The Eluvuris Kingdom was a vast country. It was renowned for its agriculture, glassmaking, and crafts. Despite its size, people moved to the capital in search of employment and prosperity. However, many of these attempts were in vain. These failures forced people to live in the streets alongside the impoverished. This led to the rise of slums in the overcrowded area.
The disparity between the districts was visible to the naked eye. The upper class had access to elite stores, luxurious residences, and high-quality infrastructure. Meanwhile, those belonging to the commoners were shabby, had inadequate housing, and suffered from poor infrastructure.
Angles Street was the most crowded area in the kingdom. It used to be a slum, teeming with the impoverished and violence. The orphanage next to the church was Helena's destination. They were both located on Angles Street.
As it was the only church in the capital, it received an endless supply of gold in donations. Helena cooperated with the church to construct public infrastructure. They first established a food pantry. However, Helena was aware that this was only a temporary solution. People could not rely on the church forever. She introduced a rule whereby fit and healthy people had to help out in exchange for food. This made some people, who wanted a free meal, furious. They caused a commotion outside the church. Fortunately, Helena brought Violet and some guards to apprehend those men. Everyone agreed with Helena and assisted her in kicking out the troublemakers.
The extra helping hands sped up the building process. No one drank polluted water anymore. The number of people falling ill decreased because of the wells. The clinics, school, sewer system, and other amenities improved residents' lives. People across the street whispered about her when she strolled around.
"That's the noble lady! The one who helped us in church!"
"Oh God... she must be an angel sent by God."
"She's a saint."
This marked the beginning of her 'Saint of Angles Street' nickname.
Helena smiled when she thought about it. Perhaps her title as a Saint remained. After all, Helena had not committed any offences in this timeline. She could use this to her advantage.
Her sweet reminiscence was interrupted when the carriage shook. Her rear end took damage from the bump.
"Aw!
Violet was alarmed. "Are you all right, Lady Helena?"
Helena touched her bottom. The road on Angles Street was not exactly smooth. "I'm fine, but I should pay more attention to fixing the road next time.
After five minutes of carriage rattling, they finally arrived. Everyone recognised that the vehicle belonged to Helena's family. When she stepped down, the children ran to her.
"Lady Blackmoore!"
She chuckled at their behaviour. "Have you all been good while I've been away?"
The children answered in unison. "Yes!"
She stroked their heads. Those kids reminded Helena of her own childhood. She used to run and play around her neighbourhood. Of course, Helena could not do that anymore. She used charity as a cover to wander along the neighbourhood without being criticised by the nobility.
"Ah! You're the noble lady from yesterday!"
Helena heard a familiar voice and turned her head. She saw Adham carrying a pile of boxes. He put the boxes down when Helena approached. She curtsied politely.
"My name is Helena Blackmoore. Thank you for saving me yesterday."
Her formal greeting flustered Adham. "No need to be formal. I'm just glad you're safe. Why are you here?
"I want to offer my gratitude for saving me."
Helena handed him the gold pouch. Adham grinned at the sight of the stack of coins and snatched the bag from her hand. "You're welcome! You can contact me for mercenary service. I work for money anyway."
She could not believe that the man was her past lover. Helena crossed her arms and tilted her head. "My, you're not going to turn down the reward like a proper gent, are you?"
"Pride won't put food on the table. I have to cover my living expenses here."
Helena was stunned. "You live here? I've never seen you before."
"Well, duh. I work in the morning, afternoon, and night. I grew up in this orphanage. Even though I'm an adult, they let me stay in the attic because I don't have my own house yet. I provide financial support to help them raise the kids."
This was new information for her. Adham never told her anything about his past. Perhaps he was ashamed of it since her partner was a noble. Helena understood his feelings and never forced him to speak. A pang of guilt stung her heart. Helena pursued her revenge and avoided everything related to her first life. She had forsaken him in her second life. Helena had also abandoned the orphanage and the church. As a result of Sinner's Punishment, many children lost their parents and their only remaining relatives. The church took in many kids and refugees, but they could not cope.
The Bloody Riot only made matters worse. Both places had provided shelter during the rebellion. Donations were cut off due to the situation. The church was struggling to take care of itself and was short of necessities and food. Some people died from illness because they could not get medicine.
"Whitesmithe, have you finished the job?"
Sister Mary came to the orphanage for a check-up. Adham almost forgot his task. "Oh, right! Bye, Lady Blackmoore. I have a job to do."
He returned to his work, leaving Helena with Sister Mary. The old nun then spoke to Helena. "Lady Blackmoore! How are you? I was worried you might have caught a cold yesterday. I told your butler about Whitesmithe. You don't need to reward him. Your weekly donation was more than enough."
"It's fine, really. Whitesmithe deserves it for saving me. I'm sure that he will put it to good use."
Helena and Sister Mary then inspected the orphanage and the church. While the orphanage was in good condition, the church ceiling was leaking. Helena ordered her guards to make the necessary repairs. Fortunately, the repairs were minor and completed swiftly.
"Thank you so much for your assistance, Lady Blackmoore. Please wait a moment. I have a small gift for you."
The old nun left and returned with something in her hand. She gave Helena a vial containing a clear liquid. Helena frowned at the bottle, wondering what its contents were. The nun laughed at her reaction. "Keep it close to you. It will protect you from evil."
Helena did not know how to respond to the gift. "Uh.... Thank you."
"Feel free to visit! You are always welcome here."
Helena left feeling exhausted. She should have listened to Violet and taken the day to rest. However, Helena had another agenda besides visiting the church and the orphanage. As she was about to step into her carriage, a little girl waved and greeted her.
"Lady Blackmoore!"
Helena smiled at the girl. Lilian Umber was a cheerful kid with brown hair and a bright smile. Helena had met her many times before. She always played with the other children at the orphanage because her father was busy.
Behind her stood a burly man in his thirties, looking concerned.
"Lilian, don't run off like that. You might fall."
Helena greeted the older man. "Good afternoon, Mr Umber."
Daniel Umber was startled to see her and immediately bowed. "Good afternoon, Lady Blackmoore."
Mr. Umber used to be an alcoholic and one of the people who protested against her new rule at the church. Even after being arrested, he never learnt his lesson. However, on a heavy rainy day, he arrived at the church carrying Lilian. The little girl had a high fever and was on the verge of death. He could not afford medicine or a doctor, as he had no money to spare. Mr. Umber begged them to aid him. Helena used her pocket money to buy medicine while the church treated Lilian until her condition improved. Needless to say, Helena berated him afterwards. She might be a good person, but her patience had limits.
"I don't usually care if a man drinks himself to death, but for God's sake! You are no longer living for yourself. You have a daughter to take care of! Be a better parent before the one above takes her!"
Perhaps that was the wake-up call he needed. After Lilian had recovered, Mr Umber changed his ways. He became a stevedore in the harbour and earned a living by carrying items using his strength. Lilian gradually became healthier as more food appeared on her plate. Not to mention, her father was drinking less than before. Both father and daughter were grateful to her.
Lilian tugged at her sleeves. "Lady Blackmoore, are you going to look around Angles Street?
Part of her plan was visiting the place. It had been a while since she had set foot on Angles Street. Helena stared at her guards with puppy eyes. "Can I please visit Angles Street?"
Eric, one of her guards, just sighed at her request. "You are free to go, as long as you do not disappear from our sight, Lady Helena."