Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 1

What I see is around 30 children sleeping in a large room.

It’s the usual sight.

And I was sleeping in the corner of the room facing the wall and woke up earlier than anyone else in the room.

This is always the case as well.

It’s been a little over six years since I was abandoned at this orphanage.

It’s a morning like every other.

The only difference is that I am holding something solid in my hand.

Not a copper coin. Not even a silver coin. I’ve never seen it, but it’s not even a gold coin.

A shiny white coin with a woman on one side and something like a temple on the other.

I’ve never seen anything like this before.

But I have a vague guess what this is.

It’s a divine coin.

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Divine coin.

Blessing of the Goddess, given in hand at birth and on one’s 8th birthday.

Other than that, it may or may not be given when you accomplish a great deed…

And it is said that good things happen when you collect a lot of them…

I’m not sure, but it seems to be a mysterious coin.

Furthermore, the most important thing is that it is traded for 20 gold coins each.

However, it seems that it is rare to get the full amount because the legitimate places where it could be traded is limited.

Now.

Well now.

Although it is an unexpected treasure I have gained, there is one problem.

I should be 7 years old right now.

◇

I was living a fairly smooth life as a member of society in Japan.

However, when I realized what had happened, I was surrounded by kids in this orphanage, and I also became one of them.

I remember using alcohol and cigarettes to deceive my unhealthy habits, and I somehow managed to adapt even though I didn’t clearly understand what was happening.

However, I can’t stay here like this.

Because divine coins are collected not only at this orphanage, but probably at other orphanages as well.

One of the legitimate places to trade the coin is the church, and the orphanage is under its umbrella.

If the proceeds from the sale of the divine coin were to be used for the administration of the facility, well, I’d have to put up with it, but as far as I’ve snooped on the orphanage director’s ledger during the interval when cleaning the director’s office, most of it goes into the pocket of the director.

The main point is, most of the children’s meals consist of vegetables that we had grown ourselves, and the money we use was also earned by ourselves working in the city.

Even taking care of the children was done by the older children.

In other words, an orphanage is an organization that collects orphans in order to collect divine coins.

Because of my small body, I was thought to be only 7 years old, so I was able to obtain the divine coin without anyone else knowing.

I had originally thought about it before, but as expected, I had no choice but to escape.

Forgive me, brothers!

◇

What is it like to escape from an orphanage? You may think.

Until the age of 8, children are treated decently in order to collect divine coins.

My job is to help clean the cafeterias in the city.

But after 8 years old, that changes.

For example, carrying loads.

I’ve seen children carrying heavy objects while panting.

For example, farming.

I heard that children would have to work from morning till night.

There seem to be others jobs as well, but all of them are things that would make children fall asleep as soon as they return.

Most children die around here.

If they are lucky enough to survive there and grow up to be around 12-13 years old, the men will be sent to mines or reclaim lands.

As for the women who are good-looking, they will be sent to brothels, otherwise, they will be sent to the mines or reclaim lands just like the men.

At any rate, they will be sent to a harsh and dangerous place.

In addition, wages are paid to the orphanage.

Wouldn’t it be better to be in jail…? I can even think so.

In fact, there are several escapees every year.

Although I don’t know what happened to them after…

If I enter that route, the only fate I could see is the fate of dying.

I have to escape no matter what…

◇

I made up my mind to escape, but I don’t know what to do.

No matter what, I’m just a child with no relatives.

My hole card is the divine coin.

I should be able to use this somehow…

I sometimes do things like washing dishes and peeling vegetables at a tavern.

Occasionally, specifically one or two per month, guests who have received divine coins will come.

And they would treat his friends and customers around him with drinks.

It’s a pity that I was so preoccupied with the job of adventurers and the existence of monsters that I missed information about divine coins…

There are 7-8 other taverns in this town that are similar, but they’re probably similar.

I think they could only trade around 10 coins or so per month.

It’s difficult to slip into that quota and turn my divine coin into usable currency.

Asking an adult to help me exchange divine coin for gold coins?

They’d simply take it away.

“Hmm…”

I let out a groan unintentionally.

Even if I escape, I can’t turn it into cash.

Even if it were possible, it would be too dangerous to carry around gold coins.

It would be different if I had an absolutely safe hideaway, but there is no such thing.

“Haa…”

I let out a sigh.

The place where I am now is the director’s office.

Since books and other expensive things are placed here, basically no one comes in and out except for me and a few older people who are in charge of cleaning.

Even if I don’t like it, I don’t have any intention of dirtying the place or treating the things inside roughly. For better or worse, I like this place where I could be alone.

If I had to say it, this would be my hideout in the facility, but it’s meaningless since I’m about to leave.

“Haa…”

I sigh again.

The world is really difficult.