When it came to the endlessly frustrating topic of Mostima, Exusiai was firmly entrenched in Lucian’s camp.
Sitting across from him at a sunlit cafe table, the energetic Sankta scraped the last bit of cream from her parfait and licked the silver spoon clean.
“Mostima is just way too good at hiding,” she complained, her halo dimming slightly with annoyance.
“She was originally the most skilled Chief Angel in Originium Arts back in Laterano, and everyone knows she ranks ridiculously high in our history.
If she genuinely wants to drop off the grid, she has a hundred ways to do it…
What did Old Lin have to say about it?” Lucian took a slow sip of his iced tea and shook his head.
“Old Lin hasn’t laid eyes on her in years either.
He only knows that she’s still operating as a Messenger.
We had barely set foot in Lungmen, and she slipped out of the city right after.
It’s almost as if she knew exactly when we were coming.” The entire reason Lucian and Exusiai had traveled to Lungmen in the first place was chasing a rumor.
They had heard whispers of a unique Sankta working in the city—one with striking blue hair and a pair of dark horns.
also, this anomalous Fallen Angel was supposedly employed at a local logistics company, living a rather carefree and happy life.
That company, of course, was Penguin Logistics.
Mostima was technically a senior to every current employee on the Penguin Logistics roster.
She boasted more tenure than Lucian, Exusiai, and even the ever-stoic Texas.
Even now, Mostima was still nominally on the payroll, meaning that she and Lucian were theoretically still colleagues.
But where in Terra could you find an employee who vanished for years at a time without getting fired?
Was the management at Penguin Logistics really that lax?
Thinking of this, Lucian and Exusiai both let out a synchronized, heavy sigh.
They felt entirely played by that elusive woman.
Exusiai’s mood suddenly shifted.
She narrowed her bright eyes, shooting Lucian a deeply resentful, suspicious glare.
“Confess honestly,” she demanded, leaning across the table.
“After that time, have you kissed any other women?
Have you been fooling around behind my back?” “Hold on a second.” Lucian immediately raised a hand, his expression turning deadpan and serious.
“First of all, no matter what I do with anyone, it absolutely doesn’t count as cheating on Mostima.
Second, in that particular incident, I was completely the victim.
Any judge in Terra would rule in my favor.
And finally, no, I haven’t.
I am a perfectly upstanding gentleman.
Unless a cute girl actively confesses to me, I wouldn’t just go around kissing people.” “Really~~~?” Exusiai dragged out the word, her face the picture of utter disbelief.
She didn’t buy a single syllable of his defense.
Her intense scrutiny made Lucian feel incredibly wronged.
He was clearly as pure as the driven snow!
Sure, he might occasionally take a few lingering glances at Texas and Croissant when they wandered around the dorms in their sleepwear.
And yes, he might be a little extra attentive when it came time to wash their laundry.
And fine, he occasionally took advantage of the mood to pull them into warm hugs and cuddles—but aside from that, he absolutely hadn’t done anything to warrant a guilty conscience!
Naturally, if the aloof Texas suddenly approached him and confessed that she was willing to be his girlfriend, Lucian would immediately do everything that could and couldn’t be done right then and there.
But unfortunately, Texas seemed completely uninterested in his charms.
What a tragic waste.
What?
What about Croissant, you ask?
Please.
Croissant was a Forte.
She had a fantastic figure and was barely good enough for a quick, casual fling, but as a serious, committed girlfriend?
Absolutely out of the question.
After ruthlessly dismissing Croissant in his inner monologue, Lucian cleared his throat.
“If we started taking on more long-distance delivery missions, we might actually bump into her out in the wastelands.
But if I do that, my tea shop would have to close its doors.
I need to save up enough LMD first to keep it afloat.” “Hmm, that’s a fair point,” Exusiai mused, tapping her chin as she helped him brainstorm.
“Then, working backwards…
we could just hire other Messengers to track her down, right?
It’s too easy for her to sense us and avoid us if we go ourselves.
Unfamiliar Messengers might have a better shot at slipping under her radar, don’t you think?” Messengers…
Lucian pondered the idea, staring out at the bustling Lungmen streets.
In this harsh world, where apocalyptic natural disasters were a frequent reality, mobile cities desperately needed to communicate while remaining fiercely independent.
Because of this, the role of a Messenger was incredibly vital.
There were two distinct types: Catastrophe Messengers, who specialized in predicting the precise timing and destructive scale of impending natural disasters, and ordinary Messengers, who braved the elements to deliver vital letters, cargo, and intelligence.
Regardless of their classification, Messengers had to constantly travel between various mobile cities.
They relied entirely on their own combat strength and survival skills to cross the unforgiving, unprotected wilderness.
It was an arduous, highly lethal profession.
When Lucian and Exusiai had first eloped from Laterano, they had suffered miserably in the barren wastelands because they had rushed out with almost zero preparation.
That harrowing experience had made Lucian acutely aware of just how difficult it was for ordinary people to survive once they stepped outside the protective plating of a mobile city.
And Mostima was an exceptionally brilliant Messenger.
She had originally been Laterano’s absolute strongest Originium Arts user.
After her fall from grace, transforming into a Fallen Angel, her power had only grown more terrifying.
She had put down her signature firearm and picked up a caster’s staff instead.
Because of her overwhelming strength, Lucian wasn’t worried about her physical safety in the slightest.
But that very same power allowed her to do whatever she pleased.
According to the fragmented records at Penguin Logistics, Mostima exclusively accepted extremely distant, high-risk delivery contracts.
She would often vanish into the wilderness for months, sometimes even years, at a time.
For her, the title of ‘Messenger’ was nothing more than a convenient excuse to travel the world, giving her a reason to keep moving toward whatever destination she sought.
Lucian slumped his shoulders, muttering dejectedly, “To catch a completely unreasonable woman like her, ordinary Messengers just aren’t going to cut it.” “Yeah, that’s true…” Exusiai sighed, her bright energy deflating as all hope drained from the plan.
They were supposed to be enjoying a happy, relaxing date, but they had inevitably ended up talking about that scoundrel Mostima again.
It was a typical, inescapable cycle for the two of them.
Before Lucian could attempt to salvage the mood, a crisp, painfully familiar voice drifted over from behind his chair.
“Oho…?
If it isn’t Mr.
Lucian.
I was wondering why you weren’t manning the shop today.
Turns out you’re out on a little date with your girlfriend right in the middle of my family’s mall.
How…
enviable.” A massive, flashing red DANGER sign practically materialized above Lucian’s head.
He whipped around and found Miss Swire standing there, her beautiful face plastered with a flawless, radiant smile.
However, her eyes were completely devoid of warmth.
The striped fur on her feline ears and long tiger tail was bristling, standing completely on end as she exuded an immense, oppressive presence.
Lucian immediately broke into a cold sweat and stammered, “G-Good morning, Miss Swire!
Aren’t you on duty today?
Ah, you really should have said something sooner!
If I had known you were free, I would have absolutely invited you to dinner!
And you’ve completely misunderstood the situation, this redhead isn’t my gir—” Exusiai instantly drove a knife into Lucian’s back.
“Yep~, we’re on a date~.” The Sankta girl leaned in, her face blooming into a brilliant smile.
It was a smile that was exactly one part cute, one part obedient, and ninety-eight parts pure, unfiltered provocation.
She reached out and locked her arms around Lucian’s bicep, hugging it so tightly against her chest that he thought she was going to dislocate his shoulder.
Peering up at the bristling feline, Exusiai chirped, “We are perfectly good, law-abiding citizens of Lungmen.
You wouldn’t use your badge to disturb ordinary people without a warrant, would you, Officer?
We still have a lot of fun places to hit up today, so if you could please step aside~?” “Tch…!” Swire snarled, a low, genuinely intimidating feline growl vibrating in the back of her throat.
If it were any other day, the wealthy heiress would have gladly escalated her fierce rivalry with Exusiai right then and there.
But today, the timing was entirely wrong.
Lucian quickly noticed that Swire was fully dressed in her crisp Lungmen Guard Department uniform, and several other L.G.D.
officers were patrolling the plaza just a short distance away.
Swire forcibly suppressed her surging anger.
She smoothed out her uniform, frowned deeply, and pointed a manicured finger at Lucian.
“I still have official work to handle, so I’ll let this slide for today.
But you just wait, you hear me?
Our date is still pending.” “Wait a minute.” Lucian immediately countered, trying to salvage his dignity.
“Miss Swire, I remember agreeing to come hang out at your family’s plaza, but that was strictly framed as friendly playtime, not a date….Anyway, what actually happened?
Is it something you’re allowed to tell me?” “…It’s nothing major,” Swire muttered.
She glanced left and right to ensure none of her subordinates were listening, then leaned in close.
Her lips brushed against Lucian’s ear as she whispered, “Someone reported that Infected have appeared nearby.
If it’s someone you know, get them out of here quickly.
Otherwise, it’s going to be very difficult for me to explain if my subordinates catch them.” Before pulling away, Swire took the opportunity to lightly bite down on Lucian’s earlobe.
“Ow~.” Lucian shivered as a jolt of electricity shot down his spine.
This wealthy young lady’s vengefulness was truly on another level.
So scary.
So incredibly scary.
[Rhodes’s Note: Enjoying the operation so far, Doctor?
(This daily grind literally pays the landship’s rent!
to use the links!)