A month had passed since Leofric started living with Charlotte. She had been working day and night, tirelessly connecting the dots about the so-called 'Desmond' case, when all of a sudden, a loud knock banged repeatedly on the door. "Charlotte! Charlotte!" a man's voice shouted urgently from outside.
Charlotte quickly stood up and walked to the door. She opened it and asked, "What's with the sudden visit?" The man stepped inside, slightly out of breath. "Sorry for the sudden visit, but this was important."
They both walked toward the living room. From a distance, Leofric continued cleaning quietly, his movements steady and silent as he observed the unexpected guest. The man glanced at Leofric and stood up once more, speaking formally. "My apologies, I didn't see you there. My name is Cassander Cassidy."
Leofric stopped cleaning and looked up. He replied softly, yet loud enough to be heard, "My name is Leofric…" Cassander nodded at him before turning back to Charlotte and sitting down again. He leaned slightly closer and whispered, "Who's the new guy?" "Ah, he's a kid I adopted. Found him in the back alley. Ain't he handsome?" Charlotte replied with a smirk.
Cassander nodded in agreement. "I thought he was a girl for a second. Anyways, that's not the reason I was here. I got new information — a mercenary group was massacred. Skilled ones at that. We inspected the bodies and sensed a devil's mana."
"What? That's impossible!" Charlotte's eyes widened in shock. "The Holy Barrier set by the Pope is still active. How could that be? Unless…"
"Yes," Cassander continued. "The Pope's Holy Barrier isn't breached, nor can any demon enter since it can instantly vaporize anyone with a wicked soul or anyone with a demon's core. The only plausible reason is that this was leftover from the experiment done by Dr. Desmond… or much worse—he's starting a new one somewhere." Charlotte's expression changed drastically. Her hand instinctively rose to cover her mouth, brows furrowed in deep shock and unease, eyes wide with disbelief as she processed the information.
After some more talk, Cassander eventually left. Charlotte remained seated at the table, still deeply lost in her thoughts about the Desmond case, her mind racing with unanswered questions. A gentle nudge against her arm pulled her back to reality.
"I'm hungry…" Leofric said softly, his voice quiet and a little shy. Charlotte blinked, then turned to look at him. Seeing the boy standing there with slightly flushed cheeks and an awkward expression, something in her chest softened. She let out a small, gentle laugh.
"Oh? Is my little one hungry already?" she teased lightly, reaching out to gently ruffle his long hair. "Come on then. Let's get you something to eat."
She stood up and took his hand naturally, leading him toward the kitchen. As she began preparing a simple meal, Leofric stayed close by her side, quietly watching everything she did with curious eyes. For the first time in a long while, the house didn't feel empty. Charlotte glanced at him and smiled warmly. "From now on, whenever you're hungry, just tell me, okay? You don't have to hesitate."
Leofric nodded slowly, a tiny, shy smile forming on his lips as he stayed close to her.
The dinner was ready, and the table had been neatly set by Leofric. The two of them ate happily, enjoying the simple but warm meal together. For a brief moment, Charlotte looked at him across the table before turning her attention back to the omelette she had cooked. "Leo, I'll be gone for a while," she said gently. "I'll leave in a week. We should use this time to have some fun together."
Leofric nodded sadly, his golden-jade eyes lowering as a quiet disappointment settled on his face. Charlotte noticed his expression and smiled softly. "Come on, don't give me that look, it won't be for too long. I promise."
Leofric gave a small nod, though the sadness in his eyes lingered just a little as the rest of the evening passed warmly between them.
The very next day, as promised, Charlotte and Leofric went out together. Both of them were unsure where to go at first since the plan had been made so suddenly, but after a short discussion, they decided on the library.
"Hey, where do you wanna go?" Charlotte asked, glancing down at him.
"Library," Leofric replied softly.
With a small smile, Charlotte took his hand and the two began walking through the bustling streets of the city.
They passed through the lively marketplace, where merchants loudly advertised their goods under colorful stalls. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread, roasted meats, and sweet candied fruits. Street performers played cheerful tunes on lutes and flutes, while children ran between the legs of adults. Vendors sold shimmering enchanted trinkets, colorful potions in glass bottles, gleaming weapons, and rolls of fine fabric imported from distant lands. Knights in polished armor walked alongside robed mages, and occasional adventurers with weapons strapped to their backs could be seen haggling over supplies.
Leofric's eyes widened slightly as he took in the vibrant sights and sounds of the fantasy kingdom, his long blue-and-gold hair swaying gently with each step. Charlotte occasionally pointed out interesting things to him — a floating lantern stall, a shop selling magical beast pelts, or a street artist sketching portraits with enchanted ink. Hand in hand, they continued walking toward the grand library in the heart of the city, the lively energy of the town surrounding them.
After a few short but joyful days of fun together, the day finally came when Charlotte had to leave home for her duties. In those precious days, Leofric had learned many things. But what intrigued him the most were the adventurers. He saw them as people who were truly 'free', and deep inside, he began to picture himself becoming one, wandering the world with only his sword by his side. That morning, Charlotte stood at the doorway, wearing her investigator coat. She turned to Leofric with a gentle smile.
"I'm leaving now," she said softly. "Take care of the house while I'm gone, okay? I'll be back as soon as I can." She stepped closer and gently ruffled his long blue-and-gold hair.
"There's a letter for you on your desk. Make sure to read it." Leofric nodded quietly, his golden-jade eyes filled with a mix of sadness and understanding.
Charlotte gave him one last warm smile before turning away. "See you soon, Leo." With that, she walked out the door, leaving the house quiet once more.
After Charlotte left, Leofric stood quietly by the door for a moment before heading to his room. On his desk, he found the letter along with an iron-silver card placed beneath it. He picked up the letter and opened it carefully.
'Dear Leofric,
Sorry if it might've been too rushed for me to leave. I've just adopted you and I'm already leaving. Please don't think of it badly. As a sorry, please accept my gift. I don't know when your birthday is, but… happy birthday.'
Leofric's eyes softened. He looked at the iron-silver card engraved with an address and the name 'Gravestone Guild'. He continued reading the letter:
'Go to the address. The guild master will have you tested for free. My former teammates will be there — they'll take care of you. Good luck.
From Charlotte.'
A warm smile slowly spread across Leofric's face. His heart melted with joy and gratitude, a gentle warmth blooming in his chest.
He carefully folded the letter and held the iron-silver card tightly in his hand. Taking a deep breath, Leofric left the house and made his way to the address written on the card. When he finally stood in front of the Gravestone Guild building, he felt a wave of nervousness wash over him. His fingers tightened around the card as he hesitated at the entrance.