Riku and Emma reached the Colonary Kingdom without fighting any type of monsters while they were traveling. Yet, when reached the entrance which was the bridge, a man who had a wide physique approached them with rude behavior. It seemed it was jealous since Emma was together with a man, not for one day, one week, it was two months.
Well, that's exactly how Bruce understood Emma's story.
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Inside, he noticed that this kingdom wasn't updated with its lights, materials used they used to build structures, or easy to say the Colonary Kingdom had no big development with its surroundings. Not like the Arzotoc village, they used magical crystals to brighten up the streets, houses, and establishment.
But what she should expect? He helped the Arzotoc village to improve the place and how they were going to use the other resources. Or to be exact, without him villagers couldn't feel all the tricks that changed their lives.
After walking for several minutes, the two saw the old chapel. Suddenly, Emma spun around to him along with a broad smile on his face.
"Welcome, Riku! This is my home! Is this the place where I lived and learned all the things that I have right now!" Emma said in a cheerful tone.
Riku glanced at her, seeing in her eyes how much Emma was excited to see the people inside this chapel. "Thank you for having me here, Emma!"
"I'm glad that you come with me! Also, I promise you'll enjoy the rest of your day here and learns different things about the fighting style and magic."
Without making any second thoughts, Emma went to the wooden door, and next to her were the two angel statues.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Emma knocked on the door, didn't care even someone woke up as this chapel was located on the high surface. To put it simply, it was located at the hill, and around them were the fences, pigs, chickens, cows, and crops for vegetables and fruit. It appeared it was their main source of income to support the children in the chapel.
"Hey, everyone! I'm home!" She shouted in an energetic tone, couldn't wait to see the children here and the person who raised her.
Click!
After continuously knocking for about two minutes. Suddenly, the sound of clicking the door was perceived by their eyes, and the groaned of the door was giving way to the old man.
"It's already in the middle of the night! Who are you to disturb the people in this chapel! The children would awake--"
The old ma who had short white hair, wearing a white robe that had a cross logo, sharps ears, wrinkle face, and yellow eyes stopped from complaining after he saw the woman who happily smiled in front of him.
To begin, the old man was starting to have trembling eyes, eventually couldn't help his tears to well up in the corner of his eyes as he was way happy to see this woman alive and gets back home.
Bam!
Without hesitation, the old man ran toward her like a rocket and tightly embraced Emma. "E-Emma! You are alive! Why you didn't give us any update about you! So that we are what are you doing and to know if you are fine!" Different words came out in the old man's mouth.
"I'm sorry about that, Elder Gino! Something came up that's why I stopped sending a letter to our chapel. Also, no one in the forest could directly deliver it here." Emma paused for a second as she patted the old man's head before adding these words. "I'm happy to see you again, Elder Gino! And I apologize for making you worried about me!"
Emma stepped back a bit, then bowed her head at him to show how she was sincerely apologizing to him. With the extreme emotion, Gino felt right now, he couldn't stop himself to keep shouting outside the chapel as he was happy to announce Emma gets back.
"All of you! Emma's here!"
"Move out!"
"Hurry! Your older sister is here! Greet her, come on!"
A woman wearing a long black dress that hid her legs stepped out of the wooden door. It was Teresa, 50 years old does look like one of the people who took care of Emma when she was a child.
"Welcome back, Emma! I'm really glad to see you!" Teresa said in a crack voice as soon as she closed her eyes, tears dripping in the corner of her eyes.
Emma walked closer to her, then hugged her. "I'm also glad to see you again, Mother Teresa!" She patted her back, to help her stop crying.
Ah!
Ah!
Ah!
And all of a sudden, Emma was stepping back after Teresa hardly pinched her waist. "Why did you stop from sending letters, huh? Did we tell you that's one of the conditions why we accept your decision to become an adventurer, isn't it?"
Riku had an uncomfortable smile on his face, as the decent woman earlier turned into an aggressive one. Well, he understood that was the normal reaction of a certain person once they met again. Especially for the people who didn't give updates about how exactly going on in their life.
"It's a long story, mother Teresa!" She can't reply perfectly as Teresa does not stop pinching her.
"Hmph! I'm not going to allow you to leave again." Teresa responded just like the words coming out from her nose.
"Hehe, that's not possible, mother Teresa someone should support their village. My plan here is to bring all the children to the Academy so they can learn different things and find a job that is suited for them."
Moreover, while having a small conversation outside of the village, the children were starting to come out of their rooms. By looking at their numbers, children here were around 20-25. But this chapel was way too small to occupy all of them.
"Look! Sister Emma is here!"
"She's beautiful as always and looks stronger than before!"
"Sister Emma! We are happy to see?!
"Sister Emma, where's our souvenir did you say you'll give it once you come back."
Emma scratched the back of her head as she forget about the souvenir for the children in the Orphan. "Hehe, we are going to buy in the plaza tomorrow!"
She showed the magical crystal inside the brown pouch and the children seemed amazed to see it. Yes, it was the monster's core he collected in the expedition, on top of that, with the value of it, Emma could earn a huge amount of money.
Ohh...
Sister Emma is rich!
With that, he can buy anything!
Moreover, Emma glanced around as she looked at someone in the chapel until she was forced to ask Gino. "Elder Gino, where is Isabela? I can't see her here." She asked.
"Right, Isabela. The child who is way more worried than us, every day she's going to the city to look if you sent a letter. Aside from that, she never stops for asking us when you are going to back. Sometimes, it's embarrassing since we didn't know how we are going to answer her."
At this point, Emma realised how much Isabela worried for her, she never thought what the child would feel if she didn't report anything. "Robert, where is Isabela?" He asked the 5 years old boy who had brown hair, and blue eyes.
Robert wasn't the one who pointed the index finger at their behinds, as all the children do it so.
A young girl who had blond hair, emerald green eyes, red cheek, and looked nine years old was crying on the back.
After seeing Isabela, Emma quickly went towards her location which was next to the wall. "Isabella, I do apologize about that, big sister just facing hard circumstances that's why I could not update you." Emma showed her brown pouch to her and said. "Look, I have enough money. We can get your toy tomorrow."
Since the child really missed her, the only thing she can do was cry and complain about what happened to her while Emma wasn't here. "D-Did you say that you are going home before my birthday. I waited until night but you never show up." Isabela sobbed.
By hearing this, Emma felt bad about the promise she made with her. "Sorry, Isabela, your sister has just been busy for the past few moments. But I promise, while I'm here we are doing all day you wanted.
"While? What do you mean about that? You are going to leave us again?" Isabela burst into tears as she doesn't want Emma to leave the chapel again.
She patted her silky blond hair and said. "You know I can't do that for now, Isabela. We need money for our chapel so everyone could have a decent bed where they sleep properly. Also, I have someone with me, so we can't stay here for longer.
Someone?
With you?
Who?
As soon as they heard this, Gino, Teresa, Isabela, and other children took a glance at the place where they could hear a man's voice.
"Hello, I'm Riku Hirota-" He can't complete his sentence since all of them started to run away.