Chapter 7

    Old Problems Gone, New Problems to Come

    Sister Anne’s suggestion was quite intriguing.

    Even though Kit felt a little disappointed that he wouldn’t be going to the city, the thought of contributing to something so important was satisfying enough.

    "What if… we asked the visitors coming for the thanksgiving ceremony?" Kit raised his hand, wanting to share his idea. "There must be some merchants in the village, right? What if we tried offering the mushrooms to them first? If we subtract the travel costs Sister would have to pay for the trip and transportation and find that it’s more cost-effective, we should sell to them."

    "You’ve thought it through well. But… have we forgotten something?" Lisa pointed at the piles of mushrooms they had sorted while talking. "We don’t have enough golden chanterelles to sell in bulk. It’s cold, yes, but in three days their quality will likely decline, and we’ll be forced to sell at a lower price…"

    The two nuns exchanged a meaningful glance while Kit lowered his head, deep in thought.

    "In that case, I’ll dry the first batch in the sun to preserve them for later use. For the new batch we’ll sell to merchants in three days… how about I go foraging with Brother James to collect more?"

    Kit’s suggestion was promising, and both nuns nodded in agreement immediately. They didn’t forget to give him an important warning.

    "These mushrooms are valuable because they’re so difficult to find in the forest. Don’t ever tell anyone about it, especially if they’re just pretending to be curious. Do you understand, Kit?"

    "Yes, I’ll tell them the gods guided me to them. That should keep everyone safe."

    "Smart boy. The great gods might truly be guiding you—who knows?" Lisa smiled softly at Kit’s clever response. His answer would help prevent many future problems.

    That evening, dinner was a long-simmered grain porridge infused with a variety of mushrooms, filling the room with an irresistible aroma. Even the elders found themselves swallowing more than usual as their mouths watered at the enticing smell.

    Little Kit had carefully tested every mushroom to ensure they were edible. His little face beamed with pride as he enjoyed his reward—two big bowls of porridge for his success.

    However…for the others, the effects of the meal went beyond what Kit, a soul from another world, could have ever expected.

    Anna and James, whose powers were on the brink of awakening, felt their bodies grow warm and brimming with energy shortly after finishing their meal. Their bodies began to emit a soft glow, illuminating the dim hall lit only by torches. Even the two elders experienced the same sensation.

    "W…What’s happening?" James shifted uneasily as the unexpected event unfolded before him. "My power has grown! How is that possible?"

    Anna nodded to confirm that she felt the same. She quickly stood and approached the two nuns. The younger children, wide-eyed with excitement, stared at their big siblings and caretakers. Their own bodies had felt stronger ever since they started eating Brother Kit’s food a week ago.

    Brother Kit was amazing. The younger children could feel his warmth and clung to him whenever they had the chance. Even the smallest bit of comfort he offered made them sleep soundly and brought them peace.

    While the little ones surrounded their favorite big brother, the nuns engaged in a serious discussion with James and Anna.

    "Those mushrooms aren’t ordinary… I can feel the healing power the God of Light blessed me with growing stronger. It’s not enough to elevate my level, but it’s significant." Sister Lisa stared at the radiant white light glowing from her wrinkled hand with wonder.

    "Is it the mushrooms, or is it Kit’s cooking? He might have received a blessing from the God of Fire, who loves cooking, according to the ancient texts. It could even be a high-level blessing." Sister Anne knew that those mushrooms were not magical, so she turned her attention to the one who cooked. Though the blessings of elemental gods had long since disappeared, the nuns couldn’t help but imagine the possibility.

    "Can we check somehow? I’m worried... if outsiders find out, Kit might be in danger."

    "Mother, I’m worried about him too."

    Though they were orphans, they knew very well how cruel the outside world could be. The more Kit revealed his abilities, the more anxious they became. This boy seemed too pure and innocent.

    But that wasn’t true at all. The soul inside Kit was that of Mr. Kluay Khai, who had lived through many experiences and could easily judge who was trustworthy. He didn’t want to hide his abilities from his new, loving family. However, with outsiders, it was a different story.

    "Don’t worry, Kit is much smarter than you think. I’m confident he’ll be fine. No need to worry, Anna." Hearing that, the eldest sister of the group nodded in understanding. James and Anna returned to playing with the younger children as usual.

    The warm atmosphere inside Redwood Village orphanage stood in stark contrast to the biting cold outside.

    .....

    Two days later, Kit and James made the most of their free time for everyone’s benefit. The resources around the edge of the forest were thoroughly explored. The pine forest and surrounding trees provided more food than they had expected.

    There were still many mushroom patches scattered throughout the forest edge. Garlic and onions were harvested, cleaned, and left to dry for storage. Another piece of good news was that Kit discovered a large, abundant patch of wild sweet potatoes. The tubers in autumn were so big that some were larger than his own skinny arm. Gathering them became quite a task, as James had to run back and forth to fetch additional cloth sacks.

    Kit beamed with joy. The sheer quantity of tubers would be enough to feed everyone for nearly two months. It was an incredible stroke of luck that he happened to spot a dried vine and pulled it out of curiosity. His mind raced as he tried to make sense of this strange world’s ecosystem.

    Tubers were indeed a common plant, but they typically thrived in tropical and temperate climates. According to the knowledge from his previous life, they shouldn’t exist in this region. Yet many tropical plants seemed to be growing here. The large tuber James broke open had fine, white flesh and a fragrant aroma… It wasn’t a plant Kit recognized, but James insisted it was a type of sweet potato—it seemed that this big brother had eaten it before.

    The half-hour journey back and forth left the two brothers panting with exhaustion. But the sight of the storage room, now nearly full to the brim, gave them a sense of relief. The harsh winter ahead wouldn’t be as brutal as the previous year.

    "Thank you so much, Kit," James said with deep gratitude. "Ever since you came to stay with us, everyone has been much happier. This year, none of the kids will starve and fall ill to death before their time."

    "T…To death before their time?"

    "Yes… I’ve been here for four years. At the end of every winter, we always have to dig graves for two or three of the little ones," James said softly, seeing the confused look on his younger brother’s face. "It’s just how things are. Winters here last for four months. The third month always brings severe storms, so our food runs out quickly. Most people starve during the fourth month..."

    James continued recounting his experiences. In short, health care and self-preservation during the winter in this region were highly inadequate. It wasn’t just the orphanage that saw weak lives lost during that time; even villagers and residents of large cities weren’t spared.

    They had to thank God and pray before winter began, placing their hopes in the divine to help them survive the harsh forces of nature. Then, they would weep during the beautiful spring season as they buried the bodies of loved ones in somber funeral ceremonies.

    Upon hearing this, Kit’s experienced soul began thinking of more ways to help. Old problems had been solved, but new ones arose. The future income from selling rare mushrooms would have to be allocated to clothing or items that could keep everyone warm, rather than food. When he shared his thoughts with the nuns, they agreed immediately. They also reminded him once more to keep his abilities a secret—a warning Kit took seriously, understanding that there were likely many dark reasons behind their caution that they preferred not to discuss.

    The hardships from his previous world were different from those he would face here, but he believed he could handle them.

    .....

    The Thanksgiving Day for the gods at Redwood Village was bustling with nearly a hundred visitors—many of whom the children had never seen before.

    Villagers began arriving at the church late in the morning. Since the White Wings religion, dedicated to the God of Light, served as a bridge for humanity’s prayers to all the other gods, people from different beliefs had come to join in the prayer service.

    "May the gods bless you, Sister," said an elderly woman, handing Sister Anne a small cloth bag containing a few copper coins and several pieces of dried meat. "May you and the children make it safely through the winter."

    "I brought some donations as well. It’s not much, but may the gods bless you, Sister Anne."

    "Here’s some animal fat I stored at the end of summer. Please accept it."

    Most of the villagers brought small gifts to support the church before joining the prayer. It was one of the reasons this community managed to survive together without major issues. However…among the crowd, there were still a few who looked on with disdain and envy.

    These individuals were few in number but held more power than anyone else in the village. They were part of the Chopper family, whose patriarch served as the village chief and wielded ultimate authority in this remote settlement.

    "Hmph, still as efficient a parasite as ever, Sister Anne," a middle-aged man’s voice rang out, causing the villagers to part and clear a path for him. "With donations this plentiful, it must feel like you’re living like a city lord."

    "Greetings, Mr. Gray. May the gods bless you." Sister Anne suppressed her simmering anger with an impeccable display of composure. Her elderly face beamed with genuine warmth, earning her a mental ten-out-of-ten for acting from Kit’s perspective.

    "By tradition, as the village chief, I’m obliged to collect a portion of these goods as tax. Surely, you don’t have a problem with that, do you, Sister?" Mr. Gray’s greedy eyes gleamed at the pile of donations for the church and orphanage. The villagers clenched their teeth in frustration, powerless to intervene, as the guards accompanying that wretch Gray were seasoned warriors.

    "One-tenth… hmm… or perhaps one-fifth would be better." His smug expression sending chills down the children’s spines. "The God of Prophecy have predicted that this winter will be harsher than ever. For the survival of the village, I’ll collect one-fifth of the donations."

    The so-called one-fifth was anything but proportional. The guards took only the coins, every piece of meat, and all the medicinal herbs meant to treat colds that the villagers had gathered. The children and even Sister Lisa clenched their fists in silent rage.

    "You snake..." James gritted his teeth, trembling with barely restrained fury. His rising emotions threatened to spiral out of control, but a smaller hand rested gently on his shoulder, stopping him.

    Kit read the situation better than his hot-headed brother. Slowly, he shook his head, silently urging James not to act rashly.

    Mr. Gray was the same kind of vile scum that Kit had encountered countless times in his previous life.

    Trash like him… was harder to deal with and was more resistant than even the most resilient cockroach.