Despite the lingering curiosity regarding the bizarrely designed vehicle, the attention of Talulah and Alina didn't remain on the machine for long. Instead, their focus shifted entirely to the young woman with platinum-blonde hair.
Seeing them, Jeanne was clearly delighted, even waving enthusiastically with one hand while still steering the car toward a stop.
"How are you back so early? You didn't stay in Lungmen for a few more days?"
Once Jeanne had brought the car to a steady halt, Talulah stepped forward, looking Jeanne over with a mix of surprise and relief. To her eyes, Jeanne hadn't changed much, but knowing she had returned safely from such a dangerous commission was enough to settle everyone's hearts.
"What needed to be done was finished, so I came back. Though I must say, the village has changed quite a bit!"
Jeanne surveyed the surroundings. She noticed there were significantly more people in the village now, and there were many more unfamiliar faces than when she had left. These newcomers were also surreptitiously observing Jeanne and Lemuen. Seeing these two strangers acting so familiarly with Talulah, they whispered among themselves, speculating about their identities.
However, no matter how curious they were, none of them had any intention of approaching Talulah to pry. To these recent arrivals, as long as it didn't affect them personally, it didn't matter who Jeanne was.
As the four women walked toward the center of the village, the onlookers continued their quiet chatter. Yet, more than Jeanne, it was Lemuen—a Sankta—who truly caught their eyes.
An Angel! They had heard the legends of this race before, but they had only ever been stories. They never expected to see a living one today! If they weren't complete strangers, they certainly would have tried to get close to the Sankta to see if they could coax some valuable items out of her.
After all, in rumors, Sankta were synonymous with wealthy, generous benefactors. Some Infected who had previously lived in cities knew just how lavishly these "Angels" could be when they decided to show kindness. But rationality suppressed their impulses; they kept these thoughts to themselves, lacking the actual courage to approach.
"We just heard Ethan run back to tell us you were here. I didn't expect Talulah and the others to move so fast! They actually ran all the way to the entrance to meet you."
Unexpectedly, the first group to greet Jeanne's party wasn't Patriot, who had received the news early, but the Yeti Squadron popping out from nowhere.
Seeing a large group of them running over to welcome her, Jeanne could guess they had a secondary motive: they wanted to grab the things they had asked her to buy before FrostNova arrived. However, since Jeanne had only just stepped out of the car, they were too embarrassed to immediately demand their goods, so they settled for a loud, boisterous welcome first.
"Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Here, take it! A whole truckload like you asked was impossible, but I brought a few heads and some seeds. See if you can actually grow them."
As she spoke, Jeanne pulled a basket of plants that looked like Chinese cabbage out of the car, along with the seeds she had bought on a whim. She honestly didn't know if these seeds would grow here. She had bought them in Lungmen, where the climate was vastly different; the "cold resistance" needed there was nothing compared to the lethal frost of the North.
"No problem, we just want to give it a try," a Yeti member replied. They didn't mind the uncertainty; it was just an experiment to them anyway.
"I'm still curious, though," Jeanne said, "why did you insist on buying this specific thing? Is the village short on vegetables?"
Jeanne still couldn't fathom what these guys—who were usually as hyperactive as a pack of huskies—were planning. Was it really just to buy vegetables for FrostNova? Beside her, Talulah was also curious. Historically, the supplies she brought back were sufficient, and the food supply in the village was quite stable.
"Ah, it's like this," one of the Yetis explained. "We once met a guy who raised rabbits, and he told us the rabbits he used to keep loved this plant and gained weight incredibly fast. We wanted to see if it worked the same for Big Sister."
Hearing the Yeti Squadron's logic, Jeanne was utterly floored by their "creative" thinking. How could any normal person come up with an idea like that?
"By that logic, do Minos and Kuranta also just like eating grass?" Talulah couldn't help but laugh, covering her mouth along with the others. The mental image of FrostNova sitting there munching on a head of cabbage was just too much. "If FrostNova finds out, she won't let you off easily."
"That's why Big Sister doesn't know! we were going to test it on a snow rabbit first to see if it's true. After all, there are some similarities between them. We just want to see if this stuff actually makes you put on weight."
Indeed, there were similarities between FrostNova and a snow rabbit. They were both "big white bunnies," after all. Perhaps their dietary habits overlapped.
"That's impossible," Talulah countered. "No matter how similar they look, it's not realistic. I'm a Draco, but I've never heard of me having the same preferences as the actual 'Dragon' species. Speaking of which, what do dragons even eat?"
Talulah paused, realizing she actually didn't know the diet of a dragon. This was natural, as she had never seen a literal dragon before. She turned to Jeanne, hoping Jeanne's deep knowledge of mythical creatures might provide an answer.
Jeanne looked at Talulah's inquisitive expression and realized the other girl was treating her like a search engine. Whenever there was something unknown, she just looked to "Engine Jeanne" for the answer.
"They like to eat meat, and they like to roll around on piles of gold," Jeanne answered. She had memories of how to care for Fafnir, so even if she didn't know personally, she had heard the legends.
"Well then, that matches," Talulah said with a straight face. "I like those things too."
Of course, who in the world wouldn't like gold and meat? However, Talulah did seem to have a unique fondness for things that shimmered—like the once-radiant FrostNova. Talulah very much hoped to see her friend glowing like that again.
"Anyway, let's stop. If we keep talking, Big Sister will—"
"Big Sister?"
The Yeti members had just turned to leave when they were forced back a few steps. Standing before them was the very last person they wanted to see: a cold-faced FrostNova.
"B-Big Sister! When did you get here?"
The men looked at the expressionless FrostNova. They could see a cold, murderous glint in her eyes as she likely calculated how to "discipline" them. It was a well-known fact that while the Yeti Squadron was full of eccentric thinkers—effectively the "Husky Legion" of Reunion—they did have a natural predator.
"From the very beginning," FrostNova said flatly.
She stared at these idiots who were planning to feed her cabbage leaves with the intention of making her "gain weight." She was internally tallying their punishment. If they had at least swapped the cabbage for meat, she might have credited them for the effort. Trying to fatten her up with cabbage? She wondered if their brains had been kicked by a Kuranta's dark-furred cousin.
"Uhh... Big Sister, we just remembered we have things to do. We won't disturb you further!"
Under her icy gaze, the men decided to play ostrich. The moment the words left their mouths, they vanished into thin air.
"They certainly can run, can't they?" FrostNova muttered under her breath. "Wait until we get back; I'll give them plenty of room to run."
Her quiet mutterings didn't escape the others; with their keen hearing, they heard every word clearly.
"I didn't make it out to the gates in time to greet you, but welcome back regardless!" FrostNova said, her expression softening into a slight smile for Jeanne and Lemuen.
"I missed you too, FrostNova~"
As she spoke, Jeanne reached out to pat FrostNova's head, attempting a warm gesture of affection. However, FrostNova, sensing that Jeanne was actually aiming for her ears, nimbly dodged the hand.
"Whoa, it's been so long! I missed you so much! Do you have any idea how much I missed my own bed..."
Once they were back in their room, Jeanne collapsed onto her bed, pouring out her "feelings" to the mattress as if she hadn't slept a single wink while she was away.
"Is her 'bed-sickness' really that severe?" Alina asked, watching Jeanne. "That doesn't seem right. She hasn't even had this bed for that long." She remembered Jeanne as someone who could fall asleep on a rock in three seconds if she had to.
"It shouldn't be," Talulah added, watching Jeanne hug her pillow. "When she stayed with me, she slept like a log."