"Finished?"
When Jeanne stepped outside, Laurent was already seated near the straw pile by the doorway.
The small house beside them was the place they'd shared for many years.
But now, Laurent's voice carried a sarcastic undertone.
Jeanne approached and sat down beside him as she always did.
"Yes."
She nodded softly.
Clap clap clap.
Laurent clapped mockingly.
"Truly impressive—convincing your own parents to let you go to war. As expected of you, Jeanne."
"Laurent, you know saying such things is useless."
"Yeah, useless indeed. After all, no words can persuade someone who's determined to rush to their own death."
"Laurent…"
He didn't respond, instead gazing toward the cross at Jeanne's chest.
"Do you remember your thirteenth birthday?"
Jeanne gently placed her hand on the cross.
"I worked for three days straight and begged the village blacksmith to make that for you."
Jeanne took over his words:
"You said you hoped I'd wear it for many years. Actually, Laurent, you've always known what would happen now, haven't you?"
"So what if I did?"
He scoffed.
"Change it? Yeah, I've thought about changing it. Like tainting your purity as a saint, or making you stay here forever, by whatever means I could."
Jeanne fell silent.
"But what good would that do? What I want isn't some soulless body—it's the real Jeanne d'Arc. And certainly not the Jeanne I see now!"
Laurent looked off into the distance.
"Jeanne, have you ever thought about it? If those angels had never appeared, how different things might've been…"
A complicated emotion flickered in Jeanne's eyes as her fingers tightened slightly around the cross.
Every time her heart wavered, this cross gave her courage—making her believe that Laurent would always support her.
"If you're still trying to persuade me, give it up, Jeanne. I'll never agree with your choice. But I also know I can't stop you anymore. Wars will never end. People will always fight, large or small. Even if I stop you now, what about later? I can't watch you every moment to stop you from dying. But even so, I, Laurent, swear here upon my own life—I absolutely won't let you die."
Jeanne said nothing. She slowly leaned her head onto his shoulder.
"I wish you could trust me, Laurent, just as I've always trusted you. Believe that I can succeed, that I can accomplish everything."
"I do trust you—but not on this."
He stopped speaking about it.
"You know, I've never said this clearly before."
"Mm."
"I really like being by your side. It gives me a sense of peace."
"Mm."
The girl simply nodded softly, answering each of his words.
"That's why I always wanted you to stay beside me."
"Mm."
"I love you, Jeanne. Every moment we've spent together, in the past and even right now—I treasure them all."
They fell silent, the conversation ending there.
Jeanne shuffled slightly closer, pressing against him gently.
"Careful, Jeanne. Behave yourself or you'll lose your Saint status."
The girl ignored his teasing.
"Laurent, what kind of person do you wish I could be?"
He thought briefly.
"Exactly as you are, except obediently staying by my side."
Jeanne chuckled softly.
"Then I suppose I'll disappoint you. Even so, promise me—no matter what happens in the future, please don't let your anger spill over onto innocent people."
He frowned slightly.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
He gave a dissatisfied snort. Jeanne wasn't sure if he'd listened to her words or not.
"Laurent, I love you too."
"I hope it's not the same broad, universal love as your Lord's."
"It's exactly the kind of love you wish it were."
Jeanne's voice softened, almost pleading:
"When I leave… will you see me off?"
He didn't answer.
...
A week after that conversation, Jeanne began preparing everything for her journey.
Clothes, food—everything she'd need.
Laurent merely watched from the side.
Soon enough, the day of departure arrived.
Today, many people gathered at the village entrance.
Yet none of their faces held happiness.
"Girl from the d'Arc family, are you really sure about this? Isn't living here in the village with Laurent good enough?"
Many tried to persuade her otherwise.
Indeed, in the villagers' eyes, Laurent and Jeanne were clearly destined to be together.
Today, Jeanne was dressed in men's clothing. This wasn't only for convenience during travel, but also due to women's status at the time.
She shook her head calmly.
"No, I've decided."
She glanced around the crowd, feeling disappointed when she didn't spot Laurent anywhere.
Was it because he couldn't accept her departure?
Laurent was indeed that kind of person.
But since she'd resolved to save him, to save France, she couldn't allow her heart to waver anymore!
"Jeanne—let me call you that one last time."
Uncle Jacques spoke reluctantly.
"Are you really not going to talk this through with Laurent?"
"No, Father. Laurent… would probably only suffer more if he came."
"My child, he truly loves you deeply. At least…at least clearly tell him your feelings before you go. Otherwise, Laurent…he'll…"
Jeanne gave a lonely smile tinged with sadness, then turned toward her relative beside her, Durand Lassois.
"Uncle Durand, let's go."
"Mm."
He nodded. Durand didn't quite understand all the details himself; he'd just come to escort Jeanne to nearby Vaucouleurs.
Jacques and the villagers could no longer say anything to hold her back.
Jeanne stepped forward onto her destined journey.
If I'm not yet beneath the glory of God, may the Lord grant it to me. If I already am, may the Lord still grant it to me.
These were the words in her heart.
Please, no matter what, don't let the prophecy come true—otherwise she'd never forgive herself.
That path was one filled with darkness, and along it, Laurent's fate would be far worse than death.
My Lord, please grant me success on this journey.
Yet Jeanne didn't know that, at this very moment, Laurent had also packed his luggage and the savings he'd gathered over three years.
Checking over his belongings one final time, he quietly slipped out from the edge of the village where no one could see him. Finally, he took out the ring he'd prepared for their marriage, threaded a string through it, and hung it gently around his neck. He kissed it softly.
"Alright. It's about time I took action myself. I won't allow any of those things to happen—no matter what."
---
T/N: sometimes the protagonist addresses jeanne differently either as "Jeanne" (让) or "Jeanne d'Arc" (贞德). iiiiiiiiits obv because uhhhh when its jeanne its the lovely village girl and when its jeanne d'arc its the holy maiden