By the time Talulah rushed back at full speed, the battle had already been underway for some time.
The "Snake Fangs" stared intensely at Jeanne, trying to discern her race. According to their specialized training, even Ursus veterans should have been dealt with in a single breath. Yet, the moment this ordinary-looking farm girl picked up a weapon, she became an entirely different person.
How could this slender girl block their initial assault? She had even swung her flagpole and sent two of them flying; judging by the state of the fallen, her strength was immense!
What kind of monster is this? Even the little Draco the Duke had adopted years ago didn't possess this kind of raw power. Could she be a Abyssal Hunter from Ægir? That didn't make sense! What would a creature from the abyss be doing on the tundra—looking for penguins?
In an instant, the situation had reversed. Jeanne, who was supposed to be the prey, was the hunter. No wonder the Grand Duke wanted her eliminated!
But they had no time to dither, nor could they afford to speak. Their only thought now was to retreat and call for reinforcements. To avoid drawing the suspicion of the local lords, they had only sent ten elites.
"I don't know why you attacked me," Jeanne said, as if reading their minds, "but since you've started a war, don't expect to leave in peace."
She lunged forward with her weapon. The Originium Arts these men unleashed were completely useless against her. Though she didn't know her exact limits in this world, with her Magic Resistance (Rank EX), she was confident she could withstand their Arts.
With one swing of her flagpole, she sent another man crashing into a tree, where he slumped motionless. Simultaneously, her other hand swept her sword through another enemy.
The remaining members drew their weapons, attempting to surround her and find an opening in close quarters. But her great banner was like a spear, swung with such speed and precision that it created an impenetrable wall of steel.
Jeanne fought with cold mechanical precision. She knew their next moves before they made them; she only needed to counter and strike back. It was just like... in her dreams! Her Revelation told her how to win; she simply had to execute the plan.
By the time Talulah arrived, only three Fangs remained, fleeing in terror while Jeanne pursued. The scene was the exact opposite of what Talulah had imagined. She knew Jeanne was strong, but she hadn't expected her to suppress elite soldiers like this.
When she saw the specific Arts they used, Talulah knew exactly who they were. She had seen these techniques before—they belonged to Kashchey's private guard!
"Kashchey... you truly are a lingering ghost..."
Talulah's rage ignited, manifesting as a literal inferno that surged toward the Fangs. The assassins were stunned—blocked by a dragon in front and pursued by a saint behind, what were they supposed to do? They had never fought such a pathetic battle! How was this any different from sending a single Emperor's Blade to kill Patriot?
The flames erupted, melting everything in their path. The wooden house where they had lived for years was caught in the crossfire and began to burn. Talulah looked on in sorrow at the destruction, the smell of charred corpses filling the air. Her heart was heavy with grief.
Jeanne also looked at the burning house with a sense of loss. After all, she had lived there for years. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she vanished into the sea of fire!
"Ah! Jeanne, come back! Forget the things!" Talulah panicked instantly. She hadn't expected Jeanne to be so reckless. What item could be more important than her own life?
The problem was that this fire was her Originium Art, not a natural flame! It was far more intense than a normal fire, and Talulah hadn't yet learned how to extinguish it.
While Talulah was at a loss, Jeanne emerged from the fire unscathed. Not a single singe marked her clothes. She was clutching several items: the red cloth she had been weaving, some of the grandparents' belongings, a strange bottle of clear water... and her secret stash of savings! She had almost forgotten her hidden money; if she hadn't snatched it out, those coins would have melted into a lump of metal.
"You're too reckless! What could be worth your life?" Talulah scolded as she took the items, her voice trembling with lingering fear.
"Ahaha, it's fine. See? The fire didn't affect me at all." Jeanne had realized the fire was an Originium Art before entering. While she didn't know if natural fire would harm her (and didn't plan to find out), flames made of Arts were essentially the same as "Magecraft" from the World of the Moon. To her, they were harmless.
By the time they brought Alina and the grandparents back, the site was nothing but ash. Wisps of black smoke drifted over the scorched earth. The two elderly villagers looked at their ruined home in silence for a long time before murmuring, "As long as you're safe... that's all that matters."
However, as the dust settled, the other villagers gathered around, looking at Jeanne and Talulah with terror.
"They killed the Patrol! We're doomed! We're all doomed!" "Where did that fire come from? Are they Infected?" "Think about it—if they weren't Infected, how could they defeat the Patrol?"
Talulah lowered her head in silence. She knew she was the cause. The Fangs had come for her, and the village had been dragged into this nightmare.
"We're finished! Those weren't just 'black bugs' from the Patrol! They were a noble's private soldiers! I saw the crest with my own eyes!" Anthony, the drunkard, shouted from the crowd. His face was flushed with vodka, and he was clearly enjoying the chaos. "They were after Jeanne! They even had a portrait of her! We're going to be wiped out by the nobles! It's over! So, Village Head, I won't be paying back those five rubles I owe you!"
Anthony gesticulated like a clown until another villager, who had been helped by Jeanne's family in the past, couldn't take it anymore and tackled the drunkard to the ground.
"Let's go. We'll stay at Alina's for now. We can figure things out later," Jeanne said with a calm smile. They helped the elderly couple and walked toward Alina's house.
The villagers instinctively parted to create a wide path. Talulah saw a whirlwind of emotions in their eyes: pity, confusion, sorrow, despair, disgust... but mostly, a heartbreaking sense of loss.
Her gaze became as firm and fiery as her Arts. She had decided something. Silent and resolute, she followed behind Jeanne.