“How did it go?” Violet asked him, and Ivor… did not know how to respond.

What could he even say? 

Violet would never agree with the decision he was making. He would not be surprised if she renounced their friendship over it. It was better if he didn’t tell her about it right now. It would be best if she didn’t find out at all, but…

No, he’ll confess to her.

Just not now. When the time was right. 

But then again, perhaps keeping her in the dark about this was indeed the better decision? The more humane decision? She would not understand… She would blame him, which was fine, but she would then blame herself for bringing him outside, for assisting him, for helping him.

Perhaps that’s why all Ivor could muster was a simple, “It went fine.”

He sat down opposite to her, not touching any of the confectionaries. Not that he didn’t like them, but rather, he didn’t have the stomach for them right now. Instead, he poured himself some coffee and sipped at it quietly.

Violet, in the end, was indeed a childhood friend of his. It only took her a few seconds to notice that he was not his usual self, even if he was not talkative even normally.

Looking at him with concern, she asked, “Is everything okay? If… We can leave, if you want.”

Ivor bit his lip. “Everything’s fine, Violet. Everything’s fine.”

She looked at him with a concerned gaze but nodded nonetheless. “You can take it slow, you know. The being didn’t set a timeframe, did it?”

Those words successfully pierced his heart. Right, the being hadn’t set a timeframe. Yes, he could leave right now. He didn’t have to go through with this. He didn’t have to do this. The information guilds would have no reason to go through with their plan if he stopped. If he left with Violet, the information guild couldn’t stop them duo—

He took a deep breath.

No.

No, he couldn’t stop now.

This was all… for the greater good.

Yes.

It was for the greater good.

“Yeah, I can take it slow.” Ivor nodded. “I’m just a bit out of it since it’s late night, I guess. Should be asleep by now, usually.”

Violet nodded. “You can nap if you want. I’ll wake you up when they come. I’m sure you can take a small nap, at least.”

Ivor shook his head. “It’s fine. Please, you sleep if you want to. They won’t disturb you.”

Indeed, none of the guild members had entered their room since Ivor had entered. Occasionally they’d knock, and if—and only if—Ivor or Violet opened the door, they’d replace or replenish the refreshments and confectionaries before bowing and leaving.

Something amazed him about the information guilds. It was deep in the night, yet they seemed to work just like it was morning. Perhaps because all their true business and income happened in the night?

Sighing, Ivor bit his lip. Income.

They’d do anything for income, which Ivor hadn’t expected.

And Ivor’s heart ached as he realized… he was doing anything and everything for power.

But it was for the greater good.

He would save so many more lives—

For some reason, Ivor couldn’t quite get himself to believe that wholeheartedly.

—

Neol looked at the orphanage in front of him with a small smile. It was a shabby place, barely standing, yet it felt rather homely. Like a large house rather than an institution to house children.

He turned to the matron of the orphanage, a thin, blonde woman named Anaria, and his smile increased. “You could renovate this whole place with a gold coin, right?”

“I could also renovate my house,” Anaria replied, looking at him silently. “Then again, you won’t give me just one gold coin, will you? I can do both.”

“That depends on the number of kids who’re suitable.”

Anaria sighed. “I wish that a lot of them are.”

Neol didn’t reply to that, instead asking, “All of them have an attachment to the orphanage, yes?”

“Sure.” Anaria nodded. “I do treat them well, and they have tight knit friendships, being orphans.”

“What about siblings? How many of them have siblings?”

“Many,” was all Anaria said, but Neol nodded in satisfaction at that.

—

Ivor looked at the sleeping kids. All of them slept in one big room on the floor. There were kids of all ages, all the way from those as young as three to those as old as sixteen. Kids would be kicked out of the orphanage once they crossed sixteen after all. They’d be seen as adults.

Of course, if it was an orphanage sponsored by a noble, which had strict requirements even for the kids it accepted. They’d be given a rather good job when they were sent out. They’d be educated, and education was an immense boost.

The kids of this orphanage, however, sponsored by no one, getting no education, thrown out without any assistance, often had to turn to things like crime.

Even getting into the information guilds or getting a half decent job would be considered a major win.

“Lifespan,” he whispered. He didn’t want to wake up the kids. Golden numbers filled the room, hovering above all the kids, Neol, and even the matron of the orphanage.

He skimmed through the numbers. Many only had numbers in the twenties, some in their thirties to forties. Only around seven had numbers that crossed the fifties, with two having numbers in the sixties and seventies respectively.

Ivor pointed to the seven kids one by one, waiting until the matron and Neol walked until each specific kid and then reconfirming that they were indeed the ones.

He probably needed to pick around a hundred and twenty kids. Their combined lifespans should be sufficient to complete the requirement—or near the seven thousand mark.

He could fill any deficiencies pretty easily.

Ivor sighed. There were still six more orphanages to visit. Magnus had indeed gone all out, even deciding to go to the orphanages technically not in the slums, thus out of their control. However, these orphanages were still in the poorer districts, so money would speak. Hell, with enough gold coins, Ivor was sure they could smuggle kids out of the noble sponsored orphanages.

Then there were also the kids in general Magnus wanted him to ‘see’. Kids that their parents were rather willing to sell. It amazed Ivor. It had not been that long since the meeting had occurred, and they’d already gathered so many parents who were ready to throw their kids at him.

Orphanages, he could understand, but individual parents…

Ivor sighed.

—

Amelia blinked blearily as she was shaken awake. Who…? It was matron Anna?

She sat up, looking at the matron with confusion. Before she could say anything, however, the matron made a shushing gesture, and then pointed to behind her.

Oh, she wanted Amelia to follow her to her room? Why?

Either way, Amelia nodded and stood up, silently following the matron. She didn’t want to wake up her sister or the other kids, so she made sure to be very, very careful about where she stepped.

The matron opened the door for her and then led her to her room. Once they reached her room, the matron closed the door behind Amelia, and… locked it.

Amelia gulped. Had she made some mistake? Why was the matron being so secretive…? What was wrong? This… If she did make some mistake, the matron would probably deal with it in the morning, not now…

The matron walked up to her and hugged her. It took a few seconds for Amelia to realize what the silent shaking of the matron’s body and her whimpers meant. The matron was crying. C-crying?

“W-what happened, ma’am?” Amelia asked, pulling back and looking the matron in her eyes. However, the matron hung her head down, not daring to meet her eyes. “I-is everything okay?” Amelia asked, anxiety and fear galloping wildly through her heart.

She’d never seen the matron so shaken, not even when their funds had fully run out and they had nothing to eat for a week. She’d found a solution, she always found solutions, and she stood in front of them with a smile. A bright, strong, smile. Perhaps that’s why the matron crying shook Amelia to her very core.

“I-I have no choice, Amelia. They leave me no choice. P-please, please forgive me…” she whimpered as she ducked her head lower, sinking it into Amelia’s chest. “Please, please forgive me—”

“What happened, ma’am?” Amelia repeated as possibilities ran through her mind. Who left her no choice? What was even happening?

“Amelia… some men came to our orphanage a while ago.” The matron lifted her head, still not meeting her eyes, and continued, “And t-they want you, Amelia.”

“W-want… m-me?” Amelia stuttered. What did that mean? Want her how? She wasn’t exceptionally pretty, so this made no sense. Why all of a sudden? And now? Why did the men come this late in the night?

“They’re… They’re sponsored by some black mage, A-Amelia.”

And it suddenly all clicked in place.

“They want me for an experiment…?” Amelia gasped. “M-ma’am, but… I… No, I can’t… I… We’ll call… We must call the city guards! I-I—An experiment?”

No, no, no.

She couldn’t.

The horror stories she heard in regards to black mages were sufficient enough, let alone the stories she heard about the ‘experiments’ they conducted.

“T-they assured me it would be painless, Amelia, and—and, they said they’d p-pay—”

“A-and you’ll sell me to a black mage because they offered to pay?!” Amelia screamed, and the matron shushed her, but Amelia couldn’t care less.

Her life was at stake.

No, she couldn’t!

“They’ll kill us all, otherwise, Amelia! Even your sister!”

Amelia didn’t know what or how to respond. She curled up into herself and backed away from the matron. What comfort it gave, she did not know, but her trembling body did so anyway.

“L-listen, Amelia.” The matron bent down and whispered hurriedly, “Look, they said it’d be painless. And—and with the funds that they give, I’ll prioritize your sister. I’ll make her attend an academy. She’ll thrive! She’ll thrive, and it’ll all be because of you!”

There was no response from Amelia. She simply tried to curl up more, become so small that she wouldn’t exist any longer, couldn’t exist in this moment.

“You’re already fifteen. You have no career prospects. You’re doomed to not be able to live a good life outside anyway, Amelia.” Her matron continued in the similar hurried pace, “And you have no choice. You know they’ll do what they want anyway. The city guards can’t help us. Please try to understand, Amelia. Please, please, please—”

Amelia lost consciousness.