The orphanage was luxurious.
It was built in a nobleman's villa, so the location was very good.
The deadline for remodeling was tight, but Charlize's order was absolute.
'It's probably the first time that so many nobles have visited the orphanage's founding ceremony.'
Well, even Emperor Dylan accompanied them.
Dylan, who wrote his name on the list of sponsors, approached Charlize.
"Your Majesty."
"…I was thinking about what to give to the children. And I decided to sponsor the sword."
Dylan spoke slowly. His breath was heavy as if he were holding something back.
"I thought it would be nice if they could learn swordsmanship and protect themselves."
Charlize was puzzled but soon softened.
Dylan also knows that slave children are victims of the Kiera project.
She heard that donations for the orphanage are already piled up like mountains in gold coins.
It was better to be a practical gift.
Dylan looked at the playground.
At first, the children were wary of unfamiliar places. They soon adapted and mingled with each other in the luxury playground on one side.
The sound of laughter is cheerful.
It was a heartwarming sight even though it was winter.
Meanwhile, V, who was watching, thought.
'Are they all nobles who came to give a strong impression to the grandmaster?'
It seemed that it would be faster to find the nobles who did not come than the nobles who came to the founding ceremony.
Seeing the children having fun, V's chest became stiff.
While marveling at Charlize's authority, he was simply grateful and happy for her good influence.
V heard the nobles murmur.
"Are these children to be raised as His Majesty's people?"
"I don't know about that, but at least I'm sure these children have Shadow and the grandmaster behind them."
"His Majesty sponsored the sword. The meaning is clear."
"I agree."
V's thoughts did not reach there.
Perhaps Charlize had considered this from the beginning.
Charlize looked at the same place as Dylan and said.
"I hope this place will remain as a meaningful gift for the children of the New Year."
"Since it's Master's sincerity, the children will recognize it right away."
"Is that so?"
"Of course."
It was then.
A child who was playing, ran out of the playground and came close to Charlize.
Charlize blinked slowly.
The child had a young face that seemed to be five years old.
'Even such a young child…'
To remember the document about the Kiera project.
Charlize's expression turned cold, but it was in a flash.
Charlize lowered herself to make eye contact with the child.
For a moment, many people, including the nobles who were watching, were surprised.
Because she was a grandmaster who always ruled in a noble and sharp manner. Charlize's friendly face was only shown to the child.
The child smiled and stared alternately at Charlize and Dylan.
"Are you and this brother dating?"
His pronunciation was inaccurate because this child lost a lot of teeth.
He was asking Charlize and Dylan if they were dating.
'It's the concept of a commoner dating without politics and getting married after dating.'
For a child who was not familiar with the aristocratic society, it was enough to think like this.
They were just standing together, but did the child see them like that?
Charlize laughed awkwardly and looked up at Dylan for a moment.
Dylan looked embarrassed but didn't mind at all.
Charlize looked at the child and asked.
"Well… Do we look like that?"
"Eung-! You look good together! Hehehe."
The child answered Charlize's question innocently.
Dylan, who was watching, was quiet for a moment.
However, the emperor soon lowered himself like Charlize and took out a candy from his arms.
"Wow."
The child drooled in admiration.
Charlize glanced at Dylan.
Dylan looked at the child. He held out a candy.
"It's sugar! Sugar!"
The child bowed his head over and over in delight.
Dylan stroked the child's head.
"Eat well and grow well."
"Thank you. Thank you!"
The child was delighted by Dylan's warm touch.
Dylan was so happy that Charlize felt strange for a moment.
Perhaps. Was he being nice to him because he asked if they were dating?
'No, he must like children.'
If you see that he even prepared candy.
He was going to give it to anyone from the start.
The orphanage teacher, who was taking care of the children from afar, soon looked this way and was startled.
The teacher, who rushed in, grabbed the child's hand and apologized.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I'm sorry. It's my fault."
"No, you don't have to do that."
Dylan stood up slowly.
The dignified emperor's charisma was still there, but it melted a little.
Dylan said, stroking the child's head with candy in his mouth again.
"What a lovely child."
The teacher flinched for a moment at the tenderness and deep kindness in his voice.
But the teacher soon took the child's hand and stepped back.
Charlize subsequently raised herself up.
As the founding ceremony was attended by many nobles, Kahu soon caught her eyes.
It was Dylan who pretended to know Kahu first.
"Isn't that the young duke?"
"Ah, Your Majesty, grandmaster."
Kahu looked a little absent-minded.
He looked blank for a moment, then came to his senses and gave courtesy.
"I greet the Sun of the Empire."
It was a very formal, perfect etiquette.
Charlize observed Kahu and Dylan talking a little closely.
But they treated each other quite casually.
"I would like to thank you for holding a ball to celebrate the underworld sweep the other day, Your Majesty."
"It was natural. Because you helped my Master."
Charlize and Kahu were the main characters of the ball. Eventually, Kahu didn't show up to Charlize that day.
After his private meeting with Dylan, he was strangely afraid to meet Charlize.
But Kahu was more afraid of Dylan, who was watching now. Kahu spoke to Charlize, pretending to be fine.
"I'm glad that all the slaves we rescued are doing well. Isn't that right, grandmaster?"
Charlize nodded her head.
"That's right, young duke."
"I sponsored 100 books of the Empire's history for the children. Wouldn't the talent of the Empire soon become His Majesty's blessing?"
Kahu immediately said, lowering his eyes at Dylan.
Dylan nodded his head.
'They don't seem to have a bad relationship.'
Charlize thought.
Of course, Kahu felt awkward inside himself, contrary to what Charlize had thought.
'The man before the return.'
Dylan, who was called the true master of the empire before the return.
Even with his cool and calm eyes, Kahu just felt a sense of intimidation and fear.
Perhaps it's because of the lingering reminiscence of deep memories, even though Charlize's presence is in a neutralizing atmosphere. Kahu didn't even dare make eye contact with Dylan.
Anyway, the conversation continued peacefully.
"Master complimented the young duke a lot."
"Did you, grandmaster?"
"Yes. We indeed handled the monsters easily at the entrance of the underworld, thanks to the young duke."
Kahu stared at Charlize, swallowing his saliva.
Charlize was in a pink dress with a warm color that suited winter.
The cute and lovely impression went well with the children today.
Dylan's gaze briefly brushed Kahu's cheek sharply.
Kahu answered with his head down.
"Isn't the benefactor who saved my life rather the grandmaster? I'm so embarrassed to hear that from His Majesty."
"You don't have to be so humble. Thank you very much, young duke. I miss the meal we had together at the mansion."
As if the air had hardened for a while, a sense of incompatibility swept down the air.
Charlize spoke calmly, but Kahu somehow felt a cold sweat.
But Dylan still had a peaceful face.
In fact, Charlize has been paying attention to the playground where children play.
Because.
'A girl is being left out.'
A child could not easily mix in the group, and if she approached, she was secretly rejected by her peers.
Eventually, when Charlize glanced over there again, the girl gave up playing together and began to play alone sitting down under the tree.
Should she approach and talk to her?
Charlize thought and told Dylan.
"Just one moment, Your Majesty."
"Yes, Master."
Charlize excused herself from Dylan and moved away.
Kahu was very nervous to be left with Dylan, but nothing happened because it was an open space.
Rather, as Charlize moved away, Dylan slowly drank his glass of water as if he had lost interest in Kahu.
"Hi?"
Charlize talked to the girl sitting under the tree.
The child looked about 7 years old.
Her freckled cheeks and silver eyes were impressive.
Somehow she was a child with a very subtle atmosphere. Pretty yet unique feeling.
"Why are you alone? What about your friends?"
"My friends kept saying weird things to me."
The child was interested in Charlize for a moment, but soon she looked away from Charlize and looked under the ground.
"What do you mean by weird?"
"…"
The child did not answer. A lot of snow falls, breaking through the cold ground and lifting the soil.
Then she grabbed a sharp piece of metal and started drawing on it one after another.
"May I ask what your name is? This sister's name is Charlize."
"Charlize, Charlize… I'm Gold. Before my mom threw me away, she said she liked money and named me after that."
Gold.
The story behind it is unfortunate, but it was a name that was engraved in her mind.
Charlize looked at Gold's hand.
To Charlize, the iron looked very dangerous.
It's surprisingly sharp where they found it.
It was likely that she would cut herself if she did something wrong. She looked back for a moment, wondering if she might call the teacher and tell her to keep an eye on Gold.
The teacher was trying to manage the unruly children somehow.
When Charlize looked at Gold again. Gold stopped playing and was staring at Charlize.
"Sister, you smell like a fairy."
"…!"
"But you also have a unique scent."
The scent of the Ehyrit, only the same transplanter can smell it. Maybe this child.
Charlize stared at Gold without denying it.
Contrary to her name, the sparkling silver eyes were dreamy.
"Umm, it's like blood."
"Blood?"
"Yes. I often smelled blood."
Gold was rescued from the underworld slave prison.
"What kind of blood do you smell?"
The child smiled innocently when Charlize asked.
"Umm, the smell of blood coming from prison bars and knives."
Made of metal, Kiera.
'Is that her feelings? Or is it an ability that comes from a piece?'
But how about the fairy?
'I've never heard of a fairy smell.'
Gold fiddled with the iron in her hand.
"Sister…"
Gold asked Charlize hesitatingly.
"Are you human?"
Charlize folded her eyes and smiled. It was a warm, sweet smile in the eyes of the child.
Charlize's mouth slowly opened.