Having finally pieced together the truth with the Doctor's help, Ensia felt none of the joy that usually accompanied finding an answer. Instead, she kept her head lowered, silent, biting her lip in quiet anguish.
Looking at the young snow leopard, the Doctor sighed softly. No matter how brave she tried to be, Ensia was still young; it was only natural for her to feel completely lost when backed into a corner like this.
"Doctor... what do you think I should do?" Ensia asked, looking up at the Doctor through the haze of her internal storm. With her mind in utter chaos, she could no longer find a clear path forward and hung all her hopes on the person standing before her. "Should I reveal this secret to everyone? Or should I pretend I know nothing at all, and just sit back while my brother's plan plays out?"
"I know how painful this is for you," the Doctor said, gently patting Ensia's shoulder. "Selling out your family for the sake of Kjerag on one hand, or turning a blind eye for the sake of your bloodline on the other... neither choice gives you a good answer."
The Doctor couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her. Left out in the cold by the sudden shifts around her, Ensia would suffer no matter where she chose to stand.
"I... I'm sorry," Ensia stammered with a self-deprecating laugh, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "I shouldn't be dropping a heavy burden like this on you. But please, Doctor, give me some advice! I genuinely don't know what to do next!"
"I'm glad you trust me this much, Ensia. But..." The Doctor felt a sudden headache coming on at the thought of wading into the chaotic affairs of the Silverash siblings—and Kjerag as a whole.
I really should have listened to Kal'tsit, the Doctor thought ruefully. I should never have come to this frozen mountain in the first place. If I wanted a vacation, Siesta or Dossoles would have been ten times better.
Still, now that the girl had asked for help, the Doctor wasn't about to abandon her. After a moment of quiet reflection, the Doctor clapped her hands together.
"Go back and focus on keeping your household stable," the Doctor instructed clearly. "If you uncover anything new, bring it straight to me. Leave the rest to Jeanne and me."
"Huh? Just that?" Ensia blinked, caught off guard. "I could... I could go talk to my sister..."
"There's no need to overcomplicate things. Your sole responsibility right now is to keep your family grounded," the Doctor interrupted, cutting straight to the point. "As for what your brother is scheming and what lies ahead for Kjerag... well, since that calculating brother of yours invited us here, he had better be prepared for us to wreck his neat little plans!"
Beside them, Blaze ground her teeth, her fingers twitching with eager energy. Neither she nor the Doctor had any intention of playing along with the Karlan Commercial chairman's grand script this time.
"Alright, Doctor, I'll head back for now," Ensia said, waving goodbye as she moved toward the sill. "Oh, and don't forget—once Jeanne gets back, help me ask how my sister is doing!"
Without waiting for a reply, she vaulting smoothly over the frame and vanished into the freezing night.
"Use the door! Why does everyone insist on using the window?!" the Doctor yelled after her, shivering as a gust of biting wind swept into the room. Why on earth did I agree to take a vacation in a place this cold again?
Oh, right. The invitation letter. That formal letter sent directly by Enciodes, cordially inviting her to come enjoy the scenic views of Kjerag!
"Blaze, remind me when all this is over," the Doctor grumbled, grinding her teeth in quiet fury while wiping away an imaginary tear for her lost vacation. "If that bastard is still alive when the dust settles, raise the price on every single shipment we sell to him by fifteen percent!"
On top of everything else, she would probably have to write a massive apology report to Kal'tsit once they got back to Rhodes Island. That score was going straight onto Enciodes's tab as well.
"You got it, Doctor!" Blaze grinned, her spirit reignited as she stretched her arms. "So, what's our move now?"
"Sleep," the Doctor snapped dryly, turning back toward the bed. "We can't cause proper trouble without a full night's rest."
It was already past midnight. If they didn't sleep now, they wouldn't even have the energy to get out of bed tomorrow, let alone deal with Karlan Commercial's mastermind.
"Roger that!" Blaze replied heartily, looking far more like someone heading into a brawl with the Black Knight than someone turning in for the night.
Out in the howling snow, Ensia trudged through the drifts, wrapping her arms around herself with a violent shiver. "Brrr... I really should have borrowed a heavy coat from the Doctor before leaving."
With her mind settled for the moment, the bitter mountain wind hit her with full force.
"Miss Ensia, you really ought to put on warmer clothes before stepping outside," a crisp, composed voice called out from behind her. "You'll catch a chill like this."
"Eek?!" Ensia spun around, startled.
Standing a few paces away was a familiar, imposing figure whose sharp gaze cut right through the gloom.
"Degenbrecher... it's just you," Ensia exhaled, releasing a long breath of relief. "You scared me half to death."
The former Black Knight offered a brief nod before extending a thick, heavy coat toward the young snow leopard. "Put this on first. The temperature drops sharply at night; getting sick won't help anyone."
"Thanks... Though I was actually about to say I could handle—nope, definitely putting it on," Ensia admitted, cut off by an uncontrollable shudder. She pulled the warm coat around her shoulders without further argument.
Looking down at the smooth snow behind the warrior, Ensia blinked in confusion. There wasn't a single footprint behind Degenbrecher. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long," Degenbrecher replied evenly as she stepped fall-beside Ensia to escort her toward the Silverash manor. "I simply anticipated that you might visit this place."
Moving across deep snow without leaving deep tracks was second nature to the former champion. Years of intense martial discipline allowed her to glide over the drifts silently, even when clad in heavy armor.
After walking in silence for a while, Ensia looked up, her voice small. "Degenbrecher... where do you think my brother is right now?"
"It is not my place to speculate on the Master's whereabouts," Degenbrecher answered, her expression unreadable in the pale moonlight. "I only hope he resolves the current trouble and returns safely."
As an employee, her conduct was impeccable. Yet spoken in that usual ice-cold tone, it was impossible to tell whether the sentiment was genuine loyalty or professional detachment.
"Yeah... I hope he comes back safe too," Ensia murmured, lowering her head as she approached the quiet, sprawling estate—a home that currently felt far too empty.
Unlike the chaotic early hours of the evening, the latter half of the night passed in quiet stillness across the mountains of Kjerag.
However, when the monks opened the heavy wooden gates of the Vine-Bear Court early the next morning, they were greeted by a shocking sight.
Surrounding the perimeter of the courtyard were countless massive, chaotic tracks stamped deep into the fresh snow.
"What is this... Could the Tschäggättä have returned in the dead of night?!" a loose-lipped monk cried out in terror.
His loud exclamation immediately drew the attention of several local mountain villagers who were delivering daily supplies to the sanctuary. Though the townsfolk kept their heads down and pretended not to hear, every word about the legendary monster burned straight into their minds. Finishing their work in a hurry, they steered their supply wagons back down the mountain path as fast as they could.
"Keep your mouth shut!" a nearby Liberi monk barked, cuffing the screaming monk across the shoulder. He could tell the fool had let those words slip on purpose. "You're scaring the townspeople!"
"Scaring them is better!" the monk muttered under his breath, adjusting his robes. "How else will they remain faithful to the Vine-Bear Court? Only the chosen representatives of Kjeragandr can protect them from the Tschäggättä's wrath! The fact that the beast couldn't break inside proves our divine sanctuary holds!"
The monk could already envision the coming days: panicked villagers flocking up the mountain on pilgrimages, offering their wealth and goods to the church in exchange for divine protection against the shadowy beasts of the snow.
Yet such minor disturbances barely registered among the senior clergy, who carried on with their daily routines.
Meanwhile, Arctosz strode through the courtyard, intending to suggest that Enya and the Grand Elder temporarily relocate to the Paleroches estate until the turmoil blew over.
He didn't care whether the tracks belonged to the mythical Tschäggättä or something far more mundane; all he knew was that Kjerag was becoming increasingly unstable, and leaving the Saintess exposed up here was asking for trouble.
"Nonsense!" the Grand Elder snapped, cutting Arctosz off before he could finish. "The Vine-Bear Court represents Lady Kjeragandr herself! I am the Grand Elder! If I flee to your family estate over a mere ghost story, who in Kjerag will ever respect the divine authority of Kjeragandr again?"
No matter how patiently Arctosz tried to reason with him, the old man remained stubbornly set in his ways.
"Besides, it is nothing more than an unverified rumor," the Grand Elder added dismissively, waving his hand. "If a mere bedtime story terrifies us into running, we will become the laughingstock of the entire land! Speak no more of this!"
With that, the Grand Elder brushed the matter aside entirely. He had lived in Kjerag for decades without ever seeing a trace of a Tschäggättä, and he certainly wasn't about to start believing in local tall tales now.
"Now, let us speak of matters that actually concern us," the Grand Elder continued, fixing a sharp, calculating gaze on the monks nearby. "That Saintess from Laterano... what was her name again? Jeanne, was it? Did she display any unusual behavior last night?"