Chapter 110. Air Raid (2)
Inside the city’s bunker.
Despite the chaos caused by the sudden attack of magical beasts, the situation was being organized step by step.
First, the Saintess, Amelia, was escorted to a separate area within the bunker, accessible only to the city’s leaders and key figures.
Enoch, her escort, was no exception.
The deepest conference room. It was a place in the underground bunker where people gathered, visible through surveillance cameras.
Thus, it wasn’t just the Saintess and Enoch’s group in the underground facility.
Equistelle, who was leaning on a table reading status reports, asked a guard who had just entered through the door.
“How’s the situation inside the bunker?”
“About eighty percent of the civilians have been evacuated.”
“Good. We’re almost done. Our mission is to minimize loss of life and property. Keep that in mind.”
She glanced at the bombardment lance propped beside her and spoke. The guard hesitated with a slightly ambiguous attitude before continuing.
“However, there’s still one problem.”
“Hm?”
Equistelle gestured lightly with her chin, prompting him to elaborate. The guard averted his gaze and said.
“The citizens who’ve taken refuge in the bunker are trembling with anxiety. The atmosphere isn’t exactly great.”
It was an obvious statement, if you thought about it.
An unprecedented assault by magical beasts. And the second one, following the previous incident. From the citizens’ perspective, it must feel like a bolt from the blue.
“Indeed. We can’t just let their anxiety fester.”
Equistelle rubbed her chin thoughtfully with slender fingers. Her concern was something I agreed with.
Though it was a mining city in the wilderness, its population was far from small. Even now, guards were running themselves ragged to evacuate people.
A large group like this falling into collective panic wouldn’t be good. It would only amplify secondary damage.
“If we’re not careful, we could end up with an uncontrollable situation. We need to take measures.”
“I might be able to help.”
At that moment, Amelia spoke calmly from the side. She placed a hand over her chest and added in a composed tone.
“Please allow me. Among those I saw while entering the bunker, many were injured. My healers and I can provide medical aid and reassurance.”
“Hm. I understand your intent.”
Equistelle turned her head slightly.
“So, what do you think, Saintess’s escort?”
Leaning against the wall, observing the situation, I tilted my head at Equistelle’s direct address.
“Why ask me?”
“Don’t play dumb. You know why.”
Equistelle looked straight at me and said.
“The public may not know, but those in the know are aware. The Saintess of the Order is, in essence, just a figurehead the Pontiff puts forward for appearances.”
Politically, she had no authority to act alone.
Her tone was sharp, almost brutally direct, but it carried undeniable truth.
I glanced at the Saintess.
Amelia clasped her hands on the table. Her fingertips trembled faintly.
“This relief effort, along with the negotiations to report its progress and demand compensation, is the Saintess’s first public activity, isn’t it?”
Equistelle continued sharply.
“Typically, it’s the escorts who represent the Order’s stance externally on behalf of the Pontiff.”
Her point was clear.
“In short, to avoid any objections from the Order, we can’t let the Saintess act freely right now.”
“…”
Amelia’s clasped hands trembled slightly.
Watching her for a moment, I spoke.
“Then I suppose I should give an answer.”
I slowly stood beside Amelia. Feeling my presence, she looked up.
“Enoch-nim…”
Her eyes held a hint of resignation.
Common sense dictated that anyone would oppose this. Especially for me, tasked with her protection, it was even more so.
As a direct descendant of Elsyde, the success or failure of my mission affected the reputation that determined my rank within the family. Given that my duty was to ensure the Saintess’s safety, refusing would be the logical choice.
However.
“I’ll escort her.”
At the sound of my calm voice, Amelia’s eyes widened in slight surprise.
“P-Pardon?”
I glanced down at her expressionlessly.
“I have my reasons.”
And one more thing.
“As for legitimacy, being a direct descendant of Elsyde, I doubt the escorts would have grounds to object.”
For a moment, Amelia’s eyes widened further. Equistelle likely had this in mind when she spoke.
As expected, power was incredibly convenient in moments like this. Even if it couldn’t completely suppress opposition, it could elevate one’s standing to an equal footing.
Sure enough, Equistelle, leaning against the wall, smiled faintly and said.
“In the midst of such chaos, even inside the bunker, who knows what unexpected situations might arise?”
“Then, I entrust her protection to you.”
Amelia looked up at me slowly.
“If Enoch-nim protects me as you did earlier, I’m sure I’ll be able to act with peace of mind.”
Perhaps because I had thrown myself to save her earlier, it seemed Amelia genuinely trusted me as her protector.
“However, I’d like one promise first.”
I took a step closer to Amelia.
“I, too, have things I must do.”
As long as I didn’t forget my own objectives, there was something I needed to secure by leveraging this opportunity to escort the Saintess.
“Regarding the mines.”
Then, in a low voice only she could hear, I spoke quietly.
As she listened to my calm explanation, Amelia’s expression gradually tinged with astonishment.
“Enoch-nim, you…”
“That’s my condition.”
“But is this really alright? If what you’re planning is as you say…”
“Perhaps.”
I had no absolute certainty. From the beginning, I had never acted with the confidence that everything would be perfectly resolved by doing things a certain way.
“This is the right choice.”
I simply made choices.
In this chaotic situation, it was the best choice to achieve the desired outcome while securing everything I needed.
***
The bunker’s corridors were filled with cold air.
I passed through the bunker, divided into sectors like a massive underground parking lot. In the darkness, the interior scenery of cement and aluminum reinforcement plates came into view.
From those trying to shake off anxiety with noisy chatter, to those shivering under blankets distributed as relief supplies, to those staring at their devices with worried expressions.
All of it converged, becoming a massive noise that sang of anxiety in the vast underground space.
“Ow, it hurts…”
In a dark corner, a small girl clutched her arm, whimpering.
It seemed she had a wound on her arm. The people around her looked at her with pity, but no one stepped forward rashly.
“Mommy, Mommy…”
Everyone was too busy looking after their own families. In a situation where no one knew what might happen next, few would risk protecting an unfamiliar child.
Empty gazes of pity enveloped the child alongside the bunker’s darkness. She walked alone among the crowd.
Then, as the little girl walked tearfully through the dark corridor, someone gently extended a hand in front of her.
“Are you alright?”
The girl looked up, her expression colored with surprise. Even she, young as she was, recognized this very famous person.
“S-Saintess?”
Amelia crouched down and placed her hand on the girl’s injured arm.
At her voice, the surrounding gazes began to gather one by one. The voices of those who recognized the Saintess echoed loudly.
“Oh, the Saintess!”
“Look over there, it’s the Saintess! The Goddess has sent salvation…”
Remarkably, as more eyes gathered, the people gradually regained their composure.
As if they had been desperately in need of something to rely on.
Surrounded by their gazes, the Saintess looked around calmly and said.
“The healers who’ve taken refuge in the bunker will arrive soon. Those injured, please come this way.”
I realized anew what the existence of the Saintess meant to these people.
Bathed in the white light illuminating the bunker, the sight of the Saintess personally tending to the people was nothing short of holy.
I glanced at her side.
Beside Amelia, Sirocco sat on a crate, leaning back with her arms propped behind her.
On the opposite side, Lien stood silently in the shadows a step behind, glancing at me.
As per my instructions, they were positioned to respond immediately and protect the Saintess if anything happened.
“Those are some stunning beauties.”
A voice suddenly spoke from beside me.
Looking over, I saw Equistelle, who had come to oversee the scene, her large lance propped against the wall, casting a glance my way.
“Don’t you think? Women that beautiful are hard to come by even once in a lifetime.”
I nodded silently in agreement.
Lien’s icy beauty went without saying. Sirocco’s sharp, playful glance. And the Saintess, a beacon of hope with her noble demeanor.
How many could witness such radiant beauty gathered together and not instinctively hold their breath?
Equistelle gave me a sly smile.
“You’ve got some serious skill. Has the troublemaking young master, once confined by the Elsyde family, been set free?”
“That’s not exactly a great joke.”
“Well, I meant being around them makes you feel like a star with all the attention. I thought it was a pretty good joke, for me.”
“Ah. Sure.”
I let out a wry chuckle.
I wasn’t sure it was humorous, but she wasn’t entirely wrong. Naturally, the appearances of Lien, Sirocco, and the Saintess drew attention. That was the biggest issue.
‘…At this point, hoping they don’t draw attention might be the harder task.’
Whether my current possession was truly related to “black magic” or not, as long as there was suspicion, it wasn’t welcome.
But dwelling on it wouldn’t change anything. I had to accept it as it was. With a small exhale, I changed the subject.
“So, I doubt you came just to chat. What’s the real issue?”
“A continuation of our earlier conversation. About the Order’s objectives. You’ve probably guessed, direct descendant.”
I replied tonelessly.
“Magic stones.”
“Exactly. Pangaeon’s magic stones are renowned for their high quality. The Order’s escorts are surely attending the negotiations aiming for a stake in the mines.”
Her words weren’t wrong.
Magic stones were essential for mages’ magical gear, as well as vehicles, electronics, and various products used in daily life in the modern Magic Empire.
Since the city had clearly benefited from the medical aid, rejecting the Order’s proposal would be difficult on principle. But there was something even more critical.
“This mining city has many followers of the Order. Many pray to the Goddess. So, even the city’s leadership would find it hard to refuse.”
“You sound certain.”
“It’s a tactic the Order has used covertly. In matters like this, legitimacy is key, so it’s as clear as day.”
“Are the Main Houses unaware of this?”
“Well, it’s hard for them to intervene directly. On the surface, it’s not illegal.”
Equistelle shrugged lightly.
She wasn’t lying. Even within Elsyde, where the empire’s elites gathered, she was known as a seasoned veteran who had been through countless trials.
More importantly, she had no reason to lie.
“The mining city has taken a huge hit recovering from this damage. That’s what they’re targeting.”
“Using humanitarian aid as a pretext to extract unfair profits?”
“Exactly. Other cities have produced countless victims due to the Order’s tactics. They’re exploited in situations where they need support for loss of life.”
She glanced at me and continued.
“So, the upcoming negotiations are critical.”
Looking at me, she raised a finger.
“If we can’t quickly resolve this magical beast attack, the negotiation schedule might be adjusted.”
“And?”
“If the negotiations don’t proceed as planned, the Saintess will return, and the escorts will come back later for separate talks. It’s rare for the Saintess to act directly.”
If things unfolded that way, the outcome was obvious. It would just be a repetition of the same cycle. The Order’s corruption would continue unabated.
Equistelle turned to the side and asked casually.
“What do you think, Saintess? Am I wrong?”
At some point, Amelia had approached.
Looking around, I saw the Order’s healers tending to and calming the people in the bunker. It seemed her public appearance had, for now, reached a pause.
“…I will absolutely attend the negotiations.”
Instead of answering directly, the Saintess responded with resolute determination.
“The Order’s current methods are wrong. If people are in distress, we must save them, not exploit them.”
“Then we’ll need to deal with the magical beasts first.”
Equistelle added dryly.
“Moreover, this is the second time magical beasts have emerged and attacked. To avoid delaying the negotiations, we’d need to turn the entire mine upside down and complete a full investigation. Only then can we be certain the negotiations can proceed safely.”
“I understand.”
Amelia’s eyes shone with calm determination.
“That’s exactly why I accepted Enoch-nim’s proposal earlier.”
“Proposal?”
Equistelle’s eyebrow twitched.
Amelia nodded slowly.
“Yes. While I’m protected in the bunker… Enoch-nim said he would act separately.”
“What?”
Equistelle turned to me with a slightly stunned expression, detaching herself from the wall and widening her eyes as she asked.
“So, you’re saying you foresaw all this…?”
“There doesn’t seem to be much time left until the negotiations.”
No need to prolong the conversation. I slowly raised my head. In the darkness, my eyes narrowed.
“I’ll go to the mines and investigate myself.”
No need for further words.
It was the most certain method.
As it had always been.