Angel on earth

The dwarf sighed falsely, pocketed the copper, and took the job.Pretentiousness is something that people who are full and have nothing to do devote themselves to pondering. The peasant woman wept with joy, thanked her repeatedly, and watched the alchemist show his dagger with anticipation.

"Let your mother's blood!" Arnold kicked the alchemist away and cursed, "Go away, quack!"

The short man said unconvinced: "What are you doing?! She has had a fever for several days, bloodletting can not only-"

"There are dirty things in the blood of a liar like you, and you can cool down by turning your dried blood into a corpse!" Arnold was rude, picked him up and shook, "It's fine to lie to those stupid women, even Such a small child will not be spared, you go to hell for me!"

"You are a liar!" The alchemist was furious, pointing at the tip of his nose, "What do you know, a brat like you?!"

Arnold sneered, found the few copper coins and threw them on the ground with the dwarf, stood up straight, raised his chin slightly, the dwarf couldn't even reach his chest.But he was too lazy to argue with the other party. There are so many quack doctors in the world, and he didn't have the time to teach them one by one.

The peasant woman was so anxious that she didn't know what to do.She managed to get this alchemist, but the beating master was obviously more unprovoked than the former because he was well dressed.Even if the young gentleman is a doctor, she can't pay the price, unless... selling Anna is not enough.

Mikhail coughed dryly and tapped on the window sill.Arnold has quick eyes and quick hands, and he held a beam to avoid a tragedy.Mikhail stooped, looked in through the open window, and said:

"Don't be afraid, madam, Mr. Hunter is the deacon of the mission hospital,"

His tone is gentle, his smile is sincere, and there is only a calm nebula in his pupilless eyes.Arnold gave him a surprised look.This was the first time he saw Mikhail lying, and he had to say that excellent people can do everything at the top. Look at the chief priest of the church, he can be so convincing when he tells a lie for the first time.

However, the woman was stunned for a long time, wiped her hands on the hem of her clothes in a hurry, knelt down facing the small window with a plop, and begged joyfully:

"Sun God! Please save Anna!"

Her child had been febrile for too long, and she no longer expected anything but miracles, but who could say that the young and beautiful face in the window against the light did not belong to an angel?The fifteen copper coins were only managed by her insistence, and the whole family managed to scrape together, but they could only hire the cheapest alchemist who looked suspicious.She had figured it out, and if it didn't work, she'd tell on the little man, at least—maybe get half of the money back, and redeem the winter clothes.

Mikhail didn't expect her to react like this, and he was extremely embarrassed, but Arnold had already applied a pocket square soaked in cold water to the girl's forehead, lifted his chin towards him, and ordered: "You borrow the pot, there is it next door. I'll go Pick some herbs, it’s nearby, I can’t run away.”

Mikhail was not worried that he would run away, so he nodded in response, and told the alchemist to stay and take care of the patient before leaving.The alchemist had long recognized that this was a serious clergyman, and without daring to say a word, he agreed tremblingly, and ran away as soon as he came back.The little man was kicked out of the city because he couldn't pay the rent. He almost couldn't afford to eat. Fifteen copper coins were better than nothing.After being chased away again, he saw a large group of soldiers appearing on the other side of the river. He was so frightened that he thanked that giant-like monster priest in his heart, and decided to change his mind from now on and convert to the Sun God in the next town.

The soundproofing of the hut was poor, and the neighbors probably heard their conversation, but they didn't see the person clearly, they only knew it was a priest, so they stayed behind closed doors and refused to lend valuable tools.Mikhail had no choice but to go a little farther, bought a clay pot and supporting tools from a rich peasant for a high price of two silver coins, washed it in the river, and returned to the hut. Arnold happened to be back too.They quickly fried the herbal medicine, and Arnold took out a piece of malt sugar he did not know where to coax the girl to drink the bitter medicine soup. The gentle look and doting tone made Mikhail feel uncomfortable all over.

—Anna, your name is Anna, isn't it?This is the name of a saint.You're just as brave—the potion is so bitter, you drank half of it in one gulp, and you're the bravest girl I've ever seen.Drink up the rest, after so many days, you'll be back tonight...and a spoonful, sugar for you when you're done.Have you ever had sugar before?Then you must finish this bowl of medicine, because adults cannot eat sugar, if you don’t eat it now, you will have no chance in the future.Good Anna, you will grow up and not die.You'll grow up healthy and healthy and...then marry a handsome and kind gentleman.Just like him—no, he's not an angel, at least not celestial, and you're not dead.Of course, I am sure that in many decades you will go to heaven, and there will be more beautiful angels than him (maybe), twelve battalions of them, standing on both sides to welcome you, holding flowers and trumpets in their hands.If you don't end up in heaven, I'll go to hell, so you should believe it?Get a good night's sleep... Be good.Haha, do you like me more than him?Thanks!Thank you so much.

Since he was a child, no one has treated him like this.He won't be sick either.

Although he didn't think of this clearly, Mikhail still confessed his bad taste.Arnold put Anna to sleep, and when he got up, Mikhail disappeared.He looked out of the window and saw the young man clasped his hands together, muttering something to the setting sun, as if he was confessing something.

"There is time to pray," Arnold said coldly, but Mikhail actually heard a smile from it, "It's better to change them to a window that does not leak."

The peasant woman was being directed by him to boil hot water, she stood up awkwardly when she heard the words, and waved her hand in fear to refuse: "No, don't bother Mr. Hunter, the weather is still hot, it doesn't matter if there are no windows..."

"I'm not a master." Arnold was still holding Anna's hand, his voice softened, "It's still cold at night, isn't it? Anna can't have a cool breeze these days. Don't worry, Misha is a good priest. It was Mithras who sent you to save you..."

Mikhail stood outside the window, holding a crooked broken bowl, took a sip of hot water, turned around and ran away.Before the sun set, he carried a wooden door and two wooden windows in one hand, and a bag of flour in the other, and returned to the hut with two farmers, one old and one young.Anna's fever subsided, and Arnold was in a good mood stirring sugar water to feed her, and even tried hard to force a smile on his stiff handsome face.Then there are thanks, praise and crying, Mikhail is good at dealing with these, Arnold just doesn't care.

He hadn't smelled Canaan for more than 100 years.Along with their words and food, and the mild-looking plants and mountains of the Outback.There are no towering black coniferous forests, and no working women who are a bit thicker than him. Although he never really lived in the Mithra Dynasty, but in some moments when Mikhail smiled and talked, he He felt that Potosi and the Commonwealth on the other side of the strait were his hometown, and he no longer remembered everything here.

When the couple brought Anna's 11-year-old brother to thank him, he stuttered in embarrassment, then made an excuse and ran away.Mikhail declined the family's dinner invitation, explained in detail the precautions for taking care of Anna, and wished them safety and health, before hurriedly catching up with him.

"Arnold." Mikhail's voice was very soft, and he was almost blown away by the warm wind with the smell of river water and green grass at night, "Are you okay?"

Arnold didn't answer, wasn't breathing.

Maybe it's the habit of pretending to be human, Arnold always breathes, unless he smells a really nasty smell.But at this moment, he didn't even have the strength to pretend. He leaned against a tree, as if it was extremely cold, and gently hugged his shoulders.

Mikhail watched in silence for a while, then turned and left.

When the last light had faded behind the mountains, he returned with his cloak and fresh wood, and with a rub of his fingers he built a fire under a tree.Arnold was still standing there, and Mikhail guessed that it was too dirty for him to sit directly under the tree.No matter, he brought an extra gingham to spread out on the grass under the trees, like families that go out for a picnic on their day off.

Arnold sat down stiffly on the gingham, took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and closed his eyes.Mikhail drank the water absently, glanced at him now and then, and was startled when he spoke suddenly and with difficulty.

"...You complained before, you can't even hate me..." Arnold's voice was hoarse, "I am the same. Praise, thanks, repayment, these are what we deserve, I can't face it anymore... but……"

Mikhail handed him the jug, and he took a sip, hugging his knees, the fire burning in his eyes.

Mikhail said, "I'm sorry. I didn't understand it then, but I don't hate you, not at all."

"How long has it been?"

"I'm always a quick learner," said Mikhail stubbornly. "What right do I have to hate you or anyone? I... I was never a good saint. Just now, I was jealous." Anna, before that it was Catherine. Maybe I envy all the children you saved."

"...Do you want to know why I treat those girls well?" A strange, cruel smile suddenly appeared on Arnold's face, "Let me tell you."

Mikhail sat up straight involuntarily, his eyes widened suddenly, showing an expression of anger and awe.If he had pupils, they must have devoured the stars.Arnold had told him stories during the day, and now they were only scarier.But he didn't stop, didn't cover his ears, but quietly waited for Arnold to uncover his scars as if he was tortured.