Chapter 772 - 771. Charity Begins With Humility (1)

Baron Oberon walked out with the newly arrived helpers, Eric looked around, everything was going quite smoothly under the Baron’s leadership and with the Oasis Foundation volunteers present around it was clear that this place was chosen so that the Princes wouldn’t have much trouble with their charity work.

"This must be a place selected by Mr Roan." Eric muttered and Drac looked at him since he was the closest. "If it were Master, he would have told us to go to the place where things are the worst."

Drac also looked around and Silas who was a few feet away turned to look at Eric, "He might have also selected this place."

Eric was taken aback at Silas’s words and Silas continued, "For their sake."

Silas pointed at Alys and Carlos and Eric understood what he meant. If it were a place with worse conditions then people would have been agitated too and that would have overwhelmed Alys who was just stepping out into to society as the First Princess and Carlos’s life would be in danger.

It was indeed a sensible decision.

Eric smiled and Silas turned away looking at Baron who was talking to the volunteers and the knights giving them instructions for aiding the Princes and Princess. Eric also walked up to them and noticed in the daylight as how the Baron looked quite pale with the dark circle’s creating a stark contrast.

"Baron," Eric spoke up once the Baron was done with his instructions, "I think you should take your leave now, I suppose you must have been working here without much rest. Please take care of your health, we will look after this place."

Baron Oberon smiled, "I’m sure you will and I was just about to leave. Master has returned so, there is a meeting at Ryujin."

"You should rest though," Eric insisted and Baron laughed.

"I will be refreshed once I see our Master’s handsome face," he said without any sense of embarassment before he added with a warm smile, "But I will also keep your concern in mind and take some rest."

Eric smiled back, he knew that the Baron was an enigmatic person like Ocean just a different kind but it was obvious that two of these Underworld Lords were in one way or another infatuated with Ocean. He wondered if they knew that Ocean was in reality Reina? Maybe not...

With that said, Baron placed his hand over Eric’s shoulder.

"So, please look after everything in my absence, Your Highness. They will aid you with whatever you need." He gestured at the volunteers and then smiled at Eric before he went and mounted the horse that was brought over a knight and after looking at the whole place and the royal children, he rode off.

Eric was left in charge behind the Baron so, he got a briefing from the volunteers and then naturally fell into the role.

"The people here are already in their roles so, it’s for us to decide what we are doing." Eric spoke looking at his impromptu team.

"What kind of work would you like to do?" Eric asked looking at everyone.

"I can work in the kitchen." Alys volunteered.

"Great-" Eric beamed but then stopped as Silas put his hand ahead stopping him.

"Absolutely don’t put her in the kitchen,"

"Why not?" Eric asked and even Alys scowled at Silas.

"The place will explode." Silas said with a deadpan expression making the volunteers go pale while Eric looked at Alys, confused.

"...How?"

"She’s an explosives expert, whatever she makes explodes."

Alys grabbed Silas hand as she glared at him, "Hey now, I am learning from Aunt El- I am learning on how to work in kitchen all right? Don’t make me sound like a lost cause."

Alys caught herself just in time before she slipped Elise’s name.

"It’s still too early, besides I heard after you were there for the first time, they finally got to remodel the kitchen because you blew up the furnace." Silas spoke, there was no hint of smile on his face so it was clear that he wasn’t exactly teasing Alys but stating hard facts.

"I guess then not kitchen." Eric said and Alys pouted.

"How about looking after children then?" One of the volunteers a man in his mid-thirties, Eldred suggested.

Eric nodded, "Yes, that’s a good idea. What do you think, Sister?"

Alys was a little taken aback as Eric addressed her as "sister", sounding so natural. It was already decided though from the day earlier when they had briefly met at Ryujin mansion for the planning on how they were going to go about their time at this place before the people. Kai had suggested that they could appear more relaxed and like siblings before the people so that it would come across that they were quite close. Hence, it was decided that Eric and Carlos would address Alys as Sister or Big Sister while Alys would call them by their first names.

"All right," Alys said and Eric smiled.

Eric then turned to Carlos who stood silently, it almost looked like he was visibly at a distance from the group.

"Then Carlos would you like to distribute rations?" Eric asked.

Carlos looked at him and then nodded, "All right."

Eric then looked at one of the young volunteer’s who had introduced himself as Quincy, "Please lead Prince Carlos there and help him."

The young man bowed and then looked at Carlos with a smile, his youthful expression didn’t show any hint of prejudice or disgust for Carlos as he led him away.

Eric then took charge of the overall operations that were running around with the people coming to him with their questions and him overlooking everything and if anything was amiss he would solve it himself or have Drac provide support.

Eric talked with person in charge of the records, Thomas Preston.

"We are still making records, Lord Oberon had been traveling across the various towns and he had left the organising for this place for you to take care of." Thomas said and Eric nodded.

"All right then, please have some people start with the records and organizing, I’ll have a look at the..." Eric spoke as he eyed the people who were busy constructing the houses and then at the supplies, he stared for a few seconds thinking and calculating.

"How many families still need temporary housing?" Eric asked.

Mr Preston didn’t take much time to think as he answered, "One Hundred and seventeen."

"How much timber do we have?"

"Enough for approximately eighty five houses."

Eric nodded, "Then send a request for more."

Alys and Silas entered the large tent where there were kids almost of all ages ranging from infants to teenagers. There were toys and books strewn around and four of the women were taking care of them.

The women were taken aback as they saw Alys and Silas, they quickly scrambled to their feet and bowed deeply.

"I-It’s an honor to have you here, Princess!"

Alys was still getting used to this kind of treatement so she couldn’t do much but just smile and say, "Please be at ease, I’m here to look after the children. You all must be tired, please take some rest."

The women exchanged glances among themselves before they smiled and after giving a few instructions and warnings to the children they left.

The kids stared at Alys and Silas, mostly though at Silas.

"H-How are you all doing?" Alys spoke and the kids all stared at them silently for a moment before all of them started whispering among themselves.

One of the young girls who looked like she could be of age 4 or 5 approached Silas, tugging at his robe.

"Are you a Princess?"

Alys almost burst out laughing as she heard that and she quickly covered her mouth turning away.

"I’m not." Silas answered and then gestured at Alys, "She’s the Princess."

One more girl of the same age approached him, "But my Mama told me that Princess are really beautiful."

"Am I not beautiful enough?" Alys asked the girl crouching to her eye-level.

The girl looked at her and then at Silas, "You are beautiful but this person looks more beautiful."

Alys looked at Silas too and then sighed, "Can’t deny that."

Silas cocked a brow and one of the boys said.

"His hair is like cotton candy."

"Does it taste sweet?"

Alys coughed trying to hold back her laughter and Silas sighed, crouching down to their eye level.

"I’m a Mage." He said, "I’m far more remarkable than a Prince or Princess."

"Because you’re beautiful?" The girl asked.

Silas stared at her before he snapped his fingers and suddenly all the kids and their toys started floating in the air.

"Because I can do this."

Some of the kids panicked and cried while some laughed gleefully, swimming in the air and chasing each other while Silas smirked.

Alys looked at Silas, he may look like he wasn’t interested in it but he was enjoying and was surprisingly good with the kids.

Alys recalled her chats with Reina as how she often said that she could always confide in Silas even though her father and brother were always concerned about her. Silas would always keep in touch and if anyone knew her latest whereabouts or her next action of plan then it was Silas.

Alys watched as the kids, after returning to the ground started hovering around Silas without any hesitation asking him questions and he answered them in his same deadpan tone but he did appear cordial.

Suddenly feeling out of place, Alys wondered if she ever felt this safe when she was a child, she had been on the run for most of her life so, having someone like Silas at that point might have changed her life for good. She wondered how her life would be if she had run into Silas back then?

The thought made her smile as despite everything even if they hadn’t met back then, they were together now and that was more than enough. She didn’t want anything else as long as she just had this one man by her side.