In the days that followed, apart from a small number of soldiers searching for the location of their village outside, those fellows actually did not cause any other trouble. Even their daily patrols were very perfunctory; Jeanne had once seen a group of them wander around the forest two or three times before gathering together to smoke. It was obvious that these fellows were only running out here to patrol because they were forced by their mission, but even they did not want to properly follow any orders.
When Patriot saw their performance, he likewise remained silent for a long time. He also had not expected that the elites of the Sarkaz had actually become like this. However, it was also because of this that they did not make things difficult for these soldiers. In any case, it looked as if these fellows could not find where the village was; why bother to alert the enemy unnecessarily?
Under these circumstances, Patriot finally reached the day of the agreed-upon meeting with the other party. However, this time, he only intended to let Jeanne go along with him. If the situation permitted, Patriot perhaps would have preferred not even to have Jeanne by his side, because he still stubbornly believed that this was his own personal matter.
"I won't say much more, then; I wish that the operation on your side can also go smoothly!"
Jeanne bid farewell to Talulah and the others outside the village. These people would be distributed in various places around the periphery of the village to ensure that the village would not be attacked. Although in Jeanne's view, these fellows probably couldn't even find where their village was and there was no need to be on alert at the periphery like this. But Talulah and the others were still a bit uneasy; moreover, there was the possibility of Emperor's Blades lurking nearby this time, so they decided to prioritize safety.
Compared to Jeanne's expression, which looked as if nothing major were happening, the expressionless Talulah looked at this incredibly thick-headed friend of hers and felt a burst of helplessness.
"You should worry properly about yourself! No matter how well you can fight, you still have to be careful of the powerful enemies the other party brought to this place!"
She was very clear about how dangerous the enemies were this time. She wasn't sure about the others, but that fellow the Sanguinarch was someone even Kashchey was cautious of. For such an old monster to appear in the snowscape and happen to seek them out made Talulah feel as if she were clearly still in a novice village, yet the boss had come over to block the door. Fortunately, this person had special techniques for dealing with Vampires; otherwise, no matter what, she would have had to stay by the side of this thick-headed fellow to feel at ease.
"Don't worry, don't worry; when it comes to combat, I still have some confidence. And isn't Patriot here too? Maybe I'll just deal with some small fry..."
As she spoke, Jeanne began to walk toward the distance with Patriot. At this moment, Patriot was like a general preparing to attend a meeting. He gazed at the wasteland where he had previously left the message, his mind contemplating who knew what, simply standing there and watching in silence. However, the aura on his body became increasingly terrifying at this time, that feeling truly being like a demon god descending upon the mortal world.
"Finished communicating? Then we shall set out."
Seeing Jeanne arrive by his side, Patriot looked back at this girl who wasn't very large, her body exhibiting a bravery and martial spirit that did not match her age. It seemed this child had already made full preparations, ready at any moment to face those fellows he was once familiar with alongside him.
"After we arrive there, you hide yourself first. I will see if I can persuade them to withdraw using words. By the way, aren't you going to hand that horn over to the others?"
Patriot looked at the inconspicuous thin string around Jeanne's neck and naturally understood that this thing was still on Jeanne's person and had not been handed over to anyone else. In Patriot's view, this matter was truly a bit risky. Because the goal of those fellows was exactly that treasure around her neck! If those fellows discovered this thing in the upcoming battle, then the one coming here next time might not just be a Sanguinarch. And Patriot was also worried about what kind of terrible things would happen to the world if this thing were truly seized by the Sarkaz. And what kind of harm would be caused to the ethnic group because the Sarkaz once again used this object to vent their madness?
Hearing Patriot's slightly worried words, Jeanne only shook her head, and then unhurriedly explained to Patriot:
"It is better for this thing to stay on my own person. I am not sure if it will have any influence if it stays on someone else."
Jeanne still remembered the past she had seen, those Sarkaz who had turned into dried corpses because of using this thing. She couldn't be certain if simply wearing it on one's person would cause someone to be seriously affected. Moreover, in Jeanne's view, instead of giving this thing to someone else, it was better to wear it on herself; at the very least, safety could be guaranteed.
"Then since you have your own thoughts, I will not interfere further in this matter."
Seeing that Jeanne had her own ideas, Patriot no longer interfered excessively in her actions. Because he knew that this child would not do reckless things.
"Then since everything has been properly arranged, let us set out! Settle this matter a bit earlier, and then I won't have to worry about these once-familiar fellows coming to trouble me anymore."
As those words fell, Patriot and Jeanne headed toward the battlefield they had designated in the distance. Behind them, everyone was watching the departure of the two. They also wanted to wish the two for everything to go smoothly here, but they had already said such things to the two no less than three times over the past few days; saying them again wouldn't have any effect. Instead of worrying about the situation over there with the two, it was better to do the things they should do beautifully enough so that the two wouldn't worry about them.
"Alright, the two of them have already gone far! Don't just stay here without moving; whatever should be done, act quickly!"
When the figures of the two had gone far, Talulah's words also brought these people back to their senses, each beginning to be on alert for the arrival of the enemy in the surroundings according to the plan they had made before.
At this time, on that wasteland, the group of fellows who had not hesitated to come to such a distant place to find Patriot had also already arrived at this location. The Confessarius looked around; it didn't seem as if these fellows had prepared any traps or Originium Arts used for ambushes here; everything in the surroundings was exactly the same as when he had left.
"Will they truly come here and deliver themselves before us? It's not that I look down on the ancient traditions of the Sarkaz, but after all, the other party has already left the ethnic group."
This Confessarius still didn't quite believe that Patriot would honestly deliver himself before them. After all, the other party's attitude was already very obvious; he was extremely unwilling to see this group of old friends; what would happen if he violated an agreement once?
"..." The Sanguinarch beside him only gave this fellow a deep look, then closed his eyes and no longer bothered with him.
As expected, young little fellows were simply not proper; these juniors no longer even believed in their glory as Sarkaz, so how could they build a good Kazdel? However, he also had no intention of speaking with the other party; the piercing sunlight of the day made him very dislike it. Compared to the day, he preferred the time of the meeting to be at night.
For a time, these two fell into a kind of awkward atmosphere. Because the two were no longer communicating, even the cries of the birds in the forest were that clear. Behind them was a square formation consisting of about a hundred people. Some were soldiers of the Sarkaz Royal Court, and some were Confessarrii wearing masks on their heads, yet uniquely, not a single Vampire could be seen. Because they had all been sent to complete the cooperation with the Emperor's Blades; this Confessarius hadn't even left a single Vampire for his own team.
And the Sanguinarch also had no objection to this, because these subordinates of his were already starving! Going to the village to have a full meal was also a good choice. Even though this Confessarius said the Infected in this place were very dangerous and possessed decent strength, in his eyes, they would not be a match for elite Vampires.
"It seems not everyone is like you, disrespecting the traditions of the Sarkaz. The person is coming."
The Sanguinarch's voice had not even fallen when the Confessarius heard those incredibly heavy footsteps. That was the sound of a Wendigo on the march, and also a hint of the other party expressing that they were not welcome.
"Long time no see, Wendigo Buldrokkas'tee! We are here under the order of his Highness Regent Theresis, hoping that you can return to Kazdel with us for a trip."
Seeing this last pure-blooded Wendigo appear, the Confessarius very politely performed a bow toward the other party and stated his purpose for coming. Even though his words sounded very polite, the lack of politeness hidden in that tone also indicated that this was not some kind of request, but more like an order.