Luo Yan turned around at the sound, only to see an unfamiliar face.

The man was dressed in the City Defense Army uniform, standing ramrod straight, though his hair was a tangled mess, looking travel-worn. Perhaps because he was off duty, he didn't bother to manage his appearance, and his expression seemed overly tense due to surprise and nervousness.

Watching the man glare fiercely at the children, Luo Yan could almost guess his thoughts — 'Of all people to provoke, why him?!'

Of course, the children looked at him innocently, except for the little girl with caterpillar-thick eyebrows who guiltily lowered her head.

Luo Yan glanced at the officer and smiled slightly.

"Who are you?"

The man instinctively stood even straighter, fist pressed to his chest, and saluted in the standard Imperial style like a soldier.

"Reporting, Your Highness! I am Kosel Brian! Previously, at the banquet at Valencia Manor, the City Defense Army of the Holy City's north was responsible for perimeter duty, and I was the Centurion leading the team..."

Halfway through his words, Kosel's face reddened involuntarily, almost too embarrassed to continue.

He was acutely aware that a minor character like himself, often merely a part of the background, would hardly have his face remembered by Prince Colin.

And indeed, it was true.

Lord Demon King's composure wasn't robust enough to pretend familiarity with a complete stranger he didn't know at all.

Nevertheless, he patiently listened to Mr. Kosel's self-introduction and nodded with a smile after he finished speaking.

"Do you know these children?" Luo Yan shifted his gaze to Diona, White, and the other orphans, speaking in a gentle tone.

As his gaze turned to the children, Kosel's tone softened, showing a caring look mixed with a hint of helplessness.

"Yes, Your Highness. Most of them... are orphans whose parents went missing or died on the front line. Due to some... uh, issues with the regulations and procedures, they couldn't be fully absorbed by the Church's welfare institutions. Mr. Dinger Kajuna... the owner of this workshop and I have taken in some as much as we can."

As he reached this point, Kosel paused momentarily, then added.

"Of course, just the two of us aren't nearly enough; the operation of this welfare house depends entirely on the sponsorship of a benevolent Baron."

Luo Yan teasingly asked.

"Is the Baron Mr. Mitiya?"

Kosel was slightly taken aback, his eyes then reflecting surprise and joy.

"Your Highness, you... you know Mitiya?!"

Luo Yan smiled faintly, nodding slightly as he spoke.

"Yes, I've had a brief encounter with him before."

With that, his gaze fell on the crooked sign above the door, then followed the words "Dinger Kajuna's Repair Workshop" into the yard.

Looking at the vaguely visible metal parts and chaotic mechanical devices inside, Luo Yan's eyebrows rose slightly with a hint of curious interest.

"Could you take me in for a look? I'm a bit curious about the situation here."

Kosel collected his joyful expression quickly, extending his hand to gesture invitingly.

"Of course, Your Highness! Please follow me! Though it might be a bit messy inside, I hope you don't mind."

The saying goes, birds of a feather flock together; surely a friend of Baron Mitiya must be a kind-hearted person like this prince.

Kosel thought simply to himself, feeling relieved for the trouble the kids caused earlier.

Had it been an ordinary noble, this matter might not have been so easily resolved.

Ultimately, they were all commoners, and even with the rank of Centurion, he was insignificant before the real owners of this Holy City.

Luo Yan smiled and nodded, following Kosel into the yard.

Sarah carefully followed behind, scanning the surroundings with her eyes, particularly keeping a close watch on the little pickpocket.

Diona seemed frightened by her gaze, and not just out of guilt; part of it was because Sarah had seen blood before.

However, Sarah didn't trouble her; instead, she nodded at her before following Luo Yan into the shabby yard.

As he crossed the threshold, the chaotic and dilapidated scene unfolded before Luo Yan.

The yard was cluttered with various mechanical parts and metal scraps, under roughly-built wooden shelters lay oil-stained tools, and several children were squatting on the ground, clumsily tinkering with rusty gears, seemingly treating them as toys.

Upon seeing strangers enter, they didn't stop what they were doing; rather, they became more "busy," but their eyes clearly kept sneaking glances this way, observing the situation in the yard.

Obviously, they'd heard the commotion at the gate earlier and felt fearful about this unexpected visitor and the trouble Diona had caused.

"Lord Demon King, this Dinger... could he be a follower of the Mechanical God?!" Youyou floating beside Luo Yan spoke excitedly in a channel only Luo Yan could hear.

Luo Yan didn't comment on its wild imagination, calmly replying in his mind.

"Call me Colin outside."

Youyou was speechless for a moment, eventually speaking with a grievance.

"But, but I'm Youyou."

Luo Yan calmly responded.

"It interferes with my role immersion."

Youyou: "..."

Seeing the tense children, Kosel whistled at them. Upon seeing his familiar face, their expressions visibly relaxed.

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