✯ Chapter 3 ✯
Thanks to the scattered memories left in the body, it wasn’t difficult for Hannah to adjust to life at the temple.
Since the original Hannah had grown up in this orphanage, the memories about the temple and the orphanage were very useful.
Without them, she probably would’ve gotten lost just trying to find the High Priest’s office.
“So, how is the orphanage?”
“The children are doing well.”
“Hm. We really need to get rid of that orphanage soon.”
This small temple in the countryside wasn’t doing very well financially.
“Get rid of it?”
“We only kept it because of the subsidy. But the subsidy was reduced starting this year. It’s nowhere near enough to raise three children.”
What a joke.
It wasn’t that the money wasn’t enough to care for three children.
It was that it wasn’t enough to care for them with the bare minimum while secretly pocketing the rest.
Listening to the High Priest, Hannah laughed bitterly to herself.
“I want to shut it down immediately, but if the Central Temple sends inspectors, we’ll have to return the money we’ve already received. So I can’t close it yet.”
He didn’t have even the slightest kindness expected from a priest.
He only cared about money.
No, wait. If the orphanage closed, wouldn’t that mean she’d lose her job too?
And he was saying it right in front of her.
The High Priest really had no tact.
Or maybe…
He simply didn’t care whether she was hurt or not.
“What will happen to the children? Once an orphanage closes, it’s not easy for them to move to another one.”
As Hannah remembered the novel, the temple orphanage didn’t close immediately.
The High Priest and the original Hannah became unhappy with the situation and started abusing the children.
In the end, the orphanage was shut down, and the children were thrown onto the streets.
After that, they all went their separate ways and grew up to become villains.
Masha, who had talent for magic, was discovered by a dark mage.
She became a little insane, but she grew into a powerful dark magician.
Ian was a forgotten member of the imperial family.
A noble who had secretly been watching him took him in.
Jeremy had the saddest life of them all.
He wandered through the back alleys and suffered terribly.
He was beaten.
The little food he found after searching through trash cans was stolen from him.
He became sick and nearly starved to death.
Eventually, he started working as a messenger in the underworld.
From then on, he was forced to do dangerous and dirty jobs.
The only lucky thing was that he had an incredible talent for swordsmanship, which allowed him to survive.
No…
He didn’t just survive.
He eventually became the leader of the entire underworld.
There was no need to explain how well he had adapted.
But if everything follows the original story…
From Hannah’s point of view, there was only one ending waiting for her.
The High Priest would lose his head.
And so would she.
That was almost guaranteed.
They would burn down the temple…
And kill every priest.
Including her.
“Do I really have to worry about that? We’ve already raised them enough.”
After hearing the High Priest’s words, Hannah thought,
Ian is only ten years old. Masha and Jeremy are only nine. How could anyone say they’ve already been raised?
The words almost came out of her mouth.
But she forced herself to stay silent.
“Anyway, spend as little money as possible. Cut down on food expenses too. I heard you served meat. That’s not why I put you in charge of the orphanage.”
“But…”
She couldn’t believe it.
Then at least give her proper ingredients!
The temple only provided enough food to make thin porridge.
Even the “meat dish” he was talking about had been bought with her own salary.
Why was he angry about food she paid for herself?
“Do you need another beating before you listen like when you were young?”
The High Priest’s eyes turned cold.
Hannah’s body froze.
Then she remembered.
The original Hannah had also grown up being abused.
Even though Hannah herself had never experienced it…
Her body reacted instinctively.
Her hands began to tremble.
These aren’t my memories…
Don’t shake… Please don’t shake…
But no matter how hard she tried…
She couldn’t calm herself.
Watching her, the High Priest clicked his tongue and looked away.
“Until the notice to close the orphanage arrives, save every coin you can. Chaison is looking for another place to send those children. Until then, make sure those things don’t get damaged.”
Hearing that, Hannah brightened.
At least they planned to send the children to another orphanage.
She disliked the way he called them those things instead of children.
But at least they wouldn’t end up living on the streets.
If they can go to a normal orphanage…
Maybe they wouldn’t become villains.
That would be much better than staying under her imperfect care.
“I understand.”
“You may leave.”
The High Priest waved his hand dismissively.
Hannah quietly left the office.
When Hannah returned to the orphanage, all three children were gathered in the common room.
“I want corn soup.”
“I want bread! Sweet bread!”
“You only want sweets because you’re getting fat.”
“Where am I fat? This is all muscle.”
Jeremy rolled up his thin little arm.
Masha frowned.
Ian didn’t seem interested in either of them.
Watching the children argue over lunch made Hannah smile.
They’re so adorable.
“The teacher likes me the most, so she’ll make what I want.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Hannah stopped walking.
…This conversation is going in a very dangerous direction.
“The teacher likes me the most!”
Just then, Jeremy jumped up from the sofa.
“Hmph. You’re so dumb. Isn’t it obvious? Teacher likes me the most.”
“Really? Then let’s make a bet! We’ll see whose food she makes today!”
Jeremy slapped the sofa cushion excitedly.
“You’re making dust.”
Ian spoke in his usual flat voice.
“There he goes again.”
Jeremy grumbled.
Ian answered calmly.
“Jeremy, at least it isn’t you.”
“What do you mean?”
“The person Teacher Hannah likes the most.”
“What? Then you’re saying it’s Masha?”
Jeremy raised his voice.
His face was full of annoyance.
“It’s not Masha either.”
Ian slowly looked up from his book.
His eyes moved from Jeremy to Masha.
“Why would she like troublemakers like you?”
“W-What?”
“So you’re saying Teacher likes you the most?”
Masha asked.
Ian confidently shrugged.
“He’s crazy too.”
Masha clicked her tongue.
Where did she even learn to click her tongue like that?
Hannah quietly started backing away.
Maybe coming into the room had been a mistake.
“Hey! Then you choose too! What food?”
“Yeah! Let’s bet whose food Teacher will make!”
“Braised fish.”
Goodness…
Ian really had the taste of an old man.
“Today’s lunch will decide who Teacher likes the most!”
“Fine.”
“So childish.”
Ian criticized them.
But he never refused to join the bet.
Maybe if I quietly pretend I didn’t hear…
“Teacher!”
Her escape plan failed instantly.
“Y-Yes?”
She forced an awkward smile.
The children were already staring at her with shining eyes.
“Teacher! I want sweet bread! Please make it!”
“Teacher! Corn soup!”
“Braised fish.”
This was bad.
She was facing another test.
If she hurt even one of their feelings…
“Why didn’t you make my soup that day? Disappear in my fireball!”
Being burned alive sounded incredibly painful.
Maybe…
She should make soup.
“Teacher, ten years ago… you didn’t make my bread.”
A poisoned dagger across her throat…
No.
Jeremy would probably torture her first.
Maybe…
She should make bread.
“You dared not make braised fish for the future Emperor? Cut off her head and hang it on the city wall.”
The guillotine…
Maybe she should run to the river and catch a fish.
“…Kids.”
Hannah looked like she was about to cry.
“Yes, Teacher! Decide!”
“What are we having for lunch?”
“Teacher.”
…Why are you doing this to me?
At that moment, Hannah wanted to cry more than anyone.
“Teacher. Where’s my bread?”
Jeremy stared at the table with an unhappy face.
He looked like an angry cat.
“Teacher, this isn’t soup.”
Masha crossed her arms with a pout.
“Fish…”
Ian frowned.
He clearly wasn’t pleased.
“Kids.”
Hannah calmly seated each child in a chair.
“To be honest…”
She placed a fork into each of their hands.
“Teacher…”
Then she sat down across from them.
“I’m going to eat what I want.”
On the table were a fresh vegetable salad from the garden…
And the braised meat she had bought yesterday.
There was no bread.
No soup.
No fish.
The children all stared at Hannah.
Ignoring their disappointed looks, she picked up her fork.
“You shouldn’t be picky about food, okay?”
The children puffed out their cheeks but quietly began eating.
Please stop putting me through these trials.
Hannah pretended not to notice their stares and started her meal.
That afternoon, Hannah ended up going to the market.
She had managed to get through lunch somehow.
But she was worried the children might still be hurt.
Shopping was stressful because of her small budget.
She wasn’t sure if she could buy everything they wanted.
“I need to remove as many dangers as I can.”
Who knew if they would really become villains?
Or when they might start hating her.
Some people might think she was worrying over nothing.
But the three villains in the novel were truly merciless.
They killed people simply because they didn’t like them.
Holding a childhood grudge against them was the last thing she wanted.
“How much is this fish?”
Her basket already contained bread, corn, and vegetables.
“One silver coin.”
“Is it really okay to sell it that cheaply?”
“Aren’t you the teacher from the orphanage? It’s for the children. Of course I’ll give you a discount.”
“Thank you!”
Hannah had already decided that the temple’s food wasn’t enough to properly feed the children.
So from that day on, she started spending part of her own salary to buy food for them.
When the villagers learned about her situation…
They began helping her whenever they could.
“Take this too. It’s delicious if you grill it lightly. It doesn’t have many bones either, so it’s good for children.”
“Oh, then I’ll pay for that too.”
“No need. Just take it. I saw those children the other day. They’re nothing but skin and bones.”
“Ah…”
Hannah had brought the children into town a few times so they wouldn’t feel trapped inside the orphanage.
After seeing how thin they were, the fish shop owner quietly placed a neatly wrapped fish into her basket.
He claimed he wouldn’t be able to sell it tomorrow anyway.
But the fish looked perfectly fresh.
“Children that age need to eat well.”
“Yes. I’ll make sure they do.”
Hannah smiled warmly.
The fish seller smiled back with satisfaction.
There had been many bad rumors about the orphanage.
But the new teacher seemed like a genuinely kind person.
“Well then, take care.”
After bowing politely, Hannah continued shopping for the rest of the ingredients.
She walked around the market for quite a while.
By the time she finished, her basket was full of ingredients for a delicious dinner.
Her steps felt light instead of tiring.
“Hm hm. I should hurry back and make dinner. La la… Hm?”
On her way back to the orphanage…
She spotted a familiar face.
Chaison?
