“The rain seems to have gotten lighter.”

Pero stuck his head out through the newly repaired window, tilting his head as he stared at the dim, gray sky.

Night was about to cover the city. Fortunately, at a time like this, he could still faintly make out some of the sky. The dark clouds still pressed overhead, like dense ink that would never dissolve, but he waited for quite a while before a few threads of chilly rain fell on his cheeks.

“It isn’t that cold anymore either.”

Pero shrank back, then nimbly slipped into the room again, hopping cheerfully over to the girl mending clothes inside.

“Want to go out and play, Sis?”

“Go out and play?”

Aviva raised her head, moved aside the swaying candlelight, and glanced at the color outside the window.

“It’s almost dark, isn’t it? Going out to play now is dangerous.”

“Today is different! Today is the day Her Holiness the Saintess entered the city. Everyone is celebrating in the streets, and those rats who only dare act arrogant at night have been driven back into the shadows instead.”

Pero spread his arms excitedly. “They say there’s even going to be a night market and colored lanterns tonight! This is one of the rare times since the war started that curfew has been temporarily lifted. Wouldn’t it be a huge loss if we didn’t go out and have fun now?”

“Even if there’s a night market, there won’t be anything fun. Prices have been so high lately. We definitely won’t be able to afford anything, and we’ll just be tortured by all the delicious food on the street.”

Aviva smiled gently, as if she could already see Pero drooling at the fragrant street food later.

“I won’t. I have my own little savings now!” Pero said indignantly.

“Oh? Even if you have savings, would you be willing to spend them?” Aviva asked back.

“...”

Pero froze for a moment.

Of course he would not.

Because that money was what he had earned running all over the city every day selling newspapers. Every old, wrinkled bill measured the distance of this city.

It was money he had saved to save his sister. If it was for his sister, he would not hesitate even if he spent it all.

But if he spent it somewhere else... such as on those exquisite but impractical foods that could not fill his stomach at all...

Mm. Waving a hand and spending an amount of money ordinary people could never reach in a lifetime—that kind of life was something he had completely abandoned many years ago.

Oh, right.

There was also some money in there that had not been earned through hard work. But that money...

“What does that have to do with any of this?”

Pero stamped his foot in embarrassment and anger. “Besides, even if we don’t spend money, maybe we can still feel the grace Her Holiness the Saintess bestows!”

“Oh? You like Her Holiness the Saintess that much? You ran out during the day too. How come I never knew you were such a devout believer in the Goddess?”

Aviva reached out and tapped Pero on the forehead. “You have some other intention, don’t you? Tell me. What did you go do during the day?”

“Hmph. I was doing it for your sake, Sis.”

Pero crossed his arms, and a wicked, nasty smile suddenly curved across his mouth.

“I know what you were thinking before, Sis. I think that would be great too. Not for repaying kindness or anything, but if you could hook that rich older man, wouldn’t we have nothing to worry about for the rest of our lives? Would you still need to mend clothes yourself?”

“Wh—”

Aviva’s cheeks instantly flushed bright red. “H-how did you know?”

“Bleh...”

Pero stuck out his tongue. “You underestimated me too much, Sis, and overestimated yourself too much. I saw through your thoughts with one glance!”

“Oh, so your wings have hardened now. You actually dare guess your sister’s thoughts!”

The light tap of her finger turned into a flick to the forehead, but unexpectedly, Pero seemed already familiar with that move. He leaned back and easily dodged it.

“You’re the one, Sis. You already took the initiative, but that bastard was actually unmoved. What exactly does he look down on about you? I think he’s just blind.”

“Haah. What does a child understand?”

Unable to discipline him, Aviva sighed helplessly. “How could something like that be forced? Besides, we’re the ones who want to repay him. To be honest, even I feel like that method is a little too opportunistic and shameless.”

“What shameless? When the time comes, you should make your move!”

Pero swayed and slipped back over again. “That bastard is always saying things like dumping people in the river after cutting them up to threaten us, but I think that face of his looks exactly like a virgin’s. Maybe he hasn’t even touched a girl’s hand before. To deal with a blockhead like that, you need to use some forceful methods. Feelings and stuff can be made up afterward. First, make the raw rice into... Ow!”

“Where did you learn all this filthy knowledge?”

Aviva withdrew her hand chop and pretended to be angry. “Forget all of it this instant!”

“Ugh... This is a secret manual for love I learned from a street-stall owner!”

“Forget it!”

“O-okay.”

“...”

Looking at Pero, who had wilted, Aviva seemed to suddenly understand something, and her expression instantly became complicated.

A faint glimmer of pity appeared beneath her feet, but it was hidden very well.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Aviva restrained her expression and put away the things in front of her too.

“Let’s go. We can walk around outside.”

“Huh? You agreed, Sis?”

“There’s nothing bad about going out for a walk. My body has just recovered, and it really has been a long time since I went outside to look around.”

Aviva showed a gentle smile. “It would be good to walk around more.”

“Yeah! That’s great!”

Pero was so happy he almost jumped up again. Before he had even taken a single step out of the room, he had already begun imagining in his mind this long-awaited outing with his sister.

And...

...

“No.”

The director’s broad figure blocked the back door of the orphanage like a solid wall, giving no one any hope of getting out.

“You can’t go out today.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s dangerous.”

“Huh? Dangerous?”

He had just been delighted that he could go out, only to be inexplicably blocked inside now. Naturally, Pero immediately stepped forward in defiance. “Forget normal days, but there’s no curfew today. Why won’t you let us go out? I bet you’re just—”

“That’s enough.”

Unlike the conflicts that often erupted on ordinary days, this time Aviva was beside him. Just as Pero was about to charge forward recklessly and show the director his newly learned turtle-fist technique, Aviva stopped him with one hand.

“Let’s hear what the director has to say first.”

“Haah. It’s not that I don’t want to let you go out. To be honest, if there weren’t any special circumstances, tonight really would be very suitable for going out to have some fun. But...”

“There are special circumstances?”

“You could say that...”

The director’s expression was bitter, and he nodded. “The church above sent word that tonight, everyone in every orphanage, mission house, and shelter must stay inside their institutions. No one is allowed to go out. Absolutely not... So, guessing that someone would try to sneak out, I came personally to guard the back door.”

“Absolutely not allowed? This... It wasn’t this strict a few days ago, was it?”

Aviva asked in confusion, “Why? What’s the reason?”

“I don’t know, but...”

Boom, boom, boom...

The director was about to say something, but suddenly, some low, rumbling roar interrupted her words.