At some point in time, Razaas took the role to be their unofficial tour guide. The duo of Vivia and Eurus were thrilled to see the new sights and taste their specialty local food - which to no surprise, was filled with all kinds of proteins and healthy fats. Strength came from eating good food, and that principle reflected in every corner of the street. The people of Bellor were truly hearty eaters.
The mountain of food that was piled on one demon's plate at an inn was truly mind boggling for Vivia. Apparently, physical fights weren't the only competitions the Bellor people fought for. They took pride in their full blown eating contests too, which made her wonder what kind of bottomless pits of stomachs they had.
"Eurus, you want to join one contest too?" She asked eagerly.
Eurus stared at the tall stack of plates on all tables and then looked at his own stomach. Clearly, it would be a miserable defeat.
"Your stomach needs to be trained!" Razaas folded his arms against his puffed-up chest. "How will you gain any strength if you don't eat well? You should see our children here. Even a kid younger than you would be able to easily topple you. Wait, why tell you? I should show you. Perhaps you'll get some inspiration then!"
Once again, Bellor grabbed them by their collars, dragging them out of the inn.
Like I said, we can walk!
After being dragged like a sack of potatoes for the second time, Vivia and Eurus found themselves in front of a gate. Beyond it was an old building, four stories tall, with partially broken windows on some floors. The building looked like it could collapse any time if even one strong wind knocked itself against it. In the distance, Vivia noticed a few children running around and playing on the grass.
"Is this a school?"
"No, the school is on the other side of the city square. This is the orphanage. It was closer to the inn we were at, so I brought you two here."
"Oh."
Eurus caught her uneasily shifting her weight from one foot to another. A glint of apprehension flickered in her eyes. He held her hand and cast her a questioning look.
She looked down and smiled. "I'm fine."
She wasn't. She wasn't expecting to come face-to-face with that establishment where she had lived for a certain spell in her past life, where only sour and bitter memories had filled the entirety of it.
'Show me your hands. I'll drill some sense into you today, so that you'd never think of stealing again!'
The crisp crack of the whips against her palms erupted a painful restlessness that clawed at the walls of her heart. She stared at the children running around - the same bratty kids fooling around, the same bell that rang to notify about the lunch and dinner hour and the same guardians looking after everything.
A strong pat on her back made her stumble forward through the orphanage's gates.
Razaas said, "Come on, hurry up! Are you sleeping with your eyes open?"
She coughed and quickly dismissed the despondent, intruding thoughts of the past. As they walked in farther, a young demoness saw them coming and hurried toward them.
"Razaas! What are you doing here?"
"Ruri. These are some new people in town, so I brought them here to meet the other kids."
"Oh, okay. Do you want to meet the Matron?"
"Not really."
"You don't?" Ruri looked at the young man Ril first and then Eurus - the latter a little more carefully. "Aren't you here to bring him in?"
Vivia's eyes stretched wide, and she quickly clarified. "No, no. Eurus is not going to be left here."
Ruri slightly frowned at that tone. "What's wrong? Clearly, you don't seem to be his father."
"I'm his brother," she attempted a smile.
"Oh," she then shrugged. "Whatever. He gives me the feeling as if he's abandoned. That silver hair and eyes are strange."
"...There is nothing wrong with his hair and eyes. They're pretty."
Ruri's eyes narrowed. She ignored her and looked at Razaas. "If you don't need to meet the Matron, then it's fine. She is busy at the moment."
Razaas shrugged. "It won't take much long."
They walked toward the open ground where the demon kids were involved in a mix of activities. Some older ones were practicing martial arts while some were having their own mini version of the fist fight similar to which Razaas was a part of. From the other side came the occasional thwack of wooden swords clashing against each other, and some kids were part of routine exercise drills.
As soon as the trio came into view, the kids stopped doing whatever they were doing and stared at them intently. Vivia had to admit that the kids in front of her were certainly taller and slightly bulkier than any other kids she had seen, especially the ones raised in orphanages. Only one demon child at the far end from the exercise group looked more or less similar to Eurus's build but still healthier than Eurus overall.
Razaas lowered his gaze at Eurus. "You think you can take on any of them?"
The tall and bulky kids emanated a sense of intimidation, especially their hard stares, making Eurus promptly hide behind Vivia's legs.
"A warrior doesn't hide! You can be weak, but you cannot be a coward!" He harrumphed.
"Razaas!"
The kids dropped their stuff and ran to his side. "You're here today? Did you bring a feast for us?" Their expressions were brimming with hope.
The one who asked was around eleven or twelve years old.
"Not today. I thought I'd introduce you to the new people in the city!"
Their hopeful gazes dropped unanimously. But they looked up once again, their united stares falling upon Vivia.
Instead of joy greeting her eyes, small beads of sweat formed on her brows. Peering into their eyes, she closed her own, feeling a dull headache set in. Their faces suddenly morphed into those familiar faces of the children she had once known at the orphanage she lived in.
They're not the same. They're not the same. This is not that same place…
It's okay. It's okay. I'm okay…
She breathed in and breathed out. A menacing thud of the door banging shut screeched in her ears, and her breaths grew messier. The memory felt all too real as if she was living that same time again, knocking out her balance. She stumbled, and her back bump against something, but her frightful daze remained intact. Amidst that noisy chaos in her mind that twisted her heartbeats into a nauseous recoil, a soft, gentle whisper echoed in her ear.
"Ril."