The Secret Code of Monsters

Chapter 1 Ch.1 Amber Stone in the Outskirts

Before receiving that letter, Rowland worked in the county workhouse.

Ever since he was taller than a wheel.

Everyone said they had never seen such a beautiful child. The female workers liked him very much, and the nurses and cooks also treated him particularly favorably - he had a thin face, black hair, thin arms and legs, and golden eyes like amber stones.

No one doesn't love him.

No one would be happy to tease him as they passed by.

Until they discovered that he was blind.

Until the end of the year, he would either get this disease or that disease.

Roland originally thought that he would stay in a 'stable' (the children jokingly call a roofed and walled dwelling) for the rest of his life, or that when he got old, he would be taken out to paste paper boxes, clean chimneys or dig coal for someone else - he was obviously more suitable. Dig coal - save lamp oil than others.

Until he got that letter.

"I wish you good health, Mr. Collins."

"If you allow me to call you Roland."

The woman who read the letter was named Yam Jones. She had taken care of Roland for several years. She was the only person who was not afraid of Roland being 'infected' by the blindness disease.

"I'm the Collins butler, Will."

With the help of a swaying oil lamp, she carefully held the two corners of the letter and read it word by word.

The envelope is made of high-grade kraft paper and stamps, and the ink is very new. If you rub it back and forth with your fingers when you get close, you can still smell a faint aroma.

This is what rich people smell like.

James Jones, who is well-informed, knows that the arrival of this letter may not be a good thing for little Roland.

"Recently, a sad event occurred in the Collins family: Mr. Thales Collins' eldest son, Wendy Collins, was killed in a traffic accident."

"This man who was pious, generous, and kind all his life not only had to face the grief of losing his son in his later years, but his daughter, your sister, Nina Collins, was also bedridden recently (because she missed her brother too much)."

"It is with great sadness that I write this letter and hope you can return to the Collins family as soon as possible."

"The return of a son, to some extent, may be able to soothe Mr. Collins's riddled heart (by the way, we also hope to discuss the inheritance with you in detail)."

"In addition, I took it upon myself to send the second letter to Mr. Stitch Abner, the director of your region, and included the travel expenses. I hope you will forgive me."

"Finally, the Collins family, Tyrese Collins, Nina Collins, and their most loyal servant, Seth Will, are always ready to welcome you."

That's all.

The two people in the room fell silent.

After a while, Roland lifted up his black hair, revealed his eyes the color of dead leaves, and said jokingly:

"So, I have a father, Yam."

The woman silently folded the letter and inserted it back into the envelope.

The whole letter is not long. In addition to the obvious things, James Jones read another simile between the lines:

The Collins family had always been aware of Roland's presence.

Otherwise, how could a housekeeper deliver the letter to him accurately.

But…

The Collins family was in town.

The old merchant Thales Collins's house was in the town.

It's less than an hour's journey from here.

Ten years...

Just in town.

Ms. Jones felt her stomach contracting, as if something was stuck in her heart, stuck in her throat, and could not be vomited out, making it difficult for her to breathe.

They didn't even send a footman, and they didn't even mention in the letter, "We worked so hard to find you."

The whole letter is like a condescending hand. It seems that before the letter is sent, the writer saw that someone would grovel to open it and then dance with it.

She really couldn't be happy for the child, happy for him that he finally found a 'family'.

"Little Roland."

Yam called out, hugged the boy into his arms, and gently stroked his hair.

"Little Roland."

Her arms were like a cradle, and her body was like a wooden pole supporting the cradle. She swayed gently from side to side, begging the gods to blow a gentle breeze that would warm her cold heart.

"The All-Father will bless you, my dear."

Roland leaned on the female worker's shoulder, smelling the hot sweat on her body and the pungent smell of the potion, and spoke softly: "If the Father of All Things bless me, I should send down divine punishment and burn this pious, generous, and kind man to death. …”

"Roland!"

Yam pressed down his head in horror, and his eyes quickly circled around the door: "...You can't talk like that!"

Roland lowered his head, took out one hand, groped on the wooden board, and found the sharp-edged letter.

"...Or maybe, He has already blessed me, Yam."

James Jones lowered his eyes and looked at the boy's white knuckles.

She didn't know what to do with the letter.

No one helped her, and no one helped him.

"Yam."

Roland leaned on her shoulder and said in a gentle voice: "I heard that the people from Nuo Ti Golden Lantern came yesterday."

yes.

She only found out today.

Nuoti gold lamp.

That gold-selling cave.

The person in charge of the Golden Lantern promised Director Abner that as long as Roland was given to them to be raised, the Nuotie Golden Lantern would not need the subsidy from the workhouse - 3 pounds or 5 pounds?

They don't want a penny.

Of course, in the ledger, it is estimated that the money still has to be transferred to expenses. In a few days, Mr. Director will have a new pair of leather shoes.

James Jones thought numbly.

"I don't want to go to the Nuoti Golden Lantern." Roland slowly sat upright, his thin and pale limbs like an ice edge that was about to melt in the light. He stared at somewhere casually with his dark golden eyes, but held the woman tightly with his hand: "Any choice is better than Nuoti's golden lamp. You have to stand on my side."

James Jones stared at the young man's extremely delicate face, and saw that the soft lines on his face revealed the sharpness of a new knife:

"Yes, yes, that's right. Any choice is better than Nuoti's golden lamp. You are right, Roland..."

"Of course I will always be on your side..."

Once this kid goes to that dirty place, he will...

It's completely over.

Old Collins was one of the few wealthy businessmen in the town. It would be better for Roland to go there than to be adopted by the person in charge of the Gold Cave...

Yes, it is.

Roland was right.

Thinking of this, she let go of the boy, turned around, and opened the mattress——

The cracks between the boards were filled with scattered coins, like a dart board.

James Jones straightened his hair, gritted his teeth, took out the money one by one, and put it into the boy's hand.

The coins were like frozen chopping block knobs.

"I think I won't be short of money in the future."

"Roland." Yam Jones ruffled his black hair and whispered: "Put the money away. Once...do you still want to come back here and wait for the people from Noti's Golden Lantern to take you away?"

"This is not normal."

Roland clutched the money in his hand and said nothing.

"You are blind, but I can see. Since my husband died, I have been able to work every day: I can work today, I can work tomorrow, and why not the day after tomorrow? I can save this little money very quickly." Ya Mu could see Roland's hesitation, so he let go of his hand pretending to be relaxed and patted his jacket pocket.

"There is hope in it, and I gave you a little bit, Roland."

"You can't buy anything here for what you have in your pocket." Roland sighed, hesitating again and again, but kept the money he was sweating in his hands. "I'll give it back to you."

James Jones feigned anger, hugged him again, and slapped him hard on the back several times.