After listening to Selene's story, they left their bedroom and met with the others in the living room.
The atmosphere was lively for a group of people that had been put through torture and anguish a few days prior, but that wasn't something that bothered Morgana. It was the opposite.
While some of the adventurers she saved approached her to thank her again, Selene looked at them with a confused expression.
"Mom, why are they saying thank you?" she asked.
But before Morgana could answer her, one of the adventurers interjected.
"It's because your mom saved our lives! She is amazing!" said the man with a smile.
Selene smiled and jumped around with joy. "Yaay! My mom is a hero!" she exclaimed, but Morgana's expression didn't change as she stared at the child solemnly.
After everyone had breakfast, Tilly, the oldest caretaker, asked Morgana to talk briefly, leaving Selene with the Freebird party as they played around in the living room.
"Lady Morgana, thanks again for everything…" Tilly said.
The trickster sighed. "I didn't do much. I just killed a bunch of bandits…" she said, her tone carefree.
The old caretaker shook her head.
"That gang had been bothering us for a while now. Hopefully, we can take care of the children with a little more peace…" said the woman as she held her hand in her chest with apprehension.
Both Morgana and Tilly understood that the city of Kartan would never be a peaceful place for anyone. That, sooner or later, they would have to deal with another similar problem.
"Ever since more countries in the Western Confederation began taking slaves, the gangs at Kartan have been desperately kidnapping anyone that crosses the town and is unfortunate enough to be their target…" Tilly elaborated.
A long time ago, even when Kartan was still a crime-filled city, the orphanage was a place where abandoned children could live until they were old enough to leave.
It went through some struggles sometimes, but it had never been as bad as it was now.
The old caretaker gripped her skirt, her eyes swelling. "I just wanted to give the children a future…" she said in a sorrowful tone.
Morgana tapped her chin as she pondered different options. She could relate with Tilly in wanting to give children a peaceful life, and she could tell that the caretakers in that orphanage truly cared about the children, even going as far as to get captured and almost tortured to death to protect them.
Morgana's current objective was to leave the Freebird party in the country of Veridian and take a ship that would take her from there to Dragon's Domain, a massive island that coincidentally neighbored Veridian.
The Tower of Oblivion, her old clan tower, used to be in that domain, and she suspected that going back there and activating an item called the "clan stone" would reconnect her with her old friends—the ones who survived at the least.
The reason she wanted to do that was that there was someone that could take her to Zaudan's Valley with their teleportation skills.
Zaudan's Valley was a giant area located on the continent that was completely opposite to them and the only place in the world with a portal connecting to The Underworld.
Morgana's plan had always been to go back to The Underworld. However, her conscience wouldn't allow her to leave those people alone. She hated Aegis, so she appreciated it when someone acted like a decent and kind human being.
The trickster sighed.
'Besides, I can't just leave Selene like that…' she thought before snapping to her senses.
'No, no. Ren, you are not her real mother. The best I can do is make sure I leave her with someone kind…' she kept pondering, gazing towards Tilly.
Morgana suddenly gasped. "I know!" she exclaimed, startling the old caretaker.
"Tilly, if you give me a few days, I can move everyone here to a much safer place where I promise that you will not only be protected but live peacefully…" the trickster said with determination.
The woman shook her hands to the sides. "Y-you have done enough for us, Lady Morgana. Besides, some of these kids are too young to travel for long periods…"
The trickster smiled mischievously. "They won't need to travel anywhere."
'Also, I did say I wanted Vivi, so this is a good opportunity…' the trickster recounted.
__________
Afterward, Morgana went to the back side of the courtyard, grabbing the attention of everyone in the building as they followed her outside.
She opened her "Admin" window, then searched her item box for a moment.
The rest of the people watched from the sidelines as the trickster delved into her own inventory, finally pulling out a massive, circular archway made of stone.
Everyone was stunned at the sight, except for the Freebird party, who had already seen Morgana conjuring carts and tables for them in the past.
The archway was five meters in diameter, and the stone it was made out of looked polished and shiny.
"Well, this is only a piece of rock right now, but it will turn into a teleporter soon enough!" said Morgana as she turned around to explain her plan to everyone.
"Once we reach Veridian, I'll make my way to Dragon's Domain. When I get there, a friend of mine will help me come back here and activate the teleporter for you…" she elaborated, as the rest of the group silently listened with their eyes widened.
"I know that 'Dragon's Domain' may sound scary to some of you, but I assure you the area I would be taking you is nice and safe," she said, finishing her explanation.
The people of the orphanage agreed to wait for her to come back. However, Morgana still wasn't convinced that they would be safe, even with The Roaches gone.
'I leveled up to 110, so I think I should be able to summon 'him'...' she thought.
Moving to the side of the courtyard, the trickster pointed her hand at the ground.
"Summon: Shadow Beast," she muttered, producing an electric red arcane circle in front of her that materialized a shadowy spirit with the face of a dragon mixed with a wolf.
"This guy will keep you safe while we are gone," she casually said while petting the monster, whose chilling and vicious appearance suddenly became more puppy-like as Morgana patted its head.