Carmela was ready to fight or flee.
But then something strange happened.
Joy didn't reach for her weapon. She didn't conjure her hammer or take a stance.
Instead, her expression, once solemn,slowly softened.
Then, unexpectedly, she began to...laugh.
At first it was a small chuckle, but it grew louder, freer, until she was genuinely laughing.
Carmela stared at her, completely bewildered.
"...What the hell are you laughing at?"
Joy wiped a tear from her eye, still laughing.
"You—hah! You really thought I was going to take you in? Put you on trial? Execute you? Hah! Oh, Goddess above…"
Carmela blinked, utterly confused by her reaction before finally asking in disbelief,
"Wait—you're not going to arrest me?"
Joy tilted her head, smiling with that same strange mixture of calm and mischief.
"Of course not. What, do you take me for a fool? You think I'd kill the one woman who's done more to clean the filth off this continent than the Church has in a hundred years?"
