Although Jeanne found this type of excuse to be utterly preposterous, she could roughly guess exactly why the officials at the Pope's chambers allowed such a ridiculous application to pass through their hands.
It was likely due to the unmerited catastrophe that Mostima had suffered in the past. Back then, even though everyone knew Mostima's falling from grace was a massive injustice, there was nothing they could do about it; they could only let her operate abroad under the title of an Legatus. Now that her punishment for falling from grace had been formally rescinded, the three-man squad was highly reluctant to separate. Even if Lemuen claimed she just wanted to go outside to clear her head, those old fellows would probably grant the request without hesitation anyway.
"I truly admire you guys; you managed to get such a ridiculous excuse approved. If this were anywhere else, even if they allowed the three of you to operate together, they would have thrown the application right back at your faces and demanded you conjure up a completely new reason."
On the other end of the line, Lemuen couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing Jeanne's complaints. In truth, she hadn't expected the application to clear authorization so smoothly either—it was almost as if those old gentlemen hadn't bothered to read their report at all.
Actually, judging by Fiammetta's subsequent reactions, her family's old gentleman had seemingly exerted quite a bit of influence during the approval process of this application; it was just that the old fellow felt too embarrassed to let Fiammetta find out about it. But no matter what the reality was, Lemuen had ultimately set out on this long journey under the identity of the guardian of Mostima's guardian, while simultaneously serving as an international messenger in times of necessity—enabling her to draw two salaries at once!
This girl must be an absolute token of good fortune, Jeanne thought to herself after listening to Lemuen finish her explanation. Ever since she recovered from those severe injuries, her luck seemed to have blossomed to an enviable degree!
The two of them continued to chat about random, trivial matters until someone on Lemuen's end apparently called out her name, forcing them to bring the conversation to a close. It appeared someone had noticed her absence and stepped outside to see what she was up to.
"Let's leave it at that for now then. Someone on my side is calling for me, so I'll go over and see who it is. Honestly, every single one of them still treats me like an invalid. Only the Guard Department sees things differently—they view me as a parent..."
Evidently, Lemuen currently harbored a distinct psychological shadow regarding the term "Guard Department." It was clear she hadn't forgotten her recent experiences in Lungmen, where she was repeatedly summoned by the Guard Department as a guardian to haul her mischief-making little sister back home.
Fortunately, the Guard Department had currently abandoned that practice, primarily because they discovered that although this older sister appeared remarkably gentle and quiet, she wasn't a single bit behind her younger sister once she cut loose.
"By the way, Jeanne. You must exercise absolute caution regarding your safety this time. If there are certain matters that feel inconvenient to disclose to that old fellow, the Pope, then establish contact with us instead. We will devise a means to rush over and assist you!"
Right before terminating the call, Lemuen's face carried an exceptionally earnest expression, and the words pouring from her mouth were naturally filled with solemn weight. It was evident she was issuing a heartfelt warning to a friend about to venture into a dangerous region.
She wasn't joking either; if Jeanne genuinely found it inconvenient to inform the Pope about certain matters for whatever reason, while simultaneously requiring assistance, they would rush to Kazdel to provide reinforcement at the very first moment. In fact, Lemuen was already planning to ask the Emperor if there were any fast-moving transport caravans heading toward Kazdel in the near future, keeping herself entirely prepared to support Jeanne at a moment's notice.
"Set your mind at ease. What kind of peril could I possibly encounter in Kazdel? It's not like half of the Ten Royal Courts will mobilize to encircle and suppress me just because I'm there, right? I don't possess that grand of a reputation!"
Jeanne uttered those words in a completely nonchalant tone. However, her statement caused Lemuen, who was listening on the other side of the call, to feel cold sweat breaking out across her forehead. Could this girl be planting a flag on herself? Lemuen had witnessed this exact type of plot in the movies Fiammetta collected; whenever someone uttered such things during a phone call, it would absolutely transform into reality! Even though reality wasn't a movie, Lemuen couldn't help but squeeze out a cold sweat on Jeanne's behalf.
"What's the matter? The look on your face makes you look exactly like one of those supporting characters who just bid farewell to the protagonist in the movies Fiammetta collects. Did something happen?"
Right after Lemuen hung up the phone, Mostima and Fiammetta, who had stepped out to look for her, walked up to her side. Mostima inquired about the situation with a smile painted across her face.
"What do you mean, 'the movies I collect'?! Those movies aren't my personal collection! It's just that the old gentleman in my family loves watching them, so I merely purchased them on his behalf!" Hearing Mostima tease her about her collection of Columbian popcorn movies once again, Fiammetta countered with dissatisfaction, repeatedly clarifying that she had only bought them for her family's old man.
The expression on her face looked exactly like a parent who had gone shopping with their child and bought a massive pile of items, only to explain to others that it was all bought for the kid when the matter was brought up. After all, Mostima was fully aware that this girl could recite the plots of those popcorn movies in her collection backwards from memory; Mostima didn't believe a single shred of her claims regarding a lack of interest.
"Alright, you two should stop bickering out here. In truth, it isn't an exceptionally grave matter; it's just that Jeanne is likely preparing to travel to Kazdel."
Seeing the two of them bickering, Lemuen felt quite helpless. One thoroughly enjoyed teasing the other, while the other possessed a personality that was entirely too serious. Lemuen felt quite powerless against her two teammates.
"Kazdel? What is Jeanne going to that place for?" Upon hearing Lemuen state that Jeanne intended to head to Kazdel, the expression on Fiammetta's face shifted slightly.
As for Mostima, though she refrained from speaking, the persistent smile at the corners of her mouth stiffened imperceptibly for a brief moment. Clearly, she too had recalled those memories that were exceptionally difficult to erase. Those indelible memories weren't merely due to the absolute peril of that region, but also because of the specific events they had once endured there, making them far more vigilant toward that piece of land.
Learning that Jeanne was bound for that destination, all three of them couldn't help but break into a cold sweat over her safety, silently praying in their hearts that she would return unharmed.
"Rest assured, Jeanne's capabilities are incredibly potent. Even if she encounters danger, she can resolve it in a timely fashion! She wouldn't possibly embark on something without proper preparation, right?" Lemuen, who had been harboring anxieties moments ago, now began to offer comfort to the other two, appearing as though she consistently believed Jeanne could resolve the matter flawlessly without a single shred of worry.
As for whether she was actually worried, the two of them could naturally deduce a few details from the subtle shifts in their friend's expression; they simply refrained from exposing the matter, that was all.
"Let's go, everyone is still waiting for you inside! Today is your welcome party, after all!" Mostima interrupted Lemuen's thoughts and ushered the two of them back into the bar.
The roaring music and exceptionally boisterous environment inside prompted Lemuen to cast her lingering anxieties aside for the moment. Once the gathering concluded, she could either ask the Emperor if he possessed any operational routes to gather intelligence on Kazdel, or simply query the Pope about it!
On the other side, having concluded her communication with Lemuen, Jeanne formally responded to Kal'tsit, stating her willingness to travel to Kazdel to meet that human. She would set out precisely after Kal'tsit concluded her medical treatments here.
Kal'tsit didn't display any exceptional excitement; she merely acknowledged the response with absolute calm, then promptly resumed diagnosing everyone's conditions, refraining from discussing the matter further with Jeanne.
When Jeanne imparted this piece of news to Talulah and Alina, the two of them didn't exhibit any massive reaction regarding her departure. In their view, Jeanne embarked on long journeys from time to time anyway, much like heading out on an assignment. Yet, compared to her merely setting out, they were equally anxious over whether Jeanne would remain safe inside Kazdel. This matter left Alina so thoroughly worried that she actually mistook the sugar for salt during dinner preparation.
"There's absolutely no need for you to be worried to this extent, is there? Think of it this way: no matter how wretched the environment in Kazdel is, can it possibly be more wretched than the ice fields?"
Jeanne spoke while diligently consuming the sweet soup Alina had accidentally altered with the wrong seasoning. Truth be told, after adding salt to the mixture, the flavor profile was actually quite decent; it was just that it consumed a massive amount of bread.
"You can have my portion as well." Talulah, who found the flavor profile incredibly bizarre after taking a sip, silently pushed her bowl along with her bread over to Jeanne. Watching her eat so joyfully, Talulah felt this girl was entirely too easy to sustain!
"Besides, even one of the strongest among them, the Sanguinarch, can be pinned to the ground and thrashed by me. They simply don't possess the capability to inflict harm on me..." Jeanne continued to boast about her prowess, attempting to convince the two of them that she was truly formidable and that they needn't worry about her facing peril in Kazdel.
"Yes, yes, yes, you are the absolute most formidable! Just remember not to blindly charge forward into everything when you encounter trouble. If things go south, quickly mount your flying dragon and fly right back! No matter how formidable the Sarkaz are, they can't fly!" Talulah and Alina spoke in perfect unison, issuing their earnest warnings to the individual who caused the absolute most worry out of the three of them.
Jeanne: Come to think of it, shouldn't the child who causes the absolute most worry be Talulah? Why on earth has this title fallen onto my head?