"There you are!" [Princess Diana]

I should have guess that the carriage outside the inn belong to that of the royalty, plus it seems like I make her wait, which is bad, an important person in this country wasting her time just because she have to wait for someone to finish their shopping spree is without a doubt, bad

Plus, it look like even the Innkeeper and his wife seem to be stunned, well, who could have guess a princess will suddenly visit their inn, and they appear to be in a genuine distress, not because of Princess Diana treating them harshly, but because they simply have no clue as to what to do in this situation, and needless to said my ten cutie pie are genuinely shocked as well

"Sorry about that Princess Diana, it just that I have so much fun shopping with my sweet little brother and sister that I have lost track of time." [Ash]

"You traveller! How dare you make Your Highness wait for such a stupid reason!" [Female guard]

Stupid! Now that did get on my nerve

"Well, I suppose everyone in the royal palace must have forgotten their basic manner, not that I am one to speak" [Ash]

"Why you!" [Female guard]

"Qis, that's enough" [Princess Diana]

"Oh boy, someone getting scold" [Ash]

"Tch!" [Qis]

"Ash, you shouldn't do that to other noble or royal though... well it might be fine with me since I am also to be blame, coming here unannounced but other noble and royal won't take this issue lightly" [Princess Diana]

"Well, if other noble or royal have the nerve to said something like stupid to my cutie pie, they won't get away lightly" [Ash]

Well, let just said I have to make that statement, I'm pretty sure if those noble and royal wanted to do something to me, they will try to harm Rean and the other in the process, which is something that I won't tolerate at all. With the statement that I declare Infront of Princess Diana, it's my way of indirectly telling her those noble and royal better leave those orphan alone, and as expected she understands what I'm trying to convey, her guard make a "how dare you said that" face while the other become paler with my statement. 

"Still, did you need something from me, Princess Diana?" [Ash]

"Well, I was wondering about the house or plot of land that you will buy, so I come here to assist you on that" [Princess Diana]

Huh... strange, I mean a Princess going her way just to help me buying a land or house is weirs without a doubt, I mean it's literally too menial task for her as she can just send someone to do that in her stead... I can't think of a reason as to why she was willing to do so, so let just ask her directly

"Well, I appreciate the offer, but that's just too suspicious, you must have some other motive aren't you?" [Ash]

And their complexion become even paler and that female guard Qis looks like she will explode in a moment notice

"Sharp aren't you" [Princess Diana]

"So mind telling me your true reason?" [Ash]

"Well, let just said it's the fun factor for now" [Princess Diana]

"Princess, I appreciate the humour, but you're getting too suspicious for your own good" [Ash]

"Enough! You really have the nerve to said that to a royalty!" [Qis]

"Yes, and do you have any problems with me suspecting something strange going on with this situation" [Ash]

"Of course I do! You are dishonouring the princess by your very own barbarian act! I won't tolerate this any further so you better apologize to Your Highness this instances" [Qis]

"Well, sorry about that, but I have to make sure nothing suspicious going on around here as it involves my little brother and sister life!" [Ash]

"Why you! You should die!" [Qis]

"And here I am thinking of getting my way out of this problem with talk! You leave me no choice!" [Ash]

As she drew her Rapier, I drew my Scythe as well in response. Rean and Elise try to stop me by holding my clothes and ask me to stop, the innkeeper protect his wife by shielding her. As I make a wind barrier around the children, the innkeeper and Princess Diana to avoid injuring them, Princess Diana stopped us

"That's enough both of you!" [Princess Diana]

Just by uttering those word, It somehow send a shiver down my spine, it's not like she shout or anything, but it just her Aura as a royalty can be felt so clearly that I abide to it instantly. The female guard also did the same

"Well Ash, let me ask you one final question, what are your true motive for opening this orphanage?" [Princess Diana]

"?" [Ash]

Mr true motive? Should I just tell her the truth, from the very bottom of my heart. I mean I did pity those kid, they have no one to rely on and are left to fend for themselves, clinging everyday just to survive, but is that all? No, remember that time that Charlotte hug me, I can feel such warmness from my heart that I... I see, 

"Family" [Ash]

"Hm?" [Princess Diana]

"It because I can't help but to see myself whenever I looked at them, always alone, always hoping that my parents will one day come and give me back the warmth that of a family, but they won't and that's a fact for me and for them!" [Ash]

"!" [Children]

"Well, I'm 100% sure I can't give them the same parental love that their parents and my parents use to give, in fact I totally think that it's downright impossible, but that doesn't mean that I couldn't give them a loving home, loving those ten sweetie as my own little brother and sister, well at the end of the day, it might be because of my own selfish desire, desire to fill the void of losing my family, but..." [Ash]

"But?" [Princess Diana]

"But I do believe that those sweetie of mine have every right to be love, every right to get the same amount of food as those of other kid, to grow up safely in a loving home, every right to hear the word welcome home whenever they come back after playing outside, but most importantly, every right as not to become how I used to be..." [Rean]

I see, that's why huh... I don't want them to feel the dreaded life that I had gone through on earth, the hellish beating from my alcoholic uncle, the starving state that I was when aunty purposely lock me up and leave me with no food just to make me obedience to her... those hellish day, I just doesn't want them to go through it. Maybe that's why when Rean and Elise get a charcoal thrown towards them, I rushed to helped them and when I see the poor state they are in, I just doesn't want them to be like me

"Big Brother Ash..." [Charlotte]

Charlotte suddenly hug my feet, the other quickly follow

"Big bro, a grown up man like you can't cry! It's not manly" [Zerolith]

"I'm sorry, If only we aren't so weak, it's been only a day and yet we only cause problem to you!" [Rean]

"Sorry, I'm sorry..." [Elise]

""We don't want you to get into trouble because of us!"" [Kara, Mara]

"I'm sorry, for doubting you" [Singa]

"I don't want to lose them, and I don't want to lose you too!" [Farhah]

"I promise that I will be a good boy, so don't cry!" [Savel]

"Same here!" [Karon]

"You guys... dammit don't cry!" [Ash]

"Dammit, Dammit!" [Charlotte]

"Charlotte, that's a bad word, don't use it" [Ash]

"But I'm sad, big bro is crying and that make me sad" [Charlotte]

Well, dammit, I let her off this time, I mean I can't scold her, not when my her eyes and the other are teary and red, well I'm also the same as they are, maybe even worse...

"I see now, sorry for doubting you" [Princess Diana]

"!" [Other]

"Well, I forgot that you are around for a moment there your highness, please forgive my rude behaviour just now" [Ash]

"It's alright, well, the truth is, I wanted to see whether or not it's safe to leave those kid behind with you" [Princess Diana]

"In other words, you are worried about my true intentions, whether I'm truly concern about them or using them to hide my true agenda isn't it?" [Ash]

"You are quick to catch, and yes, that's correct, with someone as powerful as you are, we can't help but to be cautious, especially if you decided to go against us and that's why I'm here today just to make a 100% sure of your true intentions" [Princess Diana]

"I see, but mind if I ask a few question?" [Ash]

"Sure" [Princess Diana]

"Well first, why didn't the country act sooner and help these kid, I can see the palace being covered with nothing but expensive stuff, surely there will be a better use of the national treasury" [Ash]

"Good question... I'm sorry but my father and I have tried before, helping the commoner but our system are just way too incompetent at the current moment, that's why when you refuse to greet those noble, we are happy as we thought that if someone like you working with us, we can change the current situation around" [Princess Diana]

"I see... then second question, is there any other orphan around here? Rean and Elise said there wasn't but I'm sure even they will miss some" [Ash]

"As far as I know, there should be none INSIDE the city, but inside the dungeon and the open field however..." [Princess Diana]

"Understood... thanks Diana" [Ash]

"!" [Other]

Well, crap, that really was an honest mistake! I really doesn't mean that, well I should apologize this instances!

"I'm..." [Ash]

"You are welcome Ash, and don't worry, I don't mind it, in fact, please call me Diana from now on" [Diana]

Well, if she said so...

"Well, onto the second reason I come here! The fun factor part" [Diana]

"Seriously... when you said the fun factor part, that wasn't even a joke huh..." [Ash]

"You sure are quick to change your tone, well I'll be straight this time, can you sell me the magic core of the behemoth!" [Diana]

P/s I want to make Diana as Alfin 2.0 as I love to write about Alfin in my other series Can a holy hero be born from such a person?