Earth: The Second

The Stranger

As the only adults in the orphanage, Father Risto, Sister Anne, and Sister Mia want to know more about Kiki’s journey. Especially, how she meets with Adma. After venting their feeling who haven’t seen each other for some time, Kiki and Adma are welcomed inside the orphanage. The sisters, make a quick meal for both of them,  a fried eggs with sausage and bacon, together with a loaf of bread that has been cut in half. 

Without much question, started eating with a face full of pleasure, while Adma patiently waits for the Father to start talking. He feels that the man is probably putting up a guard, just like Sister Mia before, when she froze up after Kiki introduces Adma.

“Eat slowly child, you can ask for more,” said Father Risto. His gaze at Adma is actually pretty normal, he does not show any aggression or saying something maliciously to him. 

“Mr. Adma, right? We are sorry that our place is maybe too dirty at the moment,” finally, he speaks to Adma. 

Right now, they are in the dining hall of the orphanage. There are four long tables inside the room arranged in a row with chairs on both sides. The furniture probably is secondhanded, given from somewhere since the varnish has started to fade away, and some of it seems rickety enough to crumble after someone sitting on it.

Adma does his best to answer as politely as possible. “Uh… No sir, it’s fine honestly. I also sorry to bother you and everyone in the orphanage.”

“Father, Adma is one of my friends, and he need help. Please?” Kiki paused her eating for a moment to join the conversation.

“Certainly child. I’m just curious at the moment. If I remember correctly, you have written about four companions on your journey?” asked Risto while pouring water for Kiki and Adma.

Therefore, Kiki started to tell her story again since she started working together with Izanagi and the others, their mission to the ruin until finally, she met Adma. Adma himself, lets Kiki say the truth about himself, that he is a relic that hidden inside the ruin and that he have no memories of himself.

“By the Sevens… May the souls of Izanagi, Chap, Yulia, and Mila are rest in peace,” said Father Risto with a praying gesture.

“Therefore, I want to help him, Father, Adma is the one who has saved my life.”

“Adma… I believe in Kiki’s story, and I wanted to help you as much as I can. You probably have realized it, but right now, people outside of the city are facing fear toward some group of adventurers,” Risto finally looked at Adma earnestly.

“What happened?”

“Udeka, the lord of this city, is playing around with the budget given by the kingdom. While he and his collaborators are holding parties and razzle around, the funds for agriculture and farming are cut almost in half. The people who are noticing are started to rally against him, but he used the money to hire adventurers on the guild,”

Continuing his story, Father Risto grew restlessly. He turned his head to the window beside them, as if afraid that someone will hear their conversation. “Long story short, the adventurers who willing to accept the job are conflicted with the people who defend the farms numerous times. Sometimes, there even bloodshed. Many people of the outskirts are afraid, and furious with this condition, and I can not imagine if it will get any better soon.”

He returned his gaze to Kiki who has finished her meal. It paints a smile on Risto’s face to finally see one of her daughters safe and healthy. 

“If that is the case, I’m not an adventurer… Yet,” Adma said as he showed a rolled-up letter which he got from Wesser. “I just tough that it will be my first clue to…” Adma’s lips stopped. He realized that at this moment, he had no destination, knowledge, and the only people he knew just Kiki, the mad old man from the guild, and probably, Father Risto in front of him.

The father realized how Adma seems to find difficulties in his words. He is looked like an adult, but many things that he did not know. At first, Father Risto himself finds that it is difficult to believe that Adma is much older than him, but he does feel a foreign feel to the stranger.

“Father, please let Adma stay for a while,” asked Kiki. Father Risto just smiled and nodded.

Adma smiled and bowed his head, full of gratitude.

***

For the rest of the day, Father Risto introduced Adma to the resident of the orphanage. Although Sister Mia and Anne were still afraid of him, Kiki and Father managed to convince them about Adma. After that, he met with the children. They are much younger than Kiki and curious about Adma. All 15 of them are surrounding Adma, and touching his body as if not afraid of anything.

“Mister, how come your body is very hard?”

“He is hard but also soft, just like our pillow!”

“Big sis Kiki told us that you can beat up a bear with your bare hand! Is that true?”

Eventually, Adma did his best to be friendly toward the kids.

Sometimes after that, Jerry and Pina, are coming home after their daily work. Surprised to see Kiki is back, they hugged each other.

Jerry, the oldest boy has short and prickly-brown hair, his body is slim, but meaty with muscle. Every day, he works at the port and market to carrying heavy stuff. Pina, on the other hand, has long black hair, and a beautiful face for a girl as the same age as Kiki. Sometimes, she worked as a flower seller, and sometimes, she worked as a house servant and waitress.

Just like Sister Mia and Anne, Jerry is wary of Adma’s arrival. Kiki and Risto have to talk to him personally before he accepts their decision. However, Jerry still looks at Adma with eyes full of suspicion.

And then, Adma has started his new life in this city, together with the orphanage.