53.
once the children came, ren took them to a restaurant and asked for a private room, while he passed some coins to the butler.
The butler nodded understandingly and led them to a different room from the others, one that was next to a wall after a long walk.
The children were looking around while commenting about the place with so much class here.
Balder as an experienced old man, had a calm look as he followed Ren.
The 4 once inside, the butler gave them the letter, once they all asked, ren I hope the food comes.
While the 3 of them were making idle chatter, Ren wanted there to be no interruption here.
After the butler knocked, Ren pressed a button next to the table.
They brought the food.
While the 3 of them ate in peace, I took out a laptop.
and showed it to Balder along with some headphones.
one of his janitors had recorded audio for his king, ren received it and handed it to Balder.
"Decide if you'll say it after you hear this.
Balder nodded and played the audio.
- Have you found the child?
- not yet, we are still looking for it everywhere, according to the physical characteristics they gave us, it should not be difficult to find.
- if it is in the slums it will be difficult to distinguish it, they all have dirt with them.
- Do you know why so much trouble for a brat?.
- From what I hear, Duke Holland wants to train him to send him to the capital and get him prestige.
-That greedy old man, doesn't he get tired? his first son already has a position in the army.
- Well, it seems that it is not enough for what he wants to achieve.
-And what does he want?
-nobody knows, it is only known that he is desperately looking for it.
The audio cut off at that moment.
Balder took off his headphones and held his head.
Ha, what am I going to do now?
"Don't worry about being found out, we've got this.
Ren said as he took out of his backpack a leather mask, he had it for jokes, something that was for some reason among the things that were in a box in his old apartment.
- what is that young ren?.
"This my friends is a skin mask, it will give you a different face, together with these contact lenses, no one will know the difference.
- There are no cameras in this place?.
"Don't worry, since I gave the butler a gift, the cameras were completely blocked, they won't say anything unless they want to go to trial.
- but it's been a few days since Kiyoshi looked like the descriptions.
"Well, that mission only happened yesterday in response to the disturbances he caused, plus they only know that he has green eyes.
- Excuse me for interfering young ren, but how did you find out?
"That's what I want to tell you, but before that.
Ren handed Kiyoshi his laptop, on which was a program to practice typing speed.
Kiyoshi, who until now did not understand what these 2 were up to, agreed.
after a couple of mistakes, Kiyoshi got the hang of it and started typing faster and faster.
He even beat Ren's record, which made Ren want to curse.
After that, Ren put another program on him, it was like a programming game, which Kiyoshi quickly solved.
"Vera, I realized that his son has a talent for computers.
-oh...
-oh...
Balder was surprised at this rare talent of his son, he thought that he would be a sword user like his biological father.
-So Mr. Ren, why are you showing us this?
" Well, first, I must tell you about my mission.
Ren then told the reason why he came to the Holland territory, the subject of the dungeons, and what they can give people.
He also told how, Kelly was awake, the mana from the surroundings was directed towards her and Kiyoshi, that's why Bálder did not get sick, having the 2 children protected him.
this information also caused in additional to anger towards Duke Holland and sadness for the people who get sick thanks to the dungeons, it gave a feeling of warmth to the children and the father, without knowing it, these 2 children protected their father from getting sick.
as he wept, Kiyoshi blurted out a comment that surprised Ren.
- How I would like to have the power to heal people.
Ren's brain lit up as the 3 hugged and a plan quickly came to him.
"But you could.
- huh?
"I say you could have said power.
- Really? I can cure them?.
"I wouldn't say cure them, my goal was to get Duke Holland's permission to close the dungeons, but if Duke Holland wasn't around, how do you think he would get permission?
-with his heir, the one to the right of him?
"And if he wasn't there either?
- there would be no one in the line of succession, the dukedom would pass to...
Balder realized that Ren was speaking.
-No, please no Mr. Ren, he is just a child.
"Don't worry, Balder, I want to know what he thinks of him, if he says no, I'll find another way.
Balder then agreed to tell how he met Kiyoshi.
One rainy night, he was all covered walking home from the duke's castle, but on the way, he saw the soldiers bring a baby in a basket without caring if it gets wet or not.
Balder, as a rookie father, could not allow that and followed them to the office where they were going, he waited outside for a while to see if they were leaving, and the 2 guards went out to smoke.
Bálder took advantage and quickly entered the office, there inside he saw the child and next to him documents about throwing him to a random family in the clandestine area, Bálder could not allow that, seeing the green eyes of the child, he realized about the political issue that would become, but his heart came first and he took it out of there.
Luckily for Balder or fate, Balder was not discovered on his way, and since then, he raised the child and with his wife gave him the name Kiyoshi.
After Balder told that story with a sad smile, Ren asked Kiyoshi.
"So what do you say Kiyoshi, would you be the next duke and protect this place?
Kiyoshi was a blank mind with the proposal, although he only met Ren for a short time, his sister talked about him all the time at home, and his father also talked about Ren a lot before he found out that both, the coach of his sister and his father's boss were the same person.
At this lunch there were also big bombs dropped on him, one of them was about the truth of the dungeon, another was the truth about his biological father, and the biggest one is the proposal to be a noble, even worse, a duke who will lead a territory when he knows absolutely nothing.
Ren saw the boy's face and knew that he got too far ahead of himself.
"Don't worry, you don't need to make a decision now, you can think about it, there's still time until I leave.
-I want to do it.
"...
" sure?.
Kiyoshi had a look of determination unlike usual.
- Yes, all my life I have seen my neighbors fight over a piece of raw meat that the guards threw while laughing, my friends who had to steal from older women to bring food home, a father crying for not being able to give us what enough to live on if I can change that, I want to.
"ho...
Ren didn't think this kid would have such determination, but it makes it easier for him.
"I am not telling you that you will direct everything now, you need to know many topics to be able to direct a territory, in addition to the fact that you are still a minor, you will have to do it with a counselor that you can choose yourself until you come of age.
Kiyoshi immediately turned to his father Balder.
Balder raised his hands as he refused.
- me?, please young ren, I'm too old for this, besides, are you sure that the town will accept that a small child and an old accountant guide a territory?.
"Well, it is not as difficult as it seems, I have realized that in the lower and middle zone, they hate the duke, in addition to the fact that the nobles embezzle, leave the nobles to me.
Ren said with a calm smile.
Bálder and Kiyoshi thought it was a friendly smile that wished well for a foreign territory for the simple fact of helping, only Kelly knew that it was the smile of the devil, he found out about it a few days ago.
She had finished her training and had received her pay for the sandwiches she brought her when she was retiring home, on the way 2 men had followed her.
That would not be bad, since she could easily knock them out, the bad thing is that they were 2 members of the white fang guild, they were rank D.
Kelly was being dragged along by them as they talked about how they would use the money she had besides using her.
She had cursed her weakness, she thought it was her end, on the way to the guild, they saw a guy dressed as a janitor, he stared at them for a while.
The members thought it was weird, but the janitor came over saying that they had found a girl.
The 2 members went to see the new girl excited, but the janitor guided them to an alley, and turning from her they saw her calm look as she said.
- They should not have messed with a person dear to my king.
Out of nowhere, Kelly felt chills all over her body, as she was held by her neck, she didn't know she was going, the 2 members also turned around as they let go of the girl's body.
Kelly on the ground, out of the corner of her eye she saw Ren walking into the alley with a crescent smile on her face, she felt she saw the devil's smile.
Kelly found it terrifying, she honestly felt more scared than she did when she was captured.
Afterward, everything happened very quickly.
She saw a blur and the next thing she heard was a muffled cry from one of the 2 men and Ren's low voice.
"I haven't been made in a long time, and you just took my record away.
Kelly watched as the other member fell to the ground as she trembled in fear.
Ren, on the other hand, ignored him as he crouched down to face her.
"Looks like they didn't get you much done.
she said as she pulled out a syringe, Kelly didn't know what to think, and laughed as if she wanted to ease her worries.
"Don't worry, it's an injectable recovery potion, with a little anesthesia, you'll wake up in an hour, it'll be bad for your health if you see what happens here.
Ren said as she injected the syringe into her shoulder and patted her head.
the last thing he heard was a piercing scream next to a voice.
"My dear disciple just got hurt, and your partner can't take more than one hit, so you'll have to take the next 30 minutes here with me.
Ren said as he laughed quietly.
.
.
.
Kelly upon waking up realized that she was on ren's legs while ren whistled and patted her head, so she got up from her.
" are you OK?.
- Yes, what happened to those 2, ren?.
Ren smiled as he answered.
"You should forget their faces, you will never see them again.
Kelly nodded and didn't ask anymore, but as she sat up, she held her knees and lowered her head as she began to cry silently.
Ren on the other hand just patted the head of this girl who was at a low point.
Do you feel bad for not being able to defend yourself?
- You're right, I thought I could face others just because I was improving in my training, but no, I'm very weak.
"I can't tell you not to feel bad about this, I can only say that I will help you to be strong, until you are strong, I will protect you.
- Why do this?.
"for the scholarship, you are going to -
- No, I know it's not because of the scholarship, I want to know, why did I save myself?
"...
Ren sighed as she answered.
" Because since I decided to teach you, you became my responsibility, and it will continue to be until you get strong, then just then, you will stop being my responsibility.
Kelly, who was with her head between her knees, opened her eyes, her word kept crashing into her mind.
'responsibility, I am your responsibility.
she shook her head at the one being petted, quickly stood up, and started running.
- Remember sensei, I am your responsibility!
"Don't tell me sensei, oi brat!
Kelly had already disappeared when Ren answered, sighing and getting up from her seat.
She sighed because the garbage had already been cleaned from the area, but she hadn't thrown it away yet, she would have to look for a better place so that no one would find them, in addition to making a couple of clones of those 2.
Returning to the present, Ren continued speaking.
"Well, you see, so far I have destroyed 10 dungeons in the slums, and 5 in the middle areas, right now they quintupled their security and the same white fang guild boss came, and I can't go any further.
"I still have a month to go back to the capital, and I plan to be with you for a while.
- but young ren, that would be -
"The only thing I can do Balder, right now, I don't have a place to stay.
All 3 pairs of eyes looked at Ren in confusion.
Ren explained calmly.
"Well, you'll see...