"E-Excuse me, but what is our budget? How much can we spend on the gifts you are giving us?"

One of the kids finally asked Layla this question as he chose what he wanted to buy. There were a few options, but the kid felt scared that he might pick out something too expensive and become attached to it.

Most of the older kids, who felt shame and gratitude, wanted to ask at the same time. But not everyone was in the same boat.

The younger kids, who had just gotten a chance to get whatever they wanted, saw this as an opportunity to grab the costliest thing they could.

It did not matter if that thing was useful to them or not; they just wanted to relish the experience of having money to spend freely.

"About that…there is no price range for this shopping trip, so get what you want. But make sure it is something essential you need, not something luxurious that you won't even use. This is an opportunity for you to get what you have not been able to afford until now.

As for the money, don't worry about it. I am more than loaded to buy you all whatever you desire."

Layla assured the kids, and that lifted a burden from their shoulders. They suddenly looked happier and were ready to shop.

Seeing the kids shop like this brought a sense of calmness to Layla's mind. She looked toward these kids' houses, and she sighed in relief to see that they had not gone up in flames yet.

Cardinal Bishop was the person she had chosen to face the Duke. As one of the most talented Cardinals, that man could keep the Duke in check. She knew it, so she asked the Cardinal to interfere.

Luckily for her, the Cardinal was just as happy to help her. Layla did not expect his desire to play with the Duke to cause him discomfort, but she was glad to help him.

"Are you sure you want to spend this much on these kids, my lady? It might be a small sum to you, but it is quite a lot of money. We won't even be making a profit because of this."

Raziel asked, but he did not sound worried about losing this much money. He just felt confused about not paying this much attention to these random kids.

As much as Raziel complained about all this, he also felt worried about what was happening around him. He wanted to look out for the best for his master, but this trip did not look worth it in his eyes.

"Raziel, some things in life are done because they are the right thing to do, not because you profit from it or something. You will understand it one day. But for now, you must relax and let go of your worries. I am sure you will soon see what I am talking about."

Layla assured, and Raziel gave up. He could tell that his miss had made up her mind. And once she was like this, there was no changing her mind.

The kids quickly bought whatever they wanted, and Layla paid for them all.

The more she paid, the more she could see the kids falter in her presence. They had never seen anyone rich like her before, making them wonder what she wanted from them.

Layla brought the kids home, but their worried looks kept looking at her the whole time.

"Get back safely, and message me if you need any help. Now, then, I shall head back to my home. I have a lot of work to do."

Layla assured the kids before she turned around to head out. She had almost crossed the threshold of the mansion when the older kid who had been her escort spoke up.

"Excuse me! I don't know what you want from us or what games you are playing but thank you for helping us. It has helped us more than we can tell you about. I hope we have a good relationship in the future as well."

The kid suddenly looked shy as he asked about this. The visible color on his cheek made Layla pause.

She looked back at the kid with a pair of clear eyes before she spoke.

"Well, it depends on you, kid. If you do well, then I am sure you will succeed. If not, well, who cares? You have Henry and me to depend on for now. Keep up the good work, and you will be rewarded."

Layla finally left the kids alone, and they all kept looking at her back until she disappeared.

"Finally, this is done, and I can hand over Henry and the others to someone else. I don't need to pay attention to that house anymore."

Layla stretched her hand above her head as soon as she felt herself relax a little bit. She felt exhausted but also happy that this chapter of her life was over.

Luna's anxious tugging made Layla want to hurry up and head back sooner.

The dragon had been left behind this time because this was a small outing, and Layla did not want it to distract her by dragging her around when she saw something shiny.

But Layla did not expect the dragon to get this anxious.

"Miss, I don't understand your thinking sometimes. If I had been in your position, I would have never-"

Raziel was still speaking when the pair felt a sudden spark of energy fill the space around them. It sparked like lightning before Layla felt her arm being grabbed and her body pulled behind a solid one.

"Miss, hold on tight. I think his place is going to explode. I can feel the vibrations in the air, and it feels like it is getting to dangerous levels that we won't be able to handle without protection."

Raziel warned as he used his body as shield for Layla's sake.