Right after the Lungmen Guard Department operators shouted, Swire's unmistakably loud voice followed:
"Teams B and C, block the other entrances! Team A, with me! We're dealing with someone who uses weird Originium Arts—get your stances ready!"
Oh boy.
Reliable as always, Swire showed up at exactly the right moment.
The little courier fox had also heard the police. Her face went completely pale, tears streaming down like beads on a string.
Lucian reacted instantly. "Close the box lid and hide in the back. Curl up tight—tuck your tail in!"
"Eek!" she squeaked nervously.
Lucian didn't hesitate to grab her fluffy tail and push it inside. The girl let out a mortified squeak.
Swire's voice was getting closer. "I heard a girl's voice! Over he—huh?"
She turned the corner and saw Lucian, blinking in surprise.
"Lucian? Why are you here?"
"Long story." Lucian took a couple steps forward to block her view and cleared his throat. "Thanks for your hard work, Captain Swire. Still chasing an Infected? There's no one you want in here. Could you check someplace else?"
"What the heck?" Swire looked at him suspiciously.
She rose onto her toes, trying to peek past his shoulder, but Lucian shifted left and right to block her.
Swire grit her tiger-like teeth and puffed up. "Lucian, what are you doing?! I'm in the middle of an investigation! Move!"
"I really can't, Swire. I have a perfectly good reason. Just hear me out."
Lucian put his hands on her shoulders. With all the Lungmen Guard Department operators watching from behind her, he took a deep breath.
"El is in there."
"…Huh?" Swire's eyebrow shot up.
Exusiai being in an alley—what did that have to do with letting her inspect it? It didn't make sense at first.
So Lucian leaned in closer, whispering the details quietly into her ear.
Swire's expression shifted from suspicion, to confusion, to shock… then panic.
Her face went red, then green, then red again. She glanced between her men and Lucian, eyes filling with tears. "Y-You pervert… in a place like—like this… eek!"
ROAR!
Swire unleashed a lion's roar so loud the operators behind her clapped hands over their ears.
Tears flying, she stomped her foot. "Lucian, just you wait! You're dead next time I see you! I'll never forgive you!" she pouted.
And then she stormed off with her squad, giving Lucian a surprising amount of face.
Lucian watched her retreating back and sighed. "At least she said 'next time.' Swire really is a good woman."
He had lied to her, but with Swire's sharp mind she would figure out quickly that it was all an excuse.
Once everyone was gone, Lucian lifted the cardboard box. "Alright. It's safe now. You can get up."
"…"
The fox girl didn't answer.
She stayed curled up, her face as red as a tomato. When Lucian leaned down to check on her, she averted her eyes and muttered in a tiny voice:
"I-I didn't… do anything like that… I've never even had a boyfriend… I really haven't… I swear…"
Lucian laughed. "I know. I never suspected you. It was just an excuse to get the cops out. Sorry about that, okay?"
Kids these days really knew too much.
Well—"kid" only because she seemed young and innocent. Her body was anything but small.
Honestly, she had Exusiai and Texas beat… maybe even Croissant… students sure developed early nowadays.
Lucian caught himself staring at her curled-up figure and immediately snapped out of it, coughing twice. He extended a hand toward her.
"My name is Lucian Sinclair. I know you're an Infected, but don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. Anyway, come with me for now. I'll take you somewhere safe."
"…Okay." The obedient little fox nodded.
She hesitated, then gently wrapped her hand around one of his fingers.
"My name… is Angelina. Thank you… Mr. Sinclair."
Lucian sent Exusiai a text saying something unexpected came up, then headed home with Angelina.
Since she was a complete mess, he took the back alleys to avoid people, which wasted quite a bit of time.
Along the way, he asked a few simple questions and learned she was only seventeen—a real, actual high school girl.
This timid high school girl was still shaken, sticking close to Lucian and doing everything he told her to do.
Being so trusting after getting tricked… Lucian started worrying if she could protect herself in normal situations.
But thinking more carefully, in her current state Lucian was the only person she felt she could rely on. If he were actually a bad guy, he could sell her off and she'd help count the money.
A cute, naïve, well-built high school girl…
Lucian's thoughts wandered off into dangerous territory for a moment.
Why was the phrase "high school girl" so damn powerful, anyway? Weird.
When they finally got back to the apartment, Exusiai was already home.
"You're slow!"
The moment she saw him, her brows shot up. "What the hell were you doing, idiot?! I ran into that cat cop on the way back! She told me everything!"
"What exactly did she tell you?" Lucian cut in quickly.
Overloaded, Exusiai hurled a pillow straight into his face.
"That's what I'm talking about! Don't go spreading rumors about me! How am I supposed to face the neighbors?! I mean, everyone already assumes I'm your girlfriend and I don't exactly hate that but—could you pick a normal way to do things?! I want to go on a proper date with you and have Swire see! Not… not whatever that was!"
"…That's what you're mad about?"
Lucian was speechless—then Exusiai threw another pillow, and then another.
Behind him, Angelina trembled harder. "S-Sorry… it was all because of me… that police lady misunderstood… B-But honestly, I think I'm a victim too…"
Explaining this properly would take forever. Lucian let out a long sigh.
He gently pulled Angelina out from behind him and said to Exusiai, "We'll sort this out later. Can you find her some clean clothes and help her freshen up?"