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"Prince! Please, don't cry anymore! My heart can hardly handle your pitiful yet adorable cries…! You've done well; you're a great ruler, a great prince! Maybe the public opinion is still indecisive about you, but please, let me tell you that in the Blood Heart Orphanage, we all support you wholeheartedly!" Mother Scarlet said.
"Yes!" the nuns said in unison.
"Ah… That wasn't so hard, huh? Alright, I think that's enough… Well, it's not like I'm lying; I do plan to support this orphanage. Now that I've gained a trait that can make children grow even faster," Vlad nodded to himself.
"Thank you for your sincerity and your kindness…" Vlad said, wiping the tears from his face as he noticed Chris's eyes still staring at him.
For a moment, he glared back at Chris, whose face was filled with disbelief, flabbergasted by his shamelessness!
"…"
He quickly glanced back at the nuns, hoping Chris wouldn't butt in and end up ruining his entire act to ensure the hearts of these nuns and their loyalty.
"That's why, as I offer you these things, I also… must ask for a favor. I need your help." Vlad said, his eyes growing more serious as his aura of coolness only intensified.
"A-Anything!" Landy said.
"Please tell us, and we'll do what we can…" Bloodilia said with great energy.
"Yes, yes!" Oblivia nodded.
"We are all ears, Your Majesty," Grayshade nodded.
"Of course~!" Mother Scarlet closed her fists and raised her hands.
"I'll need the assistance of all of you for what's coming—to protect this city from an invasion happening tomorrow," Vlad explained. "They're the…"
He went on and on for a good five minutes, explaining to the nuns the incoming threat of the Ancient Beings that had awakened. He also told them about the previous battle a week ago.
"So they weren't fully defeated?" Grayshade gasped. "Your Majesty, these beings of tremendous power… They're truly coming again?!"
"Hopefully, this will be the last time," Vlad said. "We've prepared thoroughly, we've grown stronger, and we have also strengthened the defenses of the entire city for this moment. But even then, we might still require your help. You're all nuns of the Moon Goddesses, right? Your spells… I believe they could help us through Protection Barriers and Healing Magic. Can you do that?"
"Yes, I was trained by Mother Scarlet before, and we also trained these three young nuns too," Grayshade nodded. "We can not only conjure barrier and formation magic but also healing spells and wards and even offensive spells. However, it goes against our doctrine to use the power of the goddesses in bad faith or to harm innocents… However, to protect our home, I believe they wouldn't mind that."
"Of course they won't. We will do our best, Your Majesty," Mother Scarlet smiled happily.
"Actually, Mother Scarlet, you're the one I might need the most help from," Vlad said. "Your abilities, your physique, and your strength… They are not really what you would expect from a nun, are they? I believe you hold great power hidden within you."
"O-Oh!" Mother Scarlet's eyebrows rose for a moment. "Well… I wouldn't dare say I am strong myself; the proof of my weakness lies in these two eyes I lost."
"What… do you mean?" Vlad was confused.
"It's a long story, Your Majesty, but to sum it up, I once was a soldier from an old, now-fallen kingdom," Scarlet sighed. "I ended up finding refuge in this city after I failed to save my kingdom from the invasion of a Legion of Barbarian Clans. I was unable to save my people, and… I was unable to protect my family…"
"I… I had no idea…" Vlad muttered. He was no longer acting; he felt genuinely surprised about how different Scarlet's background was.
"Yes… I lost everything that day and wandered in the wilderness alone, with both of my eyes gone—the torture I received from the Barbarian Chiefs before I was able to escape by chance was perhaps the miracle of the goddesses. They led me here… And slowly, as I despaired, I started helping the starving children on the streets; I couldn't help it. I hunted monsters, earned money, and fed them." Mother Scarlet giggled. "Eventually… slowly, as I grew used to living while being blind, I grew too attached to them. They became my reason to keep moving after I lost everyone I loved and my home… They became my light, guiding me through the eternal darkness that now accompanies me as someone who lost her eyes."
"…" Vlad remained silent.
"The strength you talk about… I swore to never use it. I hated it because, even with all of it, I was unable to save anybody with it…" Scarlet muttered. "Being unable to cry… even when I wish I could… is also my punishment… Your Majesty, do you truly… want me to fight?"
"…" Vlad felt bad; he didn't really like being manipulative that much. "I… well…"
"Mother Scarlet," Grayshade suddenly spoke as everyone fell into silence.
"Grayshade?" Mother Scarlet faced her.
"That strength that you have been saving this entire time… Didn't it help you feed the children? Didn't it help you build this orphanage?" asked Grayshade. "You've been single-handedly saving so many lives… All of us here, we were all orphans at some point. If it weren't for your strength, for your love, for your kindness… we would have either become criminals or died…"
"That's right, Mother Scarlet!"
"Please, don't feel afraid of using your strength…"
"Isn't this the perfect moment to finally use it for good?"
As Vlad and Scarlet heard the other nuns speaking, Vlad smiled, nodding.
"Indeed…" he said. "Perhaps you were unable to save those you loved before… And I am deeply sorry for you… But now it's finally the time to show us—everyone—how strong you truly are and to use your power to properly protect them, the children, and this city! Please, Mother Scarlet! I implore you… We're in a severe lack of combatants… I will grant you a new power as well, so please… Please! Help us defend this city, these people… the children!"
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