Hearing Ratatos's proposal, the Doctor leaned back slightly, her posture betraying genuine surprise.
It seemed the sharpest minds in Kjerag were far less rigid than she had originally assumed. The woman standing before her was actively reaching out to forge a partnership.
"I must admit, I'm surprised," the Doctor said, choosing her words carefully so her tone remained balanced without sounding overly sharp. "Most people in this land are intensely wary of foreigners. When I heard your proposal, I almost wondered if you had spoken on a sudden impulse."
"I understand your caution," Ratatos replied, closing her eyes and shaking her head faintly. "No one knows Kjerag's xenophobic nature better than Browntail Clan. In fact, our family has relied on those very traditions to maintain our standing here."
She understood why the Doctor harbored doubts—there were times when she herself found that perspective hard to argue against. Kjerag's isolationist mindset meant the clans rarely cooperated with outsiders; to the local leaders, foreigners were far more dangerous than rival families or the Vine-Bear Court.
"But the situation has changed," Ratatos continued, her voice dropping as her eyes snapped open with sharp resolve. "What Enciodes is doing no longer abides by the old rules of Kjerag. We can't predict his next move, and we urgently need allies who understand his world."
She took a slow breath, leaning forward slightly. "In this entire country, Enciodes is the only one who operates completely outside our traditional boundaries. He's spent years trading and building connections with the outside world, so to fight him, we need outside strength as well."
Ratatos had a creeping premonition: if she didn't take decisive action now, her fate might end up far worse than Yukon's.
"Silverash Clan isn't hiding its ambition anymore," she added grimly. "His target is all of Kjerag, and Browntail Clan is squarely in his path."
"Are you so sure he intends to wipe you out?" the Doctor asked, tilting her head. "Isn't it more likely that after demonstrating his strength, he'll demand the submission of the other two major families to secure rule over the country?"
"That possibility exists, but the odds are slim," Ratatos said, shaking her head. "Lady Jeanne knows how unyielding Arctosz and his family can be. As for Browntail, we've always swayed between factions. To Enciodes, leaving us on the board introduces far too many unpredictable variables."
"In that case, let's talk terms," the Doctor said, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. "What can you offer to bring us to your side? Surely you aren't going to offer vague promises of 'generous rewards once the dust settles'?"
Beside her, Jeanne could tell the Doctor had basically agreed to the request. However, the exact boundaries of their involvement—and what they stood to gain—still required careful negotiation.
The question caught Ratatos off guard, leaving her momentarily silent. Truth be told, she hadn't fully mapped out what price she was willing to pay to secure their alliance. Asking for their help had been a sudden, desperate realization. Offering empty promises would make her look completely insincere, yet she didn't even know what the outsiders truly desired.
"Whatever Silverash can offer you, we are willing to match..." Ratatos stated after a tense pause. "Furthermore, I will persuade that stubborn old Arctosz to include Tearstones as a trade commodity for you in the future."
The moment Ratatos uttered the word "Tearstone," Jeanne could tell from the Zalak's solemn expression that the mineral held immense significance to the locals, though she had never seen one herself.
"Tearstones?" the Doctor murmured, tapping her chin through her hood. "I've heard Ensia mention them before. But isn't that just a sacred relic in Kjerag? A symbolic item of sorts..."
"No, Tearstones are much more than that," Ratatos explained. "It's a rare mineral unique to the mountain peaks of Kjerag, said to be the solidified tears of Kjeragandr herself. While it holds sacred meaning for our people, it also possesses a unique property: it can soothe the pain of those suffering from Oripathy."
That was the real reason she brought it up. "I know your organization is a medical enterprise researching Oripathy. A rare mineral like this might prove invaluable to your work."
"I see... It can ease the suffering of Oripathy patients?" the Doctor noted, glancing back at Jeanne, whose holy water held a similar effect.
In fact, Jeanne's holy water could even suppress Oripathy progression to a degree, making Tearstones seem somewhat redundant by comparison. Still, that didn't mean the mineral was worthless. The Doctor was genuinely curious about the physical mechanism behind how the mineral suppressed Oripathy symptoms and felt an itch to get a sample into the lab.
"Very well, let's start with a temporary partnership and see how things unfold," the Doctor agreed with a nod. Having Browntail as an ally would certainly streamline their movements going forward.
"In that case, let's visit the site of the explosion first," the Doctor said, standing up promptly. "Sometimes, the most crucial clues are hidden right where the crime occurred."
Her decisive shift into action left Ratatos feeling that she had chosen the right partners after all.
"I'll accompany you," Ratatos offered, heading toward the door. "I'll go prepare a horse carriage right away!"
"No need," the Doctor called out smoothly. "We have a far more efficient mode of transport."
She turned her gaze toward Jeanne, who had remained quiet during the entire exchange.
"You're dragging me into this too?" Jeanne asked, giving the Doctor a dry, deadpan look. She had kept her mouth shut the entire time, yet somehow she still ended up assigned as the designated transport.
"Come on, lend a hand!" the Doctor wheedled, slinging an arm around Jeanne's shoulder with an overly familiar grin. "I know your standing makes it awkward to get directly involved in local politics, but you're just helping me out! That hardly counts as meddling in Kjerag's internal affairs. If anyone complains, blame it on me!"
Jeanne sighed, unable to find a reason to refuse. In truth, she only needed a plausible excuse anyway, and even without one, she would have found another. The right of final interpretation lay in her hands regardless.
Roughly half an hour later, high above the snow-capped mountain peaks, Ratatos was gripping the dragon's scales for dear life, letting out breathless, terrified squeaks.
"Woah—Woaaaah! This is way too intense!"
Sailing through the clouds atop the colossal flying beast, the Zalak Leader was experiencing high-altitude flight for the very first time. While her stomach churned at the sheer drop beneath them, a part of her couldn't resist sneaking peeks at the sprawling white landscape below.
Like a skittish snow squirrel, she would poke her head out over the edge, freeze in terror, pull back, catch her breath, and then peek out all over again. After repeating this several times, she finally remembered her dignity and straightened her posture with a embarrassed cough.
"Ahem... My apologies," Ratatos stammered, her face flushing as she smoothed down her wind-ruffled coat. "That was my first time flying through the sky. I lost my composure for a moment."
Both the Doctor and Jeanne offered reassuring smiles, completely understanding her reaction.
"There's no need to apologize," the Doctor said, waving her hand dismissively. "Very few people can maintain a cool head during their first high-altitude flight. Pulling yourself together so quickly is already quite impressive."
The Zalak's flustered reaction reminded the Doctor faintly of her own past experiences.
"Setting that aside," the Doctor continued, her tone shifting slightly, "I'm curious—what kind of person is Enciodes in your eyes?"
Taken aback by the sudden question, Ratatos blinked, looking between the Doctor and Jeanne before sinking into thought. "That's... hard to put into simple terms. Is that question particularly important?"
"Not strictly necessary," the Doctor replied, resting her hands against the dragon's scales. "It's just that the Enciodes we've come to know represents only one side of him. If possible, I'd like to understand the side I haven't seen."
Ratatos fell silent, sifting through her memories of the Silverash patriarch to craft an objective answer.
"In my eyes, he is a man driven by fierce conviction," Ratatos answered slowly, looking out over the endless snowfields below. "He possessed the courage to do something I once dreamed of but never dared to attempt... he walked away from this mountain, and went out to see the world."