Chapter 65: Unexpected Gratitude

Aron stood there, tension running high, ready to throw Python at Father Valarian, his gaze locked onto the Blinded figure before him. But the situation took an unexpected turn as Valarian raised his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Stop, I'm not here to fight you," Valarian spoke, a calm demeanor in stark contrast to the turmoil of the moment.

"In fact," he continued, his gaze shifting from Aron to the little girl behind him and then to the children hiding inside the underground exit, "I'm here to thank you."

Aron raised an eyebrow, still wary, unwilling to let down his guard entirely, especially given the immense Mana he had sensed emanating from Valarian moments ago. He wasn't about to take any chances.

"Thank me? For what?" Aron asked a cautious edge in his voice.

From behind, Scarlett spoke up in disbelief. "Father Valarian?"

"Oh! Hello, Scarlett, long time seeing you. Where have you been?" Valarian greeted her with a touch of nostalgia.

Scarlett started approaching Valarian, but Aron blocked her path with an outstretched hand. A serious look on his face conveyed the gravity of the situation, and Scarlett immediately grasped it.

"Yes, Father, it has indeed been a long time. I've been in a not-so-pleasant place," Scarlett replied, her tone somber.

Valarian lowered his hand and spoke with a hint of sadness. "I heard about that, but I see your friend here has taken care of the problem."

"What do you want?" Aron's eyes flared with a touch of red, ready to spring into action, though the unconscious Freya on his back posed a challenge.

Pethra and Kasumi recognized the man in the white robe from the incident involving the Pig noble. Luna and Mia remained with the children, keeping a close eye on them.

"As I said," Father Valarian began with a calm and measured tone, "I want to thank you for helping us so much."

Aron's confusion deepened. "Helping you?"

Valarian nodded, "Yes, you took care of a small but hard-to-deal-with problem. I must say, you did a splendid job, albeit causing some collateral damage."

Scarlett narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that, Father?"

"Well, your friend here killed three nobles, one is an owner of a successful business, and one is the head of a very powerful noble family."

Scarlett's face darkened, her concern growing, understanding the danger of Aron's actions.

"But don't worry about the nobles," Valarian continued. "We'll take care of them. You've done a great service by eliminating the 'Dealer' and the group that kidnaps children, not to mention bringing the children back unharmed."

Valarian then bowed slightly to Aron. "For that, my superior expresses his gratitude and has ordered me to help you in any way I can."

Aron lowered his greatsword seeing no hostility from Valarian, still cautious but somewhat relieved that the man didn't appear to be an immediate threat. The tension in the air began to ease slightly, but he was not about to let his guard down completely.

He leaned close to Scarlett and whispered, "What do you think? Can we trust this man?"

Scarlett pondered for a moment before replying, "We can't trust anyone entirely, but at least we can trust him with the children. Valarian is a good man, and he'll ensure their safe return to their families."

"I see," Aron said before turning to face Valarian. "Listen, buddy, if you want to help me, do it by returning these children to their families."

Valarian's eyebrow twitched at Aron's casual address, but he maintained his composure. "Of course, the Cathedral of the Sun will take care of them. I can guarantee that."

"Very well," Aron replied, still guarded. "You can take care of the children. But know that if any harm comes to them, you'll answer to me."

With the children's safety seemingly assured, Aron motioned for them to come out of the underground exit. The little ones hesitated at first, still unsure of the stranger, but Luna and Mia reassured them, and slowly, they began to emerge.

Aron then turned his attention to the little girl who had been hiding behind him all this time.

"Go on, little girl. Your family awaits you," Aron gently said, giving her a reassuring smile. The little girl, still trembling, refused to leave Aron's hand.

Valarina's eyes widened under his blindfold when he saw Aron holding the little girl's hand.

'I-Imposible!' He was shocked to see that but quickly regained his calmness.

"Don't forget our promise, Mister."

Aron chuckled slightly and knelt before her. "I won't forget. Little girl, my name is not 'Mister,' it's Aron."

"Aron, got it. My name is Eva," Eva nodded happily.

"Eva, that's a good name. Now, go, don't keep your family waiting any longer," Aron encouraged.

Eva started to walk toward Father Valarian but suddenly ran back to Aron, jumping into his arms and giving him a big hug.

"Thank you for helping us, and I won't forget about you, Aron," she said with gratitude.

Aron smiled gently, patting her head. "Just call me when you need me, and I'll be there."

"Mm…" With a nod, Eva joined the other children next to Father Valarian.

Thomas approached Aron, and the latter spoke with a solemn voice, "Remember what I said, boy, the safest place is on the top."

"I will, sir," Thomas replied, bowing slightly before resuming his walk. Soon, all the children were gathered around Father Valarian.

Aron stood up, watching as the children found safety in the care of the Cathedral of the Sun. He felt a sense of responsibility for their well-being, knowing that they were now in capable hands.

His gaze met Valarian's once more, and he spoke with a hint of seriousness, "Take care of them, and I mean it."

Father Valarian nodded solemnly, "I give you my word; they will be under the Cathedral's protection."

"Move closer to me, children," Valarian commanded. He held his golden rosary against his palms, and a magic circle of golden light formed beneath him and the children. He turned to Aron, leaving a few words.

"Don't worry about the nobles; we'll take care of them. I'll send you a contact of mine; I want to speak to you alone."

Valarian didn't wait for Aron's reply, and the golden light enveloped him and the children, causing them to disappear instantly.

"Sigh… He always likes to be flashy," Scarlett commented, shaking her head.

"Do you know him?" Aron asked Scarlett, curiosity in his voice.

"Yes, we were in the same orphanage when we were young."

"So what now, Master?" Kasumi suddenly asked as she approached Aron with Luna holding her arm.

"We should go back and rest. Now that this problem has been taken care of, we should prioritize finding a place of our own," he replied.

The girls nodded in agreement, liking the idea of having a place to call their own instead of living in a warehouse.

"And you…" Aron then turned to the maid who had been accompanying them. "What are you going to do?"

"!!!" Mai trembled slightly as Aron addressed her. "I don't know yet. I don't have a family or a place to live."

"Hmm," Aron thought for a moment before speaking, "You can come and stay with us for now and think about it later."

Mai bowed to him in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Mister Aron."

Aron waved it off. "No need to thank… Ouch!"

The girls were surprised by the unexpected yelp when they glanced at him. They saw Freya biting his neck as she slept.

Scarlett chuckled slightly, "Heheh~ I think she's having a good dream."

Pethra frowned, "Of course, after what happened in the bath."

"!!!" Kasumi and Luna blushed instantly, remembering the steamy bath scene and the intimate moment with Aron and Freya. Surprisingly Mia, the maid, also had a faint blush on her cheeks, perhaps having overheard or seen something.

Raum, who had been silent all this time, suddenly jumped to the top of Aron's head and gazed down at him.

"Somehow I feel sorry for you, brother, for what is about to come," Raum commented mysteriously.

"Eh?... What do you mean?" Aron asked, perplexed.

Raum didn't answer and simply flew away, leaving Aron bewildered.

…

Inside the great hall of the Cathedral of the Sun, a golden magic circle formed on the floor. A young man and the rescued children appeared in the center of the radiant light.

"Welcome, children, to the Cathedral of the Sun," the young man greeted them. He raised his hand, and men and women in similar white attire to his own materialized around him.

"Take care of them," he instructed.

"Yes, your holiness," they replied with a respectful bow.

The children were led to the lower floor, where they could find food, clothing, and a safe place to rest. Father Valarian remained in the great hall, gazing at the only child who had yet to leave.

He knelt before her and said, "I'm glad to see you safe, Princess Evangeline."

"Thank you, Father. Now, please remove this illusion," she requested.

"Yes, princess." Valarian waved his hand, and a golden light enveloped Evangeline. Her appearance underwent a transformation; her twin-tailed brown hair became long and platinum, reaching her waist, and her right green eye turned pure white while her left eye remained green.

"How's mother?" Evangeline inquired.

"She's been worried about you, neglecting her own health in her search for you," Valarian replied.

"And my Father?"

"..."

Valarian remained silent, conveying everything with his non-response. Evangeline understood the implications instantly.

"I see. He either didn't know about me or didn't care that I was kidnapped," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

"I'm sorry, princess," Valarian apologized, well aware of the complex relationship between the king and his daughter.

'Her condition is not her fault,' he bit his lip hard the more he thought about it.

"No need to feel sorry for me, Father Valarian," Evangeline said with resolve, "because now..." She glanced at her pinky finger. "I have someone to help me."

[A/N: Hello dear reader I hope you're enjoying the story, I want to ask you guys about your opinion on the characters so far and the dialogue driven chapter, should I write the chapter in the same style or go for less dialogues, tell me your thoughts in the comments. have fun]