"I'm completely serious," Talulah replied smoothly. "That wolf girl is clearly not in league with the bastards planning to level County Hillock. A soldier with a spine like hers will step in the moment she realizes what's coming."
Despite their heated argument earlier, Talulah held genuine respect for the Lupo officer. Horn was a soldier who bled for Victoria, someone who wouldn't stab an ally in the back and possessed a sharp sense of right and wrong when lives were on the line.
"And how do you suppose we tell her?" Jeanne countered, raising an eyebrow. "'I had a bad dream where the whole district gets blown to ash'? Or do you plan to invent a grand lie to convince her?"
The idea sounded ridiculous even to Talulah. Working with someone like Horn required total honesty, but the truth in this case was almost impossible for a pragmatist to swallow.
While the two whispered in the corner, Bagpipe continued to stare at Talulah with unbridled curiosity. The squad assumed the young Vouivre was simply fascinated by meeting a member of such a rare, legendary lineage so closely tied to her own kind.
No further words were exchanged. Once Jeanne and Talulah departed toward County Hillock, Horn gathered her unit and followed closely behind.
"You were staring at that Draco for a long time, Bagpipe," Horn remarked casually as they walked side by side, keeping her voice low so the others wouldn't overhear. "Do you know her from somewhere, or is there another reason?"
"Ah, Captain! Ye had me worried I'd messed up again, pulling me aside for a wee quiet chat like this," Bagpipe let out a relieved sigh. This kind of private reprimand wasn't uncommon in their squad, so she had prepared for the worst.
"Truth is, I reckon she's related to an old school friend o' mine! My classmate called me up the other day to catch up, sayin' she finally found news about her elder sister—whose name happens to be Talulah as well! I just thought, aye, maybe it's the very same lass. She even shares a look with Ch'en, ye see..."
Bagpipe poured out everything she knew without holding back. Horn placed a hand over her forehead in silent exasperation, waiting patiently until the chatterbox finished.
"So you're saying she might be the sister of your classmate from the Royal Guards Academy? Is your friend a Draco too? I don't recall a Draco in your graduating class."
As an alumna of the Royal Guards Academy herself, Horn was stunned. Missing the presence of a royal Draco in Bagpipe's class felt like a massive intelligence failure on her part.
"Nah, not a Draco! A Lung! She's from Lungmen!" Bagpipe quickly clarified.
That makes far more sense, Horn thought. She vaguely recalled hearing about a brilliant cadet from Lungmen who graduated with straight A's across all subjects before immediately returning home.
"When we enter County Hillock, try to catch up with her," Horn suggested after a moment's thought. "See if you can subtly find out why two individuals of their standing came to this specific border district."
A heavy headache began to form behind Horn's eyes. County Hillock was fast becoming a powder keg: a local military garrison with questionable motives, rumors of a phantom unit operating in the shadows, a massive shipment of stolen active Originium, and now the last heir of the Artorius line. The tiny district was crawling with dangerous figures.
Hopefully, the town survives whatever is coming.
Meanwhile, Jeanne and Talulah had successfully slipped into County Hillock. Entering hadn't been easy—Victoria maintained strict border checks, and an Infected like Talulah faced immediate scrutiny at every checkpoint.
"This is the place," Jeanne murmured, stopping in the middle of a clean street.
According to her vision, this very avenue would soon be torn apart by heavy artillery fire, its cobblestones shattered and overgrown with jagged black crystals. Looking at the peaceful town around her, Jeanne clenched her fists tightly. She would not let those innocent civilians burn.
"Don't worry," Talulah said softly, placing a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. "We will stop it before it happens."
"First, we need to head to the local Rhodes Island branch office," Jeanne said, taking the lead. "If we're lucky, we might find a familiar face to help us navigate the city."
Relying entirely on the spatial layout from her dream, Jeanne navigated the unfamiliar streets with uncanny precision.
However, a temporary brick wall blocked their path—a barrier that hadn't been there in her vision, or perhaps had already been reduced to rubble by the time she saw it. With a light leap, both girls vaulted over the structure, landing quietly in front of a modest, standalone building.
The Rhodes Island County Hillock Office.
Inside the building, Janie(Saileach) looked nervously at the gentle, silver-haired Sankta sitting across from her.
"Are you... are you sure, ma'am? You really met someone who looks just like me?" Janie's voice trembled slightly.
Before her sat Elite Operator Outcast—a legendary figure within Rhodes Island, one of those legendary, near-mythical veteran warriors who could single-handedly turn the tide of a battle.
"Indeed," Outcast smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling with fondness. "The moment I saw you, I felt as if I were looking at that child. If you weren't a Vouivre, I would have assumed you two were long-lost sisters!"
Outcast, currently stationed in Victoria for a classified assignment, looked at Janie's nervous posture, the banner resting against her chair, and the sword at her hip. The resemblance to Jeanne was uncanny.
"Unless she's a Vouivre too, there's no way we're related," Janie chuckled, shaking her head. "Both my parents are Vouivres—it's biologically impossible for them to have a child of another race! Still... how bizarre. A person who looks just like me... I'd love to meet her someday."
There was genuine curiosity in Janie's eyes. Today had been overwhelming: meeting a legendary Elite Operator, hearing stories of an uncanny double—it was a lot to process.
"You'll meet her eventually," Outcast said cheerfully, dealing a hand of cards to the local staff gathered around the table. "And I'm certain you two will get along famously."
Outcast continued describing Jeanne to the eager young operators. None of the local branch staff had ever been to the main landship, making them endlessly curious about the famous figures operating throughout Terra.
"She has golden hair, just like yours," Outcast explained. "Though through some strange Originium Arts mechanism, it can turn a shimmering platinum-white. Her combat style is similar to yours as well—a banner in one hand, a sword in the other. I was going to suggest you ask her for combat tips, but... on second thought, better not. Her fighting style isn't something normal people can imitate."
Outcast chuckled, remembering Jeanne's absurd, monstrous physical strength. Even a naturally strong Vouivre like Janie would likely break a limb trying to copy her techniques.
"Meeting her requires a bit of luck, though," Outcast added with a sigh. "She isn't an official Rhodes Island employee, more of a trusted partner. And she's been incredibly busy lately, so—oh, someone's at the door."
A crisp knock echoed through the quiet office.
Outcast stood up, walked to the entrance, and pulled the door open. The moment she saw who was standing on the porch, her eyes widened in complete disbelief.
Standing right outside, smiling warmly, was the very girl she had just been talking about.
"Long time no see, Outcast!" Jeanne greeted her with a bright wave.