the public during the day.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes, can I help you with anything?”

Kenji only meant to ask one of the staff here but…

“Wow! You’re wearing a uniform!”

“Wait, isn’t that badge for high-ranking officials?”

“Who is it? Who is it?”

All the kids who noticed quickly surrounded them.

“Nice to meet you. Can I ask if Ms. Tatsuki dropped by here recently?”

XiaoLe asked.

“Ms. Tatsuki? Do you have any business with her?”

The staff was a person by the name of Eli.

“Ah yes. I’m Colonel Wu XiaoLe, and he’s Sergeant Matsushita Kenji. I know it’s sudden, but there’s an urgent matter that requires her presence.”

“O-Oh. Um, actually Tatsuki Rize-chan did drop by. She’s been busy handling matters outside the orphanage. But… she’s currently not here.”

“Did she say anything about where she went?”

“…She didn’t say anything about where she went, so I can’t say I know how you can reach her hm…”

“Will she be returning today?”

“I’m not sure.”

XiaoLe rubbed her fingers together.

“She did mention she’ll be returning by evening however…”

“Then is it possible if we stay for a while until she returns?”

Eli looked behind, at the children with gleaming eyes. It was like this every time one of Rize’s military associates came and visited.

“If you don’t mind the kids, then sure. It’s good for them here to meet with various people so spending time with them could be good for their knowledge. I’m sure Rize would like it too if you could teach them a thing or two.”

Truthfully, Eli didn’t know a thing about their relationship regarding Rize. He simply assumed them as her mates from the military.

“Then please excuse us.”

“Thank you.”

XiaoLe and Kenji thanked him. Eli guided the two to the common room for visitors. There he even prepared some light snacks.

“Oh, it’s our deputy.”

Just then, Eli noticed YuNa climbing down the stairs.

“Hold on, I’ll let her know.”

He went on to explain the situation to her. She showed a funky expression, turning her gaze to the pair.

A sergeant, and a colonel. It was obvious to anyone that they were no normal guests.

“My apologies for Rize’s absence. I’m YuNa. I heard from Eli, but I can’t promise that she’ll definitely return today. If you’re in any rush, I could help leave her a message for you instead?”

“It’s a confidential matter I’m afraid. Meeting Ms. Tatsuki is our only plan for today. If it’s fine with your permission, we actually don’t mind waiting until she returns tonight.”

“Well, that… I can’t be certain if she’ll actually return by that estimate. When she last informed us, she said she was to return yesterday, but we haven’t seen her since two days ago.”

YuNa said with a clumsy laugh.

“Actually, Akane-san said that Rize-chan will return by this evening.”

Eli said.

“Oh. Really?”

“If by night she’s still absent, we’ll come again tomorrow. I only ask that you allow us to meet with her as soon as she arrives.”

XiaoLe reaffirmed her decision to wait here.

“We’ll let you know immediately should she return. I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.”

“We should be the ones apologising for disturbing your work.”

YuNa and XiaoLe bowed to each other. YuNa and Eli were just about to leave for their respective errands when Kenji spoke.

“Can I ask something?”

“What is it?”

“Recently, did Ms. Tatsuki bring anyone here?”

His sudden question caused Eli and YuNa to look at each other.

“No, why?”

“YuNa?”

Eli was certain Rize brought EiYun—why was YuNa lying?

“No… I’m just wondering if she brought anyone with her with blonde hair and blue eyes…”

“We did have a new orphan that just arrived a few days ago, her name is EiYun, could you be referring to her?”

“No. That’s not who I mean…”

Kenji felt his chest tighten.

“Kenji.”

XiaoLe touched his wrist.

“Let’s wait until Ms. Tatsuki arrives. She may know something.”

“…Right.”

XiaoLe turned to YuNa and lowered her head again.

“I apologise for the misunderstanding.”

YuNa looked at the intimate two with a suspicious gaze.

“Pardon me.”

By the side, Eli had a conflicted expression.