Anciel was finished with his part and went to help Ezel with hers. She didn't complain as it took a lot of time and to tell the truth she was a bit exhausted already.

“Thanks,” she said and took a minute to sit down by Tina, rocking the cradle gently. He had to concentrate and was holding the sword's hilt in front of his closed eyes before every swing, but the grass went down so quickly and in a such large area that she just had to admit he was doing it way quicker than her.

“Can I try it now?” she asked him.

“........” he just stood there.

 “There's no way that rusty thing is anything special. I bet you are a nomad.”

So what if I am?, Anciel took a defensive approach, but soon noticed Ezel meant to malice with her notion; “Here, I'll show you,” he finally said.

He then stabbed the blade into the ground and crouched into some leftover high grass.

Ezel watched him with interest.

Putting two fingers in front of him just as with the sword and after focusing for a bit, he swung his arm in an arc.

The grass fell as if cut by something.

Ezel stopped lulling Tina, impressed by what she has just seen. The child in turn started sniveling and complaining, flailing around her small arms.

“Dinner is almost ready!” Inala’s voice could be heard and so they went inside carrying Tina with them.

Anciel was just bringing the cradle through the door when an aroma hit him so hard he barely held back the tears. It was the smell of freshly baked bread Inala was carrying to the table and putting among other kinds of food. There were tomatoes, paprika, eggs, and even cheese.

He sat down as fast as he could among all the other kids, all of them ready to start at any given time. But as Inala joined them, he noticed an empty seat, “Label and Marco haven't returned yet?” he looked at Inala.

“It's typical for Label to get me worried you see. But to drag the poor Marco with him..” she sighed.

Ezel was sitting next to him and she put a consoling hand on his shoulder, “It should be ok, they were with mister Luk today. Don't worry now or you'll be left hungry,” as she started grabbing everything just like the others did.

“Come on children, show our new family member how you all can get along and share everything properly. Leave some for your brothers, they are bringing tomorrow's lunch, after all,” and so everybody slowed down and ate properly.

Anciel noticed there was no prayer before they started, not that he minded, but was just peculiar for a household in these parts and especially an orphanage. He figured it must have to do something with Label's name, but he didn't find it appropriate to ask anybody else about it rather than him.

Just before they were finished and Inala already started washing the dishes, Anciel helping to bring stuff from the table to her, someone knocked on the door. “I'll get it,” Ezel swallowed her last bite and jumped from the chair.

Be a careful dear and ask who it—”

“Iaaaaah!!” Ezel's scream cut off Inala and she dropped a plate.

“What's wrong?” she hurried to the door, but Anciel passed by her quickly with a kitchen knife in hand.

They saw Ezel on her behind going backward and shaking her head, “D-don't come near me!!!”

Anciel jumped over her, the knife held backward and arms crossed in front of his assessing stare.

On the other side of the door was a very tall person in a white cape worn over a set of light armor. The boy could barely see the face, but given he was shorter, he somehow caught it from beneath the man's hood.

Anciel's eyes widened as he realized, the man wasn't a man at all.

It was an animal.

Some sort of an unfamiliar cat was standing straight, just like a human, and looked down on him with its yellow eyes. Inala helped Ezel up and hid her behind her skirt, “W-who are you?” she asked as politely as her trembling voice let her.

“I see I am not welcome here,” replied the cat, in a growling almost lion-like voice, deep but not as frightening as expected.

“Excuse my daughter, she does not react well to your kind. What is your business here at this hour?” Inala questioned him with motherly protection in her face and voice.

“I merely offer services in exchange for food and shelter.”

“What kind of services?” Inala wanted to solve this as quickly as possible, but find out as much as she can. She couldn't just let him leave and then worry endlessly if maybe they will stalk the orphanage later.

“I assure you I mean no harm. I just came upon some rumors circling the village, that in this residence lives a young human with some extraordinary gifts uncommon to these parts and thought merely to help him hone those rare gifts further,” the tall beast opened his arms in a sign of goodwill, but when Anciel noticed his claws, he immediately stepped back into a ready stance.

“We don't need your help and are doing just fine, thank you. Could you please be on your way now? My children are afraid of orgriash,” the mother insisted.

“Unfortunately, I myself noticed that the good relationships between our kinds are withering. Very well. Rest assured I won't bother you again, fair humans.” He looked at Anciel for a moment and then turned around to leave.

As he did, the boy noticed on the beast's back the most enormous sword he has ever seen in his short life. The blade was so wide the beast wasn't even visible from behind.

“Wait!” the boy grabbed his dinner plate and a glass of water.

As he was heading outside, Inala grabbed him on the shoulder.

“No. Stay inside. He could be dangerous.”

“He looks stronger than all of us. If he wanted to hurt us, I'm sure he would have already done so. And besides... he didn't steal our chickens or threaten us... he knocked on the door.”

She still didn’t let go of him, but Anciel continued.

“I know how it is to be different. I can't let him go hungry just because of that.”

Inala's eyes softened as she finally let go.

She sent the others upstairs and returned to watch over the boy from the safety of the windmill's entrance.

 The black-haired boy sat down on the small stone fence, right next to the cat. He noticed the sword leaning on the rocks.

“The Zehnhander. You find it fascinating I see,” the large beast's whiskers smiled. “Yes..” the boy replied, not sure what he wanted to talk about in the first place.

“Give my apologies to your mother and sister. I did not mean to strike fear into your humble home.”

“Please, take this. It's not much,” the boy offered the plate and a glass of water.

“Hmm.... vegetables. I see you do not know the first thing about my kind. What I was really hoping for was some fish. Hahaha.” he laughed but munched up the food.

Anciel chuckled at that statement; “He-he, sorry,” he then remembered he was originally supposed to go with Label to learn fishing and would have maybe already returned with some fish to offer to this peculiar guest. Where were Label and Marco?

“I see you have your own troubles,” he was ready to grab the huge chunk of metal.

“You are an orgriash, right?” the curious boy stopped him.

“Indeed I am. But I was once more than that,” his big cat eyes were full of stars as he looked towards the clear night sky, “I make my leave for Wasserstadt next. If we meet again, I will tell you all you want to know and maybe more,” he looked the boy in the eyes; “Farewell.”

Just as the tall orgriash stood up, he noticed a small boy and a young girl with long white hair adorned with two long decorative needles.

She was dressed in a large black kimono; an attire of choice for those from Toukoku.  A mask covering her face looked like a fox.

“Marco?” Anciel hurried to take over as he recognized Marco who was only supported by the small girl’s shoulder. He looked scared and like he was recently crying.

Anciel got stopped by the large paw holding his wrist; “Wait. She’s not what she seems,” he told the boy while keeping his eyes on the girl.