~44 / Moon of Fire / 175~
Veronica looks at the children running around in the garden while picking the fruit and vegetables that are already ready to be harvested. She still remembers how she and her mother needed to beg for food because the orphanage's budget had been cut out because of the war between the Holy Kingdom and the demon lord. The former lord of the land is a kind noble that gives them additional budget for the kids, but sadly, after the death of the kind noble the other budget for the Orphanages is gone.
Not only that, but the people that usually take care of the Orphanage budget are also retired from their jobs, and their successors immediately cut their monthly budget in half. It has been a few years since the officer cut their food money, and they immediately felt the effect of it. Not only they cut their budget but also the payment to all the guards in the outer area of the Capital. At first, they only do it in secret, but after the king and the princess are more focused on the hero that was recently summoned from the other world, the people that handle the money begin taking more money into their pockets.
More and more criminals are roaming the streets in the outer part of the Capital, especially the slums. With the budget cut for the guard, the road becomes a place of criminal activity because no more guard is patrolling around the area. The only guard left in the outer district is the one guarding the wall and the gate. Because of this, they need to pay for 'security taxes' to the thugs that come to the orphanages.
Day by day, she and her mother need to work twice as hard as before to put some food on the table, and even then, they need to split the food. She can feel her heart crack a little as the children ask for more food for her and her mother. She only can say 'maybe someday' to them as she cannot do anything about their problem. At first, they tried to plant some vegetables in the backyard, but sadly, it was not very successful as the soil is not very versatile, unlike the land outside the wall. The reason is that the capital city is built under a rocky mountain.
However, one day, some children bring back a man wearing a fancy white robe to their orphanages. It was the first time Veronica blushed after a long time. The man has black hair and cuts it short, making him more like a royal knight. The man has an average height with a build of like a sailor that she met in one of the villages she ever visited.
The man introduces himself as Gabriel, and he is a trader that sells some wine to the noble and other traders. The man comes to the orphanages and then plays with the children in the backyard. He never sees someone with fancy clothing come and want to play with the children in the mud. After playing in the mud, Sir Gabriel created a stove and fired wood. At first, Veronica is confused at Gabriel's action, but after seeing him taking out many vegetables and meat from his bag of holding, she knows that Sir Gabriel wants to cook some food.
She tried to stop him, but he only smiled at her and began to cook. She still remembers how the cooking tool floated around the stove and did some little dance to entertain the children that looked at him in awe. After a few minutes of cooking, he creates a plate made of wood and then lets it fly to all of them, including her and her mother, who comes outside. Sir Gabriel slowly filled the plate with food, and when he was done, they then did a quick prayer to the gods before eating the food.
That day was the first time she tasted the food that so good. She almost thought that Sir Gabriel was the Food God.
Not only did Sir Gabriel give them all plenty of food, but he also fixed all the holes in the building before he went back home. She never sees the children look reluctant to release someone visiting before that day.
However, the next day, Sir Gabriel comes back to the orphanages bringing more food, and to her surprise, he says that he wants to protect these orphanages by creating a barrier around the building so people with ill intent will never walk inside the building. She immediately says yes to his offer, as many people try to steal from the orphanages even though they don't have anything anymore.
He then walked outside and then raised his hand high in the air and then began his chant.
"Hear me! For I'm the Hearth"
"I declare this land as my own!"
"I bless this land with my blessing!"
"Blessing of the Hearth!"
After Gabriel finishes his chant, Veronica can see the land around the orphanages shine in golden light. After a few seconds, she can see an almost transparent barrier appear protecting the orphanages. However, Gabriel does not stop there as he looks at the land in front of him before chanting once again.
"In the name of Pachamama!"
"I declare this land to be the promised land!"
"The land where I set my foot on!"
"Grow! Flourish!"
"For your land has been blessed!"
Veronica looked at him in awe. Just using his voice, the man in front of her can make the infertile land begin to sprout flowers. She then looks at the vegetables they try to plant in their backyard, growing at a fast rate and then stops as it is ready to be harvested.
"I bless this land so it will grow almost any plant in existence. However, it only works at its fullest if it is a vegetable or fruit. It can grow herbs and magic plants, but it will not be as fast as vegetables and fruit. I also create a barrier around the orphanages and its land to prevent any criminals that have ill intent toward the orphanages. By now, you and your mother should be able to see the barrier while the other cannot. With this, the children should never starve anymore, and you can sell the fruit and vegetable to the trader."
"Thank you. Thank you very much for everything you have done to our little family."
"It was my pleasure."
That day, Veronica decides that Gabriel is an avatar of gods that descend to a mortal plane to help people in need. He continues to visit the orphanages once every two days and play with the children with a smile on his face. She also hears a rumor that sir Gabriel is healing many people in the slum from their illness and injuries.
This morning, she hears people in the market talking about sir Gabriel helping another adventurer on the brink of death. She also hears the title they gave him, which is the Forest Sage. Veronica thinks that this title is appropriate for him, but to her, Gabriel will always be the Guardian of People.
"BIG BROTHER!!!"
Veronica snaps from her, though, when the children begin to run at someone and abandon their current task to harvest the fruit and vegetable. She smiled at the man in front of her. Gabriel is the only person the children call as Big Brother.
"Hello, Veronica, How are you today?"
Veronica blushed a little at the warm smile he gave her before saying.
"I'm great, Lord Gabriel."
"Please call me Gabriel."
Veronica decided to ignore his request as it was impossible not to call him Lord, as he is the only lord she wants to follow from the bottom of her heart.