Orphanage

If Ake Town's West District was the commercial district, then the Southwest District was a thoroughgoing slum.

Both the environment and public safety here were exceptionally terrible. There were not even oil lamps along the roads, leaving the entire area pitch-black. In just the stretch of road Li Wen had walked, she had encountered no fewer than three people who had tried to rob or pickpocket her.

To avoid any more unnecessary trouble, Li Wen had no choice but to break one hand of each of them as a warning to others.

Sure enough, after she did that, no one else came looking for trouble.

Ake Town was not large, so finding a building that fit the style of an orphanage was not difficult. It was the slum's tangled layout of buildings and roads that made Li Wen take several detours before reaching her destination.

It was a three-story building constructed entirely of dark red brick, starkly out of place among the surrounding structures. The orphanage had already closed for the night, and only firelight glowed through its windows.

Li Wen knocked on the door. After waiting for a long while, a muffled voice finally came from inside.

"The orphanage is closed. If you're here to collect relief, come back early tomorrow."

"I'm here to see someone. Is Old Man Sem here?" she asked.

A moment later, the door opened, and a thickset bald head poked out.

"Looking for Old Sem?" The bald man looked Li Wen up and down. "I don't remember that old bastard having any relatives... Come in."

Li Wen followed him inside.

The orphanage was fairly spacious. While it could not be called comfortable, it was at least clean and orderly, allowing those with nowhere to go to feel a little warmth of home.

Besides that, Li Wen noticed church-style decorations and arrangements everywhere.

"Was the orphanage established by the church?"

The bald man walking ahead was fat and broad-eared, swaying as he walked. A build like his was rare in a rural place like Ake Town.

"Mm, the Holy Church did provide the funds to build it. Pastor Mog handles the daily management and funding. Say, do you know Pastor Mog?"

Li Wen did not answer, instead asking another question. "Who does the orphanage usually serve?"

"Mostly people with nowhere to go. Children abandoned by their parents, elderly people with no one to support them, or people suffering from severe illnesses who can't support themselves through labor. Of course, we also take in some beggars and poor folks, as long as they're willing to provide labor... Why are you asking?" The bald man rambled on for quite a while before realizing Li Wen had come to find someone.

"Just curious." Li Wen said nothing more after that.

The bald man led her all the way to the third floor and pointed at the room in the farthest corner. "Old Sem lives there normally. Just knock if you're looking for him. I've got work to do. If you need anything, shout for me on the first floor."

Only after watching the bald man slowly descend the stairs did Li Wen walk up to the room and knock softly.

After waiting for a while, the door opened only a narrow crack, and the room's owner peered out through it.

"Who are you?"

Old Sem's voice was hoarse and dry, as if he had not had water in a long time.

"Pastor Mog sent me," Li Wen said succinctly.

Hearing Mog's name, Old Sem became visibly agitated. He pushed the door open and let Li Wen in, though he clearly did not trust her just because of that.

"What did he send you for? I'm just an old man with nothing. I have nothing at all."

Li Wen did not answer immediately. She observed the room and the old man. The room was so empty it could not even support rats, truly matching the old man's claim of having "nothing." Old Sem, meanwhile, was a very typical—or rather, stereotypical—Duwei person. He was short, with a sallow, wrinkled face. Strange pigments were smeared across the skin of his arms and face, resembling some kind of totem.

"You know how to make potions?"

The moment she entered, Li Wen had smelled the faint bitter fragrance of herbs. Besides that, she had noticed residue of Sulfur and plant juice beneath Old Sem's fingernails.

Old Sem's expression immediately turned unpleasant. He pressed his lips tight, seemingly considering how to make Li Wen get lost as quickly as possible.

"You don't need to deny it. I know a little about alchemy, so I can tell."

"When I was young, I listened to the elders of my clan prattle on about grinding and preparing herbs. It's nothing worth mentioning." Old Sem's voice droned.

"I need some materials for a ritual. Pastor Mog said you might have what I need."

Old Sem said nothing after hearing that. He walked to the bed, laboriously moved it aside, then broke open the wooden boards that had originally covered the space beneath it, revealing a hidden compartment.

Inside were amateur grinding tools, filters, crucibles, and other equipment, along with many bottles and jars.

Arthur officially prohibited the spread of alchemical techniques among civilians, so Old Sem's caution was not without reason.

Old Sem picked up a half-full leather backpack from the compartment, stuffed quite a few bottles and jars into it, and finally handed it to Li Wen.

"Everything I have is in there. If you're still short of anything, then I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."

Li Wen opened it and checked. Drawing on memories from her past life, she could tell that while the materials were not comprehensive in variety, they were enough for the current situation.

"That's enough." Li Wen calculated the price according to the Black Market rates from her past life, then took out two gold pounds and five shillings and handed them to Old Sem.

Old Sem shook his head. "Since Lord Mog introduced you, I can't take your money."

"This has nothing to do with him," Li Wen said.

"It has a great deal to do with me."

Li Wen could not be bothered to argue with him. She set the money down and turned to leave. Naturally, Old Sem lacked the strength of young Li Wen and could only stare helplessly at her vanishing figure.

When Li Wen returned to the Nun Dormitory, she saw Luna standing outside her room.

"Were you looking for me?"

Sister Luna jumped in fright. She only sighed in relief after turning around and seeing Li Wen.

"I roasted some potatoes and lamb. I wanted to bring some for you to try."

As she spoke, the sister shook the food basket in her hand.

So that was it.

Li Wen nodded. "Then thank you. I haven't eaten yet anyway."

She took the basket and was about to send Luna away, but the expectant look in the young nun's eyes left her speechless.

"If you don't mind, let's eat together."

The sister was delighted by the invitation. It was not that she wanted to eat together; she simply wanted to know what Li Wen thought of her cooking.

"It tastes very good."

The moment the food entered her mouth, Li Wen gave her opinion.

"Really? Pastor Mog said the same thing, but I think there's still room for improvement." The sister's little face turned red, and she seemed unaccustomed to praise.

"What kind of person do you think Mog is?" Li Wen suddenly asked.

"Pastor Mog?" Sister Luna looked confused. "Pastor Mog... he should be a very good person, right? He's kind and gentle to everyone, very good at listening to the faithful's concerns, always willing to help others, and he's taught me so much knowledge... Everyone in town likes Pastor Mog."

"I see."

Li Wen said nothing more.

She wondered what expression the young nun would have if she learned the truth.