"Dammit! Next time, I definitely won't lose!"
Hearing the children's excited voices, Roland finally breathed a sigh of relief. Even though these children were well-behaved and adorable, dealing with a whole crowd of them was no easy task. He wondered how Mother Maria managed to handle them all on her own.
"It seems the games Roland suggested were exactly what they wanted. Even the children who were listening intently to my stories ran over to play," Astraea said with a light chuckle as she sat down beside him.
"Isn't that just a child's nature? Playing is almost always more interesting than sitting quietly and reading a book," Roland said, a trace of nostalgia crossing his face. "Besides, playing is harmless. Unlike me when I was a kid—I was practically reckless."
Astraea looked at him with interest, gently taking his hand. She whispered with a smile, "Then, as your Goddess, do I have the honor of hearing some of those 'interesting' stories from your childhood?"
There was nothing to hide. As Roland described his past with vivid detail, Astraea's eyes widened in surprise or she would cover her mouth to hide a giggle. Roland, caught up in the Goddess's laughter, felt a warmth spread through him. The scene was filled with joy, as if time itself had stood still.
After a while, even Roland joined the kids in a game of "Eagle Catches the Chicks" (a variation of tag). Finally, Headmistress Maria appeared.
She pushed open the church doors, accompanied by a few children and carrying a basket overflowing with ingredients. She was startled to see Goddess Astraea, a frequent visitor, along with the recently famous Roland.
"Ah, Lady Astraea, you're here! Thank you so much for always looking after us."
"Not at all. Seeing the children grow up healthy brings me great joy."
"And isn't this Roland? Long time no see. It's wonderful to see you safe. I've been hearing your name all over Orario lately!"
Maria approached warmly to exchange greetings. Roland stepped forward to take the heavy basket of ingredients from her, looking apologetic. "Sorry, Madam Maria. It took me so long to come and visit."
"Nonsense! Having Roland visit again makes me very happy. You're an adventurer; it's only natural to be busy," Maria said with a wave of her hand.
Roland followed them to the church kitchen while Astraea stayed behind to look after the younger children. Along the way, Maria was incredibly talkative, asking Roland about his well-being with a constant smile.
"Roland, how have you been? Any dangers or difficulties in the Dungeon?" "Remember to eat well and on time! You can't mistreat your body!"
She really is the mother of all these orphans; her caring power is off the charts! Roland thought.
Once they set the ingredients down, Maria turned to him. "Roland, please wait outside. Since Lady Astraea looks after us so much, let us treat you both this time."
"I understand. I'll head back out then," Roland nodded obediently.
Returning to the hall, he saw Astraea had joined the hopscotch game. To prevent her long skirt from tripping her, she delicately lifted the hem, her movements both elegant and dignified. Every time she hopped, the subtle movements of her beautiful frame drew his gaze like gravity. It was quite a sight to behold.
After intentionally losing to the children, Astraea stood up, smoothed her skirt, and sat back down beside Roland. She turned her beautiful eyes toward him and whispered, "It seems Maria intends to host us for a meal."
"Yes. She's very grateful for the way you look after the orphanage. Otherwise, with the chaos of Daedalus Street, I doubt these kids would be this safe," Roland replied.
Roland was no longer the ignorant boy who first arrived in Orario. Through various intelligence channels and detailed stories from Kaguya and the others, he knew that Daedalus Street was a melting pot of all sorts of characters. It wasn't just commoners; the Dark Faction frequented the area. Its labyrinthine layout and lack of official oversight made it an ideal hideout for underground organizations.
For these innocent children to survive in such an environment was no small feat.
------------------------------------------------
Make this Valentine's special.
Join our Patreon family and enjoy 15% OFF.
Available starting today!
https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Danmachi : Mage's Infinite Journey (168 Chapters – Ongoing)
------------------------------------------------
As if sensing Roland's thoughts, Astraea reached out and interlocked her fingers with his. "Don't worry," the Goddess said softly. "One day, this place will be prosperous again. When that time comes, the children will be able to play here freely."
Roland joked, "Is that Lady Astraea's wish? If everyone knew, they'd move mountains to make it come true."
Astraea raised her other hand as if to strike him playfully but ended up gently stroking his hair. "Wouldn't that just be me forcing my responsibility onto you all? I'm not that kind of Goddess," she said, leaning slightly against him with a playful tone.
Even the Goddess of Justice had a bit of favoritism when it came to her own child. Roland didn't say anything more, simply enjoying the warm moment with her.
Soon, lunch was ready. A cute little girl ran over excitedly. "Everyone! Mama Maria says lunch is ready! She sent me to get you!"
She reached out her tiny hands, wanting to hold both Roland's and Astraea's hands to lead them to the kitchen. However, when she noticed their fingers tightly interlocked, her face scrunched up in confusion.
Roland and Astraea gently released each other and reached for the girl's small hands instead. Seeing the radiant smile on the child's face, Roland and Astraea exchanged a knowing look.
After lunch, the children were drowsy, having played too hard in the morning. However, the older kids who had been helping out hadn't seen the new games yet. They looked at Roland and Astraea with pleading eyes.
Roland realized it was about time to leave. To leave the children with a beautiful memory, he decided to give them a magic performance as a farewell gift.
Roland clapped his hands. "Does anyone want to see a magic show? Raise your hands!"
The quiet atmosphere ignited instantly. Countless small hands shot up, and bright eyes sparkled with curiosity. Roland walked to the open space in front of the pulpit. Mana began to boil within him; he made sure to stay far enough away so the pressure of his mana wouldn't frighten the children.
Two massive blocks of ice, two meters tall, appeared before him. While his ice manipulation as an Elemental Bomber wasn't as refined as a Glacial Master's, it was more than enough to dazzle children.
With a crack, the ice shattered, revealing intricate figures Roland had carved with his magic.
"Whoa!!" the children gasped.
A cute, blocky dragon and a blocky swordsman appeared. Since they couldn't see mana, they didn't realize the ice puppets were being enveloped and controlled by Roland's massive mana reserves. The puppets began to move. Roland had crafted their joints with ball-and-socket mechanisms, allowing for fluid motion.
The dragon opened its mouth to spray "mist" at the swordsman. The blocky man crouched and leapt into the air to dodge, all under Roland's precise control. Astraea acted as the narrator, adding flair to the story.
After spinning in the air, the swordsman lunged at the dragon, but his blade was deflected with a clink. The dragon then bit the swordsman's shoulder. To make it realistic, Roland allowed the ice on the shoulder to melt into "blood" (water).
"Oh no! It looks like the swordsman is in trouble! Everyone, cheer for him!" Astraea cried out, feigning surprise.
"Go! Go! Fight on!!" the children shouted in unison.
The swordsman stood up and gave them a thumbs-up. He reached out, and his fallen sword flew back into his hand with a whoosh. Suddenly, he glowed with a deep blue light, and his simple form was replaced by a magnificent set of armor and a cape.
The kids screamed in excitement at the cool transformation.
The swordsman's blade swirled with wind as he struck the dragon, cleaving it in two. To the sound of cheers, the swordsman raised his blade and dissolved into ice crystals.
Before leaving with Astraea:
"Madam Maria, could you come here for a moment?" Roland beckoned her to a secluded corner.
Maria asked with a kind smile, "What is it, Roland? Do you need my help with something?"
Roland pulled a bag of Valis from his [Inventory]. "This is the donation I wanted to give. Please accept it."
He could afford more, but he worried that a massive sum would bring unwanted trouble to the orphanage. He kept it at 500,000 Valis. When Maria took the bag, she realized it was significantly heavier than last time.
"I know you won't let me refuse, so I want to ask: why do you help us like this?" Maria asked quietly.
Roland smiled. "Just like you, Madam Maria, I'm just doing what I can. Being able to do something good makes me genuinely happy."
Hearing this, Maria stood on her tiptoes and patted his head—he had grown quite a bit since they first met. "Thank you, Roland."
That thank you is all I need, Roland thought.