Billy leaned close to Nicole's ear and whispered very quietly, "Boss Nicole, is that guy really your dad? If you're being threatened, blink at us."
Looking helpless, Nicole pushed Billy away and said, "Enough, Billy. He really is my dad."
"...But whose dad makes an entrance like that?"
As Billy spoke, he turned to look at Huojin, who had conjured a stone chair ten meters away and was sitting on it. Seeing Billy look his way, Huojin immediately lifted his chin and looked elsewhere, pretending not to care.
Nicole held her forehead. "Uh... he's always been like this. A lot of the time, I couldn't figure him out before, either. I'll talk to him about it later... Anby, could you stop holding on to my hand?"
"Ah, sorry, Nicole..."
Anby spoke meekly and let go. Nicole could clearly sense that Anby had started acting strange ever since Huojin released his control, and she had become even clingier with him.
Now Nicole could figure out, even thinking with his clients, that this had to be his nutjob dad's doing. At that thought, Nicole turned and glared at Huojin.
In response, Huojin simply rotated his chair and turned his back.
Wise: "Everyone, what just happened was a little sudden, but aren't we forgetting something?"
Billy thought for a moment, then suddenly clutched his head in realization. "Oh no, we forgot about Nekomata and the others! And what we were just discussing about fighting the Dead End Butcher..."
"You don't need to go."
Huojin suddenly appeared beside them again, giving everyone another fright.
Huojin: "My subordinates will take care of every problem here. You don't need to worry."
After hearing Huojin out, everyone blinked and looked together at Nicole, who stood among them. Nicole knew what they meant and said:
"Don't worry. Just do as he says. He'll take care of things here."
"I keep my word. And now, I've given you time to process things." Huojin introduced himself in a very formal tone:
"I am Hawking Hongke, Nicole Demara's adoptive father. My main occupation is CEO of TOPS, and my side occupation is the title of Void Hunter, bestowed in the early days of Old Eridu. You may address me as Master Huojin, or simply Master."
"..."
After he finished, the air seemed to freeze again, though this time Huojin hadn't done it deliberately...
"...Uh, haha, well, I still have something to discuss with him, so excuse us for a moment. Rest here for a bit!"
With that, Nicole pulled Huojin over to an empty space on the other side of the train car, giving the others some room to process things again.
Belle asked in utter disbelief, "...Wise, did you hear that clearly just now? What did he say he was?"
Wise was slightly stunned. "If I heard him correctly, he's..."
Billy: "Aaaah!? How is that possible?! Boss Nicole's parent is the CEO of TOPS?! The CEO!! And he's a Void Hunter, too!"
Anby: "...Unbelievable."
Belle: "...Wise, the CEO of TOPS must be really rich, right?"
Wise: "Uh, am I the only one thinking about Master Huojin being a Void Hunter?"
Belle looked at Wise, exasperated with him. "Wise~, being a Void Hunter certainly is shocking. But why don't you first think back to the commission fees Nicole still owes us?"
Wise: "...All right, I know what you're thinking, Belle. Still, you're right. Before this, we never could have dreamed Nicole had that kind of background."
Anby, who had gradually recovered, mused, "Hmm... what we're going through feels just like the plot of a movie where a runaway heiress's identity gets discovered by accident."
Billy: "Oh~, Anby, you mean the one we watched half a month ago, right? Now that you mention it, it does feel really similar! Though I can't remember what it was called anymore..."
"Dad, what exactly were you trying to do back there?!"
Over on Nicole and Huojin's side, an angry Nicole frowned as he demanded an answer from Huojin.
Huojin: "I merely wanted to get to know your little employees and friends on a deeper level."
Nicole: "But who gets to know people like that? Never mind scaring people by appearing and disappearing out of nowhere, why did you have to pull that stunt, too? You've even left Anby with problems!"
"Hah, that's her own problem. If she can't even handle that much, then she... she..."
Seeing Nicole turn angrily to leave, Huojin's voice grew quieter, and he hurriedly said, "Wait, it was my fault. I apologize. I promise I'll make it up to her later. Come back first!"
Nicole came back...
"Sigh, I really wish he could change that twisted sense of humor..." Nicole muttered, then checked the situation with Huojin:
"Dad, is this whole incident under control?"
"Of course. Iron Guard has already taken control of all the observation stations outside, and I've dismantled every detonator for the Ether explosives in the demolition zone. I've also sent those three colors into the Hollow to hunt Ethereals..."
Huojin: "In short, everything is under control."
"Thank goodness, everything's fine. I was too overconfident earlier. If I'd known, I would've called sooner..." Nicole first relaxed completely, but then remembered something and said:
"Oh no, I almost forgot. Dad, I have another companion I might need you to help rescue. Her name is Nekomata, and she..."
Huojin interrupted Nicole, indicating that he already knew:
"I understand. Daughter, you mean the cat Thiren, Nekomata, who originally wanted to trick you into the Hollow and kill you, but instead accidentally dragged you into this dangerous situation, correct?"
"Yes, that's her..." Nicole belatedly caught on and asked in alarm, "Wait, Dad, what are you planning to do?"
"Me? Didn't you mean to capture her directly, and then..." As Huojin spoke, he made a forceful crushing gesture in front of his chest.
Understanding what his dad meant, Nicole held his forehead, speechless. "Dad, I said 'rescue her.' Why are you still thinking along those lines...?"
Huojin: "Daughter, don't you know? This stray cat was planning to kill you before. You're just going to let her off like that?"
Nicole: "Dad~, that was just a misunderstanding. Anyway, I still want you to go rescue her. And then, I'd like to meet her."
Huojin: "...Mm, understood. I'll arrange for someone to capture her and bring her before you."
Nicole: "...Dad, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
Huojin: "It's unintentional."
Nicole: "Aaaah, you are doing it on purpose!"
Huojin averted his gaze and argued, "I am not. It's merely a habit."
"All right, listen up, Dead End Butcher! The day before the day after tomorrow-today-is the day you die! Prepare to face the judgment of justice!!"
Red One, the first to find the Dead End Butcher, kept muttering. Standing in the downpour, Red One had already discarded the cumbersome pure-gold items on his body. The spear in his hand pointed straight at the Dead End Butcher standing atop the station building fifty meters away.
The Dead End Butcher, like a humanoid tyrannosaurus, let out a roar, then leaped high and swung its enormous spear down from the sky, launching a leaping cleave at Red One.