章節 30: The Orphanage's New Addition
Turai arrived at the orphanage with his heart still pounding from the sprint, his mind buzzing with fear for the children's safety. He didn't hesitate as he threw open the front door, anxiety gripping him. But the moment he stepped inside, his worries melted away.
"Turai!!" A chorus of cheerful voices greeted him. As though they had been waiting for him, all the children of the orphanage ran toward him with bright smiles on their faces, their small arms outstretched. In an instant, they surrounded him, hugging him tightly from every side. Turai couldn't help but smile, his heart swelling with relief and joy. They were safe. All of them.
"Turai! You're back!" one of the children cried, looking up at him with wide, gleaming eyes.
He knelt down, ruffling the hair of a few of the children as he greeted them warmly. "Yeah, I'm back. How have you all been doing while I was away?"
"Fine!" They replied in unison, their voices filled with excitement.
The children giggled, pulling him further into the room as they talked over each other. It was clear they had missed him, and seeing their happy faces made the knot of tension in his chest finally loosen. Turai followed them deeper into the orphanage, where Mrs. Benson was busy organizing supplies. She was the heart of the orphanage, a nurturing figure who had taken in so many children over the years, including Turai.
"Mrs. Benson," Turai greeted as he approached, noticing how well she seemed to be doing. After the chaos of the past few weeks, it was a comfort to see her back to her usual self, looking as strong and capable as ever. "It's good to see you're doing well. How's everything been going?"
Mrs. Benson smiled at him, warmth radiating from her eyes. "Everything's as fine as it can be. The children are happy, and we've been managing. But now that you're back, I feel much better."
Turai was about to ask if she had heard the news about the killer when a new voice interrupted them.
"Is that how you address someone of her standing? Is that how you address someone who's played the role of ''mother' for you for years?" The sharp tone cut through the air, and Turai turned to see a woman standing near the doorway. She was tall, elegant, and carried herself with an air of authority that immediately rubbed him the wrong way.
She had brown long hair and black eyes, a pretty face for a lady in her late twenties. Her expression was severe, her gaze stern as she looked down at him. "You should speak more respectfully."
Turai blinked, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"
Before he could respond further, Mrs. Benson quickly stepped in. "Turai, this is Miss Roxaine," she explained, giving him a slight nod of caution. "She's our new assistant. She'll be helping me around here, especially when you're away."
Turai's eyes shifted back to the woman, Miss Roxaine. He noticed how she was standing quite close to some of the children, her hand resting on the shoulder of one of the younger ones. She seemed comfortable around them, and the children didn't appear to mind her presence. Still, something about her made Turai's instincts prickle.
"Ah, I see," Turai said, keeping his tone neutral. "I wasn't aware we had a new assistant."
"Yes, well, now you are," Miss Roxaine said, her tone clipped. "And I expect you to show some proper manners when addressing me and Mrs. Benson."
Turai bit back his irritation. He wasn't in the mood for formalities, especially after the rush of adrenaline that had carried him here. But before he could say anything more, Mrs. Benson shot him a warning glance, silently advising him not to push the matter.
"I shall do my best, Miss Roxaine." With a sigh, Turai nodded in acknowledgment and turned his attention back to Mrs. Benson.
"Have you heard about what's happening in town?" he asked. "There's been a—"
Before he could finish, the door swung open again. Hubert and the others walked in, their expressions a mix of concern and relief.
"There you are," Hubert said, crossing his arms as he looked at Turai. "We've been searching for you. Thought you might have gone to the marketplace."
Turai shook his head. "I took the fastest route back here. Didn't stop anywhere else."
Hubert exchanged a glance with Gareth before speaking again. "Well, you should know what we found at the marketplace. It's a mess, Turai. Blood everywhere. And a message. Someone left a message for you."
"For me?" Turai frowned, the weight of those words settling uncomfortably on his shoulders.
"Yeah," Gareth chimed in, his voice low and serious. "The writing on the wall said, 'You little bastard, come find me.' Sound familiar?"
Turai felt a chill run down his spine. "You think it's about me?"
"We're not sure," Hubert said, rubbing the back of his neck. "But after what happened a few days ago, it's hard to ignore. You made quite the impression. Whoever this killer is, they might be targeting you."
Turai clenched his fists. His first instinct was to dismiss the idea—it didn't make sense. But the more he thought about it, the more it began to gnaw at him. If someone was calling him out, then the situation was far more dangerous than he had originally thought.
"I need to see it for myself," Turai said, his voice firm. He turned to Mrs. Benson. "Stay safe. I'll be back soon."
Mrs. Benson nodded, concern flickering in her eyes, but she didn't protest. "Be careful, Turai."
With that, Turai joined Hubert and the others as they left the orphanage, his mind now fully focused on the task ahead. The atmosphere outside felt even heavier than before, the weight of the unknown threat pressing down on him. As they walked through the streets, heading toward the marketplace, Turai couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more dangerous.
Whoever this killer was, they had called him out—and now, it was time to confront the truth.
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