Hearing Ch'en mention the blinding sphere of light, Lemuen shot a quick glance at Jeanne before continuing her thrilling task of hiding the hardware. One had to admit, fiddling with illegal armaments right under the nose of a high-ranking Guard Department official was an incredibly stimulating experience!
"That? You could say it's a unique Originium Art of mine," Jeanne replied after a moment of thought. She felt that a true explanation would take more than a sentence or two, so she opted for the "universal excuse" of Originium Arts to cover the phenomenon.
Ch'en nodded as if she understood. she figured it was likely a racial trait of Jeanne's, similar to the ancient inheritances of certain elder races. As for what race Jeanne actually was? Ch'en still had her doubts. No matter how many times she looked, she couldn't spot any distinct racial features. Could she be one of those mysterious Aegir? she wondered.
The group chatted idly for a while, but it was clear that Jeanne's energy levels were far lower than the previous day. She looked listless and weak, as if she hadn't eaten in days.
"Exactly how long has it been since you've eaten? Did the people at Penguin Logistics mistreat you while you were staying there?" Ch'en asked, worried about Jeanne's health. She originally intended to take them straight to the hospital for an exam, but Jeanne refused, insisting that a good meal would fix everything.
Unable to dissuade her, Ch'en brought them to a noodle shop. She wanted to confirm for herself if Jeanne's state could truly be recovered just by eating.
Then, she witnessed a legendary feat: Jeanne devoured twenty bowls of ramen and two large flatbreads. The shop owner kept running outside to double-check his sign, making sure he hadn't accidentally advertised an "all-you-can-eat" buffet.
Watching Jeanne consume such a mountain of food without her stomach even bulging, Ch'en silently put away her phone. Just a moment ago, she was ready to dial emergency services, thinking Jeanne was eating her "last meal." If Jeanne had asked for help, Ch'en would have rushed her to the ER immediately.
"Whew... I'm back to normal. I didn't expect to eat that much. I don't usually have such a huge appetite," Jeanne said, looking at the "battlefield" of empty bowls she had created. She felt she was trending dangerously close to the Artoria-type diet.
"I'm honestly curious where all that food went. You don't look any different!" Lemuen remarked with a mix of awe and surprise. She couldn't help but marvel that a Saint truly was a Saint—even her appetite was on a different level from ordinary folk.
"It seems that once you're full, you really are fine. That puts my mind at ease," Ch'en said, letting out a sigh of relief as she saw the energetic Jeanne she remembered from yesterday return.
It seemed Jeanne was telling the truth: her special Originium Art didn't just require her staff; it demanded an immense amount of physical stamina. To Ch'en—who couldn't just "consume" Originium to replenish her own arts—this seemed like a highly restrictive ability. No wonder such a power wasn't well-known.
"In that case, I'll be heading back. You two should get some rest early. After such an ordeal, you need to recover your spirits." Seeing that they were both safe, Ch'en departed. Her primary thought now was to interrogate the prisoners and find out who had the audacity to pull a stunt like this in her city.
As for Jeanne and Lemuen? They weren't far from the Penguin Logistics residence. Ch'en often ran into them when she went to buy breakfast on her way to work. Besides, this was the Upper City. Unlike the areas near the slums, no matter how powerful the mastermind was, they wouldn't have the courage to cause trouble here. The rules of the Upper City were a completely different game.
On the other side of town, Shirayuki was respectfully reporting to Wei Yenwu and Madam Fumizuki. She recounted her experience fighting alongside Jeanne and the intel she had gathered through her observations.
"Is that so? You may step down. Once you return, reflect on where your shortcomings were during this process."
"Yes, Princess." At Fumizuki's words, Shirayuki bowed and vanished from the room.
Throughout the report, Wei Yenwu sat in silence.
"It seems you still underestimated Jeanne's status in Laterano. In all my years, this is the first time I've heard of Laterano being willing to issue a revolver cannon as a sidearm just to protect one person," Fumizuki said, turning to her husband.
Wei Yenwu nodded in grim agreement. "You're right. I did underestimate that girl. Fortunately, she has enough martial might to protect herself, otherwise Lungmen might have faced a true catastrophe."
His eyes flickered with a mix of anger and lingering fear. He no longer cared that Lemuen had smuggled such a devastating weapon into his territory; in fact, he was secretly grateful for that revolver cannon. If anything had happened to that "honored guest," it would have triggered a political nightmare centered on Lungmen.
From the looks of it, Jeanne's status in Laterano might be on par with an Archbishop who governs an entire city. A Laterano Archbishop held a rank similar to a Prefect in Yan—higher even than a City Statesman like himself. Even if she had entered the city quietly to experience the culture, she was a legal tourist! If an accident happened to her here, Lungmen would be held solely responsible.
"But what is this all about? Why would someone suddenly attack them? Does someone want her to meet with an accident in Lungmen just to put us in a disadvantageous position?" An enraged Wei Yenwu accidentally crushed his favorite tobacco pouch. His refined aura vanished, replaced by the presence of a blade about to be unsheathed.
"Wait for Little Ch'en to get something out of the prisoners before you start your own investigation. Don't go beating the grass and scaring the snake, or the one hiding in the back will slip away," Fumizuki advised. She knew her husband was truly furious, and when he was this angry, someone was going to have a very bad day.
"I know. I'm not so reckless as to become a boor. We'll wait for news from Ch'en." Wei Yenwu calmed himself, looking regretfully at the ruins of his favorite tobacco pouch.
"It's just as well. Take the opportunity to quit smoking. Now, compose yourself—don't you have a meeting soon?" Fumizuki teased.
"Chief Wei, there is a Liberi woman outside who says she has an appointment. She claims she contacted you previously..." The phone on the desk rang. It was the front desk.
"Send her in!" Wei Yenwu sat back at his desk, clearly placing high importance on this meeting. Madam Fumizuki rose and retreated to an adjacent room, not wishing to interfere with the discussion.
Knock, knock, knock!
A moment later, the door opened. A Liberi woman with vibrant red hair walked in. Even among her own kin, that shade of red was exceptionally striking.
"Greetings, Chief Wei. I am a messenger under the Laterano Bishop. You may call me by my code name... Shimmering Vigil."