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KAORU CHAPTER 16: MASKED GIRL
One day, the Kaoru went out to buy ingredients in the market and collided with a vagrant boy.
While looking at the back of the vagrant who runs away, Kaoru put her hand in her waist.
(Oh, the pouch is gone …) (Kaoru)
Yes, that boy is a pickpocket.
Although she looks like a child, Kaoru has come to the market to buy on the market every few days.
Everyone would know from the amount of food she brought that she had reasonable money.
And since she is still a small girl, the boy doesn’t need to worry about her can run faster than him catch him.
That vagrant child was probably thinking Kaoru as a good prey.
However, Kaoru had an item box for such a time.
The real pcoket is in the item box.
The pcoket got stolen was just a dummy one pouch. And what inside is…
Kaoru slowly walked to the direction the vagrant boy ran away.
Normally, after stealing he should run to a safe place, stole the contents of the pouch and throwed the pouch away.
Even though there are people who write their names in their pouchs, no one is writing their names in the money inside.
It is so-called evident destroy. Well, soon …
Gyaa~ ah ~ (Boy)
Here it came.
When the Kaoru reached the screaming scene, there was a boy who looked about the same as Kaoru.
It was a child about 11 to 12 years old, he grabbed the right wrist with his left hand and screaming out of agony.
(T.N: Un-related but I can’t help thinking of this)
Of course, that boy is the pickpocket.
The boy’s right hand was swollen with an eerie purple.
There’s also considerable pain. Because Kaoru made such a medicine.
Looking at Kaoru’s appearance, the boy overflowing with tears like begging for help.
It can’t be helped.
Kaoru ordered the boy to take medicine and instructed him to drink.
When he took the medicine, the swelling and pain was cured.
Actually, in case that he escaped, that swelling pain would be cure naturally after a certain amount of time. After suffering considerable pain.
「If you dare to steal from God, you will be regret it, get it, Shonen?」 (Kaoru) (T.N: In case you don’s know, Shounen mean young boy/ young man)
「Er, God …?」 (Boy)
The Kaoru grinned and said.
「If you dare to go it again, next time goddess’s punishment won’t be just this degree」 (Kaoru)
「Hiii ~ii!」 (Boy)
The boy is trembling the puts his head against the ground.
Mean while Kaoru is wondering … why was he doing some something like this?
「So, why do you have to pickpocket ? … well, there’s no need to ask, is it?」 (Kaoru)
He can’t find anything to eat if he doesn’t do something like it.
「Actually, Bel’s condition is really bad …」 (Boy)
Oh, someone got sick?
「Please show me around」 (Kaoru)
「Eh…?」 (Boy)
*** Poor Area *** (slum ?)
And the Boy guides Kaoru to an abandoned shop located at the edge of the poor area.
There are totally seven boys and girls living here, where even the walls also collapsed. When Kaoru asking who are sick or bad health condition, everyone raise their hands.
Yes, of course it was all of them.
「Everyone, line up!」 (Boy)
The pickpocket boy arranges the children who are confused.
Apparently this child is the oldest. Although 12 years old may be young, but comepare to 15 years old Kaoru that was japanese, he might even look older.
「Okay, get it in order」 (Kaoru)
Kaoru distributes potions for recovering injuries and diseases and let them drink.
「Okay, please drink this again」 (Kaoru)
This time is a potion that recover the weakened internal organs and muscles, potion of nutrition improvement.
These are different from injuries and diseases, and Kaory didn’t like to  pack too much effects into one potion, so she divided them into two.
「Eh…」 (Child 1)
「My foot isn’t hurt」 (Child 2)
「My body is light!」 (Child 3)
「My heart is not painful …」 (Child 4)
The children raise their voice of surprise, one after another.
Well, I wonder what to do.
If I leaves those children as they are, they follow their old road again.
However, is it possible to take care of a large number of children when I was just a hired assistant?
If so, I will not come here from the beginning.
Didn’t I already decide what to do?
Yes, It isn’t bad to 「use this power for self-defense」, 「potions may be useful for someone for a while」and 「I want to live more freely as I like!」
It’s time to start my plan!
A girl named Nagase Kaoru lived by choosing a safe path, avoiding danger.
Well, in the end, she got a strange death due to strange reason, though.
So why should I repeat such a way of life again here?
Rules and safety, even ethics in this world are completely different from Japan?
Even though I got the goddess, but I only use it on「me myself, my family or some close friends」? And don’t get related to any other people?
Such is boring life.
Nagase Kaoru is dead. The me here has a new life, 「Kaoru」has reborn in this world. And this Kaoru was allowed to live freely by the goddess.
From now, I am not the「Japanese Nagase Kaoru」but 「Kaoru」that will live in this world as I like. I even got goddess’s seal of approval!
「Children!」 (Kaoru)
Kaoru put her hands on her waist and stretched her chest.
「I am Kaoru, a friend of the goddess Celestine, was given discretion from Celestine, I am fully enjoying this world as a human being」 (Kaoru)
Of course, there is no lie.
Children don’t seem to understand well.
「To put it simple, you can say that I love human beings like you」 (Kaoru)
Noisily.
「So I am thinking that I should give some kind of blessing to the righteous people, as I did for you just now」 (Kaoru)
At the children who have recovered from their injuries and illnesses. They started to understand the meaning of the miraculous healthy body.
They were move by tears that the goddess give them blessing, they have thought they were being abandoned by like human and being treated like rubbish.
「But it is hard to find righteous people who are really in trouble and blessing them. Because right now, I am having a human’s body.
So here is the deal, aren’t you going to help me by becoming my servant?
I will give a healthy body and food in return」 (Kaoru)
Seven children bowed down, and Kaoru got 7 servants.
And Kaoru taught the children.
Her indentity and actions are absolutely confidential.
If someone knows about it and tries to exploit the power of the goddess, the punishment will fall to the kingdom and Kaoru will return.
Even if you try to sell a secret, a bad guy will only pay for money when they listen to information, but after that you will be killed to monopolize the secret.
Kaoru has cured the children’s injuries, diseases and gives a minimum amount of food, but not everything.
They will become useless human being if Kaoru provide everything, they will need to get it with their own power.
Children who experienced miracles with their own body didn’t have the option to doubt. In order to improve their own lives, children searched for jobs like errands and chores. As they do that they will listen to various stories and gather information about 「righteous people, those who are suffering from injuries and diseases」
And the children have tried to escort the goddess.
Kaoru prepared cloaks and masks to conceal her identity.
She think that she was cool, but it was pretty bad.
A child seems to cry when sees her on the street …
And Kaoru’s goddess activities began. Smoothly.
Based on the information gathered by the children, she helped those who suffer from injury and illness. Little by little … until …
There is a certain rumor that spreads in the royal city.
It seems that the goddess will save righterous people.
She never saves those with bad heart.
You must not betray the goddess.
The eyes of the goddess are everywhere.
***Secret organization 「Home of the goddess」***
It was just a scrapped house that seven abandoned children have settled down.
「Do you want to change that name?」 (Kaoru)
「We don’t want to change!」 (Children)
Kaoru’s wish was dismissed. Even though she is a goddess.
***
Today after done with work from the workshop, Kaoru comes to the poor area … because she know the efficient way to work, she has a lot of free time. And she cooks meals for the children.
Children usually cook themselves in a coarse pot. To be honest, it isn’t taste good, so occasionally she cooks for them.
Kaoru has told the children, 「Since I am enjoying human life now, I also have keep secrets. In case people find out, remember, I’m just a kind helping girl who comes to make meals for you occasionally」
「So, the daughter of that merchant is sick, but she is rich, don’t you think that merchant」 (Kaoru)
「Even if he has money, there are injuries and diseases that can not be cured, and that person is a nice person.」 (Boy)
Pickpoc …no, because he isn’t pickpocket anymore so let’s call him by name. Emil explains.
「He occasionally cooks for the poor, but he always says「Because I am a hypocrite, I just like to enjoy myself in this way」, he is a good person, isn’t he?」(Emil)
Oh… what can I say … he is really a nice person.
***Late night. A trading house’s back door.***
Kaoru knocking on the door and a woman’s voice asking back from inside.
「…who is there?」 (Woman)
「Masked … no, no, I’m a pharmacist」 (Kaoru)
「Please, come in」 (Woman)
As expected, it’s impossible for an amateur to sneak into a big merchant house. Even we have informed them beforehand.
Even if I say inform, I merely write a letter and let a child deliever it. People can’t help but get suspicious.
However, if it is for their daughter, the parents still want to bet on that. And there’s only one visitor, and others who escorted will be watching the place. For the time being, the woman servant let that person passed through. She is a「good Tsundere」(『良いツンデレさん』であること  T.N; beat me, Author write that)
However if the visitor knows that person is just a child, they will be more skeptical.
「I’ve been informed」 (Woman)
Kaoru was guided by a woman servant, they passed through the backyard into the mansion, and went into a room.
A female servant who sees a girl with a suspicious mask and does not even show upset and announces it calmly. No, I’d rather say she is a pro. As expected, a servant of a large store.
And in that room there are a girl lying on the bed, a woman and a man sitting in the chairs and seem to be that girl’s parents and a boy who seems to be her brother. There is no guard.
Three people who saw the appearance of the kaoru entering the room were surprised at half open mouth.
When they thought that the goddess was coming and the one coming is a girl with a dubious mask. It can’t be help that they are surprised.
When looking at the people in the room, Kaoru raises her voice.
「What? Merchant ?」 (Kaoru)
The man stands there is that merchant, Johann Abiri. The one who gave the Kaoru a ride on his carriage.
「Eh? Kaoru-chan?」 (Johann)
From the voice call him merchant, hair length, shape, Johan immediately noticed the identity, even if the color of hair was changed.
「Why are you coming to this place?」 (Johann)
(Translator’s joke: Wasted) I was busted.