The girl opened her eyes.
The first thing that came into view was the creaking and swaying caravan. The cold wind blew in through the hole, causing the girl to curl up.
She instinctively hugged her arms and touched her own arms.
However, it did not have the slightest effect of driving away the cold.
She was also only wearing a tattered linen shirt. The entire carriage was cold and small. On the surface, it looked no different from a large box, except that it was covered with a rag to keep out the rain.
In this narrow and dark space, there were several children squeezed together. They were not very old, but they did not have the liveliness of ordinary children. On the contrary, if one looked closely, they would find that there was not a trace of expression on their faces. They were numb like the dead.
However, even they were far away from the girl. They would rather squeeze together than get too close to the girl.
This was not out of gentlemanly spirit, but out of disgust.
Unlike on Earth, on the Klein Continent, children born with disabilities were very unpopular and even hated. This was not just for survival reasons, but for a deeper reason.
In the epic of creation, it was recorded that the gods had left and left the land to their people.
They also gave their blessings. "I grant this land to you. From now on, you will walk in the wilderness. The suffering and darkness ahead will not stop your heart from pursuing the light.
I will bless the souls of the mortal world with a strong body, an unyielding heart, and a spark of wisdom, to form the name of the kingdom of heaven and earth. "
Because of this, people on the Klein Continent generally believed that children born with disabilities were lives abandoned by the gods. As a result, various speculations and fears gradually spread.
Then, in the eyes of the people, not only were the children born with disabilities not blessed by the gods, but they were even the incarnation of disaster.
They were abandoned by the gods and were not loved by their parents.
In fact, many disabled babies were abandoned or even killed soon after they were born.
Only a few were spared, and Irene was one of them.
When Irene was born, she was abandoned by her parents and then sent to an orphanage by a kind-hearted person to be raised.
But when she grew up, she found that she couldn't speak at all. She also realized this, so the people in the orphanage naturally didn't treat her well.
Whether it was the orphans who were also adopted by the orphanage or the adults, they all beat and scolded her. To them, the forsaken ones were cursed people, just like the filth that released poisonous gas. Just being with her made people feel angry and unbearable.
Under such circumstances, Irene's life in the orphanage was not easy. She did the dirtiest, most tiring, and most bitter work, but she could only eat a little leftover food that was poured into the dustbin every day. She lived in the coldest and most damp place in the warehouse.
He was so skinny that he could almost be considered a bag of bones.
Moreover, the resources in the orphanage were poor. Everyone had to work hard to survive, but Irene was the only one who was not liked by anyone. Whether it was an orphan or an adult, Irene was an absolute anomaly. They didn't even think that she was a person.
But Irene never thought that her fate would change one day.
She didn't know where these people were taking her, but she vaguely heard that she would be sent to another orphanage facility, which was rare.
On the Klein Continent, adopting orphans was also a laborious and unrewarding thing.
In fact, many orphanages were not so much raising children, but they were raising slaves.
By adopting orphans, these facilities could receive a sum of money from the city manager every year, which would support them in raising the children.
When these children reached the age of 12 or 13, they would be sold as cheap labor to cobblers, laundrymen, or other industries that hoped to get apprenticeships and workers, and then collect a large sum of money.
Irene was now nine years old, but she was still a few years away from the age of being sold, and she knew very well that she had nowhere to go.
Even in the red light district, there was no place for her, because even those men who had always been dissolute would never touch a dirty, cursed forsaken one.
Not to mention giving her for free, they wouldn't even accept the change.
If it weren't for the heavy punishment of murder and the fact that ordinary civilians didn't dare to break the law, perhaps Irene would have died in some unknown corner.
But shortly after, she would find out the answer.
The carriage came to a halt slowly. Shortly after, the tarp was pulled away and a fierce-looking man approached, glaring at Irene.
"Get out of here!
Bitch! "
Upon hearing the coachman's words, Irene climbed to her feet slowly and walked out of the carriage.
Along the way, the other children couldn't help but open up a path for her.
When the young lady reached the chariot, she suddenly felt someone kicking her from the back. At the next moment, the young lady flew off the chariot and crashed to the ground.
Her face smashed onto the ground and blood gushed out instantly.
Behind her, a burst of laughter could be heard.
"Get up, you piece of trash."
The coachman gazed at the group of orphans and didn't care about their actions at all. On the contrary, he kicked Irene hard and gestured for her to stand up. Then, he brought the little girl to the entrance of the monastery.
And at this moment, in front of the heavy and tall door, there was already a young girl in a maid costume waiting for their arrival.
"This is the one we agreed on."
The coachman nodded to Irene and said.
Upon hearing his words, the maid nodded and gazed at the little girl. After noticing the scratches on her face, she couldn't help but knit her brows.
"What happened to her face?"
"She just fell when she got off the carriage. It's nothing serious. Alright, Miss, as promised …"
"Of course."
The maid nodded. Then, she took out five silver coins from her purse and handed it to the coachman. The coachman revealed a satisfied smile after receiving the silver coins.
Then, he imitated the nobles and bent down to the girl in front of him.
"Thank you for your patronage, Miss. I wish you a wonderful day. I shall take my leave now."
During this process, Irene lowered her head and gazed at the floor beside her feet.
After the coachman left, the little girl lifted her head and carefully looked at the maid in front of her. Then, the little girl widened her eyes in shock.
So beautiful …
This was the first impression that appeared in her mind when she saw him.
Her beautiful golden hair that reflected the sun's radiance, her snow-white skin, and her exquisite, doll-like facial features made the girl in front of him very eye-catching.
Irene finally understood why the coachman, who was always mean to everyone, showed such an expression when he saw the young lady.
Oh, God. She had once sneaked a peek at the ritual held in the city and those noble ladies were considered unreachable celebrities to her.
Irene used to think that she was the most beautiful person in the world, but compared to this big sister in front of her, they were like toads and swans.
At this moment, the maid also noticed Irene's gaze and lowered her head to look at her.
Upon sensing her gaze, the little girl lowered her head and stared at the floor without moving an inch.
Based on her experience, if Master Rhode were to realize that she dared to stare at the maid, he would surely beat her up.
But this time, Irene didn't receive the wooden plank that she had imagined. Instead, she felt a soft hand caressing her hair.
The little girl lifted her head in shock and widened her eyes in disbelief. Ever since she could remember, Irene couldn't remember anyone treating her like this.
She even felt a little frightened and panicked by this plot, because she didn't know what it meant at all.
But at the next moment, the crisp, beautiful voice calmed the little girl's fear.
"You're Irene, right?"
"…"
Eirinn nodded in response to his question. The fear she felt after coming to a new environment had lessened significantly.
No matter what, the people here seemed much better than the ones she had met before.
Seeing her nod, the maid also smiled.
"Hi, Irene. I'm Ling Lan.
I think we'll be living together for a long time in the future. I hope you like your new life … "
Ling Lan scanned the little girl from head to toe.
She had to admit that there wasn't anything unusual about this little girl. She could even be described as a scrawny child who was more pitiful than others.
Not only that, but because of what happened to her, the girl's clothes were filthy, her hair was disheveled like a bird's nest, her body and face were covered in dirt and black mud, and her whole body emitted a sour smell.
Eirinn was also aware of this fact, which was why she couldn't help but shrink her body when she saw Ling Lan sizing her up. She knew that it would be blasphemy for her to stand before this beautiful young lady in her current state.
However, Ling Lan didn't seem to mind. She sized up Irene quietly and nodded before turning to the little girl with a smile.
"Alright then, Irene, please follow me. This will be your home from now on."
After saying this, Ling Lan stretched out her right hand.
Irene gazed at the fair, tender palm and hesitantly placed her filthy little hand on it. Then, she allowed Ling Lan to lead her into the thick, heavy door of the monastery.
The little girl didn't expect that the moment she stepped into the door, her future life would undergo earth-shaking changes.