Chapter 189 The Elves Want to Work
Mary, Emily, and the other old orcs were all stunned; such conditions were completely beyond their expectations.
Free food and accommodation until the age of fifteen, along with the opportunity for education, even though the tuition was deferred, it was still a rare and valuable offer. Where else in the world could one find such a good deal?
Nowhere, absolutely nowhere. It was an offer one couldn't refuse, unless they were trained assassins. Such treatment was only seen among the great nobles, but the current situation didn't seem like they were being trained as assassins.
Mary took the lead and knelt down abruptly, and the orcs children behind her, in their confusion, followed suit, all paying their respects to Henry.
"Please, get up!" Henry's lips curled into a smile, and he quickly had them helped up. He felt particularly uneasy seeing an elderly person in their sixties, with hair as white as snow, kneeling before him.
Perhaps Henry's intention was to cultivate future talents, to build a reserve of elite individuals for Eldoria, but for the orcs who had nothing now, he was like a savior.
Several of the old orcs couldn't help but cry, genuinely feeling sorry for these orcs children. They were overjoyed to have found a place to stay, with food and shelter guaranteed, preventing them from starving.
"Your name is Mary, right?" Henry looked at the elderly goat tribe orc in front of him and said softly. "You will be the vice-director of this orphanage, with a monthly salary of one silver coin."
"What?" Mary stared with cloudy eyes, her breathing becoming rapid. One silver coin a month? Did she hear it wrong?
"You will be responsible for managing the orphans, ensuring they receive an education, and providing guidance to the new orphans..." Henry went on to explain a series of spiritual education insights.
Mary stood there in a daze, feeling overwhelmed by Henry's generosity. Could it be true that someone would offer a monthly salary of one silver coin? Now, she realized that everything Emily had said was true.
"Why?" Mary suddenly spoke up. There is no love without reason in this world, nor is there hate without reason. She was puzzled and asked. "Lord Henry, why are you so kind to us? We are all orcs."
This question caught Henry off guard, and then, under everyone's curious gaze, he smiled and said. "Because I think orcs are quite lovely."
Everyone was dumbfounded by this answer, clearly a perfunctory response.
Ellie turned her head and looked at Mila. She knew that Mila was the first beastman Henry had encountered, so he had a good impression of her. Additionally, they were the ones he interacted with on a daily basis, which led to Henry's friendly attitude toward orcs.
As for whether it was as Ellie suspected, only Henry knew. To him, the people of this era, including the orcs, were all different races from a different world.
"Work hard, and you will find happiness." Henry, accompanied by Mila and Ellie, left, leaving Emily behind to help.
As they walked back to the castle, no one spoke. The scene just now left several girls feeling emotional.
"By the way, has the pizza shop opened?" Mila asked curiously.
"Not yet, it will open when you and Emily come back." Willow shook her head. They all contributed money to that pizza shop, so they were all bosses.
Ellie suggested, "We can go check it out now. Henry, would you like to go?"
"It's on the way, so why not?" Henry nodded. He was also curious about how the pizza shop was decorated.
"Can we have pizza later?" Tess asked, licking her lips.
"Sure, why don't we have lunch at the pizza shop?" Willow smiled.
"Okay." Henry glanced at Mila. The catgirl seemed tired. He said softly, "After eating, we can walk back, have a nap, and then go back."
Mila looked at Henry, and the two of them shared a smile. Being apart for a few days seemed to have added an invisible bond between them.
When they arrived at the entrance of the pizza shop, they saw a girl muttering to herself, looking at the recruitment notice posted on the wooden board.
"Recruitment: Three positions available at the pizza shop;
Requirements: Literate girls, aged 15 to 25; some knowledge of etiquette required... Monthly salary: 200 copper coins."
Elisa muttered, holding a piece of bread in her hand, occasionally taking a bite. The requirements made her roll her eyes. Was this a job recruitment or a selection for a King?
"But the salary is quite high. If I save some money, I should be able to eat at the Garden Eatery for many days." Elisa raised an eyebrow.
She became poor because she spent five days in a private room at the Garden Eatery, which drained her savings. Now she had to come out and find a job to make a living.
It was mainly Elisa's fault. She was curious about the expensive dishes on the menu of the Garden Eatery, and ended up eating there for five days in a row.
Elisa came to the conclusion that the more expensive, the better. Unfortunately, she couldn't afford it anymore. Her purse was almost empty, with only a few copper coins left.
Now she could only eat bread and had to work. She had to spend the entire winter in Eldoria, and she couldn't bear the thought of not eating anything other than bread for three or four months.
It was just a coincidence that Elisa, after buying bread, passed by this strangely named shop and happened to see the recruitment notice on the wooden board at the entrance.
For the sake of food, Elisa had to come out to work, and the salary offered was satisfactory to her.
"Well! If I work hard for a month, I can definitely have that Clam Chowder again." Elisa crushed the bread in her hand.
But the thought of the price of that Clam Chowder made her heart ache a little. It was too expensive, costing one hundred and ninety copper coins.
Elisa murmured, "Forget it, I'll have the twenty-copper-coin steak instead. It's also delicious, and a few more pieces of bread should be enough."
Elisa took a few bites of the bread, and at that moment, she realized that she was a poor person who couldn't afford a decent meal at will.
It was just a dish that cost one or two hundred steel coins, a bit expensive, but she just couldn't afford it!!!
Elisa muttered, "Um? Should I go for a big meal and then sneak away?"
This was how greedy she was, making an elf think of dining and dashing. Elisa, where was your elegance? Where was your grace?
