Chapter 12: Fanny

After checking on her sister’s recent situation, Fanny prepared to bring her little sister home. First, she had to inform the orphanage director and pay a care fee.

Since Sister Anri was well aware of Fanny’s circumstances, under her special instructions, the orphanage director only charged a small fee and allowed Fanny to take Lillica home.

Holding Fanny’s hand, Lillica was bubbling with excitement the whole way.

With Anri leading the way, the three of them arrived at the church entrance.

As they parted ways, Fanny gratefully said.

“Sister Anri, thank you so much. Because of you, I was able to complete the commission without worry.”

“Think nothing of it.”

“Lillica.” 

Fanny gave her sister’s hand a gentle shake.

“Say goodbye to Sister Anri.”

Lillica nodded, waved her little hand, and said sweetly. 

“Goodbye, Sister Anri!”

Anri returned the wave with a soft smile.

“Goodbye. Be careful on the way home!”

After saying their goodbyes, Fanny took her sister along a less-traveled side path instead of the main street filled with vendor stalls.

She did this to avoid Lillica spotting anything she liked and begging her to buy it. Fanny knew she wouldn’t be able to resist her sister’s pleading and would end up giving in—only to regret it deeply afterward.

Their home was located in a dingy, damp alley in the northern part of Eastern Fortress. The place reeked and the conditions were terrible.

As they walked, Fanny reflected on her life up to this point. Sorrow welled up inside her, and she let out a deep sigh.

“Sigh—”

“What’s wrong, Sis?” 

Lillica looked up at her, sensing something was off.

“It’s nothing.” 

Fanny forced a second smile. 

“Let’s walk a bit faster and get home.”

“Okay.”

The two picked up their pace slightly.

Fanny hadn’t come from a poor background. Her parents were small merchants, traveling from town to town to earn profit by reselling goods. Although not wealthy, they had managed to save up some assets over the years.

When Lillica was just born and Fanny was around ten years old, it was discovered that she had considerable magic potential, enough to qualify as a mage. Her parents were overjoyed. Though they couldn’t afford a prestigious magic academy, they were able to send her to a more affordable adventurer academy for magic training.

However, before she could finish her studies, tragedy struck. While traveling to a small village, her parents were attacked by bandits. The outcome was grim. Only Lillica, who had been hidden in a secret compartment of the carriage, survived. She was found and rescued by city guards.

After that, a man claiming to be a distant relative took them in.

That “relative” was a vile person. Not only did he embezzle all of Fanny’s parents’ savings, but he also cut off her access to the adventurer academy. He forced her to do all sorts of dirty and exhausting chores at home. When he was in a bad mood, he would beat and curse her.

For the sake of her younger sister, Fanny endured it all silently. Otherwise, she would have run away long ago—why stay and suffer?

Then, two years ago, the man fell deep into gambling debt. One night, debt collectors came to the house again. This time, however, they sat around the table having a calm discussion.

That unusual calmness alarmed Fanny. She hid behind a door to eavesdrop—and what she heard left her stunned: the “relative” planned to sell both Fanny and Lillica to a black-market underground organization to repay his debts.

That organization specialized in human trafficking, offering women to nobles and wealthy clients to fulfill their twisted desires.

Even more horrifying, that despicable man nervously asked the debt collector whether the organization would pay for Lillica—after all, she was only four years old.

The creditor sneered and replied.

“Of course someone will buy her—there’s demand. There are just people this twisted in the world.”

Behind the door, Fanny was trembling with rage. She couldn’t stay here any longer. Quietly, she slipped away, returned to the room, woke up her sister, and they climbed out the window and fled.

On the run, they suffered all kinds of hardships before finally settling in the Dongsheng Fortress. Relying on her innate magic talent and the bit of magic she had learned at the Adventurers’ Academy, Fanny successfully registered as an adventurer.

To this day, as an adventurer, no team dares invite Vannie anymore—she could barely scrape by in Dongsheng Fortress.

Maybe she was never suited to be a mage at all, Vannie thought.

At first, she had become an adventurer as a mage to live up to her parents’ expectations. But now, she was forced to consider other ways to make money. Her little sister was still young—she couldn’t keep dragging her through this kind of life.

While lost in thought about their future, Fanny unknowingly arrived with Lilica in front of a small wooden cabin.

This small, very rundown cabin was their home. It leaked when it rained, and it was barely livable if they squeezed together. Still, the rent was cheap, which made up for the poor conditions.

Right now, the cabin door stood wide open, and the lock was long gone. Vannie’s expression changed drastically when she saw a pile of clutter at the entrance.

Just as she was about to go inside, someone stepped out—it was a flamboyantly dressed middle-aged woman holding a smoking pipe.

She exhaled a puff of smoke and looked at Fanny with a stern face, speaking in displeasure:

“Well, look who came crawling back. I thought you’d already died out there.”

“My sister would never die—she’s a great mage!” 

Lilica stepped forward and retorted loudly.

“Lilica.”

Knowing this woman was not to be messed with, Fanny quickly pulled her sister back and whispered.

“Listen to your sister. Don’t say a word, okay?”

Lilica nodded slightly, and only then did Fanny lift her head to face the woman at the door.

“Haha, Madam Diana, what brings you to my house?”

“Your house?” 

Diana sneered. 

“You’re five months behind on rent and still think this place is yours?”

“I just got paid at the guild. I’ve got the money now—I’ll pay the overdue rent right away.”

As she spoke, Fanny quickly pulled a pouch of coins from her clothes, but before she could hand it over, Diana snatched it from her.

“Let me take a look.”

Opening the pouch and glancing inside, Diana immediately looked disgusted.

“This little bit? It’s not even close to covering five months’ rent.”

“Please, just give me a bit more time. I promise I’ll pay all the overdue rent in a few days.”

This was the second time today Fanny had to beg someone. If they lost their home, she and her sister would be out on the streets again.

“More leniency? It’s not like I haven’t given you chances. But you can’t keep testing my patience over and over.”

Diana took a puff of smoke, then added.

“I’m reclaiming this house. I’ll get someone to fix it up, raise the rent, and lease it to someone else.”

“Madam Diana, could you please give me one last chance? I swear I’ll never fall behind on rent again.”

Fanny continued to plead, even swearing an oath, hoping Diana would reconsider.

She was just about ready to drop to her knees and beg—but with her little sister watching, she wanted to hold on to the last shred of her dignity.

“No.” 

Diana rejected her coldly, not giving her the slightest bit of leeway.

She then took most of the copper coins from the pouch, leaving just five behind, and tossed the pouch back to Fanny.

“Don’t say I’m heartless. I left you five coins. I’ll let the rest of the debt go.”

With that, Diana turned around, shut the cabin door, and locked it with a brand new lock.

“I’ve reclaimed the house. Go wherever you want.”

Throwing down those words, she walked away without a second glance.

Fanny stood frozen in place, staring as Diana’s figure faded into the distance. They had lost even their home now—where could they possibly go next?

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