The device that had been thrown was crude and poorly made. It would never hurt a Saint like Noble. At most, it would annoy her. In contrast, an explosive could do considerable damage to the people in the crowd.
That was why Noble did not let the small bomb detonate against her skin and injure the assailant with its percussive wave. That might have been justice for the attacker, but it would also harm innocent bystanders.
Instead, Noble lifted the object high into the sky and contained the blast. Even the boom was muted as a bright light flashed in the sky.
Noble sighed, lowering the ball of metal shards to her hand.
"Who threw that?"
The emotional spike was easy to pinpoint, and the offender yelped as he was pulled from his place in the crowd. He held up his arms in front of his face, terrified of the retaliation he was about to receive.
"Don't throw bombs..."
Noble shut her eyes for a moment, searching for anything on the people below her like the device that had just blown. Two more people lifted into the air and were separated from their explosive toys.
The Provost shook her head.
"Go home!" She shook her head. "Before some other lunatic succeeds in blowing you up."
Surely the evidence would convince the crowd that gatherings like this were unsafe. People among them had weapons capable of killing them where they stood. At least in most of their homes, all they had to worry about was a Nightmare Gate opening nearby.
Instead, the woman who had cried out once before lifted her voice above the crowd. "Give them back!" She demanded.
"Are you crazy? Did you not just see..." Noble's words were cut off.
"Give them back. Give them back..." The woman was joined by those around her, and soon the bulk of those left were chanting the same.
'These people are absolutely insane. They would rather be blown up than be told what to do.'
The Provost had no intention of giving them back. Her inclination was to float them over the walls and let Mori place them in the holding cells until the government agents could arrive and cart them to a mundane facility.
No matter what, she had no plans of letting the miscreants go free.
Yet that is exactly what the people were demanding. Noble was at a loss.
'I don't want to force them, but I could still....'
A gasp caught Noble's attention. Emotions were spiking behind her, and soon she could hear gagging and retching.
'What in two worlds...'
Turning around, Noble was even more confused. People were covering their faces, wailing, and moving away in great haste. That was odd enough.
However, it was the source of the chaos that perplexed the new provost the most.
Amidst the people fleeing, one figure was walking toward her with a smile on his face. His red scarf fluttered behind him.
A moment later, the breeze changed directions, and Noble coughed. The air was full of a pungent odor, like sulfur, only worse. The man whom she had plucked from the crowd began to gag.
"Please," he coughed. "Kill me! Death is better than this!"
Soon, all three of the instigators were flailing in the air and begging for mercy. Noble found the smell incredibly unpleasant, but for those with mundane lungs, it looked truly unbearable.
'I guess it's good I don't really have to breathe. I almost feel sorry for them. Almost.'
In a move of compassion, she lifted her captives a bit higher, where the stench was not so heavy. She wanted them uncomfortable but not unconscious, after all.
The people below drained from the square like water, too desperate for air to voice their complaints about the stench.
Finally, only the lone young man in the red scarf was left in the square. Glancing around, he spread out his hands, and the air around him was cleansed of the noxious haze. A fresh breeze spread from him, filling the square with a much-needed reprieve.
His task complete, the man dusted off his hands and finished his walk toward the provost. Noble recognized the man as the Awakened from the edge of the crowd. He grinned up at her.
"I did ask you if you needed help, you know."
"You did," Noble nodded as she came closer to the ground. "I should have taken you up on your offer sooner."
"You were a little preoccupied, Professor." The awakened shrugged.
Noble smiled. It had been a few days since she had been called Professor, and she hadn't realized how much she missed it. "Anyway, your way was working well until, you know, the kaboom."
"Still, credit where it is due. That was very impressive. That is quite some control over… stench you have there. How clever of you to use it in that manner."
"This is not my first time clearing a room. And by the look of things around this city, it won't be the last. But you are mistaken, Professor. I don't just have control over stink. I can manufacture any kind of fragrance." The Awakened pushed back his long hair, and a hint of cherry blossoms filled the air.
Noble caught herself inhaling the scent too deeply. It was just so seldom that the air of the NQSC smelled so sweet! She coughed.
"That is a very unique power indeed. But I noticed you've called me Professor twice. Did you take my class?"
Ages were sometimes hard to assess with Awakened, but Noble was fairly certain that he would have attended the Awakened Academy in the last few years.
"Don't be too hard on yourself. You have no reason to remember me. I sat in the back and never spoke. And I addressed you as 'the lady from the video' earlier. I gave you no context to recall me at all."
"Well, I will certainly remember you now…" Noble realized she still hadn't gotten the youth's name.
"I'm Const." The young man rubbed the back of his neck.
"Thank you, Const." Drawing closer to the ground, Noble held out her hand, and her new acquaintance shook it.
"You're welcome. I was just loafing around looking for something to do. I enjoy helping when I can." Const glanced at the ground shyly.
"Do you 'loaf around' often?" Noble's question caused the man's emotions to spike.
"No! Well…sometimes," he admitted.
"Likes helping people and has time on his hands…" Noble mumbled as she studied him for a moment.
"What?"
"Nothing," Noble waved her hand dismissively. "Tell me, is the reason you acted today because you have something against Valor?"
Const furrowed his brow. "I mean, if forced to choose, I'm a Song man through and through. My home citadel is in that domain, after all. But I'd prefer everyone just get along and not cause drama."
'Good answer.'
"We are of one mind on wanting peace." Noble nodded. "Do you have any annoying habits I should know about?"
Const scratched the tip of his nose. "Uh, other than showing up and trying to help? Not really…"
The provost smiled. "Excellent. Next question. How do you feel about administration?"
"I don't understand." Const chewed his lip. "Is this some kind of test?"
"Think of it as an opportunity." Noble's words did nothing to ease his mind. "What do you think of scheduling, organization, and keeping good records?"
The young man thought for a moment. "I was class treasurer at my school. Does that count?"
"Absolutely." Noble nodded succinctly. "Alright. I'm going to pull a Syrce here and just trust my gut. I like your style. You are hired."