An old man with a bent back, leaning on a cane, passed through the gate. He crossed the garden, which was so small that it would be embarrassing to even call it small.

With every step, his body swayed like a bamboo in the wind.

As the gate creaked open, worried words flowed out.

“Granny Yona, what brings you here? Without even calling for me!”

“Read this for me.”

The old woman abruptly held out a letter.

On this small island with no regular ships to and from the mainland, the young people had all left for the mainland and cities to earn money, leaving only the elderly with aged bodies on the island.

Those who could read the sea better than anyone else stood tall and proud before the blue waves, but always looked shabby in front of letters.

It was because no one had properly learned to read and write.

So those who could read were treated well in the village.

Even if they couldn’t handle an official document, just being able to read was enough to strut around and live well in this village.

The only such person had left the island a few months ago. Not a single person who could read was left in the village.

Then problems erupted here and there.

They paid additional fees for not knowing the deadline to pay taxes, and received news of their children’s accidents on the mainland too late to provide timely help. Missing out on government assistance was also countless.

Amidst this, a pretty city girl with a small bag appeared. She could read and was kind.

The islanders’ typical closed-mindedness was useless before her.

The villagers personally cleaned out a vacant house and prepared a nest for her.

She tried to repay them as much as they had cared for her.

She took care of the injured, read for them, and took on the task of dealing with the administrative officials who occasionally visited.

Naturally, her title changed from miss to teacher and finally to ‘Jenny’.

Calling someone by their name was special. It meant accepting them as a villager.

Jenny, that’s what people called her. They didn’t ask Jenny about her past.

They just assumed that the clever and pretty girl must have had a reason to come to this island where time seemed to have stopped.

So they didn’t know she was Jane Hastings. They didn’t try to find out either.

That was why Jane settled on this island.

The islanders treated Jane without reserve. Like a daughter, like a granddaughter.

Yona was a prime example.

“If you had called, I would have come. Look at you sweating. How could you climb up the hill with your bad legs?”

“You rascal, are you treating me like some decrepit old person? Stop nagging and read the letter!”

Jane read the affection in Yona’s words that were all bluster.

The mindset of suffering a little herself instead of making Jane come down the hill sweating tickled her heart.

“Come in. I can’t read the letter with you standing there, Granny.”

Yona entered Jane’s space as if she couldn’t win. Yona looked around Jane’s house without even trying to hide it.

The house that was about to collapse had bloomed again under Jane’s touch. Every corner shone as if it had received the owner’s care for a very long time.

It was thanks to Jane’s diligence whenever unnecessary thoughts came to mind.

“Tsk, what worries do young people have so much of.”

Others might have thought Jane just liked decorating the house, but it was clear to Yona’s eyes that had lived for many years.

Jane’s agony and her gestures struggling to overcome that emotion.

Jane pretended not to hear Yona’s words and brought out clear water.

She wanted to serve her tea, but it wasn’t easy to get tea leaves on this small island.

Yona drank the water quickly, shaking the letter. Not because she was thirsty, but because she knew Jane would read the letter once she drank this water.

“Drink slowly. You know you can choke on water too, right?”

Yona frowned.

“I told you not to treat me like an old person.”

“Granny, you are an old person. And it’s not treatment, it’s respect.”

Jane opened the envelope.

“Anyhow, you don’t give in at all.”

Yona shook her head, then stretched out her neck and asked.

“What does it say?”

Jane had just taken out the contents from the envelope. Jane smiled and said,

“I just read the first line. To my beloved mother, it says.”

“Eek, then hurry up and read it!”

Jane, who brushed off Yona’s shout with a laugh, read the letter.

Jane didn’t read the letter out loud. Sometimes, contents that were difficult to convey popped out.

Eight out of ten letters had contents that couldn’t be delivered as is to the recipient.

The circumstances of children sending letters to parents who couldn’t read were obvious.

They were in trouble, faced with a problem, or in an unfavorable situation.

They all seemed different but the conclusion converged into one.

Mom, I need help. If you happen to receive this letter, if you happen to read it, please help me.

Of course, there were rare cases where they contacted out of joy, knowing they wouldn’t be able to read it.

When they had a child.

But how many people who left the island without proper education and no foundation could build and live a stable family on the mainland?

It was literally a once-in-a-blue-moon contact.

So Jane read the whole letter and only conveyed the good words. When there wasn’t even that, she made it up.

It was a real hardship. Because it felt like deceiving someone.

But after learning that a grandmother sold even her underwear to send money to her son after conveying the contents as is, Jane couldn’t deliver the contents truthfully.

“He says he’s doing well. Seems like he’s dating these days.”

The letter sent by Yona’s son was simple. He had a woman to marry. He needed money to at least get her a ring.

There was no mention of introducing the woman he was going to marry, even if you washed your eyes and looked for it.

Still, he must not be a complete jerk, as he added at the end to stay healthy.

“He’s so worried about you, Granny. He says he only worries about you even in his sleep.”

“Huh, really.”

While clicking her tongue, Yona’s wrinkles formed a pleased smile.

“Seems like his girlfriend is very pretty. There’s a lot about his girlfriend.”

“What does the girl do?”

“Just… seems like they met while working.”

“If the two of them earn together, they’ll be able to make a living. Then that’s enough. Feeding themselves and taking care of my family is success. Of course.”

Yona was already proud as if her son had achieved something great.

In reality, he was a pathetic guy whining about not having money to buy his woman a ring.

“He says he’ll contact you again next time.”

“What? The guy who barely contacted once a year says he’ll do it again? Does he have some leeway now…”

Yona mumbled, then glanced at Jane.

“What is it, Granny?”

“That guy… I mean, there’s no mention of money in the letter?”

Jane smiled bitterly.

He must have written asking for money in the previous letter too.

“If there was any mention of money, I would have told you right away. Shall I write a reply and send it? Granny, you know I charge money for writing replies, right?”

Jane quickly changed the subject.

“Of course! Do you think I’ll make you work for free?”

Yona rummaged through her pocket and put down a few coins. The amount Jane demanded for ghostwriting was exactly the postage fee.

She tried not to accept even this, but people felt too uncomfortable, so she started accepting it.

“What should I write for you?”

“Just… just write that I’m doing well. Roughly. Write that I’m doing well and to take care.”

Jane had never given birth to a child, but she had raised one.

She must have a lot to say. But she probably didn’t have the skill to express it in words.

Jane vaguely guessed the grandmother’s heart.

“I’ll write it well on my own.”

Jane wrote the letter, pressing it firmly to convey Yona’s sincerity.

The letter easily exceeded one page.

At the end of the letter, Jane added that this was the last money she was sending.

The aged Yona could no longer even help with chores on the fishing boats. Yona’s income was entirely from the small field on the island.

If she helped her son, Yona would starve.

Jane knew it was presumptuous, but that was why she gave Yona’s son a sharp piece of advice.

Hopefully he was a person with a sense of shame and would take her advice well.

“I’ll send the letter when the fishing boat comes in the day after tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

“What should I do with this letter?”

“You keep it. What’s the point of me taking it? I can’t even read it.”

“Got it.”

The letters she had received one by one already exceeded ten. Jane put the letter in a box and turned around. She was going to see her off, but Yona had already left.

Jane sighed, thinking of the hill Yona had to go down.

How hard must each step have been? Her life must have been that difficult too.

Jane didn’t want to hurt Yona any more. She couldn’t just watch someone who had shown her kindness get hurt.

So Jane put money in the envelope instead of Yona.

The money she had brought when leaving the Hastings slowly leaked out to people she didn’t even know.

It was Jane’s repayment to the islanders who had accepted her with their hearts.

Jane, who had sealed the envelope, took out a new piece of stationery.

It was a letter to Joseph, who would be desperately waiting for her contact.

The letter was written in no time. She always had a lot to say to Joseph.

Jane carefully sealed the letter and wrote the address on the envelope.

In the space for the recipient’s name, Jane wrote not Joseph’s name, but Lloyd’s.

Lloyd, Jane had asked for his help when leaving Somnium House.

Jane let out a small sigh as she recalled that time.

* * *

Three months ago, after meeting Helena and receiving a threatening warning, Jane went to see Lloyd.

Despite her sudden visit, Lloyd wasn’t surprised at all and was only delighted.

“Is your offer to come find you if I need help still valid?”

Lloyd nodded vigorously. Jane took a deep breath. And as if spitting out, she poured out her plan.

“Hide me. And give this to Cain 6 months later.”

Jane held out a small box to Lloyd.