The moment she heard the Lupo mention that the charitable organization was packed with an absolute legion of Sankta, Jeanne's intuition blared a frantic warning. The situation was unfolding exactly as she feared, pointing directly toward the single possibility she was least willing to admit!
Is it possible… just structurally possible, that the nominal head of this bizarrely named organization is actually me? That I, Jeanne, am the grand proprietor of this Infinite Love Mutual Aid Society, having simply handed all management privileges over to someone else?
The probability of this being reality was exceptionally high… high my foot! At this point, Jeanne's inner psyche was entirely collapsing, yet she had absolutely zero opportunity to vent this agonizing distress to anyone else.
Right now, she desperately wished she could storm straight into Laterano City, grab those clever little angels who were spending her fortune on charity by the collar, and demand to know exactly what kind of absolute genius engineered a title like that!
Jeanne felt that her current level of second-hand embarrassment had far exceeded the standard threshold of merely boring out a three-bedroom apartment with her toes; she felt as though every single one of her toes was currently excavating a fully furnished estate, complete with a massive private garden!
"If it is a charitable relief organization primarily comprised of Sankta, you can technically ease up on your vigilance a fair bit," Kal'tsit offered. "After all, those fellows are fundamentally incapable of orchestrating anything that would cause genuine, malicious harm to your people."
While Kal'tsit certainly couldn't guarantee that every single Sankta under the sun was a flawless paragon of virtue, she could confidently deduce that even the most unorthodox among them possessed a bottom line that wouldn't spiral into true depravity. When it came to fundamental moral boundaries, these devoutly faithful individuals were entirely dependable.
Furthermore… perhaps in the near future, she would be able to personally investigate and uncover the precise reason why the Sankta had gone to such immense trouble to launch this enterprise. As Kal'tsit analyzed the situation internally, her gaze drifted toward Jeanne, who was currently forcing a thoroughly stiff, frozen smile onto her face.
Kal'tsit was entirely willing to bet her centuries of experience that this matter was inextricably linked to the Holy Maiden sitting right beside her! Looking at Jeanne's current expression, she clearly possessed some degree of inside intelligence regarding the venture, yet had remained entirely oblivious to the reality that it would manifest in such an absurd fashion during execution.
And since it was a matter she was cognizant of, based on Kal'tsit's profound understanding of Jeanne's character over their recent journey, the ultimate trajectory of the situation wouldn't turn out poorly regardless of how bizarre it seemed.
"I understand that logic, but the entire setup simply feels far too detached from reality. Tell me, Doctor, in a brutal world like this, is there truly anyone out there who would unconditionally treat a collective of Infected with absolute kindness? Are they truly harboring zero hidden agendas by treating us this well?"
Hearing Kal'tsit's reassurance, the middle-aged Lupo slowly lowered his head, a wave of awkward shame painting his features as he detailed his lingering anxieties in a somewhat defeated tone.
"You see, I've scraped together a living across a multitude of mobile cities throughout my life, and I've crossed paths with quite a fair share of corporate bosses. Which of those proprietors would ever actively provide their subordinates with brand-new transport vehicles? In our line of work, if a boss doesn't actively force us to provide our own vehicles to run deliveries, we already consider them a saint..."
This rugged Lupo powerhouse, who universally projected an aura of absolute resilience, kept his head deeply bowed as he emptied his heart to Kal'tsit. The sole reason he refrained from maintaining eye contact with her was that he felt profoundly, deeply ashamed of his own current demeanor!
When people went entirely out of their way to treat you with genuine kindness, you sat in the shadows maliciously questioning whether they harbored some dark conspiracy; yet when employers treated you with standard, cold-hearted exploitation, you lamented that the corporate world naturally looked down on the Infected. What on earth is wrong with your psyche!
Consequently, at this very moment, he harbored a deep-seated contempt for his own internal mindset.
There were agonizing moments of sheer anxiety where he genuinely believed he belonged beneath the iron thumb of the unscrupulous, black-hearted bosses he was accustomed to—toiling away for abysmal wages until the Oripathy within his bloodstream inevitably detonated and claimed his life. That scenario felt aligned with the brutal reality of Terra; that was the painful, comforting baseline his mind understood.
He was fully aware that maliciously doubting their employer's pure intent was morally bankrupt and entirely wrong, yet he simply lacked the capacity to stop his brain from spiraling into wild, defensive assumptions!
Ultimately, he had resorted to utilizing the absolute darkest, most cynical logic to rationalize their generosity, purely to construct a bizarre form of mental equilibrium so he could secure a peaceful night's sleep.
Had he not been the designated commander of this entire caravan—shouldering the ultimate responsibility for every single brother relying on him to put food on the table—he would have likely tendered his resignation long before this deployment even launched, turning back to seek out the standard, heartless corporate entities of the world.
As for why he chose to actively bring these heavy psychological burdens to Kal'tsit's attention, the underlying reality was somewhat unique. He genuinely viewed Kal'tsit as an incredibly wise elder capable of quietly absorbing his personal anxieties, completely disregarding the reality that her external appearance made her look several years younger than himself.
As for whether the elderly Lupo driver and his grandson up front would catch wind of this sensitive discourse? These two individuals possessed a well-earned reputation within the fleet for maintaining an absolute iron seal on their lips; regardless of what monumental secrets entered their ears, they would never utter a single syllable to the outside world.
He had specifically designated the old man to pick up Kal'tsit and Jeanne precisely so they would occupy this specific cabin, granting him a perfect window to openly vent these suffocating psychological weights face-to-face.
"You have absolutely zero requirement to harbor shame over this matter; it is merely the most logical psychological defense mechanism a human manifests when confronted with a completely unprecedented wave of unearned kindness," Kal'tsit spoke with perfect composure. "As long as you refrained from executing a deliberate, malicious smear campaign to publicly slander them, whatever internal anxieties drift through your mind require zero burden of guilt."
Kal'tsit had maintained her characteristic silence throughout his narrative, quietly playing the role of a seasoned therapist absorbing a patient's psychological debris. Only when his voice faded into absolute quiet did she calmly offer her perspective to guide the troubled Lupo captain.
"In your past life, you have been subjected to an absolute excess of deception, and you have personally witnessed the rawest manifestations of malice across this continent. Consequently, when an incredibly superior standard of living is suddenly presented to your person, your subconscious automatically activates its defense protocols, dragging your focus back toward your most traumatic experiences. This is a fundamental element of sentient nature; you do not need to let it torture your mind."
Kal'tsit's voice was remarkably gentle, possessing a distinct, comforting cadence. However, the rugged individual didn't appear capable of breaking away from his internal quagmire through a few simple sentences; he merely shook his head with a trace of helplessness, preparing to voice another counterargument.
"I am perfectly cognizant of what you intend to voice next. Historically, zero established governments or massive global enterprises have ever truly extended a hand of genuine altruism toward the Infected populace, let alone showered your people with such staggering advantages. Therefore, within the boundaries of your established logic, the probability of these individuals harboring a massive, hidden agenda is exceptionally high, correct?"
Kal'tsit turned her head slightly, her deep, emerald eyes locking directly onto the massive wolf head beside her, systematically dismantling his internal rationalizations word by word. Her gaze carried a unique, penetrating weight that forced the universally feared caravan commander to subtly avert his eyes in a flash of evasion.
Her words had accurately pierced the absolute baseline of his psychological struggle. He had indeed intended to leverage those cold, historical realities to validate his cynicism, but his foundational conscience repeatedly revolted against such unprovoked malice, causing his soul to twist in absolute agony up until today.
He even mentally mocked himself, believing that if his personal morality were simply a fraction lower—if his conscience had been entirely torn away by the wild beasts of the barrens years ago—he wouldn't be wasting a single second worrying about these trivialities. He could have simply pocketed the premium wages with absolute peace of mind, privately mocking his employers as brainless simpletons while experiencing zero psychological distress.
"Perhaps, in the grand scheme of things, they truly do harbor some long-term strategic objective; or perhaps, your fortune is simply exceptional enough that you have encountered a collective of genuinely selfless, good individuals in an otherwise despairing era. The definitive answer to this riddle requires you to personally witness its evolution with your own eyes down the line. For the present, you merely need to maintain your operational baseline, executing the explicit duties of your position flawlessly."
Kal'tsit was well aware that a pessimistic worldview forged through a lifetime of suffering could never be rewritten over the course of a single afternoon. This demographic of Infected, constantly scraping together a baseline existence, operated exactly like a collective of hyper-vigilant hedgehogs, instinctively deploying a wall of razor-sharp quills to safeguard their profoundly scarred, fragile hearts.
Those sharp quills undeniably granted them the structural capacity to resist the endless malice of the wilderness and survive, but when confronted with an unannounced, radiating warmth of pure kindness, they universally froze in absolute bewilderment, possessing zero understanding of how to de-escalate their defensive posture.
Yet, this was a friction that merely required the passage of time to smooth over. Once these individuals spent enough time marvelling at an unwavering, continuous stream of pure altruism, this demographic—which had been starved of external care for decades—would inevitably offer their most fiercely loyal, unadulterated hearts in return, wouldn't they?
Hearing Kal'tsit's profound psychological breakdown, the middle-aged Lupo offered a slow, contemplative nod of his head. It was readily apparent that the doctor's words had struck the absolute center of his heart.
He let out a massive, long-overdue sigh of relief, murmuring: "Your assessment is entirely flawless, Doctor. I have indeed allowed myself to spiral into completely unnecessary, paranoid overthinking. Regardless of whatever grand objective they harbor behind the scenes, I merely need to utilize this pair of eyes to witness the truth in the days to come."
Having fully digested Kal'tsit's counsel, a deeply philosophical, wistful expression manifested across the Lupo captain's features. It was honestly a bit perplexing how a face so thoroughly covered in thick lupine fur could successfully convey such a highly nuanced, humanized display of emotion.
The deadlocks within his mind had been completely unraveled; even the anxious, clouded look dominating his eyes had cleared up substantially. The rigid tension in his posture evaporated completely, replaced by his signature, boisterous grin, as if the torturous internal conflict of the past few days had never transpired.
"Actually, on that specific note, you could also pitch the inquiry to Miss Jeanne here to see how she analyzes the situation. Do not be deceived by the reality that she primarily operates within the frozen tundra of Ursus; she has personally journeyed into the sacred lands of Laterano. From her unique perspective, she might possess a completely distinct, insightful take on the matter."
Kal'tsit subtly gestured toward Jeanne, who had maintained a thoroughly bizarre, statue-like silence throughout their entire discourse. In truth, it wasn't merely the Lupo captain who harbored curiosity; Kal'tsit herself wished to utilize this window to probe Jeanne's authentic thoughts regarding Laterano's highly irregular geopolitical maneuvers.
Hearing that the seemingly ordinary girl resting across from him had actually stepped foot inside the borders of that legendary paradise, the captain's wolf eyes ignited with a sudden wave of intense curiosity. Regardless of the circumstances, someone of her background would understand the Sankta demographic on a level that vastly exceeded his own; perhaps she could truly decipher what those halo-bearing figures hoped to achieve by venturing out here!
However, being abruptly dragged into the spotlight by Kal'tsit left Jeanne entirely blindsided. At this precise moment, her brain hadn't even fully recovered from the absolute mental flashbang of the name "Infinite Love Mutual Aid Society." Like an individual whose cognitive functions had been completely severed, she merely offered a blank, hollow syllable:
"Huh?"
Fortunately, in the very next instant, her survival instincts kicked into overdrive. She frantically waved her hands in a highly animated, comical fashion—as if she were desperately attempting to physically swat the cognitively hazardous characters of Infinite Love away from her line of sight—before offering a thoroughly awkward laugh:
"Ah... in reality, I merely happened to visit Laterano a single time due to a highly specific sequence of coincidences, that's all! In terms of material luxury and overall atmosphere, that city undeniably earns its continental reputation as a literal 'paradise.'"
Jeanne hastily attempted to frame herself as a mere casual tourist who happened to pass through, desperately hoping the captain wouldn't misinterpret her as some all-knowing, authoritative expert on Laterano affairs; the words she was about to voice were absolutely not to be taken as a definitive textbook answer.
"However, strictly speaking from the personal interactions I maintained with the Sankta population during my stay... they are universally an exceptionally kind, profoundly enthusiastic demographic. Furthermore, those devoutly faithful Laterano citizens possess a foundational code of conduct that ensures they would absolutely never orchestrate the kind of underhanded, vile conspiracies you are losing sleep over."
By this point, her mind was as clear as polished glass; she was one hundred percent certain that those magnificent idiots back in Laterano had taken the astronomical mountain of wealth she left in their care and immediately marched out to establish a multinational organization, systematically deploying her fortune to rescue the most desperate, disenfranchised demographics across Terra.
It was just... the absolute lack of taste they exhibited when finalizing the corporate title was truly something else, pushing the boundaries of absurdity to the absolute limit.
Yet, that eccentric collective of Sankta undeniably harbored zero malice in their hearts. When orchestrating the foundational blueprints for this logistics mutual aid society, they had likely just taken the pre-existing, highly sophisticated infrastructure of Laterano's domestic shipping firms, dialed down the operational entry barriers by a margin to accommodate the Infected, and immediately hurled it into active service.