Old Rusty Papers

In the small building,

Lia sat in front of the window with a cup of tea in her hands. She was looking in the distance where a red building stood.

It was the office building of the Redcliff orphanage. She placed the cup back on the table and stood up. Her gloomy eyes scanned the room for the last time.

She was wearing the clothes of a commoner. A faded gray dress with torn shoes. Her face looked dull with dark skin.

She opened the door and called the child who was sweeping the hall,

"Hey, do you know where I can find Mr Clifford?" The man looked at her up and down.

"There are many stores around the inn. But if you are looking for work, it would be best to ask for a jewelry store. Why do you want to ask Mr. Clifford when you already know that he is a grumpy man?" Joan wiped his hands from his clothes and looked at her with a sigh.

"This building is indeed large. But it is an orphanage. we did not have much income and they would not be able to pay much. I could even pay better than them." he smirked, making her laugh.

"Thank you, child. I will remember that." She walked away but Joan still stared at her with pity in his eyes.

Lia nodded and smiled at many kids who were either working like Joan or studying hard to assist in the accounting department later.

She waited for a moment and then knocked at the opened door before entering.

"Excuse me, Mr Clifford. Did you think about giving me a job?" she asked in a soft voice when the man frowned.

"Child, there must be many jobs vacant here but we only take charity. We did not offer good pay," he warned but she still smiled.

"I know, I understand. But I am an educated person and I have been offered food here. I will help you in accounting or calculating or arranging the kids' documents." her pleading voice made the man sigh.

He waved his hands and let her enter.

"Look, child. We are stern when it comes to work. Most of the work is performed by kids here or in charity." he warned again but his eyes softened when she looked at him with doe eyes.

"Why don't you assist me in arranging these documents and I will think about your job." She finally smiled and helped the man.

They were arranging the documents of the kids enrolled in the last three years.

Her eyes scanned the document room while arranging the documents when she frowned.

"We do not have an adoption record of many of them except the red letter." The man adjusted the glasses on his face and checked the letter she was talking about and laughed.

"Oh, dear! I forgot that you did not belong here. These are not red letters but these are invitations." he smiled with pride filling his eyes, "Duke Huckleberry from the Eastern province had organized a sponsorship program. They choose ten exceptional children each year and award them by funding their education in the academy.

They were taught law, commerce, and art and even offered a job if they performed well. Many of them settle there and send money letters.

Thanks to them, we never had trouble with funding despite the low charity recently. We often send a part of it as gifts to the duke to show our gratitude. Though he returned most of it to our students.

But still, every child here hopes for this privilege rather than adoption." her eyes warmed at the thought.

She read the letter and tried to remember the man but the name did not click on her. How could she not know the family of the duke?

"Lia, it is already lunchtime. We would arrange the rest later." he dusted his hands with his shirt and stood up.

"Oh, I just had a cup of tea before coming here. Joan was kind to offer me some. I am not hungry anymore." She stood up, placing the file back.

"But you would not like it if I sat here alone. Haha." she laughed awkwardly when the man paused.

Indeed he was reluctant to leave a stranger in his office. They knew nothing about her except she was a traveler and her bags were stolen when she visited here.

She is working in a field nearby. But help them in her free time since they had given her a place to stay.

But looking at her embarrassing smile, his face softens.

"Why? This rusty office had nothing special that I needed to protect except the information of kids which we provide to every couple coming for adoption." he laughed, though his eyes looked at her warily but he shook his head.

"Shall I send someone for help?" she nodded at once.

"That would be nice. Maybe I can teach them what I have learned from you." he smiled and nodded and walked out of the room leaving the door open behind him when she sat taking a breath of relief.

She knew that the last question was a test. If she had hesitated even for a second, he would have realized that she had ulterior motives.

She stood up and flipped the pages of kids adopted ten years ago. That was the time when Mike had left the orphanage.

If she could find who had taken him away. Maybe she would find out who is backing him.

The records were arranged carefully with years written on the black embossed book in red letters so that they could be easily found.

It took her only a few minutes when she reached the needed year but it had ten large books of records.

And before she could pick up first, the door cracked and a young girl entered the room.

"Mr. Clifford told me that you need help in arranging books."