Chapter 197: Maria's Orphanage
"Sister Robin!"
An androgynous-looking blonde Half-Elf child, who had been spacing out in the corner, spotted them first. The child bounded over like a little rabbit, stopping in front of Robin, looking up at her with clear, bright eyes.
"Hey, Rou, don't run around! ...Huh, Sister Robin!"
"Rye, what is it!?"
Soon, the voices of other children echoed from deep within the church.
The first to run out was a brown-haired human boy, closely followed by a blonde Dog Person girl and a Prum boy with curly brown hair.
Upon seeing Robin, they cheered in unison, rushing toward her like a flock of birds returning to the nest.
"Rou, Rye, Fina, Ossian, did you miss me?"
A breathtakingly gentle smile blossomed on Robin's face as she crouched down and patted each of their heads.
"Mhm, we missed you super much, Sister Robin!"
Rye, the human boy at the front, declared loudly with a joyous expression, though his eyes were already uncontrollably darting toward the candies and cakes in Robin's arms.
"Here, go share these with everyone."
Robin chuckled softly, handing the fruits, cakes, and candies to the four children, instructing them to distribute the treats among the dozen or so other kids who were pouring out of the back.
"Yay! Sister Robin is the best!"
The children erupted into deafening cheers, happily huddling together to divide the sweet surprise.
"Hello, my name is Rou."
Just then, the blonde Half-Elf child who had received a candy stepped away from the crowd and approached Aiden, greeting him directly with eyes full of pure curiosity.
"Well, hello there, Rou." Aiden smiled in response.
"Sister Robin, why didn't Sister Tifa come today?"
Fina, the Dog Person girl, asked while licking a piece of candy, looking up at Robin.
"Ah, Sister Tifa had some other things to do today. But I brought a new friend for you all."
With a smile, Robin pointed at Aiden.
"Eh?"
Rye's gaze immediately locked onto Aiden. He looked him up and down, then suddenly, as if remembering something, his eyes went wide. He dashed up to Aiden in excitement, his voice jumping an octave higher:
"Big brother with the white hair, a-are you Flamescion?! The Level 2 adventurer? Sister Robin's Captain?!"
"Yeah, that's me. Nice to meet you guys."
Aiden smiled, reaching out out of habit to ruffle the kid's hair.
"Waaah—! It's really Flamescion!"
"The one from the War Game?!"
Rye's shout triggered a chain reaction.
All the children, whether they were eating cake or passing out candy, swarmed toward Aiden, instantly trapping him in a tight circle.
"We watched the War Game too! You were super strong! So cool!"
"Yeah, yeah! Cooler than the heroes in the storybooks!"
"Big brother, can I borrow your weapon? Just for a little bit!"
One particularly bold kid even reached out to tug at the sword resting on Aiden's hip.
Led by the boy named Rye, the children formed an inescapable net.
The Beast Person girls excitedly joined the fray. Only the Half-Elf child, Rou, remained unchanged, standing on the outskirts, blankly watching Aiden get swallowed by the mob of kids.
"Hey, hey, I can't let you play with this, it's too dangerous."
Aiden didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he was jostled by his enthusiastic little fans. He could only raise his longsword high above his head with a look of utter helplessness.
Seeing Aiden hopelessly trapped, Robin couldn't hold back anymore and covered her mouth, giggling softly.
Hearing the commotion outside—which rivaled a bustling market—a middle-aged human woman wearing an apron walked out from the back of the church.
Seeing Robin surrounded by the children, a warm smile immediately appeared on her face.
"You brought things for the children again, Miss Robin. We've troubled you so much."
"Not at all, Ms. Maria."
Robin shook her head and said softly, "There isn't much I can do. This is just a small token of my appreciation."
She knew very well that her contributions were insignificant. The one who truly kept this orphanage running wasn't her.
"Children, don't bother the big brother. Give him some space."
Maria's gaze landed on Aiden, who was currently being treated like a giant scratching post, poked and prodded from all sides.
She obviously recognized this rising star of Orario and immediately spoke up to rescue him.
The children were very obedient to Maria. Hearing her command, they instantly scattered with a "whoosh," though they still watched from afar with eyes full of worship and curiosity.
Aiden finally breathed a sigh of relief. He straightened his slightly rumpled clothes, stepped forward, and offered his sincere respects to the woman.
"Hello, you must be Ms. Maria. I've heard Robin talk about you often. I am Aiden, the Captain of the Focalors Familia."
Aiden's tone carried a hint of reverence.
For a woman who single-handedly raised over twenty orphans and kept an entire orphanage afloat, she deserved his utmost respect, even if she was just an ordinary middle-aged woman.
"Hello, Mr. Aiden."
Maria replied politely, her eyes holding a trace of good-natured teasing. "I doubt there's anyone in all of Orario who doesn't know who you are by now."
Standing outside to talk was impolite, so Maria warmly invited the two inside the church.
In a room deep within the church that had been converted into a dining hall, the three of them sat facing each other.
Although the walls and pillars bore peeling paint and marks of age, the well-used magic stone lamps and candleholders fostered a cozy atmosphere called 'home.'
Around them, over twenty children sat quietly, watching the adults talk with wide, curious eyes.
Particularly next to Maria, the Half-Elf child Rou and the Beast Person girl Fina clung to her arms on either side, their expressions full of dependence.
Every child here called her "Mom."
Aiden took a sip of lukewarm barley tea, taking it all in.
He had heard from Robin that Maria supported this orphanage alone, living a bustling yet frugal life with these children every day.
In the Labyrinth City of Orario, it was said that countless children were born between adventurers.
These children weren't always the crystals of lifelong love; sometimes they were the result of a moment of passion, or unintended accidents involving prostitutes.
Adventurers delving into the Dungeon often died young, leaving behind these defenseless women and children.
Some Familias refused to raise the orphans left behind, abandoning them in the slums of Daedalus Street instead.
As a result, there were many homeless children in this forgotten corner, and this orphanage was far from the only one.
According to Robin, Maria was originally a normal citizen without a Familia whose adventurer partner had passed away.
She and her beloved never had children, but when she saw an infant shivering in the cold night rain in these slums, she felt a profound empathy and couldn't bear to leave it to die.
So, she began taking in these abandoned children one by one, eventually forming the massive family she had today.
Of course, with her strength alone, it was absolutely impossible to bear the expenses of over twenty children.
What truly sustained this place was the goodwill of the Goddesses of Orario.
Whether it was Freya, Loki, Demeter, Hephaestus, or Hathor... these Goddesses, despite their varying personalities, seemed much more attuned to the struggles in these impoverished areas than the male gods, and they regularly offered a helping hand.
It was precisely because of the financial support from these top-tier Goddesses that Maria could barely keep the orphanage running by herself.
Naturally, there were always kind-hearted adventurers like Robin who frequently brought food and toys to visit the children, bringing stability and occasional surprises to their lives.
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