21 Two Kids

"You really did that?!"

"Seriously."

"Nah, man. You're joshing with me, bro~!" The two of them started to hit off in an unexpected way.

Things started to finally become peaceful.

After this, Adam was sure they'd go along with the wedding preparations and live an uneventful life.

With the protection of the Royal Family, he was sure an incident like last night will never happen a-

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

The front door was making noise… Even though shouldn't have been able to get past the gate.

"Don't worry…" Even though the Landlord was immediately put on guard, Sebas kept his cool.

Though his words didn't match his actions.

The wand in his holster was already drawn.

"Should we attack first?" Of course, even a lazy immortal wouldn't hesitate to protect himself.

"Not yet. We have to check first."

"Check firs-?"

"Assassins don't knock on doors." Even though he knew this was strange, it wasn't best to overreact.

They couldn't be strung along with emotions.

Adam realised that he'd been too hasty, and came to agree with the vigilante's perspective on things.

The Magician secretly followed behind the house owner while readying his fist, a spark on top of it.

From what Adam knew, this was part of the 'Magic Fist' style that Sebastian trained separate from Chant Invocation. Although his weakened body made it difficult to use, the fist just needed charge.

And the person at the door seemed to give the white-haired man time to ready an explosive burst.

He was ready to blow anyone away.

Lightning struck down with the sound of the pouring rain. The morning was dark and ominous.

There was nowhere to run.

"What if… Just what if… we lose?" These words came out of Adam's mouth without thinking.

But there were terrifying implications in this.

"We won't…" Although Sebas said that, he too wasn't sure what would happen if they lost again.

Simon was still sound asleep, and Kang Hyuk didn't seem like the most useful when it came to a brawl.

Even if they tried to escape on their own, where would they go? Hide in the slums of Pandorica?

The place where poverty and crimes were rampant.

A neighbourhood even aristocracy avoided…

"Be calm. Isn't this your Territory?"

"And what about it?"

"Your land might only be as large as a neighbourhood, even smaller than a barony, but it's located in the capital. Plus, I'm sure the guards the king assigned to you wouldn't allow you to die."

"But they let someone sneak past my gate…"

"Thinking positively, they could have done so because the visitor has no reason to harm you."

"That so…? Then let's prove your theory." Adam gripped the door handle and turned the knob.

He opened it to reveal a figure washed in the rain.

Her eyes were dull, yet contained enough life to show her helplessness. With a young boy in tow.

Their difference was immeasurable.

Although both soaking wet, the young boy seemed to be wearing a uniform for middle schoolers.

A jumper with a school logo gave that away.

And the severe lack of tie etiquette.

On the other hand, the girl who he was standing side by side with while holding her hand was…

…a little like a princess.

Though Adam found the 'maturity' children clothes of this nation had to be quite a distasteful look.

She was practically wearing a miniaturised dress meant for adults. With the exposed neck included.

The fabrics being so mismatched for the weather that she looked to be in a worse state than the boy.

Her skirt drenched into entanglements on her legs.

The Landlord and company immediately calmed down after seeing them. It was a fortunate event.

They definitely weren't dangerous.

But just as the former vigilante was about to talk and ask what the two children were doing…

*Bang!* *Lock*

"Let's get back to what you were saying. So you even tried to hack Psynet? Your a frickin' legend!"

"Ummm, Adam…"

"Yeah."

"What are you doing?" He pointed towards the door. The two kinds still showering in the rain.

"I'm not letting them in."

"But they're just kids."

"I smell a story here, and I'm not liking it." Adam was insistent on pretending they didn't exist.

Knocking could be heard from the door again.

But before the Landlord could stop him, the former vigilante opened the door to see what was up.

He didn't even hesitate…

"I'm sorry for intruding. My name is-"

"I don't need your name. Get out." The house owner immediately cut her off before she spoke.

He wouldn't let her speak any further…

"Adam…"

"Don't argue. I'm the decision maker here."

"I'm here to rent a room for a month's time. I've heard this territory only allows rentees to stay."

"Where did you hear that?" The little girl's statement sounded familiar. He had forgotten it.

In order to make it seem less suspicious to the rest of the world, the king made his him a 'renter'.

And each hidden individual here was a 'rentee'.

That was the established setting for it, anyway,

In truth, he hadn't been getting anything from those hidden people because the king had paid.

So it made sense he'd forgotten for a moment.

"Please… Let us stay here." The little girl bowed her head, only to find the door slammed shut again.

Her heart breaking with the loud thump.

This time, Sebastian seemed a lot more thoughtful on whether he should be on their side or not.

The house owner was too serious about this.

Of course, that didn't mean he was unwilling to help them. He was just going to act separately.

Just as Sebas put his hand on his chin, the two of them suddenly heard someone falling downstairs.

The loud crashing noises scared the duo.

However, the scene they saw when they turned around was that of a handsome man standing up.

His eyes waking up out of a sleepy daze.

"I sensed children in need. The smell of injustice and unqualified adults afoot!" He looked around.

Then saw how they were focused on the door.

"Hyuk… Don't." Adam stopped him before the idealistic pervert opened the door by himself.

The Martial King somewhat understood the situation from the way Sebas and him acted.

"There are kids outside, right?"

"…" Adam didn't give a clear answer to him.

"Just let them in." Hyuk didn't back down.

"I don't want to." (Adam)

"Why not?" (Hyuk)

"Obviously, it's about last night." (Sebas)

"What happened to us last night has nothing to do with whichever kids are asking for help." (Hyuk)

"Can't you just ignore this?" (Adam)

"Not happening." (Hyuk)

"I won't consider learning martial arts if you let them in." Adam put his foot down on this situation.

He wasn't about to let himself be in danger again.

And even if they weren't a danger to him, who could be sure they wouldn't threaten him later?

The Landlord considered his words to be quite persuasive. After all, Hyuk was insistent on that.

He and Sebastian had been arguing for age on what their friend would be the first to learn.

However, he underestimated the Martial King.

Just as he finished those words, Kang Hyuk immediately opened the door and let them in.

He seemed disappointed in Adam…

"Now all is fine, right?" Unusually cold words came out of Hyuk's mouth, as if he was totally indifferent.

A far cry from how expressive he normally acted.

Kang Hyuk immediately brought both the children in each of his arms. He had a paternal atmosphere.

His Landlord's mouth hung open while watching the once boisterous fool act like a competent man.

"Sebas, help me dry them off."

"Sebastian…"

"Okay." The Magician didn't want to ignore how Adam called out to him, but he listened to Hyuk.

Adam felt a difference between him and 'them'.

Like he wasn't in their group circle anymore.

However, the former vigilante stomped out that notion when giving a secret apologetic glance.

Maybe he only ignored him for that moment just to calm down Kang Hyuk, who seemed a little angry.

Adam watched as the two worked together.

"I call out the flame, bring forth the heat, call upon the lukewarm inferno… —Clothes Drying." It was a strange spell, but Sebastian seemed to have easily dried them off enough for Hyuk to follow up.

The Martial King extended his hands and released a stream of Internal Qi that cleaned them up.

No speck of dirt was left on their bodies.

When they were done, the two children were revealed to look more presentable than earlier.

The distasteful dress now seemed more like something you'd see in a European fairy tale.

Though Adam still didn't like the design…

Regardless, the two kids looked normal.

"I'll be taking care of them from now on. You just have to give them a place to stay for a bit, okay?"

Although Hyuk was acting friendly, his attitude wasn't one that would take 'No' for an answer.

Just as he was about to leave with the children in his arms, Adam couldn't help voicing an inquiry:

"What are their names?"

The children immediately spoke up:

"My name is Lucia Arcadia."

"Flinn Markson."

Although he didn't recognise the second name, the one the girl spoke out was one he'd remembered.

Although he'd never saw her face personally.

The moment the three of them left, Adam was left in a position where he was covering his expression.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No… Anyway, can you ask those people guarding outside to stop being compassionate to children?"

"You want me to do that for you…?"

"Yeah, and tell them I'll complain if they leak anything." The Magician understood his meaning.

He looked to contact them right away. This left Adam by his lonesome to feel a bit wronged.

Did he say anything bad?

Sure, they looked like innocent kids. Sure, they likely had nothing to do with last night's incident.

But what was wrong with turning them away?

Whatever money that kid brought with her, it wasn't worth the trouble she'd bring them.

Especially when he realised her true identity…

It was at that brooding moment that he noticed someone else swaggering his way downstairs.

The old drunkard looked… amused.

"What are YOU looking at?" He wasn't to deal with this bastard's immature shenanigans right now.

"…" Simon didn't say anything. Only taking another swig of the alcohol he swiped and turned his head.

"What? Not gonna call me out like they did? You also think kids should get special treatment?"

"I didn't say anything." The geezer lifted his hands to surrender. It made HIM look immature instead.

"Then… Sorry." Adam's mood was out of whack.

He didn't want to be such a petty person.

However, it wasn't like taking them in would guarantee nothing would happen to them.

That's why he was about to make a phone call.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." This didn't sound like a threat, but more like advice from the old.

Adam turned his head in the drunkard's direction.

His magical phone ready to ring up the Imperial Order to deal with the lost kids that showed up.

"Why not?"

"Two children walked in the pouring rain to run away from home. They either like being drenched through, or they would do anything to get away from there. I'm surprised you hadn't noticed."

The Landlord only then understood what the gaze Hyuk kept giving him meant. Just got it now.

"…There parents must be worried."

"You really think that way? How innocent…" The old man just came right on over and patted his head.

"…What are you doing-?"

"I've just made my resolution to be more serious in your combat training, my most weakest disciple."

"…Why?"

"You wouldn't survive this world, otherwise." A look of clarity was in the drunkard's experienced eyes.

He staggered and tripped away after saying that…

The leaving figure of the man looking as unreliable as ever. To the point it left him scratching his head.

For now, he decided against kicking them out.

So long as they stayed hidden until he got himself married, then his problems will erase themselves.

No one would touch a relative of Royalty.