Chapter 85 - Life of the children and Leticia (2/2)

As I was thinking such things, Leticia spoke embarrassed.

“…… I am sorry for the dirty place. It is just, we were attracting too much attention outside, so……”

When Leticia said that with a hollow laugh, Ayla hurriedly shook her head.

“N, no, it’s not dirty at all……”

Leticia gave a wry smile to Ayla who tied to assuage her by choosing her words.

“But it is the truth…… You can probably understand it just by looking at this house, but we can’t even thank you with a meal. We can only put our gratitude into words……”

Hearing Leticia who said that somewhat anxiously, I think with my arms folded.

I don’t really mind about thanks, but when I look at this living environment, it makes me want to do something.

But saying such arrogant thing makes me hesitate.

“U, um…..?”

Though, as I’m contemplating, Leticia becomes more and more anxious.

I can’t help but speak.

“No, you don’t need to thank us. Can I ask a question instead?”

“Eh? Ah, ye, yes…… I, I will answer you as much as I can……”

While looking at the puzzled Ayla, I ask a question.

“If you and the children can enter inside the city beyond this wall, what would you do?”

“I will stay here. The children will also not go inside.”

Leticia answered immediately. Her answer was to stay here unexpectedly, but I also felt like it’s as expected.

But I would like to hear if she has a definite reason.

“…… Why is that?”

When I ask her, Leticia’s expression relaxes slightly.

“…… As I thought, you are nobles who came from another country, right? I got that kind of feeling.”

After saying that and laughing in self-deprecation, Leticia took a deep breath and began to talk about the whole surface of the country.

“This country is where the merchants from all over the world gathers and various goods are being bought and sold. Even with the taxes alone, the royalties and aristocrats of this country can be able to live an incredibly rich life. A great number of merchants, travelers, traders who make business with mercenaries as well as adventurers and mercenaries who undertakes the job of escort are all making money. However, there are also people among them who couldn’t make money. The future awaiting those people are either a criminal slave or a debt slave.”

After Leticia said that, she opened her robe and exposed her shoulders.

My eyes unconsciously landed on her shoulders and neck which were too slender, but what caught my eyes apart from that was the big slave mark spreading from the back of her neck to her shoulders.

Ayla, who also has a slave mark, covers her mouth with both hands and gasps, and a deep fold forms between the brows of Aifa.

Yuri was keeping silent with her brows in a ハ character, but her eyes were shaking in compassion.

“…… I, was a nun in the Callisto Church in this city. As the teacher of Callistoism, I was giving meals to the orphans with the donations that were given by every city.”

While pausing there, Leticia cast her eyes down and exhale weakly.

“However, it wasn’t enough no matter how much we solve it. There were too many orphans contrary to the donation. At first, I was being opposed and forcibly convinced by the priest, but seeing the appearance of the orphaned children starving to death one after another and seeing them becoming a slave after stealing leftover food in hunger, it made me unable to endure it.”

“…… Then, why don’t you steal food?”

When she heard that, Leticia made another hollow laugh. And she says unbelievable words.

“No. I couldn’t bring myself to do something like stealing things, so I sold myself as a slave and personally gave a donation to the church.”

It was an insanely heavy story.