Ulpianus looked at Jeanne, whose quiet expression was a unreadable cocktail of complex thoughts. Guessing what was likely racing through her mind, he stood silent for a long moment before offering his thoughts in a low tone.
"I don't think you need to be quite so alarmed. While these people have managed partial success with their schemes, the overall advantage still rests firmly in our hands."
He understood how shocking such revelations could be to an outsider. Truth be told, the fact that she hadn't immediately turned around to suspect him of being part of the conspiracy made her remarkably understanding in his book.
Coming back to her senses, Jeanne shook her head with an unhurried smile. "I'm not overly worried about their grand schemes. I was just wondering... if those cultists keep dragging their feet like this, how many years will it take them to actually succeed?"
Jeanne harbored zero fear toward the Seaborn threat. Experience had shown that she possessed the exact tools required to purge such corruption. If worst came to worst, she could step in herself and clean up the entire mess.
"Er..." Ulpianus froze momentarily, caught off guard. This surface woman's thought process certainly defied expectations. Who would have guessed her mind was drifting toward something like that under these circumstances? Her composure was almost unsettlingly solid.
What he didn't know was that her iron confidence stemmed directly from the divine favor backing her up.
"There is still a considerable buffer of time," Ulpianus continued, returning to his cold demeanor. "Based on their research records, even with Aegirian technology mixed in, awakening a Seaborn deity is far from guaranteed. Furthermore, even if high-ranking figures in Aegir wield vast influence, they cannot act out in the open without drawing suspicion."
Ulpianus possessed a deep understanding of Aegirian society. What he hadn't anticipated was that the internal cult factions within Aegir would cook up a plot so utterly unhinged—one intended to wipe out every living soul on Terra, including themselves.
"Is that so..." Jeanne nodded, gathering the relevant records to take with her.
She planned to keep these files handy for the grand summit Pope Yvangelista intended to convene. If those stubborn world leaders refused to cooperate, she would toss a choice selection of these documents right onto their lap.
When those feuding rulers realized that a group of lunatics was actively orchestrating another Great Silence capable of drowning the entire continent, even those with their heads stuck in the clouds would sit down and talk like reasonable adults.
Otherwise, even if they reluctantly agreed to a alliance, most of them would only be scheming ways to line their own pockets during the crisis.
After securing the critical correspondence, Jeanne began sifting through other files scattered around. While her instincts occasionally glitched or hit a wall, the guidance provided by divine Revelation was something she could trust with her life.
"Don't you want to keep a copy?" Jeanne asked, glancing back at the silent giant. "This material might prove useful for your future operations."
"I have no need for physical paper. A single glance is enough for me to memorize..." He paused midway through his sentence, rethinking his words. "On second thought, make a duplicate set for me. If I happen to run into any surviving comrades down the line, these records might serve a purpose."
Together, the two finished organizing the documents they needed. As for the low-ranking cultist who had been forced to open the safes, he had taken advantage of their distraction to slip out of the room, fleeing for the exit.
What the poor fool failed to realize, however, was that the perimeter of the facility was tightly monitored. Forget a full-grown cultist—not even a fish could escape the watchful eyes stationed outside.
"Still... is this facility really that massive? It's been quite a while, yet Skadi hasn't rejoined us," Ulpianus observed, looking around the cavernous complex.
It struck him as unusual that his former team member had taken so long to sweep her assigned sector. Surely she hadn't lost her way? As far as he recalled, Skadi had never possessed a poor sense of direction, and the layout here wasn't nearly complex enough to disorient an Abyssal Hunter.
"Now that you mention it, it is a bit strange," Jeanne agreed, coming to the same realization. Skadi hadn't sent any signal or update for a while now.
"Perhaps she got held up by something?" Jeanne remained confident in Skadi's martial prowess. Besides, for safety's sake, she had sent Fafnir along with her. Even if an ambush occurred, the dragon provided an extra layer of absolute security.
Yet Ulpianus wasn't willing to rely on optimistic assumptions. Throwing his extra files aside, he turned his gaze down the far corridor, his brows furrowed in deep thought.
"That shouldn't be possible. With Skadi's strength, she should have cleared her path and met us by now. Which leads to only one logical outcome—"
Ulpianus' face grew taut with urgency as he prepared to move out and reinforce his subordinate.
"—something formidable has pinned her down!"
With that realization snapping into place, Ulpianus grabbed his massive anchor weapon and charged down the passageway toward Skadi's last known position. Skadi could not be allowed to fall here; otherwise, events would spiral toward the absolute worst-case outcome!
Seeing him bolt without hesitation, Jeanne hurriedly packed her gathered documents and hurried after him. Truthfully, she harbored little concern for Skadi's survival. If true danger arose, Fafnir would have sent a psychic alarm immediately.
Yet when Ulpianus rounded the corner onto Skadi's path, he found the corridor completely engulfed in roaring flames! Fiery tongues licked the stone walls, filling the air with a strange, heavy aroma of roasted meat.
A short distance ahead, a pack of dog-sized Seaborn was frantically fleeing for their lives. Pursuing them was the dragon Fafnir, spewing bright gouts of flame that instantly incinerated the horrific beasts into charred piles.
The dragon sniffed the smoking remains on the floor, tilting her head in sudden hesitation.
A bizarre realization washed over Ulpianus. It looked as though the dragon was contemplating whether to eat the charred, mutated Seaborn remains! How long had this creature gone without food to even consider devouring such hideous monsters?!
"Don't—!"
Ulpianus instantly recognized the dragon that had landed a punch square on his eye earlier. Seeing her lean down toward a chunk of roasted Seaborn meat, he shouted out a warning, but it was already too late!
Fafnir snapped up the piece of meat, swallowing it down in one gulp. She then turned her head, looking at the giant man carrying the anchor with a puzzled expression.
I was just hunting a quick snack, her eyes seemed to say. Is there any need to shout like that? Don't tell me these weird dog-fish hybrids were his pets? Did I mess up again?
Panicking slightly, Fafnir caught the sound of familiar footsteps approaching from down the hall. Spotting her guardian, the dragon's eyes lit up, and she scampered over toward Jeanne.
"Jeanne! I think I ate that giant uncle's pets! What do I do?!" Fafnir cried out, looking as though the sky were caving in.
Jeanne blinked, entirely baffled by the dragon's dramatic declaration. She turned toward Ulpianus, seeking an explanation for how Fafnir had somehow managed to consume his supposed pets.
"She just swallowed Seaborn flesh," Ulpianus explained, his voice heavy with grim warning. "Such corrupted biomass... it is best not to touch it, let alone consume it."
While eating a single piece might not cause immediate corruption—especially since these specimens were mere lab-grown animal hybrids—it was still a thoroughly disturbing sight.
"How could you be so reckless?! You can't just eat random things off the floor!" Jeanne scolded Fafnir sternly. Yet before two sentences could leave her mouth, her tone flipped entirely as she leaned in and whispered, "So... how did it taste?"
Evidently, her curiosity regarding unfamiliar culinary experiences was equally strong.
"Is this really the time to be discussing flavor?" Ulpianus sighed, feeling an overwhelming surge of exasperation.
Swinging his heavy anchor through the air, he generated a blast of wind that snuffed out the surrounding flames. "Our top priority right now is finding Ska—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a deafening CRASH shattered the wall beside them!
Skadi was launched straight through the solid masonry, her greatsword raised in a defensive guard as two giant Seaborn bearing vaguely human silhouettes slammed her backward into the dust.
Ulpianus covered his face with one hand, letting out a long, exhausted sigh. Dealing with these people was truly a test of patience.