Human Temperature
Tiny Bell and Lucia Beloche had returned to the Rain Code Management Bureau earlier than expected. Still, they had results to show for it. The state of the church and the militia, and that proxy Lucia had sensed. Talking to that proxy would surely be the key to truly understanding this incident, Bell thought.
Lucia had felt a bit down, sensing that Raphael, the priest, was hiding something from her. But chatting idly with her senior on the way back had her humming a tune again in no time. Watching her, Bell smirked and said,
"Lucia, go rest. I'll contact the lieutenant."
"Yessir~!"
Lucia waved in her usual carefree way and headed for the elevator, vanishing from sight. Bell awkwardly waved back, then, as soon as Lucia was gone, started messaging Adolf through her wrist communicator.
A small hologram flickered to life.
Bell sent it off without another thought, crossing her arms. Not even a few minutes passed before a notification chimed, and a window popped up.
Bell nodded in satisfaction and headed straight past the main gate of the Management Bureau, out into the street. She made a beeline for the bench nearby, the same spot where she'd run into Kyle Walker—a thoroughly awkward encounter. She glanced around cautiously before settling in, leaning back against it.
A gentle breeze brushed her face, while drones buzzed annoyingly across the clear sky above. Bell slowly closed her eyes.
'He said to meet at tomorrow's mass, right... Raphael.'
The thought kept circling in her mind. Why insist on a private meeting after the public mass? Was it a sign he planned to say something unexpected? What could he possibly say during the mass? And if it was directed at her, would it be at Tiny Bell the person... or at her as a proxy? Or maybe a message to the entire Management Bureau?
With the info she had, Bell couldn't guess. But one thing was clear: he was genuinely worried about Lucia. It didn't feel like pretense or acting—his eyes had been sincere. And Lucia trusted him, like a child looking up to a reliable adult.
'In that case...'
Raphael's words would carry massive weight right now, no doubt. Was he planning to say this protest atmosphere and the militia's rampage weren't what he wanted? Or could his speech unexpectedly spark a clash, against all expectations?
"Maybe I should go to tomorrow's mass with the lieutenant," Bell muttered.
Until she knew what the priest would say, if things went south, she needed someone reliable to handle it—and Adolf fit the bill. From the moment they'd met, he'd always looked out for people. At least with him around, no blood would be spilled if something happened.
It was just musing aloud, but a sliver of trust laced her words.
That's when two familiar silhouettes entered her view: Adolf and Kelun. Bell stood without thinking—joyfully, so lightly it surprised even her, flowing as naturally as water. A faint smile tugged at her lips, one she hadn't even noticed.
The two, out of their proxy uniforms, somehow looked pretty good. Realizing her own feelings, Bell sheepishly rubbed her head.
'...This feels awkward.'
Her cheeks warmed a bit. An odd sense of embarrassment washed over her. As she caught her breath, Kelun waved first.
"Captain!"
Adolf, trailing behind, paused but didn't raise his hand, even though he saw her. He just smiled softly. Someone else might think it was his usual self, but it threw Bell off a little. She'd expected a more excited reaction—maybe a bigger grin, a quicker approach.
Feeling pathetic for even thinking that, she shook her head lightly a couple times.
They strode up. Adolf's face was oddly stiff as he carefully spoke.
"We... found the protectee, Freigel Shtafenberk."
It was an enormous, unexpected success—even Bell's face lit up. But Adolf's voice was low, tinged with exhaustion.
"A Rain Code Intelligence Analysis Department drone tailed us. They're probably aware by now that Rain Code has encountered Freigel."
"Kyle Walker... that bastard's doing, huh?" Bell said irritably, and Kelun added,
"Yeah, we figured the same. Didn't expect them to stick a drone on us too."
"I'll handle that later."
"Yes, Captain."
Kelun felt oddly reassured by Bell's authoritative tone as his superior. But like Kelun, Bell glanced up at Adolf. He'd seemed lost in thought ever since meeting Freigel—the turning point clear after Freigel called out his defense of the Management Bureau. Kelun had noticed it too.
Bell stole another look at Adolf's face. Still neat as ever, but distant, unfocused, like he was deep in thought.
'What's with him?'
The unfamiliar demeanor intrigued and worried her a bit. Just then, Kelun glanced between them, chuckled shortly, and stepped back.
"I'll head in first. Lucia should be here by now, so I'll compile the investigation report."
Bell finally turned to him, nodding. He shrugged, gave a slight bow, and quietly turned away. A small, warm consideration lingered in his retreating figure.
Kelun knew. That question Freigel had thrown: 'Why do you trust the Management Bureau?' It had shaken something inside Adolf. And right now, he suspected Bell was the one who could bring him back to himself. With that faith, Kelun slipped into the Management Bureau.
A slow silence settled between the two left behind. Adolf kept his eyes down, like someone swallowing words he couldn't voice.
Bell watched him carefully before speaking.
"What's wrong?"
Adolf looked up blankly.
"Pardon?"
Even as he replied, Freigel's words echoed in Adolf's mind. Why trust the Management Bureau? He couldn't answer easily, fixated on finding one. It scared him a little, how he couldn't stop. Since losing his memories, the only proof he existed in this world was being a "useful" proxy. The Management Bureau had accepted him, and he'd learned to survive within their system. Loyalty to the Bureau. Fulfilling orders as a proxy. Being necessary within the framework.
It was Adolf's defense mechanism, different from Bell's. If the Bureau was wrong, his life, will, choices—all wrong. That's what he feared. So he'd believed. In the Bureau. The system. The order.
It was a poignant self-persuasion: that he was okay here, had reason to exist. That without memories, he wasn't just a ghost. A way to tell himself.
Bell stared at him steadily. Not his usual smile, but a shadowed face, like his jet-black hair.
'This idiot's heart is impossible to read.'
Feeling awkward about how much she cared, Bell unwound the scarf from her neck in frustration. The thin fabric slipped free, and her long silver hair cascaded down silently. In the light, it sparkled like snow.
Adolf's gaze flicked toward her. Bell felt it touch her, though she couldn't say why she even noticed.
Stuffing the scarf hastily into her pants pocket, she spoke gruffly before he could.
"Wh-what happened?"
The words sounded almost like 'I'm worried about you.' She clamped her lips shut.
Adolf blinked briefly. A quiet ripple stirred his silent mind. It was Bell's familiar grumble, but it felt incredibly gentle. Her sidelong glance was warm, her eyes sincere.
In that moment, he felt pulled back to reality. The girl before him... was the exception to all those premises. Her profile in Management Bureau reports was just the stiff title Red Eye, but in person, she was cooler than expected. Bouncier, more vibrant. Sometimes achingly kind, human in surprising ways.
Text, data—it couldn't capture a person fully. That truth burrowed into his mind, making even his turmoil feel not entirely wrong.
Each new side of her updated the frame of his beliefs. Something networks couldn't show. A warmth data lacked.
That was Bell.
"Just..." Adolf opened his mouth. He still had no answer for Freigel's question. But he'd reached a faint conclusion: it was human to wrestle with it.
He just didn't want to worry her.
And with that, he smiled brightly, like always.
Bell looked up, startled by the shift.
"Just... had a lot on my mind. I'm okay now. Thanks for worrying, Captain."
His usual kind voice felt especially embarrassing to her.
"...Worry? Don't suck up."
That was all, but it was enough for Adolf. A cool breeze filled the space between them for a moment.