A Former Police Officer Who Died And Get A Second Life! Chapter 294: A Place to Belong

"...It seems you are getting along well with everyone. I heard people praising you for taking good care of the younger children too."

"Because I am the oldest."

"That is true. But there are people who can do it and still choose not to. So the fact that you do it by your own choice is wonderful."

Being the oldest did not an he absolutely had to help, and even if soone told him to, he could always refuse.

But before anyone even said anything, the boy acted on his own.

Qiong Xing had already thought he was a clever child, but he felt grateful toward the boy for naturally taking on the role they had hoped for.

"You... I heard that you were the one who prepared everything. So I... what are we supposed to do?"

He really was a clever child.

"...Let’s see. There is sothing I would like your help with."

"What is it?"

There were fields here, so at the very least they would not have trouble finding food.

But if things stayed like this, these children would spend the rest of their lives trapped in this place.

That was not the future Qiong Xing wanted for them.

He helped the boy down from his lap, took his hand, and headed toward the kitchen.

"You rember when we ate together at the guild before, right? This is the seasoning we used back then. It is called miso. I want all of you to make it here."

The only thing Qiong Xing could give them was a way to survive.

Whether they used it to live, or decided they hated it and chose another path, was up to them.

"I want you to make this and sell it to the rchant I contacted. Of course, I will teach you how to make it, and you can use the money however you like."

"...Why...?"

"Hm?"

The boy seed confused about why Qiong Xing would ask sothing like that of them.

"This was sothing used in my holand, but it is not sold anywhere around here. Recently, though, people I know have started realizing how delicious food made with this can be. Because of that, I need larger amounts of it, but I cannot make that much on my own."

Qiong Xing had been searching for so way the children could earn money.

Rather than sending them into town to work sowhere unfamiliar, he wanted sothing they could do here, and that was when he rembered the miso he was running low on.

For the amount his family ate little by little, the miso Qiong Xing made himself had been enough.

But recently, more people at the guild and the castle had begun eating it too, and it was disappearing much faster.

There was nowhere to buy it, and even if he made it himself, he could not produce enough.

So he thought that if the children made it and sold it, Qiong Xing would be able to buy it from them, while the children themselves would also be able to earn money.

"What about you? You do not get anything out of it."

Qiong Xing could not help but smile at the boy, who looked suspicious because it seed like only the children would benefit.

"That is true. Then how about I take twenty percent of the money earned from selling the miso? Would that be alright?"

If he awkwardly insisted that he did not need anything in return, it would probably only make the boy more suspicious.

So instead, he decided he would at least take part of the profits, and return it to the children in another form later.

"And from ti to ti, people I know may co by to buy so, so please sell it to them as well."

Thinking about the children’s safety, the captain and the others had offered to occasionally patrol the area as part of their training.

The main reason was a surprisingly personal one, which was to get their hands on miso, but if that also ensured the children’s safety and they even left at behind as gifts, then it was beneficial for everyone.

"Is that really enough?"

"It may sound simple when spoken aloud, but once you actually begin, it will be difficult. But... you are not alone anymore. You have companions now. You have a family. ...Can you still keep trying?"

Qiong Xing told him that if he wanted to stop, now was the ti.

The boy lowered his head in thought for a mont, but when he looked back up, his expression had changed into one filled with resolve.

If that was the case, then Qiong Xing would teach him everything without holding back.

"But will you promise one thing?"

"What?"

Qiong Xing knelt down so they were at eye level and gently wrapped the boy’s hands in his own.

"Do not push yourself too hard. You will have to work hard from now on, but that is different from overworking yourself. It is enough to do only what you can. You do not need to carry everything alone."

For soone who had desperately survived on his own until now, it might not be easy to understand right away.

But Qiong Xing wanted him to realize that from now on, there would be people beside him.

"There are already children here who need you. And I want you to beco even happier. So do not overdo it. If things beco too difficult, rely on soone. Anyone is fine. There is no one here who will shake your hand away."

"...Really?"

Qiong Xing nodded and tightened his grip around the boy’s hands.

Only then did the boy finally relax his entire body and, though still hesitant, slowly return the grip.

"Um... I am sorry... for hitting you."

The awkwardness of it felt incredibly adorable to Qiong Xing.

...

"Do you really want to be alone?"

The boy had thought it was ridiculous.

Not only had he thought this guy was an idiot and hated him, he had even said it aloud.