In the desert, within a crater gradually being buried by windblown sand.
Everyone descended from midair, gathering in the only area that had remained intact under the protection of Jeanne's Treasure Tool.
"My deepest apologies."
Jeanne spoke with a wry smile.
"I was unable to keep the enemy there with that attack."
The Holy Banner, which had been used as a thrown spear, had now returned to Jeanne's hand.
Watching the banner flutter in the wind, Shana, who was supporting Wilhelmina, fixed her burning eyes on Jeanne and spoke sharply.
"Who are you? Where has Sylvie gone?"
That was the first issue that needed to be resolved.
After such a drastic turn of events, Shana's wariness toward a stranger as a Flame Haze Warrior had instinctively risen to its limit.
Jeanne understood that perfectly. She did not take offense at Shana's barbed words and merely looked back at her.
"Please rest assured, I am not your enemy. The details are rather complicated, so please simply believe that much."
As she said this, Jeanne turned her gaze toward Fang Li.
Receiving Jeanne's signal, Fang Li took a deep breath. After calming the countless thoughts and turbulent emotions in his heart, he looked at Shana.
"There's no need to be on guard against Jeanne, Shana." Fang Li said to her, "She's on the same side as me. We're both here to protect Sylvie."
Naturally, those words alone could not completely put Shana at ease.
However, Shana was not someone who failed to appreciate good intentions. Though she was somewhat dissatisfied that Fang Li had kept things from her, Sylvia's safety had always been the highest priority at the Outermost Dwelling. It would not have been strange for them to possess hidden means of protection, and prying into everything here would have been