My goodness, Durandal's here on a mission to attract investment and business.
After this, won't the Nagazora city government have to present the Flame-Chasers with a commendatory silk banner or something?!
And they'd better hurry up and put Durandal on Nagazora's list of Top Ten Outstanding Youths.
Einstein clearly hadn't expected this. They'd just agreed to become friends, yet the conversation had somehow veered off in this direction.
After a moment's consideration, Einstein nodded.
"I'll inform the people in the commerce and industry departments, have them go survey Nagazora's situation and see what industries might be suitable for relocation."
With those words from Einstein, Durandal knew the matter was as good as settled.
"Oh, and Dr. Einstein, how about we exchange contact info? In case anything comes up, it'd be good to keep each other in the loop, right?"
As she spoke, Durandal pulled out her phone.
Einstein didn't refuse. She too took out her phone, scanned the code, and added Durandal as a contact.
"By the way, our organization is just starting up, so we need to recruit some people and also purchase some materials…"
Durandal really was determined to milk this sheep dry!
Einstein didn't seem impatient, however. Instead, she took out a business card and handed it to Durandal.
"This is my secretary's contact information. If anything comes up, just reach out to her. I'll let her know to cooperate with you as much as possible."
Finally, Einstein added, "After all, we're all striving to fight against the Honkai."
"Thank you very much then, Dr. Einstein."
Durandal smiled and accepted the card. Once today's academic report was over, she'd hand it to Connie, saving her the trouble of running around like a headless chicken with Eden and Vill-V.
Durandal's good mood lasted until the day's events concluded.
Leading Kevyn—who looked like she'd already ascended to immortality—equally excited Mei, and Elysia, who kept eyeing her suspiciously, she arrived at the hotel Connie had booked for them.
As for Mobius and the others, they were still attending the post-report cocktail party, so they didn't return together.
In the hotel lobby, Connie was already waiting, holding two room cards in her hand.
Seeing Durandal and the others appear, she hurried over to meet them.
"Here you go, Miss Mei. This is your and Kevyn's room card."
Looking at the room card labeled "double room" in her hand, Mei frowned slightly but ultimately said nothing.
"Your Grace Durandal, this is yours and Miss Elysia's."
On the other side, Durandal took the card, glanced at the label, and subconsciously read it aloud.
"King-size bed room… Huh? What does 'king-size bed room' mean?"
Durandal waved the room card in her hand as she asked.
Hearing this, Connie looked aggrieved.
"Well, because of the academic symposium, all the single and double rooms in the hotel have been booked up recently. Only king-size bed rooms are left."
"If you're not satisfied, Your Grace, you could switch with Miss Mei and Kevyn?"
Hearing Connie's words, Mei suddenly realized her own situation wasn't so bad after all.
And Kevyn perked up.
She hadn't expected to be sharing a room with Mei tonight.
As for whether it was a double room or a king-size bed room, she was fine with either—though the latter would be even better, of course.
Durandal naturally turned her gaze toward Mei.
But before Durandal could even speak, Mei decisively turned and dragged Kevyn toward the elevator.
Durandal: '?'
Unwilling to give up, Durandal went to the front desk to ask if they could switch to two single or double rooms.
However, not only were those unavailable, but even the priciest presidential suites—usually left vacant—were all gone.
Watching Durandal fuss over a king-size bed room, Elysia couldn't help but speak up. "Do you really hate sharing a bed with me that much?"
"…"
"That's not what I meant… I don't hate it. I just think it's inappropriate, that's all."
"If you don't hate it, then why not give it a try? I don't dislike you either, you know~?"
Elysia said with a light smile.
Durandal shook her head, thinking to herself that Elysia didn't dislike anyone, did she?
She still remembered in the Flame-Chasers relationship chart, Elysia's feelings toward everyone were marked with a blue "like."
Realizing it was impossible to change rooms, and since they couldn't switch hotels either—not with the need to protect Mei and Kevyn—Durandal stopped dwelling on it.
"Fine, it's just for tonight anyway. We're heading back tomorrow."
As she spoke, Durandal pulled out the business card Einstein had given her earlier from her pocket and handed it to Connie.
"For Eden and Vill-V's matters tomorrow, you can call the person on this card for help. Just tell her you're from the Flame-Chasers organization and that Dr. Einstein has already been informed. That should suffice."
"Understood."
Connie took the card, nodding blankly.
After all, even as a former small-time gang leader, she'd heard of the famous Dr. Einstein.
To think the backer she'd found could even get through to such a great scientist… This really was…
Come to think of it, that exchange between Durandal and Elysia just now sounded so genuine.
If she hadn't accidentally stumbled upon their 'little moment' before, she might have really believed they were just ordinary superior and subordinate.
With mixed feelings, Connie took the elevator with Durandal and Elysia up to their floor.
Watching Durandal and Elysia enter the same room one after the other, Connie finally returned to her own room, satisfied.
Well, come to think of it, wasn't the room she entered a single?
Actually, Connie had arrived quite early, back when there was still plenty of choice for rooms.
So, the double room and the king-size bed room were naturally chosen deliberately by Connie.
She really was worrying herself sick over this.
For someone like Mei and Kevyn, still just high school students, a king-size bed room would be too much—a double room was just right.
As for Durandal and Elysia, Connie felt that showing restraint by not booking them into a love hotel was already quite an effort.
Closing her door, Mama Connie sighed inwardly. She really was worrying herself sick.
On the other side, Durandal and Elysia stood facing each other in the room.
""Who showers first?""
They spoke in unison.
""You go first,""
Again, in unison.
"Pfft—"
In the end, it was Elysia who couldn't hold back a laugh.
She looked at Durandal, her clear eyes carrying a hint of teasing.
"Durandal, show me some of that commanding energy you had when you told me to get on the horse without a second thought! Honestly, if we keep going back and forth like this, either neither of us showers… or we shower together. How about that?"
Hearing this, Durandal's face darkened.
"Show me that energy, huh?"
Durandal grumbled. "Fine, I'll go first then."
With that, Durandal opened the suitcase Connie had already brought into the room, took out a change of clothes, and headed into the bathroom.
Elysia, sitting on the bed, found herself unable to look toward the direction of the running water.
Because the hotel bathroom door was frosted glass, allowing a blurred silhouette to be seen clearly from outside.
--+--