Since he was already there, Annan stopped by to see Rose, the youngest contestant.
Binn was still mulling over Falu's assessment: besides a child's voice, hers had the quality of an adult's.
He had thought that was a flaw, but neither the Saintess nor the judges had said anything negative about Rose's voice...
Perhaps he could turn that flaw into an advantage.
When Binn heard Annan had come to visit, he left Jack and Rose playing on the floor and hurried out, nearly colliding with Annan in the hallway.
"Lord Anna—"
"Shh..."
Annan gestured around them, warning Binn not to draw attention. Otherwise, the residents would surround him again with their usual enthusiasm.
Leaving Luoxi to guard the door, Annan entered the room. He greeted Jack and Rose on the floor, then took in their surroundings.
Free City had been small when the Mansion was built, so every inch of space had been saved. Like a hotel room, each unit had just one room and a window, while the kitchen and bathroom were shared.
It was fine for one person or a couple, but add another bed and two children, and it felt cramped.
"It's a little crowded," Annan said.
Binn smiled awkwardly. "Rose is still too young. I wasn't comfortable letting her stay on the ship alone."
And if he went aboard with her, there would be no one to look after Jack.
"I meant you could consider moving somewhere bigger."
After coming into a windfall of ill-gotten money... no, unexpected wealth, Free City was about to expand considerably. There would be much more room then.
The prize for making the Top 1,000 was ten Gold Narls, enough for Binn to buy a place with a bedroom and living room.
"Lord Annan, I still have to return to Conch