“Any luggage?”
“No.”
“Money?”
“No.”
I sighed. I walked for a while more, and stopped in front of a large, old house. It was cracked in places to reveal red bricks, and vines grew on part of it.
“Go in.”
This was the orphanage I stayed in after I left the house of Sana and Kousuke. People call it the “lodging house”.

“Oh, hello…”
A girl turned around when I opened the door. She seemed to be a very cheerful girl, but when she caught sight of my white hair, she froze.
“Aren’t you the White Witch…?”
She probably could not think of any valid reason why I would be in an orphanage, and her panic showed. I also noticed that some of the older kids flinched in the corner. Even if they were still children, they were old enough to know what kind of people lived in this town. I was probably considered one of the worst among them. And it was only natural they did.
“I did not come here to kill. Is the old man here?”
“Gil-san is out right now…”
The girl answered, a little relieved.
“Then can we wait here until he comes back?”
“Sure. Just make yourself at home.”
She said, and went back to cleaning and babysitting.

“What is this place?”
“Isn’t it fairly obvious? An orphanage.”

“I also stayed here once. Since you know nothing about this place, stay here for a while and learn how things work in this town. Then get a job and leave this place as soon as possible. That is the only future possible for you.”
“…I thought you were gonna get me out of town.”
Silence filled the room after what Saku said. Get out of town? How many times did the children…did I wish for that? But that was one thing that would never be given to us. The only way out of town…is death.

“You cannot go out. Now that you’ve entered this town, you will live…and die here.”

“Why can’t we? No one said anything when we came in.”

“The people probably paid the upper class or something. There are countless ways to get in. But you cannot get out without consent from the upper class.”

“Then let me see those upper class!”
“Are you an idiot?!
That was when I raised my voice.

“If you want to die, sure, why not? I will take you to the entrance of the upper residential area. But no farther than that! I do not want to die yet!”
“But why will you die if you meet an upper class?”
“Didn’t you notice the chattels running around in the upper residential area?”
“Chattels? Upper residential area?”
“The place filled with huge houses on the outer part of town! Did you not notice the people in rags who were wandering around there?”
“Yes, but what about them? Why were they even in the upper residential area? Isn’t that supposed to be where rich people live?”
“Those chattels are people who tried to get out but were caught! When you go in the upper residential arean, those chattels attack you. Even if you get through them, which I doubt you will, you will surely be caught by an upper class. If you try to get out, you will just be forced to join human cannibalism.”

The door opened again while were arguing, and an old man came in.
“Gil-san!”
The girl shouted from the back.
“Do we have some visitors?”
He said, noticing a slight difference in the atmosphere of the lodging house. He came in with the gentle smile that he always had, but when he saw me with my white hair, his expression clearly changed into one of surprise.
“Long time no see, old man.”
“I suppose it was about five years ago that I last saw you?”
“Yes, probably.”
“So. What business brings you here today?”
“I found these children near my home. They are outsiders, and know nothing about this town. So I’ve brought them here.”
“They are more than welcome. But why won’t you try and look after them?”
“No kidding. I’ll only be a bad influence. I’ll go now, so take care of them, will you?”
“Sure. Come and have some tea at times.”
“If and when I have time.”

When I started heading for home, I noticed that a person was following me.
“What now, Solaris?”
“…What a blatant scowl you have on your face. It hurts, you know?”
“I told you to leave me alone once the commission is over.”
“It is very unusual for you to help weak people.”
“Is it?”
“You usually ignore them, or choose to kill them yourself.”
“Can you not talk of me as if I was a coldhearted, homicidal mania? To begin with, aren’t you so much more coldhearted than I?”
“You are so interesting.”
“That is the very thing I hate about you.”

He seemed very amused, which annoyed me very much. He then smiled and left without saying a word.