AWB Chapter 41 The Silent Chapter: "The Girl and the Orphanage"
Chapter 41 The Silent Chapter: "The Girl and the Orphanage"
In her hazy, delirious state, the consciousness of the girl named Fildo was quietly carried away like a fragile fallen leaf.
Then, her body seemed to be pulled by a mysterious force, slowly floating up. Then a feeling of weightlessness came over her, and she felt the air around her become cold, as if she had entered a cryogenic chamber, which made the girl's consciousness become hazy.
As her consciousness slowly sank, the image of her witnessing the man trying to take away a child from the orphanage who shared her past misery, and the profound helplessness she felt when her body was powerless to do anything, continued to surface in her mind.
"Ah... how pathetic. The moment I saw that man, my body instinctively wanted to run away... but why didn't I run away?"
Inside the cryogenic chamber, Fildo racked her brains. From the moment Salesto was gradually transmitted from the assassin sister's mouth, she was clearly able to escape, yet she remained steadfast in standing in front of the sleeping children.
"Maybe... they all have no family like me, yes... it's sympathy as a fellow human being, or it's a way of repaying the person who accepted me when I was an orphan..." the girl thought, her consciousness gradually sinking.
"That was when I was about six years old..."
In the dimly lit alley, a red-haired girl with long, messy hair, draped in tattered cloth but seemingly well-groomed, leaned against a corner in fear.
She was still clutching a baguette she had just found and had only taken a few bites of. The girl's arms were very thin, and her face was pale and thin, looking very malnourished.
In front of the girl was an elderly man with glasses and a kind face, who was squatting down.
"Child, do you want a home?"
The old man asked gently, his eyes filled with pity for the girl, and he extended his hand to invite her in.
"Home? What is that? Is it something that can provide food?" Fildo murmured softly, her eyes revealing a look of bewilderment and a seemingly lacking common sense.
"Uh..." The old man thought for a moment after hearing this, "I guess so, but my house might be a bit big... It's more like a place where people without relatives gather, but I can still make sure you're fed."
“Okay...I...will go!” the girl replied all night.
"Then come with me, child."
The old man stood up and walked out of the alley. The girl followed closely behind, and gradually the old man led the girl to the gate of an orphanage.
"here it is..."
"This is your future home... and the future home of many others," the old man replied, then looked at the girl, "Do you have a name, little sister?"
"Name? As for how I'm addressed, when I'm beaten up and my food is stolen, the name I'm usually called is... disgusting rat..." the girl said calmly, causing the old man in front of her to look slightly lost in thought.
The old man tenderly stroked the girl's head and said softly, "From today onwards, you will no longer be called 'disgusting rat.' You have your own name, Fildo." Fildo looked up at the old man, her eyes filled with pity.
"Fairdo?"
"Yes! Fierduo means a bright, beautiful flower blooming in crimson. What do you think? Do you like it?"
"I like the name." The girl nodded, indicating her acceptance of this name that would become hers.
"This... must be the happiest time of my life. I have a family now, and family members around 30 years old..."
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Fildo has turned 18. During this time, some of her "family" members have been adopted, while others remain by her side. Occasionally, I will donate blood at a low price or use my innate strength to help people at construction sites.
Sometimes, the old dean would even drag his frail body to give me a lecture, since I was illiterate, to supplement my literary knowledge.
One day, sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves, casting a soft glow over the orphanage's slightly worn courtyard. I sat listlessly in a corner, my heart filled with uncertainty and anxiety about the future.
Just then, a faint conversation inadvertently reached his ears.
At first, I thought I had misheard, since it was usually too quiet here and the sudden sound caught me off guard.
But when those words rang out again, my heart tightened, and an ominous premonition washed over me. Listening closely, I realized it was about the orphanage director.
It turns out that the orphanage director, who had struggled to raise himself, is now in dire straits, seemingly running out of money to cover the orphanage's daily expenses.
Those familiar laughs and cheerful voices, those innocent smiles of children, all seemed to vanish because of the impending economic crisis. The image of the dean, weary yet resolute, instantly flashed through my mind; he always gave silently, never uttering a single complaint.
But I, who never even went to school, can't do anything.
And so, the girl spent each day with a bewildered and fearful expression.
"until......"
I clearly remember it was an ordinary, somewhat gloomy morning. The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the whole city was still immersed in tranquility. With a heart full of confusion and curiosity, I embarked on my journey to that remote blood bank. At that time, I had no idea that what was about to happen would completely change my life.
As I stepped into the slightly worn yet mysterious blood bank, a sense of unease inexplicably welled up inside me. The staff skillfully disinfected my wounds, performed the puncture, and drew my blood. I sat there quietly, my gaze somewhat unfocused as I watched the slowly flowing red liquid, as if it carried some untold secret.
However, fate often takes an unexpected turn. A few days later, when I received another call from the blood bank and went to inquire about the results with a heart full of doubt, I was told that a relatively high level of magical talent had been detected in my blood. This sudden news was like a thunderbolt, instantly exploding in my mind and leaving me in a state of prolonged shock.
Those so-called "good Samaritans" quickly found me. Under the guise of charity, they tried to recruit me into their ranks by offering to regularly donate money to the orphanage. At first, I was puzzled and confused by their actions. I didn't understand why they would use my blood to achieve their ulterior motives.
But with their financial support, I eventually reluctantly agreed to join their organization and began a military career that was, in a way, quite fulfilling.
"I've made a few friends who I can talk to and who I can share joys and sorrows with."
The girl quietly let go of her various thoughts, her mind gradually becoming clear and peaceful. However, in this tranquil moment, as if it were a small joke of fate, she suddenly felt an unusual heat spreading quietly from the pocket of her body.
The heat initially appeared as faint as a trickle, yet like a spark, it possessed an undeniable power. As time passed, the heat grew stronger, as if an invisible pair of tongs were constantly heating the small bag.
Then, an astonishing scene unfolded. From the heated pocket, a ball of jet-black flame emerged, its shape resembling a fluttering butterfly, carrying an air of mystery and eeriness. It lightly adhered to the cold cover of the cryogenic chamber, emitting intense heat that melted the cover away.
Fildo also regained consciousness. When she first woke up, she looked at the space and the dark ceiling with confusion.
"Where...is this?" But before the girl could continue to wonder, a drawing of hell came into view.
Phildo stared in horror at the scene before her—hundreds of innocent children connected by tubes, who were being slowly drained of something by the tubes, gradually withering and disappearing.
Her eyes were filled with fear and confusion, and her body trembled involuntarily. She even saw several of the orphanage children she had seen before in the experimental subjects.
“Nochil... Parna... Doni…” She watched in horror as countless children she had seen not long ago withered before her, losing all their former vitality.
"Ah? Ahh ...