Inside the bar, the Emperor sat in his usual spot as the smiling Mostima walked in. Seeing her arrival, the Emperor shook the glass held in his wing under the light before draining it in one gulp.
"I knew you always brought back strange things, but I didn't expect you to bring back such a big shot this time! I knew you were a rare talent."
The Emperor hopped off his stool and walked toward Mostima as he spoke. He then patted her leg to show his appreciation. If things had gone according to the Emperor's plan, he would have patted Mostima's shoulder, but the height difference was simply too vast. He had no choice but to settle for the leg he could actually reach.
This was why the Emperor complained more than once about why a penguin's wings were so short. If he were any other bird, reaching someone's waist would be no problem, but with his poor "little" short flippers...
"It seems you've also noticed the uniqueness about Jeanne."
Mostima maintained her signature enigmatic smile. As they spoke, the two sat down across from each other, meeting eye to eye.
"I thought you knew something. I merely sensed a peculiar power hidden within her. I am just a weak "little" penguin who relies on having lived a long time and seen much; I don't know everything."
The Emperor looked at Mostima, complaining that asking a penguin to observe such a person was truly pushing the limits of his species.
"What is wrong with this era? To think such terrifying power has appeared. If the power inside that girl Jeanne were to erupt, even I might not be able to escape... Should I head back to my hometown and hide for a while?"
The Emperor lowered his head, using a wing to groom his beak while grumbling to Mostima. He was just a penguin who wanted to enjoy his current life in peace; those things from the past had nothing to do with him anymore. He didn't want to be involved in that realm at all.
"She won't do that. I only let her come here after meeting her personally. Besides, the other reason is that they lacked a suitable place to stay, and Penguin Logistics is quite convenient."
The Emperor agreed with Mostima on that point. Although they had only met once, he believed Jeanne wasn't the type to release her power over a slight disagreement.
"I don't know much about her either. I only know that a short while ago, she suddenly became the Saintess of Laterano. This was intel my monitors only received after a mission was assigned."
Mostima didn't hide anything and spoke the news she knew plainly. However, this information didn't allow her to understand the specifics, especially that power that made "It" feel afraid. When she met Jeanne, that fellow (the being inside her staves) suddenly hid inside the locks and refused to communicate with her, entering a state of near-total self-seclusion.
This was the first time Mostima had encountered such a bizarre situation. Since she didn't have a deep understanding of such beings, the first person she thought of was the Emperor, who belonged to the same category.
"A Saintess? That's a term I haven't heard in many years. But your Laterano hasn't designated a Saintess in ages, has it? I always thought it was just a vacant title."
In the Emperor's memory, Laterano seemed to have never selected a Saintess. This position, described as the spokesperson for God, had always hung high in the sky for people to look up to. By the modern era, when other nations mentioned a Saintess, the first thing they thought of was Kjerag, covered in ice and snow. The Laterano Saintess had been forgotten by everyone.
"Yes. In the history of Laterano, no one has ever held the title of Saintess. It's as if the Saintess simply didn't exist."
Having lived in Laterano, Mostima could fluently recite the church's scriptures. Even back then, she had felt doubtful about this. Since a Saintess had never existed, where did the name come from? And who established the title?
"Ah... then it's not surprising. But to think that old geezer actually caught up to it? I even made a bet with him—I bet whether he could see a true Saintess in his lifetime."
The Emperor hopped off the sofa and paced back and forth with his flippers behind his back. No expression could be seen on that bird face, but his pace was light as he waddled to and fro.
"Is there some special significance to a Saintess?"
Mostima still didn't quite understand the Emperor's attitude. Her knowledge of the Saintess was limited to those few written records; she didn't know the concrete meaning behind them. So, while she respected Jeanne, she didn't fully grasp what being a "Spokesperson of God" meant.
"That is the lifelong pursuit of Laterano, especially after those old fogies pulled off a major event. The appearance of a Saintess means Laterano returns to its glory. You young people wouldn't understand."
The Emperor waved his wing. He was currently trying to recall exactly what he had bet with that old man; too much time had passed, and his memory was a bit fuzzy.
"However, these things have nothing to do with me anymore. I am just a penguin hoping to live in peace in a corner of the world. I don't plan to get involved with things like gods or demons; they aren't even as valuable as me releasing two new songs."
With that, the Emperor gave up on obsessing over Jeanne's identity. For him now, dwelling on these questions was less meaningful than collecting his Siren Records.
"I want to know, if Lemuen stays by Jeanne's side, will it have any severe impact on her?"
Mostima's question momentarily stumped the Emperor. After that slender penguin head swayed a few times, he spoke:
"How could there be an impact? That isn't the kind of creature living inside your 'thing' (the staves); the two cannot be compared! Even if there is an impact, it will only be for the better."
The Emperor's words allowed Mostima to put her heart at ease. She realized she had likely just overthought it. How could the power of God harm a devout believer? It was just that something similar had happened to Lemuen before, so she had hoped for a definitive answer. Even if Lemuen herself no longer cared or even mentioned the incident, Mostima couldn't let it go so easily. The event had clearly left a deep impression on her heart.
"If there's nothing else, I'm heading back. Tomorrow I need to find a time to have a good chat with that old geezer Wei Yenwu. Just because they knocked down a few dilapidated buildings, he dares to openly cheat me out of so much money? He thinks I'm a sucker? No way!"
The Emperor walked away with his flippers behind his back, still cursing Wei Yenwu. Just before Exusiai and the others had come in, the repair bill he received for the damages could only be described as extortion. If it weren't for the fact that the old man was the ruler of Lungmen, the Emperor would have stormed into his house tonight and plucked several dragon whiskers from his face before calling it a night.