After dinner that evening, the Rhodes Island Operators expressed that the profound kindness they had received from Remilia and her group today could not be fully repaid with mere words. Therefore, they insisted that the night watch duty be handled entirely by the Rhodes Island personnel.
"Alright then, we shall leave tonight's camp security to everyone from Rhodes Island," Remilia replied calmly, choosing not to decline their offer.
Hearing her consent, the Rhodes Island squad felt significantly more at ease. After all, their combat capabilities were modest compared to their hosts, but they felt a deep sense of guilt doing nothing at all to contribute to the group.
Soon, Jianshi organized a structured rotation for his team, setting up watch shifts through the night. Following a brief period of light conversation around the dying fire, everyone retired to their respective quarters to rest.
The next morning, the operators woke up to the sight of Sakuya Izayoi and Flandre Scarlet returning from beyond the perimeter. Each carried a pair of writhing Needle Fleas in their hands, chatting and laughing casually as if returning from a pleasant morning stroll.
At that moment, Jianshi and another operator happened to be on duty for the final watch shift. Both widened their eyes in utter disbelief, rubbing them repeatedly before looking around the tent area in complete confusion. Only after confirming that no one else was outside did they stare at the pair with stunned expressions.
They were thoroughly baffled.
As professional Rhodes Island wilderness exploration personnel, their guard rotation wasn't designed merely to observe external threats; it was also structured to maintain constant visual surveillance over the interior of the campsite itself. In the unforgiving wastes of Terra, threats didn't always materialize from distant horizons—they could erupt from subterranean beasts beneath the camp or stem from unstable elements within a convoy.
Therefore, whenever establishing a field camp, their perimeter monitoring was required to be absolute, multi-layered, and entirely free of blind spots.
Yet, both Jianshi and his fellow watcher were absolutely certain they had not seen either Sakuya or Flandre step past their guard posts. Had the pair slipped out prior to the guard shift change, or had they moved during the brief handoff interval?
Uncertain, Jianshi immediately questioned the two operators who had covered the watch during the first half of the night. Both firmly insisted that they, too, had not observed Flandre or Sakuya leaving the campsite.
Flandre, of course, understood the exact reason behind Jianshi's bewildered mumblings. When she had quietly snuck out earlier that morning, her initial intention had been to play a mischievous prank on the unsuspecting sentries. However, Sakuya had arrived at that exact microsecond, whisking her away directly before the sentries could catch a whisper of her movement. Otherwise, Jianshi and his team would have spotted the child long ago.
Once outside the camp, Flandre and Sakuya had swiftly traveled back to the nesting site where Flandre had previously hunted. The two carefully sorted through a swarm of angry Needle Fleas whose morning slumber had been rudely disturbed, eventually selecting four of the largest specimens before making a swift return.
And thus, the exact scene that caused several seasoned Rhodes Island Operators to question their very sanity came to pass.
Following a somewhat conflicted breakfast, the combined convoy resumed its journey across the plains toward Rhodes Island.
Jianshi forced a stiff smile onto his face as he checked his compass. "Rhodes Island is currently stationed approximately forty kilometers ahead. At our current pace, we should comfortably reach the landship today."
"That is excellent news," Remilia murmured, a rare, elegant smile gracing her lips.
Truth be told, after traveling across the harsh, lawless territories of Terra for such a prolonged duration, even she felt a touch of physical exhaustion creeping into her frame. Not to mention Patchouli, whose delicate constitution made long travel a constant burden.
Only Flandre remained overflowing with endless energy, endlessly curious about every rock and ridge outside the window. Anyone else in her position would have been far too tired to move... much like the martial artist currently slumping against the driver's bench, sound asleep with her chin resting on her chest.
Perhaps sensing Remilia's cool gaze piercing through the cabin glass from behind, Hong Meiling suddenly shivered, snapping awake with a start.
"Huh... I felt a sudden draft, as if someone were staring directly at me," Meiling muttered, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. She let out a small yawn, leaned her back comfortably against the wooden frame of the carriage, and promptly drifted back into a light nap.
As the distance to their destination steadily shrank, the long-range communicators strapped to Jianshi's squad finally picked up the localized tactical signal of Rhodes Island. They immediately transmitted an encrypted broadcast, reporting the absolute safety of their unit and detailing how the primary route had been rendered impassable by the sudden Catastrophe.
After listening to their operational briefing, a remarkably steady, composed female voice echoed through the speaker.
"It is fortunate that your squad remains intact. Shortly after our monitoring stations detected the atmospheric anomaly, we halted the landship's advance and were preparing to dispatch field operators to establish a search grid for your unit. We shall await your safe return at the main vessel."
Just as the line was about to terminate, Jianshi quickly spoke up, providing a concise account of their encounter with Remilia's mysterious party and their subsequent rescue.
Upon hearing his report, an extended silence fell over the receiver before the composed voice resonated once more.
"This vessel understands. Proceed with the escort."
Only after the transmission cut out did Jianshi finally let out a long, relieved breath.
"That voice across the communication device possessed a remarkably authoritative cadence," Remilia remarked from within the carriage. "Must that be Ms. Amiya, the renowned young leader of Rhodes Island?"
"No, Amiya is actually a young child," Flandre chimed in, leaning against the seat cushions. "Someone who speaks with such rigid maturity and delights in hiding half of her true meaning behind veiled words... that is definitely Dr. Kal'tsit."
After all, if Remilia were to mistakenly address Dr. Kal'tsit as 'Amiya' upon their formal meeting tonight, the situation would be far too hilarious. Although Flandre thoroughly enjoyed playing lighthearted pranks, she knew better than to mislead her sister regarding diplomatic matters.
Hearing Flandre's casual clarification, Remilia's brows knitted together into a subtle frown.
Both the cold, absolute tone conveyed over the communicator and the subconscious reverence exhibited by Jianshi and his fellow operators the exact second that voice resonated through the speaker indicated a singular, undeniable reality: the individual speaking was the actual, operational leader and core administrator of Rhodes Island.
Yet, that supreme executive authority, by all public accounts, ought to belong to Amiya.
After all, whether through intelligence gathered during their encounters with Reunion or from Flandre's own descriptions, the official leader of Rhodes Island was consistently named as Amiya. Dr. Kal'tsit was merely designated as the head of the Medical Department and the temporary legal guardian to the underage Cautus leader.
Thus, in Remilia's aristocratic view, the atmosphere of excessive submission and solemn reverence these field operators instinctively displayed toward Kal'tsit was far from healthy for a structured organization.
No matter where one looked—be it a sovereign kingdom, a noble bloodline, or a commercial enterprise—there could ultimately exist only a single absolute center of authority. Currently, while Amiya carried the nominal title of leader, it was Kal'tsit who commanded absolute functional control, creating a profound, hidden destabilizing factor within the organization's political structure.
After all, who could guarantee that Lady Kal'tsit would not eventually grow covetous of ultimate authority, moving to quietly suppress or marginalize the young lord as she came of age?
While such internal political dynamics wouldn't directly impact the Scarlet Devil Mansion's immediate safety, it nevertheless reinforced Remilia's conviction that any potential long-term strategic partnership with Rhodes Island would require a meticulous assessment of political risk.
Regents and young lords... a timeless, dangerous classic, Remilia thought, her eyes narrowing slightly as she gracefully lifted the delicate porcelain teacup that Sakuya had just set in her hand.
Flandre had zero inkling that a mere casual comment on her part had triggered such a complex mental storm within her elder sister's mind. She simply gazed through the carriage glass with bright curiosity, looking toward the far horizon.
Rhodes Island—a deep, lingering obsession inherited from another consciousness tied to her own soul.
She truly wanted to personally pet that soft, hard-working little bunny named Amiya. She wanted to stand beside them, preserving this fragile, beautiful sanctuary built for starry-eyed idealists in a brutal world.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the imposing silhouette of Rhodes Island finally materialized before the traveling group.
Though the members of the Scarlet Devil Mansion had already witnessed massive Mobile Cities and heavy industrial platforms across their journey through Terra, the physical presence of Rhodes Island looming upon the horizon still managed to deliver a striking visual impact.
Docked quietly across a vast, barren gravel expanse, the solitary mobile landship resembled a resting, primeval dragon. Under the golden rays of the late afternoon sun, its steel hull exuded a silent, overwhelming aura of absolute power and endurance.
"That is Rhodes Island," Jianshi stated, his tone thoroughly saturated with quiet pride and unshakeable belonging. "Our home."
Remilia glided toward the window, her crimson eyes quietly observing the operator. She could clearly feel the profound, unconditional sense of allegiance he held toward the steel giant ahead.