SSS Talent: From Trash to Tyrant Chapter 572: A Proper Home

Arthur politely inclined his head.

"Arthur. I was informed that a child requires a home here."

Cynthia remained silent for a brief moment.

Then, her gaze returned to Trafalgar, and the unspoken question that had been forming within her solidified.

He had actually followed through.

Trafalgar had departed, seeming to return in mere moments, and now he stood with a man who exuded an air of gravity far too profound for a spur-of-the-moment decision. Arthur carried himself with the assuredness of one accustomed to issuing commands, managing subordinates, handling finances, and addressing escalating problems best left unvoiced.

Cynthia found herself uncertain if this assurance offered any comfort.

"That was remarkably swift," she commented.

Trafalgar responded with an air of simplicity. "I requested a few hours."

"You barely consumed one."

"An efficient outcome, then."

Cynthia regarded him with a look, but before she could voice a reply, Sister Lunea emerged from a side hall, a small bundle of folded fabric cradled in her arms. She halted upon noticing Arthur standing beside Trafalgar.

Moments later, Alena appeared behind Lunea.

Unlike Lunea, Alena's surprise was fleeting. Her eyes flickered from Arthur to Trafalgar, then back to Arthur. This observation was sufficient for her to grasp the general situation, if not its intricate details.

"So," Alena stated, "you departed and returned with a gentleman."

Trafalgar replied impassively. "That is one interpretation."

"A suspiciously rapid one, at that."

"I possess connections with many capable individuals."

Arthur's lips tightened subtly, though it fell short of a smile.

Lunea placed the folded cloth on a nearby table and approached. Her expression softened compared to Alena's, yet it also conveyed greater caution. Having dedicated years to nurturing children who had already endured significant loss, she was inclined to approach such matters with reverence.

"Is this concerning Silas?"

"Indeed," Trafalgar affirmed.

Cynthia cast a glance at him. While she had anticipated this confirmation, hearing it stated aloud nonetheless shifted the atmosphere.

Lunea turned her attention to Arthur. "And you propose to take him in?"

Arthur nodded. "Provided the child consents, and after you deem me suitable following our conversation."

This response elicited a pause from Lunea.

Alena's eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Intriguing," she remarked. "Individuals arriving with distinguished family lineages typically commence by assuming their reception is preordained."

"My presence here is not attributed to my family name," Arthur clarified. "Nor to his." He glanced toward Trafalgar, his restraint evident in the deliberate selection of his words. "I have come because Young Master Trafalgar believes the child requires an environment conducive to proper care. Should I undertake this guardianship, it will be my sole responsibility. I would not treat him as a mere obligation being shuttled between locations."

For the first time, a hint of ease softened Cynthia's features.

Lunea clasped her hands before her. "Do you possess a residence?"

"In Euclid," Arthur stated. "A suitable dwelling, a stable income, domestic staff, and ample space for a child's development without feeling confined. I manage affairs there under the purview of Young Master Trafalgar's authority."

Alena's gaze intensified with curiosity. "Euclid. That is no modest setting for raising a child."

"No," Arthur conceded. "But it can be a secure one."

"Secure from what?" Lunea inquired.

Trafalgar interjected before Arthur could respond.

"From individuals who might seek to exploit him."

This statement caused both sisters to direct their attention towards him.

He offered no further elaboration.

Alena studied his expression for a few moments, her usual playful demeanor absent. "You have some knowledge regarding Silas."

"I am sufficiently informed to believe that leaving him here without adequate guidance could prove perilous."

Lunea drew herself up stiffly. "Perilous in what manner?"

"Not due to any malicious intent on his part," Trafalgar clarified. "That is not my meaning. However, he possesses a unique nature. Should this uniqueness manifest without a prepared support system, the repercussions could harm him first, and subsequently affect the other children."

Cynthia's hands clenched by her sides.

She had harbored suspicions that Trafalgar possessed more information than he had initially revealed. Now, those suspicions carried tangible weight.

Alena's gaze drifted towards the corridor leading to Silas's sleeping quarters. "Is he unwell?"

"No."

"Obsessed with something?"

"No."

"Bearing a mark?"

Trafalgar remained silent for a moment.

Arthur noted the pause. Cynthia did as well. Alena, quite obviously, registered it most acutely.

Trafalgar eventually replied, "Something akin to an inheritance."

This response was sufficiently ambiguous to be vexing, yet grave enough to prevent the questions from devolving into casual speculation.

Lunea inhaled slowly. "Trafalgar, my gratitude for all that you have contributed to this establishment is profound. However, we cannot entrust a child to another's care based solely on a statement that he requires a change of environment."

"I understand," Trafalgar conceded.

Arthur advanced, positioning himself not beyond Trafalgar, but alongside him. This distinction held more significance than he likely realized. He wasn't lingering behind the young Morgain like a mere instrument awaiting deployment; he stood as the one subject to scrutiny.

"I am prepared to disclose anything you require," Arthur stated. "My address, my responsibilities, my financial standing, the composition of my household, which quarters the child would utilize, who would provide oversight, and the nature of his education. I can furnish the necessary documentation by evening and secure witnesses by tomorrow. Should further inquiries necessitate additional meetings, I will attend them."

Alena tilted her head, observing. "You arrived well-prepared."

"No," Arthur responded. "I am merely adapting swiftly."

This admission elicited a smile from Alena.

"At least you are honest."

"Mostly," Trafalgar interjected.

Arthur cast a sidelong glance at him. "Young Master."

"What? I said mostly."

Cynthia observed the exchange between them, harboring the peculiar notion that this dynamic was typical for them.

Lunea, however, remained focused on the child. "And what of Silas himself? He has only just begun to adjust here. He spends the majority of his time in solitude. Today marked one of the rare occasions he has smiled since his arrival."

Arthur's expression softened with a controlled restraint.

"In that case, I would not advocate for removing the orphanage from his life. If he chooses to come with me, he may still visit. He can maintain correspondence. If he has established trusted relationships here, I will not sever those ties."

Cynthia finally voiced another question.

"And what if he refuses?"

Arthur turned his attention to her.

"Then I will not take him."

That declaration resonated with a clarity that surpassed all his previous statements.

Cynthia struggled to conceal her surprise. "You genuinely mean that?"

"Yes. A child who has already endured a loss of control over his life should not be compelled into a new environment simply because adults deem the accommodations superior."

Alena emitted a soft hum.

"Now that," she remarked, "is the first response I find genuinely agreeable."

Lunea also appeared to exhale with a measure of relief. While not entirely convinced, the apprehension she felt had diminished somewhat.

Trafalgar glanced toward Cynthia.

Her gaze upon Arthur had shifted.

She was still cautious and protective, certainly. However, she no longer regarded him as some stranger Trafalgar had brought forth merely to resolve an issue with wealth and influence.

Alena folded her arms. "I shall be direct. We will not finalize any arrangements today."

"I had anticipated as much," Arthur replied.

"However, we can commence the process today," she continued. "Lunea will compile the records we possess concerning Silas. I will speak with him once he has awakened. You will provide all the documentation and assurances you have pledged. Following that, we shall determine the next steps."

Arthur inclined his head. "That is a fair proposal."

Trafalgar looked toward Alena. "Can the procedure be expedited?"

"I comprehend your concern, Trafalgar," she responded. "However, even with haste, we cannot treat Silas as if he were mere cargo being transported between residences."

Trafalgar did not take offense. If anything, her response bolstered her credibility in his eyes.

"I am aware," he replied. "That is precisely why I brought Arthur here, rather than issuing a simple directive."

Lunea lowered her head slightly. "Then we shall initiate the process today. Not out of doubt regarding your intentions, but because Silas deserves to be safeguarded appropriately."

Arthur inclined his head once more. "That is all I seek."

Alena regarded Trafalgar for another moment, her expression now more serene, yet a subtle depth in her eyes suggested she had perceived the aspects he was deliberately withholding.

"You know more about him than you are divulging," she stated.

Trafalgar met her gaze directly.

"Indeed, I do."

Cynthia shifted her gaze between them, remaining silent.

Alena refrained from pressing him further in the presence of others. She offered a brief nod, as if acknowledging that certain truths required a more private setting, with the appropriate individuals, rather than being exposed in a public corridor.

"In that case, I would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you later, Trafalgar. Privately."

Trafalgar responded without a moment's hesitation.

"That would be preferable."

For a fleeting instant, the atmosphere settled into a state more delicate than consensus, yet distinct from outright rejection. The proposal had not been officially approved, nor had Silas's fate been definitively decided. Nevertheless, the initial step had been taken, and for the present, that sufficed.

Then, a faint sound emanated from the hallway.

Cynthia was the first to turn her head.

The chamber door had slightly opened, revealing Silas standing there, the blanket partially draped around his shoulders, his hair disheveled from sleep, his horns catching the warm light filtering in from behind him. His eyes moved from Trafalgar to Arthur, then to the two women.

His voice emerged small and uncertain.

"Am I leaving?"