"Is that all of them?" said a young male security guard who looked even younger than Nach.
"There wasn't anyone left outside, right?" followed a female security guard who was around the same age as the first one.
"Goodness, what happened to that girl?" an elegant old lady said as she approached Miku, who was still being carried in Nach's left arm.
"Is she alright? She wasn't bitten, was she?"
The remark that came from a mother with her daughter standing beside her—despite the gentle voice and caring tone—made Miku tremble in fear of being thrown out because of her injury. She clung to Nach, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms tightly around his head, unintentionally pressing her soft, ample breasts against his face.
Or so Miku thought—until she heard another worried, concerned voice from an old man.
"Is anyone here a doctor? This girl's sprained ankle needs to be treated."
Nach had also thought they would receive harsh, aggressive treatment from the residents inside the five-star hotel, even though the old security guard had let them in. After all, they had caused a dangerous ruckus, attracting the attention of the undead horde and leading them straight to the hotel's front gate during their escape.
Why are they so nice? Nach thought.
To his surprise, the hotel residents—though not all, only those who seemed to be original guests dressed in respectable, high-class attire—welcomed them and treated them well, leaving the rescued, like their group, unable to voice any refusal or complaint.
The only thing that matched Nach's expectations was that two other security guards inspected their group for bite marks before opening the glass front doors and welcoming them into the hotel lobby.
"What's happening here?" Nach murmured—not exactly asking anyone, but voicing the suspicion that slipped from his tongue.
"We're safe here, if that's what you're asking, young man," said the old man who had asked for a doctor earlier.
"That's not exactly what I mean…" Nach said, pausing as he realized how rude his words sounded, before finally offering his gratitude. "…But I'm glad to hear that."
The old man, who turned out to be the hotel's owner, introduced himself as Tominaga, while the old security guard was named Hogosha.
Tominaga then explained that, like the other survivors they had sheltered, he had witnessed Nach's group fighting the undead through the security cameras outside the hotel gate and ordered the guards to open it.
"That's quite kind of you," Nach said. His words were sincere, though he didn't hide the suspicion in his tone, earning dissatisfied looks from some of the staff and residents.
"No offense, but we've encountered more than just undead out there," he added, making it clear that the undead were not the only threat during the outbreak.
"I understand your concern, young man," Tominaga replied, offering a more concrete reason for helping them. "But I could not abandon the young daughter of Busujima-sensei or that brave reporter who was on the news last night. Especially not an injured high school girl."
Despite being a reporter, Yui couldn't help feeling flustered when someone recognized her from the news. Saeko, on the other hand, simply responded with her usual gentle smile, making Nach assume she didn't personally know the hotel owner.
"There hasn't been any undead incident here at the hotel—none at all," Tominaga added, reassuring Nach of their safety.
Seeing that none of the staff or residents had bloodstains on their clothes, Nach assumed that no one among them had turned undead, and that the hotel was indeed one of the few places in Tokonosu City that could be considered a safe haven.
With that assumption, Nach lowered his guard enough to finally introduce himself properly to Tominaga.
"The hotel has enough supplies to last a month, even for over a hundred people. Your group may stay here until the authorities deal with the undead outbreak in our city."
Tominaga then assigned Nach's group a suite on the 54th floor, taking Saeko into consideration and honoring Nach's request for a room with a good view of the city.
"Unfortunately, we don't have a doctor for her, Nach-sensei."
"This is enough. I can look after her myself. Once again, thank you for saving us, Mr. Tominaga."
After receiving a first-aid kit from Tominaga, Nach—still carrying Miku, who had remained silent the entire time—headed to their room along with Saeko and Yui.
"Thankfully the elevator is working." Yui sighed in relief that they wouldn't have to climb to the 54th floor using the stairs like they did in the high-rise apartment building.
"I could always carry you if you want," Nach said as he moved closer to Yui, teasing her to lean against him and relax—which she did without a second thought.
Watching Nach and Yui flirt, even Saeko couldn't help but feel flustered. Still, she was more concerned about Miku's uncharacteristic silence, especially as Miku avoided her gaze whenever she looked at her.
"She'll be fine. Don't worry." Nach said, noticing Saeko's concern. He then adjusted his hold on Miku, shifting into a bridal carry.
"That's good to hear, Nach-sensei," Saeko replied, smiling gently at Miku—only for Miku to avert her eyes again while clinging tightly to Nach.
The elevator stopped, and they stepped out, heading toward their room.
Inside was a spacious living room with a large wall-to-wall window that offered a view of the approaching sunset and the chaos outside the hotel.
The scene reminded Yui and Saeko of the danger that night would bring. Still, having a clear view outside would help them assess the situation should they need to evacuate in the middle of the night.
Aside from the living room, the suite also had two separate bedrooms, each with its own bathroom.
Nach gently placed Miku on a large sofa that could easily be used as a bed, then crouched in front of her to examine her sprained ankle.
Using his first-aid training as a survival nerd, Nach quickly assessed the extent of her injury.
"It's nothing serious, but it was left overnight, so it's going to hurt a bit when I apply the bandage."
Miku looked at him with desperate, terrified eyes, and Nach could tell her fear wasn't about the pain.
"Mr. Tominaga said dinner will be brought up later, so we can relax for now," Nach said, suggesting that Yui and Saeko get some rest. He then picked up Miku and headed toward one of the bedrooms, leaving his backpack behind while carrying the first aid kit.
"I'll treat her myself, so leave everything to me," he added with a serious poker face before closing and locking the door.
Yui was left speechless, staring at Saeko, silently asking if they were thinking the same thing about what Nach might be intending to do.
"I'm sure Nach-sensei knows what he's doing," Saeko said, trying to reassure Yui that Nach had no malicious intent—though her blushing face suggested otherwise.
Yui couldn't find the words to complain—not about Nach treating Miku, but because she thought she should be the one Nach was going to treat first.