Eden led Aaron through a maze of narrow alleys until they stopped in front of a worn-down courtyard.
A sign hung beside the entrance.
Haven Children's Home.
Eden opened the gate and walked in with Aaron.
Beyond the gate was a small courtyard filled with vegetable plots. But no one seemed to have tended them recently, and weeds had started pushing up between the rows.
Four children were playing in the courtyard. A cat-like Pokémon lay lazily in the grass nearby, watching over them.
Persian.
There was one boy and three girls, all younger than Eden, probably around four to six years old.
The moment the children saw Eden, their faces lit up, and they ran over happily.
"Eden! You're back!"
"Did you sell all your flowers?"
"Who's he?"
"What are you holding? It smells so good!"
The children crowded around Eden, chattering excitedly before turning their curious eyes toward Aaron.
"This is Mr. Aaron," Eden said, smiling brightly. "He bought lots of tasty food for everyone."
"Come on, say thank you."
"Really?"
"Thank you, Mr. Aaron!"
The children's eyes lit up at once.
Aaron smiled faintly, then took out the ice cream and handed one to each of them.
The moment the little ones saw the ice cream, their eyes practically sparkled.
They quickly took them and started licking away happily, thanking Aaron between bites.
"Cough, cough..."
Just then, a fit of coughing came from inside the house.
Aaron turned toward the sound.
A white-haired old man, roughly seventy years old, walked out with a pale face.
The moment he saw Aaron, his expression changed. He coughed violently, then shouted,
"Cough, cough... get out!"
"Don't come back here!"
"Even if I die, I won't sell this place to vultures like you!"
Aaron froze slightly, completely baffled.
Eden quickly ran to the old man, held his arm, and said anxiously,
"Grandpa Director, Mr. Aaron isn't one of those bad people. He's a good person."
"He bought Eden's flowers, and he bought lots of food for everyone too."
"Please don't be angry..."
The old man froze when he heard that.
Then he saw the children eating ice cream, as well as the fruit and other things Aaron was carrying. His expression gradually eased.
A trace of apology appeared on his wrinkled face.
"I'm sorry, young man... I mistook you for someone else."
Aaron smiled faintly and waved it off, signaling that he did not mind.
Then he asked,
"Grandpa Director, what did you mean by vultures just now?"
"And Eden mentioned bad people. What exactly happened?"
A hint of confusion appeared in Aaron's eyes.
"Cough, cough... young man, this has nothing to do with you."
The old director coughed a few times and waved his hand.
"You'd better not ask. Otherwise, you'll get dragged into this too."
"Mr. Aaron..."
Eden's eyes reddened as she looked at him.
"There are bad people trying to take our home. They won't give us anywhere else to live, and they even hurt Grandpa Director."
"They're all bad people."
"Eden... that's enough."
The old director quickly stopped her.
When Aaron heard that, his eyes narrowed slightly.
He had not expected this kind of forced eviction to happen in this world too.
Some things really were rotten no matter where you went.
Back when he was still on Earth, his own family had gone through something similar. Officials and businessmen had worked together, and his family had not received a single cent.
His father had wanted to sue them, but a group of men grabbed him and beat him so badly that he spent two months in the hospital.
Those people even threatened them afterward.
Because his mother was afraid something would happen to Aaron and his younger siblings, she had no choice but to agree to move out.
Right up until the day Aaron crossed over, his family had still been renting a place elsewhere.
...
Aaron narrowed his eyes, and a cold glint flashed within them.
In his previous life, he had been powerless. He could only let others decide his family's fate.
But this life was different.
For an instant, a powerful aura flickered across Aaron's body.
Persian, who had been lying on the grass, suddenly bristled. Its fur stood on end as it stared at Aaron in terror.
For one brief second, it felt like it was looking at something far more dangerous than a human.
"Old man... have you made up your mind?"
"Move out right now, or we stop being nice."
"That stubborn old bastard just doesn't know when to quit. If he still refuses today, I'll end him."
...