Mom?" Alex mumbled in surprise, rubbing his eyes as he woke up.
"I need you to get up and help Sister Irene with the garden," his mother, Christine, said, her voice gentle but firm. "Once you're done watering, come inside and eat breakfast. I'll make you some porridge before I head out with Mother Selene. We're visiting the nobleman's estate to collect donations for the church."
"Alright, Mom," Alex groaned, slowly pulling himself out of bed.
After dressing and getting ready for the day, Alex made his way out to the garden, where Sister Irene was already busy tending to the rows of vegetables.
"Good morning, Sister Irene," Alex greeted her with a smile. "I can take over the watering. Please, go have breakfast. I'll finish up here and then chop some more firewood for tonight's gathering."
"Thank you, Alex," Sister Irene replied, her eyes crinkling with warmth. "I don't know how we'd manage without you and your mother. God bless you, child."
Alex watched her with admiration. She was nearly seventy-eight and not a cultivator, yet she moved with an energy and grace that defied her age. For someone living well past the usual lifespan of mortals, it was nothing short of a miracle.
"I'll see you inside," she added, with a gentle reminder. "And do be careful."
With a soft sigh, Alex turned back to the garden. "Not much left," he muttered to himself. "Just two more rows to water, and then I'll chop enough wood to keep the furnace going for tonight's gathering." He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, mentally calculating how long the firewood would last.
After about twenty minutes, Alex finished chopping the wood and stacked it neatly. He felt a small sense of satisfaction, knowing the preparations for the evening were well underway. Wiping his forehead, he headed into the church's cafeteria, where his mother was busy serving breakfast to the other children.
Christine brought Alex a bowl of porridge and leaned in close to whisper, "Shh, Mother Selene gave you an extra egg and slice of bread for your breakfast. Make sure you thank her before we leave today, okay?"
"Thanks, Mom," Alex replied, his gaze following her to where Mother Selene was serving others. He caught her eye from across the room and gave her a grateful smile. She smiled back, her eyes soft with affection. Mother Selene, despite being the youngest to earn the title of "Mother" at only twenty-eight, carried herself with wisdom beyond her years. Having grown up in the church herself, she devoted her life to keeping the orphanage and the church afloat, managing both day-to-day tasks and more complex political matters with ease.
As Alex dug into his meal, his friend Connor plopped down beside him, a bowl of porridge in hand.
"Morning," Connor said, his usual energetic grin in place. Not long after, Melisa joined them, taking a seat across from Alex. The three of them had grown up together, though Melisa had only arrived at the orphanage four years ago after her parents were tragically killed during a home invasion. Connor had never known his parents, having been left at the church steps as a baby. Despite their hardships, they had formed a tight bond, growing up together under the care of the church.
"What are you presenting for tonight?" Melisa asked Alex, her question breaking through his thoughts.
Alex hesitated. "I don't know," he muttered. "I'm probably just going to stay away from the crowd this year. Last year was a disaster." He shot her a sarcastic smile. "I'm bad luck, remember?"
Melisa raised an eyebrow, clearly understanding the weight behind his words. She had seen firsthand how the people of Vana treated Alex—how they whispered about his unusual eyes and kept their distance. Connor, however, leaned back in his chair, unfazed.
"Bad luck, my ass," Connor said, leaning in closer. "Let them be jealous of your cool eyes, man. Seriously."
Alex chuckled, but the moment was short-lived. He noticed Melisa's piercing gaze, locked onto Connor like a hawk about to pounce.
Before she could chastise him for cursing in the church, Alex quickly shifted the conversation. "What about you two? What are you presenting?"
Connor, ever confident, shrugged. "I'm presenting the apprenticeship group. You know, the one where nobles or traders can hire us as labor in exchange for donations to the orphanage."
Melisa's eyes widened. "I'm surprised you thought of that," she said, impressed. "But you've probably realized by now that apprenticeships can lead to learning valuable trades, which would help us long term."
Connor grinned, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah, totally thought of that."
"Sure you did," Alex teased, sharing a knowing look with Melisa.
"But what if the nobles abuse the system?" Melisa asked, her tone more serious. "What if accidents happen, or worse?"
Connor blinked, taken aback. "Well, uh... I didn't think about that."
Melisa sighed. "We need to set conditions—mandatory rest periods, safety standards. It could work, but we have to be careful."
Connor, overwhelmed, threw up his hands in defeat. "Alright, smarty-pants, you win. You're helping me present this, okay?"
Melisa nodded, clearly pleased. Alex smiled, feeling grateful for their dynamic. They balanced each other out in ways he never quite understood but always appreciated.
After breakfast, Alex stood to see his mother off. Christine and Mother Selene were preparing to leave for the noble estates, and she gave him a stern look. "Alex, make sure you behave and watch over the others. If I hear you gave Sister Irene any trouble, you'll be chopping wood for the next three days. Understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," Alex replied, gulping.
His mother's stern expression softened as she hugged him. "Finish your chores, and when we're back, you can go play with Connor and Melisa, alright?"
"Promise I'll bring your mother back before dinner!" Mother Selene said with a laugh, waving as they left.
Before Alex could turn back, Melisa hugged him from behind, catching him off guard. "I finished today's chores early," she whispered. "I sewed the banner last night. If you want, I could help you with yours."
Alex shook his head with a laugh. "Thanks, but I think I'm good. I chopped enough wood for the week."
"Alright," she said with a grin. "How about we play hide-and-seek with the little ones once we're done?"
"Deal," Alex agreed. "Connor's probably already gathering them."
"Great! You finish picking the garden, and I'll get started on the laundry," Melisa said.
As they split to tackle their tasks, Melisa paused. "Alex, can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
She hesitated, her cheeks flushing slightly. "After the donation ceremony, we'll be sixteen."
"Yeah," Alex replied, sensing what was coming.
"Does our promise still stand?" she asked softly, her eyes searching his.
Alex met her gaze, feeling the weight of the moment. "Of course it does, Melisa. I haven't forgotten."
A smile spread across her face, relieved and warm. "Good," she whispered.
Before they could say more, Connor burst back in, full of energy. "Alright, sappy talk's over! We've got chores to do and a game of hide-and-seek to win!"
Alex laughed, shaking off the emotions swirling inside him. For now, there were chores to finish—and then, they could all just be kids again.