How many people could the nuns actually rescue in this torrential rain?
Charles didn't know, though he suspected it wouldn't be very many. He walked into the newly constructed dormitory, away from the deep flood and the pounding rain outside, and only then set down Ekta, letting out a long breath.
"Ekta." He spoke again, "It's your turn now. Try to assemble a stove here and warm up the room."
"I'm heading out—I need to save people."
The witches' weight was all extremely light—even Hattie and Theresa, who looked rather voluptuous, actually weighed no more than a brick at most, possibly even less than the several spellbooks Charles was carrying.
So his physical endurance was practically limitless; going out in the water to rescue a few more people posed no problem at all.
Meanwhile, after leaving Charles's embrace, Ekta's face was briefly tinged with loss. A wave of emptiness washed over her, and she wanted nothing more than to crawl back into his arms for that gentle warmth.
But she held it in, suppressing that emptiness and chill, and nodded lightly. "Alright, I'll do it."
Charles put the rain cloak back on, and turned to head out. Walking, he called directly, "Andny, tell the other witches: after you find anyone swept away, bring them to this open ground in the northern area... Andny, do you hear me? Andny? Answer me?"
Charles called a few more times, but still received no reply.
He frowned, raised a hand to his ear, and removed a small device, only to find that the mosquito placed by Andny at his ear had frozen to death in the terrible cold.
Well, so much for the Insect Witch.
If they wanted to maintain communication in this storm, they'd need another central hub...
Thinking that, he threw on his cloak again and, wading through the water, returned to the scriptorium. When he opened the door, he saw Malena had already come inside, shedding her raincloak, sitting together with the other nuns.
At that moment Andny was standing there clutching the baby, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. "Master, all my familiars froze to death."
Charles sighed, realizing it was beyond her abilities, and did not reprimand her. "It's alright, there was no helping it."
Next, he turned to Sophia. "In that case, Sophia, I need you to send out a Sending to relay this news to the nuns, and have everyone use Sending to stay in contact from now on."
Sophia nodded. Having said that, Charles turned toward the door again. "One more thing, Sophia—once refugees arrive, head to the safe room and help Ekta look after them. Do your best to keep anyone from freezing or dying of sickness."
"I'm off, everyone—I leave everything here in the monastery to you."
With those words, not waiting for Sophia's reply, he once again darted out into the rain.
Sophia opened her mouth as if to say something, but finally swallowed her words, turning to say, "Andny, hand Elise to Madam Malena, then come with me to wait on standby in the shelter."
Meanwhile, Charles waded out from the monastery, only to see the world outside turned into a vast ocean.
The ground level in South Harbor District hadn't been even; the farther south, the lower the land, so now the flooding grew deeper and could easily surpass a meter, plenty to reach a man's waist.
In the distance, he suddenly noticed a massive entity swimming in his direction, several thick tentacles surging in the water.
A giant octopus?
Charles immediately frowned. Even in a port city, with the water not even a meter deep, how could a creature like this be here?
But in the next instant, the giant octopus raised a tentacle, waving repeatedly at him. He paused, then relaxed—a realization dawning.
It was Nidalee.
Druids, after all, weren't like regular shapechangers who could only become one kind of animal. In truth, anything that flew, ran, or swam—so long as their power was enough—they could become.
Nidalee just happened to favor the leopard above all.
Recognizing her identity, Charles quickened his pace toward her. Once nearer, he saw curled up among Nidalee's tentacles, a thin, poorly dressed child.
The child clung desperately with arms and legs to the tentacle, shivering uncontrollably, whether from terror or the cold.
Charles hurried over, stretched out his arms, and took the child down, using his cloak to shield from the rain, offering comfort: "It's alright, you're safe here."
As soon as Charles picked the child up, Nidalee immediately shifted back to human form to report.
"He was swept away by water. When I found him, he was almost drowning." She called loudly—the only way anyone could be heard in this storm. "That's why I became a giant octopus—to pull him out!"
"Thank you!" Charles called back as loud. "Any others out there?"
Nidalee shook her head hard. "Not yet! I came across him almost immediately. I saw several collapsed houses, but hardly anyone wandering around nearby!"
Charles's brow knit tightly.
Severely short on manpower—even counting himself and the spell-casting nuns, only six people total.
The slums stretched wide; disaster victims were everywhere, and yet so few to help. How could that ever suffice?
He needed more people—people who didn't fear the cold, or being carried away by seawater, who possessed strength enough to take part in this rescue.
And such people...
He turned to peer through the rain at another direction—the Amazon company's office tower, barely visible through the downpour.
Ten minutes later.
Amazon Fisheries Company, third floor, Intelligence Division.
Before a massive floor-to-ceiling window, Director Gale Porter, clad in a brown leather jacket, sat with legs crossed, sunk into an enormous black leather sofa in utter comfort.
She turned her head to gaze at the torrential rain outside, her hand holding a low, rounded mug of hot coffee laced with milk and white sugar.
Ever since buying Charles's house, she'd slept well each night, almost never needing caffeine to keep alert.
But today, with the earthquake and the downpour, their entire department was shut down, granting her a rare reprieve. The coffee beans were nearly expired, so she brewed herself a cup for old times' sake.
Such rare leisure...
She stirred her drink, blew off the steam, and sampled a sip. The heat of the coffee chased away the chill and she could not help but let out a satisfied sigh.
Truly nice.
Hmm... I wonder what Charles is doing right now.
Come to think of it, last time I never conceived. Perhaps it's time to organize another round of revels, and collect some more seed...
She was still thinking this when hurried footsteps sounded from the hall. An Amazon woman approached and bent to whisper, "Director, Priest Charles from the monastery is here—he specifically asked to see you."
Porter paused mid-sip, then set down her coffee and stood. "Bring me to him."
They made their way together, traversing the long corridor and stairs to the first-floor guard station, where Charles, having just set aside his raincoat and boots—rainwater soaking much of his clothes—stood looking more than a little bedraggled.
Porter's eyebrow rose. Unconcerned at the people about, she strode forward, slung her arm around his neck, and said, "What brings you here to see me, dear Priest?"
With that, she clung to Charles' body and led him deeper into the building, utterly assertive.
And in the arms of this strong woman, Charles truly was like a helpless young boy, passively carried along. "Uh, I need something from you," he managed.
His level and strength outstripped hers now, but in her presence he was forever the passive one.
"Oh?" Porter raised a brow, but rather than ask what he wanted, she started to flirt. "I thought maybe you missed me—a night like this, so terrifying and lonely, you just wanted to crawl into my arms for warmth and comfort..."
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