"Ma'am, did you come to this city swallowed by the desert just to find a friend?"
The Holy Knight captain's Mantra was reasonably competent, and he sensed that Kujaku was no ordinary woman.
She was most likely at least on the level of a Titled Knight. That made him considerably more cautious.
He discreetly reported to Admiral Laki through the communications device built into his helmet.
"That's right. My friend is a reporter. They came here to gather material for a story, but then I lost contact with them. They've gone missing."
Kujaku's fabrication wasn't entirely a lie. A reporter really had disappeared. The recent situation in Alabasta had attracted a number of journalists.
She even knew all that reporter's personal details... As for whether they were friends, that was open to interpretation.
If the situation kept deteriorating, there would always be bold reporters rushing in.
...For example, in the original timeline's year 1520, Vivi had been able to read news about the rebels back home even while overseas.
"I understand."
The Holy Knight could only proceed cautiously, but he genuinely had no other reason to stop her from looking for her missing friend.
After all, this wasn't Babylon's territory. Until she showed hostility, there was no justification for restricting her movements.
[-Yellow alert. Sand Raiders approaching.]
The warning from the Temporary Command Center sounded inside the Knights' helmets.
Blue meant a natural disaster, while yellow meant a man-made threat the advance force could handle on its own.
Red meant a high-threat situation requiring a prayer for God Descent-Sephiroth teleporting in to provide support.
Kujaku's lovely eyes shifted slightly as she noticed a change in the Knights' bearing.
"Take shelter immediately. Sand Raiders are coming."
The Holy Knight captain assigned the squires to help the refugees take cover, then led