Jeanne felt a sudden prickle down her back, as if something sharp had just brushed her skin. She spun around instantly, searching the immediate area to discern exactly where that unexpected wave of hostility had come from. Why on earth would anyone within this very village harbor such dark feelings toward her?
Turning her head, she looked upon a dense gathering of folk bundled tightly against the elements. In a frozen wasteland of this nature, anyone with the means would naturally wrap themselves in heavy layers.
Studying the crowd, Jeanne knew she could easily halt the group and root out the exact individuals who had directed that malice her way. Yet, stopping every passerby without a shred of concrete proof was entirely unrealistic.
Even if she successfully singled them out, those characters would likely deny everything. If an argument broke out, there was no telling how much unrest it might stir up across the entire community.
Choosing restraint, Jeanne remained still, simply watching that section of the crowd in silence for a long interval. If those figures truly possessed the nerve to strike at her, they wouldn't have contented themselves with a mere lingering glance.
She could always question them regarding their true motives whenever they actually dared to make a move. Besides, she doubted these characters, who only possessed the courage to peer at her from the safety of the shadows, would ever find the bravery to confront her face-to-face.
Jeanne simply watched as the group moved along. Though she couldn't identify the specific individuals, her piercing gaze left the hidden watchers drenched in a cold sweat, feeling as though a predatory beast had just locked its sights onto their flesh.
"Is that the woman? She doesn't look like much, but that gaze of hers is terrifying!"
"She must be a fearsome fighter, right? How else could she have completely misled our leader?"
"If it weren't for her, the leader would never have made such a rash choice! All of this trouble only started brewing after that woman returned."
"Stop staring over there! Can't you see she is actively searching for us? If we want to accomplish anything, we must wait for a proper opening!"
"Move along, move along! The way that woman is looking at us feels entirely wrong!"
Mingling with the flow of regular folk, the group hurried away from the vicinity. Sensing their departure, Jeanne turned the matter over in her mind, trying to deduce exactly who those people could be.
Reflecting on their features, she realized she truly didn't recognize a single one of them. They were likely refugees who had joined their ranks recently, or perhaps infected folk whom Talulah had personally rescued during her latest travels.
But why direct such resentment toward her? Surely it wasn't some laughable notion that she was spending too much time by Talulah's side? If that were the case, the Draco leader herself would probably deliver a thorough thrashing to anyone spreading such nonsense!
Standing in the snow, Jeanne quickly cleared the stray thoughts from her head. She was mostly worried that she might have mumbled something embarrassing about Talulah in her sleep, only for the Draco to overhear it and plot her revenge.
Her companion could be incredibly petty when she wanted to be! Especially when it came to Jeanne, that fiery dragon's patience seemed to shrink smaller than the point of a needle.
"What are you doing hiding out here!"
A familiar voice sounded right beside her ear. Jeanne's immediate impulse was to blurt out, "I was just thinking about how petty you are," but thankfully, she managed to catch the words right at her lips, swallowing them down just in time.
Stepping into view behind her was the very Draco she had been mentally teasing. Talulah wore a deeply complex expression. Seeing Jeanne turn around, she raised an eyebrow, clearly guessing that the maiden had been harboring less than charitable thoughts about her.
"It's nothing. It's just that a moment ago, a few folk over there were looking at me with a rather peculiar expression."
Jeanne pointed toward the pathway where the group had vanished. Naturally, Talulah had no way of identifying them, as the hidden watchers had already blended into the distance.
"Tch. So those people are already planning to stir up trouble for you?"
Talulah's expression soured instantly as she glared toward the empty path. It was glaringly obvious that she knew exactly why this animosity was brewing, though she clearly hadn't expected them to act on it so soon.
"What is this about? Why would anyone target someone like me? I barely even show my face around here."
Jeanne caught her drift instantly, but she genuinely couldn't fathom why these folk—who didn't know her from a stranger—would focus their resentment on her head.
If she had been loud and boastful, she might understand, but she had kept an incredibly low profile since her return! No matter how one looked at it, even if those people harbored some secret grievances, they shouldn't be knocking on her door.
Targeting Alina would have made far more sense than coming after her, wouldn't it?
"...Come with me!" After a brief silence, Talulah seized Jeanne by the arm and guided her away from the crowded thoroughfare, determined to find a quiet space to lay out the full reality of the matter.
At this moment, the Draco's features were twisted with a dark look that went far beyond mere displeasure; it was a wave of pure fury, making her look as though she were ready to strike someone down on the spot.
With her dragging Jeanne along in such a manner, the onlookers naturally assumed the two leaders had fallen into a fierce disagreement, and that the less articulate Talulah was planning to settle the dispute with raw force.
Even the youngsters who witnessed the departure shared this impression. A few children who knew the pair ran straight to Alina, adding their own colorful interpretations to the scene.
"Teacher Alina, this is terrible! Big Sister Talulah just dragged Big Sister Jeanne away, and looking at her face, it seems she plans to string her up and give her a thorough thrashing!"
Alina listened to the children's frantic report with a completely bewildered expression. Why on earth can I not understand a single word you children are saying?
Talulah wanting to fight Jeanne? Has she inadvertently eaten something spoiled? How could she possibly believe she could emerge victorious in a one-on-one clash with Jeanne? Are they going to compete by solving mathematics problems instead?
Still, she understood that the two leaders simply had urgent matters to discuss. She calmly explained the reality to the children, making sure to reassure Fafnir as well, lest the youngster grow frantic over Jeanne's safety and rush off to stage a rescue.
"All right, out with it. Your behavior has been thoroughly strange these past few days, and it clearly has everything to do with this matter, doesn't it?"
Once they returned to the warmth of their quarters, Jeanne stood with her arms crossed, studying the Draco leader who had finally begun to master her temper.
Talulah still appeared lost in her own thoughts. Hearing the question, she blinked with a moment of brief confusion before recalling why they had hurried back.
"It isn't a massive crisis, truly... it is just that a few days ago, I informed the camp of my choice. I intend to lead our forces out of this village and begin our march toward Chernobog!"
Talulah ran her fingers through her hair, her tone laced with frustration as she confessed the dilemma that had been weighing on her spirit.
Simply put, when faced with the choice of moving toward the city on foot now or waiting until they could journey aboard a landship, she had firmly chosen the former path.
"Because we cannot rely solely on this village and the snowfields forever. Furthermore, this journey isn't merely about the march itself; it is about gathering and welcoming every soul along the way who wishes to join our cause."
Talulah had agonized over the two choices for days. She knew full well that a significant portion of their people would oppose her decision, and would use every means available to try and smother the idea before it took root.
To be precise, that opposing faction consisted entirely of the newer arrivals. They had no desire to leave the snowfields, nor did they wish for Talulah to depart.
Their sole wish was for Talulah to remain here forever, transforming this refuge into a permanent sanctuary where they could live out their days in safety until the end of their lives.
"I never intended to force every single person to accompany me; after all, this settlement serves as our foundation. But I never anticipated that those characters would go so far. To think they actually turned their focus on you because of my choice!!!"
Talulah struck the wooden table in her fury, unleashing a resounding crack. The impact was so violent that the teacups rattled and jumped into the air before crashing heavily back onto the surface.
Jeanne, however, didn't display a hint of anger. She now understood perfectly why those folk had directed such venomous glances her way.
To those who remained ignorant of her true nature, it was easy to connect Talulah's sudden, firm decision with the unexpected arrival of a close companion.
In their minds, it must have been this troublesome newcomer who had whispered poison into their leader's ear, or perhaps utilized some strange art to cloud her judgment, prompting Talulah to uproot their peaceful existence.
Jeanne wasn't surprised in the slightest that such folk existed. Instead, she remained perfectly serene, even finding the humor to step forward and comfort the furious Draco before her.
To lose one's temper and compromise one's health over characters of that nature was simply not worth the trouble.