Chapter 10

    New Walls and the Gray Serpent

    "Read the first page aloud for me and Lisa."

    Sister Anne’s voice carried a sharp authority, making it clear this was an order Kit couldn’t avoid. Shoulders slumped, void of his usual eagerness, the little boy glanced at Sister Lisa, who was still puzzled about what was happening. Taking a deep breath, Kit began to read the text slowly.

    "The body is the earth, the breath is the sky, the blood flows like rivers…”

    “Plants are a great gift from the heavens, fire brings prosperity, and the gods created the world out of compassion…"

    Kit continued reading the second and third pages, his young voice reciting the passages steadily. By this point, Sister Lisa’s expression had turned into one of astonishment, while Sister Anne massaged her temples with both hands, eyes closed in deep contemplation. The old soul within Kit had already realized what he’d done wrong.

    In this world, literacy was a rare skill—especially in remote villages. It was almost impossible for an orphan of unknown origin to read the script woven into a sacred text.

    Kluay Khai had yet to know a crucial fact: in this world, ‘letters and language’ was believed to be a gift from the great gods, passed down to humanity.

    Furthermore, he was too careless. His new body’s brain, accustomed to reading the text, made it seem easy and natural. Kit, thinking it was normal, had unintentionally revealed a remarkable skill to others. It would have been better if the two nuns had known in advance.

    By now, Aunt Mary was probably spreading the story around the village, telling everyone about the little boy at the Redwood Church who could read.

    Rumors were dangerous, especially when they grew into exaggerated tales passed from person to person. This kind of incredible news could easily bring trouble to the church without them realizing it.

    The nuns' serious gazes lingered on Kit, their eyes filled with concern for the future. Sensing the tension, the little boy decided to stop reading. His eyes lowered, awaiting a reprimand for his inappropriate actions. A simultaneous sigh from the two nuns marked the beginning of an important conversation.

    "You… sigh… Did we pick up some lost lord’s child by mistake?"

    "I honestly don’t know what to think anymore…" Lisa replied with a troubled voice. "Kit… I’m going to ask you directly—are you hiding anything else from us…?"

    "I...h-hic, I’m sorry." As guilt triggered an uncontrollable natural reaction of a child, his small body began to sob.

    "Calm down, little one." His small frame was pulled into a comforting embrace. "We’re just worried about you. Do you remember people like Mr. Gray?" Kit nodded slightly, looking up at her.

    "He’s just a tiny snake in this small, remote village… In the big cities of the kingdom, there are far worse people—people so cruel they wouldn’t hesitate to harm even children."

    "We’re concerned that you might be the son of some powerful figure in the Seris Kingdom. You can read so well—I’m sure you can write, too, right…?"

    Kit didn’t respond to Sister Anne’s question, but his silence said it all.

    "Sister… I swear I can’t remember anything about my past. All I have are fragments of experiences from dreams. If you want, I’ll swear before the altar of the gods. Please, believe me." Though religious oaths were merely symbolic, he was willing to do anything to ease the nuns’ concerns.

    The little boy tried to explain everything he had experienced, revealing nearly all the details—except for… the crucial fact that he was a foreign soul inhabiting this body. The two nuns’ eyes lit up with hope as they recalled something remarkable from the sacred texts.

    "A divine vision! Lisa, get that book!" Sister Anne’s wrinkled hands quickly flipped through the pages until she stopped midway through the book.

    "Here… this paragraph and this passage. It’s very similar to the story of Lord Alexis."

    "I agree! But…something this significant…" Their mind drifted to the harsh tests described in the sacred texts for verifying divine visions.

    Those trials were harsh and cruel, designed to punish anyone who dared to exploit such grand claims for personal gain. If Kit made even the slightest mistake, the punishment could be death by burning alive or drowning.

    Kit’s tear-filled eyes stared back at them, pure and innocent in a way that deeply touched their hearts. Combined with the fleeting vision they had seen during the naming ceremony, they were convinced he wasn’t a demon in disguise or a follower of a vicious dark cult.

    Despite Kit’s intelligence, the nuns knew it wasn’t enough to guarantee that he wouldn’t slip up in the future. They decided to change their approach to raising him. The new plan was to prepare Kit for the outside world by sharpening his wits and expanding his knowledge. Kit’s cooking duties were reduced to only mornings. During the afternoons, he would undergo intensive reading and writing lessons with Sister Lisa. His playtime and outings were cut significantly.

    While Kit was happy to read the many fascinating books, he couldn’t help but worry that this might affect his food-gathering duties. The food supply could become an issue at any moment. He suggested they reorganize the unused infirmary and other vacant rooms to better manage the resources. He then negotiated for one more week before starting his rigorous studies.

    Moreover, the three of them carefully discussed future challenges and made plans to address unexpected situations.

    Kit spent his remaining time teaching Anna and the two nuns how to prepare delicious meals. Afterward, he ventured into the forest with James to map out key resource locations, so that his strong big brother could go out and find food by himself.

    Kit shared all his knowledge about proper harvesting and sustainable practices with James over three days. The two brothers often felt the mysterious wind swirling around them in the forest. Kit began to wonder about the powerful beings that might exist beyond human understanding. He smiled and nodded in gratitude whenever the wind brushed past him.

    He wasn’t sure if he was imagining it… but the ancient belief that taught us to show respect to the unseen was no harm—especially in a world as strange as this. He could think and do whatever he wanted.

    That same week, giant bundles of dried straw were delivered to the old church. For just two silver coins, they insulated the orphanage walls with two thick layers of straw, leaving small gaps for ventilation. That night, the air inside was noticeably warmer. The children, who normally clung together for warmth, began to spread out comfortably on their mats.

    Aunt Mary couldn’t stop praising David’s resourcefulness since the day he had shown his ability. She even suggested that her nearly twenty-year-old son take lessons from him. Soon, other farming families expressed interest.

    Some wanted to verify if the boy could truly read, while others saw it as a way to secure a brighter future for their kids. Once they confirmed Kit’s abilities were real, the incredible news spread throughout the village. Kit—now formally known as David—became affectionately referred to as the Little Scholar of the Redwood orphanage.

    While it was a relief that the rumors hadn’t turned into malicious gossip as they had braced themselves for, the village’s resident serpent wasn’t about to let this pass quietly. He repeatedly stopped by the church under the guise of demanding a tax on the newly delivered straw.

    "Well, well... this place has become a warm and cozy home for the little ones. Such a rich and grand church, isn’t it?"

    A middle-aged man, familiar to all the villagers, entered with his usual entourage of five guards. His eyes were filled with disdain and contempt. Sister Anne, prepared for this moment, felt no concern.

    "Greetings, Mr. Gray. May the gods bless you."

    "Oh, no need for formalities, Sister. I’m just here to collect the village’s resource tax, that’s all."

    "What a diligent village chief you are. But… according to the extensive research I’ve done, transactions with the church are exempt from such taxes. It seems Mr. Gray might have misunderstood for quite a long time… many years, in fact."

    Her firm voice caused the vicious serpent of Redwood to involuntarily step back.

    "How fortunate that the Book of Church Decrees arrived just the day before yesterday at my request, delivered by a Light Hawk as per command of the church leader in Russel. Truly a blessing that we can once again immerse ourselves in the divine principles…" Sister Anne held up a brand-new brown book, its spine gleaming golden in the sunlight, causing onlookers to squint. She raised it for all to see. The cover displayed the symbol of balanced scales, accompanied by elegant, golden letters:

    The Decrees of the White Wings Church

    The pristine condition of the book made Mr. Gray’s eye twitch. It revealed several uncomfortable truths:

    First… The decrees inside might actually confirm what Sister Anne had just said—he himself had made up rules to suit his needs for years.

    Second… He had abused his power for years and extorted resources from the church. The fallout from this could be severe.

    Third… Russel’s religious leaders still protected their faithful. The fact that they sent a Light Hawk to such a remote place proved how serious they were.

    The path ahead looked bleak for Mr. Gray. Even though Russel was a declining city, the power of its religious leaders far outweighed that of a mere village chief. Sister Anne’s confident smile and firm voice reinforced his growing dread.

    "I’ll have to submit this serious matter to the authorities in Russel. I may not recall every item you’ve taken over the years, but we’ll use your most recent tax rate—1-5th of our resources—to calculate the repayment. Surely your family can afford to reimburse us, can’t they?"

    Behind the elderly nun stood a line of Redwood villagers, their eyes filled with fury. Mr. Gray, their village chief, had the audacity to fabricate rules to extort the church’s resources for years.

    And what about them? … Hadn’t they all suffered similar injustices? Could anyone investigate him?

    "Just you wait, you bloodsucking old hag! You parasites, always begging instead of working. Scum." Mr. Gray snarled rudely, his face turning crimson with rage, practically on fire.

    (Good! Please, gods, let him have a stroke and die right here.)

    Little Kit prayed with mock innocence, his hands pressed together in a holy gesture. Those around him, unaware of his dark thoughts, looked at him with sympathy.

    Unfortunately, the gentle wind did not grant his wish.

    Amid curses and threats, Mr. Gray called his guards and retreated to his home to regroup.

    He was smart enough to take advantage of the villagers’ stunned silence and escape before being forced to return the stolen resources…

    But it was too late for Gray Chopper—the seeds of his downfall had already been sown.