章 70: A Healer?
"Eh? You want to go and find a healer?"
"Yeah."
"I'll tell you in advance, we can't exactly bring anyone back with us..."
"I'm not recruiting anyone."
"Want me to come with you?"
Amy stood up and fixed her clothes.
"Will it be easier with you around?"
"Probably."
"Then, lets go."
Sebastian held out his hand. Amy took it and the two of them departed for the church.
"Excuse me, can we meet a healer?"
"Are either of you injured?"
"No, but—"
"Then, you can't."
The knight who guarded the church's doors firmly denied them. Even if they tried convincing him, it didn't look like he was going to budge.
"That's weird..."
"They aren't normally this strict?"
"They shouldn't be. I'll go and find out what's happening. You stay here for a bit."
Amy walked inside the church. The knight hadn't barred them from entering, just meeting a priest.
Sebastian looked around the area and hoped to find a bar somewhere to ask around but there weren't any in sight.
Just as he was about to give up, someone pulled on his sleeve. He turned to see a child covered by a dirty cloak.
"Mister... Do you have any coins to spare?"
Sebastian looked at the child and was about to take out a large silver coin but hesitated. There was a chance that the child would get robbed or scammed from his money.
"...Why don't you come with me to eat?"
"Y-you really mean it?"
The child's eyes were sparkling. Sebastian felt his heart hurt and nodded.
Once he spotted a restaurant with his eyes, he talked to the knight to inform Amy that he'd be in the restaurant.
"I'm sorry sir, but our other customers would complain."
"Then, can I at least have a seat outside?"
"Please."
After placing his order, Sebastian sat in front of the child at one of the empty seats outside.
"What's your name?"
"S-Sana..."
"Sana? That's a nice name."
"Mister, can I take the food back home with me?"
"Home?"
"Un! My brothers and sisters would be happy!"
Sebastian didn't need to be astute to realize that Sana wasn't talking about her blood related family members.
"Eat first, I'll get more food for your siblings."
"Really? Thank you!"
Sebastian looked at the child and sighed. It was the first time he could interact with someone so pure.
"Here's your food, sir."
"Thank you. How many siblings do you have?"
"Umm... One, two, thwee, four... five!"
"Give me fifteen portions of your most filling meals, to go. Don't forget to make them as delicious as possible."
Sebastian handed a tip to the waiter.
"Right away, sir!"
When the waiter set their food down, Sebastian gestured for Sana whose eyes were sparkling, to eat.
"Sana, are you a girl?"
"Un!"
Although she was eating the food quickly, she wasn't using her hands like Sebastian expected at all. She was using the utensils in front of her with grace.
'Could she be a fallen noble?'
While Sebastian didn't intend on prying into her matters, it wasn't as if he wasn't at least somewhat interested. Beggars were seen everywhere, he was used to them. But, what about fallen nobles? It wasn't everyday that a noble falls from grace.
Just as Sebastian was going to take another bite of his meal, Amy arrived.
"Sebastian, what are you doing here? And, who's the small child?"
"Ah, well, she was begging for money but I thought it'd be a problem if anyone decided to steal from her so I treated her to a meal instead. Anyway, sit down, I had a meal ordered for you as well."
Amy sat next to Sebastian and looked at the child eating but in the end, she didn't say anything.
Once the waiter arrived, he had fifteen boxes of food carefully wrapped and placed them on the table next to Sebastian. There wasn't any problem with the umbrella covering them from the shade.
Sebastian took one of the boxes and placed one in front of Amy.
"Sana, do you want another?"
"Really?!"
She had already finished her meal but she was still hungry.
"Yes, there's no need to hurry."
Sebastian took one of the packages and placed it in front of Sana.
"Weren't you looking for a healer?"
"Is it possible?"
"I don't think it's possible today."
"Then, it's alright."
Amy allowed him to have his way and began chatting with Sana. Amy had taken a liking to her. While they talked, there would be a huge smile on her face.
"I want a daughter like her someday too~"
Amy commented with a goofy smile.
"I'll try my best."
"Cough cough!"
Amy coughed a few times and then glared at Sebastian.
Once Sana was full, she pat her belly a few times and then was giddily swinging her legs.
"Do you want to go to your siblings now?"
"Mister, you're coming too?"
"Yeah, I'll carry these for you."
"Thank you!"
How many times had he been thanked already? Sebastian smiled at Sana and then picked up all of the food using the bag.
"Is it heavy? Sana can help!"
"I'm alright. Mister is stronger than he looks."
"And so does Big Sis here."
Amy took a few boxes away from Sebastian's hands and carried them.
"Sana too!"
Sana took two boxes handed to her by Amy and guided them toward her siblings.
"They're there!"
It was an old church and an orphanage.
Sebastian was surprised. He had expected her to live in a torn down house or in an alley, if she lived in an orphanage, then why was she begging on the streets?
Sana opened the the big door with her small body and walked inside.
Sebastian and Amy glanced at each other in the eyes before following her.
There weren't any adults going out to greet them and the place looked ill maintained.
"Doesn't look like there's anyone taking care of them."
"Yeah..."
Amy looked around the dreary place and frowned.
"Over here!"
Sana's head popped out from one of the corridors and she waved at Sebastian and Amy.
Fortunately, they were wrong in the assumption that nobody had been taking care of them. There was an aged woman in nun clothes surrounded by a group of children.
"Sana, you mustn't wander off like that again."
"But you were hungry!"
"It doesn't matter if I'm hungry, what matters is that all of you are safe!"
The sister sternly told off Sana. She turned her eyes to Sebastian and Amy and stood up.
"My, I didn't know we had guests. Welcome!"
The sister stood up but was stopped by Sebastian and Amy.
"There's no need to greet us. We just came by to give food."
Sebastian placed the boxes down and Amy did the same. Sana also took the two boxes in her hands and handed it to the woman.
Sebastian looked at the children and smiled wryly. There were way more than five children, it was good that he had bought a lot.
"Goodness, thank you! Kids, show your gratitude."
Following her words, the children all stood up and shouted, "thank you!"
Amy giggled and gestured for Sana.
"Sana was the one who brought all of this back so make sure to thank her too."
"Thank you, Big Sis Sana!"
The sister distributed the food to the children and made sure they had proper manners.
"Sister, aren't you going to eat as well?"
"I'd rather save it for the children."
"There's plenty of food. Besides, if you're gone, who'd be the one to take care of them?"
Amy handed her a box and made her take it.
The sister opened her mouth but couldn't say anything in return. She laughed and began eating after thanking them.
"Mister, Big Sis."
"Why am I 'Mister' and she's 'Big Sis'?"
"Because Mister is Mister!"
Sana spoke without missing a beat. Sebastian gave up and shrugged.
"What is it?"
"Sana will give this to you!"
Sana handed them a necklace.
"Sana's mama and papa told me to give this necklace to people I trust!"
"..."
Sebastian took a look at the pendant and furrowed his brows. Fallen noble? Sebastian nearly laughed remembering what he had thought.
Sana wasn't a noble—she was a royal.
What Sana handed to them wasn't an ordinary necklace, it was the heirloom of the previous royal family of Tidas. Sebastian had only seen it in books but this necklace was a perfect copy. He had even checked the engraving for its authenticity.
Amy also looked over and frowned.
"Sister, when did you pick up Sana?"
"She was the first one, about half a year ago, I found her begging on the streets and took her here. The church had already been abandoned so I started an orphanage here. It hasn't been doing very well, though..."
Sebastian turned to Amy and she nodded.
"Sister, we'd like to adopt Sana."
"Really?! That's wonderful!"
The sister was glad for Sana from the bottom of her heart.
"Sana, has anyone seen this necklace before?"
"Sana doesn't know!"
"That's alright. Sana, would you like to come with us?"
"With Mister and Big Sis?"
"That's right."
The sooner they get out of here, the safer it would be.
"I'll go and get the adoption papers ready."
The sister walked into one of the other rooms.
"Amy."
"I know. I'll send people to watch the orphanage for the next few weeks."
She always understood his intentions before he spoke them out.
"Big Sis Sana is leaving?"
One of the children approached Sana and gave her a hug.
Hearing what the child said, the other children also approached her and crowded around her. Some cried and some were happy for her. Sana was also crying while saying her farewell.
"Sebastian, I heard that the previous royal family also had healing abilities."
"Yeah, do you think Sana has inherited them as well?"
"We can find out later. I'll keep watch outside."
"Got it."
Amy gave her goodbyes to the children while promising to meet again before going outside.
The sister walked into the room and smiled at Sana being crowded by the children
"Hm? Where's Miss Amy?"
"She already went outside."
The sister handed a few papers and a pen over at Sebastian. Once he signed them, the sister gave Sebastian one paper and took the rest.
"With that, you're now officially recognized as Sana's guardian. I would name you two her parents but I don't think having parents as young as you two would be good for society."
"Thank you."
If it was a real orphanage, there would be many more procedures. Sebastian was thankful.
"Please accept this from me."
Sebastian handed over his pouch of money.
"We cannot possibly impose on you more than this..."
"Just treat it as my thank you for taking care of Sana. Please make sure the children are well-fed."
"That goes without saying."
Sebastian forced her to take the pouch and left with Sana before she could check the contents. She'd definitely be shocked. The money inside would be enough for her to help the orphanage stay afloat for more than a year after all.
"Is the coast clear?"
"Yeah."
Amy took Sana's hand and the three of them left the orphanage.
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