"Oh, so that's how it went. The voice warning us earlier was actually Kjeragandr herself? That doesn't surprise me all that much," the Doctor said, tapping her chin through her hood. "What really surprises me is that you two didn't end up having a proper brawl..."
Even now, the Doctor sounded faintly disappointed that Jeanne hadn't picked a fight with the deity, clearly wishing she could have sat back and enjoyed the spectacle.
"I thought our end of the journey was chaotic enough," Blaze chimed in after listening to Jeanne recount her experience over the past day, tilting her head back to stare at the sky as she processed the information. "Compared to what you went through, our little struggle feels downright routine."
A grin spread across Blaze's face, her eyes sparkling. "Though things are definitely getting more lively! I'm already imagining what kind of grand mess we'll have to face when all the cards are laid on the table."
She blinked with growing excitement, practically vibrating at the thought of facing the Black Knight in battle, fully confident that a clash between them was bound to happen.
"Looks like the person who sent us that invitation is making his moves now," the Doctor said, resting her hands on her hips with a heavy sigh. "To go so far as burning down such a sacred site... he clearly doesn't care about playing nice anymore."
Though the Doctor always enjoyed sticking her nose into high-stakes affairs, being dragged into someone else's carefully laid plot was far from a pleasant feeling.
"I swear every contract I accept turns into a hot mess. Though, even the worst situation here is still miles better than waking up with complete amnesia."
"I didn't expect you to be so optimistic," Jeanne remarked, crossing her arms as she looked at her. "Have you figured out our next step?"
"Back to our quarters! Back to our quarters!" the Doctor insisted, looking around the quiet street. "Talking about these matters out in the open is asking for trouble. Who knows if someone's lurking around listening in?"
Finding the surrounding alleyways empty, the Doctor grabbed Jeanne's sleeve and began marching back toward their lodgings with air-tight secrecy, leaving Blaze and Alina standing on the curb.
"I spotted a nice little shop down that way," Blaze said, turning to Alina with a wave of her hand. "Care to take a stroll?"
With Jeanne guarding the Doctor, there was zero concern regarding her safety. Blaze saw no reason to sit through another tactical lecture when she could explore the snowy town with her companion.
"Sounds lovely," Alina agreed with a warm smile. "We've been in Kjerag for days, and aside from the first evening, I haven't had a chance to look around. Let's leave those two to their quiet chatter."
The two walked off, chatting casually as they headed down the opposite street. Just before they turned the corner, Blaze cast a sharp backward glance into the shadows, a faint suspicion nagging at the back of her mind that they were being watched.
Once inside the lodgings, the Doctor firmly latched the door and pulled the heavy window shutters tight, treating the room as if it were a high-security vault.
"Alright, now we can lay out our confirmed details," the Doctor said, taking a seat. "Only by piecing everything together can we pick the right path forward."
"Kjeragandr confirmed to me that the explosion at the Vine-Bear Court was staged by Enciodes himself," Jeanne stated flatly. "It was part of his plan all along."
"I suspected as much," the Doctor replied smoothly. "Clan Silverash remained far too quiet after their leader went 'missing.' The only explanation is that someone used absolute force to suppress the internal opposition. It's hard to believe this is the same family that nearly collapsed after their previous head died years ago."
Though the Doctor lacked divine confirmation, she had already deduced that the Silverash patriarch wasn't dead. Ensia's earlier account had merely solidified her conclusion.
"Furthermore, he has a private military force," Jeanne added, her expression darkening slightly. "I can't confirm their exact numbers, but these aren't the inept local guards from the Tri-Clan Council. They're seasoned soldiers with rigorous professional training."
It wasn't catastrophic news, but it certainly complicated matters. Facing a disciplined force in a land with no standing army gave Silverash a massive edge.
"And don't forget he has the famous Black Knight of Kazimierz under his command," the Doctor added, rubbing her temples. "Honestly, with a lineup like that, I'm almost tempted to walk up to his office and offer our cooperation instead. That setup is a nightmare to fight against."
In a country lacking a proper standing military, Enciodes' force was essentially a wolf standing over a flock of sheep.
"That's actually a solid idea. Saves us a ton of effort," Jeanne agreed with a deadpan nod. "It's not like Kjerag's internal politics are our concern anyway. Should we just go with that?"
Both of them fell into a brief, heavy silence. After a long moment, the Doctor let out a loud groan, breaking the quiet.
"No way! I'm waiting for his plan to fail so I can jack up the prices on the equipment I'm selling him! If we surrender now, he'll never agree to my markup!"
She shook her head, thoroughly annoyed at her own greed, but firmly refusing to back down to her prospective business partner.
"Besides, our odds aren't so bad that we need to give up," the Doctor added, clapping Jeanne on the shoulder like a commanding officer, completely ignoring the massive side-eye Jeanne gave her. "We have you on our side to handle the heavy hitting, and I have complete faith in you!"
"Now that we know what we're up against, what do you plan to do next?" Jeanne asked, ignoring the flattery. "I should warn you, you'd better prepare yourself for the coming days."
"Prepare for what?" the Doctor asked, tilting her head. Was Kjerag hosting some massive festival?
"The monks from the Vine-Bear Court are coming down the mountain," Jeanne explained, her tone lacing with visible distaste. "Those people have severe issues and harbor intense hostility toward outsiders. If the Saintess hadn't stepped in to mediate, I might have flattened a few of them myself."
At the mention of the monks, Jeanne's voice turned frigid, her lingering irritation obvious to anyone listening.
"In that case, I'll just deal directly with Saintess Enya," the Doctor said, finding a bright side to the situation. "Besides, if the monks are moving down, one of my operators is going to be thrilled."
Reuniting the sisters would certainly do wonders for Ensia's spirits.
"There's one more thing," Jeanne said, fixing her gaze on the masked figure. "If he intends to forcibly modernize Kjerag, do you plan to block him entirely, or just throw a few wrenches into his machinery?"
The Doctor didn't answer right away, tilting her head to study Jeanne. "What about you? What do you think should be done?"
"Me?" Jeanne chuckled softly, finding the Doctor's habit of answering questions with questions remarkably similar to Kal'tsit's exasperating style. "I don't think bringing change to this isolated country is inherently bad. But I don't know how far he's willing to push it. If things reach the absolute worst-case outcome..."
"Then Kjerag will drown in a sea of blood," the Doctor finished grimly. Knowing that Enciodes was behind the arson at the sacred sanctuary gave her a clear picture of his ruthlessness. If backed into a corner, he wouldn't hesitate to push forward with brute force.
The two exchanged a long look. Even without words, their shared intent was clear. They were no longer staying in Kjerag merely because of an invitation letter.
"I'm on rather good terms with Ensia," Jeanne murmured softly. "I'd hate to see that girl crying her eyes out when the dust settles."
"Agreed," the Doctor nodded through her hood. "I've grown quite fond of those sisters myself."
In that moment, a silent agreement was struck. Had there been wine in the room, they would have clinked glasses.
BANG!
The door burst open as Blaze and Alina rushed inside, their faces pale and breathless.
"Doctor, it's terrible!" Blaze yelled, catching her breath. "We just saw Miss Sciurus rushing back covered in blood—she was attacked on her way back!"