Chapter 03: Planning to be Their Family.

"When I was unconscious, is there any people come by and asked about me?" Albert stared solemnly at Ace.

"No." Ace looks firm when he said it. "Is the people you mean was your friends, sir?"

Albert silent. It looks like his trace is gone because snowing. He was lucky. When he run away, it's starting to snowing for quite long. Till he was unconscious, he remembered the snow was still falling. It's beautiful when he remembering it. Back then, he thought he was going to die and buried inside snow. Being unconscious on the middle snows may kill him for sure. He would be freezing to death if Ace didn't found him.

"No, I have no friend." Albert spoken after a long silent. "You kids must be careful. If someone looking to a person who had same descriptions as me, then you better said you know nothing. If not, they might kill you without mercy." He warned Ace and the other kids.

All the kids' face losing their color. They were thinking just what kind of person did they save? A bad person? No, if Albert was a bad person, then they won't be alive anymore. So, why he was injured? Because he was being attacked some bad guy? Or maybe he has some enemies?

"Sir …, are you … a bad guy?" Dean timidly asked. His red scarlet eyes looked at Albert with wary.

Ace's and Sharra's faces become more pale when hearing Dean's question.

"Bad guy? He may look scary, but Mister, I know you aren't a bad guy!" Reala suddenly speak in bravely manner.

"H-h-how did you know, Reala? He never smiles since he wakes up …" Kyle said quietly while tugging Reala's cloth.

"If he is a bad guy, then why he gave us foods? Bad guys always taking things from other! While this Sir, he gave us foods! Now, do you think he still a bad guy!?" Reala was fuming when she said it.

"T-that …" Kyle didn't oppose, but he still scared to Albert!

Albert feels Reala was a very interesting kid. While the other kids tried to spoke carefully, only her speaking wholeheartedly. As if she could see what inside people's heart. Yes, even he was cruel, arrogant, and heartless, but doesn't mean he was an unreasonable person. He would not kill random people just because he was bored. He only kill those who tried to harm or disobey him.

Ace sighed when he saw Albert's expression didn't change. He felt Albert didn't mind to what Dean and Kyle said.

Although the situation was slightly awkward, Sharra tried to say something. "Um, the foods are ready. Do you mind to join us, Sir?"

Albert nodded.

Sharra make some simple soup from the ingredient Albert gave. It didn't have much tastes, but it was warm.

The kids eat a lot till they were full. Albert saw them smiling happily after eat. They must be hungry all the time since winter came. Without any support from an adult and some money, be able to eat lot foods till full was enough to make them satisfy. This make Albert feels regret. Back then, he wasted so much foods just because it didn't fulfil his taste.

He sighed in his heart. Since this kids saving him, then in return, he promised himself to make sure they won't be suffered from hungry anymore. Maybe he can adopt them as family? Albert feels this is a nice idea! He planned to revenge to those who betrayed him. He needs some men in his control to help him destroy Boundless Realm and this kids may be perfect! If he groomed them from young, the chance of betrayed him is small. He knows they want to chance their fate. They must be tired being the weak one. Always grief in their helplessness and always run if trouble come.

Albert silently nodded. He decided to adopting them, but not now. This is not the right time. He need to move to the closer town or village. This place is not safe. He feels, in few days his chaser may have come and it's better for them to move sooner as possible.

He waited for those kids to finished their meals. The first one who done eating was Ace. He was a nice brother. He gave some of his meals to other kids because he knows those kids still need a lot nutrition in the growing stage. Albert can tell Ace care a lot about them.

"Ace. May I know where is the closer town or village around here?" Albert asked him.

"The most closer is … I think it was Illuminate Town, Sir. It was southeast from here, I think?" Ace answered.

Albert nodded. He looked to window. It's already night and outside snowing quite heavy. Maybe it will become snowstorm? Since the weather was no good, there's no way he took this kids with him in this kind of weather. He sighed in heart. he had nothing to do now beside recuperate.

"Sir, are you … a cultivator?" Ace was very curious when he asked. He knows normal people take quite long time to recover, but Albert injure already recover in short time. That was too fast and not normal!

"Yes." Albert nodded slightly. "I am a cultivator."

Ace clutched his hand tightly. His eyes were burning with passion while looking at Albert. "Sir, can you teach me how to cultivate?" He was very firm when he said it.

Albert unconsciously smiled when he heard Ace's question. He can feel Ace has a lot potential and hard worker. He hasn't check his aptitude yet, but his hunch said he won't regret if he takes him as his disciple. He also felt Ace is a very loyal and righteous person.

"I don't mind."

When Ace heard it, he was happy. But his happiness didn't stay to long.

"But not now."

Like being poured by some cold waters, Ace felt disappointment. "W-why, Sir?"

"We need to find a suitable place before I start to teach you kids. We will move out to Illuminate town after the weather stop snowing."

Ace eyes become shining when he heard Albert say "you kids". That's mean he going to teach all of them a cultivation technique! He feels urge to learn as soon as possible, but like Albert said, this place isn't suitable for him to teach them.

"After you kids done, rest early. Maybe tomorrow is a good day, so we will move out sooner."

"Um …" Sharra was about to say something, but she was uncertain so she stops.

"What is it?" Albert glanced to Sharra.

"Sir …, if we go to town, we don't have any money to paying an inn or tavern …" Sharra explained what was disturbing her heart. If they have money, then they won't be suffering like this.

"About the expend, you don't need to worry. I will take care all you kids needed."

When they heard this, all the kids were cheering happily as if they win a jackpot.

Albert silently shaking his head. This kids were naïve and simple. Why they didn't think if he may want to do something bad to them? After all, they were stranger to him. Indeed, they have save him, but what if it was other else? Other people may repay their kindness with evil. He sighed silently. Maybe it's their fortune to meet him!

Albert waved his hand, another bunch of ingredient come out from thin air. "These ingredients for tomorrow breakfast. You kids do not need to go out anymore. Rest early."

"Thank you, Sir!" Ace and Sharra said at the same time. Both of them were smiling while looking at Albert.

Albert silently nodded, then headed to the room he uses to rest before. After entered, somehow he has a bad premonition. He glanced to a window while thinking what kind of misfortune may come to him. He felt he should check the situation around this run-down house. He can't let anything bad happened to the kids, who just a normal people.

Without telling those kids, Albert head out quietly while looked at his surrounded. He just realized that he was on the mountain foot. Every ground was white because being covered by snow. The trees were leafless and it's quite dark. The moon was covered by clouds, but it didn't make his sight become limited.

Albert hide his presence and carefully exploring this mountain. After an hour later, he founded some suspicious people who wondering around the mountain. If he guessed it right, they must be looking some clue to find him. Actually, Albert can kill them in instant, but he worried if there's might be another group aside them. He can kill one or two people in instant without a problem, but he can't kill bunch of groups in short time.

Beside, his internal injure suppressing his true power, so he can't be careless when he using his spiritual power. He didn't want his internal injure getting worse. But … sooner or later, these people may found the run-down house, where the kids live. What should he do? Should he let them check that house while he was observation from outside or directly kill them when they about to check the house?

He sighed deeply. This choice full of pros and cons. If he choosing the first option, those kids may in danger. But there's also a slightly chance where the kids may safe if they say they really never met or save him. While the last option, it also has a high risk. The kids' safety wouldn't be at risk, but he might be the one who in dangerous situation!

So, Albert is frowning right now because he didn't know which one should he choose!