Chapter 267
Chapter 267. Latent Heat (4)
It was around noon by the time he returned to the hotel.
A fierce wind was blowing, making the large open hotel window's curtains snap violently.
The weather itself wasn't bad, but the clouds overhead were racing across the sky at tremendous speed.
He opened the weather app on his terminal with his free hand and saw a forecast warning that rain might fall after evening.
Enoch, sitting on the hotel lobby sofa and staring at his terminal, let out a small inward sigh. Rain right before the operation was far from welcome, but there didn't seem to be any choice in the matter.
"Lord Enoch?"
A voice came from the side not holding the terminal, and Enoch tucked it away and turned to look.
Amelia, seated right beside him on the sofa, was staring at him intently.
"The examination confirms there are no issues, but you should probably exercise some restraint in your actions going forward."
The moment Enoch had returned to the hotel, Lily had noticed white smoke rising from the hand he had shoved into the campfire to retrieve the documents and nearly panicked, starting treatment immediately.
But the Saintess, who happened to be beside her, had said "As his Follower Family, I will handle it" and taken over the treatment — that had been just moments ago.
Amelia, who had been carefully holding and examining his hand for any abnormalities, raised her head with a slightly worried expression.
"No matter that I'm here, you mustn't abuse my healing abilities and treat your body recklessly. A moment's carelessness always leads to a major accident."
Enoch nodded silently in agreement.
After all, it was thanks to Amelia's complete physical recovery that his mental fatigue had also been alleviated, causing the erosion to pause temporarily. But there was no telling when it might resume.
Being careful certainly couldn't hurt.
"Understood. I'll bear that in mind."
"Well, I don't imagine you injured your hand for no reason, Lord Enoch."
Amelia said that with a slight smile, and Lily, who had been standing right beside the sofa watching them, began to complain.
"Saintess, please be stricter with him! He seriously never listens. This one."
Enoch glanced at her.
He had been noticing for a while that Lily was fidgeting and stealing glances at the two of them seated side by side, but he couldn't figure out why.
Picking his timing, he casually addressed the young nun who stood there uncomfortably glancing their way.
"Sister Lily, is something the matter? You've had a look on your face like something's bothering you."
"Oh! It's nothing. Just......"
Lily, who had been repeatedly staring at their clasped hands, eventually raised her head carefully.
"Um, Saintess? The thing is."
"Yes. What is it, Sister Lily?"
"I, I may not be much, but I can still heal burns like that. You don't need to trouble yourself again, Saintess — if you'd just leave the treatment to me...!"
Amelia shook her head gently, as if it were no trouble.
"It's quite all right. I am Lord Enoch's Follower Family, after all."
"I, I see......"
Lily's shoulders drooped with a disappointed expression. Watching her, Enoch shrugged matter-of-factly and added.
"You've been working hard treating other freelancers and civilians throughout the operation, Sister Lily. Please rest for now."
"Ugh...... Lord Enoch too......"
Lily stared at the Saintess's grip on his hand with a pouty expression, then for some reason blushed and abruptly turned her head away.
"Fine. If you're both going to say that, then I don't care!"
Just then, the hotel's front door opened, and a familiar, cheerful girl's voice rang out.
"Ahaha. Tough but rewarding-mda!"
"I know, right. I think that wraps up everything we needed to do. We've coordinated the operation plan with all the other ranged-specialist freelancers as instructed......"
Turning to look, the Outsourcing District duo — April and Nano — were coming in.
And not just the two of them — Isabel, whom he had seen during the earlier battle, was accompanying them as well.
The arrival of the girls, who brought an entirely different energy from the Holy Sejour duo of Amelia and Lily, made the hotel lobby's atmosphere feel instantly refreshed.
April, leading the way with a weapon case slung over her shoulder, was talking to Isabel, who trailed slightly behind with an assault rifle slung below her chest.
"Anyway, it's all thanks to Isabel's help. There were way more firearm-type Magic Gear users left than I thought!"
"Yeah, if we're going to win this battle, we need at least that much. I agree with the operation plan. But are you sure there are supplies here? My optics battery is dead and I need a charger."
"Yep! Our leader's resourceful like that — he's got a contract with this big-shot sponsor who supplies firearms logistics. I'll ask as a thank-you for helping us!"
"Uh, for real......?"
Amelia whispered close to his ear from beside him.
"Lord Enoch. Who are they?"
"The sniper is April, and the engineer is Nano. Both are my squad members. The one in back is a freelancer from another Interim."
As he finished the brief introduction, April happened to look this way, spotted the Saintess, and froze in place with her mouth slightly agape.
Nano poked April's side with a finger, looking mildly puzzled.
"Hm? What's wrong-mka, Freelancer?"
"......Nano, it's a goddess. The goddess from the underground cavern is right in front of us!"
Nano tilted her head.
"Hmm, Freelancer. Is your head okay-mka?"
April suddenly sprang up and bolted to Amelia at incredible speed, seized both her hands, and let her eyes sparkle.
"How can someone be this pretty?! Seriously, it's insane! My heart was literally pounding the first time I saw you underground! And you're totally a real-life beauty in person too! Oh, can I take a pic with you and post it on Newstagram?!"
Amelia, as if accustomed to such attention, swept her hair back lightly and shook her head with a faint smile.
"That would be a bit difficult at the moment."
"Then at least an autograph?!"
"Well, if it's just that......"
But April apparently hadn't heard and was beaming in a daze, lost in admiration.
"Hehe, your eyes are so big, Saintess. So pretty~."
"Um. You're not listening to me, are you?"
Watching the two girls from the side, Enoch was reminded anew of who Amelia was.
Seeing April treat the Saintess like a celebrity, it made sense that the Saintess — called The Order's idol across the Empire — held that kind of status.
Then April shot him a glare.
"Seriously, how blessed can one person be, Direct Lineage?"
"What?"
"It's genuinely insane! First the silver-haired maid, and now you're going around with beauties like this! Follower Family or not, that's crazy! I'm so jealous!!"
Why she was envious of that particular aspect, he had no idea.
As he let out a small sigh, April folded her arms beside him and started muttering to herself.
"I had my suspicions, but I can't believe the rumor about picking Follower Family based on looks and figure was actually true."
"......How would that rumor even become reality?"
As he watched April with a wry gaze, she puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms.
"Whatever! You're seriously running a real-life beauty gacha out here! So jealous, for real."
Having lost his words at April's increasingly bizarre commentary, Enoch turned to the Saintess and shook his head.
"She gets like that sometimes. Just leave her be."
"......Oh, is that so?"
"By the way, you couldn't have arranged separate lodging before the operation. Am I right? You're welcome to stay here if you'd like."
"Thank you. I came without any attendants, so I don't even have the funds to secure other accommodations."
Surprised, Enoch widened his eyes slightly.
"You came to the Outsourcing District with nothing?"
"Indeed. But as long as my lodging during the operation is sorted, there's nothing else to worry about. If money is needed, there are plenty of ways."
The utterly nonchalant tone — as if she had no concept of finances whatsoever — left Enoch tilting his head involuntarily.
"Ways, you say — regarding money?"
"Of course. Would you like to see?"
Amelia smiled confidently and turned to the side.
"You said your name was April? Then, forgive me, but might I ask one small favor?"
"Y-yes! Just say the word, Saintess!"
"Well, I'm a bit peckish — could you buy me some scones? Victoria's specialty. Oh, I don't like soft crusts, so please make sure they're the crunchy kind."
"Of course! I'll go right now!"
April shot out of the hotel like a bullet, her figure shrinking into the distance in the blink of an eye.
Dumbfounded, Enoch looked at Amelia. The Saintess was beaming, pressing her palms together in front of her chest.
"Did you see that? A new source of funding with deep faith has appeared. Collecting from fans is easier than you'd think."
Amelia began spouting words befitting human garbage with the most radiant of smiles.
If this was any indication of what would happen after Amelia truly seized power at Holy Sejour, The Order's future was looking very, very bright indeed. In a decidedly mercenary direction.
She seemed terrifyingly skilled at extracting every last drop from the devotees drawn to the Saintess's beautiful figure. Honestly, that too might be an incredible talent.
"What's this. Were you two always that close?"
A fourth voice cut in.
Looking that way, Sirocco and Elena were standing at the front entrance.
Leaving Elena, who was coyly hiding her smiling lips behind a fan, Sirocco strode right up.
"Hmph, I came because I smelled something. Figures."
He raised his head to find Sirocco had closed the distance, half-lidded eyes fixed on him. He sighed quietly and responded.
"Smelled something. What are you going on about now?"
"Hmph, who knows?"
Sirocco tapped the ground with her bare toes, looking displeased as she tipped her chin up.
"Listen, if my nose isn't broken, then my fellow Follower Family junior here is reeking of a really strong female scent."
"Sirocco, your word choice needs some—"
Enoch started to say that but glanced at Amelia and stopped.
The Saintess was looking down at herself, pressed against Enoch, without denying it.
With not just their hands but their upper bodies touching, anyone would think the same. Amelia studied her own posture for a moment, then conceded.
"That...... you may have a point."
At the Saintess's response, Sirocco looked down at him with a prim, sidelong glance.
"Listen, when you were half-dead with your waist blown off, do you know how worried I was? And I come here to find you lounging around surrounded by females like this."
"Lady Sirocco. If I may, this is a medical procedure."
Amelia countered, but it clearly had zero effect on the arms-crossed Sirocco.
"Hmph, does medical treatment need to involve this much body contact?"
"......That's. Oh my, now that I think about it, I suppose you're right."
Amelia flushed and turned her head to the side, feigning embarrassment. Beyond the veil draped over the Saintess's golden hair, the nape of her neck was tinged faintly pink — and that gave him a slightly ominous feeling.
Sure enough, Amelia deliberately interlaced her fingers with Enoch's clasped hand for Sirocco to see, peeking sidelong.
Then the Saintess began pouring gasoline in front of a house fire and offering up prayers.
"It's true that as the Saintess of The Order, I've been taught to minimize contact with men. But this time, the treatment made it unavoidable...... isn't that right, Lord Enoch?"
"......Saintess?"
While Enoch sat there at a loss for words, Sirocco glared at him and placed a hand on her own chest.
"Listen, even if she's got a chest that big, don't go losing your mind over her. I became your Follower Family first."
At Sirocco's utterly unfiltered declaration, Lily immediately clenched her fists and protested from the side.
"Ah! Th-that's rude! Even if you are Lord Enoch's Follower Family, speaking about the Saintess like that!"
"Hmph, what? Got something to say?"
"In the first place, if you're going to say that much, have you even done anything with the Direct Lineage, Lady Sirocco?"
"Done anything? What do you mean?"
"I mean, th-that!"
"That what?"
When Sirocco tilted her head, Lily clasped both hands tight and, cheeks so red they might drip, forced out the words as if they were almost too much to say.
"If, if you're going that far talking about the Saintess as a 'female' and all that, then have you k-k-kissed the Direct Lineage?! Surely not, right?!"
Kissed? Now what.
While Enoch was momentarily at a loss for words at the young nun's thoroughly innocent remark, Sirocco let slip a voice tinged with amusement.
"Hmm~. What, that curious? Hey, hold on a sec."
He looked back and Sirocco was glancing at him, beckoning with her hand. It seemed like a signal to bring his face close — she apparently had something to say just between the two of them.
What now, he thought, leaning his upper body slightly toward Sirocco and bringing his ear close.
His shirt was suddenly yanked, and something soft pressed against his lips. Enoch's eyes widened slightly. He looked to the side — filling his entire vision were Sirocco's tightly shut eyes, her cheeks flushed pink.
He pulled back hastily, and Sirocco opened her eyes with a prim look, the corner of her mouth tugging into a small smile.
"Hmph, that should do it."
"What was that all about, Sirocco?"
Sirocco ignored the question entirely and turned to Lily, flashing a smile that radiated victory.
"There, happy now? Plus, I'm still growing, so I'll catch up to that silver-haired maid and your Saintess in chest size soon enough. Once that happens, I win everything."
"Wait, wh-what are you doing with the Follower Family?! Lord Enoch!"
While Lily was worked up, Sirocco gleefully cracked one eye open and chattered at her.
"What? Upset? Total amateur."
"N-no! I'm not upset, but......!"
......Is this a children's fight?
"Even so, Lady Sirocco already lives with the Direct Lineage, so perhaps some discretion in your day-to-day relationship would be......"
Lily tried to interject, but Sirocco planted both hands on her hips and replied with glee, "Hmph, I don't know about any of that."
"Lord Enoch~. I'd like a kiss too, please~."
Things spiraled further out of control when Elena cheerfully joined in.
"Uwah. Watchin' this is makin' my chest do this weird squeeze thing-mda. Like a bolt torqued to its limit on a nut-mda!"
That's probably arrhythmia.
Watching Nano clutch her own chest beside him as if something felt off, Enoch sighed.
Thinking about how Persona — who had wanted exactly this kind of harem development — was probably grinning ear to ear in the Inner World right about now gave him a peculiar feeling, and Enoch let out a wry sigh.
Just then, he felt an icy gaze from beside him and turned.
"Saintess?"
Amelia, legs crossed, was looking down at him with a withering stare that practically made a cracking sound. She raised her chin slightly and her expression darkened.
"Lord Enoch? Are Lady Sirocco and I not enough for you? Just how far do you intend to toy with the women of your Follower Family?"
She glanced around at the squad members with a jut of her chin and added.
"I understand the sentiment, but perhaps it's time to show some restraint in recruiting only attractive women?"
"Why?"
When Enoch replied calmly, the Saintess faltered, then fixed him with an even icier stare.
"You're saying you're not satisfied?"
"That's right."
He nodded as he answered. It was so obvious it couldn't even be denied.
Saintess Amelia, Sirocco, and of course Alicia who would soon become a Follower Family — not to mention every temporarily recruited squad member like Nano and April. All of them were irreplaceable assets.
Enoch met Amelia's gaze evenly and answered.
"Because I need outstanding squad members like you, Saintess. The more talent I gather and the higher our mission success rate climbs, the more it benefits you as my Follower Family."
Amelia stared down at him, then let out a small sigh and delivered a single condemning word.
"Philanderer."
"Pardon?"
Isabel looked at him with eyes full of contempt.
"Yeah, so he's been involved with every woman in the squad at the same time...... Animal."
"......"
He had a feeling the situation wasn't heading anywhere good, but even so, he could feel the squad's morale skyrocketing in the blink of an eye ahead of the battle that would decide the Outsourcing District's fate.
Enoch looked at the night sky just beginning to descend over the crimson sunset behind him.
......All right. We're ready. Anarchilon.
All that was left was to wait for the searchlight batteries to arrive.