My mom always told me that one should always help one another and that good things will happen if you do. "Kindness works in both ways, both you and the person you are helping will be happy" she said.

I have done a good thing, I cured a little girl of her illness that could have been fatal if left alone. That's a nice thing to do, right? But I didn't think it would go this far...

"Ruth-sama, Ruth-sama do you want to play?"

"Ruth-sama, you have really smooth hair!"

"Ruth-sama, you are so pretty!"

"Ruth-sama, Ruth-sama, Ruth-sama, Ruth-sama-!"

Ugh, I am starting to regret my decision... I happy that I saved her, it's not that, it's just... SHE'S SO ANNOYING! Ok, I get it, I get it. She's happy and grateful that I saved her but she's been clinging on me non stop ever since then. It was cute in the beginning but now it's just a pain in the neck.

And her brother, Ace, is not helping at all. He's just happy that she is fine now. Standing nearby and smiling while watching us. Hey! Can't you see that she's going to far!? Help me!

Sigh, why do I have to be so kind? Well, at least she's got an even kinder brother to look after her. But really, the way we met... In a back alley, him trying to mug me in order to save his sick little sister... It's just... So cliche. And then he just happened to meet a kind stranger (in this case, me) that just happened to know healing magic and that saved his sister, making his cold heart beat once again. It's such an overdone backstory.

Why do everyone I befriend have such dramatic backstories? First the illegitimate child of the king and then the protective orphan brother. What's next? Wait, don't answer me. I want it to surprise me.

"Ruth-sama, is something wrong?" Linali asks me with a worried face. Ugh, stop being so cute, it makes it harder to be mad at you.

"Ah, nothing. I was just thinking" I answer with a smile. Keep it up me, you can do this. But really, Linali sure is pretty. That worries me. If she was a noble then surely she would get pampered but as a homeless girl... Beauty can be a curse just as much as it can be a blessing. It's all depending on your surrounding.

I am worried that someone will try to take advantage because she doesn't have a guardian that can protect her. Ace can't protect her all the time either...

If she had more mana then maybe I could teach her a spell so that she could defend herself but her MP is so low, it's just 20! One spell and she would faint! Ace's is higher on 54 but compared to mine it's nothing If only she had a place where she could be safe... Wait a minute, what about...?

"Excuse me Ace, but I have a question. Why do you not live in an orphanage? Wouldn't that be easier?". Ace and Linali stare at me with confused expressions.

"Ruth-sama, what's an orphanage?" Linali asks. Wait, stop. Are you telling me... there are no orphanages in this world!? Then were do all the children that have lost their parents and homes go!?

"An orphanage is a place where children without homes can live until they are adopted or are old enough to work" I try to explain, thinking that maybe they don't use the world orphanage.

"I have never heard of that kind of place" Ace comments, crushing my hopes.

"B-but where do all the homeless children go?". Ace looks down into the ground, clenching his hands.

"If your parents die then you will be handed over to your next of kin but if they don't want you... Some are lucky and can becomes servants or the apprentice of some blacksmith but most of us aren't... Sometimes the church picks you up but you need to be talented in magic for them to do so".

So that means... those without luck have to live on the street for the rest of their lives? That's unfair! It's not right! Something has to be done! Maybe I can talk with Gret about it? He's very compassionate and I can imagine that he wants to help the children.

"Hey Ace-" I say but are immediately cut short by the loud and echoing sound of a bell. "What's that?" I ask and turn around towards the siblings. Their faces are pale and they are clinging onto each other. "What's wrong?"

"I-It's the alarm bell!" Ace shouts. Don't shout, I'm right here. Wait, did he say alarm bell?

"B-big brother..." Linali whimpers.

"What's an alarm bell?" I ask.

"It warns us if enemies are attacking! B-but it hasn't rung in 10 years...". Oho. Enemies attacking, that can only mean one thing... the Lich king is here. Crap.

"We need to get to shelter! Follow me!" Ace shouts while grabbing my and Linalis hands. I force myself out of his grip. "What are you doing!? We gotta go!"

"I'm afraid I can't follow you" I say calmly. And don't just grab me like that. It hurt.

"And why is that!?" Ace shouts out of rage and fear. I pull out my adventurer badge and shove it to him. For a second he just stands there with a confused look on his face. "Th-that is..." he mumbles.

"Yes, despite my seemingly frail body, I am an adventurer and therefore I have to help defend this city". And I don't want you around me while I fight, you would only distract me.

"B-but you can't!" Linali suddenly shout. "You will get hurt and what if you d-d... WHAT IF YOU DIE!?". Linali then runs forward and hugs me. "I-I don't want you to die..." she sobs.

Geez we have only known each other for less then two hours... But your crying face is so cute. I pat Linali gently on the head on crouch down so that I'm at her eye level. Time to activate cliche-hero mode.

"I'm not going to die" I say. Cringe, cringe, cringe.

"H-h-how can you know that?"

"Because I promise, and I never break a promise. So please trust in me, Ok?". Kill me now please! Linali sobs but then she wipes her eyes and looks me straight in my eye.

"I-I trust you! S-so you better come back alive!"

"That's the plan. Now go to that shelter so that I can prove it". SOOOOOOOO CLICHEEEEE! It hurts just saying it!

"Take care" Ace says, looking more determined. "I will not forgive you if you die".

"Yeah, yeah, focus of looking out of your sister" I say teasingly before I head out the shed and start running towards the gate.

------------------------------------------------------------

I arrive after 7 minutes of intense running and evading panicking folk masses on the way. I think it's a new record.

When I arrive at the gate there's a folk mass surrounding it. I recognize some of the people as adventurers from the guild. The rest are city guards. Where are the church guys? Did they get lost?

I summon Rowan and Morgana to be with me. It feels safer this way. Morgana morphs into a necklace in order to not frighten the soldiers around us.

"Ruth!" a familiar voice suddenly shout. I turn around and see Philomena, dressed in crimson armor, waving at me, prompting me to approach her.

"How bad is it?" I ask.

"The scouts reported an army of at least 300 000 undead approaching us. Most of them are small fry like zombies and skeletons but a lot of high shots too".

"Any wraith dames?".

"None that they could see but they could have been further back".

"... And the Lich king?"

"Nothing. Probably won't show up".

"Why?"

"They prefer letting their servants do their battles. Cowards. But if a strong opponent appears then they might engage in the battle". We stand there, silent for a while. I can feel the fear in the air. Then... a sound. A scream so terrifying that it makes your gut turn inside out. This scream is followed by more screams, all just as bone chilling.

The battle outside the gates have started. Some of the soldiers inside start to pray.

"Creshna, beloved mother of the light, justice and everything good in this world, protect me in battle, give my feet wings and make my blade sharp. Disperse the madness and darkness that lies before me and bless me with your light..." and so on.

"Are the people from the church outside?" I whisper to Philomena. I don't know why I'm whispering.

"Yes, they are on the frontline, leading the troops. Hopefully they-" Philomena says before suddenly going quiet.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what? It's... quiet" I say, understanding what she meant. The battle outside the gate is over. People start to mumble with each other

"I-is it done?" one of the soldiers asks. "D-did we win?"

Suddenly another shout can be heard and at that moment everyone realizes that we are the last line of defense. Everyone readies their weapons and I bring out my grimoire.

A loud can then be heard coming from the gate. Then another one, and one more, again and again and again, getting louder each time.

"Ready?" Philomena asks.

"Ready" I answer.

Then the door break and hell breaks loose.