I, Valon, am frantically searching for my mother.

"I was just bored before..."

Vivian explained, a little embarrassed.

"Sometimes when the refining process gets stuck, or when I'm waiting for the materials to be processed and there's nothing to do, I'll secretly go and look through the ledgers that Old Scarface and the others keep, to see if those bastards have stolen any money."

"Then, I discovered something very interesting."

"Even if other families are so poor they can't afford to eat, or so heartless they'd sell their children for money... it's usually a one-time thing."

"Once the goods are sold and the money is received, the transaction is complete, and we may never have any dealings with each other again in this lifetime."

"But this... uh... Sophia's mother... is different."

She held up two fingers, gestured, and then, feeling it wasn't enough, simply turned her palm over and over.

"Just looking at the ledgers I can see here, going back about ten years... she appeared at least ten times!"

"???"

Ten times in ten years?

No, Sofia's mom, what are you doing?

Did you really give your child a year-end bonus?

"and!"

Vivian emphasized her words, as if to stress how outrageous the matter was.

"Sir, I haven't been here long, only three months... and she's already come twice!"

"ha?!"

Wayne was genuinely shocked this time.

"You mean...she gave birth to twins in the last three months?!"

Giving birth to two babies in three months? Seriously, is this even human?

Seeing Wayne's shocked expression, Vivian quickly waved her hands and shook her head:

"No, no, no! Sir, you've misunderstood! We didn't have two!"

Vivian quickly explained.

"She sold one the first time, and the second time she referred someone else."

Oh, so you were the matchmaker.

Although it's still very much a new thing, it's at least within Wayne's comprehension.

Wayne had just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Vivian's next, even more earth-shattering remark.

"Oh, right, the second person she introduced who sold children..."

"It's her mother."

……

This episode was amazing.

Wayne suddenly discovers that Hull is not actually Gotham, but Florida.

Damn, the people here are all so incredibly capable.

First, there was this unremarkable, cowardly female mage, and then there was the mother who introduced her own mother to sell her child.

This place is teeming with life!

If Wayne only wanted to help Sophia before, now he really wants to meet this goddess!

However, today doesn't seem to be a good day. It's already dark, and there are still many children's matters to attend to. In addition, Wayne doesn't want his business here to be discovered by those behind the scenes so soon...

Everything requires time and careful handling.

After thinking about it, Wayne decided to wait until a good time to see Sophia, his mother.

……

The next day, in the city of Hull, near dusk.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the rooftops and spires of this magnificent city in a warm golden-red hue.

In stark contrast to the labyrinthine, dark, filthy, and dangerous lower streets, this is a normal urban street in Hel City.

The streets were wide and flat, paved with neatly cut stone slabs. On both sides were rows of shops, which, although not particularly luxurious, were clean and bright with clear signs.

The enticing aroma of wheat wafted from the bakery, the rhythmic clanging of hammers echoed from the blacksmith's shop, and the grocer was greeting customers.

Pedestrians, though mostly dressed simply and walking hurriedly, rarely showed the numbness or wariness often seen on the streets.

Wayne had now transformed back into the handsome, clean-cut young man with black hair and black eyes, wearing well-fitting cotton clothes he had just bought with the gold coins he had looted from the villains.

Vivian walked beside him, still wearing that wrinkled purple robe, but at least it had been washed. The exaggerated dark circles under her eyes were also barely covered with ointment, making her look like a slightly slovenly and listless young mage.

Walking along this vibrant street, experiencing a completely different order from the lower street, Wayne couldn't help but sigh softly:

"Hel's real urban area... is actually quite safe and normal."

From the moment he and Vivian stepped into this area until now, only half an hour has passed, and they have already been subjected to two routine questioning sessions by patrolling guards.

However, almost every time, the problem was resolved after Vivian revealed her identity as a mage.

Even a mage who is only at the first level and not doing very well still enjoys certain privileges in a society like Hel with its established order.

"Of course!"

Vivian seemed to be in a good mood, humming a simple, rustic tune and walking with a lighter step.

Hearing Wayne's exclamation, Vivian's tone carried a sense of pride:

"This is, after all, a place protected by the Golden Dragon! Justice and order are the main themes! Don't be fooled by the awful state of the streets; it's because the Golden Dragons are so busy that their eyes can't always see every dark corner."

She paused, lowered her voice, and spoke with a hint of mystery and admiration:

"Blatantly defying order in Hell will never end well. I've heard of a royal family member who was executed by the Golden Dragon for committing crimes!"

Wayne nodded noncommittally.

The Golden Dragons may be very righteous and selfless.

But what Wayne was curious about was whether they knew about the sins hidden beneath Hull's glamorous facade.

Is it "knowing but not caring"? Is it "knowing but feeling it's a necessary dark side"? Or... is it really "not knowing"?

Wayne shook his head, temporarily setting aside these overly complicated thoughts. He looked at Vivian and asked about something more important:

"Those children... they should all be settled by now, right?"

"Sir, you can rest assured!"

Vivian patted her rather unremarkable chest, her tone resolute.

"Everyone, including Sophia, a total of twenty-three children, were all secretly sent to the Golden Harvest Orphanage yesterday!"

That's one of the most reputable orphanages in Hull City, and it's said that the Golden Dragon Lord made an anonymous donation behind it!

The food is good, there's a bed to sleep in, clean clothes to change into, and a dedicated nanny to take care of you. You can even see a doctor if you're sick. I've heard that during holidays, some golden dragons who like to transform into human form, or other kind-hearted metal dragons, actually go there... to pet human cubs.

Hearing that it was a welfare organization with Golden Dragon backing, Wayne finally felt a little more at ease.

At least, the rescued children now have a relatively safe place to stay where they can eat and have enough to eat, and they no longer have to worry about being caught again or starving or freezing to death on the streets.

Vivian hesitated for a moment, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her robe, and her voice lowered:

"However... sir, there's a child who just won't feel completely at ease staying there. I used your name, saying it was your arrangement, that you wanted her to live and grow up here so she could see you again in the future... and only then did she reluctantly agree."

"But when we parted, she secretly tugged at my sleeve, her eyes red, and whispered... 'I hope you can visit her more often if you have time. Not often, just once in a while, so she knows you're doing well...'"

Wayne was silent for a few seconds, then spoke softly:

"It's Sofia, isn't it?"

Vivian nodded without saying anything.

Wayne could probably guess what Sophia was thinking.

For the little girl who had saved herself from despair and regarded herself as her only support, being suddenly placed in an unfamiliar place, no matter how good the conditions were, would inevitably fill her heart with unease.

But Wayne knew his path.

He is a dragon, a dragon that shoulders the heavy responsibility of finding his mother, is destined to cause trouble in the future, and walks on the edge of danger and opportunity.

With his time and energy, and with the things he had to do next, he simply didn't have the luxury of providing long-term, meticulous care for a human little girl.

The most practical help Wayne could think of was to leave her more money to ensure she wouldn't have to worry about making a living during this crucial stage of her development, and perhaps ask Vivian or the orphanage to take better care of her.

Of course, before that, Wayne definitely had to meet Sophia's amazing mother.