Chapter 20: A Little White Flower for You

"I'm looking at the stars..." the little girl replied, raising her head slightly and directing her gaze upwards.

Following her line of sight, Char glimpsed the deep night sky through the cracked shanty and the narrow gaps between the roofs of the alley.

However, due to the limited visible area, he couldn't make out the scattered starlight that adorned the night sky.

Char nodded and then pointed to the space next to her pile of grass. "Can I sit here?"

"Ye-yes," the little girl nodded eagerly, a hint of humble appeasement flickering in her eyes. She moved aside a bit, creating a large empty space for Char, curling up in the corner.

Seemingly aware that the grassy pile wasn't very clean, the girl's expression showed a hint of embarrassment. She quickly placed her worn-out thin blanket on top of it.

Observing this, Char let out a gentle sigh.

He didn't say anything but rather wore a comfortable expression, showing no concern as he sat down beside the little girl. Together, they gazed at the pitch-black night sky through the narrow alley.

"By the way, what's your name?" Char suddenly remembered to ask, tilting his head and looking at the girl in the corner.

"Irene... Irene Natali," she whispered softly. After saying it, she seemed to remember her parents, and her eyes grew slightly red.

But no tears came out anymore.

"It's a beautiful name."

Char reached out his hand and gently placed it on Irene's small head, slowly stroking her dry, yellowish hair.

Taken aback by this unexpected gesture, Irene's small body trembled slightly. She timidly glanced at Char for a moment before burying her face in her knees.

Although she couldn't put it into words, in this cold night, that large hand conveyed a warm sensation.

"Irene, would you like to see the complete night sky?" Char spoke up, and Irene lifted her head, looking at him with a hopeful gaze, encouraged by his expression.

She trembled in her heart, "B-but my mom said it's dangerous outside, and I shouldn't go out randomly."

Char fell silent for a moment, then smiled faintly, "Then, how about I show you a magic trick?"

With that, he gently took Irene's thin wrist in his hand. Despite her hesitant and questioning gaze, he extended the hand adorned with the "Veil of Concealment."

With a light grip, he lifted a curtain of shadows.

Witnessing this, Irene's bright and lively eyes widened, as if she had witnessed something unimaginable.

"Big brother, are you... a magician?"

She felt curious about the scene before her and wanted to reach out and touch the veil of shadows, but she hesitated.

"Sort of," Char pursed his lips, and amidst Irene's soft exclamation of surprise, they both merged into the watery shadows.

Irene only felt a momentary blur, and then she seemed to be submerged in water, immersed in a darkness that brought inner tranquility.

But it didn't take long for a faint light to return before her eyes.

She blinked and realized that in just a few short seconds, they had arrived on top of a house. When she lowered her head, she could see the dilapidated shanties in the alley.

"Look up?" Char's voice gently and persuasively guided Irene. She shook her head slightly, and then cautiously lifted her gaze.

She saw an immense and boundless night sky.

The night unfolded like the simplest painting, with scattered starlight resembling dazzling diamonds accidentally sprinkled by deities on this pure-colored canvas.

In the center of the painting hung a bright and pristine moon.

"It's so beautiful," Irene's shimmering eyes trembled slightly. "So, this... this..."

So, can I also gaze at the stars like this?

She kept the second half of her sentence, silently hiding it in her heart.

They remained silent for a long time.

Both of them were gazing at the vast and beautiful night sky, feeling an unexpectedly serene mood, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Big brother."

"Yes?"

"Do the stars... have names?"

"Yes, indeed. You see the one closest to the moon, the big and twinkling one? It's called Saint George's Star, symbolizing the first emperor. And the one a little further away is known as the Traveler's Star. It's a star that can be seen no matter where you are, even in the desert, it can guide lost travelers. And then there's..."

"Big brother, are there people on the moon?"

"Hmm? Why do you ask?"

"Because I saw a beautiful lady up there, wearing a dress that folds and unfolds, dancing."

"Hehe, you have quite the imagination."

"No, it's not imagination, it's real!"

"Oh, then perhaps... it's the Moon Goddess?"

"By the way, Irene, does Grandpa Peter not take care of you?"

"No, it's not like that. Grandpa is very, very good to me. He gives me bread to eat and lets me stay at his house. But... but I don't want to bother him because my mom said that everyone in this world is already working hard and we shouldn't always trouble others."

As Irene said this, her eyes dimmed.

"You have a wonderful mother," Char reached out and gently touched her head, thinking of his own mother who had decisively stood in front of the executioners to save him when he was young. "Of course, I did too."

After that, the two sat on the edge of the rooftop, engaging in casual conversation. Most of the time, it started with Irene's questions and ended with Char's answers.

Irene's feelings of inferiority and timidity were diluted to a great extent.

"Big brother..."

At a certain moment, Irene suddenly looked up.

She carefully took out a small white flower from a slightly worn pocket. It seemed to be a wildflower she had picked from nearby bushes.

This wildflower wasn't particularly beautiful, nor did it have a fragrance, but it was resilient and could be found everywhere.

She cautiously handed the small white flower to Char without saying a word.

"Thank you."

Char patted her head and put the flower into the pocket of his jacket.

The night grew deeper.

At a certain moment, Char faintly heard the sound of breathing. He looked down and discovered that Irene, who was dark and thin, had somehow fallen asleep, leaning on Char's arm.

He thought for a moment and decided not to wake her up. Instead, he maintained that position and quietly gazed at the night sky.

To prevent her from getting cold, Char would occasionally release a discreet spell of warm breeze.

His current level of magic was that of a sorcerer, and with an additional 14 attribute points, he could even advance to become a mage. His total magical power had increased several times compared to before, but he still only knew a few apprentice-level spells, such as warm breeze, fireball, grease, and illumination.

They were simple and easy to learn, and didn't consume much magical power.

The night passed without words.

It was only when a faint light began to appear in the distant sky and the sounds of the streets grew louder that Char silently brought Irene back to the dilapidated shack.

Then, he disappeared into the alleyway.