Chapter Six: Persecution
“How can they sell such medicine to children? It’s too much!”
After Yifu said that, Leia finally realized something was wrong. For her, this poison was a bit too easy to obtain.
In the past, it was hard to even see it; now, at her most desperate moment, it seemed to have come knocking on her door.
It was truly unsettling to think about.
“I’m s-sorry. I just miss you too much…”
At this point, there was nothing Leia could do but pitifully apologize to Yifu.
Her small hands clutched tightly at the corner of Yifu’s clothing, not daring to relax for a moment, as if afraid Yifu would suddenly disappear before her.
“It’s okay, I’m not mad at you. Are you hungry? I made you some hot noodles; the conditions here are limited, but once we leave this place, I’ll get you something delicious.”
There truly wasn’t anything in the gravekeeper’s little hut; finding some flour and cooking utensils was already something to be grateful for.
Yifu also patted her empty pockets; it was a miracle that the clothes on a dead person could stay neat, and indeed, she had no hope of having a few copper coins in her pockets.
However, Yifu had ways to earn money, after all, she was a Great Witch, making money from humans was quite easy for her.
“Eat quickly, look at how thin you are. Haven’t you eaten properly in these two years?”
Leia gratefully took the hot noodles Yifu handed her, tears of excitement almost falling into the bowl.
She hadn’t had any real food for several days; now, without Yifu, even eating a bowl of hot noodles would take her twelve installments to afford.
“My scholarship and funding were cut off because they said I colluded with witches, that I didn’t deserve the prizes and subsidies, so they gave the bonuses that should have been mine to others.”
Leia, uncaring of the scalding heat of the noodles, felt her lips turn slightly red from the warmth, but she still couldn’t bear to stop.
Just an ordinary bowl of hot noodles had become a rare delicacy in her eyes.
Because this was made by Yifu, just the thought of it gave her an infinite sense of security because she knew she wouldn’t have to go hungry anymore.
Being by Yifu’s side was so much better than being at the Church Academy.
People say those who associate with witches are fallen ones; if being fallen was the case, Leia willingly accepted it.
After all, Yifu’s gentleness was like a mother’s, something Leia longed for.
“Do you know who they gave it to?”
“Um, it seems to be a boy who’s very close to the Holy Maiden, very popular at the Church Academy. Even the Holy Maiden has taken a liking to him.”
Hearing Leia’s words, Yifu likely guessed who it was. Apart from the main character Long Aotian, who else could it be?
Although Leia’s scholarship and funding couldn’t be considered much, for her, it meant over a month’s worth of living expenses. With that money, she could avoid going hungry.
But for someone like Long Aotian, who lived in luxury, that amount would only last him a couple or three days.
To not even spare that amount was truly excessive.
“He doesn’t seem to have any difficulties.”
“I’m dizzy from hunger every day; I was about to go beg on the street, yet he… lives in luxury. Why does he need to take away the only funds I rely on? I’ve worked so hard…”
As Leia spoke, her voice grew choked with grievances; her innocent self couldn’t understand why she had to endure such a fate.
All she wanted was not to go hungry; why was such a simple wish so far out of reach for her?
“So you thought about giving up…”
“It’s not because of this; I promised you that I would graduate from the Church Academy and change my fate through studying. I remember that promise, and even if I starve every day, I won’t give up…”
“But, but they say I can’t graduate from the Church Academy because I’m a fallen person who colludes with witches.”
“They mock me for being an orphan, born of a mother but raised without one, which is why I would associate with witches.”
“They said if I want to graduate, I’d need a strong backing to guarantee me; otherwise, I could never graduate from the Church Academy and might even get expelled.”
“Learning magic was everything for me after you left… so I really don’t know what to do. That’s why I bought this little pill, hoping that if I took it, I could see you… My grievances, I can only tell you.”
