Chapter 53: Is there a warrant for hope?

‘God, how did I get here…’

Hotel Leviathan was the greatest there was.

Fitting its renown, it had gyms, training grounds, saunas, counseling, tailor shops, conference rooms, gun stores, art galleries, salons, and many more different facilities.

And among those was a nursery.

‘What is this, some discount orphanage?’

Of course, not many used the nursery—reason being that Leviathan’s main guests were far from anything related to nursing.

But this facility was still part of Hotel Leviathan, and Cheon Suran held pride in her work there.

That is—until a few days ago—when she was suddenly placed in charge of 23 children.

‘Why do I have to look after the kids that nutcase swordsman brought over?’

Experienced and knowledgeable in anything related to childcare and education, taking care of a few dozen things was nothing for her. After all, she was the one in charge of an entire facility.

And yet, there were two reasons she was frustrated.

The first being that these children were brought by the Master of Swords, of all people.

The second was that one girl in particular was being far too quiet.

‘I don’t even know what to do with this child.’

Song Shia. She was practically the oldest among the 23.

One of the essentials when it came to childcare was managing various things like their habits and likings.

She was especially difficult to approach when even the children older than her treated her like an older sibling.

‘I don’t like her.’

As soon as Suran laid eyes on the girl, she immediately knew—the only thing that made her a normal girl was her appearance.

Shia was no ordinary child. Her abnormalcy was evident whenever Suran saw her during her free time, whenever she wasn’t catering to the other children.

Just what was Shia doing?

Well, quite the opposite, actually. The problem was that she wasn’t doing anything.

She did not play.

She did not play.

She did not rest.

Shia did not even sleep.

The way she sat still was beyond weird—inhuman, even.

It was rather frightening seeing those dead eyes. Suran felt like she was watching a machine with a dead battery, even a corpse.

And for a while, Suran looked at Shia with unfavorable eyes.

‘I really just want to leave her alone, but…’

She finally concealed her discomfort as she walked up to Shia, a smile on her face.

“Uhm, Shia?”

“What can I help you with?”

“I didn’t come to you for help. I want to help you, actually.”

“I don’t need any help.”

“Please don’t say that… Listen, our hotel has a great counselor. It would be good for you to meet them.”

“I don’t need therapy.”

“No, it’s not therapy…”

“Then I really don’t need it.”

“......”

Three negatives, all without hesitation. Suran couldn’t help but swear in her head.

‘That’s why I’m telling you to get therapy, you dumb bitch!’

She would have done anything to make Shia gradually open up if she was just a teenage girl going through puberty and building walls around herself.

But Shia’s case was different.

She wasn’t pretending to be interested. She truly just did not care.

She wasn’t building walls either, since there was nothing to build around in the first place.

It may seem like a small difference, but to someone as skilled in child psychology as Suran, that small difference was a massive headache.

The good news was that Shia wasn’t completely helpless.

The bad news was that her only source of help wasn’t Suran herself, or anyone else in the nursery—and most definitely not anyone in Hotel Leviathan.

“What’s up, dead fish eyes? You bothering your teacher again?”

At that moment, Shia—who hadn’t moved an inch before that no matter what Suran tried— turned her head.

“…I never bothered her.”

“Yeah, right. She’s clearly struggling because of you.”

“It’s not my fault.”

“Then smile a little, yeah? Your teacher’s freaking out because of your eyes.”

“I don’t want to smile.”

“Tsk, tsk. You wouldn’t last a day in society.”

A white-haired man came out of nowhere carrying a laughing child on his shoulders.

Cheon Suran quickly bowed as she saw Limon.

“Welcome, Master of Swords.”

“Sup, Miss Cheon. Seems like the kids are giving you a hard time.”

“O-Of course not. I am apologetic that the children are troubled because of my incompetence.”

“Incompetence? It’s incredible you’re even handling these hellcats,” Limon casually praised.

“Ah, yes, yes…”

Suran couldn’t help but feel awkward when the compliment was coming from Limon Asphelder.

‘Why would the princess ever consider him as her husband?’

Limon Asphelder was the greatest, the worst enemy of the Seven Dragons Association.

Even as a low-level employee in the Black Dragon Clan, she was well aware of his notoriety—to the point where she felt fear and disgust at the sight of him despite the changing times.

She felt like dying inside trying to treat Limon, the future king’s son-in-law, with respect.

“Woah, it’s Grandpa Limon!”

“Grandpa, I wanna shoulder ride too! Shoulder ride!”

“Oi, I told you to call me ‘hyung’, not ‘grandpa’!”

“Liar! Na-kyung told me that any old man with white hair is a grandpa!”

“Na-kyung, that little… Fine, then have a taste of this!”

“Ooooh, Grandpa’s mad!”

The children crowded seeing Limon.

Suran had a strange look on her face seeing him nonchalantly play with them.

It was like seeing a machine gun hanging its laundry, or Satan himself giving a psychology seminar.

Limon didn’t pay any attention to her as he changed the diaper of a crying baby and held out his hand to Shia.

“Hey, dead fish eyes. Hand me a new diaper.”

“Here.”

“And a baby bottle. Kid looks hungry.”

“Here.”

“And a rattle…”

“Here.”

It was a demonstration of an expert assistant.

Shia handed him everything he needed before he even finished his sentences. Limon changed the diaper, gave the baby their bottle, and shook the rattle.

Like that, they calmed down the crying baby that would have taken at least an hour for Suran.

Limon smirked seeing Shia.

“Impressive.”

“It’s what I’ve always done.”

“You were pretty awkward with it a few days ago, though.”

“I didn’t know where everything was then.”

Shia answered bluntly. It was so nonchalant, she sounded dead inside.

But Limon wasn’t bothered. He just asked her questions as he played with the children.

“Anything you need?”

“No.”

“Don’t lie. I can tell you’re worried about school.”

“……”

For once, she stayed silent.

Sure enough, in the nursery, there were elementary, middle, and high school kids.

As much as they were forced to take a break from school after losing their home, getting kidnapped, and then rescued, school was clearly a big concern.

Limon scoffed and turned his head to Suran.

“Miss Cheon, any updates on what I asked you?”

“I have the school materials ready, but it will need a few more days to get the children their own instructor.”

“Huh? When did I tell you to get them individual instructors?”

Limon tilted his head.

She answered confidently as a child specialist.

“It was determined by my own discretion, as the children’s education levels are different for each age. At times like this, the difference in education levels are much more pronounced.”

“Oh, really?”

“……Yes.”

Immediately, her shoulders recoiled again.

She’d carried it out because she knew it was the right thing to do, but she didn’t know what she would say if Limon asked why she did what she wasn’t even asked to do.

“Hm… Then let’s just do that, then. I don’t know how kids these days are taught.”

Thankfully, Limon did not blame her. Rather, he delegated full authority to her with a nod.

Feeling like she narrowly escaped death, Cheon Suran sent a prayer of thanks to the Founding Black Dragon.

Limon turned back to Shia.

“How’s that? Now you won’t have to worry about school, yeah?”

***

***

“……”

Shia answered with silence once again.

How could there be anything to worry about?

For the orphans who had never seen a tutor, let alone a meager cram school, having a private instructor was an unfathomable luxury.

That was why Shia spoke after staring vacantly at Limon.

“Limon oppa.”

“…Why are you calling me that?”

“I thought I should call you that when you told the other kids to call you hyung.”

“Can you address me by literally anything else?”

“Do you want me to call you brother?”

“Just say uncle…”

“Yes, Uncle Limon.”

Her stubbornness won.

Limon pressed down on his temples while Shia remained stoic.

“Why are you so good to us, Uncle Limon?”

Uncle or whatever it may be, he was still a complete stranger to them—they could turn the other way and act like they knew nothing about each other.

In truth, that’s what most adults did.

Even Suran, the manager of the nursery, was just looking after them because it was her job. It was obvious that deep down, she didn’t like them.

But Limon? Why was he helping them? It was more suspicious than strange.

Limon’s answer was simple.

“Because that’s what Na-kyung would have done.”

As soon as she heard that name, a glimmer of light shone in Shia’s eyes. But that didn’t last long. In a flash, her eyes were settled once more as she told Limon in a quiet voice so the other children wouldn’t hear.

“You’re not Na-kyung unnie.”

“I am not.”

“Na-kyung unnie is dead.”

“I know.”

Limon agreed with nonchalance.

Though it made her death all the more gruesome, Shia wasn’t sad.

She simply continued in a tired voice.

“If you know, then don’t say that useless stuff.”

“What’s useless?”

“You giving us hope.”

Yoo Na-kyung wasn’t just a nice charity worker to the children of Hanbit Orphanage.

She was their most dependable family, a future they could look up to, a dream they didn’t have to throw away.

Her very existence gave them hope.

And so, Shia knew what it meant when Limon said that he’d take her place—how much hope that would bring to the other children.

She knew far too well that she refused it.

Limon narrowed his eyes at her.

“Should I not?”

“Yes.”

Shia deadpanned.

Looking straight into Limon’s golden eyes, she spoke in a low voice.

“Giving something just to take it back is worse than not giving it at all.”

Delicious meals and wide beds, good education and plentiful time for rest.

On top of that, Limon’s trustworthy protection.

Their lives at Leviathan were luxurious, yes. So luxurious, the despair they would feel once it gets taken away was unfathomable.

She didn’t care if it was just her. She no longer expected anything, and you couldn’t be disappointed if you don’t expect anything to begin with.

But that wasn’t the case for the other children.

They would be gravely hurt if the hope Limon gave them disappeared.

Shia was coldly telling him to not give them hope if it was going to go away someday.

Limon chuckled.

“I have a lot of questions for you… but let me ask just one first.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you so sure the hope I’m giving you is going to disappear someday?”

Limon was confident.

Whether he was told that cheap sympathy was bound to disappear quickly.

Whether he was told he was going to die as fast as Yoo Na-kyung.

He was confident to answer that he was not taking care of the kids out of sympathy, nor was he going to die.

After all, he was the last swordmaster who had lived over the vast reaches of time. He was Limon Asphelder.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

But his smile froze in place as Shia gave her answer.

“Of course, because Uncle Limon is jobless.”

“……”

“Not to mention, you committed treason. You’re a criminal.”

How could a broke man with no income on the run give them hope?

Shia coldly criticized as if she was judging a date’s appearance and wealth.

Limon stared at her in silence for a while.

“…Where did you get that from?”

“The news.”

“Have they been blaring out that I’ve been fired on the news, too?”

“No, I could just tell when a full-grown adult was playing with children in the middle of the day.”

“Well you sure damn know how to read the room fast.”

“Na-kyung unnie told us it’s crucial for an orphan to be quick to read the room to survive as an orphan.”

‘Did she ever tell you to have a filter on your mouth?’

Limon barely swallowed down the words on the tip of his tongue.

He knew he had to manage his expectations.

There was no way Yoo Na-kyung would have taught them such a thing when she was someone who would keep her mouth afloat even when drowning.

‘Urgh, to think she was my subordinate…’

For a moment, he felt skeptical he caused all that chaos just for her blood debt.

He sighed, scratching his cheeks.

“I mean, I am an unemployed criminal. But those charges are going to get dropped soon and I’m going to get a job, all right?”

“That’s what all unemployed criminals say.”

“…Am I really that untrustworthy?”

“There’s no reason for it to be otherwise.”

“Hm. A reason to trust, you say.”

Talking to a brick wall is common when one is little.

Limon crossed his arms as Shia declared her distrust with an unwavering voice.

As if he was recalling something, he put a mysterious smile on his face.

“Are you going to get some hope once I get my treason charges dropped?”

Shia flinched at his words. She didn’t know Limon’s intentions.

Even at her young age, she knew it was impossible to get his charges dropped when he’d held the president hostage.

“Then I might be able to consider you trying to replace Na-kyung unnie.”

She sounded truly dead inside.

It was clear she didn’t even believe Limon for a minute.

“Don’t forget what you said.”

Looking satisfied with her answer, Limon smiled meaningfully.

He turned to Suran, who had been listening to their conversation with an inexplicable expression.

“Miss Cheon, can we take a look at the TV?”

“The TV?”

“Yeah.”

She was confused by the randomness. Shia did not hide her suspicion.

Limon told them in a playful voice.

“There’s going to be some awfully interesting news today.”

——

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