Kal'tsit sank into deep thought as she stared at the figurine of the so-called Saintess of Laterano. Even if this girl named Jeanne truly was a Saintess, it didn't seem to pose an immediate logical problem. Given that it was during the period of negotiations between Ursus and Laterano, it was perfectly normal for a Saintess to appear as a representative.
While common sense could explain it away, Kal'tsit's intuition told her something was fundamentally off. In the doctrines of the Lateran Church, a Saintess held a status equal to, or even surpassing, that of the Pope. Sending such a pivotal figure to a negotiation was excessively risky and completely contrary to the Sankta's usual pragmatic style.
"It seems you recognize the child? It's quite fascinating, really—almost every 'miracle' that has occurred in Laterano recently is tied to this Jeanne d'Arc."
Outcast wasn't surprised that Kal'tsit knew the Saintess. At this point, she wouldn't be surprised if this doctor knew every soul on Terra.
The Doctor, however, stiffened upon hearing the name. That name was far from unfamiliar. But to hear it in this place, in this era... it was startling. Such a person shouldn't exist in this timeline. Looking closely at the figurine, the Doctor noted that she lacked the unique racial characteristics that defined almost every inhabitant of Terra.
"Thank you for the intelligence, Outcast. This is vital to us..."
The Doctor's contemplative expression and Kal'tsit's lingering surprise did not escape Theresa's eyes. Outcast took her cue and bid them farewell, leaving the room. As for the "Holy Water" she had mentioned, Kal'tsit had already promised it would be delivered to her quarters later.
Once the door closed, Theresa and the Doctor turned their gaze toward Kal'tsit, waiting for the only person who had actually dealt with the girl to speak.
After a long silence, Kal'tsit recounted her encounter with the girl. Finally, she added in an uncertain tone:
"I did indeed meet a girl who looks identical to this Saintess. However, at the time, her companion didn't call her Jeanne d'Arc. Instead, they called her..."
"Jeanne, right?"
Before Kal'tsit could finish, the Doctor, who had been silent for so long, suddenly spoke. They pronounced the name "Jeanne" with perfect accuracy in the Ursine tongue.
"How did you know?"
Kal'tsit didn't react to the interruption itself, but she was genuinely curious how the Doctor knew the name. She didn't recall ever mentioning the girl's name to them. Had she muttered it in her sleep? Or had she told them once and simply forgotten?
"So you do know this Saintess? It's not entirely surprising; she is clearly of your kind."
Theresa was well aware of the Doctor's unique nature, and those traits matched the girl perfectly. They had to be the same type of existence. The only difference was that this girl didn't seem to need the heavy, suffocating layers of protection the Doctor wore—protection that covered every inch down to the teeth.
"Theoretically, we both fall under the category of 'Old Humans.' But whether she is the Jeanne I know... that remains to be seen."
The Doctor began to wonder if their mental state was deteriorating further. Why would Jeanne appear in this world? It defied all logic. For a moment, the Doctor suspected their cognitive perception had warped to the point of hallucination. But since they could still communicate clearly with Theresa and Kal'tsit, their sanity couldn't have eroded that far yet.
"You seem to be doubting your own mental state. Do you need me to help you 'clear' your head?"
Kal'tsit looked at the Doctor with her signature flat expression. She wondered if this person was finally going to snap. It wasn't just her imagination—the Doctor's mental state had been increasingly unstable lately. She had caught them acting out several times at work, occasionally behaving in ways that almost looked like they were teasing the female operators. If she didn't know them so well (and their gender), she might have suspected the Doctor was simply going through a "springtime of youth" phase.
"I am perfectly clear-headed! Theoretically, anyway. But are you sure this Jeanne you saw was a living, breathing person? Could it be that your age is finally catching up to your eyes and memory?"
The Doctor still couldn't accept that the girl they were discussing was the girl from those old history they've heard. It wasn't a lack of ability to accept new things; it was simply that no one would believe it if you told them someone from centuries ago had crawled out of their grave.
"If you have nothing useful to say, don't speak at all. How could I not tell if someone is alive? I spoke with her, I touched her. Do you think a nineteen-year-old girl could hide something like that from me?"
Kal'tsit immediately fired back. To her, the Doctor was just being contrarian for the sake of it. And they always loved to bring up her age. How old am I exactly? She hadn't bothered to calculate that in a long time; the number had long since lost its meaning.
"No, I'm not doubting your eyes. I'm doubting if you saw a ghost! This person named Jeanne died... I don't even know how many years before I was born!"
The Doctor didn't have the heart to argue about age. They were fixated on the identity. Was it truly her? Or just a girl with the same name? Or perhaps some creation of church fanatics? They remembered how crazy those religious types could be.
"Look, Theresa—would you believe it if the very first Demon King of Kazdel suddenly walked through that door today? That's exactly how I feel!"
The Doctor used an analogy that both of them could understand. Theresa and Kal'tsit exchanged a look and nodded in comprehension.
"A person who has been dead for countless years... if she really lived until now, she'd be even older than you, Kal'tsit. If it really is her, it can only be described as a miracle of God."
Thinking it over, the Doctor could only use the word "miracle." Cloning was unrealistic; her body had been reduced to ash in the fires, and after so much time, it was an impossible feat.
"My advice is simple: stay out of it."
The Doctor gave Theresa this warning because they realized the situation was far too deep for them to intervene in now. If it was a fake Jeanne, it didn't matter. But if she was truly that Saintess... A "demon" trying to pick a fight with a genuine Saint? That took a level of courage comparable to trying to saw through a live lightbulb with your eyes full of tears.
Based on the Doctor's own calculations, there was a 90% chance the girl was the real deal. If she had been dragged into this, the conspirators had likely succeeded in their opening move, and they wouldn't be "sneering" for much longer.
Theresa ultimately could only pray her brother would remain calm. She would keep a subtle eye on his movements regarding the Golden Horn, but Babel simply didn't have the energy to intervene. Their own struggle with Theresis was reaching its climax. For now, they could only watch from the sidelines. Not helping Theresis was the greatest effort they could afford to make. After all, they didn't have the right to stop the Sarkaz from seeking their own "rise," however misguided the path.
Meanwhile, Jeanne, currently making her way toward the frozen tundras, was entirely unconcerned with the shadows converging on her. Or rather, she had never been one to fear a fight. She didn't love battle, but she had never once shied away from the struggle.