"So you are the operator who was so eager to seek me out—Ensia?" Jeanne studied the silver-haired young girl standing before her. The girl looked back with an unmistakable air of restless anxiety, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze.
She was quite young, her bright silver hair paired with a thick, plush snow leopard tail that fluffed up with every nervous twitch, practically tempting anyone nearby to reach out and give it a pet.
"Y-Yes! I am Ensia SilverAsh, also known as Cliffheart. I have several pressing questions I hope to ask you... But before that, if you don't mind me asking—are you truly the legendary Saintess of Laterano?"
Ensia's anxiety was palpable; her hands and tail seemed to fight over where to position themselves, hovering awkwardly in the air.
Whether her paralysis stemmed from encountering an actual religious sovereign or simply from Jeanne's composed, dignified posture, the poor girl's mind was currently running completely blank.
She was clearly straining to maintain a composed demeanor, but her youth betrayed her. The rising surge of panic seeped through every gesture, driving her to shoot a desperate, pleading look toward the Doctor.
Yet the Doctor seemed to have lost every shred of her usual social awareness. Totally ignoring Cliffheart's silent cries for help, she casually pulled out her Terminal and began tapping away, thoroughly absorbed in her screen.
"There's really no need for all this tension. Here, I'm simply Jeanne. And even as a Saintess, I don't require people to walk on eggshells around me—it's not as though I'm some man-eating monster."
Jeanne softened her icy expression with a reassuring smile, quickly realizing the girl hadn't approached her to debate theological doctrine or stir up religious friction.
Cliffheart froze, staring wide-eyed at the sudden warmth in Jeanne's expression. She remained rooted to the spot, lost in thought, completely struck dumb.
"What's wrong with her? Why did she stop talking the moment I spoke?" Jeanne turned to the Doctor, appealing for an intervention.
"She's likely overwhelmed. Someone coming out of Kjerag is bound to hold deeply ingrained reverence for spiritual figures. Try being a little gentler—show off that side of you that the kids aboard Rhodes Island adore so much."
What on earth do you mean, 'that side of me the kids adore'? Where do you even pick up these absurd, baseless rumors? Jeanne thought to herself.
While she held a certain reputation among the younger crew, she had no idea how deeply liked she was; to her, visiting the younger patients was merely a casual habit whenever she had spare moments.
"I... I wanted to ask about your title! How did you manage to retain such complete, unconditional freedom while bearing the full weight of being a Saintess?"
Ensia seemed to gather every ounce of her courage, raising her voice as she pressed forward. Her eyes burned with a raw, earnest desperation, begging for an answer.
She had an older sister—a sister she loved dearly, and who cherished her just as fiercely in return. They had once enjoyed a bright, blissful life in Kjerag, but that peaceful home had been shattered by a cascade of tragic turns.
Their parents were taken by a fatal accident years ago. Shortly after, her older brother returned from his travels in Victoria a completely changed man—cold, distant, and calculating. As for the sister who used to remain by her side...
She was now bound hand and foot. As the supreme spiritual figurehead of the religious realm of Kjerag, even arranging a brief personal visit with her had become an almost insurmountable challenge.
Worse still, Ensia knew her sister took no joy in her elevated title; in truth, she loathed being locked within that gilded cage.
That was why Ensia was so desperate to know: how could another religious figurehead—the world-renowned Saintess of Laterano, whose legendary exploits echoed through the corridors of Rhodes Island—live so untethered and free?
Was there some secret method? Some leverage she could copy? If she could learn the secret, she could pass it to her sister, giving her a chance at genuine happiness.
"So you assumed I used some clever scheme to bypass the ecclesiastical authorities, allowing me to wander Terra as I please, and you want to borrow my playbook?"
Jeanne rested her chin in her hand, piecing together the girl's intent. She understood the girl's distress, but comparing the grand apparatus of Laterano to Kjerag's The Tri-Clan Council and the The Vine-Bear Court...
The two situations weren't even remotely comparable. The structural gap between a sovereign power like Laterano and an isolated realm like Kjerag couldn't be bridged by a dozen Siracusan syndicates, let alone a simple trick.
More to the point, her own situation was fundamentally different from that of Kjerag's snow mountain figurehead.
"I truly hate to break it to you, but I don't have a magical trick to pass down. My circumstances and your sister's are entirely different, and the weight behind our respective titles isn't the same."
Jeanne felt a wave of helplessness. How could she possibly teach a lesson on this? Her own elevated status had been practically forced upon her by Laterano's senior officials after endless rounds of tedious persuasion.
"She speaks the truth, Ensia. I know you were hoping for a practical solution, but as I hinted before... Jeanne's situation is entirely unique." The Doctor chimed in gently.
"Is that... really how it is?" Ensia's eyes dimmed, her fragile hope extinguishing. Though the Doctor had subtly tempered her expectations beforehand, hearing the absolute truth straight from Jeanne still crushed her spirit.
"Yes. Becoming a Saintess didn't involve undergoing an endless gauntlet of grueling rituals for me. If anything, the process tested the patience of Laterano far more than it ever tested me."
Jeanne brushed back a strand of hair, feeling a touch self-conscious. If she had been forced to deal with an institution like the Karlan Saintess Council, she likely would have ridden off on a dragon long ago.
"Don't lose heart just yet. Rescuing your sister from her political isolation isn't something that can be rushed overnight. Take it one step at a time."
The Doctor offered a soothing word of comfort, watching the heartbroken snow leopard. Beneath her own enigmatic exterior, her fragile, sensitive heart wept for the girl's plight...
Of course, anyone familiar with the Doctor's past tactical exploits would have laughed until their stomach ached at the idea of her harboring a 'fragile heart.'
"But we don't have time to go slow!"
The moment the phrase 'take it one step at a time' left the Doctor's mouth, Ensia snapped out of her gloom. She sprang up from her chair, fiercely rebutting the suggestion before she could even catch herself.
"I... I am so sorry! Please forgive my outburst."
Realizing she had just raised her voice in a public space, Ensia immediately dropped into a deep, panic-stricken bow, apologizing profusely to both Jeanne and the Doctor.
"No apology necessary. In fact, I'm quite curious... what makes you say that time is running out?"
The Doctor's tone shifted instantly. The casual air melted away, replaced by the razor-sharp focus of an experienced strategist.
"I don't have concrete proof... but ever since my brother visited the landship last time, his behavior has felt deeply unsettling. The last time he carried that cold, suffocating presence was the very day he pushed my sister into the trials to become the Saintess."
The selection process for Kjerag's supreme religious figure was notoriously unforgiving—a brutal trial where the overwhelming majority of candidates perished, freezing to death on the sacred peaks.
And the day her brother forced her sister into that trial... was the first time Ensia had seen him look so utterly detached. His eyes had turned as cold and unyielding as the ancient glaciers atop Mount Kjerag.
"That seems unexpected. Your brother sent me an official invitation to visit Kjerag not too long ago, complete with formal diplomatic seals." The Doctor pulled a heavy, wax-sealed envelope from her coat, lightly fanning herself with it.
If Kal'tsit weren't currently away on confidential business, she would have already packed her bags to explore the isolated nation, treating it as a brief, well-earned reprieve from administrative duties.
"You mustn't go! My brother is definitely orchestrating something major, and he likely intends to draw you into his plans!"
Though SilverAsh was her blood relation, the young snow leopard resolutely chose to stand against his dark ambitions.
"Hmm... Hearing you say that only makes me more intrigued about what he's plotting."
The Doctor's dormant curiosity flared to life. She was deeply fascinated by what the leader of Karlan Commercial was orchestrating in the snowbound nation.
More importantly, what tactical advantages could Rhodes Island leverage from the situation? If she could use this trip to secure a long-term, comprehensive partnership agreement with Karlan Commercial, the potential gains would be immense.
"Jeanne," the Doctor suddenly looked up, her visor gleaming with renewed enthusiasm. "Assuming Kal'tsit returns to the landship sometime soon... how would you feel about taking a little trip to Kjerag with me?"
Jeanne and Ensia both stared at her in utter disbelief. Hadn't the girl just warned her against walking straight into a trap?