Published: July 26, 2025
The orphanage got off to a smooth start.
Since holding the cooking class, making soup several times had helped everyone get used to it, shortening the time needed. The sizes of the chopped vegetables had also become more consistent. Occasionally, some children wanted to add strange ingredients, but it was amusing to see the others band together to stop them.
Perhaps because their stomachs were moderately full, everyone's expressions seemed calmer.
By the time it became routine to work at the temple in the morning and clean the orphanage and make soup in the afternoon, there came a day when my father and Tulli had the same day off. Benno, who had just returned after spending several days in another town, was begged to let me borrow Lutz that day.
"Benno! Please lend me Lutz for the whole day!"
"I don’t mind, but the next day, I want to borrow you for a whole day."
"...Are you giving me a suspicious look?"
"That’s just your imagination."
...I’m certain that’s not just my imagination.
While being a bit cautious of Benno’s steady gaze, I obtained permission to take Lutz out, so next was to ask Tulli and my father.
“Father, Tulli, please. I want you to take the orphans to the forest! If father goes with you, even if the children are unfamiliar in town, they won’t be questioned at the gate, right?”
“…I don’t mind, but is it okay to take orphans outside the town?”
“I got permission from the high priest, so it’s fine.”
My father looked unconvinced about the permission but agreed once it was confirmed. Tulli was already planning to go to the forest and said it was okay.
“Taking them is fine, but what will you have the kids do?”
“I asked Lutz to teach papermaking, and during breaks, I want you to teach them how to gather in the forest. They’ve never been to the forest before.”
Tulli, who had come to teach how to make soup, knew the orphans were living in a world very different from her own. Having to teach them how to handle knives and kitchen knives, she frowned slightly.
“If all the kids are forest first-timers, wouldn’t it be better to have more chaperones?”
“That’s true, but if too many come, the papermaking process will be too exposed, so I want to keep it within the family if possible.”
“Understood. I’ll help Myne.”
“Yay! Thank you, Tulli!”
Thus, it was decided to take orphans around apprenticeship age, before baptism, to the forest. Adult priests wanted to come too, but this time they had to stay behind and do temple work. We had to leave for the forest in the morning or we wouldn’t have time for papermaking.
We took baskets, knives, machete-like blades for cutting wood, as well as pots and steamers.
I asked Lutz to teach the orphans how to gather for forin in the forest, steam it, and peel the bark—the papermaking process we had done together before baptism. While steaming, Tulli and my father would teach the kids how to gather.
However, to prevent information leaking from the orphans’ mouths, we wouldn’t tell them the names of the woods used, only characteristics, and we’d keep info about ash and tororo hidden for a while. It wasn’t that I was afraid of others making the same paper, but someone might get caught by contract magic through the sales channels.
“Myne-sama, I’ll remember everything properly.”
“Make sure you remember both papermaking and gathering in the forest.”
Gil’s eyes shone as he went to the forest, but I stayed behind at the temple. Fran and I worked on paperwork for the high priest and were drilled on prayers. They nitpicked our footwork and finger movements constantly.
On the surface, life seemed peaceful and calm, but my mind was a whirlwind—a financial storm, rather.
I had spent a lot of money on my room, the kitchen, and getting the orphanage in order. Money was flying out at an incredible rate. I didn’t know how many noble duties or how much money I’d need going forward, so I needed a bit of income.
“I already sold the hangers recently, and cooking-related stuff has to wait until after the restaurant opens… Is there anything else? When I talked with Lutz before, did he mention something about commercializing? Hmm…”