Three days later, the high-profile bilateral meeting between the two nations officially began in Chernobog. Since the day of its inception, this city had never seen a moment of such intense global focus.
As a dialogue between the powers of Laterano and Ursus, the event naturally drew the attention of countless merchants and media outlets. Everyone watched the negotiations closely, driven by their own vested interests.
Meanwhile, Jeanne and Talulah, who were staying with Azazel, had completed their preparations. As the undisclosed third party, they prepared to head to the meeting site under the guidance of Lemuen.
"You'd better be fully prepared! Today is essentially your solo debut. Even if it's just for the sake of that outfit your domesticated snake sent you, don't go embarrassing me out there, kid," Jeanne said with a mischievous grin as she looked at Talulah in her new clothes.
Perhaps due to the new attire sent by Kashchey, Talulah looked much more spirited today than usual. Unfortunately, the outfit was still the same style of military uniform she always wore. Even though Kashchey had spent an entire day nagging in her ear, Talulah had refused to switch to any other type of clothing.
"If you could just stay quiet by my side and keep your comments to a minimum, I might not be this nervous," Talulah retorted, rolling her eyes at Jeanne as they walked. However, looking at the way her tail was swishing back and forth behind her, it was clear her psychological pressure was anything but small.
What Talulah found most incomprehensible was her "Big Sister" beside her. For the past few days, Jeanne had acted as if nothing was happening—eating and drinking as usual, as if this summit weren't a major event at all. But Talulah understood; to Jeanne, it really wasn't that big a deal. It was just a meeting with an Emperor; Jeanne saw no reason to burden herself with such stress.
"Alright, you two, stop dawdling. Let's get moving. The earlier we arrive, the less likely we are to be spotted by others. You don't want to be caught by those reporters, do you?" Lemuen urged, watching their interaction. It was no easy feat to reach the meeting venue without being noticed by anyone. The area was already under tight surveillance by various media crews; some reporters had even been camping out nearby for days just to snag an exclusive scoop.
"Alright, alright. Looks like I'll have to handle this. You just drive, Lemuen; I'll come up with a plan," Jeanne said.
The three of them climbed into the Originium vehicle and headed toward their destination—a building located somewhere on Chernobog's central street where the international summit was to take place. As for Lyudmila, who had recently joined them, she had left early that morning to find a hidden vantage point to scout information on the Mayor. She hadn't forgotten her vendetta against him. According to her, that man would definitely show his face at such a major event to promote the city he governed to the international media and, more importantly, to attract sponsors. She didn't plan to assassinate him just yet, but assessing his security detail was a necessary step.
"By the way, the streets are so empty today! If we had taken this route at this time a few days ago, it'd be hard to imagine it being this clear," Lemuen remarked. When she had driven out previously, the traffic on this street was so bad she'd nearly smashed her steering wheel in frustration.
"Mainly because fewer people chose to head out today. They say the Mayor managed local vehicle access in advance to prevent massive traffic jams from delaying the meeting... Turn left now!"
Acting as the navigator, Jeanne chatted with the other two while using her all-purpose Revelation to find the optimal route. It had to be said that the Revelation ability was incredibly convenient; Jeanne could no longer imagine her life without it.
Just as they made a sharp turn and vanished from the main road, they remained unaware of a reporter lurking just ahead, ready to photograph every car that passed. He was gambling on whether the Laterano Bishops would pass through here and if they would try to hide their identities. If he could catch just one such detail, his year-end bonus would be secure. For a minor reporter like him, important venues were out of reach; he could only pray for luck in corners like this. Unfortunately, his luck was poor; he had just brushed past a massive story.
"No need to be so tense. It's better to relax a little. If you keep this up, you might make a mistake out of sheer nerves before we even get there," Jeanne advised Talulah, who had been staring silently out the window. Hearing this, Talulah finally pulled her gaze back.
"I'm not nervous. I was just looking at the scenery. Unless you're the one who's nervous and you're trying to use me to calm yourself down?" Talulah replied with a rare bit of feigned toughness. Yet, the effort she put into covering it up and her extreme denial only served to expose her true feelings.
"Then pull your tail back. If that's not caused by nerves, are you hungry and looking to eat someone today?"
Jeanne's words made Talulah realize that her tail, which had been moving restlessly since they got into the car, was currently wrapped around Jeanne's waist like a python preparing to feed.
Embarrassed, Talulah hurried to pull her tail back. Just as Jeanne's ahoge would spin when she lied, Jeanne had long since discovered that Talulah's tail would move uncontrollably when she was nervous. Jeanne wasn't worried about the tail hurting her; she was just worried that if it kept flailing about, it might accidentally pull the door handle open.
Looking at Talulah, who was desperately trying to act composed, Jeanne reached out and squeezed her hand. Talulah felt a wave of warmth spread from Jeanne's palm. Her hand, which had turned cold from anxiety, felt the warmth instantly travel from her fingertips straight to her heart.
With just this small gesture from Jeanne, Talulah felt her heart beat with more strength than before. Now, she felt a surge of power throughout her body. For the past few days, the weight of the upcoming meeting with the Emperor—and how it would dictate the future of Reunion—had felt like a crushing burden on her shoulders, making it hard for her to breathe.
But at the moment she held Jeanne's hand, Talulah recalled all the scenes of them walking side-by-side throughout this journey. As long as Jeanne was by her side, her heart was filled with courage.
"Jeanne, thank you for staying by my side and walking this path with me."