Jeanne didn't display the slightest hint of surprise upon hearing the old warrior's assumption. In truth, she felt it was entirely natural for someone of his immense experience to deduce the truth, though the fact that he had discerned it after a mere glance still exceeded her expectations.
She had never spoken of Fafnir's true capabilities to anyone beyond Talulah and Alina. What precisely had led Patriot to believe that this young child, who looked as though she couldn't harm a fly, was actually the true anchor of the recent war?
"The child's gaze is highly unusual," Patriot remarked, his eyes remaining fixed on Fafnir. Within those pale gold depths, which mirrored Jeanne's own, he detected a truly formidable presence—an aura so immense that even he felt compelled to acknowledge its superiority. "Though she harbors zero hostility toward me, her eyes carry the weight of someone... incredibly powerful."
Even confronted by the massive lesser dragons Jeanne had previously summoned, Patriot possessed the absolute confidence to match them in open combat, certain he could fell several dozens of the beasts in battle before breathing his last breath.
Yet, beholding Fafnir, even if only judging by the sheer depth of her gaze, Patriot felt that even if he deployed his entire line of Shieldguards, they might still fail to overcome this child.
Considering Fafnir currently appeared as a youngster of merely six or seven years, the old commander couldn't help but feel a deep curiosity regarding her future. How terrifying would she become once she reached full maturity?
"Ah, that is indeed the reality. Fafnir is easily the strongest among us!" Jeanne patted the child's head, her tone filled with the pride of a parent boasting about an exceptionally talented daughter. "Don't let her small stature deceive you; the moment she actually unleashes her strength, the results are truly breathtaking."
Watching the child tilt her head and wag her tail happily under the praise, looking remarkably like an eager puppy, Jeanne secretly wondered if her own parenting methods were slightly flawed. How had this grand, legendary entity turned out so thoroughly soft under her care?
Had he not felt that underlying aura himself, Patriot might have harbored doubts about Jeanne's high praise for such a small youngster. Now, however, he felt a genuine curiosity regarding the exact limits of Fafnir's might.
If such a presence belonged to a foe, it would be a matter of grave concern, but the child before him was one of their own. And who wouldn't welcome a massive addition to their defensive strength?
"Ah, that reminds me. Lord Patriot, do you happen to know where Talulah went? I haven't caught sight of her since I stepped out this morning." Jeanne shifted the topic, looking up at the towering Wendigo.
She hadn't encountered the Draco leader anywhere since waking up. Having checked several of the usual spots where Talulah typically spent her mornings, she had found them all vacant. Had the stubborn dragon already headed out on another trek?
Since she had crossed paths with Patriot, she knew that even if the rest of the camp remained unaware of Talulah's whereabouts, the old general would definitely possess the answers.
"Talulah?" Patriot's eyes gleamed slightly as he recalled the morning's schedule. "She left the settlement to rescue a group of captives."
"Out to rescue captives?" Jeanne found nothing unusual about the task itself. She assumed Talulah had simply discovered another cruel, hidden mining camp and resolved to liberate the laborers.
What truly surprised her was that Patriot hadn't accompanied the expedition. In the past, the old warrior would invariably lead his Shieldguards to oversee such dangerous operations. Had some ailment overtaken the elderly commander's health during her absence?
Having been away for over half a year, Jeanne was highly curious about the subtle shifts within the camp. What events had transpired during her months in Kazdel to alter even Patriot's rigid routines?
As everyone knew, Patriot was an exceptionally stubborn individual. Though Jeanne hadn't noticed the trait immediately, FrostNova and the others had spoken of it frequently.
The old general was notoriously old-fashioned regarding military duties; whenever an assault on a mining district was ordered, he insisted on commanding the vanguard or personally monitoring the field.
Yet today, he had permitted Talulah to lead the fray while he remained behind. Such an occurrence was completely unheard of before Jeanne's departure.
"She departed alongside Yelena," Patriot explained calmly, accurately reading the questions swirling in Jeanne's eyes. "Both of them have matured significantly in their tactical command and combat leadership over these past months. An engagement of this scale no longer requires my constant presence."
He paused, his deep voice carrying a rare note of pride. "Previously, I felt compelled to accompany them because their skills were unrefined, leaving them prone to overlooking critical flaws during a chaotic battle. After all, very few individuals possess your natural gift—the innate capacity to command a battlefield flawlessly without a single day of formal instruction."
When it came to pure tactical instinct, Patriot held Jeanne in the absolute highest regard. The young maiden seemed naturally forged for the field of combat, her deployment of forces resembling a fine art.
When paired with her uncanny knack for anticipating danger, Jeanne could effortlessly neutralize threats before they could ever trigger a failure, always giving the impression of an unstoppable, straightforward march to victory.
"Have the two of them truly earned such a magnificent review from you? Before I left, I distinctly recall you mentioning they would require several more years of seasoning before they could manage independent campaigns," Jeanne mused, genuinely impressed by how much the duo had advanced under Patriot's guidance.
"Yes. They have applied themselves with immense dedication." Patriot nodded in agreement, his tone carrying a profound sense of fulfillment.
"Furthermore, they must accelerate their growth. Judging by Talulah's grand designs, their current capabilities are still somewhat raw, leaving far too much room for anxiety."
The old warrior's thoughts grew complex. He felt precisely like an elder whose remaining years were dwindling, desperate to pass his lifetime of wisdom to the next generation, yet finding the hours entirely too short.
However, Patriot's urgency didn't stem from fears over his own lifespan; rather, he was deeply anxious because the challenges awaiting them beyond the freezing tundra would vastly eclipse their current skirmishes.
If the Emperor truly intended to honor the terms of their agreement, they were barely a year away from claiming that massive nomadic city. Beyond that milestone lay a thoroughly entangled web of political strife and complex warfare.
Under those conditions, even he might find himself unable to shield them from every hazard. Therefore, he needed to ensure they attained full maturity during this brief window, allowing him to watch them stride forward with a peaceful mind.
Jeanne nodded silently as she listened to his perspective. Then, a sudden realization struck her—Talulah had gone out with FrostNova! She could only hope the two wouldn't end up locked in a fierce dispute due to the natural conflict between their arts.
She recalled that their compatibility was notoriously poor, their respective fire and ice magic frequently disrupting one another. In the past, the two leaders had engaged in endless arguments over those exact disruptions.
And where had Jeanne been during those squabbles? She had usually been sitting comfortably on the sidelines alongside the Yeti Squadron, happily enjoying the show.
Meanwhile, in a snow-covered clearing a considerable distance away, the newly liberated captives huddled together as Talulah and FrostNova exchanged a silent, heavy stare. The exact scenario Jeanne had envisioned had indeed come to pass—their magic had interfered with one another during the fray.
However, the two mature commanders didn't devolve into a petty argument this time. Instead, they strode calmly along the snowy path, engaging in a detailed discussion to pinpoint exactly where their spellcasting had overlapped.
Behind them, the members of the Yeti Squadron watched the peaceful conversation with profound disappointment. When on earth did these two become so harmonious? they wondered silently.
Their favorite pastime was watching the clash between fire and ice, a spectacle so entertaining they could easily sit through it while consuming pounds of roasted pine nuts. Yet now, the relationship between the two women looked completely civil.
Fortunately for the rowdy Yetis, neither FrostNova nor Talulah noticed the lingering glances from behind. Had they caught wind of their subordinates' complaints, the unfortunate scouts would have undoubtedly received a thoroughly unforgettable lesson in discipline.
Back at the edge of the woods, Jeanne concluded her conversation with Patriot and offered a polite farewell. She still had an important task to complete today—she needed to return the map Mudrock had entrusted to her before the journey.
Though, given how completely the political landscape of Kazdel had shifted during her trek, that particular parchment was likely entirely obsolete by now.