After Hellagur left, Talulah, who had been suppressing her joy, finally let out a satisfied expression. Her face looked as if the words "My hard work lately hasn't been in vain" were written all over it.
"Yes, yes, yes, your hard work wasn't in vain. But you'll have to work even harder from here on out! I reckon that once you get back, the amount of things you'll need to be busy with won't be small..."
Jeanne watched Talulah's wagging tail, leaned over, and whispered into her ear. In return, she received only a flat, emotionless roll of the eyes from Talulah.
Can't you say fewer "honest truths"? Why do you have to say such a terrifying thing out loud? Can't you let me be happy for a few days? Doing things like this will get you bitten...
Just as Talulah was pondering how to deal with this woman, Hellagur walked back in, leading a figure in white. Talulah immediately saw the figure behind Hellagur; she looked exactly like the person in the photograph the Bishop had given them. From the looks of it, this was Kal'tsit.
Talulah noticed a few small bloodstains on the hem of her clothes. It seemed she had rushed over immediately after finishing a surgery.
At the same time, Kal'tsit was silently observing the two people before her. This gave her a chance to properly examine Jeanne. It was a very rare combination: a nearly extinct Draco and... someone whose race was completely unidentifiable.
Although the Aegir race lacked the obvious racial characteristics of others, Kal'tsit, who had seen countless people over the years, quickly dismissed the possibility of Jeanne being Aegir. The girl before her did not belong to the Aegir; she lacked that unique temperament characteristic of marine life. This girl belonged to... another special race, just like that person!
At this moment, Kal'tsit's gaze toward Jeanne became incredibly sharp. She was intensely curious about this sudden appearance of a human. Could there really be survivors in this world other than the Doctor?
But she wasn't wearing equipment similar to the Doctor's! Without the protection of those things, how had this girl lived until now without being infected by those things?
Meanwhile, Mon3tr within her body felt another surge of fear. This emotional fluctuation was even more pronounced than the last time! If it weren't for the fact that years of companionship had made Mon3tr trust that Kal'tsit wouldn't harm it, it would have forcibly detached from her body and fled as far away as possible.
Because of Mon3tr's unrest and Jeanne's uncertain situation, Kal'tsit—almost forgetting she was the one who had sought them out—subconsciously added a layer of vigilance to this meeting. However, her gaze toward Jeanne also caused Talulah's displeasure. That strange hostility made Talulah frown slightly.
Hellagur, standing to the side, looked at the slightly tense atmosphere with confusion. He couldn't quite understand how two parties who had never met before could be so hostile.
"This is Dr. Kal'tsit, who wished to meet you. And these are Miss Jeanne and Miss Talulah. You may talk here at your leisure; I shall step out for a moment."
After introducing both sides, Hellagur left the area of conflict. However, he too found Kal'tsit's change in mood strange. Why did she look as if she saw something terrifying the moment she walked in?
After Hellagur left, Kal'tsit regained her composure. She realized her professional habit had flared up again—subconsciously observing the suspicious points in others. She cleared her throat awkwardly and sat down across from Talulah and Jeanne, taking Hellagur's former seat.
"I am Kal'tsit, a doctor temporarily staying at this clinic. My gaze just now may have been somewhat impolite; for that, I apologize."
Kal'tsit apologized in her characteristic emotionless tone. However, her voice was so cold that it felt as if there was no actual apology in her words.
If the Doctor, far away at Babel, were to hear this, they might throw themselves into Theresa's arms in grievance. This wicked woman has never said a word of apology to me! Every time we have a disagreement, this damnable cat always uses sharp words to tear into me!
"So, Dr. Kal'tsit of Kazdel, if you are this wary of us, why did you still choose to sit here and speak with us? What important matter is it for?"
Before Kal'tsit could state her identity herself, Jeanne spoke up directly, revealing that she knew the doctor came from Kazdel.
"Impressive. I didn't expect you to already know my identity. That is correct; I do come from Kazdel and am a member of the organization known as Babel. However, I am meeting you today in a private capacity."
Kal'tsit showed not a hint of surprise at having her true identity exposed; her expression remained ice-cold. Their faction had a great deal of interaction with Laterano; it wasn't impossible for them to know about her, someone who was frequently active in Kazdel.
However, the fact that these two could obtain intelligence from Laterano despite one of them being Infected made Kal'tsit realize she had underestimated them.
"Then how are we supposed to trust you? You've been hiding your identity from us from the start. How can we believe that what you say is true and not a deception?"
Talulah looked at the expressionless Feline before her, her heart filled with distrust for such a suspicious individual. Kal'tsit had been hiding her identity, yet she was the one who sought them out while remaining incredibly vigilant—it was only natural to be suspicious. If she hadn't been introduced by Hellagur, Talulah would have already begun asking her to leave.
"I can understand your current distrust. However, my decision not to disclose my identity was for your own good."
Kal'tsit's words sounded as if she were saying: I know this is inappropriate, but I insist on doing it anyway.
"My identities are far too numerous and far too troublesome. It is by no means a good thing for you to have any intersection with me right now. Therefore, the one who found you this time is simply 'Kal'tsit'."
Kal'tsit stated directly that she was meeting them only in her personal name, unrelated to her other roles. She knew exactly how much trouble her identity would bring others, which was why she had hidden it. It was just that they had exposed her anyway.
"Just as you know my identity, I also understand that you have deep ties with Laterano. If they were to find out you were making deals with me, it might very well destroy the trust between you."
While Kal'tsit didn't know the exact nature of their relationship with Laterano, she understood the relationship between Kazdel and Laterano.
"Then, in your personal capacity, what is it exactly that you wish to discuss with us, Ms. Kal'tsit?"
Jeanne, who had been sitting quietly to the side, spoke up after a moment of silence. Her eyes were locked onto Kal'tsit's calm gaze, hoping to see even a flicker of change within them.