The reactions of those present varied greatly upon hearing Sciurus's announcement. The Doctor's wry expression practically shouted that she had foreseen this exact turn of events all along.
The rest of the party remained relatively calm. After all, the Zalak woman didn't project any immediate malice; her abrupt appearance seemed tied strictly to local political customs.
The most heated response came from Ensia. She bared her teeth like a defensive snow leopard guarding its kill, placing herself firmly in front of Jeanne and Alina while glaring daggers at Sciurus.
"The guests of House Silverash are none of your business!" Ensia snarled, standing her ground. "Have you Browntails become so bold that you'd pull a kidnapping right under Kjeragandr's watchful gaze?"
She didn't know the exact details of what had transpired, but her instincts screamed that a plot was unfolding. She just wasn't sure which faction had engineered it.
"Stop glaring at me like that. Do you think I actually wanted this assignment?" Sciurus retorted, tossing her head back with an annoyed huff. "This was decided by the Tri-Clan Council! We have a responsibility to know what kind of outsiders the Silverash family is bringing into our country."
Yet the moment her irritable gaze shifted toward Jeanne and Alina, her expression melted into a gentle, welcoming smile. The sheer speed of her transformation was so seamless that even the Doctor—who considered herself a master of maintaining a straight face—couldn't help but admire the execution.
"Please do not be alarmed, honored guests," Sciurus offered warmly. "We will ensure your complete safety while you are here. We simply wish to learn a few details about your journey, especially now that House Silverash is temporarily unable to host you properly."
That impeccably polite smile only served to irk Ensia further. Just as the young girl was about to snap back, a towering Forte with massive horns hurried over, out of breath.
"Young Lady, I apologize for the delay! Things moved too fast on the mountain to inform you sooner..." Matterhorn gasped out as he stepped beside her, quickly recounting what had unfolded at the recent Tri-Clan Council session.
Thanks to her exceptional hearing, Jeanne caught every detail of his explanation. Due to Enciodes's aggressive modernizing policies and a failure to restrain his rogue subordinates, House Silverash had been forced to step down temporarily from its position of authority.
In effect, the family had been pushed out of the central assembly. Enciodes had handed his administrative duties directly to the Saintess—Ensia's elder sister, Enya—until the internal investigation reached its conclusion.
Normally, such a transfer of power would raise eyebrows and invite heavy suspicion. A clan master handing control over to his own sister would typically look like a sham to keep power in the family, but no one in Kjerag questioned this arrangement.
It was common knowledge that the sibling dynamic between Enciodes and Enya was strained at best. During her years as Saintess, Enya had never favored the Silverash family; if anything, her decisions frequently clashed with her brother's ambitions.
"So that's where things stand," Sciurus said, her tone dripping with quiet satisfaction. "Rhodes Island's arrival directly concerns our medical supply lines and the handling of Oripathy patients. Naturally, we cannot leave our guests in the care of a household currently stripped of its administrative duties."
Watching the Silverash retainers swallow their pride brought Sciurus more joy than a holiday feast. If the Paleroches family suffered a similar setback, her happiness would be complete.
"Sciurus, mind your composure," a quiet male voice called out from behind her. "No matter how pleased you are, displaying it so openly is terribly impolite to our guests."
The sudden reprimand made the cheerful Zalak freeze. A dusty blush bloomed across her cheeks as she spun around.
"I know that, Yucatan!" she huffed, flustered. "Don't say things like that in front of everyone! It's embarrassing!"
"If you know it's embarrassing, then act like it!" Yucatan replied with a sigh. "Your sister didn't send you here to start a feud. We came to welcome our guests properly!"
"Mind your own business!" she muttered, crossing her arms.
Amused by his wife's embarrassed outburst, the young Zalak man—who shared her soft, warm hair color—stepped forward and bowed low to the group.
"Please accept my sincere apologies," Yucatan said smoothly. "My wife can be a bit... lacking in refined etiquette at times. I assure you, we mean no harm. We are simply here to guide you to your accommodations, not to play out whatever dark schemes Miss Ensia suspects."
His polite explanation helped ease the group's lingering tension. After witnessing the couple's playful banter, Jeanne and her companions lowered their guard slightly.
Sending a husband and wife team to receive them was a subtle sign that the Browntails held no hostile intent; they were merely executing their duty as assigned by the council.
While the Doctor's tactical read was largely accurate, the real driver behind the gesture was Ratatos. As clan master, she hoped her younger sister might form a friendly bond with these "distinguished guests."
Even if half of Enciodes's claims turned out to be grand standing, no one doubted that these outsiders held unique and influential standing.
"You are welcome to visit them whenever you wish, Ensia," Yucatan added gently, turning to the young Silverash girl. "Their quarters aren't located in any restricted area. Now then, my honored guests... would you prefer to continue exploring the market, or shall we head directly to your residence?"
Realizing his wife was ill-suited for delicate diplomatic exchanges, Yucatan took the lead.
Beside him, Sciurus hovered eagerly, clearly wanting to participate but utterly clueless about what to say next. She resorted to engaging Ensia in a fierce staring contest instead.
"Let's go to the quarters first," the Doctor decided after glancing around. "We can save the sightseeing for later."
Her interest had been thoroughly piqued by the council meeting, especially after that strange, ethereal voice had reached her ear earlier with cryptic warnings.
Stepping close to Jeanne and Blaze, the Doctor leaned in and whispered, "You two had better keep me safe. My personal well-being is entirely in your hands!"
Though she kept her voice down, her words didn't escape the keen ears of the surrounding guards.
Hearing the visitor express open doubt about their intentions, the straightforward Sciurus twitched an eyebrow. Just as she opened her mouth to object, her husband placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Yucatan didn't offer a lengthy defense; he simply gave her a warm, reassuring smile. That single look was enough to make the hot-headed Zalak quiet down without another word.
Jeanne and Blaze patted the Doctor's shoulders in unison, reassuring her with a grin that they would return her to Rhodes Island in one piece, whole and breathing.
A moment later, the group was led toward their transport—and the second the Doctor laid eyes on the vehicles, her face turned a faint shade of green under her hood.
Waiting for them were two carriages drawn by heavy beast-kin mounts, reminiscent of the horse-drawn conveyances from Jeanne's home era.
The realization that she would have to endure a bumpy ride over uneven mountain trails in a non-powered vehicle made the Doctor instantly regret her decision. Why had no one warned her that Kjerag lacked basic Originium-powered transports?
Yucatan boarded the lead carriage to set the pace. Just as Sciurus prepared to hop in beside him, her husband held up a hand, blocking the door.
"You should ride in the second carriage and talk with our guests," Yucatan said with a weary smile, looking at his somewhat airheaded wife. "That was the whole reason Lady Ratatos sent you along, remember?"
"Huh? Oh... right!" Sciurus blinked, her face flushing as she realized she had completely forgotten her task.
She gave Yucatan's ear a affectionate pinch by way of goodbye before skipping off toward the trailing carriage.
In many ways, her lively nature resembled that of a energetic child.
Yucatan chuckled softly, watching her climb inside before taking his seat to lead the way. He hoped she could forge a warm connection with these outsiders; from what he could tell, the visitors seemed reasonable enough to get along with.
Once the carriages rattled into motion, Jeanne found herself sitting across from Sciurus. The Zalak woman had "I am dying of curiosity" written all over her face, her eyes practically glued to Jeanne.
Though Sciurus maintained a stern posture in an effort to appear dignified, her darting eyes betrayed her immediately. The scatterbrained Zalak was nowhere near as cool and composed as she tried to look.
"If there's something you want to ask, just say it," Jeanne offered with a light laugh, scratching her head. "Staring at me like that is getting a bit embarrassing."
She felt almost as if she were dealing with a curious Sankta back in Laterano.
"Are you really the legendary Saintess of Laterano?" Sciurus burst out, her icy demeanor vanishing instantly. "What are the requirements to become a Saintess over there? I actually wanted to become one when I was younger... but my sister just hung me up at home and beat me senseless for even suggesting it!"