Aboard the Rhodes Island landship, Kal'tsit and the bridge staff were currently replaying the combat footage that had just unfolded.
The spectacle of Danmaku descending from three distinct directions in the sky, combined with the staggering, absolute destruction it wrought upon the target area, left a profound impression on everyone in the room.
They now had a clearer understanding of how this group had managed to single-handedly crush the regular Ursus army on the front lines. With such terrifying firepower and unrivaled aerial mobility, it would have been nearly impossible to believe had they not witnessed it with their own eyes.
Before long, the Rhodes Island field team returned to the vessel, fully loaded with the fruits of their harvest.
Kal'tsit personally received Remilia Scarlet and Flandre Scarlet, expressing her sincere gratitude for their swift intervention and the invaluable support provided by the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
When dinner time arrived, Flandre's face lit up with pure delight as she looked at the two portions of specially prepared grilled insect legs set before her.
She first picked up the thinner, delicate leg—this was the Charcoal-Grilled Originium Slug leg Ace had praised so highly. She vaguely recalled a scene from a certain theater performance where a masked man had secretly snuck out to eat these in the middle of the night.
With a gentle snap, the shell—which had already been carefully sliced open by Sakuya Izayoi—yielded easily, revealing tender, translucent meat cooked to a golden-brown perfection.
Flandre scooped up a small bite with a spoon and tasted it. It was delicate and sweet, with a texture that wasn't quite like jelly, but closer to a hot, rich sorbet.
It was undeniably delicious.
Flandre nodded enthusiastically. "Delicious!"
Without another word, she buried her head in her bowl and happily dug in. Not far away, the lead cook watching from the kitchen counter allowed a rare, satisfied smile to break across his face. After all, a diner enjoying a meal with such pure, uninhibited joy was the highest praise a chef could ever receive.
After finishing her dinner, Flandre returned to her guest quarters. Just as she was about to pull out a book to read, Remilia walked over and patted her gently on the shoulder.
"The Tengu will likely arrive tomorrow," Remilia said softly. "Once they get here, Sakuya, Eirin, and the rest of us will head back to the Mansion for a while. While you are staying here, make sure you listen to Patchy."
Flandre looked up in surprise. "Ah? You're all going back tomorrow?"
"It might not be precisely tomorrow—perhaps the day after, or shortly after that. But the arrival of the Tengu signifies that we must set our plans in motion. You remember, right?" Remilia reminded her gently.
Flandre nodded dutifully. Although she desperately wished to stay by her sister's side, she knew Remilia had important responsibilities to manage and couldn't accompany her every single second. Besides, even if her sister returned to the Mansion, traveling back and forth across Terra was hardly a difficult task for them anymore.
Lost in her thoughts, Flandre soon drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.
When the next morning came, she opened her eyes to find that Remilia had unusually not stepped out early.
"Sister?" Flandre rubbed her sleepy eyes.
Hearing her voice, Remilia turned around, watching her dazed little sister climb out of bed. "Are you awake? If you're up, get out of bed properly!" She reached over and gently pinched Flandre's soft cheek.
"Ouch!"
After a quick wash-up, Flandre trotted after Remilia out the door.
"Aren't we going to the cafeteria?" Flandre asked curiously after noticing they weren't heading toward the dining hall.
Remilia reached out and playfully poked Flandre's little tummy. "Eat, eat, eat—that's all that goes through your mind! You've even gained a tiny belly from eating so much, and you're still thinking about food? We are preparing to depart, so we must at least inform the leadership of Rhodes Island!"
Flandre rubbed her stomach, which had turned slightly pink from the poke. "I understand, Sister!"
The two sisters walked side-by-side toward the Rhodes Island Command Center.
The logic behind seeking Kal'tsit out here was simple: there were three primary locations where Doctor Kal'tsit could usually be found—the Command Center, her personal office, and the Medical Department.
In the Medical Department, Kal'tsit functioned strictly as a physician, dealing with complex medical cases and critical patients, making it difficult to hold extended personal conversations. As for her private office, there was a high probability she would only be seen there late at night.
Therefore, after several days of careful observation, Remilia had concluded that the optimal window to speak with Kal'tsit was at the Command Center during her morning rounds. Every day, Kal'tsit would conduct a routine inspection here to assign tactical tasks and organize the landship's operational itinerary.
Sure enough, when Remilia brought Flandre into the tactical hall, Kal'tsit was busy issuing duty orders to several staff Operators.
Noticing the arrival of the Scarlet sisters, Kal'tsit offered a subtle nod to acknowledge their presence, then methodically finished assigning the remaining tasks.
Half an hour later, once everything had been settled, she walked over to them. "My apologies for keeping you both waiting."
Remilia shook her head casually. "We came unannounced; it was no fault of yours. We came today because there is a matter we wish to inform your side about..."
Remilia succinctly relayed the news that the Tengu courier group would be arriving later today.
Kal'tsit listened quietly, offering a small nod. "I heard Doctor Eirin mention previously that once your representatives arrive, you plan to depart Rhodes Island and head toward Lungmen, correct?"
Remilia nodded, confirming the statement.
Kal'tsit took a deep breath, her gaze shifting slightly. "So soon? I had hoped you might be able to stay aboard a bit longer..."
Remilia looked at her calmly. "Doctor Kal'tsit, if there is something specific you require our assistance with, you may speak directly. Though we do intend to depart, if Rhodes Island has pressing matters that need our help, extending our stay by a couple of days is not entirely out of the question."
Kal'tsit looked back at Remilia and laid out her concern plainly.
The matter was straightforward: following the historic success of Whitesmith's surgery, Kal'tsit had intended to request Flandre's help in conducting similar micro-extraction procedures on several other critically ill Infected patients aboard the vessel. However, as she was still drafting the surgical schedules, she suddenly received word that Flandre and Eirin Yagokoro were preparing to leave.
Remilia turned her gaze to Flandre, who blinked her bright red eyes innocently. "I don't mind at all!"
Seeing her sister's willingness, Remilia looked back at Kal'tsit. "Then how about this, Doctor Kal'tsit: arrange the patients who require immediate surgery over the next few days, and we will work continuously to complete all their procedures before we officially take our leave. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, a rare expression of genuine, pleasant surprise washed over Kal'tsit's usually stern face. "Then I cannot thank you enough. I will head to the Medical Department immediately to adjust the surgical queue."
She then turned to Amiya, who was standing nearby holding a stack of reports. "Amiya, I leave the remaining operational duties here in your hands for now. If there is anything you are uncertain about, communicate closely with the senior operators on the bridge."
With that, Kal'tsit hurried out of the Command Center toward the medical wing.
Amiya walked over to Flandre. Although the younger girl had only been aboard for a few short days, she had brought a unique sense of warmth and vitality to Amiya's routine—giving her a rare, cherished feeling of lighthearted happiness. Hearing that Flandre was preparing to leave made a wave of sorrow swell within her heart.
"It's not like I'm leaving right this second, Amiya, so don't be so sad!" Flandre offered a bright, cheerful smile. "Once I get back to Lungmen, I'll definitely send you lots and lots of delicious treats!"
Sensing Flandre's upbeat mood, Amiya pushed down her own reluctance and smiled back earnestly. "Mhm! I will look forward to Flandre's gifts!"