To be honest I really don’t know the plot, but I do remember the older Sylvie surrounded by a bunch of handsome men.

I also thought it was a cat on the billboards but considering every story on the children’s books Sylvie read with me and most of them were magical monsters that I didn’t even heard off, I think that cat, was some kind of therianthropic beastkin.

Even though Greer was absorbed in her thoughts, she managed to avoid a flying food splashing on her face, and instead it went to the house mother’s face.

Yelling, the house mother scolded the child playing with his food “don’t play with your food!”

Most of our days went like this, I would sometimes ask Sylvie to explain some sentences until I could finally recognize all of them.

Not everyone can read, but Sylvie told me that she was taught by the house mother.

Though the information was limited, I was still able to recognize all of the characters on the children’s books.

Like this, I would read the books on my free time and do the rest for chores.

Even though we were far from other villages or towns, from time to time, visitors would come and inquire about the children for adoption. Some, where old farmers who miss their married or traveling children and others would be wealthy merchant families who are infertile. They would obviously choose the younger ones. So Sylvie and I as the oldest, would be staying one more day at the orphanage.

Staying here for a week, I already familiarized myself on the place, and adjusted to their practices.

Just like any other day, kids would play all day outside and I would stay inside where it is cool and quiet to clean and do chores.

Cleaning an entire floor, the house mother called for me and asked me to buy herbs in the town. She told me to bring Sylvie with me as she already went there before.

The place didn’t have any crimes, so the house mother sent us off without any worries, parting us with a few copper coins with spare ones for us to use if anything caught our eye.

We arrived at the town after half an hour of walking, it wasn’t that big but it was bustling and full of activity, the town had friendly people so we easily located the herb shop after asking them.

After buying what we came for, Sylvie still wanted to roam around the town and I agreed with her, the only problem was this gut feeling I had that someone was following us. I didn’t feel this before but it must’ve been after we just went out of the shop.

But maybe it’s just my imagination.

In the end we only bought an Anise hyssop, Love-in-a-mist, and Lady's mantle flowers to dry at the orphanage.

Thinking about it, in my past life I never tried drinking tea, but the house mother likes them, that’s why I now know how to brew tea from dried flowers and different herbs.

The bad feeling eventually subsided after we finally arrived at the house.

The house mother cook’s delicious meals that warms your stomach and makes you feel at home.

I could get used to this……………Is what I thought but after shopping in the town, there really was someone following us and spread the news to get a reward, because actually this small rabbit had a bounty on her whereabouts and right in front of us was a father begging his child to come home with him.

This was supposed to be a heartwarming reunion but seeing Sylvie’s reaction, she looked reluctant by this stranger that came out of nowhere.

The ‘father’ was clearly a nobleman. Looking longingly at his daughter he tried to hug her but she evaded. Voicing out what he came for “my beloved daughter, I’ve been looking for you for years, after hearing the death of your mother, I wanted to rush back to you but I was having trouble back at the main house.”

“why did you come for me now?”

“I wanted to make up for the things I lacked as a father to you”

“I don’t lack anything especially in love, as I was given lots already by the people surrounding me now, so I would like to stay”

“You will only be a burden if you stay here, even if you stay, you’ll need to find a job and eventually leave them. You can’t stay here forever; I can even help the other children by donating money to this shabby house”

Though she looked really reluctant, she looked at the house mother and to everyone else.

“if this will help them, then okay….. I’ll go with you”

Pushing Sylvie’s shoulders gently with one hand her father guided her towards the carriage, but only half a step away, she suddenly stopped and looked at the nobleman and talked about something.

After that, she looked back and ran towards us, hugging the house mother hard, she thanked her for taking care of her, bowing once again, she walked back towards the carriage and took her father’s hand.

Not long after, Sylvie’s father really donated a good sum of money. The orphanage got renovated and it didn’t look as shabby as before.

Just like that we went back to how our normal lives were.

A year has passed and I was finally able to go to the town by myself, and on this very day was a festival to celebrate a good harvest.

Many merchants would stop by the town, to buy limited time offers of herbs and floras.

Though the plants are very common in the mountains, but having an abundant stock of them which can be used to treat common colds or just for a warm afternoon tea. It was still a good offer.

Seeing the town bustling more than normal days, my shopping spirit became excited.

Exchanging the coins for a bunch of pheasants and herbs, dinner tonight would be amazing.

Hearing a commotion to the shop beside me, an old couple was arguing with the one managing the shop.

“why is this very expensive? It even has rotten parts. You trying to trick us boy?”

Seeing the very troubled boy, I assume that he was new to the job and didn’t know what to do, well he wouldn’t survive if he doesn’t start adapting now.

But in this case, I feel bad to the two old people, the next time they buy, they might get swindled.

I’m not nosy but the two of them reminds me of the house mother so I’ll make this an exception.

Slowly walking towards the angry old woman, I offered “excuse me, if you don’t mind I can help you find shops that sell this but with a lower price”

She looked at me suspiciously but stayed silent showing that I should probably continue.

I pointed to different shops that has limited offers and also made suggestions on other valuable things that others wouldn’t commonly buy but are very essential, too bad, they don’t know this secret.

“-and for the last shop, the one you’re carrying right now, those herbs must’ve really dug a hole in your pockets, that shop has a better service for giving a limited offer and you can choose another set of any herbs you like for free.”

I bowed to them and told them to be wary of shops that are more likely to swindle others and carried my basket to look for the apothecary.

Upon opening the door, the shopkeepers bell would ring.

Greer: “Uncle! I brought you limited time herbs can I exchange them for medicine?”

Upon hearing Greer’s voice, an old man holding a cane came out.

Old man: “Oh! If it isn’t Greer, sure, sure, what you got?”

Displaying them on the counter the old man chooses the good ones and asked what medicines I wanted.

With that, I ended my time in the town and decided to go back as it was already dusk.

Halfway near the house the rain started to pour unexpectedly.

I went to the kitchen and the house mother was already heating up the water.

Cleaning the pheasant and chopping the spices and herbs, we all filled our stomachs with the fragrant pheasant soup, a very fit food while it was raining and cold.

But the enjoyable meal was suddenly disturbed by a knock on the door.

The house mother went to the door and I soon followed.

Opening the door, it was the old couple I saw back at the town, soaking wet.

Calling one of my siblings to get a dry towel, they were asked to stay the night by the house mother.

The house mother took care of the two of them and fed them the still hot soup, while I was tasked to make the children sleep, even though our age gaps weren’t that big.

The one I especially chose was related to the Russian lullaby song about the boogeyman, that if they don’t sleep early the “man” would get them.

Greer with a spooky voice started “the child asked her mom "Mama? Can I come in?" “

Greer:” and the mother at the other side of the door, lovingly said “do you want something Mae?”

Greer: “it was raining hard just like today and Mae carefully tucked herself in the blanket together with her mother, the mother laughed at this and asked her "Are you afraid of the storm, my dear? Should I sing a song for you?" “

Greer: “but instead, the mother was the one who fell asleep after singing, feeling alone and the only one awake, do you know what happened to Mae?”

The children listening to the story were swallowing their saliva and some of them were hiding under the blanket with the scary story, but Greer continued.

Greer: “Someone was walking outside the house, and knocks upon the door.” Thunder rumbling the children screamed and scared out off their wits.

Carrying the lit candle near her face, Greer made a scary expression and continued “He is already inside the house, Of those who can't sleep. He walks..., He is coming..., Closer...”

Stopping, Greer made an exaggerated hearing gesture “ Do you hear someone nearby?, Lurking around the corner, Piercing with his gaze. The silent night hides everything, He sneaks up behind you,… And he is going to get you!”

Scared out of their wits, the children were already trembling.

Greer finished her story and changed her voiced to being lively again “so if you don’t sleep early, the boogeyman might get you! You better sleep early!”

Deciding to turn off the lights and check up to the house mother downstairs. Greer saw two people at the door.

Unexpectedly the old couple were listening and looked at Greer lovingly. The both of them asked her to come so they could have a talk inside the house mother’s office.

With the calming raindrops outside and the warm office thanks to the lit fireplace, they talked about adoption.

The old couple looked at Greer and told her that they wanted to adopt her.

The two of them looked at the house mother “This child has a talent for being a businessman. She is also good with words; we are getting older so we want someone to inherit our business, we would like to adopt her.”

They continued like this but inside Greer’s thoughts she was thinking, I worked at a modern society, of course I would be able to differentiate many things common people can’t.

After what it feels like to be an hour, they looked at Greer and asked her “Greer, what do you think? Would you like to go with us?”

Greer looked at the house mother and she made a small nod, which was the only confirmation she needed “okay, I’ll go”

The couple looked delighted and hugged Greer “so starting now you will be our daughter, tomorrow we shall travel back to your new home”

Tomorrow arrived fast, and the night before, Greer had already started to pack her things, resulting in her having insufficient sleep the next day.

She said her goodbyes to everyone and also to the housemother.

The old couple wanted Greer to call them mama and papa.

Arriving at the town, the old couple bought a wagon with 2 horses.

I have never left the town or more than the radius of the orphanage so finally passing the borders of that town made me feel nervous. Greer thought

I looked at the town that was getting smaller and smaller and can’t help but squeeze my shirt.

The old lady… I mean mama saw this and told me “My dear Greer, don’t worry you will love your new home and that feeling of sadness will slowly go away”

She held my hand and I smiled at her.

Papa was the one driving, as the road was bumpy and I was not used to traveling like this, I was starting to get sick.

I decided to sit beside papa in the driver’s seat and the vast grass plains with the breeze softly touching them, made a really calming scene.

The snowy blue mountains far away also complimented the scene.

They arrived at the next town that was near the port and this was the first time Greer saw the ocean for a long time.

The seagulls flying in the sky, the salty smell of the ocean carried by the breeze. Greer was fascinated with what she saw.

Going down the wagon, the couple left it in this port town's wagon branch and brought Greer to get food for the rest of the trip.

Holding the old woman’s hand inside the shop, the old woman apologized “Greer, I’m sorry, I know you’re tired but I promise you will get a comfortable good night’s sleep back home. So we’ll need to travel more.”

“Don’t worry mama, I’m fine and this traveling is a very exciting thing.”

Seeing the considerate child, the old woman smiled.

Waiting for the old man to get tickets for sailing a ship, the old woman talked about why they arrived at the island.

“It was supposedly a honeymoon, but it eventually turned into us looking for ingredients, luckily we came across that town and found you, which made this trip more entertaining, it also made me realize that the old man doesn’t have any spice left in him”

Laughing at this adult joke, Greer was amused.

They boarded a ship not later, with their very own cabin.

The old woman asked Greer if she needed anything, she can just ask her directly.

The ship began to sail, and the crew returned to their stations. Greer left their cabin and went on a walk outside their cabin, gazing out at the big ocean and the bright sky, which was bathing her in warm rays.

Going back inside the cabin, Greer saw the old man using some kind of a crystal device to communicate. Not minding this, Greer rested on another bed.

The trip only lasted for half a day and they finally saw an entire continent.

They stopped at the port and as they didn’t carry a lot they handed it to a man with a bulky build waiting for them.

Greer looked at the old couple, and she often noticed that they spend money too much. She followed the both of them and they arrived in front of a guild. With a questioning look on her face she asked the couple “are we not there yet?”

Finding this sentence funny, the old woman laughed and her husband answered “Well we didn’t say that we only had a merchant business did we? We also own a guild, welcome to your new home!”