Still Loved Even In The New World
CHAPTER 23: Children of the Slum District

Lydia:"Duke and Marshal.pardon my impoliteness!"

Lidia immediately apologized with great respect.as the chairman of the Trade Guild, I was not surprised that Lidia would know father and mother.Maybe they had even done some cooperation.

Rovell:"no problem".

father answered him with the appropriate dignity as the identity of a Duke.

Lydia only stood up and did not dare to sit in front of the two giants in the entire Regalia Kingdom.

Lydia just sat down after mom gave her permission to sit. I was so confused. Who is the host here?.

Filia: "just relax and let's talk about business"

Lydia: "huh.. everything is ready. I have found a suitable person.he is Joseph, he has been working in this field for five years and can be trusted"

Lidia was talking about a suitable person to work on the interior that I asked for yesterday.he handed me some resume paper from this person named Joseph. from the record this person does have a good record and can be trusted.

Harnas:"it looks like you once slipped away from the mansion right?!"

suddenly a cold chill ran from my spine.I smelled the scent of trouble after I left here.

perhaps realizing that I did not want to answer her, mother said to Ilma who was standing behind the sofa without turning her body.

Harnas:"I'm sure Ilma will tell me and won't lie!"

Ilma:"a, anu..."

Ilma looked at me and then saw mom, she hesitated to answer. Because I could not bear to see her, I finally answered mother's question myself.

Filia:"mother. actually...."

I told her everything that happened, including the flying magic I used to jump over the fence and go to the city alone.

Rovell:"APA!... This is all very dangerous!"

Harnas:"so, as it is. well, from now on you will always be under the supervision of mother.mother does not want you to do such a dangerous thing.and to Ilma, from now on, you will always be under the supervision of mother, you let your master do a dangerous thing without telling us"

Ilma:"I deserve to be punished"

Filia:"no. mother, it's all my fault. Ilma did nothing!".

I can't let Ilma get punished for my mistake.I don't want to drag her into this matter.

Rovell: "you both will receive punishment and will not be able to escape from that punishment"

Harnas:"the punishment will be determined after we return to the mansion"

Filia:"well.."

there was nothing I could do to oppose the decision of father and mother.they would not hurt me, but what about the punishment Ilma would receive?. maybe he will be returned to the training of the workers and I will get a new personal servant. I do not want a new servant, I am used to Ilma.

Harnas:"this man can be trusted"

as I was immersed in my thoughts, mother looked at the resume and gave her opinion.I would not doubt mother's ability to judge someone.

Filia:"because I told you so, then I will use this person. Miss Lydia, can you please arrange everything?"

Lydia:"of course"

Filia;"what about the cost?"

Lydia: "after Joseph saw the place he was going to work, he pegged the price of 20 small gold for labor and at least half of it should be as an initial cost"

this requirement is not at all difficult, but I admire that he has the courage to demand a down payment to the nobility. naturally I would not mind giving it.

Filia: "everything is fine. let them start working.I will come every few days to that place to see the results of his work"

I handed over twenty pieces of small gold coins on the table and took out another piece of Platinum coin.

Filia:"This is to buy the necessary ingredients and I asked Miss Lydia for help to find a competent waiter"

Lydia:"this is an easy job.is there any other special requirements for maids?"

Filia: "the servant must love the children and be good at teaching the children about etiquette while having a good performance"

throughout the conversation, my father and mother only silently watched what I was doing. They did not try to prevent or hinder what I wanted to do.

the conversation was over. I immediately went to the location of the shop I had built. this time Lydia also followed me using the carriage provided by the guild. upon arrival there, besides Ilma and Lydia, this time, others were very surprised to learn that the large building was my own. indeed the area of this building is very small when compared to the mansion of Rosefield, which is very small, but this is bigger than a house belonging to an ordinary noble.

there are many workers there. Lidia invited us to meet an old man with a firm face and wrinkles everywhere which signified that he was consumed by time. that person's age might be in his fifties with white hair and cloth headgear on it.

I had a brief conversation with Joseph and Lidia handing over the money as payment. Lydia only gave ten small gold coins as a down payment, although Joseph was trustworthy, but this is how it worked, he said, first the contractor will be given half of the payment and the other half will be given if the work is completed.

Filia: "for the materials you need, you can talk about it with the trading guild"

Joseph:"I understand"

finished speaking, I immediately handed over the black robe to mother and others including the personal servant and Lydia.This robe was actually reserved for party members, and this robe could adjust its size according to the wearer.

only Lidia showed her confused face clearly.although it was invisible, father and mother also had confusion in their eyes, while Ilma only wore it with full confidence.

we left on foot for about an hour to the slums.

Lydia:"daughter. It looks like this road to the slums. Did we make a mistake?"

Rovell:sad.what are we going to do in a place like this?.this is not a good place to visit"

Harnas: "we go back. That place doesn't suit you"

I could clearly feel the worry from father and mother, but Indeed this is where we are heading, I've had the child bring the friends gathered at that place.

Philia:"no, this is where we're going"

I continued to lead the others walking towards the place I agreed with the child.All the way in the slum, father and mother never loosened her hands from the sword hilt on her waist. up there, in that place there are still tiles and walls that cracked the rest of the people I beat at that time.

there was a lot of trash everywhere.in one corner, there were about a dozen children gathered in their shabby, tattered clothes as well as their dirty, unkempt faces and bodies.

most of them were girls aged between 6-12 years old when we approached, there was a ten-year-old girl with a thin body immediately walked over to me fearlessly like the other children.

Filia:"what is this?"

"right sir, only this is willing to follow me"

Filia:"good job"

I patted him on the shoulder, then walked towards the other children behind him. They looked scared and alert when they saw us coming over.

Philia: "no need to fear.do any of you still have parents?"

the children lowered their heads and shook their heads gently.The older child immediately hugged the little one while whispering 'it's okay, we're here'. it seems that the mother also could not bear to see this kind of scene.the mother came forward and patted the head of one of the small children attentively.It seems that due to the clap, the other children also began to loosen their guard. mothers do have magical powers to conquer children.

"who needs parents!"

"Lun, quiet!"

there were two boys who were about 7 or 8 years old.one of them looked stubborn but the other was more understanding.

I can tolerate what they say. Living in a place like this will certainly form a harsh attitude, especially in children.

Philia:"huh.now you will follow me. I will give you what I promised"

"do you want to sell us?"

the stubborn-looking boy immediately spoke loudly towards me.

Philia: "why do you think that way?"

"someone who hides his identity and offers something nice, do you think such a person exists?!"

it seemed that even though he looked stubborn, he still had mature thoughts about something.

Filia:"of course there is no. I'm not offering you anything good for free.you have to work for me"

"whatever it is anyway, if we stay here, sooner or later we'll die too"

I like the personality of this child.he has a strong character and is able to think more forward than children his age.he can be a useful person if directed properly.

I turned around and talked to the boy who had met me.

Filia:"what about you?. Do you still have a family?"

"no. they're dead"

Filia:"hmm... What's your name?"

"Lira"

I nodded my head, and walked towards Lydia.

Filia:"Miss Lydia.I would like to ask your help to find temporary accommodation for these children.Also, after the servant I requested was found, order them to take care of the children!"

while saying that, I also handed over 10 pieces of ordinary silver coins from the money exchange at that time.the money was as a temporary fee for the children, until the chocolate shop was finished in the interior.

after the shop was finished, the children were able to stay on the third floor which I had dedicated to the residence.

Lidia:"good princess"

due to the growing number of people, we had to rent a simple horse carriage to take these children to their temporary accommodation.

before leaving, I handed over some glass boxes of chocolate to Lidia for sale as a promotional store to be opened.

me, father, and mother, and the servant who followed, did not go with Lydia and the children. we went back to the store location and immediately returned to the mansion using the horse carriage we had used to come.

(the end of this chapter)